DX 0-100% CREE R2 Drop-in

[wingnut86]

SKU 17593

I know from reading the reviews and message board on DX that two users here have this drop-in....

What I am wondering is would it fit without a gap between head and body on a SF G2, and also, is the emitter easily removed? If I purchase this, I would like to replace the R2 with this emitter. I'm sure the board can be manipulated to fit if it's too big.

I love my G2, but with it having an hour runtime, it has been relegated to special duty for a couple of days per year. My line of thinking with this is that I can set the brightness to a safe level for use in the Nitrolon body, and have adequate runtime for mundane tasks, and use the incan strictly for hunting.

Since I can't afford even a used Malkoff M60WL, and every other drop-in is driven pretty hard, and I don't want multiple levels(especially disco modes), and I think a twisty switch would be a pain in the rear with multi modes, I think this might be a descent alternative.

Also, what would be a safe level in a G2 via current draw on 2xCR123A's??

 

[eproblemsolver]

Ok, I have the R2 0-100% drop-in from DX.

Specs. I tested .89 amp draw on new Titanium CR123a primaries at the tailcap. at 100% output.

The reflector unscrews easily to reveal a 14 mm star. The inside of the pill is 16.07mm. The distance from the top of the reflector to the bottom of the pill with it screwed all the way in is 28.60mm.

The ground spring attached makes it 36.41mm from top to bottom.
Top of reflector is 26.47mm around.

base at pill is 21.25mm around.

I don't have a G2, put I know it fits in my Solarforce L2, I would bet that it fits in the G2.

I wouldn't change the emitter at all. Your G2 shouldn't melt.


-david

 

[Black Rose]

Of the DX and similarly sourced drop-ins that I have, I have found it impossible to get the LED/MCPCB assembly removed from the brass pill.

 

[kramer5150]

Heres what I do to remove the emitter(no there is no simple way to do this)....

1- Desolder the 0-100 DC-DC board and set it aside, and remove as much of the solder as possible from the pill.
2- Remove the wires from the LED.
3- Heres where it gets interesting. Heat your stove on HI for a few minutes until the coils turn RED hot. With the wires and excess solder removed, place the brass pill on the stove, LED side UP. Let it sit there and scorch until it starts smoking. Don't worry about melting the brass, brass melts at 1600F.. no chance of that happening on a kitchen stove. Once the thermal epoxy starts to burn/smoke/degrade, take it off with pliers and dunk it in a water bath. Dry it off and just pry it out the burnt remains with a knife. Use some steel wool and clean the brass pill.... your good to go.

I have done this with a Malkoff M60 and several DX pills.

Of course the XRE-R2 will die in the process... nothing you can do about that.

From there re-assemble the pill using your 0-100 board and new LED.
No malkoff pill was harmed from this process...

My swiss army knife on the other hand didn't fare so well... Malkoff drop ins are TOUGH as NAILS!!, anyone who thinks otherwise needs to have their head examined.

 

[wingnut86]

I wouldn't change the emitter at all. Your G2 shouldn't melt.

I know the G2 won't melt, I was just wondering what a safe drive level for the LED would be with minimal heat sinking, and I want the warm tint of the Q3-5C :thumbsup:

Heres what I do to remove the emitter(no there is no simple way to do this)....

1- Desolder the 0-100 DC-DC board and set it aside, and remove as much of the solder as possible from the pill.
2- Remove the wires from the LED.
3- Heres where it gets interesting. Heat your stove on HI for a few minutes until the coils turn RED hot. With the wires and excess solder removed, place the brass pill on the stove, LED side UP. Let it sit there and scorch until it starts smoking. Don't worry about melting the brass, brass melts at 1600F.. no chance of that happening on a kitchen stove. Once the thermal epoxy starts to burn/smoke/degrade, take it off with pliers and dunk it in a water bath. Dry it off and just pry it out the burnt remains with a knife. Use some steel wool and clean the brass pill.... your good to go.

Thanks for that bit of info, I would not have thought of that.

I think I'll order both the Drop-in and the emitter, and look over the drop-in to see what I can do before I rip anything apart, and if I find that I will destroy the R2 than I might not want to do so.

 

[old4570]

I just use a flat head screw driver , and lever the LED out ..
Most of the time it pops out in good enough shape to re-use it ....

Also consider , SSC P4 or Luxeon K2 TFFC for something different .

Otherwise I really like the drop in ...

 

[CampingLED]

I just use a flat head screw driver , and lever the LED out ..
Most of the time it pops out in good enough shape to re-use it ....

Works for me as well.

I think the warm white emitter swap should make a nice light. 50% Power setting is usually safe in a G2, but I use this one as my middle of the night light on min setting. Does not even disturb my dogs when I shine it directly on them.

I have two of these and one is stripped (tried to see if I can mod & use the driver for my headlamp). Unfortunately it was not a 7135 based module and not easilly modable. The other one is still in my SF G2 since I got it. It has quite a bit of aluminum foil wrapped around it. Spring is also removed for G2.

 

[kramer5150]

Yeah.. I mean DX quality is completely hit or miss. I have had other times where the LED just came unglued from the pill with a little prying. Obviously that should be your first try/hope, being that its non-destructive. The brass probably had some oil or residue on it so the thermal adhesive easily pulled right off.

the dx 0-100 is a good drop in. I use it in a SF-G2 that I modded with a rev-clicky.

 

[wingnut86]

I just use a flat head screw driver , and lever the LED out ..
Most of the time it pops out in good enough shape to re-use it ....

If its only held in with a silicone based compound like the Romisen lights, it will come out nicely with needle nose pliers by twisting and pulling at the same time. Good to hear it won't be too much of a problem.

50% Power setting is usually safe in a G2.

Thats about What I figured, maybe a little more....About how many lumens would you say 50% is? If it's in the 80 lumen range I will be happy.

 

[kramer5150]

The other thing about the 0-100 module is that it has the worst PWM flicker I have ever seen. I can see it just my staring into the LED die at its lowest setting.

I don't think it drives the LED very hard. On its highest setting its around 160L, slightly more lumens than my RC-N3-Q5 which measured 140L in BCs sphere.

 

[wingnut86]

I don't think it drives the LED very hard. On its highest setting its around 160L, slightly more lumens than my RC-N3-Q5 which measured 140L in BCs sphere.

That's good news. I would imagine my RC-N3 WW has the same driver as your Q5 version, and the N3 runs pretty cool compared to most other LED lights I have.

Is the PWM flicker noticeable above 50%?

 

[kramer5150]

That's good news. I would imagine my RC-N3 WW has the same driver as your Q5 version, and the N3 runs pretty cool compared to most other LED lights I have.

Is the PWM flicker noticeable above 50%?

Its not as severe from 50-95%, only visible on fast moving objects or moving the light around quickly. At 100% there is no flicker at all.

 

[boomhauer]

Just wanted to add that my 0-100% R2 drop-in is buggy - sometimes it will not turn on, until I unscrew the tailcap and then reassemble it. Not sure what's going on with it. Just a heads-up with regard to the potential quality issue. This is with a G2, btw.

 

[Radiophile]

Try isopropyl alcohol.

I had an LED detach from the pill of an R2 P60 module I bought at DX, and I wanted to glue it back on. To do that I needed to remove the glue still stuck to the LED's heatsink. It wasn't hard and it looked more like silicone grease than epoxy. I think they use the silicone heatsink glue they sell instead of epoxy. Anyway, I managed to chip off most of it, but there was still quite a lot left. I tried some isopropyl alcohol on swabs and it disolved the glue easily. The bigger blobs took a little while to soak up the alcohol, but they eventually let loose too.

 

[anonymoususer]

DealExtreme MC-E D26 drop-in

So the DX MC-E drop in costs 23 bones... and at that price i can't afford to not try the thing out. Why not right?

I will buy it regardless... well maybe unless it is known to blow up and burn houses down. But can some people advise me on this unit.

-What color tint does it emit? It advertises "WC". Does "WC" refer to the tint?

-I do realize M-bin is the most efficient. The DX unit is a K-bin which to my understanding is approx 12% less efficient that the M-bin. Am i correct on this?

-Anyone have beamshots? I have a UCL with diffusion film handy to increase flood and smooth the beam.

Special Features:
Aluminum alloy textured/OP reflector with proper copper heatsink.
Bezel diameter: 26.5mm
Base diameter: 21.5mm
Height with heatsink: 27.5mm
Height without heatsink: 22.0mm

Emitter Brand/Type:
Cree MC-E

Emitter BIN:
K-WC

Emitter Color:
White (WC)

Total Emitters:
1

Battery Configurations:
1 x 18650, or 1 x 3.0V/3.6V CR123A battery

Voltage Input:
2.7V~4.2V

Modes:
3

Mode Memory:-Mode Arrangement:
Hi (2800mA, 410LM)
Lo (1000mA, 100LM)
Strobe (1500mA, 200LM)

Brightness:
410 lumens (manufacturer rated)

Circuitry:
2800mA Current Output, Digitally Regulated Driver Circuitry

Reflector:
Aluminum Textured/OP Reflector

Included Accessories:
Support spring

 

[daimleramg]

Re: DealExtreme MC-E D26 drop-in

I dont remember who posted it but someone did a OTF lumen test with DX's MC-E and got about 350lumens. If your happy with that then go for it, just remmeber 350lumens but floody so it will not look as bright as a focused 350lumen light.

 

[Fichtenelch]

Re: DealExtreme MC-E D26 drop-in

They changed the driver at some point. i got mine with a crappy driver, changed it to one from shiningbeam. after that, it's nice and the price is still ok, with the 6.95$ for a 8x7135 3-speed driver without strobe and stuff. That's all i expected...

 

[anonymoususer]

Re: DealExtreme MC-E D26 drop-in

I dont remember who posted it but someone did a OTF lumen test with DX's MC-E and got about 350lumens. If your happy with that then go for it, just remmeber 350lumens but floody so it will not look as bright as a focused 350lumen light.

That's the LED drop in test in the sticky above. 385lm start, ~345 warmed up. Flood is exactly what i'm looking for. In fact i have a UCL with diffuser looking for a good home.

They changed the driver at some point. i got mine with a crappy driver, changed it to one from shiningbeam. after that, it's nice and the price is still ok, with the 6.95$ for a 8x7135 3-speed driver without strobe and stuff. That's all i expected...

I'll look into that. Thanks for the info. How difficult would it be to change the driver? How exactly did the new shiningbeam driver affect everything?

 

[kramer5150]

Re: DealExtreme MC-E D26 drop-in

I use this one, in a 6P. Its been measured at 350 OTF in both MrG and bigchelis' spheres. (400L on a cold start). But you need an IMR 18650 to get that much out of it.

 

[LEDninja]

Re: DealExtreme MC-E D26 drop-in

-What color tint does it emit? It advertises "WC". Does "WC" refer to the tint?

WC is the tint. See the colour chart below.