Emitter swap in first-gen SF L1 = awesome!!!

[Valpo Hawkeye]

I was debating whether or not to order a reflector for my L1 to make my own milk-like mod. Well, I didn't have the reflector, but I did have a spare SSC P4, USWOH. So I plugged in the soldering iron, and a short time later, I had the same light as before, only with a far brighter emitter.

To my surprise, the beam isn't bad at all. In fact, it's essentially what it was with the old Lux I, only brighter. Another pleasant surprise is that the low is still quite low, but the high is friggin' awesome. I can't explain why the low is still pretty low, but it is. On advantage that this light has over my ML1's of times past is the gentler transition at the edge of the spill, thanks to the optic.

So, if anyone has a SF L1 with a hex-head sitting around, this is a cheap way to make it awesome.

 

[Valpo Hawkeye]

After using the low level a bit more, it is brighter than before, as you would expect.

 

[ampdude]

Did you have any problems getting the head apart?

 

[scottaw]

The reason your low stayed low is that the low beam is resistor-controlled. But i'm sure it got a bit brighter, just a much more efficient emitter.

 

[ampdude]

The reason your low stayed low is that the low beam is resistor-controlled. But i'm sure it got a bit brighter, just a much more efficient emitter.

I think what he was saying is that he expected it to be brighter on the low than it was before. But with his second post, now in retrospect he decided the low is a little brighter than it was before.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Good that you got that old style optic to work well with a Seoul P4.

Bill

 

[Valpo Hawkeye]

The head on my L1 was unpotted, so it came apart very easily. However, another L1 of the same type was very stubborn when I went to take it apart.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Good that you got that old style optic to work well with a Seoul P4.

Bill

Just remembered the optic's name, NX05, I think. Was used on many early Led Luxeon lights. Arc used it on LSH's after the First Runs, which used an NX01.

Bill