First try at a Quad Cree Mag + Beamshots

[07accordEX]

This whole flashlight business is crazy... its like drugs or something, well I was glancing around DX and found the Dexlight and had to have it. I found my way over here and saw modded mags, well since I had a crappy Mag, might as well mod it too.

Ok, I'll admit it I ran through the planning step a bit too fast (couple nights) but heres the link of my "learning" of what i needed to do this project
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=184728

I quickly ordered everything and went to work
Oh and for the record I'm disappointed with the output... someone help me out?

I messed up the remora board, but another one is coming in the mail (might not even use it -_-)

Alright, now time for some beamshots

The output is way better in person, but other people's Quad Mags seem way better. Here's the specs:

Download's Multi-Sink
4x DX Q5 Star Crees
4x IMS 17mm
Shark Board
9x AA's
UCL Lense

What should I do to improve the output? Any input would be great.

 

[Mel_PL]

4x DX Q5 Star Crees
4x IMS 17mm

What should I do to improve the output? Any input would be great.

AFAIK IMSs reflectors are good for SSC and Luxeon but not for cree (you had to drill the hole to circa 7 mm, didn;t you?). Cree has a different pattern and needs a deeper reflector. You can collimate it correctly but only a small portion of light makes a narrow beam, a lot of light goes away.

-- M.

 

[MatajumotorS]

Agree to previous post, you need other reflectors, and why not 20mm size? There is some 18mm size reflectors (for cree as some customer wrote) @ DX - Smooth , Textured.

 

[nanotech17]

nice & sweet.

 

[toby_pra]

Hi!

Nice Mod!:thumbsup:

How about some outdoor-beamshots?

 

[download]

Did you check each cree really got 1A?
You may need to modify the 3AA to D adaptors, each spring is a resistor, try to solder a wire to bypass/lower the resistance.

 

[07accordEX]

AFAIK IMSs reflectors are good for SSC and Luxeon but not for cree (you had to drill the hole to circa 7 mm, didn;t you?). Cree has a different pattern and needs a deeper reflector. You can collimate it correctly but only a small portion of light makes a narrow beam, a lot of light goes away.

-- M.

yeah i did drill it out, any cheap alternatives other then the ones matajumotorS said? i guess im trying to find the best ones i can get without a boatload

Agree to previous post, you need other reflectors, and why not 20mm size? There is some 18mm size reflectors (for cree as some customer wrote) @ DX - Smooth , Textured.

Yeah i think ill be ordering those soon, whats the difference between smooth and textured?

Did you check each cree really got 1A?
You may need to modify the 3AA to D adaptors, each spring is a resistor, try to solder a wire to bypass/lower the resistance.

you mean use a wire for the neg instead of the spring correct?

thanks for everyone elses comments, this was really fun to build!

 

[bluecrow76]

I would be curious to know the voltage and current flowing through your LED string as well, just to make sure its where it needs to be. It does look like your loosing a lot of throw due to the reflectors.

 

[07accordEX]

I would be curious to know the voltage and current flowing through your LED string as well, just to make sure its where it needs to be. It does look like your loosing a lot of throw due to the reflectors.

sorry for being a noob but which "symbol" or mode is it that measures amps? and ill check the voltage later

what kind of reflectors do you recommend? trying not to spend too much

 

[bluecrow76]

There should be something like DC V for the voltage side and DC A or DC mA for the current setting. Be careful when measuring current. On my DMMs the standard probe jack only supports measuring up to 200mA. There is usually a second probe jack for the positive probe that will allow you to measure up to 10A of current.

To measure voltage, your meter needs to be in parallel with the circuit you want to measure. To get current measurements you have to put your meter in series with the circuit. With the light already built, this may be difficult as it means unsoldering a contact, which you may not want to do. It looks like you used one of Downloads connectors, so you could use that as a test point. If you don't feel comfortable doing it though... be on the safe side and don't... and seek some help from someone locally that knows what there doing.

As for reflectors, I used the Fraen reflectors in my quad build. I couldn't afford the really good ones. If they're not currently available at ArrowNAC, I saw someone selling them on CPFMarketplace for $3 a piece, but I don't remember who.

 

[Mel_PL]

yeah i did drill it out, any cheap alternatives other then the ones matajumotorS said? i guess im trying to find the best ones i can get without a boatload

Try these:
http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut738

Cheap and good

-- M.

 

[07accordEX]

ok so i measure the voltage and its 13.5v going into the circuit, but the amps i think ill pass on unsoldering it (dont want to mess with it too much because i was messing with my laser mini mag last night and broke off the neg's prong)


alright so ill either go with those FRC ones or the DX ones which would be a better choice?

 

[bluecrow76]

Mine is driven by a maxflex board. When the Crees are driven at 1.2A the voltage drop across the LED string is ~15V (~3.75V per emitter). I will check tonight what the Vf is at 1A so you can have something to compare it to, but I would think the voltage should be higher if you're trying to drive them at 1A, unless you got lucky and got a great voltage bin!

 

[07accordEX]

alright thanks
i just ordered the fraen reflectors how long does it take to receive something from cutter electronics? im in the west side of the US

 

[download]

Unfortunately, the fraen reflectors are too high for multi-sink in Mag D, Mag C should be fine.

Check the voltage of driver output, it should be 14-14.8, 3.5-3.7V per LED.
If the voltage is lower than 14V, the total output will be dim,
it did not push hard enough.

Solder a copper wire on top of spring, let the current route from the copper wire instead of steel spring.
Lower the resistance of the spring. Let more current go.

 

[07accordEX]

ok ill do the copper wire thing when i get the chance, and i guess i have some dremeling to do when they come, or just dont screw the bezel all the way in

 

[download]

Yes, some dremeling will make it fit. Take out the lower part as pic.

 

[07accordEX]

oh ok cool sounds good, thanks for the reference picture