How to mod an Arc LSH-S for two NiMH AA batteries?

[luxlover]

I am on a new kick. Bear with me as I give a little background information.....
Last week I went to a museum here in Brooklyn NY, and noticed that the lighting in all areas was subdued enough to hide much of the details of the forms of art on display. That included paintings, sculptures, "period room" layouts, and artifacts. I know they must keep it that way to preserve these items. I happened to have my SureFire L4 with me, and was a little reluctant to whip it out and use it to illuminate these underlit items. I was worried that those "artsy fartsy" types would be giving me funny looks. I decided to go or it. To my surprise, I saw details with the light that I hadn't seen with the museum's ambient lighting. Having used the L4 extensively throughout the visit, I started thinking of the cost of this endeavor even at the measly $1.00 a pop for Battery Station 123s. I wanted to find a light for this purpose that will give me "free lumens", i.e. a light that can use rechargeable batteries of one type or another.

I recently acquired ten NexCell 2,300 mAH NiMH AA batteries and a TG1000 four cell charger. I decided to mate the batteries with my Arc LSH-S and the two AA battery adapter that came with the light. Upon comparing the LSH's output to that of the L4, I was very sure that what I wanted to accomplish in a museum would not be possible with the lower output of the LSH. Not even close! I saw that I would need something much higher in output than the LSH was offering me.

Therefore, I would like some advice on how to modify my LSH bezel for a much higher output using the AA batteries as my power source. I have two modified bezels which I bought from McGizmo that each use a Luxeon III emitter in it. One is a TY0J. The other is a TW0K. Both give off a beautiful beam. I wouldn't mind having such emitters driving the LSH. Can anybody advise me as to what binning codes I should be considering, to replace the LSH's Luxeon I emitter? What about the type of "boost" regulation board and the drive current, which would give me the needed results without forcing me to carry a pocketful of AA batteries? Which reflector would do the trick as a replacement for the Arc supplied optic? I am aware that the voltage under load of two NiMH AA batteries is less than that of one 123 lithium battery. But I am sure that there is a way to perk up my LSH to create a light of greater output and efficiency than what it possessed from the factory.

I know that with all of the infinite wisdom out there in CPF-land, many members will be able to advise me well!

Thank you comrades,
Luxlover

 

[LitFuse]

You're never going to make your Arc LS do what an L4 can do. Why not just pick up some Pila's for the L4? That will give you instant guilt-free lumens. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

That's not to say you shouldn't mod the Arc though. I'd use the lowest vf emitter you have to acheive the best runtime. Boosting the stock board into the 600mA range and adding a 17mm IMS reflector and a UCL will turn it into a totally different animal.

Peter

 

[Ray_of_Light]

Ditto on what LitFuse said.
The L4 is pretty unique with its illumination properties. For short distances, it will make possible to see the unthinkable.

Anthony

 

[Lexus]

And don't forget to add a 2-stage McE2s Tailcap to your L4/Pila combo then you'll have a guilt-free wall of light + long running light for close up tasks.

 

[luxlover]

Re: How to mod an Arc LSH-S for two NiMH AA batter

Peter,
Agreed, since the L4 is truly a "wall of light" and that was probably what made it work so well at the museum. OK, so I am to keep my L4 for this application and use a rechargeable battery such as a Pila. I suppose that a Pila 168S is what you are referring to? I will look into this.

Now to the LSH-S mod.....
What bin do you recommend I seek? With the properly selected Luxeon III emitter, can I approach the level of light output of the L4, even though the sidespill will be much smaller than with the L4? What is the current draw of a stock LSH-S Luxeon I emitter anyway?

 

[luxlover]

Re: How to mod an Arc LSH-S for two NiMH AA batter

Anthony,
I never thought that what I was seeing using the L4 was "unthinkable", but I suppose this is the outstanding feature of the L4. "A lot of overall light all over the place" would accurately describe the L4's output. It looks like I "must" keep the L4 for this job.

Alex,
I am way ahead of you, mein freund! I have had Don's McE2S switch with a 60 ohm resistor board on a Z57 tailcap for about six months. While it is true that the resistor takes the circuit out of regulation, the resulting runtime on low level is endless. I chose the 60 ohm board to approximate the output of my modified L1 bezel on low. The L1 I have has a "T" flux bin Luxeon III emitter. The drive current has not been touched. It has an SO17XA reflector for very nice clean punch. This is my favorite light for typical everyday applications. The L4 is for heavier jobs, like museums.