IST dive light upgrade

[Packhorse]

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On the left a stock IST 3w dive light. On the right a modified IST with a Q5 LED Drop in LED module from http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11621

To do this mod....

1 remove lens bezel from IST and then the reflector.
2. Remove LED & driver assembly using long nose plyers
3. Use dremel to grinding away the thread where the LED assembly sat. You may have to dremel the new LED module a bit too.
4. Press the IST reflector onto the new module after unscrewing the Q5 reflector.
5. Remove the - spring from the module and trim down the+ spring.
6. Reassemble.

Not only is the new LED brighter but its also more efficient so the batteries will last longer!!!

 

[Doh!Nut]

Hi Packhorse

Which bits needed dremmeling? for length or just diameter?
Do you have any photos?

and please tell me that beam shot is against a yellow wall:thumbsup:

N

 

[Packhorse]

You need to dremel the thread where the old module was. Not much just a little.

Beam shot is against a yellow wall.

 

[Packhorse]

Actually I have had a closer look at the stock module.
The old one was a bit corroded and the driver board was stuck in place. After a bit of force I managed to pop out the driver so now have the bare heat sink.
When I get my next lot of modules I will pull one apart and swap over the driver and LED into the stock heatsink.
It is a smaller heatsink but once threaded back into the torch body will offer far greater thermal conductivity. This will also mean theer is no need to modify the body at all.

 

[Packhorse]

I just cant leave well enough alone!!

I just bored out the barrel of a IST so it will take a single 18650 LI Ion cell.
I thought it would be an easy job with my lathe but alas no. My boring tool was too short so I had to do it by hand with a adjustable reamer.
I also changed the driver to a 7135 1400ma one but on reflection I should have DD'd it.
Anyway the mod will now give me an even brighter light (just) on a fresh charge and then slowly dim down as the batter goes flat. Approx run time has now jumped to 2.5 hours though. If I can find a LED with a lower Vf (this one is 3.7v at 1000ma) I can make it go brighter still.

Speaking of which, does anyone know where I can find such a Q5/R2?

 

[Packhorse]

I threw in a aspheric lens and here is the result. (left)
Its slightly out of focus but gives a much brighter spot.

 

[Packhorse]

I know I should stop. I just cant. I think I may have a problem. I am becoming a flashaholic!!

Anyway the latest IST mod is a 10watt LED P7. Yeah thats right same as i use in my can light.

OK its not actually run at 10 watt. Its more like 7 or 8 watt.
What I did was bore out the body so it will take a Li Ion 18650 battery 3.6v 2500mah
I "direct drive" the LED. In other words there is no current control circuit. Anyway It consumes about 2.3 amps on a full battery and runs for an hour to hour 20.

Left P7 standard reflector centre Q5 Aspheric right Q5 standard reflector

To be honest the aspheric lens is my favourite by far but the P7 does give a nice flood of light.

 

[Doh!Nut]

Hi Packhorse.

I was wondering about aspheric lenses because it is possible to get a good spot beam with them. But what happens when you put them under water?
All the Mag aspherics I have seen have had the dome pointing outwards and using the diffraction of the light moving from the plastic to the air.
The diffraction moving from plastic into water must change the focus?

Or is it behind glass?

Nick

 

[Packhorse]

Never thought about that. But yeah these ones sit behind the stock lens or a replacement glass lens.
It gives excellent results with a true 7 deg beam. 300mm wide beam at 2400mm.
Actually the stock light is also 7 deg but there is spill outside of that hot spot. With the Aspheric it is all in the hot spot with no spill.
I tried the P7 with the aspheric but I just got 4 hot spots each as large but not as bright as the Q5.

 

[gav6280]

Yep your right, that is just what i need, i will have a go at one, So could you list all the parts, Cheers.

 

[Packhorse]

All parts are already listed in the thread.

There may be a bit more info in this one

 

[gav6280]

Struggling to find a supplier for the IST? Noe at the momment on flea bay.

 

[Packhorse]

Anyone keen on buying stock or moddified IST's?