KL1/Z57 mod

[Chop]

Hey guys,

I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone with this post.

I just got in a KL1 to mod from a fellow CPFer. Johnny, this is yours! This one had a low dome in it, so I replaced the emitter with a 3W SWAK lux. I also used one of the small reflectors that Wayne J. is selling. The S????? reflector. I never was much on numbers.

I really like these reflectors. On this mod, and the others I've done using the reflector, I opted to do an emitter transplant using the stock heatsink. I find this to be easier than trimming a star and then modding the reflector to work with the star. When doing the emitter transplant, you don't have to do any trimming on the star and the reflector just drops right down onto the stock heatsink without modification. Anyway, I biased this one at ~700mA. It's nice.

The obigatory beam shot, and some others...

After modding this KL1, I tried it out on my E1e body and I really like the form factor. The only reason that I quit carrying the E1e with the Z57 is that it kept turning on while in my pocket, so I decided to make a replacement retaining ring for the boot of the switch. All it does is cover the switch to prevent it from accidentally turning on. A nice added benefit is that the light will now stand on end.

I know that this has probably been done before, but I thought I'd throw it in. I used brass because I think it nicely compliments the natural HA.

By the way, the beam shot was taken while running the head on an E2e body with a Pila 168S batt.

Thanks for looking.

 

[LitFuse]

Nice work Tony. So the EL reflectors are a simple "drop in" in the KL1?

Peter

 

[Chop]

Peter,

They do drop right in (you do have to move the wires out of the way, but no biggie) if you use the stock heatsink.

I really like these reflectors. I'm working on a pocket light built around these. It should be pretty small. The problem is that I now need to order more reflectors, since the last one I had went into this mod.

 

[BC0311]

That is slick, Tony /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/clap.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[mut]

Nice work Chop.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/clap.gif

 

[McGizmo]

Cool Chop! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[Chop]

Thanks guys. I wanted to mention something with the Z57's. I have three of them and all three had different size boots. The diameters were the same, but the OAL's were different.

Go figure. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[akula88]

Tony,
That's awesome... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
I can't wait to see it back /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif .
Too bad it would take other three weeks back to where it belongs -- to the E1-HA body it once was...

Thanks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

Britt>> Are you seeing this? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Maybe just like your Tony-modded KL3. Too bad the Z57 is yet on the post, but I think anytime within the week now.

 

[Chop]

Johnny,

Although this is a very nice mod, for a pocket light, the KL3 mod is a completely different animal. The KL3 mod uses a PR which will far out throw a modded KL4 or KL1.

Just consider the KL3 mod something to look forward to. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[akula88]

Oh! I forgot! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif What was I thinking /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Tony> I am actually doing sort of runtime experiment on the PRT-917 you built together with a Pila186S. I don't really understand /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif what I'm doing right now. Just beamshots. Its been running more than an hour now, and I think its already in DD. I'll post results or confusion later /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Chop]

Johnny,

If I built that PRT for you with a DownBoy in it, it started in DD. The light should not run in regulation with a single Pila, at least not for long. It should be a bright DD though. My experience has been that it will run bright until the batt cuts out. It should be a bit brighter on 2X123's.

If I built it with a BadBoy for the purpose of being run with a Pila, then it shouldn't drop out of regulation at all. It will just run at full brightness until the batt cuts out.

 

[MR Bulk]

As Elvis would say, "Vernoss, vernoss indeed"...

 

[yclo]

Very nice!

 

[kj]

Tony,

One question: When I put the reflector into the KL1, I needed to use an O-ring to fix it in the head, because the diameter of the reflector is smaller than the NX-05. Without the additional O-ring, it can move within the head when I make an impact on the head. I used the star heatsink. Is the reflector firmly fixed in the head when using the stock heatsink?

 

[Chop]

kj,

I was concerned about that too. I haven't had any such problems using the stock heatsink, although using the o-ring doesn't seem like a bad idea as a precautionary measure.

BTW, the reflector does fit nicely flat on the stock heatsink and it retained well by the lens.

 

[4x4Dragon]

[ QUOTE ]
Chop said:
The only reason that I quit carrying the E1e with the Z57 is that it kept turning on while in my pocket, so I decided to make a replacement retaining ring for the boot of the switch....

[/ QUOTE ]

aside from the capability to stand on it's tail, wouldn't it have just been easier to back the tailswitch off about half a turn?? or is mine the only one that seems to work like that? i have a Z57 on my E1e that i can "lockout" simply by backing it off exactly half a turn. for ex. when it's all the way on, the word "surefire" in surefire.com is right over the little dimple of the body opposite the clip. well when im carrying it in my pocket or if i don't want people playing around with it while it's on my dress at home i simply back the switch off to where the word "surefire" is directly over the open end of the clip on the body and it's totally locked out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[Banshee]

[ QUOTE ]
4x4Dragon said:
[ QUOTE ]
Chop said:
The only reason that I quit carrying the E1e with the Z57 is that it kept turning on while in my pocket, so I decided to make a replacement retaining ring for the boot of the switch....

[/ QUOTE ]

aside from the capability to stand on it's tail, wouldn't it have just been easier to back the tailswitch off about half a turn??

[/ QUOTE ]

CPF Membership revoked !! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Since when is it the CPF way to go about doing things the easy way !! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[4x4Dragon]

[ QUOTE ]
Banshee said:
[ QUOTE ]
4x4Dragon said:
[ QUOTE ]
Chop said:
The only reason that I quit carrying the E1e with the Z57 is that it kept turning on while in my pocket, so I decided to make a replacement retaining ring for the boot of the switch....

[/ QUOTE ]

aside from the capability to stand on it's tail, wouldn't it have just been easier to back the tailswitch off about half a turn??

[/ QUOTE ]

CPF Membership revoked !! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Since when is it the CPF way to go about doing things the easy way !! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

since people like me came along that don't know how to do mods(soldering and such) but desperately want to... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

i tell you im about to the point that instead of paying someone for another modded light i would like to pay someone to come give me lessons and walk me through my first mod /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Chop]

Well, I suppose that locking out the Z57 is easier than turning the little "thingy," but I don't have to lock out my Z57 any more.