LED Zeppelin
Flashlight Enthusiast
This project started out as a build for fellow member Griff, and evolved into a series of LED mods for the M6.
The heart of the mod is a two-piece heatsink that features full contact with the back of the head, and the front taper of the tube. The LED heatsink is anodized and comes in four LED configurations:
- MZOX-4: Ostar w/ Fraen reflector and cosmetic trim ring, and (3) XRE w/ (2) McR17XR and a McR19XR
- MZP7-3: (3) SSC P7 w/ cut down McR27XRs
- MZXR-5: (5) XRE w/ McR19XRs
- MZXR-7: (7) XRE w/ McR19XRs
All LED sinks have built-in reflector centering seats and LED locating pockets.
The second part of the heatsink is the universal contact which works with any of the LED sinks. It bolts to the LED sink with either 2 or 3 black oxide finish SS Allen bolts depending on the LED pattern. The contact piece is chromate plated for corrosion resistance and conductivity. It has an internal cavity for a board, and completes the circuit with a ground screw for the board and through contact with the taper of the tube. There is a 0.55" contact board with an adjustable (+) terminal.
All the versions use the FM holder loaded with (6) CR123, (6) RCR123, or (3) 17670 depending on the board, LED configuration, and whether or not dimming is desired. The 5 Cree version can run on (6) RCR or CR123s in the stock MB20 holder.
The mod is completely reversible and the light can be returned to stock by removing the module. Parts that are replaced are the reflector, white bearing washer, foam shock cushion, and black cushion support ring.
Alternately the sink can be epoxied into the head, and the reflectors of the Cree and P7 versions epoxied in their seats for a shock-proof mod. For max shock protection, the board can be potted in the cavity, along with potting the LED leads of the Cree and P7 versions in their wireways.
Here are the parts that comprise the various sinks:
Special thanks go out to Griff for planting the MZ seed, petrev for motivating the MZP7-3 version, and my friend and CNC machinist extraordinaire John of Begell Tool for transforming my prints into these precision parts.
I'll dedicate the following posts to each version as I build them up.
Beamshots:
Outdoor beamshots. ISO200, F4, 3sec, white balance sunshine. Both Cree versions, MZXR-5 and 7 taken on a different night.
L to R:
1) stock M6 HOLA running fully charged M6R
2) MZOX-4 running 6 X RCR123
3) MZP7-3 running 6 X RCR123
4) MZXR-5 running 3 X 17650
5) MZXR-7 running 3 X 17650
Indoor beamshots, ISO200, F4, white balance sunshine. Three exposures: 1/8 sec, 1/30 sec, 1/125 sec.
Same order as above:
< HOLA
< MZOX-4
< MZP7-3
< MZXR-5
< MZXR-7
EDIT 4/30/09: Adding beamshots of a triple MC-E, MZMC-3, with warm JE5 tint and cut McR27S:
< MZMC-3 warm
Lux Readings taken at 1.5m (at 1m my meter was overloaded by the M6 and MZXR-7):
- HOLA: 10,260
- MZOX-4: 5,420
- MZP7-3: 5,370
- MZXR-5: 6,860
- MZXR-7: 9,200
The heart of the mod is a two-piece heatsink that features full contact with the back of the head, and the front taper of the tube. The LED heatsink is anodized and comes in four LED configurations:
- MZOX-4: Ostar w/ Fraen reflector and cosmetic trim ring, and (3) XRE w/ (2) McR17XR and a McR19XR
- MZP7-3: (3) SSC P7 w/ cut down McR27XRs
- MZXR-5: (5) XRE w/ McR19XRs
- MZXR-7: (7) XRE w/ McR19XRs
All LED sinks have built-in reflector centering seats and LED locating pockets.
The second part of the heatsink is the universal contact which works with any of the LED sinks. It bolts to the LED sink with either 2 or 3 black oxide finish SS Allen bolts depending on the LED pattern. The contact piece is chromate plated for corrosion resistance and conductivity. It has an internal cavity for a board, and completes the circuit with a ground screw for the board and through contact with the taper of the tube. There is a 0.55" contact board with an adjustable (+) terminal.
All the versions use the FM holder loaded with (6) CR123, (6) RCR123, or (3) 17670 depending on the board, LED configuration, and whether or not dimming is desired. The 5 Cree version can run on (6) RCR or CR123s in the stock MB20 holder.
The mod is completely reversible and the light can be returned to stock by removing the module. Parts that are replaced are the reflector, white bearing washer, foam shock cushion, and black cushion support ring.
Alternately the sink can be epoxied into the head, and the reflectors of the Cree and P7 versions epoxied in their seats for a shock-proof mod. For max shock protection, the board can be potted in the cavity, along with potting the LED leads of the Cree and P7 versions in their wireways.
Here are the parts that comprise the various sinks:
Special thanks go out to Griff for planting the MZ seed, petrev for motivating the MZP7-3 version, and my friend and CNC machinist extraordinaire John of Begell Tool for transforming my prints into these precision parts.
I'll dedicate the following posts to each version as I build them up.
Beamshots:
Outdoor beamshots. ISO200, F4, 3sec, white balance sunshine. Both Cree versions, MZXR-5 and 7 taken on a different night.
L to R:
1) stock M6 HOLA running fully charged M6R
2) MZOX-4 running 6 X RCR123
3) MZP7-3 running 6 X RCR123
4) MZXR-5 running 3 X 17650
5) MZXR-7 running 3 X 17650
Indoor beamshots, ISO200, F4, white balance sunshine. Three exposures: 1/8 sec, 1/30 sec, 1/125 sec.
Same order as above:
< HOLA
< MZOX-4
< MZP7-3
< MZXR-5
< MZXR-7EDIT 4/30/09: Adding beamshots of a triple MC-E, MZMC-3, with warm JE5 tint and cut McR27S:
< MZMC-3 warmLux Readings taken at 1.5m (at 1m my meter was overloaded by the M6 and MZXR-7):
- HOLA: 10,260
- MZOX-4: 5,420
- MZP7-3: 5,370
- MZXR-5: 6,860
- MZXR-7: 9,200
Last edited:
Any plans for a 3x MC-E sink?
Or are they to show off your creations that will ultimately end up remaining in your posession as part of a LZ collection?:sigh: Or perhaps they'll be sold off one at a time as they're completed?:naughty: Sorry if I'm rambling, just want to get a better handle on things. Again, I'm very impressed by all I've seen so far.....and congrats griff! :huh:
