Modding a light with a K2 TFFC

[Anto]

I bought a weaponlight, the streamlight TLR-1. It comes with a TFFC emitter. Is there any way to swap it to a seoul P4? I'd rather swap it with a seoul vs. a K2.

 

[HarryN]

Hi - I am just curious - why? The light output is virtually the same, and the K2 is more robust.

I guess you just want a different LED / beam / tint ?

There is some chance that the LED has been soldered down, as they can be reflow soldered right to the board. I am not sure how to de-solder it, but someone probably has done it.

 

[lolzertank]

It's really not worth the hassle, soldered or not. The K2 TFFC is as efficient as the SSC P4 and has a much more even tint. Not to mention that it can take some serious abuse before dying.

 

[tx101]

+1 on the above posts

Going from a K2 TFFC to a P4 is downgrading the light

 

[Nake]

The K2 is going to be brighter than the P4 given the same current. I would think with a weapons light that is what is desired.

 

[Anto]

How is it downgrading if the Seoul offers 280 lumens @ 1A, and the K2 TFFC offers 200 lumens @ 1A?

From Photonfanatic:

Bin TV0D: This K2 provides 200 lumens at 1A, or 275 lumens at 1.5A

Seoul U2SW0H: Maximum output at 1A is now up to 280 lumens!

The K2 Vf is also higher:
The D Vf bin varies from 3.03 to 3.27V

U2SW0H:
The U2SW0H has a Vf of 3.00V to 3.25V.

So what am I missing?

 

[Nake]

I can't give you a technical explanation, but the four lights that I changed out the Seoul to a K2 TFFC, all were considerably brighter. This was determined using a lightbox, not an eye ball meter.

 

[fyrstormer]

asdf.

 

[lolzertank]

How is it downgrading if the Seoul offers 280 lumens @ 1A, and the K2 TFFC offers 200 lumens @ 1A?

From Photonfanatic:

Bin TV0D: This K2 provides 200 lumens at 1A, or 275 lumens at 1.5A

Seoul U2SW0H: Maximum output at 1A is now up to 280 lumens!

The K2 Vf is also higher:
The D Vf bin varies from 3.03 to 3.27V

U2SW0H:
The U2SW0H has a Vf of 3.00V to 3.25V.

So what am I missing?

Key word being MAXIMUM. The minimum for the U2 bin is 100lm at 350ma, or about 210lm at 1A. Not only that, there are 240 bin K2s in the Marketplace.

As for the Vf, 0.03V is not going to significantly change efficiency.

 

[Blindasabat]

SSC droops a lot so that the actual output under currents approaching 1A is much less than the more robust K2. I have one K2 that puts out an estimated 300L OTF and is stable at over 2 Amps - in a 3.7" long light.

 

[nanotech17]

How is it downgrading if the Seoul offers 280 lumens @ 1A, and the K2 TFFC offers 200 lumens @ 1A?

From Photonfanatic:

Bin TV0D: This K2 provides 200 lumens at 1A, or 275 lumens at 1.5A

Seoul U2SW0H: Maximum output at 1A is now up to 280 lumens!

The K2 Vf is also higher:
The D Vf bin varies from 3.03 to 3.27V

U2SW0H:
The U2SW0H has a Vf of 3.00V to 3.25V.

So what am I missing?

i have 2 of the U2SWOH and i hate them both ( the U2SVOH is better but K2 TVOD is superb) if you want these LED drop me a PM.

 

[Anto]

Well, I took beamshots of the TLR-1 vs a Nitecore Extreme and here's what I got:

All pics were at F/3.2, ISO400 except for the last one at F/5.6
TLR-1 on the left, Nitecore on the Right

So it appears that the K2 TLR-1, which claims 135 lumens, has a little bit brighter hotspot than the 200 lumen Q5 Nitecore Extreme, but the Extreme has more sidespill. I like the tint as well, warmer white instead of cool white. I guess I'll be sticking with the stock bin after all..
Thanks guys

 

[HarryN]

Its funny - now that I see those beam shots like that, I would do the swap - at least to a more cool white K2 bin. My favorite bin is the WO tint, which is not as fashionable these days. It is such a clean white color, in spite of the CRI issue.