Modding an Arc LSL-ST First Run

[cgpeanut]

I have an Arc LSL-ST 1st run and would like to change the stock 1-watt blueish luxeon with a 3-watt SWAK, bump up the curent about 500 mA and change the NX05 optic/lexan lens to a McFlood/B270. I've tried to unscrew the retention ring with filed down needle nose piers but failed /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

It seems to be held by some sort of epoxy or super strong loctite. I bought a new retention ring from Arc so I could cut/drill it out but I'm afraid the circuit board in the 1st run arc might be also be epoxied is this true?

Is modding 1st runs as straight forward as modding the seconds?

Thanks in advance

 

[TheFire]

Ok, firstly:
"First Run" and "second" refer to two very different things. "First Run" refers to the revision of the board and some other small details in the light. For your purposes, it's nearly the same thing as any current LSH you buy from Arc right now. "Second" refers to the fact that the light was rejected during the quality assurance phase of testing before it was shipped out. This can be due to physical damage to the body, or to a bad luxeon.

The retaining ring is held by a layer of green loctite (the industrial strength stuff). It's unlikely that you'll be able to remove the ring directly without building a special jig to hold the light. The circuit board itself is NOT held in place by anything other than the retaining ring. Once you remove that, you'll be set to go.

Good Luck!

 

[LED_ASAP]

Give it plenty of heat and it will move with needle nose piers /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif There is a fine balance between removing the ring and removing part of the skin from your palm /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif ---a nice strap wrentch is almost a must here.

 

[TheFire]

Don't guarentee that it'll move... some do, some don't.

 

[CM]

First run could also mean the old circuit (not using constant current regulation). If that's the case, then forget about modding it. It's already running balls to the walls and you can't get that much more out of it.

If it's the hybrid, then the above suggestions should get it apart.

 

[cgpeanut]

LED_ASAP, when you say plenty of heat I tried using my wife's hair dryer in the bathroom with the filed down needle nose pliers clamped down on a metal vise twisting the arc head she knocked and asked what was I doing I tried to explain it to her and she had this dazed look in her face
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Anyway, looks like her dryer is not powerfull enough still won't budge. Will a butane torch work? Of course, I have to be extra carefull not to melt the lens/optic. Is this what you experienced modders use?

Using a strap wrench is an excellent idea should I wrap the arc head with cloth to protect the finish or just starp it in there and twist away! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

CM, If it turns out to be the old board will a Madmax or Badboy from the sammich shope work? If so, w/c do you recommend to drive it at 500mA?


Thanks again Luxeon Gurus!

 

[EvilLithiumMan]

I had the same problem. Even the FAQ at the Loctite site says to "use heat", but they don't say how much. (Idiots!)
I started out with 170 degrees in the oven and kept bumping it up. Eventually ended up at 350 degrees, a point at which the optics melted, but the ring held firm.

(Yeah - I know it was stupid. But I was bound and determined to learn this on my own).

I ended up sending it to one of the expert modders here on CPF who offered his assistance. There was so much Loctite on it that the ring had to be broken out anyway.

(And 'Thank You', Mr. Expert Modder. I appreciate the help /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif).

 

[LED_ASAP]

I wouldn't use metal vise to hold down the Arc LS head. It just conduct away heat too fast. I would first chip away any visible Loctite and then use the hair dryer or oven. Strap wrentch can be used alone or in conjunction with some rubber sheets. Cloth will not have enough grip.

 

[cgpeanut]

Done! I had to use the trusty old dremel with cutting bits

Pictures say better than words.

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/ring.jpg

Here's the pic of the stock board with 1 watt luxeon emitter.

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/stock-circuit.jpg

Picture of the 3watt luxeon star TWAK with stock board.

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/luxeon.jpg

Picture of the stock board with luxeon 1watt taken out.

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/emitters.jpg

Finally picture of modded board with 3 watt luxeon SWAK and resistor running at 667mA.

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/moddedboard.jpg

 

[TheFire]

nice! Good work... those are really great pictures, too...

 

[cgpeanut]

Hey, I just did my 20th post I'm not a newbie, I'm a flashaholic! Kewl, Bring on the 5 Watt Luxeon Stars my soldering iron is still hot /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[cgpeanut]

I have some beamshot comparisions between the modded Arc LSL Standard modded with 3watt Luxeon SWAK, NX05 optic & B270 lens from flashlightlens.com against and Arc LSH-P with 3watt luxeon SWOK, Frean-LP optic & stock lexan lens.

Left LSH-P, right LSL-ST

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/lfrean-rnx05.jpg

here's the beamshot of the modded Arc lsl-st

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/modarcls.jpg

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/frean-b270.jpg

here's two more pics can you guess which one is which?

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/guess-a.jpg

http://img35.photobucket.com/albums/v105/rroxas/guess-b.jpg


I must say the B270 lens spread the beam nice and even combined with the NX05 optic I like it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[TheFire]

hey, waddya know... that last post, the one right after your 20th was my 500th. I got a star and you got flashaholic! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Nice beamshots... I think the B270 looks like a worthwhile addition...

 

[cgpeanut]

Congrats TheFire on your 500th post! As a gift I would like to send you a 1 spare LT1618 chip I have free if you want it just PM me for the details.

Thanks Guru!

 

[bhds]

A dremel? Yikes! I would be afraid of slipping and hitting something important. Like the board or threads. I am no expert at this but what I did was get a straight snap ring plier and ground down the sides to clear the sides of the bezel. The pliers fit perfectly for the metal retainer, the board, and also the plastic retainer for the optics. I have taken 3 arcs apart using it and have had no problems with applying massive torque to the metal ring. The last one I took apart actually wore a blister in the hand that was holding the bezel but the pliers never slipped.

 

[cgpeanut]

Well, I used a filed down pliers and it always slipped even attached to a vise, I did not like this method because you really can't controll brute force /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

As you can see from the pics, it had a lot of industrial epoxy, I used a small cutting drill (pin size) it had a metal ball at the end and was really carefull not to hit the board and threads was lucky I didn't /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I used my other modded ARC as lightning and a head magnifying glass 4x to see. My little girl said I looked like a dentist. I think the vibration from the dremel help knock most of the epoxy aswell.

I tried the snap ring, bent it out of shape had to junk it.
I show some expensive ones by Channel lock it was not long enough Anyway this is my second mod my first mod was ok but this one turned out excellent /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif