Modding Inova T4 K2 Model?

[mitchell300]

I have been looking to mod my inova T4 for some time now.

The easy part of the taking apart it getting the switch out its much the same as a maglite switch but much higher quality. the good thing with removing the switch assembly is that it gives you an area to put a pole though to generate much more leverage when holding the head in a vice.

I have been reading a few posts and it has been mentioned that the head held on by red loctite. Red loctite breaks down with heat.

According to loctites FAQ's you can loosen threads with loctite by heating and then twisting.

my only worry is that it mentions getting the area quite hot, do you think that would be do-able as long as the battery switch assembly etc... was removed?

Thanks,

 

[mitchell300]

 

[needforspeed]

Ho do you access the switch?

Pull rubber switch cover?

Cn you access driver?

I have unscrewed Five head assemblies now on the T4. I use painters tape on the body. Lock it in a bench vise. Nylon strap around head. Unscrew using two foot plumbers wrench. Works each time with no scratching, red locktite never stood a chance.

Bill

 

[mitchell300]

I have heard about you doing that which I tried with some rubber tape didn't seem to get the grip I needed,

To get the switch out you unscrew the charging points and take off the rubber switch cover, then you click the switch on so that its depressed then just push it out of the tube.

I couldn't access the driver just from that though possibly with the head off it may be quite possible.

I will have to just lock it in a vice and try a pipe wrench to get the head off.

I will post how I go and if I can reveal the driver.

Thanks,

 

[ledaholic]

I cut a couple pieces of leather from an old belt. I wrapped 1 piece of leather belt around the body and clamped in a vice. I applied some heat to the threaded area, then wrapped the other piece of leather around the head and using a vice-grip pliar, I unscrewed the head with little effort. I still have to figure out how to get to the LED. The reflector, LED, and driver are still firmly stuck in the head. Any ideas?

 

[ampdude]

I cut a couple pieces of leather from an old belt. I wrapped 1 piece of leather belt around the body and clamped in a vice. I applied some heat to the threaded area, then wrapped the other piece of leather around the head and using a vice-grip pliar, I unscrewed the head with little effort. I still have to figure out how to get to the LED. The reflector, LED, and driver are still firmly stuck in the head. Any ideas?

I'm curious, were you able to figure this out? From the other T4 mod threads I've seen, I never saw any mention of that. Just that they had a hard time unscrewing the head from the body, and then modded it.

 

[ledaholic]

No, I gave up on it. It looks like the innards may be pressed in and or glued. I tried to press the innards out and just managed to bugger up the brass parts. I quit before it was too late.

 

[Illum]

NI tried to press the innards out and just managed to bugger up the brass parts. I quit before it was too late.

since you've came this far...

you could always try the "traditional" approach to disassembling inovas....fill it with water and throw it in the freezer

 

[GRoLED]

since you've came this far...

you could always try the "traditional" approach to disassembling inovas....fill it with water and throw it in the freezer

I think the problem is that you can't freezer pop it with the switch in as it's between the battery compartment and optic (assuming you screw the head back on) and once you remove the switch you have the problem of the water not being contained.

Could you re-assemble the head onto the body and get a small clamp to cover the switch holes? Plumbing supplies? The only problem might be that water would pass the clamp and reduce the force on the optic. Wouldn't take much leakage. Depends really on how well the optic/LED is in there and how well you can seal it.

I have an old style T4 that I'm planning to mod. Unfortunaley it's somewhere between the UK and Oz at the moment so I can't get at it (not new, I've moved)

ledaholic,

I guess that your trying to avoid damaging the guts too much when your trying to get it out so you can do a straight LED swap?

I think I'm going to stick a reflector in mine with a new driver/LED, so I guess I can be a bit more, er, forceful :devil:

 

[1 what]

Great stuff!
I'm in the process of modding an old T5.
Got the head off with a bit of encouragement from Needforspeed (thanks Bill) but haven't had time to go further.
The optics look like they are held in place by a sleeve which is hopefully screwed and not glued into position. Haven't even examined the LED/Driver region yet.
If anyone has been here before (someone must have) please feel free to share the solution re optics and LED/Driver removal.

 

[ledaholic]

ledaholic,

I guess that your trying to avoid damaging the guts too much when your trying to get it out so you can do a straight LED swap?

Yes, I was going to replace the emitter and possibly mod the driver if I could get to it. I put a Seoul in my early model T4 and it blows away the reflector version now.

 

[ampdude]

Please let us know if you have any success. I would love to have a T4 scorcher myself.

 

[Bhustan]

I think I might try to mod my old model Luxeon T4 with a Seoul.

My questions are: (some have been asked before but not confirmed)

Do I need a new star, or just emitter?

What does the beam look like with a different LED in there? Does it focus ok with existing optic?

Does the Seoul put out more heat?

Is re-assembly a snap, or is it difficult to get everything back together?

Thanks for any further pointers!

Mike

 

[ledaholic]

I think I might try to mod my old model Luxeon T4 with a Seoul.

My questions are: (some have been asked before but not confirmed)

Do I need a new star, or just emitter?

What does the beam look like with a different LED in there? Does it focus ok with existing optic?

Does the Seoul put out more heat?

Is re-assembly a snap, or is it difficult to get everything back together?

Thanks for any further pointers!

Mike

I'll have to open up mine, I can't remember for sure if it was on a star or not. I put a Seoul SSC P4 in mine and really like a lot more now. The Spot is a little wider, spill is better, output is better all around. My modded P4 T4 is a much more useful and brighter light than my K2 T4 now.

 

[Bhustan]

Hi Ledaholic,

Thanks for the response! I'll check back tomorrow to see if you had a chance to open it up and find out. I think I really want to try this mod. I love the form factor of this light, and the fact that it is rechargeable. However, I've never been a fan of its ringy beam.

Thanks again,
-Mike

 

[ledaholic]

I almost forgot to look. Ok, it is an emitter only. The head on mine was really glued with lots of loctite or some similar type. I had to get the head really hot, as in using a propane torch. Take out the rubber switch cover or it may catch on fire . I wrapped the light with a piece of leather (old belt pieces) and put the light in a vise and clamped down. I got the head really hot (I did try other methods before I went to the torch) then wrapped a piece of leather around the head and clamped a pair of vise grips around the leather and had to use a lot of force. The emitter is not glued down, just remove the solder and lift out. The heatsink fits the emitter snugly so you may need to slightly file or sand the sides of the new emitter to get it to fit. Sounds like a lot of work but really is worth the effort IMHO. Here's a pic of the innards.

 

[ampdude]

Awesome! Sounds like getting it apart is the hardest thing. Any beamshots? :naughty: Do you recommend a bare emitter or fully replacing the star?

 

[ledaholic]

Awesome! Sounds like getting it apart is the hardest thing. Any beamshots? :naughty: Do you recommend a bare emitter or fully replacing the star?

No beamshots, it is still ringy, just brighter. The emitter is not on a star, it is mounted on the driver board/heatsink.

 

[Jason Liddell]

I almost forgot to look. Ok, it is an emitter only. The head on mine was really glued with lots of loctite or some similar type. I had to get the head really hot, as in using a propane torch. Take out the rubber switch cover or it may catch on fire . I wrapped the light with a piece of leather (old belt pieces) and put the light in a vise and clamped down. I got the head really hot (I did try other methods before I went to the torch) then wrapped a piece of leather around the head and clamped a pair of vise grips around the leather and had to use a lot of force. The emitter is not glued down, just remove the solder and lift out. The heatsink fits the emitter snugly so you may need to slightly file or sand the sides of the new emitter to get it to fit. Sounds like a lot of work but really is worth the effort IMHO. Here's a pic of the innards.

I know this is an old post, do you still have the picture that goes with this comment on the break down of T4?