modding the Jetbeam Pro ST (att: picture heavy)

[yellow]

got my Pro ST because of the cheers in here.
With three level fully individual I.B.S. setting, both types of klickies, nice machining, nice materials and especially that elegant single diameter body, it is within the best 18650 production lights available.

But, comparing to my main led light - one that uses a Sandwich Shoppe 19 mm reflector for the cree XR-E - I did not like the beam.
It is very narrow and there is no transition from spot to spill, it is a pronounced circle.
... which surprised me because most any adviser had typed, that the small Pro ST has the more "flood" type beam of all the Jet III models


So this has to be modded


unfortunately the 19 mm (left) I wanted is too long, it does not fit in.
I had a Sandwich Shoppe 17 mm (middle) here - not used till now, because the 19 mm makes the visuably better beam. This one fits
and at right, this is the original Jet III Pro ST reflector

You can see: both SSs feature less diameter and thus grab more light (of the important main light cone)


1st. "problem": the wider original reflector is fixed inside the light by the rubber O-ring pressed in from the glass and retaining ring.
Thats a very clever and safe way to do it, but the smaller 17 mm can not be fixed like that.

so cut out a ring of a plastic sheet, to fit into the body and cover the outside of the reflector.

now the adhesive is removed from the 17 mm

the ring centers the 17 mm and keeps it in place, the O-ring will press the ring in and "problem" is solved.
Wonder if it will survive bumps from biking, but I think it will work

light "closed" w. glass and retaining Ring. Transparent O-ring visible around reflector

but: unsolved problem now: a gap from the "ring"-sheet
(I can not screw in the retaining ring any more. There has been a gap in original state, but not this wide.
Going to look for a thinner O-ring in the future

Have used the modded Jet a bit and I think the light has won considerably.
Wider beam and spot fades into spill very nicely.
Inside buildings brutally more useful.
Con: I can not compare directly and do not remember, but throw should have gone worse
(interestingly, even outsides I still think the new beam is better, but ...)


Shots how the beam goes:

setup: target with cercles, lamp put on the tripod.

distance of shots: 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 5 meters

at left: Jet III Pro ST w. 17 mm, ................ middle: Jet III Pro ST original, ............ right: another XR-E w. 19 mm reflector

at left: Jet III Pro ST w. 17 mm, ................ middle: Jet III Pro ST original, ............ right: another XR-E w. 19 mm reflector

if You have the space, use the 19 mm anyways. Best all around beam. No thrower

:thinking: the pics dont show it good: with the original reflector, the output seems much more on the green/gray side than with the 17 mm (more towards blue/white). Could it be that this is an optical illusion because of the gold colored cree ring (w. the original one, the Sandwich shoppe make no rings)?

 

[liaoip]

Hello,

Thanks for explaining this mod. I'm not quite sure though...does this mod make the beam pattern even more floody? By the way, was the orignal beam pattern floody or more throw? Thanks.

 

[yellow]

yup, it does.
and yes, the original was more on the throw side

take the last 2 lines:
left is the 17 mm reflector, middle is the original Jetbeam one.
You can see the difference. Original is thighter and there is no fade from beam to spill.
Inside buildings no comparison, the mod is much better


(Outside the 19 mm on the right has the edge over both. Unfortunately does not fit in)