sims2k
Enlightened
Has anyone done Cree or SSC P4 mods on Inova TIROS T3 and T5 ? I have a couple of them and wonder if if can be done.
Mods for Inova T3 / T5
- Thread starter sims2k
- Start date
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I'm really not the right guy to answere this question, but since nobody else has answered. From what I've heard, the Inovas are notoriously hard to mod, and easy to ruin if you try. Nobody buys them to do a mod (like Maglites).
I'll hope someone more knowlegable in this field steps in and corrects me if I am wrong.
Cheers.
I'll hope someone more knowlegable in this field steps in and corrects me if I am wrong.
Cheers.
I've freezer popped mine... still deciding what to do (and how the hell am I going to put the ******* back together!)
It was dead as a doornail and I didnt want a return for the reflectorized one, so it was sacrificed in the name of science \ curiousity.
I think the TIROS may need to be shortened at the base slightly to work with the Seoul LED. This is based on playing with it for like 10 seconds held over a seoul trying to get it at the right angle - so it may well work OK i was just to retarded at the time
when i have a seoul available next I'll try it. I wish to eventually use the T3 with a seoul and 18550 cell. I like the clicky and beam profile of the T3. Mine rattled (grr!) so I get the chance to fix that now...
But how to reassemble? Might involve a car jack....
It was dead as a doornail and I didnt want a return for the reflectorized one, so it was sacrificed in the name of science \ curiousity.
I think the TIROS may need to be shortened at the base slightly to work with the Seoul LED. This is based on playing with it for like 10 seconds held over a seoul trying to get it at the right angle - so it may well work OK i was just to retarded at the time
when i have a seoul available next I'll try it. I wish to eventually use the T3 with a seoul and 18550 cell. I like the clicky and beam profile of the T3. Mine rattled (grr!) so I get the chance to fix that now...
But how to reassemble? Might involve a car jack....
Danbo
Enlightened
I'd be interested in finding out more about these mods, as I have a T5 that would be a great candidate.
Blindasabat
Flashlight Enthusiast
I just freeze popped my T3. A perfectly good one too!
Now I'm trying to get the light engine(LE) out without damaging it as I intend to re-use it. I have heard that people damaged it trying to remove the LED, so I'm trying to be extra careful.
My strategy, if I can call it that, is to freeze a "pad" of water just under the LE, then press it out with a 5/8" wooden dowel (biggest that will fit in the battery tube). The ice is to spread out the force on the back of the LE and protect the piston. It's in the freezer now, I will probably pour a little more water in and freeze the dowel in place to best distribute the load.
I'm not sure at all if this will be any better than further freeze popping.
I will use an arbor press at work to press it back in. There is AL on top of the LE, so it should go back in OK if I heat up the outer tube, I just have to be very careful not to crush the LE or LED when pressing it in.
My plan is for a straight SSC replacement. I might shave a tiny bit off the optic, but it gives me a nice wide spot in testing, so I could use it that way too.
Now I'm trying to get the light engine(LE) out without damaging it as I intend to re-use it. I have heard that people damaged it trying to remove the LED, so I'm trying to be extra careful.
My strategy, if I can call it that, is to freeze a "pad" of water just under the LE, then press it out with a 5/8" wooden dowel (biggest that will fit in the battery tube). The ice is to spread out the force on the back of the LE and protect the piston. It's in the freezer now, I will probably pour a little more water in and freeze the dowel in place to best distribute the load.
I'm not sure at all if this will be any better than further freeze popping.
I will use an arbor press at work to press it back in. There is AL on top of the LE, so it should go back in OK if I heat up the outer tube, I just have to be very careful not to crush the LE or LED when pressing it in.
My plan is for a straight SSC replacement. I might shave a tiny bit off the optic, but it gives me a nice wide spot in testing, so I could use it that way too.
r0b0r said:I've freezer popped mine... still deciding what to do (and how the hell am I going to put the ******* back together!)
It was dead as a doornail and I didnt want a return for the reflectorized one, so it was sacrificed in the name of science \ curiousity.
I think the TIROS may need to be shortened at the base slightly to work with the Seoul LED. This is based on playing with it for like 10 seconds held over a seoul trying to get it at the right angle - so it may well work OK i was just to retarded at the time
when i have a seoul available next I'll try it. I wish to eventually use the T3 with a seoul and 18550 cell. I like the clicky and beam profile of the T3. Mine rattled (grr!) so I get the chance to fix that now...
But how to reassemble? Might involve a car jack....
once my bezel \ tiros was out, one more expedition to the freezer was sufficient to allow the LE to be removed. It fell out after a couple taps of the head on a bench.
*HOWEVER*
The inductor may have been damaged in this process, as I noticed flaky black junk when removing the LE.
On examination, this junk was the plastic casing of the inductor which had broken off, though the coil was still intact.
I do not know if this was a result of the deathblow that killed my T3 or the freezerpop.
IMO my T3 did not deserve to die. I was very disappointed in it's construction to not survive it's incidental impact
The emitter was smashed to smithereens. There was luxgoo. Poor lil feller.
They anodized the pill seperately, as the top and bottom are a nice matte black!
Took pics but i can't upload atm. Grr stupid host.
Hey Danbo, see if the T5 is threaded......
*HOWEVER*
The inductor may have been damaged in this process, as I noticed flaky black junk when removing the LE.
On examination, this junk was the plastic casing of the inductor which had broken off, though the coil was still intact.
I do not know if this was a result of the deathblow that killed my T3 or the freezerpop.
IMO my T3 did not deserve to die. I was very disappointed in it's construction to not survive it's incidental impact
The emitter was smashed to smithereens. There was luxgoo. Poor lil feller.
They anodized the pill seperately, as the top and bottom are a nice matte black!
Took pics but i can't upload atm. Grr stupid host.
Hey Danbo, see if the T5 is threaded......
needforspeed
Newly Enlightened
I did an SSC p4 U-bin in a T4 Tiros which I think is the same body as a T5.
I unscrewed the head (not the bezel) and removed a plastic shim from the top of the old led. Unsolder old emitter and remove, no glue. Added 0.030 copper shim and new p4 with paste. Solder and reassemble. Anodized heatsink, so I had no electrical issues.
Less heat.
Significantly brighter. (Slightly more than my P1D-CE)
Wider beam profile (much more usable IMHO) still retains long throw.
Run time about the same, maybe 20 mins. more.
I used a warm white, which made the light even better to my liking.
Bill
Massachusetts
I unscrewed the head (not the bezel) and removed a plastic shim from the top of the old led. Unsolder old emitter and remove, no glue. Added 0.030 copper shim and new p4 with paste. Solder and reassemble. Anodized heatsink, so I had no electrical issues.
Less heat.
Significantly brighter. (Slightly more than my P1D-CE)
Wider beam profile (much more usable IMHO) still retains long throw.
Run time about the same, maybe 20 mins. more.
I used a warm white, which made the light even better to my liking.
Bill
Massachusetts
Last edited:
Aepoc
Enlightened
I have been thinking about putting a Cree UV in the X1. My friend got his bezel off but he ruined the body while doing this. I would also have to fabricate a heat sink for the Cree as well. I wish I could buy one instead.
Danbo
Enlightened
needforspeed said:
Sounds like a great mod to me.
Blindasabat
Flashlight Enthusiast
Finally got my light engine (LE) out! I ended up freeze popping it too since pressing it out was not working. Now seeing the LE, I'm glad I didn't press too hard when trying to get it out, even though I was pressing a wooden dowel on top of a layer of ~5mm of ice on the bottom of the LE. The bottom is a ~1mm thick plastic piece and I'm surprised it didn't break when I was pressing on it. The board seemed to survive, but I haven't tested it yet to make sure it still works because I need to let it dry for a day or more.
Two things I noticed though:
1) The LED emitter is ~0.5mm off the heat sink. Not even touching. I think this happened because of freeze popping. The tabs appear to be bent indicating that.
2) The LED dome has major bubbles in it. Bad Luxeon, bad. It does not appear to be broken on the outside surface and are definite bubbles, not cracks. And it did not appear to affect the beam, though I only ever saw my example.
Nice design for Inova though. Plenty of very tight contact between the LE sink and body for heat transfer. There is a small white plastic ring between the optic and emitter to reflect all the stray light that might escape under the bottom edge of the optic.
This light is going to respond SO well to an SSC P4.
Two things I noticed though:
1) The LED emitter is ~0.5mm off the heat sink. Not even touching. I think this happened because of freeze popping. The tabs appear to be bent indicating that.
2) The LED dome has major bubbles in it. Bad Luxeon, bad. It does not appear to be broken on the outside surface and are definite bubbles, not cracks. And it did not appear to affect the beam, though I only ever saw my example.
Nice design for Inova though. Plenty of very tight contact between the LE sink and body for heat transfer. There is a small white plastic ring between the optic and emitter to reflect all the stray light that might escape under the bottom edge of the optic.
This light is going to respond SO well to an SSC P4.
