New Leds in Nuwai help please

[ptirmal]

I am planning on dropping some Q5's in 3 old Nuwai's I have...

The first is a 4C alx-654-c http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/xtremelite_alx-654c.htm
it's the same as the 2xcr123 version but this one runs on 4xc cells...
I opened it up and saw the lux v star and ordered a q5 star off of dealsextreme...

The other two I am not so sure about... the ever so popular TM-301X-3 (qIII's mother http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/nuwai_tm301x3.htm )... I left this one and a ALX-332L ( http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/nuwai_3w_alx-332l.htm ) at my friends house so I can't open them up to see what they have...

I was hoping to order another pair of q5's for them before I get them back since I know shipping is gonna be a while...

Question is does anyone know if they have a cree star inside or just a cree emitter? This thread - http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=166755&highlight=nuwai - said you need a star for the big qIII but I'm not so sure...

This is what I already ordered for the 4C http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2394
This is my first led swap, are all "star"s the same size?

If anyone has any info I'd appreciate it a lot!

 

[TMorita]

Both the QIII and the big QIII use stars.

I have both. They're identical except the big QIII has a longer body tube and has an SP3T switch (high-low-off) instead of an SPDT switch (on-off).

Toshi

 

[datiLED]

I can confirm that the ALX-332L uses a 3W star. This light is awesome with a Seoul LED! It is my backup light, and the one I grab whenever I do any work in the attic (in addition to a headlamp).

 

[ptirmal]

So I can order two more stars and they'll fit right, i just never saw anywhere mention if stars were one size fit all or if they came in different sizes...

Also does anyone know where to get glass lenses for any of the lights (ideally all)... and how do you remove them?

Edit - I believe I found the lenses for the 4c and the big q3 at flashlight lense (22mm and 34mm from my research) I can measure the other one when I get it, but can anyone give me info on how to remove the lense?

 

[ptirmal]

I can confirm that the ALX-332L uses a 3W star. This light is awesome with a Seoul LED! It is my backup light, and the one I grab whenever I do any work in the attic (in addition to a headlamp).

Hey thanks for the post, I actually got mine back and I saw the star myself... I had a question though, I believe I saw an old post that said you had a glass lens for the nuwai... i was just wondering if you remember the size? And if so how did you remove the old lens and install the new one?

I tried to measure it and it seems to be about 22-24mm... but I'm not sure if the lens pops out the front of the light or the back (towards the led)... and I didn't want to break it just yet so I didn't try too hard... any info would help!

Prashant

 

[Nake]

The lens dia. is 22mm for the QIII. To get to it you'll have to unscrew the head, then screw the reflector out. You would be better off using Seoul stars. With the Crees you will have to enlarge the hole and probably have to shim the star up. The metal ring on the Cree has to go part way up into the reflector to focus correctly.

Enter QIII into the "search the forum" window at the bottom of the page. That will bring up numerous threads on modding the QIII.

 

[ptirmal]

I figured out how to get at the reflectors of the lights... I already ordered the cree q5's earlier this week, they'll be my first q5 lights... from what I understand (maybe wrong?) the q5's are more efficient than the seoul's $ for $... I just wanted to give these guys a bump since they've been stock for over 2 years, my lod almost matches them with a 17670...

I don't mind modifying the light to accomodate the cree's, hopefully it won't be too bad

 

[datiLED]

My Nuwai ALX-332L had the plastic lens permanantly in place. The reflector was screwed into the body. I had to replace the lens, becasue it was basically ruined by the previous owner. I knocked it out with a wooden dowel, and used silicone to hold a glass lens in place.

 

[ptirmal]

Question, what do you guys use to isolate the aluminum reflector from touching the cree leads? I was thinking of applying some silicon to both sides (reflector and led) and waiting for them to dry...

 

[Nake]

Question, what do you guys use to isolate the aluminum reflector from touching the cree leads? I was thinking of applying some silicon to both sides (reflector and led) and waiting for them to dry...

That should work. I've used kapton tape on the reflector or on the leads, finger nail polish on the leads, or cut out a disc out of thin plastic to fit over the metal ring. KD has some plastic isolaters, but it'll take forever to get them.

 

[ptirmal]

Ok so I swapped the alx-332l's (now with a UCL lens) star with the dx q5... WOW is all I can say... It's brighter than the 4C 5w now (til I get the other 2 stars)... The beam pattern is surprisingly good (a little cree ringy, but much more circular than before)...

I took it outside for a comparo and it seems to provide more flood (obviously) and more throw than my surefire c3 with p90... I don't know if I should be happy or sad