Pentagon X-3 LED upgrade

[Audiowiz]

Hi, I asked this question before, maybe in the wrong area. I want to know if there's an LED upgrade for a pentagon X-3 xenon that doesn't cost more than a new light?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[dudemar]

Here's another thread where it's been discussed:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=220142

This has been a tough cookie to chew. The X3/L3 seems to be the only light from Pentagonlight that doesn't have a easy replacement LA. So far there's only one person I know who made an led conversion, and that's CPF member gallonoffuel:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=3154249&postcount=10

 

[gallonoffuel]

You'll spend about $30 on the parts to make a new LED conversion. If you are handy it will be somewhat straightforward. There is no drop-in conversion because pentagon used a fairly odd size (32.8mm i believe) for the inner diameter of their bezel. There is another thread where I went into a bit more detail on the parts required to do this.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2994084&postcount=9

My offer still stands to purchase one from someone that doesn't want it anymore.

 

[Audiowiz]

Hi, I have 2 of these lights. I would be willing to work some kind of trade if you would mod one for me. I also want a clicky switch on it. I bought a drop in for my X-2 and it works great. I also have a pelican M-6 I'd like an LED bulb in. Let me know if your interested. Both X-3s are identical except for a series of numbers on the head. Maybe serial numbers. They are FAD0601 and FA00172.
I love these lights but they are just not cutting it with the xenon.
I hpoe I'm posting this in the right forum.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[gallonoffuel]

PM replied to.

I'm not sure about Pelican M6 LED upgrades but I'm sure there are threads on it in the forum. It looks like it can take standard P60 dropins with a little bit of work to the tailcap.

 

[Monocrom]

PM replied to.

I'm not sure about Pelican M6 LED upgrades but I'm sure there are threads on it in the forum. It looks like it can take standard P60 dropins with a little bit of work to the tailcap.

Here's a good option for the Pelican M6. Shouldn't require any fiddling with the tailcap. (D-7011).

http://www.mteccd.com/

BTW, I have an X3. Not sure what I'll do with it.

PM me if you'd like, gallonoffuel. Perhaps we can work something out if you're looking to buy one.

 

[gallonoffuel]

For posterity, I figured I'd round this out with how I do this. It's crude and not perfect but it works.

Take DX SKU 14599, which comes in a 2-pack (good because there's a good chance you'll screw it up the first time) and either patiently file down the base of the reflector (where the module would screw into) or the quicker approach is to use a large pipe cutter and cut off about half of the threaded portion. The reason we do this is because regular P60 dropins you find are a more course thread than the 14599. The reflector comes with a threaded pill if you wanted to solder your own LED and driver board, but I like using completed parts. Once the base is cut down and dressed (i use a wire wheel on a bench grinder) you can force thread the pill into the base:

For a more flush fitting bezel, you can spend about 30 minutes with a flat file, rubbing the top lip of the bezel until you remove about half of the material. You dont HAVE to do this, and you risk messing up the coating on the portion of the reflector that actually matters.

The result is a relatively robust LED dropin that fits inside the X3 head. The later X3s are slightly different than the ones I've worked on, and they might require removing the lip of the reflector entirely. They also have thicker glass lenses and might need a thinner one (DX SKU 10643) to allow the bezel to screw down all the way.

 

[Rattleakak]

For posterity, I figured I'd round this out with how I do this. It's crude and not perfect but it works.

Take DX SKU 14599, which comes in a 2-pack (good because there's a good chance you'll screw it up the first time) and either patiently file down the base of the reflector (where the module would screw into) or the quicker approach is to use a large pipe cutter and cut off about half of the threaded portion. The reason we do this is because regular P60 dropins you find are a more course thread than the 14599. The reflector comes with a threaded pill if you wanted to solder your own LED and driver board, but I like using completed parts. Once the base is cut down and dressed (i use a wire wheel on a bench grinder) you can force thread the pill into the base:


For a more flush fitting bezel, you can spend about 30 minutes with a flat file, rubbing the top lip of the bezel until you remove about half of the material. You dont HAVE to do this, and you risk messing up the coating on the portion of the reflector that actually matters.

The result is a relatively robust LED dropin that fits inside the X3 head. The later X3s are slightly different than the ones I've worked on, and they might require removing the lip of the reflector entirely. They also have thicker glass lenses and might need a thinner one (DX SKU 10643) to allow the bezel to screw down all the way.

What LED module did you use?

 

[gallonoffuel]

What LED module did you use?

Doesn't matter, none of them fit perfectly. The majority of P60-style modules use M20x1 threads and the reflector is finer than that. Pick one you like and jam it in there. My method is basically take down enough threads so you can cross thread the pill until it stays put. If you do it correctly and take your time, you'll get the pill to get thread in far enough (By hand or with a pair of channel locks) to focus the LED in the reflector properly.