Pierce M10 Seoul Conversion Tutorial (w/ Pictures)

[datiLED]

This pictorial shows how to modify a Pierce M10 flashlight with a Seoul P4 LED. The upgraded Pierce puts out an amazing amount of light for such a small package. Do not attempt this mod if you are not comfortable with your modding skills, or do not have the proper tools. I will not be held responsible for any damages to your light if you choose to do this modification based upon the information contained herein. Proceed at your own risk.

The tools and materials necessary for this mod are:

Seoul P4 LED
Arctic Alumina thermal adhesive
Dental picks, or other prying tools
Fine tipped tweezers
Soldering station, or soldering iron (30W minimum)
Fine rosin core solder

Here is an unmodified Pierce M10 with the stock wide angle optic

Remove the head, and clean the threads. Wrap a paper towe,l or soft cloth around the threads and twist the bezel off. Do not touch the lens. Remove the optic to get to the Luxeon.

Unsolder the wires on the leads of the Luxeon. If your leads are not color coded, wrap tape around the head of the light, and mark the polarity with a sharpie.

TIP: Before trying to remove the stock LED, use a sharp tool or pin to scribe a reference mark around the circumference of the LED. This will be your alignment for centering the Seoul.
Use dental tools or similar to remove the Luxeon LED. Pry under the edges until it pops from the epoxy at the base.

Luxeon removed

If the epoxy "pad" is thin enough, it can stay in place as an insulator. If it is ragged, or too thick, it must be removed.

Clean the area with alcohol.

Prepare the Arctic Alumina and the LED. I like to lightly sand the base of the LED with some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Clean the base with alcohol, too.

Place a small drop of AA within the scribed area. Place the Seoul emitter onto the AA, noting the polarity of the LED. Press the LED into AA, and rotate it back and forth to ensure good thermal contact. Don't press too hard! Check for continuity using a multi meter. Continuity = bad. Adjust the LED if necessary. Center the LED within the scribed circle.

Once the AA sets up a bit, check the centering within the optic. If you have the Seoul within the ring of the scribe, things are looking really good right now.

Resolder the leads. Check for any solder bridges to the light body with your DMM.

You are now done!

Put things back together, and fire it up. Do not look at the business end of this light now!

So how did it turn out?
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=167275

Have fun!

datiLED

 

[TigerhawkT3]

Cool! I can't wait to pick up my Seouls from the post office tomorrow.

 

[TigerhawkT3]

I think I'll try this tomorrow. Did you need to use a shim to raise the emitter height?

 

[datiLED]

I think I'll try this tomorrow. Did you need to use a shim to raise the emitter height?

It really isn't necessary. But if you have a 0.015" shim, go ahead and use it. The typical 0.030" shim (as used for most Seoul mods) is a little too tall, and the optic puts pressure on the Seoul. If you do the modified Khatod 17mm reflector, skip the shim.

 

[TigerhawkT3]

Well, I did it earlier tonight. I ripped the old emitter out of there with pliers, smeared the bottom with AA, soldered the legs to the proper wires (the positive wire had a thin red stripe going down its length), AAed the solder joints, and closed it up.

At first, I didn't AA the joints, but then I found that there was continuity between the legs and the body. I pulled the emitter back up, applied AA, pushed it back down, and took more readings. It seemed to be okay, so I went with that and closed it up.

Wonder of wonders, it didn't fry. Hooray.

 

[greenlight]

Nice tutorial.:twothumbs

 

[datiLED]

Here are a few mods that I just did in addition to a Pierce M10 Seoul upgrade.

Glow in the dark mod. Blue glow paint around the base of the emitter.

Modified Khatod 17mm reflector. Sanding the sides of the reflector makes for a perfect fit.

1M beamshot with the reflector installed. The intensity of the light, and the sidespill illumination can't really be captured with the point and shoot digital. This is a great addition to the Pierce, and allows for a lot of flexibility with the other optics.

Have fun!

 

[hawkz]

Nice tutorial. Yay for modders like you who contribute to the community. What's the next mod you're gonna do, DatiLed?

 

[datiLED]

Nice tutorial. Yay for modders like you who contribute to the community. What's the next mod you're gonna do, DatiLed?

Thanks for the kind words.

I believe that I will update the L0P/L0P SE/L0D Seoul mod tutorial to include an L0D CE Q5 upgrade. I'll snap some pictures as I go along, and if the numbers before and after the mod show an increase of 10% or more, then I'll consider it worthy of adding to the mod tutorial.

I also have plans to finish the Fenix P1 Seoul mod tutorial. (Currently it is just how to open a Fenix P1 for modding.) I have been on the fence about which tint LED to use, but am now leaning toward a USVOH.

I have a few other things that need to clear the bench before I get to these tutorials, though.

 

[Rudi]

Mega-cheers to datiLED. He performed this upgrade on my Pierce M-10 and the result is impressive -- almost twice the brightness, beautiful beam, lovely tint. It was a joy to deal with him -- good communication, cheerful enthisiasm, and fast turnaround. Highly recommended mod for the few who were lucky enough to aquire this light prior to its premature demise.

 

[tsask]

I agree. I asked him a question and got a fast, cheerful reply. I am leaning twards the warm tint SSC LED for my M10. I now know he also does HDS mods. With greatest respect to Milkyspit and datiLED, I wonder what differences there may be on an HDS mod?