R2H Modded KL1

[CM]

Chop, lemlux,

Hold off on the kudos please. You must get a first hand evaluation as beam shots are very deceiving. You guys are gonna raise the expectation for me so high I'll end up disappointing everyone after these mods /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

CM

 

[shiftd]

I got CM mod already and i i have to say that CM did a really good job. So, kudos Away /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I was lucky and my R2H is real white and centered too.
thanks CM.

Chop, my priority is different than yours. I prefer color than brightness. Because i am living in a city where long throwing light is not a necessity and you ended up using your light only for short to medium ranged distance. So, it would be pretty annoying to me to see purplish or greeenish white from a led.

 

[MR Bulk]

[ QUOTE ]
Chop said:
I seem to be the only one that got a greenie R2H from Dat2Zip. The only one I've heard about, anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]


Chop,

Welcome to the world of the Luxeon Lottery. For detailed info on exactly what this is and what it means to you (and what it has already meant to you obviously, given your comment above), please go HERE and read the second part, about halfway down the page...

 

[MR Bulk]

Done reading? Good. So now you can see why the only way to really guarantee a great Luxeon is to buy a whole bunch of them and sort out the best for yourself and for the mods you sell to others. At least that is what I have had to resort to. Ordering just one Luxeon significantly decreases one's chances...

 

[CM]

Mr Bulk,

I read that several times which goes to show you *can* teach old tired dogs new tricks. Pieces of that literature should go into a Luxeon FAQ. Now I don't feel so bad about the great-bin-but-bum-Luxeons-in-reality I've bought in the past. Though I still gotta say I kinda feel bad for Chop's misfortune of losing the Russian Roulette/Luxeon lottery game of chance.

CM

 

[Chop]

Mr. Bulk,

Thanks for the info. I actually learned alot, reading posts on this forum, between the time that I ordered my first R2H and the time that I got it. When I went back to order another R2H, they were out.


CM,

Nothing to feel bad about. I'll wait for the R2K that I ordered and see what happens. These were supposed to be white too. We'll see. As for the cost, hey, it's a hobby and believe me, I'll bet I like the KL1 better now than I did before the mod. It's already money well spent. You wouldn't believe how much I have in my .38 Super racegun or my YZ. This hobby is a relief on the pocket book.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[CM]

Chop,

I gotta believe that your second set of R2h's is much better than your first. I think the first one slipped through the crack, or it's one of those out fliers in the distribution. Since you mentioned guns, you're right I spent waaay more on those than flashlights. I guess it's all relative. A $130 flashlight is one tenth the price of a nice tricked out Wilson Combat. So I guess my hobby is a lot more economical now /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Yeah, try telling that to my wife.

 

[Chop]

CM,

It's funny that you should mention Wilson Combat. The store that I usually deal with stocks them now. I've been looking at them, but the ones they have don't even come close to Caspian's that I've had built.

Alright, off topic. Sorry.

Tony

 

[Chop]

WooHoo, I got my new KL1 head in. Now, I'm just waiting for that R2K luxeon to get in. When it does, I'm buying another ticket in the Luxeon Lottery and off of CM they go.

Man, this is more fun than trading stocks.

 

[CM]

[ QUOTE ]
Chop said:
...Man, this is more fun than trading stocks.

[/ QUOTE ]

A few years ago, I would have thought you were afflicted with a serious mental condition. Right now flashlights, not the ticker tape, is how I spend a lot of time on the internet. Couldn't agree more with your statement. Hmmm maybe *we* are afflicted with something. Naaaaaaaah.

 

[lemlux]

Received my pair of KL1's and my KL3 yesterday and checked them out last night.

The R2H KL1's are quite nice at 700 mA. The throw is tight and good and the narrow squarish corona is very useable. Curiously, the very white light of the KL1's appear no brighter in aggregate than the bluish light of my batwing Mini LGI's on DD with a single Li-Ion.

The W3W KL3 seems marginally brighter than my KL4 with various NX-05 to 5W beam issues. I will use WriteRight on this light. It's primary benefit is that it thrives on a pair of Li-Ions at 750 mA. Two of these Li-Ions would be hazardous to the health of a KL4, my Mr. Bulk DD Spaceneedle II 2D, my Mr. Bulk DD V2T module, or my retrofitted Mr. Bulk V2T Lambertan Nexneedle (in the mail and not yet compared).

My overall brightness, useablility ratings on my 5 watters are:

Brightest and Whitest:

1st place tie.
McModule W3V (2 * 123)
HyperLux V (W4W 3*123 DD)

Third
V2T PM6 module DD 3 * 123

Fourth
Spaceneedle II (4 NiMH plus one Lithium AA DD)

Fifth
750 mA KL3 W3W

Sixth place tie
Both of my KL4 heads

The first two lights are in a class of their own. Third and fourth are close. The fifth and two sixth place finishers are a clear step down in brightness and whiteness.

 

[CM]

Just a few observations. It looks as though direct drive beats the regulated lights, at least in initial brightness. The exception to the above observation would be the McModule. I believe that's regulated? Also I wonder how hard the LED is driven. It would be interesting to do a runtime graph as well to see where the DD's output eventually drops below that of the regulated lights.

The KL1's doesn't surprise me since the LGI uses a hand selected LED and it is probably heaviliy overdriven with a Li-Ion DD. In all the results are not surprising to me. As I said in prior posts, one can get a meaningful light increase by doubling the power--that means overdrive. I do find the McModule intriguing. Lemlux, can you estimate just how much brighter the McModule is compared to the KL4's. I just might have to take that off your hands /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif (Of course, I will pay for it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[flownosaj]

Maybe a pair of bad L4's? My McModule is just a hair brighter than my L4--but then again, the L4 was the brightest whitest thing I had untill that time and I believe it was hand picked.

On a side note, I am just getting ready to rip into my KL1 and start playing.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

-Jason

 

[lemlux]

CM:

My McModule is in transit. Mr Bulk repotted the BB750 with Artic Aluminum because of premature board protective shut-down for heat issues. I'm told that only the brightest of his 32 white bin W McModules exhibited this problem.

This Mcmodule is not for sale, but you really might want to get one on TNC's HyperLux WxW V's for $100 plus shipping. The ID of the HLV is narrow enough that it can't accomodate 17650 Li-Ions -- only 3 * 123.

I previously offered the DD V2T module I rank third in a $155 package:

a. DD V2T module & modified reflector
b. PM6 incl. OEM reflector and L/A.
c. Flashlightlens.com B270 lens with LDF coating.
d. 3 * 123 (new SF)
e. SF A19 adapter.

Mr. Bulk tells me I scared buyers away by advising that it isn't quite as bright as the amazing first two lights on the list.

If you want the DD V2T package, I'll reopen the offer. This package is available only because I generally prefer lights that can work with only one or two Li-Ions. The DD V2T package driven by one Li-Ion plus one 123 is still very impressive, but would fall slightly behind the SpaceNeedle II as driven.

 

[Chop]

Alright, I got my KL1 back from CM today. The R2H that I had CM install is definitely not on par with what I've heard about other R2H's from Wayne. It is green. About as green as a stock KL1 is blue. It does throw better than it did before and it is brighter than it was before the mod, but it is only AS bright as my new KL1 that I just got. I seem to have gotten lucky on my latest KL1.

Right now, I'm just wishing that I had overdriven.

OK, I'm rambling. I do have a question though. Can luxeons be tested for color and brightness before they are installed? I mean, can I just go out and buy a power supply and hook it up to these luxeons and get a good idea of brightness and color?

I now have one R2K and two Q3J's on the way. I'm ready to take another shot, but don't want to waste money on labor cost.

As mentioned above, I'm thinking of overdriving. How will running at 700 mA affect the life of the luxeon? What about heat? Does twice the current means twice the heat or does heat increase exponentially?

I guess I really need to learn to do this mod myself.

Any advise?

Thanks,
Tony

 

[lemlux]

CM

The difference between the relative brightness KL4's and the superb W's in both my McModule and in my HyperLuxV is so great I hesitate to estimate.

 

[Chop]

OK, it's dark now. I went outside to compare the blueish stock KL1 and R2H modded KL1. Well, it seems that the dark bathroom test it did earlier was deceiving. Using the lights outside, the modded light gave off much more useful light than the stock KL1. I also found the greenish tint to be easier on the eyes.

CM,
I am going to be sending you my new KL1 so that you can add the HD and the overdrive gear!!

Tony

 

[CM]

Chop,

The greenies seem to throw farther as well. I've seen this with a few greenies that I have and it is very consistent. As far as overdriving to 700mA, I wouldn't worry about led life. By the time it's spent, we'll be swimming in XXX binned 3W Super Luxeons. As far as heat, twice the power is twice the heat theoretically. How the light dissipates it is a totally different ballgame. If you had an infinite heat sink, you can probably overdrive a 1W to its physical semiconductor limits (don't know what that is) and not degrade it much. How lumileds rate their LED's is based on die temperature. That's why a heatsink is extremely critical in getting the most life out of LED's or any power hungry semiconductor device. If you want to do this mod yourself, I can teach you /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif just ask.

CM

 

[Chop]

CM
I'm asking.

 

[Chop]

OK, I need to retract a few comments. Although the R2H modded KL1 is on the green side, this was only readily apparent when shining it, along side a stock KL1 against a white wall in a dark bathroom. I real life use, I find the green tint to be better than the blue tint. And it is bright. When viewing objects from 15 feet away, the modded KL1 did a much better job. A worthwhile mod.

Sorry for the non technical comments, but I am a newbie. All I know is what I see. Luxeon lottery issues aside, I think I'd rather go with a 2 flux rather than a 4 flux.