This torch has three settings 100%, 50% and 25%, and comes with a Lux III as standard, which was a little green. So I decided to upgrade with a SSC P4 star bin USWOI (3.25-3.5V) form Litemania (Available to purchase in the dealers section of this forum).
Firstly I took some measurements for reference;
Lux at 1m
100%=3300
50%=1300
25%=540
Current (measured at LED) [insert pic]
100%=360mA
50%=180mA
25%=82mA
First I had to get inside, easy, it just all unscrews like this
I unsoldered the wires (making a note of which is pos and neg)
Then I pulled the old Lux III off the heatsink
Gave the heatsink a clean, mixed up some two part epoxy with a bit of zinc oxide powder.
Put the glue on the heatsink.
removed star from packet.
and placed on heatsink.
Then I left it to cure.
Once set, re-soldered the wires, and put it all back together.
Then I took some more measurements;
Lux at 1m
100%=7400
50%=4350
25%=1800
Current (measured at LED)
100%=412mA
50%=192mA
25%=90mA
I guess the higher current is due to the lower Vf of the emitter, I don't know what the bin of the Lux II was as the original glue pulled off the printing on the back of the star during disassembly.
The results in use are amazing. Nice white colour. Much brighter. Due to the deep reflector this torch throws nice. At a distance the Lux III gave a strong spot with little spill around it. The SSC P4 gives a larger spot with much more usable spill. Close up the SSC P4 gives a small spot, which is a little too bright and intense on full power, but fine at half or quarter power. This was probably due to the dimensional differences between the two emitters. I made no changes to the reflector or the position of the heatsink/emitter.
Compared to my space needle clone (Lux V WWOT direct drive on 6 AA's), the upgraded Ring Cyba-Lite is brighter.
Next time I plan to make a SSC P4 2D Mag........
That's all folks.
