Seoul emitter + McR20-J

[BigHonu]

I had my Ti-PD updated recently with a SSC emitter but purposely asked that the .030" shim not be included. I figured the more diffuse beam that the original McR20 and the SSC produced, along with the increased output would make a nice practical upgrade.

Well, it turned out that I just could not get used to the beam pattern, which ended up being a big hotspot with a ring or two at the outer edges of the corona. Not that bad in actual use, but I have Cree based lights with better beams.

I was looking for a quick fix, and took a McR20-J and popped it in. Lo and behold, there was the good old McR20 beam profile I was used to! Nice spot with very decent throw, with a bright and even corona. No rings and no artifacts. The emitter may not be at the perfect level for the reflector, but it has to be pretty close.

Now, I remember that the 'J' had a focal point based lower in the reflector, but I was wondering if anyone knows that it is enough to offset the .030" shim that is usually needed. Is the 'J' reflector a viable alternative or did I just get really lucky?

 

[kenster]

Howdy BigHonu! :wave:

Well, I will take a shot at this but BUT BUT I will probibly be all wrong, as usual.

As I recall, :green: replacing your Mcr20 with an Mcr20-J would be similiar to moving the die of your SSC P4 about .015" deeper into an Mcr20 so the beam should be better. Or SMOOTHER! Does the Mcr20-J need to be shaved a little to move the die further? :thinking: .........

"Nice spot with very decent throw, with a bright and even corona. No rings and no artifacts."

Your words!

 

[BigHonu]

Howdy BigHonu! :wave:

As I recall, :green: replacing your Mcr20 with an Mcr20-J would be similiar to moving the die of your SSC P4 about .015" deeper into an Mcr20 so the beam should be better. Or SMOOTHER! Does the Mcr20-J need to be shaved a little to move the die further? :thinking: .........

Your words!

kenster,

Thanks for the reply!!

Good question about the shaving. The reflector fits in the head like any other McR20, so I assumed that shaving anything off the bottom would need to be augmented by shimming the emitter as well. The housings are the same between the LuxIII and SSC right? I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. At least the Shoppe has more "J" reflectors if I need to replace this one.



Now where is that reflector FAQ.....

 

[McGizmo]

I don't trust my memory but I think I ended up taking .030" off the J to get alignment with the Seoul. As stated, the J has the focal point about .015 below the original Luxeon McR-20. If this is correct then I think you found that the original reflector was just too far forward in accomplishing your desire and the J got you close enough for your needs. If my recall is off and the .030 was off the original then the J, in itself, gets you halfway to target.

I agree that maximizing lux is not always the ideal solution and I have always fudged my reflectors with both a tendency to back the LED off as opposed to allowing it to get too far forward relative to the focal point and of course the very forgiving orange peel!

 

[kenster]

I guess it wouldn't hurt to try.

Well, it could hurt your wallet to try. Taking the light apart again could set you back the price of a reflector and maybe a saphire lens and/or an LED as well. Shaving a reflector is a risky deal since the reflective coating is easy to scratch or damage making the beam worse which SUCKS! I have ruined quite a few which has cost me quite a few bucks. An SSC P4 is a soft dome sucker and it also seems like a magnet that can attract dust from across the room. If a flashlight I am working on has a saphire lens, that is when I become the clumsiest guy in the world. Hey, if it is a nice P4 with a tint that pleases your eyes and again as you stated "Nice spot with very decent throw, with a bright and even corona. No rings and no artifacts." and everything fits in the head as it is right now :thinking:.... Why mess with it? If it was my light, I might? But it is your light and your money. Well, might not be your money for long? HEHE!

My best to you if you decide to go for it.

Ken :wave:

 

[BigHonu]

kenster,

I mess with it cause I'm a flashaholic!!!!

Seriously though, it is more for my knowledge and to ease my curiosity.

This light is a hard user and I have dropped, rolled, and dunked it more times than I care to remember. The Ti is holding up great and still shines up real nice, but the AR coating on the lens has long gone from frequent maintenance.

I went ahead and shaved the J reflector a few thou just to see, and ended up screwing it up.

Now I have a McR20-S in there and the beam is similar to the J and looks great, but with a slightly larger spot. Go figure...


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