Spy Upgrade thread part 2.

[dat2zip]

Update NOV30th 2008

SPY upgrade requests have been trickling in slowly. In order to make it more efficient for me I'm going to propose that they be done in batches monthly. Please continue to contact me in the normal process detailed below and I will add your name to the current list for the current month. If payment and light arrive in time for the current batch it will get upgraded. If the payment or light shows up late the light will be deferred to the next batch cycle.

Wayne



continuation from here.

What the upgrade will consist of.

The new converter board with latest firmware will be installed. A new LED on heatsink will be installed. A new one piece spring assembly. A nut will be installed to allow the new board to be bolted in with a small nylon screw, calibration of the converter board with LED before installation into the light and after installation into the light.

Since the upgrade process especially the switch and special nut needs special tools and fixturing, we are highly recommending the light be sent in for the upgrade.

As for those that don't want to risk sending their light and possibly getting lost in the mail I do understand this and I'm sure there are other reasons for those that would prefer to not send the light back.

The price will be $165.00 + $20.00 and that will include shipping via USPS express with insurance. Overseas will need to add another $5.00. If that's not enough to cover the difference I'll will absorb any additional difference between local and overseas.

I'll be taking them in batches and I hope if your group is called you can paypal and send the light back in a timely fashion. If I do not hear from you within a weeks time frame your name may get bumped to the bottom of the list.

There will be no incentive or price difference if you send the light back or just the converter board for the upgrade. The price will be the same either way.

For those that elect to only send back the converter board the kit will not be sent out till the converter board is received as we need the switch off the converter board. I only have a small pool of switches that I can pre-build to do the swap and as we get units back that have damaged switches will only make the swap pool smaller and possibly increase the turn around time per batch.

See the list. The first batch of names and lights can now be sent back. Please PM me or email me if you have any questions or post here in this thread if you like. Thank you for your patience.

Please get your final instructions via email where to send the light and where to Paypal or if you can't paypal what other means of payment we can work out. email to:

theledguy at comcast dot net (make this a proper email address)
Subject: SPY Upgrade Information request

Please add any additional information in the email regarding your specifics and we will work with you on any logistical, special handling, or other special requirements.


Wayne

 

[skalomax]

Re: Test Thread

:ironic:

 

[jeffb]

Re: Test Thread

List for Spy Upgrades and progress:
Please indicate your intent in this thread or PM me! ( ) indicates number of Spy 005's to be upgraded (Thanks "fasteddie"!)

jeffb (1)   [COLOR=Red]               [COLOR=Black]()[/COLOR][/COLOR]
Turd_Ferguson(1)     (you're next)    [COLOR=Red]Making decision 9/08/07.........defer for now    [/COLOR]                              
fasteddie(2)            ()
LouRoy(3)               (you're next)
LED Zeppelin(1)        ()   
Rudi(1)                    (you're next)
Christoph(1)             ()  
kiessling(1)               ()
LowWorm(1)            (deferred down, anytime you are ready)(you're next) 9/27
Brightnorm(3)           (In Process) 9/27
alanhuth(1)              ()
peterb(2 SELF_INSTALL*) (you're next) 9/27
Roboholic(1)                   (you're next) 9/27
billybright(1)                   (you're next) 9/27
chellyc(1)                       (you're next) 9/27
jdriller (1)                  ()

Names with () are completed and sent back. (Happy Campers)

 

[Data]

The new 0-80 nut and nylon screw will indeed hold the converter board in place such that the knob will stay engaged in the switch when the batteries are out of the light. That is its primary purpose.


Cheers
Dave

 

[jeffb]

List is posted in thread 3.........please advise status (Shipping, Paypal) and will keep thread current. Please post upgrade intent, too!

Thank You,
jeffb

 

[LouRoy]

Email sent regarding instructions for mailing 2 lights in now and 1 at a later date. Thanks so much for doing this!

 

[ArsMachina]

Hi Wayne,

hmm, including the shipping costs from Germany to you the upgrade will cost me more than 200 bucks...
This let me think a little if I really should go for this upgrade or if I should better should safe my money and wait for the all titanium SPY which you will release later this year ...

I upgraded my Spy with a P4 so my SPY is already terribly bright and finally - as a self installer - I would pay just for the new converter board with the new firmware.

Can you please tell me what this new board and firmware will do better than the old ones?

Thanks Jochen

 

[jeffb]

Wayne has upgraded my Spy005 and returned.

It is Much brighter on high and if my old memory serves me, can be run indefinitely, on high. I had the low set very low and I much prefer the beam and tint. The hotspot is somewhat bigger and the spill is great..........I wasn't sure if it would be "worth it", but I'm sold.

Thanks Wayne and Dave :thumbsup:

 

[brightnorm]

Wayne has upgraded my Spy005 and returned....The hotspot is somewhat bigger and the spill is great...

Dave's reply to me about this question::

Re: SPY Upgrade thread.
brightnorm, the beam pattern after we do the upgrade will be just as tight as the original chrome 005 pattern was with the Lux and McR18. ......

Dave said the new beam would be identical to the old, which for my personal use had too small a hotspot with relatively weak spill: great for spotting but not so good for general use or walking, at least for my purposes.

If your experience is typical of the new setup that is good news, though based on Dave's information it may be an anomaly.

Brightnorm

 

[jeffb]

BN.......

I too read the info from Dave...........am hoping that we get an opinion from Dave, Wayne and perhaps someone that sends one in and has another.

Truly I am amazed!

jeffb

 

[dat2zip]

For those of you that will be doing it yourself. Here are some pictures of the custom machined 0-80 nut that holds the board down. It needs to be glued into the bottom of the body.


Here is a closeup of the Custom Machined Nut part.

Here is a picture of the slot that it goes into next to the hole for the switch.

Here I placed it in temporarily to take this picture. It's not seated down all the way nor pressed all the way to the left in this picture. It needs to be pressed all the way to the left to get the hole to be in perfect alignment with the hole in the board. When it correct part of the head of the nut is visible when looking in from the top through the head opening.

As shown, the plastic screw will probably not fit through the board and align with this and the flat side could interfere with the switch.

You'll need a long pair of pliers or a long tweezer or something to insert the nut down into the slot. Dave's current installation method is to use a little dab of 5 minute epoxy on the bottomside of the nut to hold it in place.

Wayne

 

[dat2zip]

BN.......

I too read the info from Dave...........am hoping that we get an opinion from Dave, Wayne and perhaps someone that sends one in and has another.

Truly I am amazed!

jeffb

I believe the reason for the apparent larger beam is it's brighter. I could be wrong, but, take two lights with the same reflector with one light being twice as bright as the other and compare the beams. I believe the brighter one will appear to have a larger hot spot.

Wayne

 

[dat2zip]

I've updated the list in post 3. If your name has (you're next) it's your time to get your light upgraded.

Wayne

 

[ArsMachina]

Hello Wayne,

I decided to step out here.
My light became already very bright by modding it with a P4 LED and I can hardly imagine very much more improvement by spending another 200 bucks on it...

I Prefer saving this money for the upcoming oo7

So please take me off the list - thanks

Jochen

 

[Christoph]

I'm putting mine in the mail today Wayne.
C

 

[Turd_Ferguson]

I really want to do this but I'm just having difficulty justifying having $350 orginal cost + $185 upgrade = $535 into this light. This light is my EDC and I absolutely love it. It's just the best dang light and I like some others have contemplated just getting another new one. And to be honest I really would love to have a Cree version (don't ask me why because I don't have a good reason).

I'm still on the fence, unfortunately, so please defer my position while I mull it over some more.

 

[LED Zeppelin]

Wayne, I'll be sending mine in now.

 

[brightnorm]

Dave,

Is there any difference in beam configuration and brightness between the Cree and Seoul upgrades, and do we have a choice of which LED we get?

Brightnorm

 

[Data]

Dave,

Is there any difference in beam configuration and brightness between the Cree and Seoul upgrades, and do we have a choice of which LED we get?

Brightnorm

I only made Seoul upgrade kits for the chrome 005's. There is a big difference between the Cree and Seoul 005's. Please see the sales thread for details.

This upgrade project was difficult enough on its own. I did not want to further complicate Wayne's task by offering the Cree LED.


Cheers
Dave

 

[Turd_Ferguson]

Link

I believe this is the post you're referring, too. The Cree would require a new reflector and the labor to modify it? and of course, a Cree. Anything else?