SureFire L1 Cree emitter swap

[rolling]

It looks like i have a Cree P4 (3 wires) in my L1. Can someone give me the L1 board dimensions?
I do have some Cree Q5 on 15mmx1mm round boards. Would they fit?

 

[DaFABRICATA]

I'm not quite sure.

Worst case, you can file the edges down until it fits...

 

[AaronM]

Most aftermarket PCBs I've seen are thicker than the stock Surefire units.
The problem with that is when you focus the optic it leaves a bit of a gap between the halves of the head. It won't affect anything other than how it looks however.

As for the diameter, I have no idea.

 

[rolling]

I'm not quite sure.

Worst case, you can file the edges down until it fits...

Yes, my main concern is the thickness.

 

[Energie]

L1-led-board dimensions: 15,9 * 0,8 mm

 

[ROK]

IIRC and if L1 is identical with KX1 and E1B, the thickiness of PCB is about 0.8mm. I swapped the LED dirctly with a R2 and a soldering iron.
If you have good soldering skill you can also do that though it is not easy.
Another solution is using Emitter without PCB. In this case you can eliminate the gap between upper and lower parts.

 

[manoloco]

This is just what im trying to do, but the pcb is epoxied to the head, is there anything i can use to remove it without damaging it?, Rok, how and what kind of iron you used to desolder the LED directly without taking out the pcb?, i might try that in order to keep the pcb intact.

thanks in advance.

 

[ROK]

This is just what im trying to do, but the pcb is epoxied to the head, is there anything i can use to remove it without damaging it?, Rok, how and what kind of iron you used to desolder the LED directly without taking out the pcb?, i might try that in order to keep the pcb intact.

thanks in advance.

All the soldering works are not easy without splitting of PCB from a heatsink.
The epoxing of PCB is not strong. Just push the PCB from the hole of reverse side.

There is no space to heat the PCB with iron. So, I used a trick to swap the Cree LED.

Prepare the Al or copper sheet. (I used 30mm*15mm*2mm copper sheet)
Place the PCB on the above sheet and heat the metal sheet with iron (I used 25w iron but I hope you have temp control soldering station)
Heat control is very important. Be careful! Too much heat will fry the LED.

Good luck!

 

[manoloco]

thanks for the advice, i had to go with the non precise version, since i lack a lot of tools you described, but it seems it worked.

its on this thread:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=212711

the result is on post #325

 

[rolling]

Now I just have to buy some strapwrenches

 

[rolling]

Well today I opened the head, it was a real PIA because the wrong end came off first. Indeed there was a cree P4 installed. I will put a Q5 WC in it this week. Its a shame i do not have a Q3 A5 on hand...