Swapping the LED in an Ra Clicky EDC Executive?

[michaelmcgo]

First question:
I am about to order a Ra Clicky EDC Executive (the $99 one) but don't want to pay the $100+ for an upgraded LED. The Seoul SSC P4 is a really ancient LED, isn't it? How difficult is it to access the LED on these lights (is it sealed in with epoxy). Is there a tutorial anywhere somebody could link to?

Second question:
What LED's will fit directly into the light and what mods will have to be done to fit a brand new tech LED like a XP-E or XP-G (I don't want to put a ringy XR-E into it, I'd rather have a dim light). Will the driver and reflector work with an XP-G (I don't care what the hot spot look like), and should I expect a significant increase in brightness? I have modded lights before and have access to all the tools I would need, it's the instructions I'm missing.

 

[Tekno_Cowboy]

The P4 isn't that far behind, and there are some advantages that a P4 can offer that a Cree doesn't. The 2 main advantages are generally more pleasant tints and a smoother beam pattern.

The P4 is the model number, not the bin number, like a Cree P4. Saying SSC P4 is like saying Cree XR-E. The SSC P4 U2 bin is comparable to a Q-R bin XR-E to the naked eye, and a High-CRI T1 bin can appear to have more output in the right environment.

I put an XP-E in a Ra once, but it leaves you with a rather floody beam pattern, and the change in output isn't that great. The biggest benefit of that mod was a move to a WH bin as opposed to a WC bin. (I'm surprised that the WH bin isn't more popular, it's a nice creamy vanilla-y tint that's much more pleasant than the WC's harsh blue)

 

[michaelmcgo]

The P4 isn't that far behind, and there are some advantages that a P4 can offer that a Cree doesn't. The 2 main advantages are generally more pleasant tints and a smoother beam pattern.

The P4 is the model number, not the bin number, like a Cree P4. Saying SSC P4 is like saying Cree XR-E. The SSC P4 U2 bin is comparable to a Q-R bin XR-E to the naked eye, and a High-CRI T1 bin can appear to have more output in the right environment.

I put an XP-E in a Ra once, but it leaves you with a rather floody beam pattern, and the change in output isn't that great. The biggest benefit of that mod was a move to a WH bin as opposed to a WC bin. (I'm surprised that the WH bin isn't more popular, it's a nice creamy vanilla-y tint that's much more pleasant than the WC's harsh blue)

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I believe I swapped in a T-binned SSC P4 in my original Fenix L2T about 3 years ago, Meaning they have only increased the bin by a single level since then. I like smooth beam pattern a lot more than I care about color since I'm partially color blind. Can anybody compare the brightness of the EDC Executive to the Quark 2-AA?

 

[michaelmcgo]

Also, what brands/types of emitters will fit in the existing slot of the Ra EDC? I am a machinist, so milling is no problem for me, I'm just afraid of shorting out the driver with exposed aluminum...

 

[Tekno_Cowboy]

You probably swapped it for a T1-bin cool emitter. They are now at U2 bin for cool tints, 3 bins higher for mass production. If you're really lucky you can get some V-bin emitters, but it's pretty difficult.

The High-CRI emitters are where SSC comes out on top. They give you very good CRI in a common package and make it somewhat available. The Nichia NS6L183-H1 emitters are even better, but you can only get them in multiples of 1400, so it's not very cost-effective.

Just about any Luxeon will fit, so will the SSC P4 and the Osram GDP. The Cree XP series will fit with the boards from the shoppe, and the same holds true for the Rebel emitters.

A little epoxy or nail polish should solve most of your problems with shorting out. Kapton tape works well too.

 

[John_Galt]

How funny you posted this. I'm wanting to do the same thing, with a "custom" light, with the "throw" option. I saw a picture of the bezel/reflector removed in this http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2413077&postcount=1 post, but it was posted over a year ago, so I'm unsure as to whether the design has changed.

I was looking at the XP-G as well, for efficiency, and a brighter "burst" mode.

I really like the overall design, and the user programmability.

 

[michaelmcgo]

Thank you so much Tekno_Cowboy for your kindness and contributions.

 

[michaelmcgo]

The Cree XP series will fit with the boards from the shoppe

By "boards from the shoppe", do you mean the Cree XP's will be directly comparable with the board already on the Ra Clicky, or will I have to swap out boards as well (I'm pretty sure the XP's are compatible with P4 boards, but I'm just checking).

 

[Tekno_Cowboy]

The XP series is the extra tiny Cree LED's. They will not work on any board not designed for a Cree XP series LED.

The XR series is about the same size a an SSC P4, but they don't fit on the same board.

 

[matrixshaman]

Any suggestions for other LED's to put in the Ra Clicky that might maintain fairly good throw like the OGD? I think I'm going to go broke buying Ra lights trying to find one with a good tint as all the ones I've bought (except the P4 model) have been way too green. Are their any mod threads here showing a Ra Clicky emitter replacement?

 

[Yucca Patrol]

Why not pay the extra bit of $$$ and buy a Ra Clicky directly from Henry with a "guaranteed tint"?

 

[matrixshaman]

I think the idea of paying $40 for a GT or what I call a 'Good tint' is excessive for most people and in my experience my HDS GT had a worse tint than a non-GT. So either Henry's idea of GT is different than mine or I just got lucky on a couple non-GT HDS lights. Most of his Novatac designed lights were excellent tints (based on the 5 I have) and one Novatac I've got has about the best tint of any light I've got. However since I want the longer throw version of the Ra a 'Good Tint' LED is NOT an option. That's only available for the Seoul P4 version (Executive model). If I had not seen a fairly white OGD I would have assumed that all of that LED model are prone to a 'green halo' surrounded by a violet hue. My EX10 has a hint of those colors but barely noticeable. So the search goes on for a better tint. IMO the Cree XR-E Q5 WC binned LED's were some of the best tints I've seen but that's not an easy swap in for the Ra. Only one or two lights I know of have been able to get a nice beam out of the Cree XR-E so I don't even want to try that swap.

 

[michaelmcgo]

Why not pay the extra bit of $$$ and buy a Ra Clicky directly from Henry with a "guaranteed tint"?

Because $99 + $10 is a whole lot cheaper than buying a GT from Henry. Plus, I don't think you get an XP-G with the GT, brightness is more important than tint to me.

 

[matrixshaman]

Yep - so far Henry has never used any Cree LED's in his lights. So it is doubtful you'll get an XP-G but he has left it open as he doesn't advertise his lights as using any particular LED. Since most of mine have already been too green it would be nice to at least have the extra efficiency and brightness afforded by the new XP-G as I believe they have better specs than the OGD emitter. Unfortunately though the XP-G's seem to have a bias toward a greenish tint in many cases.

 

[Sgt. LED]

I put an XP-E in a Ra once, but it leaves you with a rather floody beam pattern, and the change in output isn't that great. The biggest benefit of that mod was a move to a WH bin as opposed to a WC bin. (I'm surprised that the WH bin isn't more popular, it's a nice creamy vanilla-y tint that's much more pleasant than the WC's harsh blue)

Oh wait, I DID hit it! That was my Ra. :devil:

The tint on it IS awesome. Oh and the beam profile is a bit adjustable by screwing the reflector in or out a little bit. I picked a spot in the middle and love it. Great light with the mod! It's suprising that the Seoul reflector got along with it so well. Back when the mod was done we didn't have ANY idea what it would look like.
lovecpf

 

[Bilway]

The XP-G and the SSC P4 both do have a spatial emission characteristic pretty close to ideal lambertian. The Cree XR-E in contrast is much narrower due to the built-in reflector rim. In general, most LED with similar candela distributions and similar size factors (die surface area, height, primary optics size) will fit the same reflectors.
No magic there, just check the datasheet and you'll know if it can make sense to swap emitters. The XP-G is currently a very good choice, but watch the positioning - it's so small! Without adjusting the axial reflector position or matching the height otherwise, it might get defocussed due to its flat and tiny size. That would be the most probable cause a floodier beam, combined with the enlarged die size of the XP-G.

Flood: take XP-G (if you are a cree fan)
Spot: take XP-E or Rebel (smaller spots possible), avoid XR-E as it does not give you so much reflector impact (narrow emissions angles) and delivers more spill
(..talking about identical reflectors..)

btw: did anyone check the capabilities of the electronics? how does regulation fit other emitters than the original ssc p4?

Happy modding,
Andy