Testing the Contact Surface of P60 Modules

[kosPap]

And it is startling how little it is...

I made some preliminary tests today on the Contact Surface of some P60 modules. I used a DX 1447, a X-Alpha Q5 WC Single mode SMO reflector one, and a Derrelight 1SM-2 OP one.

Method: I painted the modules with a felt tip marker, inserted them in the flashlight and twisted them to scratch off the paint.

Results are oghhhh!

This is a pic of the X-Alpha placed in a Surefire C2....Contact was made in spot B but that was erratic since the reflector is a bit smaller than the head recess. In spot A there was but a rim of contact! In modules that leave a gap in a Surefire (DX & Dereelight) even that won't be there. So heat conduction will be made through the module rim contact to the head and through the contact of the board itself on the body...

Here is the Surefire Module space

And here is a Huntlight FT-01 Recess.

As seen there are 2 steps in the head that receive a spacer of the Huntlight-specific Luxeon module and the base of the reflector respectively. So we have an extra contact area as seen in spots C.

:wave::twothumbsfor the venerable Huntlight!

PS...It seems Gene Malkoff did his womework in this sector...Did you see how his modules conform to the Surefire body?
Anyone care to volunteer in checking the fit???

Enjoy, Kostas

 

[jbviau]

Nice! Very useful info. I'm glad to see you stuck with this project. You wouldn't happen to have a Wolf Eyes module to test, would you?

 

[kosPap]

hmm. No I do not have...

The bad part is that even this basic test with 2 hosts and 3 of the main module paterns (malkoff , solarforce and maybe wolf-eyes are the others) shows that it is not worth the trouble.

I could try a WF-501 host sometime but even a look inside a WF-502 and a Solarforce L-2 "nests" shows that are totally cylindrical so one cannot hope in anything better.

The only thing to expect is a good malkoff that fits like a hand in a glove....

 

[Flashlight Aficionado]

Is there anything that can easily be added and removed to improve contact for heat transfer?

 

[MrGman]

The short answers is aluminum foil. I have used it to snug up the fit inside Solarforces and Surefires that improves thermal and electrical contact just fine.

I put a D26 pill into the Browning "Black Ice" flashlight to replace the entire head assembly. I could not use the spring. I made a thick band of Aluminum foil and wrapped it around the pill, snugged it in and it has been working perfectly since. Actually use it as one of my bike lights, have dropped it on the ground repeatedly and it still works perfectly.

The pills typically come with springs and they work better in making contact in the more cylindrical Solarforce heads.

If you do use the Aluminum foil method, take the taped on label off. Clean the surface.

 

[CM]

The short answers is aluminum foil. I have used it to snug up the fit inside Solarforces and Surefires that improves thermal and electrical contact just fine.

I put a D26 pill into the Browning "Black Ice" flashlight to replace the entire head assembly. I could not use the spring. I made a thick band of Aluminum foil and wrapped it around the pill, snugged it in and it has been working perfectly since. Actually use it as one of my bike lights, have dropped it on the ground repeatedly and it still works perfectly.

The pills typically come with springs and they work better in making contact in the more cylindrical Solarforce heads.

If you do use the Aluminum foil method, take the taped on label off. Clean the surface.

+1. I kept building up layers of foil until it became extremely difficult to insert the module. One indication is that before the foil trick, I can run a module on a single Li-ion (this underdrives it) and the head stays cool. After the foil, it gets very warm. Not exactly scientific but the difference was noticeable. Tests was done running the light continuously for 10 minutes.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I thought I was the only one doing that. Foiled again.

Bill