UK C8 eLed Plus modification... Pic heavy, beamshots and comparisons!

[sucnip]

Hi everyone. I'm a big fan of UK dive lights. One unique feature of their newer LED models is a heatsink sticking out of the front of the lens. This allows two sideways LED's to be driven pretty hard while allowing all that heat to escape into the water. My initial mod replaced the 5W LED's with P7's. This is what the Aquasun commercial product is based on. I recently took things one step futher with two XM-L T6 LED's and a 2.8A driver.

Here is the light head. Notice the heatsink sticking out the front of the lens?

This is the heatsink removed. It simply unscrews.

To mount the LED's I cut down a XML star and used Fujik thermal adhesive.

Here is the 'pill' with both LED's mounted.

I replaced the Alkaline batteries with an 8x NiMH C cell battery pack, 5000 mAh. The driver is a 3 Amp DX 3 mode driver. This particular buck driver outputs 2.8 amps. I removed the modes daughter card to make it one mode... reall F-ing bright!

So. How does it work? On to the Shootout!!

5 lights in today's shootout.
1. UK Q40 eLED PLUS
2. UK SL4 eLED
3. XTAR D06 (800 Lumen XML T6)
4. UK Aquasun
5. UK C8 eLED Plus with XML Modification.

The following photographs were taken at 5 meters from the garage door. Camera settings were identical at 1/4 sec, F5.6, ISO 100, Daylight WB.

1. 5m UK eLED Q40 Plus

2. UK SL4 eLED

3. XTAR D06

4. UK Aquasun

5. Modified UK C8 eLED Plus

6. Control - ambient light

 

[Packhorse]

Nice result. I was expecting some horrible beam but the pic says otherwise.

Have you tried it against a single XML with a standard reflector?

 

[sucnip]

The 3rd pic above is a single XML. It's an XTAR D06. The pic shows a warm tint but it's still quite blue.

 

[Milestar]

My internet speed sucks, I can not see the pics..

I have to wait for the downloading for more longer time.

 

[Umibuta]

Very very nice!! Do you have pictures of the 3A driver? I am more interested in how you removed the 3-mode. How are the 2 leds connected to a a single driver?

Thanks

 

[sucnip]

I followed the instructions in DX comments. Remove the daughter card (unsolder the leads) and connect the "bent wire" spot to +v with a resistor - 1k will do. I'm driving two XM-L T6's in series with an 8 cell NiMH pack. Output current is exactly 2.8A.

FYI, you can also insert a 555 timer with a pot to produce a variable dimmer for this driver.

 

[Umibuta]

Thanks. I am going give this a try

 

[350xfire]

I followed the instructions in DX comments. Remove the daughter card (unsolder the leads) and connect the "bent wire" spot to +v with a resistor - 1k will do. I'm driving two XM-L T6's in series with an 8 cell NiMH pack. Output current is exactly 2.8A.

FYI, you can also insert a 555 timer with a pot to produce a variable dimmer for this driver.

Cool can you post pic?
Thanks

 

[sucnip]

Here's how to implement a dimmer... http://www.dprg.org/tutorials/2005-11a/index.html
replace the motor with the 'bent pin'

 

[Packhorse]

Here's how to implement a dimmer... http://www.dprg.org/tutorials/2005-11a/index.html
replace the motor with the 'bent pin'

Thats pretty cool.
Add a 3 way switch and you could have off,On and dimmed..

 

[Milestar]

I still can not see the pics, can I require these pics to my email?

 

[jspeybro]

Hi, I have a question. Do you have any idea how much current the driver of the Aquasun eLed provides on high?
I have this light from a friend. It stopped working but the driver seems ok, so I'm thinking of replacing the LEDs withouth changing the driver.

Johan

 

[sucnip]

From memory the C8 eLed Plus pulls 1.5A at the LED with stock driver. Haven't taken apart an Aquasun so no idea...

 

[jspeybro]

I replaced the P7 leds from the flooded UK aquasun by cree XM-L's. They are connected in series and I kept the original driver. however, I don't see any difference between the high and low setting. Any idea what may be causing this? Or is there really not much difference?
To be honest, I'm not impressed by the output, so I'm guessing it is running on low in both modes for some reason.

Johan

 

[sucnip]

Have you checked the current draw in each mode? If they're the same your driver may be toast. Time to upgrade it.

 

[jspeybro]

I just did and measured 50mA both with High and Low mode so I guess the driver is toast... I don't see any damage though. I'll give it a closer look and see if I can find bad components and otherwise I'll see what I can do to replace it.

I didn't see any pictures of how you replaced the driver. Could you take a picture of that? did you re-use the switch mechanism and cut down the original driver?

 

[sucnip]

I gutted the factory driver and only kept the switch. I cut traces on the PCB to avoid shorts. I used a DX driver modified for one mode. The driver you choose depends on the battery pack you want to run.

 

[jspeybro]

Thanks, that's what I thought. I'm going to use the same driver as you I think.