What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade it.

[FliGuyRyan]

What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade it.

I'm about to finally take the plunge and buy the Novatac 120P. I saw on light-reviews.com that it comes with a polycarbonate lens and I imagine that would be the first upgrade.

Other than that though, what are some other key upgrades that I would want to do? Glow in the dark products, better emitter, different bezels... ?

Put your great minds to work and let me know what you have done or what you would do.

As always, thanks...

-RC

 

[RainerWahnsinn]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

I would´t do the emitter upgrade again because I like lower settings. UCL and Glow-ring in combination with SS bezel is great. If money were no reason, I would like the SS bezel with tritium. Dont need the clip at all. Have fun.

 

[FliGuyRyan]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

Forgive me for sounding extremely ignorant (but I am), but can you please explain your post a little more in detail, and tell why? the UCL is - I would assume - an Ultra Clear Lens... ???

Also, where would you get these things?

Thanks for posting. Anyone else?
-RC

 

[RainerWahnsinn]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

Please excuse. I seize myself so briefly, because my English is not so good and I write everything with the Systran-translater.

It will be easy for you to find the upgrade products by searching the key words on CPF.

I bought my 120P from a Member and former modder "WHC". I am sure, later in your thread your knowledge will be very complete.

 

[xcel730]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

You could get the UCL lense at either lighthound.com or flashlightlens.com. Supposedly, the UCL has a transmission rate of 99%. The size for Novatac is 22.61mm.

Forgive me for sounding extremely ignorant (but I am), but can you please explain your post a little more in detail, and tell why? the UCL is - I would assume - an Ultra Clear Lens... ???

Also, where would you get these things?

Thanks for posting. Anyone else?
-RC

 

[Derek Dean]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

This might be an unpopular suggestion, but I would suggest that you simply try it stock first, then see what, if any, upgrades seem called for.

I've had mine stock with over 8 months of daily use, and I don't see any reason to change a thing. A great light just the way it is.

The one thing I did add was a coiled tether from greenLED which attaches to a split ring on my belt loop. It helps me feel a bit more secure about not loosing my favorite light.

Whatever you end up doing, I'm sure you will enjoy the flexible UI, rugged feel, and quality finish of your new NovaTac.

 

[Cuso]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

This might be an unpopular suggestion, but I would suggest that you simply try it stock first, then see what, if any, upgrades seem called for.

I've had mine stock with over 8 months of daily use, and I don't see any reason to change a thing. A great light just the way it is.

The one thing I did add was a coiled tether from greenLED which attaches to a split ring on my belt loop. It helps me feel a bit more secure about not loosing my favorite light.

Whatever you end up doing, I'm sure you will enjoy the flexible UI, rugged feel, and quality finish of your new NovaTac.

Well said..both my Novas are emmiter stock, yet one of them was modded with a TIR optic for better throw, GITD oring, Ti bezel and Ti lanyard ring...The other is stock but has an AlTin plated SS bezel with Tritium slots that havent been filled because I broke one of them upon installation. I'll get a pic up latter.

 

[FliGuyRyan]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

Great suggestions guys. I think no matter how much I like the light, the UCL seems to be a no-brainer. The titanium bezel and tritium add-ons seems to be frivelous, but I'll check them out. I do like the glo-type add-ons though.

Also, do you know by chance who does change the emitters? And what is the brightest that you could possibly upgrade to right now? What would be the effects of this as I saw one of you mention you lost your "low?"

Thanks,
RC

 

[FliGuyRyan]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

Any other upgrades you can think about? I looked at Lighthound's UCL and it stated it as being 22.8mm and not 22.61 as previously stated. Which one is correct?

Also, I looked into another thread and some guys were talking about the V-bin Seoul emitters coming out. Are those out yet? And how easy is it to exchange and emitter (I've never done one) and if it's not easy, how much would it cost to have a member do it?

Thanks, anything else would be appreciated...
-RC

P.S. Is Novatac coming out with anything else, like a brighter light? 150P, 180P, 200P or anything like that?

 

[Derek Dean]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

I understand why many folks want to swap out the polycarbonate front window for a UCL....... but from what I've been reading, many of the newer models seem to have the front bezel locked down a bit tighter...... so you might want to make sure that you can easily remove the bezel before going to the trouble of getting a UCL.

BTW, I'm surprised that nobody mentioned this popular accessory:

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3439

Along with an AW protected 17670 cell, this will provide greatly extended runtime for your new light.

 

[xcel730]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

That was exactly what I was looking for. I posted this question from another thread today. I think I'll be getting this along with some AW 17670 batteries. This gives me the option of of either using the Novatac a small EDC light with 1xCR123 or a larger light with rechargables 17670 (RCR123a doesn't last long enough for my liking).

I understand why many folks want to swap out the polycarbonate front window for a UCL....... but from what I've been reading, many of the newer models seem to have the front bezel locked down a bit tighter...... so you might want to make sure that you can easily remove the bezel before going to the trouble of getting a UCL.

BTW, I'm surprised that nobody mentioned this popular accessory:

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3439

Along with an AW protected 17670 cell, this will provide greatly extended runtime for your new light.

 

[precisionworks]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

better emitter

:eeksign:

The SSC P4 may not be the 'emitter du jour' like the SSC P7, but the beam is beautiful in both hotspot & spill. In fact, the transition from center beam to side beam is without a harsh transition - from 1m and beyond.

what is the brightest that you could possibly upgrade to right now?

The Cree XR-E Q5 would be high on that list. Some makers like Malkoff drive this at 780ma with 6v ... which equates to 1560 ma with 3v (for 240 lumen output). It would surely be a bright light for a very short time

 

[FliGuyRyan]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

Derek Dean,

That is a great idea... and that is the kind of idea that I was looking for in starting this thread.

Precisionworks,

Thanks for the remarks. What would be the greatest balance in emitters?



More guys, more!!!
RC

 

[Oddjob]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

I don't know about the latest models but the bezel on mine and many others was very very difficult to get off because it was secured with red Loctite. A search should yield you some threads regarding removing the bezel. If you do get it off you could put a nice titanium bezel with tritium on it. As mentioned already you can also swap the polycarbonate lens for a UCL. I did this because I tend to use whatever cloth is at hand (usually my T-shirt) and if it is a bit dirty, over time this could scratch a poly lens. Have fun with it when you get it!

 

[wvaltakis2]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

A shiny new titanium pocketclip :twothumbs

~Chip

 

[precisionworks]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

What would be the greatest balance in emitters?

I only do mechanical mods, so one of the electronic modders might have some input. Any LED that is installed has to be compatible with the Novatac driver - someone here surely knows what will work.

I would´t do the emitter upgrade again because I like lower settings.

Me too - my 120P runs at the 10 lumen setting most of the time:huh:

 

[FliGuyRyan]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

Can anyone produce the specs and stats that Precisionworks speaks about?

I'm not a subject matter expert when it comes to emitters and how they're ran in certain lights, so some input could prove useful.

In a post above, you mention that, "Some makers like Malkoff drive this at 780ma with 6v ... which equates to 1560 ma with 3v (for 240 lumen output). It would surely be a bright light for a very short time."

With this information, why is it that you lose the lower levels if the Novatac goes down to .3 of a lumen?

Also, what would be the happy medium in your perspective? COuld you get to about 2-220 and still have a "low?"

Thanks for your input so far, and what are the runtimes on that HDS EDC LED Flashlight 2 x 123 Battery Case or 1 x 17670 Battery Case?

I'm not familiar with the 17670 cells. What are they like and how much runtime would I get out of one of these. This may very well be my "long runtime" solution that I wanted in the P3D and DereeLight CL1H..

Sorry for so many questions. I'm going to be gone for the weekend and I look forward to the answers...

Thanks,
RC

P.S. I just read that the HDS battery tube doesn't work with Novatac because of the 6V. Is this true? What's the deal?

 

[TCW 60]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

P.S. I just read that the HDS battery tube doesn't work with Novatac because of the 6V. Is this true? What's the deal?

You can drive the light only with 4.5 V. If you use the light with the 17670 RCR it is O.K. as there is only a voltage of 4.2 V. But if you use the light with 2 x CR 123 batteries you have a voltage of 6 V thats too high.

 

[FliGuyRyan]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

Do you know the runtimes of the usingthe 17670 by any chance?

 

[BabyDoc]

Re: What are key upgrades for Novatac 120P. I'm about to buy one & I want to upgrade

I don't know about the latest models but the bezel on mine and many others was very very difficult to get off because it was secured with red Loctite. A search should yield you some threads regarding removing the bezel. If you do get it off you could put a nice titanium bezel with tritium on it. As mentioned already you can also swap the polycarbonate lens for a UCL. I did this because I tend to use whatever cloth is at hand (usually my T-shirt) and if it is a bit dirty, over time this could scratch a poly lens. Have fun with it when you get it!

I have a newer Black body p120. I had trouble getting my bezel off until I read a suggestion posted in another thread. Remove the head end of the light from the tail end. Use a SOFT rubber soled shoe that has some tread design on it. Press the bezel into the sole of the shoe, and turn the body of the light counter clockwise while applying pressure into the sole with the bezel. The sole grips the bezel crenalations while your turning the head of the light loosens the bezel. Some have suggested that removing the tail end of the light (like you were going to do a factory reset), helps by reducing some vacume within the body of the light. However, this works, doesn't matter. It really works with very little effort.

Parenthetically, I recently spoke to Jim at Novatac customer service. Apparently, when they service the lights, they remove the bezel using rubber pads in manner similar to what I have described above.