Which LED to drop in? Headlamp mod

[ausbump]

I have bought one of these
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/3-WATT-LUXEO...7QQihZ015QQcategoryZ83552QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and am looking to put in a better led to get some decent performance.

It has been suggested that i look at SSC's. Please excuse my ignorance, as this is my first mod, but where exactly does one obtain SSC's from, and, are they direct drive? How does one go about installing them?

I thought i would need a driver board, a heatsink, new reflector and possibly a voltage regulator.

 

[Gunner12]

There are many place to buy them(SSC). Here(CPF), Dealextreme, Sandwich Shoppe. The Seoul has a positive slug(the metal part on the bottom) so you should make sure that it will not short out the regualtor(if there is one).
For modding, some of the more experienced will have to chime in.
You might also need thermal epoxy/paste for heat transfere to the heat sink(once again, there might not be one in you headlamp) and a copper disc for the right focus.
I hope that helps.

Good Luck

 

[ausbump]

Thankyou.
To be honest, i find the descriptions confusing - i.e. no wattage or lumen output is given, nore the means by which i drive them! Are SSC's direct drive? If so - it seems like a fairly easy task to make a flashlight with one.

Either way, i intend to 'update' the headlamp and make it a bit more real.
Also, how could it short out the regulator (Which i am sure does NOT exist!)

Thanks

Edit: It looks like i will need the following per SSC
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3256#

Is this correct? Also, with the regulator attatched, how could one have a headsink?

 

[Gunner12]

If you can, open up the the Headlamp and take a picture, that will help.

The Seoul LED has a Positive base. Most LED regulators only work when there is a LED attached to it, it has to have a load, if it doesn't, the regulator has a good chance of burning out. Since, in most LED flashlights, the heat-sink is attached to the light's body, it is usually negative. A positive base connected to the negative heat-sink will cancel out the load and might burn out the regulator.(someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong)

LEDs create heat when they run. A high power LED like the Luxeon, Seoul or Cree might cook itself if there is no way of drawing away the heat.
In some flashlights, the regulator is attached to the underside of the heat-sink with wires powering the LED.

Here is a place where you can find components that you might need.

Look at some of the other headlamp mods, you might be able to get some info from them. Here, Here and Here are some other headlamp modding threads that might help.

I can't help much since I haven't modded any thing yet. All I can do is provide some limited information.