XP-G in Ultrafire C3 SS

[superpila]

I've tried a mod on my Ultrafire C3 SS from DX (sku.26122). Wonderful flashlight for the money, but mine had a greenish q5 and a very ringy beam. Also, I wasn't using it anymore since I got my 5 mode akoray/nkoray (same driver but I got a better tint).
For this mod I used KD XPG r5 on 14mm board, which perfectly replaces the original Q5 board.
To remove the original star I left the head into the freezer for 6 hours. After this treatment the glue snapped easily twisting the board with a pair of screwdrivers.
When reassembling the head with the new board, I applied good quality thermal compound in place of the old bulk one. Also, I used an alu foil to fill the gap between the reflector hole and the led die. I found out that this easy workaround noticeably improves the beam pattern.
In the end, the flashlight lost a bit of throw (I'm not even sure about that because although the hotspot is a bit larger, the increased brightness compensates this) but gained a much better beam pattern. I really like the result and will try the same mod on the Akoray as soon as I get my hands on another XP-G 16mm board.


The XPG soldered:

Everything back in place. Notice the thick alu foil filling the gap around the led. This part is insulated with a thin layer of tape between it and the top of the board:

Beamshots (each flashlight at its highest mode):


Fenix LD20 on the left, C3SS XPG r5 running on 14500 on the right:

Akoray K106 (3 modes programmable version) running on 14500 on the left, C3SS XPG r5 running on 14500 on the right:

 

[pmoore]

NICE!!

 

[jasonck08]

Cool good job. Those XP-G's are freaking tiny. I just made a 3D maglite with an XP-G driven @ 1.4A. It's pretty darn bright for its size!

 

[rizky_p]

so that's what its look like on the inside. I haven't take mine apart yet, the light is beautiful. But someday i might. Thanks for the beamshots.

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

Are you sure that isn't a 14mm board? I can't find the 16mm anywhere on KD...

Shao

 

[B12]

Are you sure that isn't a 14mm board? I can't find the 16mm anywhere on KD...

Shao

Dealextreme 14mm R5 emitter drops right in the C3 stainless. 10 minute mod.

 

[Cemoi]

Would such a mod work on the non stainless steel, 2AA version of the C3?

 

[Tuikku]

Dealextreme 14mm R5 emitter drops right in the C3 stainless. 10 minute mod.

DX seems to have 30% off from various flashlights, including this.
I think I will give it a go with that R5 :thumbsup:

edit: seems to be UP TO 33%. Got some % or two off from this... :|

 

[Cemoi]

superpila: isn't the tint too blueish?

 

[Tuikku]

Did the R5 mod. Nice & easy.
I used the original foil, hole in it was a bit large for R5 but not a biggie...

BTW:

Did you have a brass pill in your Ultrafire C3 SS?

At least from Superpila´s "soldered" picture my pill looks different. It is higher from sides, the LED sits in quite tightly, no chance to get in there a 16mm board...
Pill seems to suck heat quite nicely, added some silver paste to led and regular between pill and body.

Nice light, not bad at all.
Just need to measure tailcap current, still using that original driver.

 

[kiwitorch]

Buying my first led flashlight, boy was I surprised at how flooded the market is with these things, I thought I had some idea from what I see locally but once you look online it's like the solar system compared to the galaxy. Anyhow after much research(where reading these forums was of great help) I have decided on the ultrafire c3 ss (sku26122), at least I hope so because there is one concern I have and that is whether the barrel is big enough for the higher capacity nimh aa batteries, I like to use the precharged ones like the enloop. I have read that this was a problem with the ultrafire C3(sku1993) but am hoping that was solved with the ss model, if anybody have any experience with this then I would appreciate hearing it, thanks.

 

[Tuikku]

To my recently purchased C3, Eneloops fit just nice.

 

[kiwitorch]

Thanks, that sounds promising but I guess I just need to refine the question a little further though as I really only have 1 set of enloop batteries and mainly have another brand(DSE) that won't mean much to most people outside of Australia & New Zealand, it is a precharged nimh which is bigger in diameter than any of my other batteries so I guess my question really is has anybody come across any rechargeable aa's that don't fit in this torch, if not then how about the enloops, are they a tight fit?

 

[kosPap]

Superpila,
might I ask what the diameter of the driver boards is in this flashlight?

BTW I think there are 2 versions of this light, the newer a bit longer...which of the two is yours?

 

[superpila]

Superpila,
might I ask what the diameter of the driver boards is in this flashlight?

BTW I think there are 2 versions of this light, the newer a bit longer...which of the two is yours?

Unfortunately I gave that light away :-(.
I just remember that I used a 14mm star for the mod, and that it was quite easy. I actually did not disassemble the board at all.

 

[kosPap]

I see..thanks anyway!

 

[Tuikku]

my eneloop AA diameter: 14,1mm sharp.
C3 SS inner diameter: 15,6mm.
Pill should take about (did not dissassemble to measure) 16,7mm board.
Light lenght in total: 98,04mm

 

[Tuikku]

I got 0,87A as tailcap current.

Suggestions for driverupdate, preferrably 3-mode sans-disco...

 

[kiwitorch]

Thanks for the measurements, I have now ordered the flashlight. Found one of the reviews mentioning the narrow battery tube again so here is the link if anyone is interested, this was not the ss model, I had hoped ss model would not have the same problem so it is good to hear that is the case.

http://www.light-reviews.com/uf_c3_5mode/

Interesting to see in this review that this torch is nowhere near as efficient when using 2 aa's.