Zebra light DIY

[ma_sha1]

Picked up one of the new model wired looking 123 flaslight at very low cost,
from that place Definitely eXtremely risky to mention the name here.

The flashlight has the head sticking out size ways:
It's got a XPE Q5, with a SMO, the beam is throwy & full of artifacts.
So, it was beheaded upon arrival.

I put a carbon fiber disc surrounding the led, followed by a clear plastic window, then a GITD O-ring.

Without the reflector, it looks like the original Zebra light,
with a bare led that lights up the room broad but dimly.

I wanted to put some kind of collimation but don't want anything to stick out.
I have a bunch of led domes laying around that seem to be good candidates.

From Left to Right; Cree XRE dome, SST-50 dome & SST-90 dome.

It's good to keep those domes around, from dead leds, or from those that fell off. As each one it's
like a miniature Aspheric lens, you never know when you might be able to use one of these:

The SST-50 dome fit well & gave a floody beam looks very even, still very broad coverage but 2-3x
brighter than the bare led W/O any lens. So I glued it on top of the plastic window with a drop of Norland 61.

Theres' no need for UV light or put under the sun. I just turned the light on hi & went to sleep.
wake up the next morning, it's done. There must be some UV comes out of the led that was enough
to set the Glue.

SST-50 Dome over XPE, inside GITD glow ring:

The Clip is very strong, able to clip to the regular belt w/o being deformed like the D10/EX10 clip tends to be.
It sprigs back tight.

Now, I walk around in the basement to look for stuff . look mom, no hands :laughing:.
It's a "belly button light" or perhaps, headlight for "the other brain"? .

It has a giant diamond shaped beam, fill up the entire camera frame.

The size is very tiny, like a 4Seve Mini 123 size but with a cliky.
Can use CR123 or RCR123, three modes, Hi, Lo & strobe.

The Ano on the black clip is easy to wear out, but the Ano on the light is fine:

 

[^Gurthang]

Sha,

Neat little mod, simple and made a big improvement.

BTW, not a criticism but those little lenses are "domes" not dooms, though I knew exactly what you meant when you wrote it.

Keep up the great work, I get LOTS of ideas from you, just wish I had the time and $$$ to do 'em....

 

[Flashlike]

Sha,

Neat little mod, simple and made a big improvement...Keep up the great work, I get LOTS of ideas from you, just wish I had the time and $$$ to do 'em....

*** +1 ***

ma_sha1--Yes, your mods are so unique and original! This flashlight appears to be unDoubtedly eXlusive SKU# 39671, I trust?

Did you attach that carbon fiber disc with some sort of adhesive?

I'm somewhat tempted to order one of these flashlights and try a similar mod but after I received the last flashlight I ordered from them I promised myself I would never order from them again (eXremely Dubious quality--especially in the soldering and electronics).

 

[ma_sha1]

Sha,

Neat little mod, simple and made a big improvement.

BTW, not a criticism but those little lenses are "domes" not dooms, though I knew exactly what you meant when you wrote it.

Keep up the great work, I get LOTS of ideas from you, just wish I had the time and $$$ to do 'em....

OMG, I am doomed at spelling
I corrected them all, at least I think I did.

 

[ma_sha1]

*** +1 ***
ma_sha1--Yes, your mods are so unique and original! This flashlight appears to be unDoubtedly eXlusive SKU# 39671, I trust?

Thanks & Yes :naughty:

*** +1 ***
Did you attach that carbon fiber disc with some sort of adhesive?

Yes, once you remove the head/reflector, there's little white disk surrounding the led, I felt it's un attractive, so I cut a CF plate &
crazy glued over it. That's before I felted the need to get some kind of collimation to make the light more useful.

Once I put the SST-50 dome over, you can't see it anymore, so the CF disk was kind of wasted efforts.

*** +1 ***
I'm somewhat tempted to order one of these flashlights and try a similar mod but after I received the last flashlight I ordered from them I promised myself I would never order from them again (eXremely Dubious quality--especially in the soldering and electronics).

I agree, but I usually get stuff there for parts. This host is cheaper than a typical clip sold around CPF, I was prepared to be happy even if it's DOA. But it arrived live & kicking, so it exceeded my expectations :laughing:.

As long as you know what you are getting into, there is no absolute good or bad.

Satisfaction = the difference between reality vs. expectations.

As long as you set the proper expectations per dollar, you'll be a happy shopper regardless the source is eXremely Dubious or Surefire or McGizmo.

 

[Flashlike]

I agree, but I usually get stuff there for parts. This host is cheaper than a typical clip sold around CPF, I was prepared to be happy even if it's DOA. But it arrived live & kicking, so it exceeded my expectations :laughing:.

As long as you know what you are getting into, there is no absolute good or bad.

Satisfaction = the difference between reality vs. expectations.

As long as you set the proper expectations per dollar, you'll be a happy shopper regardless the source is eXremely Dubious or Surefire or McGizmo.

Good points, ma_sha1. Maybe I'll order one of these ZL clones and experiment with it.