*New* reflector replacement questions

I would like to modify my pentagonlight L2 3W with a brighter emitter. This is my first real modification to my lights and I have a few questions.

I understand a U-bin emitter would give me a decent boost in light output but I would like to know the following:

-Do I only need to replace the emitter since there is already a star with regulation hardware? Or, do I need to replace the entire assembly and install new hardware in order to regulate the LED and/or boost the output.

-Given that the new emitter would be operating at the same current as the old does it make sense that there would be an output increase without the use of new hardware?

-If I do only need to replace the emitter do I need to use some kind of epoxy to re-seat the new emitter to the star?

Here is the stock set-up:


Is the UX1L emitter from the sandwich shoppe a good replacement for the current emitter or is there a better bin to use that is readily available?

Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer my questions.

Re: emitter replacement questions

Hrmm... looks interesting. At first glance, it looks like a Luxeon star, but it's not that simple. It is a custom regulator with the emitter soldered on it. If this were my light, I'd unsolder the two connections and lift up on those leads then I'd gently lift and turn the emitter. If it's just held on with a thermal paste (such as Arcitc Alumina) then I'd put a little dab more when I replaced the emitter.

As far as possible replacement emitters, I'd probably go for a U-bin with the lowest Vf I could find but keep in mind, that the bin and the Vf spec is a range. I have a UX1L in a Magmod running at 937ma and a UW0K in another Magmod on a nFlex which allows for running at a full amp. Both are run on 18650 cells. With fresh cells all around, the UW0K at 1,000 ma is not as bright as the UX1L at 937. But unless you are willing to buy three to five emitters and test them to see which individual one is the brightest, it's just the luck of the draw.

For tint, I like the W0 and the X0 bins the best but I've seen some nice YAs and the UX1L is very nice though I usually don't care for TX1* tints.

First thing's first though. Do you know if it has a T-bin or an S-bin emitter? I know next to nothing about the Pentagon lights... if it's an S-bin, a cheap T-bin may be a nice upgrade for cheap.

Re: emitter replacement questions

Thanks for the help so far.

Here's what I have done. I soldered in a TXOH emitter and compared to the old emitter it puts about maybe slightly more light but it does have a much warmer tint.

TXOH is on the left, stock on the right (sorry for the crappy picture but apparently the only flat white surface I have in my house is in the bathtub. Who knew?)



Now, apparently I am being cheated by the relector since pentagonlight pulled a fast one and shipped me two heads, each with a different type of reflector. The reflector in the TXOH modded light is smoother, rounder and not near as efficient from what I see. This leads to a smaller hotspot and a lot less throw. The reflector in the other head is more stippled and has a sharper drop to the LED this means bigger hotspot and more throw as near as I can see.


This is reflector #1 in the stock light.



This is reflector #2 in modded light (also stock reflector but different from #1) It also has a weird lip type indent near the LED that creates a ring around the hotspot when used up close.

In conclusion I need a new 27mm relfector, any help? OR are there any 27mm optics that I could use?

If you don't mind spending the $$$, if you want a warmer white, I'd buy 5 TW0Hs and try them each, keep the warmest and sell the rest. In a given color tint range, they aren't all identical... far from it. I've probably used 10 or 12 TW0* and UX0* and two of them have been whiter than the rest... noticably. Even my niece could see the difference.

As for the reflector issue... I don't know. The IMS is popular and McGizmo has two different 27mm reflectors that tend to have better throw and tighter hotspots than the IMS but they are different lengths and only one will work without using spacers or O-rings.