Modifying the Surefire Kroma.....

I don't even have one (yet) and alread I'm thinking of modifiying it if I do get one. I'm wondering if its possible to open the head and change the color LEDs to any color you wish. As I understand it, there are 2 sets of Hi/Lo LEDs, red and blue. I was thinking of changing the "High" red to white, and the "Lo" blue to the yellow green that supposedly good for reading maps and the such. I would leave the other ones alone. Whaddya think?

I tend to agree with you in that for us modders the Kroma "should" be an interesting (although expensive!) host to play with

Will

Yeah I think it will be brilliant to mod but you'll have to go first!

Doug

Typical CPF behavior,
the lights not even out yet, and we want to mod it. :devil:

I want one with real good UV leds

~John

I would be interested in diferent colors, too, especially white wide beam and maybe UV ...
bernie

KDOG3 said:

I don't even have one (yet) and alread I'm thinking of modifiying it if I do get one.

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That's awesome!! Only a true flashaholic would ask about doing this before the light is released into the wild.

I agree, having 4 or more different types of LED's would blow everybody's head off! My only concern would be whether the current/resistance is set up for red and blue LED only... Well, nothing a good modder couldn't bypass changing the right components (I guess). Bah... it's only a $300 light that'd you'd be playing with, so what's there to worry about? :lolsign:

Just so we're all understanding:

The Kroma features sixteen 3mm LEDs surrounding a white-light LuxeonIII behind it's own TIR optic.

Of the sixteen 3mm LEDs - eight are red & eight are blue.

The Kroma features a two-stage TailCap which functions like the A2, 10X, L1, L2 etc.

The high output is the main beam (LuxeonIII). Like the A2 & 10X the low output is on when the high output is on.
This means that if the high output were to fail the there were still be light output.

The Kroma's dial allows you to select the "low output" beam.
You have five choices.

1: High output red light (from the eight red 3mm LEDs)
2: Low output red light (from the eight red 3mm LEDs)
3: Low output white light (from the main LuxeonIII)
4: Low output blue light (from the eight blue 3mm LEDs)
5: High output blue light (from the eight blue 3mm LEDs)

Al

Al, can you post some pictures of yours? I know it's early yet and you probally only have about 20 of them, but some new pictures would be nice!

Al,

Thank you for clarifying that.

I believed that might be the case, but was not completely certain.

That is why I greatly appreciate getting firsthand information from you.

All My Best,
John

Seriously, I don't have, and have never had a Kroma.
The first time I saw the Kroma was at SHOT Show (2006)

For MY use, I would keep the red LED's, take out the blue ones and replace it with infrared LED's to use with night vision equipment. I don't have any Surefire light that has been modified in one way or another Don't get me wrong, they're great out of the box but I have this insatiable need to mod things.

And to clarify another point, it was my understanding that the use of yellow-green for reading maps was really for use with night vision devices and their response to that color...which is not necessarily optimal for human night vision. One could argue that other colors are best for that.

JM-99

As greenled puts it, hats off to the true CPF modder spirit real at work here!

I have seen a version of Kroma prototype that houses few different types(UV, red, blue, or maybe another color, IIRC) of leds, but seems like this setup is really nice too.

Now I kinda wonder will there be any point at all to put in white wide beam if it is consuming more power than the low of the main lux III? Also, in preparation for this mod, any good suggestion of bright 3mm suitable for this? :devil:

Now I kinda wonder will there be any point at all to put in white wide beam if it is consuming more power than the low of the main lux III?

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As the small LEDs are way more efficient than the power LEDs it will consume less power, and offer a different beamspread in white light, which is a very nice feature! At least for me, it would be.
bernie

With white LEDs, you would essentially have a new Low setting, with the 2 stages of the main beam being medium and high. I definetly want to see some beamshots. Does anyone know when its going to be available for purchase? I'm hoping the Surefire rep who told me it was a flood beam was wrong and its more like the KL3.

I wish SureFire had a green LED version. Who knows maybe they will but I will be happy with my blue and red when I get it.

Now that the Kroma has been out for a while, has anybody opened the head yet? (... and maybe modded it?)

Mark2 said:

Now that the Kroma has been out for a while, has anybody opened the head yet? (... and maybe modded it?)

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I'm thinking Cree. A good Cree bin will mean over 100 lumens out the business end.

Based on what I have read here one key aspect seems to be the focusing and radiation patern for the Cree, which is different from the Luxeons. Fun times ahead

Will

I'm waiting for Milky's Kroma M project with 16 small Lux 1's with reflectors surrounding
a reflectored CREE in the middle!