Drop in Luxeon mod to MiniMag *moved to Buy/Sell/Trade forum*

** Mod note: Moved to Buy/Sell/Trade from the Mod forum. Find it here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=8&t=000472 **

Drop in Luxeon mod to MiniMag.
http://home.mchsi.com/~lambda/minimag.htm

Would this make a good skill level 1 mod kit?

Lambda

YES! Count me in for at least one!

count me in as well... just what i need... something right at my skill level.

eric.

ooooh....I gotta have a couple of those!!!!

If they go up for sale , I'll take two!

OK-sounds very interesting..-how much??

I would love a couple of "pills" for some of my minimags lying around here.

Where do I sign.

Sounds enticing. How close to the Lambda Illuminator's output level would it achieve?

And I was about to return my Minimag tomorrow too, for I thought I would have no use for it since I have my Lambda Illuminator. But I guess I'll decide to keep it now. Count me in for one please!

Lambda,

Do you have to drill a bigger hole on the reflector to make the pill fit? Or that wouldn't be necessary since all of the parts will be included in the kit already? By the way, Lamda, you are a genious!!!!!

Thank you very much, and happy Memorial Day to everyone!!

ZEPH

I would definitely consider purchasing such a kit.

If the price is right, the money I had set aside for an Opalec NewBeam might just end up going for one of these!

Please let us all know about the price and availability as soon as you can Lambda. I for one will be checking back.

Yes, count me in for at least 2!

How bright is it compared to the illuminator? Battery life? When is it available?

Yes! Count me in for at least three...umm wait, let me know what my "damages" will be first, please.

I need two pills to aid my aging MAG AA's.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Zephyr:
And I was about to return my Minimag tomorrow too, for I thought I would have no use for it since I have my Lambda Illuminator. But I guess I'll decide to keep it now. Count me in for one please!

Lambda,

Do you have to drill a bigger hole on the reflector to make the pill fit? Or that wouldn't be necessary since all of the parts will be included in the kit already? By the way, Lamda, you are a genious!!!!!

Thank you very much, and happy Memorial Day to everyone!!

ZEPH

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No drilling required; the reflector gets tossed and replaced with the Luxeon collomator lens.

The kit would consist of:
Illuminator pill - same "guts" (DC/DC converter & Luxeon) that go into the Illuminator, less the Illuminator heatsink. The pill uses heavy copper clad to move the heat to the battery tube lip. So, it will be the same brightness as the Illuminator, but slightly warmer. Tests show max temp to be 50C, which is 10C less than a Luxeon with optics and heatsink stabilizes at when drawing 350ma.
Luxeon Lens - to replace the reflector.
Lens gasket - this holds the lens firmly in the head assembly.

Even if you've never done a mod before, this should only take you 5 or 10 min to finish.

Price; probably about ~$29.95US

Since this mod is competing directly with the Opalec Newbeam drop-in, perhaps comparison shots and readings would be helpful? =)

-XCN-

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Xcandescent:
Since this mod is competing directly with the Opalec Newbeam drop-in, perhaps comparison shots and readings would be helpful? =)

-XCN-<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can read the reviews for both at the LEDMuseum, but the Opalec was measured at 33,100mcd and the Illuminator measured 256,000mcd..........

Thanks for the respond Lambda. I will definitly be watching out for this "pill" when it will hopefully be available for us to purchase.

ZEPH

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Xcandescent:
Since this mod is competing directly with the Opalec Newbeam drop-in, perhaps comparison shots and readings would be helpful? =)

-XCN-<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Even tho I haven't seen Lambda's mod, I'd guess that his conversion would pretty much blow away those 3x5mm LEDs in the Opalec..at least that's what my own white Luxeon mod will do easily. Picture the output of say..10-12 of those 5mm LEDs

Edit-Since the kit would come with the new optics, (meaning a much superior spot/beam), you've gotta have a powerful flashlight there. The new optics on my 455nm Royal Blue Luxeon results in an Amazing improvement in the perceived power of the output

Hi Lambda,

Thanks for all the additional info.

One question: When do you think you would have these available for sale?

One suggestion: Skip the $.95 and just go straight to $30, throw pricing tradition to the wind and live on the edge!

Lambda

Great idea with that pill. And a good price too for a complete kit!

Lambda,

Great mod. I would rate that a very easy mod for those who haven't done a mod. Looks like there is no soldering required.

That and you don't need to buy a tailcap switch like the ones I do makes it even nicer. Keeps the twist on/off function. Something people do anyway.