first lux swap mod, Dorcy cr123

I had a dorcy, and i sold it. But i started thinking that the led is so easy to get to, so easy to take off, it has to be easy to mod it. I picked up a brand new one and I decided to give it a shot. I really wanted to experiment with some lux color leds because using beam filters block so much light. This is my first attempt and boy am i proud!
Its a lux one from photophanatic, and its very blue. I am going to put a lux 3 red orange in my next dorcy. It should be able to work being as the dorcy has a voltage booster in it. This is alot of fun, and it seams like ill be spending EVEN more money now on lights!




Enjoy!
Does anyone know if the dorcy will run a Lux 3 orange led with an vf of H

Totally cool, I did the same thing today with the Dental Blue 450-470nm Luxeon as discussed in another thread earlier. I replaced the diode in the light with the blue (dental module) and it is remarkable in throw and spread, very very bright.

Good job! That was the first thing i noticed, it was the throw! using a beam filter to get blue output KILLS throw. This just floods everything and i love it!

bobby, be careful about red-orange mods with 123 cells and boost circuits. The Vf is going to be lower than the cell voltage and since it's a boost circuit, you'll go into direct drive depending on how high the Vf of the red-orange lux is. Nominal is around 2.5V. Add possibly a diode drop and it may or may not work. Also, the emitter must be electrically isolated from the circuit. If you can get a high Vf lux, you'll decrease the likelihood of overdriving. Typical current for 3V to the lux is 1.4A!

CM said:

also, the emitter must be electrically isolated from the circuit

Click to expand...

Cm,

What is the reason for this, (is DD bad for the led?) and how would you do that?

The led is a G2HH (red/orange) and i have a cyan (S5JC)
H - ............3.03V - 3.27V
J - .............3.27V - 3.51V

*Now, doesnt a boost circuit keep the voltage at 3.xx volts to keep the led running?

*Would i be better off removing the Boost circuit in the light and Direct Driving the Led with 1 CR123?

The mod with the blue led (first Post) is using a M2KB ,
K is ...........3.51V - 3.75V
If this is the case, am i underdriving the lux? (whatever im doing, it sure turned out bright)

Thanks for taking the time to help me out, someday i hope to pass on this info to someone else.

nakahoshi said:

Cm,

What is the reason for this, (is DD bad for the led?) and how would you do that?

The led is a G2HH (red/orange) and i have a cyan (S5JC)
H - ............3.03V - 3.27V
J - .............3.27V - 3.51V

*Now, doesnt a boost circuit keep the voltage at 3.xx volts to keep the led running?

*Would i be better off removing the Boost circuit in the light and Direct Driving the Led with 1 CR123?

The mod with the blue led (first Post) is using a M2KB ,
K is ...........3.51V - 3.75V
If this is the case, am i underdriving the lux? (whatever im doing, it sure turned out bright)

Thanks for taking the time to help me out, someday i hope to pass on this info to someone else.

Click to expand...

bobby, looks like you're OK since your Vf is on the high side. Low vf (2.3-2.4V) would probably dd but since your Vf is above 3V, go for it Have you seen a red-orange? It's annoyingly bright. I've got one in a modified KL1 and people are amazed when I fire it up. Anyway, congrats on your first mod. If you're like most, this is just the beginning (of the wallet drain, that is).

As far as the emitter isolation, if the heatsink is connected to the circuit, the emitter must be isolated from this or you'll short out. Use thermal epoxy and make sure there's a very thin isolation layer to keep the metal from contacting each other. Don't get too carried away with the thickness though or your thermal resistance will go up. Good luck.

Thanks for the help, the mod will go on! Ive heard the luman count for RED/ORANGE is crazy, i want to see for myself!
also, i figure i can buy 3 dorcys and 3 new leds and have 3 awesome custom lights for the price of one semi decent light.
-bobby

I was thinking about the same thing, go through the different spectrum of LED's and see what's what. I have about 6 or so emitters and I am sorry I didn't get the stars but the emitters give me room to make my own sinks and mods for different lights I have.

I am searching for the best light out there - metal body and glass lens that is easily modable for this very issue, going through the whole spectrum of LED's from Luxeon.

An update on the mod I made above, its a battery muncher and the bummer is, when the circuit senses low battery it shuts the light off lol, I have to run it in the medium power mode with low batteries.

Nice work, Bobby. You sure you wouldn't try the KL1 as your next mod?

Got the red orange lux today. This mod wassnt as easy as the first (isnt that the case all the time?) I diddnt know the lux 3 star was alot thicker then a lux1 star. This time i had to use some thinking and not just an easy switch. I was sure it was going to be easy but it was a bit of a pain. Anyway, lets see what i came up with!





Greg, Im afraid to open up my KL1 after i saw the pictures that you posted of your little adventure, NO THANKS!! haha

TARGET WAS OUT OF DORCY CR123a's!!! I only got one, i wanted to do the Cyan mod too, but i wassnt about to buy the 3aaa model, i hate battery carriers ect. So i have to wait untill they get more in stock. After i do cyan, i wonder what color i want to try next, and ideas (is green fun? what about royal blue?)

Thanks for the input everyone

Now, if that isn't the coolest thing I've seen in a while... red light plus blue light makes purple.

nakahoshi said:

..After i do cyan, i wonder what color i want to try next, and ideas (is green fun? what about royal blue?)

Thanks for the input everyone

Click to expand...

Green is not very exciting. Royal blue is really cool though the blue you have looks sort of like RB (may be a color bias from the camera) Too bad they didn't make UV or Infrared I'd be all over those.