Lux Luthor
Flashlight Enthusiast
I thought I would suggest this very easy mod for those of you wanting a simple, bright, and useful mod.
Sorry, I don't have a camera, but it's easy enough to describe:
1) Get the Rayovac headlamp at Walmart. I think it's $12 plus some change. You need 3 AAA NiMH batteries for best results, if you don't have them already.
2) Call Future Electronics at 1-800-655-0006, and ask for part number LXHL-FW1C. This is the 1 watt white side emitter with star shaped heatsink. If you want cyan instead, it's LXHL-FE1C. This one is brighter, but not as useful in many ways due to its relatively poor color rendition.
3) Unscrew the bezel, and remove the reflector. Drill a 5/16" hole in the reflector to accomodate the larger diameter of the side emitter. Don't worry. The incandescent bulb it came with will soon look like a POS by comparison.
4) Solder 2 wires to the positive and negative leads on the Luxeon, and run them through the hole you get in circuit board by pulling out the little rubber piece designed to hold a spare incandescent bulb. Then solder them to the appropriate terminals inside the light. Screw it back together and you're done. The 3 screw holes on the Luxeon's heatsink are an EXACT match to the 3 screws that hold the headlamp together.
It should be pulling around 300 to 350 ma without a resistor - just right.
The output is very similar to a PT Rage, so picture that strapped to your head. The Rage has slightly more throw (not by much), but this mod gives you a wider hot spot, and a broader cone of spill light. Oh, and it's actually a beautifully white beam
- not some dingy yellow incandescent beam.
The headlamp has 3 circuits with a 3 position switch, so you can also use another circuit to run the same LS at lower power. Then you're still left with one set of 5mm LEDs, and those can be swapped out along with their resistors as well. So you've got lots of options.
Enjoy!
Sorry, I don't have a camera, but it's easy enough to describe:
1) Get the Rayovac headlamp at Walmart. I think it's $12 plus some change. You need 3 AAA NiMH batteries for best results, if you don't have them already.
2) Call Future Electronics at 1-800-655-0006, and ask for part number LXHL-FW1C. This is the 1 watt white side emitter with star shaped heatsink. If you want cyan instead, it's LXHL-FE1C. This one is brighter, but not as useful in many ways due to its relatively poor color rendition.
3) Unscrew the bezel, and remove the reflector. Drill a 5/16" hole in the reflector to accomodate the larger diameter of the side emitter. Don't worry. The incandescent bulb it came with will soon look like a POS by comparison.
4) Solder 2 wires to the positive and negative leads on the Luxeon, and run them through the hole you get in circuit board by pulling out the little rubber piece designed to hold a spare incandescent bulb. Then solder them to the appropriate terminals inside the light. Screw it back together and you're done. The 3 screw holes on the Luxeon's heatsink are an EXACT match to the 3 screws that hold the headlamp together.
It should be pulling around 300 to 350 ma without a resistor - just right.
The output is very similar to a PT Rage, so picture that strapped to your head. The Rage has slightly more throw (not by much), but this mod gives you a wider hot spot, and a broader cone of spill light. Oh, and it's actually a beautifully white beam
The headlamp has 3 circuits with a 3 position switch, so you can also use another circuit to run the same LS at lower power. Then you're still left with one set of 5mm LEDs, and those can be swapped out along with their resistors as well. So you've got lots of options.
Enjoy!