Focusing the XR-E

Just got my XR-E's in today, soldered on the leads, thermal greased onto a copper heatsink, and began playing with optics @ 120mA.

I tried:

1/2" acrylic ball
3/4" acrylic ball
IMS 20mm
IMS20mm& acrylic ball
Fraen narrow(for lux)


The fraen narrow gave me the best beam (wtf?) which was quite floody to tell the truth. What am I doing wrong here? The acrylic balls focus luxeons and even SMJ leds just fine, but the cree acts up when I use them.

Any suggestions?

Different distance from the lens materials to the emitter, and a significantly different emitter pattern (different incident angles), so it's not in focus like the Luxeon.

Not sure why the acrylic balls would be acting odd though, that's curious, I'd like to hear more about what actually happens using them (Luxeon compared to Cree).

Hey RcatR,

is the Fraen narrow optic you're using the one made for the Lux V? It's the "taller" one, not the low-profile optic right? Do you have a Fraen low-profile to try? I'd be curious how that turns out. Thanks.

How's the IMS20? Do you have a beamshot?

I've read somewhere in the CPF threads that the IMS 20 will work if you cut the back side down so the emitter sits into the reflector more. I've ordered some parts to investigate it myself. LOL

UncleFester said:

I've read somewhere in the CPF threads that the IMS 20 will work if you cut the back side down so the emitter sits into the reflector more. I've ordered some parts to investigate it myself. LOL

Click to expand...

I intend to try this experiment myself. Though I don't know how to do this cut "cleanly" without gouging up the surface. Everytime I cut a reflector I efff it up.

i think your 2 balls must be cut into halfs.

then it will be an a*******(don't know how to spell that damn thing) lens, like those you see on some threads

aspherical.

CM: There was a thread that said you could drill the opening and it worked. I have sanded the backs of reflectors before with sand paper (or large stone grinder wheel), then take compressed air (like 90psi) and blow the dust out.

The fraen is 1cm tall

One of the acrylics IS cut in half-still no go


I sanded down the IMS and it gives an acceptable beam, better than the fraen


the IMS20 will simply be replaced with a 4* optic once they are available

beamshots once i get it all inside the head!

what host?

Half a sphere produces a hemispherical lens, not an aspherical one. If you look closely at the profile of an aspherical lens you can see that it resembles a parabola.

I have IMS 27mm shots, distance is 1,5m, f 2.8, 1/50s, iso200, WB fluorescent.

Only after removing spacers for lux :


after removing about 1 mm from the collimator base - the artifact is caused by me I have used hot blade for cutting and it melt a bit...

Thanks for the pic Szemhasai!, I think its the first picture I seen of the beam of the CREE in a IMS27, very informative!, can you comment on your cut down IMS 27mm reflector? Do you have a pic of where you cut?

Can you post a pic of a Luxeon 3 IMS 27 beam next to a CREE IMS 27 beam?

I would very much appreciate it.

Thanks!

AlexGT

Here you have :sweat: :

removed

I think this image clears everything... red part was cut and XR-E emitter is in his real position after mod - some proportions may fault but its schematic .

IMS27 on LuxIII @ 350mA vs IMS27mod in XR-E @ 350mA.

Lux3 alone

XR-E alone - so many light wasted


IMS27 on Lux III vs XR-E with some higher and narrower collimator - origin unknown :thinking:


But i have some good news It's Fraen Eliptical 12x24° sometimes called 15°.


It's quite good but u can see shadow in the center :/.

I had some spare Carclo 4 degree optics so I tried a XR-E with one. These optics give a square-ish spill even with Luxeons.
For these beamshots the optics are just taped over the front of the LED, and the off center hotspot is due to this haste. The wall is one metre away.


Standard 4 degree optic.


Optic turned down to sit further back to the LED.


Shortened and standard optics.

I gradually reduced the back to try and improve the beam, but stopped when I got these results. With these optics it seems that as they sit back to the LED more the hotspot dims a little, but increases in size and blends into the spill a little more.

The optic was reduced by 1.4mm.

Colin.

IsaacHayes said:

what host?

Click to expand...

This one: (E1E head)

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/140919

Szemhazai, since we're all sacrificing optics and reflectors for the sake of experimenting, would you mind sanding off a bit more from the back of your reflector. I have the feeling that might improve the beam. (edit:) I just had second thoughts about that. Is there a chance you actually sanded too much off the back of that reflector?

Playing with an old IMS17 and some no-name 17mm reflectors that came with some L1P clone hosts I got from (I forget...). Anyway, I'm just sanding the back of the reflectors until the XR-E ring fits through. If you've ever seen the beam of the Gladius, with a "starred" hotspot, that's what I'm getting. If you haven't seen a Gladius with the "starred" hotspot, think farkled Lux showing through an optic. I think it's due to my ISO-certified sanding system... :green:

Anybody have a definite measurement as to how far the XR-E's metal ring should protrude into an IMS reflector to give perfect results? (I'm guessing this will depend on the reflector's curvature, but maybe we can compile a list with different reflectors and optics in this thread?)


...oh, and a cut-down minimag reflector looks promising as well...

chesterqw said:

i think your 2 balls must be cut into halfs.

then it will be an a*******(don't know how to spell that damn thing) lens, like those you see on some threads

Click to expand...

A half ball is not an aspherical lens. It is quite different.

newbie, you are correct!!!

aspheric lens has a surface whose profile is neither that of a sphere or circular cylinder.

Didn't I point that out back in #11?

Nobody listens to what I say