Modify Surefire U2

jumping hansje · Dec 26, 2006

Hi everybody here, i am from the Netherlands and it is very hard to get good flashlights over here (and very expensive!!!), now i have a U2 and i like it very much with the regargeable 18650 batterie.
The question is are there people who have modified the U2???
Is it possible to put a Cree led in it in place of a luxeon V?
And if i want to buy the Fenix P1D-CE and the Huntlight Cree light where is it (for me) best to buy?

cheapo · Dec 26, 2006

Re: Moderate Surefire U2

jumping hansje said:
Hi everybody here i am from the Netherlands and it is very hard to get good flashlights over here (and very expensive!!!), now i have a U2 and i like it very much with the regargeable 18650 batterie.
The question is are there people who have moderated the U2???
Is it possible to put a Cree led in it in place of a luxeon V?
And if i want to buy the Fenix P1D-CE and the huntlight Cree light where is it for me best to buy?

I am interested in modding my u2 too, however, the cree can not take the current that the u2 draws to the led, therefore, the seoul led would be a better alternative. I think the opening of the head will be a very tedious task.

fenix p1d ce:
http://fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_51&products_id=171

huntlight cree:
http://www.jsburlysflashlights.com/cgi-bin/ccp51/cp-app.cgi

-David

Erasmus · Dec 26, 2006

Re: Moderate Surefire U2

It's not easy to get a U2 open. I once had one and I did not succeed in opening the head.

No offence to both of you, but please do at least a little effort to write proper English and use capitals properly. English isn't my mother tongue either and I make a lot of language errors, but there are plenty of English dictionaries on the internet which can help me. Hans, maybe it's better to change 'moderate' to 'modify' (moderate betekent matigen, modify betekent aanpassen/modificeren en ik denk dat je dat laatste bedoelt

).

sp5it · Dec 26, 2006

Re: Moderate Surefire U2

IMO swapping emitter to WW0S or X-bin will be a way to go. Putting Cree in it will destroy this beautiful light. Now, I'm waiting for WW0S to put it in. Head already opened.
Mike

cheapo · Dec 26, 2006

Re: Moderate Surefire U2

how would it ruin the light? it would put out more light that using a wwos... and it would have the same runtime. obviousely using a cree would ruin the beam quality, but you have to make some sort of sacrifice for the higher efficiency.

jumping hansje · Dec 26, 2006

Re: Moderate Surefire U2

Erasmus said:
It's not easy to get a U2 open. I once had one and I did not succeed in opening the head.

Hans, maybe it's better to change 'moderate' to 'modify' (moderate betekent matigen, modify betekent aanpassen/modificeren en ik denk dat je dat laatste bedoelt ).

Dank je Raf dat bedoelde ik inderdaad.
BTW to open the head is not the problem i can screw it of, there is no loctite ore something like that in it. (lucky me)

22hornet · Dec 26, 2006

Re: Moderate Surefire U2

Hello Hans,
(dag Hans,)
Should you want to buy Surefires for a reasonable price and great service in Holland, consider this dealer:
http://www.knivesandtools.com/nl/
and for Peaks:
http://www.toolshop.de/

Best wishes for the new year,
Joris
ps: where are you from in Holland?

22hornet · Dec 26, 2006

Re: Moderate Surefire U2

Maybe we should arrange for a Belgian-Dutch flashaholic get-together one day and have some fun

There are several of our region, it seems.

Seems fun and interesting,
Joris

jumping hansje · Dec 26, 2006

Re: Moderate Surefire U2

Thanks Joris, i live in Zutphen and that is near Arnhem, approximately 30 km. from it.
I have bin several times by knives and tools, great guys there.
But good flashlights are very expensive over here.

sp5it · Dec 26, 2006

Re: Moderate Surefire U2

cheapo said:
how would it ruin the light?

Cutting reflector with a knife to fit Cree in the opening will destroy it, isn't it?
Keep in mind, that Surefire is not selling replacement parts for U2. So, if you will cut or bore reflector, than see, that Cree beam looks ugly in that, you can not reverse operation. U2 will be destroyed.
I'm sure there is better and cheaper host to put Cree than U2.
But that's your light, your money.
I wouldn' waste my U2 for Cree experiments.
Mike

wasBlinded · Dec 26, 2006

You have to remember that the U2 circuitry is a variable "boost" convertor. If the battery or cell input voltage is much above the Vf of the LED, the regulation won't work at all, and the level selector is non-functional. That means that any LED with a Vf below about 6 volts (like a Cree XR or Luxeon III or SSC P4) isn't going to work properly. It isn't about current, since the U2 supplies about 800 mA to the Lux V - which a Cree will take just fine - rather it is a question of voltage.

What about using a single Li-ion cell, you ask? Its been tried with a Lux III, and still didn't work, though I can't remember which CPF member did it. Perhaps a Cree with an unusually high Vf, on the order of 4 volts at 800 mA would work with a single Li-ion.

If you feel like mucking about with your U2, go ahead and put a Cree in it and experiment, but be prepared for disappointment.

65535 · Dec 26, 2006

Just get teh Xbinned http://www.lumileds.com/products/family.cfm?familyId=15 LXHL-PW03\

With a Vf of 3.3 you could hook 2 xlamps in parrallel for huge out put but you would need to remake the reflector totally.

FlashKat · Dec 26, 2006

The Vf is determined by the circuitry which the Cree can possibly work. I stuck a Cree in my Streamlight 2L 3W and tested it with RCR123 3.0v, RCR123 3.6v, 17670, and CR123 batteries. The results are the Cree is the same brightness on all of the different battery set-ups. The Streamlight works perfectly on both levels of brightness, but it is alot brighter with almost twice the throw. The beam is ringy, but for the gain in bighness and throw plus better runtime it is worth it to me. Yes it had to be modified to raise the Cree up 1-2 mm to get it to focus properly.

wasBlinded said:
You have to remember that the U2 circuitry is a variable "boost" convertor. If the battery or cell input voltage is much above the Vf of the LED, the regulation won't work at all, and the level selector is non-functional. That means that any LED with a Vf below about 6 volts (like a Cree XR or Luxeon III or SSC P4) isn't going to work properly. It isn't about current, since the U2 supplies about 800 mA to the Lux V - which a Cree will take just fine - rather it is a question of voltage.

What about using a single Li-ion cell, you ask? Its been tried with a Lux III, and still didn't work, though I can't remember which CPF member did it. Perhaps a Cree with an unusually high Vf, on the order of 4 volts at 800 mA would work with a single Li-ion.

If you feel like mucking about with your U2, go ahead and put a Cree in it and experiment, but be prepared for disappointment.

Erasmus · Dec 26, 2006

Here's a cool idea : since the Luxeon V LED inside exists of 4 LuxI chips, you can try to hook up 4 Cree XR-E LEDs (2 paralel series of 2 LEDs). The driver board is made for that LED chip configuration and you can get an amazing output (4 times 85 lumen = 340 lumen). The heatsinking might be a problem though (since the 4 LEDs are not on the place of the LuxV), and there might also be a lack of space to put 4 Cree compatible reflectors inside.

sp5it · Dec 26, 2006

But why destroy such a good light?
Mike

FlashKat · Dec 26, 2006

It's a disease among curious modder's:lolsign: Looking for a cure.

sp5it said:
But why destroy such a good light?
Mike

Modify Surefire U2

jumping hansje

Newly Enlightened

cheapo

Flashlight Enthusiast

Erasmus

Flashlight Enthusiast

sp5it

Enlightened

cheapo

Flashlight Enthusiast

jumping hansje

Newly Enlightened

22hornet

Enlightened

22hornet

Enlightened

jumping hansje

Newly Enlightened

sp5it

Enlightened

wasBlinded

Flashlight Enthusiast

65535

Flashlight Enthusiast

FlashKat

Flashlight Enthusiast

Erasmus

Flashlight Enthusiast

sp5it

Enlightened

FlashKat

Flashlight Enthusiast

Similar threads

Latest posts