Mod QIII with P4 vs. buying new light

Just don't know if it is worth spending $50 to mod Q3 (explained below) or just use money to buy new light. The Q3 is just perfect size in hand. All the other lights out now or soon to be out are smaller or larger than Q3. I have a P1d-ce, will get an AAA cree, and have Jetbeam Cl-e coming (if it didn't get lost in mail) so will have small lights covered.

My mod would consist of flupic, new heatsink, and Seoul P4 U bin star using stock reflector and 3.7 r123's. Anyone have any idea how the beam would compare on this to other lights (P1D CE, dealextreme U2 style cree, etc.)? How about using a IMS20 reflector instead of stock? Burst mode in flupic would drive P4 at up to 1.2 amps.

It's the whole MODDING your own light experience =D Honestly, I rarely buy stock lights now a days. Lots of satisfaction from modding and tweaking your own lights.

Mod it. If you buy a new light, you'll probably find something lacking about it in some way. Modding it gives you that sense of pride that it is somewhat unique because you took part in making it what it is.

Well, a TW0J then UW0K modded Q3 was my EDC until I got an HDS. The T and U bins were pretty impressive, esp when run on a LiIon which basically puts the light into direct drive. Flupic would be awesome, but I never went through with that mod.

I have seen one in person, but I can only imagine how bright a SSC at 1.2A would be! One of the things I always liked about the Q3 was the realtively wide hotspot. The IMS will give more throw, but with a few more artifacts and a more narrow and more intense hotspot. Personally, I'd try to mod the stock reflector first.

Obviously, none of us can tell you which route is 'better'. I know that I prefer the more solid feel of the HDS, but to get an HDS as bright as the Q3/SSC/Flupic would be pushing $200 and maybe not possible at all.

I put a Seoul in my son's Q3 and was really impressed. He only runs primarys, but there is a big difference compared to my stock one. I put a .030" spacer under the Seoul using the Luxeon star and ended up taking about that much off of the back of the reflector. So, if you do decide to do it assemble everything before using the epoxy to see how it fits.
Even without the FLuPIC it pulls 1080mA at the battery with a rechargeable.

Just like to add, I have a FLuPIC, heatsink, and am waiting on the Seoul stars to come in before I do my light. Won't have to mess with the epoxy then.

Sometime its cheaper to buy a new light, There's a lot Cree and even some Seoul lights, some with digital level control and regulation.

farscape105 said:

Just don't know if it is worth spending $50 to mod Q3 (explained below) or just use money to buy new light. The Q3 is just perfect size in hand. All the other lights out now or soon to be out are smaller or larger than Q3. I have a P1d-ce, will get an AAA cree, and have Jetbeam Cl-e coming (if it didn't get lost in mail) so will have small lights covered.

My mod would consist of flupic, new heatsink, and Seoul P4 U bin star using stock reflector and 3.7 r123's. Anyone have any idea how the beam would compare on this to other lights (P1D CE, dealextreme U2 style cree, etc.)? How about using a IMS20 reflector instead of stock? Burst mode in flupic would drive P4 at up to 1.2 amps.

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I agree with most here - mod the light. You should check with Mirage_Man re: QIII mods. He has been modding them lately and may have advice or serviecs available to you. Good luck.

Mod the Q3, you'll love it.

I did the flupic and a cree in my Q3,a custom heatsink,it works great,much better beam,really bright spill.Its noticibly brighter,but not way brighter than some of my others,ie jetbeam on lion 14500.

Paul6ppca said:

I did the flupic and a cree in my Q3,a custom heatsink,it works great,much better beam,really bright spill.Its noticibly brighter,but not way brighter than some of my others,ie jetbeam on lion 14500.

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Have you tried the Q3 with an R123? I didn't realize any of the Jetbeams ran the cree or SSC at 1.2A.

cratz2 said:

Have you tried the Q3 with an R123? I didn't realize any of the Jetbeams ran the cree or SSC at 1.2A.

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I have seen a few posts/users have run them but only limited to bursts.... I dont have AA sized li-on , so I can't try. But still 1 AA on Jetbeam c-le is bright enough.

Regards.

Mod it! You're just a flashlight buyer until you mod one. Then you're a true flashlight geek like us!

The Q3 is a superb light. Good mods make it worth much more than the sum of its parts. I have modded two. One with a Flupic, custom copper heatsink, and UWOJ, and one with an even bigger copper heatsink, a BadBoy 1000mA, and a Cree XR-E P4. both are the best lights I own from the standpoint of quality of materials, machining, and craftsmanship (mine).

I can definitely say that they have better thermal management than almost any lights out there because I made sure they do! I have no problem driving them at 1A for extended periods of time without fear of overheating the die.

Best of all, they are exactly like I want them.

Bernie

Easiest mod is to just do the led swap.
Is that going far enough?
For some it is, for some it is not.
In my case, that is all I have done so far and it runs like a champ with a SSC P4 in an otherwise stock Q3.
When I get time, I will likely do a lot more to this Q3. :rock:

Double post.