Question about modding a headlamp

I want to get a Garrity Headlamp and then install a SSC high powered main LED along with maybe replacing the front red LEDs with white ones.

Anyway, is the platform of the garrity okay for modding? I like the fact that it looks clean and uses AA's but I dont want to waste time on junk.

To install a new main light, would I need to change any of the wiring or leave it? (It comes with a luxeon 1).

Also, how much increase in light output and decrease in battery life would I notice from replacing the Luxeon 1 with the SSC P4?
Here's the garrity :
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5765569


Another question:
How bright do you suppose this cabela's 60 lumen headlamp is in comparison to a SSC P4 and luxeon 1? It's apparently using a luxeon k2.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...tx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=headlamp&noImage=0

thanks guys

I modded my 2xAA Brunton L1 1 Watt headlamp with a Seoul P4 since its a direct drop swap and it basically doubled the output making it perform better than most 3Watts on the market right now.

Battery life should be exactly the same since the current is the same just the efficiency of the Seoul is twice that of the Luxeon.

If you buy the Cabelas 60 lumen 3Watt I would upgrade it with a Seoul and turn it into a 120 lumen headlamp. I did the same with a Brunton L3 and it was great but I didn't like the weight of carrying 4AA batteries on the back of my head.

Personally, I would buy a princeton Tec Apex 3Watt 2xCR123 version and upgrade it a Seoul P4. Nothing would be able to beat that and it's much lighter carrying the 2xCR123 batteries than 4xAAs.

* On a side note. If you plan on replacing a Luxeon with a Seoul P4 you have to make sure your heat sink pad on the circuit board is neutrally grounded. The pad on the luxeon is connected to negative while the pad on the Seoul is connected to positive.

what happens with an emitter swap is already covered (double brightness at same runtime)

cabela: 1st it cant give 60 lumens, so an emitter swap will also double the output (as the K2 is equally outdated already), but not lead to an 120 lumen light
math: (if there is a regulation present, which I heavily doubt)
60 lumen from any luxeon is some 750 mA. The light uses three AAs and should run for 5 hours --> makes ~ 500 mA. Thats proof that the 60 are not possible at all.
But it will be direct drive imho, so maybe 60 Lumen at start, immediately (within the 1st 5-10 minutes) lowering to half of this output and then very slow reduction in output for the next hours to come.
Then there is this photon tunnel optic without additional front cover
no chance to prevent any debrits to clog in there and the heat from the emitter will burn it in place. I even encountered some of these, that seem to be open to the emitter --> good luck if its raining

PS: if I'd start modding, I would get something with more space in the body, like a Black Diamond Polar Star, or a Streamlight Argo HP and use this with a Li-ion cell (and do the emitter swap, but You will need another reflector/optic then. I just did the swap and the beam is very ringy. Doesnt bother me now, but maybe I'll go change the reflector in the future)