Thinking of modding my stinger with a Cree Q5

Still kinda new here and still learning but I am thinking of modding one of my stingers with the Cree Q5 LED. Here is a link to the Cree Q5 http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=2663 what I was wanting to know is would this be a good idea as far as would it provide more light and runtime than the stock stinger.

With the stinger battery being a 3.6 volt battery and the specs for this LED are 3.7 will I not get the max output from this LED. Also without a regulator I am guessing it would just slowly diminish in brightness, would this be a real issue worth worring about and if so would it be best to get a regulator and go with one of the 3.0V LEDs and have it regulated.

I build my own batteries for my stingers and use 3500 mAh Nimh cells which already give me almost twice the runtime than the factory 1800mAh nicad does. So i was wondering do you guys see any obstacles that I might run into by doing this.

This would be better in the Modding section.

You would need a heatsink, a driver and a LED(DX ones are slightly cheaper) if you have the incandescent version.

Obstacles that might be in your way(Presuming an Incan Stinger):
Finding a heatsink that would fit.
Thermal paste/epoxy if you don't already have some
Enlarging the reflector hole to fit the LED.
Finding the correct focus.
Finding the right driver.

How much output and throw do you need/want?

Would another stock light suffice?

I've seen a few Stinger LED mods but no stinger incan mods that I can remember.

:welcome:

I guess I overlooked the MOD forum, I did look for it but didn't see it. If the moderators could move this thread there that would be great.

As far as the issues you mentioned.

1: Is the aluminum star not enough to keep it cool?
2: I have aluminized epoxy and thermal paste.
3: Milling the aluminum reflector shouldn't be a problem.
4: What kind of focus I end up with might be a problem.
5: Is the driver the same thing as a regulator. I was under the impression as long as the voltage is right then a driver is not necessary. The stinger battery is a 3.6 volt battery and the LED needs 3.7 volts to drive it, would the 3.6 volts be ok or would it not work. I have seen various regulators that will except from 3.0V to 6.0V with a 3.5 volt output, is this what I would need to get it to work right?

I would like as much output as possible but dont really need that much throw as most my work is up close at about 2 to 6 feet away.

Another stock light would be ok but I got thinking if I could mod my stinger to produce more light than stock and get maybe 4 or 5 hours of runtime that would be a great thing.

The Star is not enough heatsinking if you want output above 50 lumens. These LEDs are only 40-25% efficient or less(despite being the top of the line LEDs).

The battery is probably around 4v fully charged(at which the Q5 will probably be taking in around 2 amps, unhealthy double the recommended spec overdrive). It would also dim as the battery drops in voltage. A Each LED created has a slightly different Vf and LEDs increase draw as the voltage raises. So unless the power supply is constantly at the right voltage, it would be a good idea to have a regulator/driver.

A driver can be a regualtor(I interchange these terms, I know there is a difference) and would ensure a constant output over a period of time.

For that battery, maybe this driver would do(Center circle is positive, ring is negative). Also gives you different outputs if you don't need as much light.

KS and DX usually take about a month to get the product to customer if you don't use EMS.

Runtime on the above driver on high should be about 2-2.5 hours, 6-7 hours on medium, and 25+ hours on low to 50% on the 3500 mAh batteries.

For same to more output as the current Stinger, a driver in the 700-1000 mA range should do.

The focus can be changed by raising and lowering the LED, you could also find a wide optic to give you a smooth floody beam(The emitter without a reflector would also give you a flood beam, no hotspot, close range only).

The main problem I see is the heatsinking. You could probably trim a piece of metal to fit. Make sure it is tight and use thermal paste when installing the heatsink to ensure a good thermal path. The other four aren't much of a problem.

Most people wire this way:

Switch connected to driver, driver has wires going through the heatsink to the LED, heat sink sits between the driver and LED.

Good Luck!