Anyone mod the low level on a L1 Cree?
- Thread starter rtt
- Start date
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Sgt. LED
Flashaholic
Look to the master - Milkyspit.
scottaw
Enlightened
Im pretty sure the low is using a resistor to make the 10 lumens, i know people have swapped to lower the low lumens. Gotta be a lower resistor to make more lumens, should be an easy swap. But if it were me i'd go with the sgt and just ship it to milky. Maybe get an emitter swap while you're at it so both levels are brighter with the same runtime.
scott.cr
Flashlight Enthusiast
It's probably the sense resistor for a constant-current driver. I don't see it being an easy swap for the uninitiated. Personally I wouldn't mind a lower low-beam for the L1 either! I'm just too chicken to drill open the tail switch and break it.
I have changed the resistor in my older L1 a few times - it was really easy. If you get a pack of 1/4 Watt resistors from Radio Shack you can play around with them until you find the output you want. To test them, remove the tailcap and connect the negative battery terminal to the flashlight body with a resistor. When you find the one you want, take your tailcap, remove the plastic ring that holds the rubber boot in place. Next, remove the black button that holds the spring/resistor assembly in place, and everything will come apart. Solder the new resistor in place and you're all set.
Sgt. LED
Flashaholic
Is it that easy to get into the newer L1 switch though?
Is the new Cree L1 switch the same as older models? Can the newer and older switch be interchanged? I really want to change to low output level.:duh2:
Valpo Hawkeye
Flashlight Enthusiast
The resistor simply triggers the circuit in the body to go to low. That's why the low on the L1 Cree is brighter than the low on the other generations despite the fact that they use the same tailcap. Therefore, a simple resistor swap would likely not brighten up the low beam. However, you can dim the low...
Is that really how it works? I might be way off base, but unless they drastically changed how the L1 works I'm pretty sure that the low mode can be adjusted by the changing resisters.
This can be tested easily enough by removing the tailcap and crossing the negative terminal of the battery and the flashlight body with several different resistors. If the output changes then that's all you need to do.
