Modding an oldish LED light

I have 2 flashlights which have an early Luxeon led on hex-shaped PCB. The LED has a square front profile, ie a flat front instead of domed.

These lights aren't all that bright these days but the body manufacturing quality is superb (MXDE or something? I don't have it front of me.) There were a lot of me-toos in those days that were of similar shape but poor quality. It uses 3 AAAs in a holder but is still regulated.

Anyway, I mention the LED shape because I am thinking of getting a SSC on a PCB as a drop-in replacement but don't have the next clue about suitability of the reflector. Will it work?

As long as the LED ends up at the focus point of a reflector, I don't see any reason why it won't work.

I think this thread would do better in 'Homemade & Modified', so I'm moving it there.

your led sounds like a side emitter. dunno if the SSC will work with your current reflector. you might need a new reflector too.

The flat-front Luxeons were known as Batwings - I don't have the datasheets in front of me, but I think they had a slightly different beam profile. I don't believe they were different enough to have any practical effect - all the ones I've played with have been fine in Luxeon reflectors and optics.

The bigger issue for you is the .03" difference in die height between the Luxeon and the SSC-P4. I believe the older Batwings had a different die position than the later round-dome Luxes, so I can't say what the difference will be. The easiest method would just be replacing the stars and seeing what the beam's like, then sanding down or spacing up the reflectors, if necessary.

Worst case, you'll have a nice flood light...