Pelican M6 - Good platform for LED modding

Hi guys,

I got a Pelican M6 in trade here on CPF and was impressed with the reflector and mass of Al the light has to offer. It is big and heavy and likely a good host for things that it was never intended for. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif



I threw in a 1W Q3 LD and a proto wizard board from my friend Wayne. Very nice beam pattern and dispersion. The reflector provides a tight spot that provided me higher readings than the NX05. I tried a 27 mm optic from Fraen as well (it can be made to fit) but the reflector beam was more to my liking. I made a module that threads into the body but since it is likely that mods will be fixed focus, the module needn't even have threads. The head will keep the module in place.



The reflector will require modification; either boring out for a pedestal or removal of the rear face which I did for this mod.

You can see from the head on shot (insert) that the bottom of the reflector is not doing any work so a pedestal could be employed and one could keep the adjustable de-focus feature in tact.



- Don

very nice!!!

that is a great looking beam too.

i wonder how a hd would fare? did you test?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

Beautiful, Don.

How I envy your ability to create things like that.

Brightnorm /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

Theoretically, the LDs will put out more photons into the reflector "sweet spot", resulting in the best collimated spot. It looks like you've proven this. Great!

Q1: I've been using the smooth Stealthlite and Pelilite reflectors for mods, but this reflector appears to be not only stochastic but metallized ... which would be fantastic. Is this true?

Q2: Also, roughly how many degrees (angle) from centerline to reflector edge using the emitter as a vertex?

Q3: Lastly (I got a lathe now) what material are you using for the insulator on your module? I was planning on using turned down phenolic bar, but is this nylon?

Very nice mod. Very nice work.

Rothrandir,

I don't have a loose HD to test but I would expect this reflector to be reasonably friendly to all of the LED's. I do think the batwing as Otokoyama has stated is likely the prefered LED in the 1 W arena.

Q1: This reflector is Al with some type of coating. Looks like the same Al deposit finish on the SF reflectors.

Q2: I'll check on the angle later if I remember and report back. My first suspicion that this reflector might be a friendly resulted when I saw the diameter of the incandescent LA. You'll notice that it is roughly the same as the Luxeons so I presumed the parabolic curve was based on a "volume" of light source similar to the LED's. This reflector is also deeper than the P series reflectors of SF.

Q3: I use delrin for my anode isolaters. Phenolic would be great but is certainly overkill, me thinks. I trust you know that when you machine Phenolic, you are either releasing arsenic or cyanide? I can't remember which but you don't want to be hovering close and sucking up the dust! Another trick I was slow to pick up on from the bright folks at SF is recessing the anode contact for polarity protection. Duh! I can't believe how slow I am to learn these things!

A couple final comments. The lens is a real joke and I suspect that flashlightlens.com will see some good business with their glass replacement as well as the Kroll upgrade!
If Pelican offers the reflector as a replacement part, I figure they may see some sales on this where intended use may not be what they had in mind. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif If I had it to do over again (maybe I will), I think I'd like to elevate the LED on a stubby pedestal and see just how funky the de focus feature is. I suppose I should put the spring back in this one and see what happens when I drop the LED back out of the reflector.

- Don

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

"We're not worthy!"...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Choua,

Since when have you taken over Bart's picture posting?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Eh?

Well, I just got these cool smilies, that's all... Just playing around with them...

Bart's in a class of his own. I need to hold a few more candles first...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Candles? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif What happened to flashlights... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Just take a few... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I gotta say this:

How does he do it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

Very smooth and professional as usual, Don. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif I always look forward to your mods. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Dan

Back to this thread's intended topic, you'd think that in the second photo way up there that the led module was the one that came standard and the modded one was the top one!

Damn nice craftsmanship!

Now I know why Don gets to play with toys that even advanced aliens would envy...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Advanced aliens? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif
I don't know if Don isn't one himself... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif



His work is out of this world... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

No, I didn't know that machining phenolic release toxic materials. Thank you for saving my life or at least health!

Great tip on recessed anode.

Bart,

You should have seen that helmet on Jean-Michel Cousteau! Now HE is an evolved being!

BTW, I put the spring back in the flashlight (keeps the reflector up against the lens) and the beam angle can be widened about double before the black hole starts to cause Ug. Very nice actually. I'll have to check it out tonight on "mine patrol".

If I had another M6 and a 5W LED worth taking out of its wrapping, I'd like to try it out in this package.

- Don

[ QUOTE ]
McGizmo said:

If I had another M6 and a 5W LED worth taking out of its wrapping, I'd like to try it out in this package.

- Don

[/ QUOTE ]

Don, I'm gonna have to "quote" you on this. E-mail sent.

Uh Oh............

Re: Pelican M6 - Host for 1 & 5W\'s

Well,

Charlie got me and now we each have a Pelican M6 with 5W LED:



I had my doubts about the 5W in this reflector but I was wrong! A very useful and reasonably tight beam results! It is not as tight as the 30 mm optic but then it is considerably smaller in diameter. I did try turning down a 30 mm which will fit in the P-M6 head but the reduced diameter optic was just a tad brighter in lux and its beam was considerably tighter than the stock reflector.

Below, the beam on the left is from the stock reflector and the beam on the right is with a 30 mm optic held up to the same LED in headless "candle" mode. The color difference is something to do with the camera since it is the same LED and the exposure and distance to target were the same in both cases.



The flood portion of the beam from the reflector is much wider and brighter than that from the optic. In the photo, you can see even though the image was stopped down, that there is good useable light beyond the spot.

I modified the module a bit for these mods in that I added a protective rim above the heat sink plane:



This rim serves as a stop for the reflector. The module is beefy in mass and the fine threads as well as lip to shoulder mate on the battery tube seem to pass the heat quickly to the flashlight body.

On the second light, mine, I also installed a collar with tab for quick mounting on a swivel belt clip. I have discovered that with the tab fixed to the tail cap, a QuickDraw method of flashlight deployment is possible and this is really fast and easy, IMHO. You just grab the bezel and while swinging it forward towards the target, a quick rotation of the bezel turns the light on since the tail switch is captive. Some designs and related accessories are in the works based on these ideas and features. The collar also serves as a stop for a tactical grip on the light.

I think the Pelican M6 has great mod potential. There may be call for a drop in LED module for this light. I think I need to talk to Dat2zip.........

- Don