XP-G in my L2D-CE

I Just got done upgrading my old L2D-CE. This has been my EDC since I got it from fenix store a couple of years ago. I'm glade for the performance increase. Now it can keep up with all the new 2AA lights on the market. A few things to note are a good pair of tweezers are invaluable with swapping out the old XR-E. The red wire is your anode (+). I can now focus the light however I wish. Like others have reported, the XP-G doesn't really lend itself to throw, but it still accomplishes it with a very respectable amount. The hot spot is larger and the side spill is brighter; this increases usability IMHO. Taking a picture of it from the business end is hard and I need to work on my soldering skills. I got two XP-Gs from Nailbender. I can't wait to see what they can do in a maglite.

Nice mod! Soldering looks fine to me, quite neatly done for something so small. How was opening the head?
My L2D is a Q5, so I don't think it would be worth swapping yet, but perhaps once there is a neutral tint R5 bin emitter available...

That's the funny thing, I just tried with my hand to twist apart the head and it just gave. It didn't look like there was much loctite holding it. I'm guessing that's why it gave so easily.

Did you have to cut the board down, looks like it. Was it a 10mm board to start?

nice work,i need to see the beamshots,thanks.

what did you use to glue it in place?

I'm curious to try this with an older Lux-based L2P or L2T (with smooth reflector).

Nake said:

Did you have to cut the board down, looks like it. Was it a 10mm board to start?

Click to expand...

You are correct, it was a 10mm board. No modifying of the board was required. The only thing I did was take my leatherman's file and clean up the two edges where the boards were broken apart.

js-lots said:

what did you use to glue it in place?

Click to expand...

A dab and I mean just a dab of arctic alumina epoxy will do the trick. I used just enough to cover the small pedestal the LED sits on.

What about focus? Does the reflector and headcap have to be backed off, or does the refector seat against the heatsink?

Nake said:

What about focus? Does the reflector and headcap have to be backed off, or does the refector seat against the heatsink?

Click to expand...

Yes, I figure is about an eighth of an inch the reflector has to be unscrewed. It still goes past the o-ring so I'm not afraid of water getting in. However, changing modes now is challenging. The reflector tends to twist before the head when switching between the turbo modes and regular modes. I'll just pick up some loctite from the local hardware store and fix that.

I've put in GD and K2 in the LxD/PxD Fenixes and found the Rebel reflector works best. For instance a K2 with the Cree reflector had to backed off 2 turns for focus. With the Rebel reflector only 1/2 turn. With the GD, I had to space the emitter up .030".

I was hoping to put an XP-G in a P1D, but if the pill is screwed back too much on those, not much thread left to hold it. If I take stock off the top of the Rebel reflector, moving it up, that should work.

JamisonM said:

Yes, I figure is about an eighth of an inch the reflector has to be unscrewed. It still goes past the o-ring so I'm not afraid of water getting in. However, changing modes now is challenging. The reflector tends to twist before the head when switching between the turbo modes and regular modes. I'll just pick up some loctite from the local hardware store and fix that.

Click to expand...

Just use a few rounds of teflon plumbers tape. I use that to lock down my Fenix mods. Easy and non-permanent. It will make it more waterproof too.

I put an XP-G R5 in my P2D RB100 today. The emitter came from Cutter. Very bright, here are some numbers before and after. These are overall lux numbers as per my lightbox.

7800 lux with primary
9700 lux with RCR123

11,200 lux with primary
15,400 lux with RCR123

I had to back the refector off 190 degrees for focus. I'm thinking if I take about 1mm off the bottom of the emtter board, putting the emitter down lower, I'll be able to screw the reflector down all the way and still be in focus. The beam stays in focus up to 1 turn of backing the reflector off.

The tint is the same as my Ti Quark 123.

I also modded my L2D-CE with an xpg r5 and I'm very happy with the result. Heaps brighter, way more spill. I also used a 10mm board which I bought from cutter. A worthwhile mod! Now I feel my much loved L2D-CE is the latest and greatest!

protein_man said:

I also modded my L2D-CE with an xpg r5 and I'm very happy with the result. Heaps brighter, way more spill. I also used a 10mm board which I bought from cutter. A worthwhile mod! Now I feel my much loved L2D-CE is the latest and greatest!

Click to expand...

Definitely. I wonder how it would perform with a smooth reflector. This isn't a throwy light, but it doesn't have to be.

The floodiness of the L2D is one of its strong points in my book, I dont take my flashlight out and shine it just to see how far it shines, I actually use it as a tool, I'm never shining more then 10-20 metres in front of me anyway!

JamisonM said:

I Just got done upgrading my old L2D-CE. This has been my EDC since I got it from fenix store a couple of years ago. I'm glade for the performance increase. Now it can keep up with all the new 2AA lights on the market. A few things to note are a good pair of tweezers are invaluable with swapping out the old XR-E. The red wire is your anode (+). I can now focus the light however I wish. Like others have reported, the XP-G doesn't really lend itself to throw, but it still accomplishes it with a very respectable amount. The hot spot is larger and the side spill is brighter; this increases usability IMHO. Taking a picture of it from the business end is hard and I need to work on my soldering skills. I got two XP-Gs from Nailbender. I can't wait to see what they can do in a maglite.

Click to expand...

Is it still using the stock driver?

Zeruel said:

Is it still using the stock driver?

Click to expand...

Yep. This was just a simple LED swap.