My 3C Mag XPG Mod....

well I did it but it was an adventure...

The mod was a pilot one for the mod services I am gonna offer soon here In Greece.
I am partial to the 3C format though it makes driver choice difficult if you gonna run it on alkalines....

The Parts

Mac 3C
XP-G on 14mm board (KD)
H22 Heatsink
Bored through P60 pill as driver socket and heatsink
DX7882 driver sorry...
3xAMC7135 Driver

The Mod

Here is the hollowed out P60 pill and the XP-G mounted.....

I had to file the pill threads a bit and then it was lightly taped in place...

This is the switch module ready....hot melt glue takes the strain off the wires and I folded the original neg contact leaf back half wise...then fixed it bent with some solder...this way the mod is reversible to Incandescent. Please do not mind what the red promo lighter says! LOL


Days a go I made tests with the DX7882 driver, adjusted output at 1400mA with 3C Alkalines and then proceeded in powering it without the LED being wired....tsif! and a bit of smoke and no driver....
The second specimen was scarier! I could not adjust it below 2400mA! So much for all the planning....

So a 16-mode 3xAMC7135 Driver rescued things but once I had the mag working I found it is a bear to use these multimode drivers with the Mag Switch... If you want to get your mode on the first try, you better tap the switch and wait for the memory to set....
Uber UNtactical dudes!

Here is the driver in place...Keen eyed members will notice that the driver board is too thick for the socket...being raised makes soldering difficult and messy....
I do have a method of filing off the driver a bit and then jamming some braided wire at the void, but I did not had time to do it. Time was past and I was already late for a meeting....

Measurements

High at 722 lux in my lightbox (a DX one that meters about 30% lower than the Metermans). From experience that is close to the 300 lumens range if not more

Medium was 264 Lux and Low was 55 Lux.

And hotspot was 19670 hot ones! That makes it around 26000 Lux adjusted!

that's all folks, thanks for viewing...kostas

Very nice mod!

I have a few questions...

First of all, where might I be able to find a heatsink like that?
Secondly, can you recommend a driver that would work well with two cells, yet still give good (~200 lumens) output with an XPG?

I have a 2C mag, and would like to do something similar.

the heatsink is from member H22....see te cstom & modified sale section....

the only good drivers for what you want is te sandwich shoPPe ones..google it 9i would provide liinks but i am ina hurry)

Your multi-modes and switch issue is caused by the switch "bouncing"

Member Don Shock came up with a mod that eliminates this

See here


BTW .... I had to remove more plastic than is shown in Don Shock,s photos
It is very much trial and error as to how much of the ribs have to be trimmed
away before you get it working right

Did you have to modify the heatsink?

nice idea.

I gotta say that design is very forward thinking.

dandism said:

Did you have to modify the heatsink?

Click to expand...

yes very little....in order to mount the XPG PCB I filed off the too kidney shaped raised areas in the original heatsink..see this from the sales thread
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h64/Saruth/DHS2ndrun1.jpg
else the was nothing else needed

Also...the P60 pill was bored throught cos the DX7882 driver is too tall for it...utilizing any MAC7135 chipped driver does not require it...there is plecty of room for the wires

time to add some notes on the reflector modification....as you know you got to remove the post...I could not find anything in my archive at home so I cut it by memory of previous photos ....it turned out to be too much....there are 2-3 revolution left from the tightest XPG beam but that turned good after all...tighetened right down there is a good utility wider beam without a black center....and I can market it as a feature!!!

tx101 said:

Your multi-modes and switch issue is caused by the switch "bouncing"
Member Don Shock came up with a mod that eliminates this
See here

Click to expand...

Tx, I had this thread saved and browsed it when researching the switch tower mod, but i missed it...not that I had the time and nerves to try it...thanks for the heads up anyway...sometime later on....

all the best kostas

Great build

I really think the 3C Maglite is very under rated.
Its a really nice size, and can be a very good light with the right LED

personally I would have used a P7 or sst 50, but I guess that would drain the batteries pretty quick.

Nice mod! Though I prefer a Mag 3D.....

Boost drivers available at Kaidomain.com [ Single mode though ]

Nice work kosPap !! Very nice ..

I would recommend 2 mode or 3 mode drivers though , check out KD , large driver selection ..

yes i know....but this is a show off light! hence the mode driver....

ahd it been a carry light i wouldn't even use an XPG.. I woudl go for a SST-50 and a 2 mode driver or your fevorite the KD one...