Calling Modders 2 Mod Inova X1 to Help School Play

Hi,

I have a friend (an elementary school teacher) who is helping w/ a school X-Mas puppet play for a bunch of 1st graders. I showed him my X1 and he thought about using it as a spot light to highlight the puppets since the beam is almost perfect for this application. He is planning to use 1 for the overall stage, and three more to highlight up to 3 puppets on the stage at one time. However, in one scene, he wants to really highlight just 1 puppet; however, the standard beam from the X1 is not bright enough for this. I have helped to modify 3 microphone holders to properly hold the X1's in place. I figure that this forum will be the perfect place to ask if a X1 can be fitted w/ a Luxeon to brighten up the hotspot. Because of the recent budget cuts, he is not allowed to spend any money on this. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I am trying to help him out by using what he already has available and possibbly donate some time and money to help out the kids.

Here is the request (I will call it a challenge to motivate some of you experts out there): can any of the experts here assist (for a noble cause) to modify an Inova X1 w/ a 1W Lux to make the spot brighter on the X1? The circular pattern should be the similar to the X1 (no side spill as this is critical for this application). Being too bright is not an issue since we can use transparencies to dim out the beam, if needed. To help this noble cause, I am willing to donate up to $100 of my money to compensate for this mod. In addition, I am willing to give one of my X1 for this mod (I am already donating four of my X1's for this play). The light will be used by the school for future puppet plays. So experts out there...you hear the challenge? Can this be done?

Here is a big catch: the play is set on 12/23. For now, he can use the standard X1's to practice w/ the kids. However, the light should be ready around 12/20 (the sooner the better) at the latest so he has practice time to sync his lighting technique w/ the stars on the stage.

I think this is the best place to post since the mod'ers are always lurking in here. If not, moderators, please move this post to the right place.

You can PM me or send me an email at: [email protected]

Thanks in advance...

uhammer,

I'm going to seriously risk stepping in it here! Half an hour ago, our mailroom guy dropped off a padded envelope from County Comm, in which were two X1s /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif . I couldn't help myself ( /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) and immediately disassembled one. (Without putting a scratch on it!) Here's the step-in-it part- It *looks* as this will be about the easiest 1W mod short of a Gag AA! I haven't a clue as to how it will perform with the lens, but a day or two should tell. I'll get some pics tonight and hopefully mod and post it tomorrow in Homemade/Modified.

Larry

I recall putting in an acrylic ball in place of the NX05 in the drop in modules and a 2AA flashlight. That gave a very spot beam. Taping or mounting an acrylic ball of the correct size in front of most LED flashlights will also generate a spot beam. You can get the acrylic balls over at Tap Plastics or I have some on the shoppe.

Wayne

Larry, may i ask how you managed to get the bloomin' bezel off? I scarred mine up quite a bit, and ended up giving it away.
And yes, it does look like it was *made* for a sammich doesnt it? The insides have the ledge cutaway just to make things even easier.

Thanks guys for stepping up to the plate. I am not much of a mod'er so I cannot attempt to make the change myself. But seems doable, but the interaction of the Lux and the lense to keep the same beam features would be the big challenge.

Wayne,
I think the acrylic ball beam would be too intense at the hotspot. We are looking for more of a X1 type beam that is more evenly distributed, but wide (kindla like a spotlight used in concerts/plays/movies,etc.).

Larry,
If you would be kind enough to try it, please let me know of the result. If you somehow damage your X1, I will send you a new one as replacement. If you can make it work, I will be more than happy to compensate for your work.

Thanks.

Just trying to use a little bit of lateral thinking here. How about with the $100 you purchase another 3 or 4 X1s and tape them together so all their beams are in parallel and focus on the one spot. You'd have to bind them in such a way to allow you to still turn them on. It'd be annoying to turn the them all on on but you'd still get the 10 hours battery life. Battery life may become an issue with an LS - the last thing you want is the regulation to suddenly drop in the middle of the puppet show.

An LS in the X1 would be excellent mod. I would love one of these for personal use.

Balrog,

That is my backup plan. If the mod'ed Lux X1 does not work out, I am planning to tape 3 X1's together to get the job done.

The problem w/ using multiple X1's is that you need a holder (in this case, I am using a microphone stand) that can hold all of them. Each light has to be angled slightly so they do not cast unwanted shadows or darker spots. That is the down side to this method.

I have more than a month to find the best way to accomplish this. But I figured that I might as well give it a try here in CPF to get what I think is the best solution. If this does not work out, I can always go to my backup plan. Battery is not a problem since the puppet show is only about 10-12 minutes long. I am planning to use Lithium AA's to reduce the risk.

Thanks.

Ok, just did a quick search and it doesn't look like anybody has taken one apart yet:


L-R internally-threaded bezel, lens gasket, double convex lense, brass housing with O-ring (screws into rear of bezel) LED/driver board, spring-loaded + batt contact (spring bears against gold-plated rear of driver board)and + batt contact retainer which stops against a shoulder inside the body. The + batt contact is designed to compensate for batt length variations. The brass housing is matt black finish inside to presumably absorb any light that doesn't directly hit the AR-coated lens to prevent ring artifacts. The LED fits into the smaller diameter rear projection on the brass housing. There is a gold-plated area surrounding the base of the LED which commutates - batt.

It *looks* like one can just cut off the projection and drill it to clear the LS on a dat2zip module. One could maybe even solder the front (case neg) of the modules emitter board to the brass housing. This is going to result in the junction being abt .15" farther forward than the 5mm diode, and the resulting beam is anybody's guess! (I may have to find out tomorrow /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )


Interesting:







A CR2 drops in down to the shoulder for the batt contact stop /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Larry

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif .......Thanks Larry, I knew this thing was going to be "Da Bomb" for mods!! Gotta go. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dan

Larry--

did you use a torch or explosives or toxic solvents to get the head off? I just got mine in the mail today and I want to open it up! Is it a "normal" thread (righty, tighty; lefty loosey)?

hideo

hideo, (and kakster)

Disassembly was really low tech! The head/bezel is a "simple" press fit- no Loctite! I used a 23/32 5C collet in the lathe to get a serious hold on the bezel and "bending" the body back/forth/up/down (a few thousandths of an inch) while pulling with all my strength, I managed to work it free. (It will press back in just fine, and left minor witness marks on the bezel that will 600 grit go-away in a few revolutions.) IMO, it will not be possible to press it open from the rear without destroying the + batt contact assy. This may or may not deter somebody from trying it. Nice thing is there's a bunch of axial "wasted space" which might be better occupied with an LS/module /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif If I can get to it tomorrow, I will mod it and post what results.

Larry

So there's no reflector, just a lense?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

ooh oooh, an LS mod. lemme know how it goes, and if you plan to do more, and what costs are incurred. hopefully if LOTS of us X1 owners want, we can get them modded. perhaps optics tuned to get a bit more spill.

Patiently waiting...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

[ QUOTE ]
I used a 23/32 5C collet

[/ QUOTE ]

He means GIANT collet, lol /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Wish I had one of those /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif

How do you remove the top section where the lense are?

That's what he was explaining about the collet.

Imagine a drill chuck only much larger that grips the top section. You put the light in the collet, tighten the "chuck" around the ring and wiggle the light around a bit until the piece comes out. You're left with the ring in the "chuck" and the light in your hand /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
tvodrd said:
...Nice thing is there's a bunch of axial "wasted space" which might be better occupied with an LS/module /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif If I can get to it tomorrow, I will mod it and post what results.
Larry

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif This will be kewl!

BC

This is going to be a letdown to everybody, and I am embarrased not to have seen it coming!!!

The Mod (Could be done with a dremel!):



Now the disappointment (an olde BB500/P2(?) that is ok in my minigag Edit: with a 3V lith AA from a CRV3)


Mod on the left. I got out the lightmeter and got 1450 peak lux at abt 8" for the mod and 2600 for the stock light.

Why? Think about it. What happens when you hold a small (~1/2") double convex lens about 3/4" away in front of an LS? Very little of the LS's output hits the lens- in this case, the rest of it hits the flat black (paint?) inside the brass tubular housing, and stops right there /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif . The reason it is effective with the stock X1 is because the 5mm LED they use has its own integrally-molded lens (15-20deg?) which focuses the majority of its output on the front glass lens. If the lens could easily be relocated much closer to the LS, things would improve.

Sorry for the sorry tidings.

Larry

thats a bummer, but i still think you guys will turn this into one of the all time favorite modding lights. it just looks soo nice and is built so simply yet mack truck strong...