Guide to replacing LED on Surefire KL1, see link

I just completed my second mod, replacing the standard LED with a Luxeon High Dome, plenty of pics and hopefully some usefull information /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/andyz/KL1-mod-p1.html

Nice !

Klaus

Nice! I'm sure that there are a lot of people considering this upgrade that now have the confidence due to you're hard work. Good job!

-Jason

Very nice, excellent pictures. How does it finished KL1 compare to the pre-mod Kl1?

-Mike

That is an excellent step by step guide for replacing the LED you have done a great job, nice camera work also.

andyz,
A nice guide, but a couple of tips. When fitting the star, you really don't want it to move freely in and out of the head. The idea is to do a careful job of trimming the star evenly to a point where you get a friction fit. You want to have to work a little to get the star in there. I usually apply the thermal compound when I friction fit the star. This way you get a good thermal pathway to get the heat out. This may not be too important with the 1W driven to spec, but when you overdrive, it really becomes an issue.

Another point of the friction fit is centering. Getting the optic centered on a stationary star is hard enough without the star moving too, while you're trying to center the optic. My method does mean soldering in the head, but it provides the most consistent results and it really gets the heat out. If you are relying on the thermal compound to hold the star in place, it's gonna move sooner or later.

Just my two cents. There are always, of course, more than one way to skin a cat. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Nice instructions & pics!! We thank you!

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Xrunner said:
Very nice, excellent pictures. How does it finished KL1 compare to the pre-mod Kl1?

-Mike

[/ QUOTE ]

See comparison shots here Xrunner.
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/andyz/Beam-Comp.html

Also, very good points Chop, I will add that info to my page. It makes very good sense.

andyz,
Looks really good. Now you need to pop that sucker open and overdrive it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I was looking back over your instuctions for doing the KL1 mod and something occured to me. By doing it your way, you could probably light up the head and glue the optic onto the emitter. This would ensure a perfect center everytime. I'm just wondering if the optic will really WANT to turn when putting the bezel ring back on and if so will this tear the optic off of the emitter. Maybe you could lubricate the rubber gasket to allow the optic to slide. I just don't know how or with what to do this without getting it all over the optic.

The benefits would be two fold. First, the optic would be centered everytime. Second, you could do a real job of sealing the ring against the elements without worrying about messing up the centering.

Any thoughts anyone.

I've gotta try this. I guess I'll be getting more KL1's after all.

Very well done. As far as centering, I haven't found an easy way. Haven't tried gluing the optic, I know I'd make a mess of it. For me, 80% of the time doing this mod can be spent on centering.

I feel your pain! But, perfect centering only shows up on "white ceiling shots". In real world usage, it doesn't really affect the usefulness of the light. Just my opinion!
Rob

Rob,
You're right, but I'm really anal when it comes to such things. After all, I came up under CM's guidance and he's worse than I am. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif

I spend alot to time on centering too. If you don't get the star trimmed right the first time, it can get to be a mess.

One thing that I have done in the past is to actually do an emitter swap using the stock Surefire heatsink. Just center the slug on the spot on the heatsink and you're right on.

Tony,
I find that so little aluminum has to be removed from the star that centering is actually dependent on the construction of the star itself and how the emitter sits on it. Also, the emitter may be decentered in it's dome! Most of the ones I've done require very little filing of the "points" of the star, introducing very little error in centering.
You mention using the existing heat sink, that's how I did my LSH-S, put a new emitter in exactly the same place as the old one, worked great, perfect centering.
Rob

Rob,
You're right about so little material needing to be removed. If you actually put a star and a stock heatsink back to back, you see how little it is. It just seems like a whole lot more, because I go slow and I do take into consideration the location of the emitter on the star and whether it is centered in the dome. I don't know that my consideration actually makes a difference in the finished product, it's just the way I do it.

Re: Guide to replacing LED on Surefire KL1, see li

Very inspiring. Is there any kind of thread sealant on the original KL1 for waterproofing, and do modders use anything for that?