Two Maglite2D builds: XM-L @ 5000mA vs XM-L2 @ 4500mA + Comparing beamshots

This topic describes two builds of the last few months of which I hadn't done a write-up. I think the information is very usefull for new modders so better late than never .

Enjoy :twothumbs


Mag2D Rebel XM-L U2

This build I made in september 2012 for my dads birthday , but never did a write-up of the build. It still is very relevant, so I decided to make one
Parts:

- Maglite 2D Rebel Gunmetal grey
- XM-L U2 on Copper Led-Tech.de PCB (look for the graph below for performance figures).
- TaskLed H6Flex driver for the much needed power supply .
- H22A P7 flat top heatsink
- M3 set-screw
- Glass lens

Almost all the pictures are clickable

This graph is from a CPF user (added the credits) very well done . His topic here


Preparing the switch:




Momentary switch mod
The H6Flex needs a momentary switch to operate, so did the needed modifications. There are lots of guides around, so I will not go into too much detail here .

Exploded view:

Note the 4th part from the left. This normally has teeth, which I removed. The 5th part from the left (2nd from the right) still has it's teeth, which is fine. A lot of guides say that they need to be removed: The don't need to be removed (it's fine if you do though).


The bottom lip is cut, this is the part that normally touches the positive terminal of the switch.

Soldered the wires:


On this picture, it is pretty clear how the momentary switch works. When pressed, the two contacts are connected by the metal (silver I think actually) ring. The removal of the teeth as depicted in the above pictures, stops the switch from sticking in the "ON" position.

Putting the button back together and funnel the wires:


Reassembling the switch and bypassing the positive terminal




On to the heatsink and driver
Filed the rim off the heatsink:

I cut a piece of aluminium to free up the solder points of the driver. This piece of aluminium is thermal-taped to the bottom of the driver.



Soldered to the driver to the switch assembly:



Preparing the heatsink:
Drilled and tapped a hole for the Set-screw:



The LED:



Glued with AS adhesive:


Not shown: The LED PCB basis is lapped with 600grid sandpaper for a good bond.

Cutting the reflector
The reflector cut for this build is very easy to do right!
Cut only the neck, leave the rest intact! When pressed fully on the PCB, you will have a perfect focussed hotspot!




Not shown: Thermal-taping the driver to the heatsink.

Apply some Arctic alumina thermal compound on the sides of the heatsink and on the neck. Screw the set-screw tight and the head of the Maglite back on the neck. The thermal compound on the neck ensures heat transfer to the heat as well as the body.



Finished:


I measured the temperatus @ 5amps (not holding the light, no airflow, just lying flat on the table:
So the light can certainly be run continously when held or not. It will get unconfortably warm when not held though .

Maglite 2D XM-L2 U2 Build
About a month back, I decided to make a similar build for myself . I kept grabbing my dads light to compare with other lights.

I had a couple of Copper heatsinks to fit in a MagD, so I used one for this build instead of the H22A aluminium heatsink.
The setup is basically the same, but the parts are all different:

- Copper homemade heatsink
- Lck-Led 5A STT 4 mode driver (actually it does 4.5A, which is fine).
- XM-L2 U2 on Copper PCB (Led-tech.de)
- No momentary mod this time
- Blue Mag2D rebel.
- M4 (4mm) set-screw instead of M3 (3mm).
- Glass lens

Some pics of the build:






The set-screw tightly pushes the heatsink against the Maglite neck. Even with minimal tollerances, there will always be a gap, the setscrew ensures at least one place of good contact area.


And the finished project:


Beamshots
And to compare, a few beamshots of the lights side by side:

setup:


Left = XM-L2 U2 @ 4.5A Right = XM-L U2 @ 5A

1/6400sec:

1/200sec


At these drivecurrents the lights are very comparable. Of course, the TaskLed driver is the one I would prefer any day because of the extra functionalities. But the Lck-Led driver I had left over for a build that didn't pull through and it does actually really well.

Good work and very nice write-up! :thumbsup:

Nice, but how did you put it inside? Pictures show driver soldered with short wires to switch.
Switch hast to be inserted from the back and rests on retaining ring that is inside Mag tube. Heatsink needs to go from other side (front).
I would use slightly longer wires, mount switch first and then solder driver.
I would not remove retaining ring because then set screw in switch will be the only thing holding it in place. I think it would eventually give up to pushing force from battery spring.

The retaining ring is removed and the complete assembly is inserted from the front. I had no problems with the security of the switch by only the setscrew to be honest, and have done this in a few builds over the years. If you really want to keep the ring, you could indeed take longer wires and insert the switch first, then place the ring and pop the other components in.

As I said, I haven't had any problems with this setup.

Can you please tell me what the white piece around the LED is in this picture that helps distribute the force to glue the LED to the heatsink?
http://tweakers.net/ext/f/bs6cOy3DAcNVxESCbNxbUrOK/medium.jpg


Can you tell if your copper heatsink is better than the aluminum heatsink?

Do you make the threaded hole in the heatsinks by hand? Is it pretty easy to do right?

simplec6 said:

Can you please tell me what the white piece around the LED is in this picture that helps distribute the force to glue the LED to the heatsink?
http://tweakers.net/ext/f/bs6cOy3DAcNVxESCbNxbUrOK/medium.jpg

Click to expand...

That is just a plastic ring spacer from something. It is basically a little larger than the LED and therefor I can use it to clamp the board down .

Can you tell if your copper heatsink is better than the aluminum heatsink?

Click to expand...

Haven't measured to be honest. No real point to do that actually since the builds are different from each other anyway.

Do you make the threaded hole in the heatsinks by hand? Is it pretty easy to do right?

Click to expand...

Yes, I do make them by hand. Pretty easy to to really. The only thing to keep in mind, is that you have to tighten the set screw, which means the allen key has to be in line with the screw. On the Alu build, this only barely fits. On the copper heatsink, I made a mistake and drilled a hole which I could not not use for the set-screw --> the pedestal was in the way (I covered the hole with solder as can be seen in the pictures). Drilling a hole which doesn't line up with the pedastal is the solution.

Threading the hole is pretty easy as well, you just need to lubricate. I have a three step threader (correct word?), which gradualy threads the hole, so not in one go. You can not skip one step with copper, you will just break the threader (?). I have ruined one workpiece that way so I know .

I like the momentary mod for the mag switch. Another way would be to use an smd switch on a star and fit it into the hollow mag switch body. As you say, I like the Taskled drivers a lot for builds like this.

Nice builds, I have a tip to make the switch build a little easier for TaskLED drivers that need a momentary switch to operate

Solder the back momentary switch wire to the ground contact on the bottom of the switch and the front wire off the switch to the SWA contact on the driver. This eliminates drilling a hole through the blue part of the switch core, the driver only needs three wires +IN, -IN and SWA.........SWB is not used, -IN covers it.


Back switch wire "yellow" to the switch ground.



Front switch wire "yellow" to SWA, "Black" ground wire to -IN.


Cheers
Kelly

First post on this forum. So hello everyone! I am new to flashlights but not so new to leds. Im trying to build this but when I look up the xm l u2 led on crees website it says that max drive is 3000ma... so are u guys just over drivibg to 5a?? And the h6 flex driver is able to push 6600ma so would the bulb even handle that or would it burn up crazy fast??? Sorry if this is a dumb question..

The Xml2 can take higher currents when mounted on a copper star. There are some very nice graphs in other corners of the flashlight community that show what it can do. 5.5A from an xml2 is a good overdrive current but it has been taken higher with good heat sinking. BTW the Taskled drivers are top notch.

Awesome thank u for the info.

Nice build logs!