My first mod was updating the driver and LED/MCPCB in an old Streamlight ProTac HL. It was a success! Old components came out pretty easily, and my guesses were right for the 22mm driver and 16mm MCPCB and LED. I had to file the driver a tiny bit to fit snug in the aluminum pill, and I just crimped the sides down onto the driver to secure and ground the board- it worked perfectly.
So now that I am overconfident, I have a handful of parts en route to build some new light engines for my fancy lights. I am going to be filing down 15mm drivers to fit snugly into 14mm pills. Old threads from the designer of these drivers tell me that plan should work fine. It is the grounding part that concerns me. It seems I may have gotten lucky with the crimp trick first time around, as everything I read/watch suggests soldering the outer edge of the driver board to the pill to establish a ground.
I am cool with that as a best practice, but I would really like a cleaner look to the finished light engine. I do have flux and solder paste. I am wondering if there are people who clean the board and pill, apply some flux, then some solder paste, and heat the outer edge of the pill with a flame or soldering iron to hit that magic temperature and create the joint. Alternatively, am I overthinking it? If the fit is so tight between the driver and the pill that it is virtually a press fit, would the ground already be established?
Id really appreciate some thoughts before I begin experimenting on my own. Thanks!
So now that I am overconfident, I have a handful of parts en route to build some new light engines for my fancy lights. I am going to be filing down 15mm drivers to fit snugly into 14mm pills. Old threads from the designer of these drivers tell me that plan should work fine. It is the grounding part that concerns me. It seems I may have gotten lucky with the crimp trick first time around, as everything I read/watch suggests soldering the outer edge of the driver board to the pill to establish a ground.
I am cool with that as a best practice, but I would really like a cleaner look to the finished light engine. I do have flux and solder paste. I am wondering if there are people who clean the board and pill, apply some flux, then some solder paste, and heat the outer edge of the pill with a flame or soldering iron to hit that magic temperature and create the joint. Alternatively, am I overthinking it? If the fit is so tight between the driver and the pill that it is virtually a press fit, would the ground already be established?
Id really appreciate some thoughts before I begin experimenting on my own. Thanks!