Modding my SF L1

I just got an L1 with an not bad tint, but better
is the enemy of good ... So I have a LUXIII TWOJ
lying around and a bunch of optics and reflectors.

Maybe there are some comments out for my options:

* Stock LED with McFlood
* Stock LED with SO17XA
* Stock LED with Fraen LP
* TWOJ with McFlood
* TWOJ with NX05
* TWOJ with Fraen LP
* TWOJ with SO17XA


Any suggestios pros and cons are welcome.

Cheers
Ralf

I dont know anything about those optics and reflectors, but i say unless you're just striving for perfection, stick with the stock LED. Of couse I dojnt know what it comes with stock but if it were me, and i had a spare LuxIII laying around, and a light with less than a lux 3, it be upgrading in a heartbeat.

I would go for the TWOJ and Fraen LP, if you can tolerate the "circle-in-square" beam pattern.

Tony AKA 'Chop' modded mine with a TWOJ with SO17XA. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif It has become the light that I carry 99% of the time as my primary light. The SO17XA gets amazing throw out of the TWOJ in low mode, easily throwing a useful spot of light 25-30 feet in a darkened room. The beam is very 'surefire-esqe' with a nice even hotspot and a fairly wide, equally smooth corona.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif
I also have a Chop-modded L1-HA-WH with a TXOK/so17xa reflector. I use the low-mode it as my bedroom nightlight. My L1 has actually been my most used light so far... it has more aggregate runtime vs my E1e/KL1/SWAK/700 EDC.


inset is the L1 head. reflector instead of the original optic

Here's the beamshot of my modded L1 at high mode.


CPF discussion was here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB14&Number=593570

I'll second the 3 watt "T" bin and the Fraen, but with a ton of Glow powder (or paint) under the optic... in effect, gives you 3 levels of light.... Cover the lens on either level, turn on the light, then off, and the glow powder will light your way when you're used to the dark, low beam for just after the lights go out, and then high beam for throw or looking under the sofa in daylight! Word of warning.... let glow paint dry a couple of days before you close up your optic or the solvents can etch it and make the beam hazy.... found out at the expense of a good NX05..... And, of course the glow powder under the optic makes the light easy to find when it's dark!

Thanks for the suggestions,

@revolvergeek I have my ARC LS with a SO17XA modded and
I quite like the beam as you said ist surefireisch. But
on the other hand a second one with the same beam /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

@akula88 thanks for the beamshot and the link. It is
not easy to search the forum for "l1" because this
phrase is included in so much other flashaholic words /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

@b2eze I thought about the glowpowder as well, as I
have done a Minimag with Glowpowder. And I like that
one very much and its an arguement against the reflector.

I am wondering if the Fraen have enough sidespill, I
have seen beamshots, but thats not the real world /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cheers
Ralf

One more vote for TWOJ and IMS 17mm reflector

Klaus

One can't have enough lights with lux3 and ims-reflector. One for each room in the house, two or three two choose from as edc, at least two for this nice little red offroad-car you have. (Just in case you get stuck in the dark palatine forest or whereever our next get-together will take place.) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif

Chrisse

seems to go more votes to the IMS ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

chrisse, actually the L1 ist the almost perfect light
for use in conjunction with the little red sports car. Low
output for in car use and high output for out of car use /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Cheers
Ralf

I would go the IMS and T-binned route, too. :thumb:

Ralf ,
the IMS produces a nice beam,
but for throw the fraen is the way to go.
fraen produces ALMOST no sidespill,
but IMHO enough, that´s personal preference.

I have an arc wir ims and one with fraen,
the fraen gets osed more, ims mainly indoor
or shorter distances.

Actually I did some tests with a
TWOJ Star free wired and the Fraen LP
Optic on top. Pyro you are right there
are almost no sidespill.

On the other side of the show, has anybody
tried an McFlood with an HD LUXIII. My free
wiring tests were not that good. A lot of
"rings" not as nice as an LUXI LD with McFlood.

The IMS is IMHO almost to good, should mean the
nice round hotspot and the border to the nice round
sidespill are too hard. Has anybody tried to sputter
this little reflector. I have done that with a
standard minimag and that worked well for that application.

Cheers
Ralf

Another T-bin and IMS S017XA. I think you're eye would find it hard to spot the difference in throw between a Fraen and the 17mm IMS, and the IMS has more practical applications in real life than the Fraen.

Go with TVOJ and IMS reflector. This is a no-brainer mod for the L1. Almost anyone can do it. If not there are plenty here on the forums who could do one for you. As balrog says, the IMS is more practical than the Fraen. The fraen has no sidespill (BIG downside unless you have tunnel vision) but it can excel in some specific applications.

Just need to pick up some strap wrenches today
and the most votes gone to the IMS.

Hm. Seems there is another need for a flashlight to
mod with my Fraen LP ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Cheers Ralf

I couldn't get my L1 bezel to open at all. Tried boiling it in a baggie, no luck, rock solid. Tried heating it with a hairdryer, the same result. Then a couple of weeks later I decided to try dripping a bit of my wifes non-acetate nail polish remover into the gap on the bezel where the threads are with a q-tip. I let it sit for a couple of minutes lense down so not to contaminate the led. To my suprise it easily twisted apart by hand and the NP remover had turned the Surefire epoxy into a cruddy sludge that I cleaned off the threads with a tooth pick.

I haven't any strap wrenches for now. Maybe I give
HunterSons method a try

Cheers
Ralf

Its done!

HunterSons idea to open the L1 Head is by far the best method!
I applied some nail polish remover and only a few seconds after
that I could open the L1 Head by hand. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

Then I soldered the old LuxI off. The hardest think at this L1 mod
is to center the LuxIII. After that was done I played with all
my different optics and like the most votes the IMS SO17XA
Reflector was the most useful beam. I like really the "outfit"
of a flashlight with optics like the NX05 or Fraen LP (even
nicer with som GlowPowder mod). But the Beam of
the IMS Reflector rocks ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif

Thanks to all your suggestions and help.

Cheers
Ralf