What to do with a spare L1 bezel?

I have a spare L1 bezel with a dead Luxeon III emitter and a cracked optic. I would like to make the bezel usable. Does it make sense to have somebody work on it and install a TYOJ or better Luxeon III and a reflector? I am still too chicken to do this job myself.

The optic can be replaced by getting one made by Chris at Flashlightlens. If you're too chicken to mod this thing, PM me as I have some TXOK (really nice tint) and TVOJ (a bit warmer in color but lower Vf) and some reflectors left.

CM

this:

L1 head with so17xa and 5W BB600 or LuxII BB750 and McE2S in E2D tailcap


... if you can find someone to do it since Don is busy and doesn't like this one, it's a lot of work he said.

bernhard

Just direct drive it off a LiIon cell after putting a new LuxIII in - preferrably a "K" or "L" Vf for safe DD-ing off one LiIon - second the reflector proposal instead of the optics.

If you are unsure to do it yourself and/or the offered options sound too expensive I would be interested to buy it as-is and do the work on it myself.

If you bring it back to life with a new LED and reflector/optic you´ll either need a new L1 host for it or the mentioned direct-driving off one Li-Ion/PILA can be done on all standard SF E-series bodies. The L1 head is a "dumb" one as all the driver/electronics are in the body.

Klaus

CM,
I upgraded my Longbow Micra with an SO17XA reflector with excellent results. I need somebody to do the Luxeon work. Is the TYOJ bin code whiter than your Luxeons? My PR-T-DB917 bezel has such a Luxeon III, and it is super white to my eyes. As for the Vf bin chart, I was advised not to go any further down than J bin.

Bernhard,
I have tried the L1 bezel (Luxeon III "T flux" bin code), on my E1e/ McE2S-15 combo. The output is fine for me. I know that using an L1 bezel on an E1e body represents a direct drive situation. But do I really need the light to be regulated, since all I am trying to accomplish is salvage a still usable bezel? Also, because of the small diameter of the bezel on the L1, I definitely want a Luxeon III and not a heat producing Luxeon V Portable. It would surely put out more light, but overheat due to lack of beefy metal construction. The use of a Luxeon V would probably force me to have a regulation board installed in the bezel, to take advantage of the Luxeon's additional output capabilities. Of course, I will want the reflector you mentioned.

Klaus,
If I still want to use a 123 battery (E1e body), and keep it simple by staying in direct drive, do I still have to look for a K or L Vf bin Luxeon? Thanks for the offer if it ends up costing too much.

Considering the availability of all kinds of E series bezels out there, this may not be a smart venture since I will need to pay for a Luxeon emitter, a reflector, and labor. I will decide when I get more feedback.

Jeff, I didn't know you wanted to go direct drive. A 5W won't be your ticket then /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif, sorry.
The head in my pic has a driver, a 5W and the so17xa.
bernhard

The repair job is fairly simple. I can do the emitter replacement and install the SO17XA for you, or I can just send you some pointers if you want to try it yourself. If you want to get into modding, this is a good project to start with because it's one of the easier things out there, and you get a big improvement for the amount of effort expended. PM me for more info either way.

Jeff,
You have too much free time on your hands! Take Tyler up on his offer and get your feet wet!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif

I sent you a PM, Paul....

Don, you are correct on both counts. Paul's PM reply will determine whether I do the mod myself.

[ QUOTE ]
luxlover said:

If I still want to use a 123 battery (E1e body), and keep it simple by staying in direct drive, do I still have to look for a K or L Vf bin Luxeon? Thanks for the offer if it ends up costing too much.



[/ QUOTE ]

For a direct drive with 1x123 the lower Vf the better - so a "J" or even better a "H" would be perfect for this setup - to use a Li-Ion I would highly recommend a higher Vf like "K" or "L" - the higher voltage of the LiIon would damage your low Vf "J" LuxIII pretty fast.

My preferred solution with such a L1 bezel would include either one E1(e) body with R123 LiIon or E2(e) with LiIon - plain simple, nicely "regulated" by the LiIon itself and "natural" overdischarge protection too. If you have no LiIon experience or avaiable cells/charger the use of a lowest Vf LuxIII and 1x123 DD might be the next best thing to do if you don´t want to use a driver/circuit.

Using a high Vf (K,L) LuxIII to match the LiIon would make the use of 1x123 pretty dimm and I wouldn´t recommene it then. But the LiIon DD will certainly blow away the 1x123 setup brightness-wise big-time, no question on that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Best regards

Klaus

What to do with it? Send it to me! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

K-T,
But who will pay for the postage to Germany? We don't accept euros or marks here. As we say in New York....fugedabodit, which means "forget about it", which means that I will be keeping it "for all posterity." Thanks for the offer anyway. You are too too kind.......

Be good!

Klaus,
Thank you for the education on Lithium Ion batteries. For the time being, I will be using 123s all the way. Therefore, I either get a Luxeon III with a low Vf and leave out the regulation board, or I choose the same Luxeon and include a regulation board. If I decide that I want to use the L1 bezel with my L4 body, then I will have to include regulation to be able to tolerate the added voltage of the second battery. I have a decision to make.

Keep in mind that while I am interested in building lights with super brightness, I, unlike most "powerhungry" CPF members, want the versatility of having heads and bodies that I can mix and match to generate a much lower light output for situations in life that warrant it. Even at the ridiculously low price of $1 for a 123 battery, if I only need 2, 3, 4, or even 10 lumens of light, then why should I be forced to have 65 or more lumens? I think that between my E1e and L4 bodies, which both house Don's great McE2S switches, and my L1, KL4, nd PR-T bezels, I am set up for many different lighting possibilities. I think that I have chosen wisely!!!

Keep any eye out for the Wiz2 buck/boost convertor. It'll happily drive a Lux3 from 1x123 2x123 and a single Li-ion. Only downer is that dimming functions are compromised

Ka Keung,

I will be using 123 batteries exclusively, so I don't know if the Wiz2 buck/boost convertor can be used. Besides, I must have dual level capabilities.

It looks like I better decide where the modified bezel is going to be used. If I use it on my L1 body, only a new Luxeon III and a reflector need to be added. If I use it on my E1e body, a new Luxeon III, a voltage "boost" circuit, and a reflector need to be added. If I use it on my L4 body, a new Luxeon III, a voltage "buck" circuit, and a reflector need to be added.

Let it be known that with a little WD-40, a little oven cooking, a little desoldering, and a little elbow grease, I totally disassembled my spare L1 bezel. That phase of this project has been completed. That was a big part of my decision not to do the modification myself. I may complete it myself after all, as most of the CPF members suggested I do.

What's a Wiz2? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif Is that the next generation Wizard convertor? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif I'm a great fan of Wizard convertors (after having blown a MM+WO head by putting it on a 2x123 body /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif ) & have a Wizard 611 TX0J PR-T & a Wiz611 TY0J Aleph LE both with 2-stage McE2S tailcap switches both with 15ohm resistance that work perfectly well. The Wizards will work with 3-9V.

Where can I get more information in the Wizard convertors? Where I can purchase one?
What information is available about the Wizard 2 ?
Please /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

Juan C. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif

Juan, the Wizard convertor can be found here. They are 400mA output by default but can resistored higher to 611. Just don't ask McGizmo to do one or you'll get /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif

I'm also looking for info on the Wizard2? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Details of the Wiz2 can be found towards the bottom of this thread. It can run much hotter than the 400ma of the original.

LuxLover: it will run fine with 1 or 2 CR123s, but it's more designed with Li-ions in mind. It's 2.5v low voltage cutoff may put you off using it with a single 123, but ive found most 123s are pretty much dead by the time theyve dropped that far anyway. Might be an issue if you like squeezing the last drop of juice out of your batteries.

Thanks kakster. More concise info also here at McGizmo's forum.