FUTURE- Lux emitter mod, sharper and brighter

Making a Lux emitter sharper and brighter-mod

How to get a sharper beam with more throw for virtually nothing using any Lux emitter? I've been doing this for a couple of months. It gives me a couple of percent increase in throw light with a sharper beam. It might not sound like much but it is an easy and permanent mod. LED lights can use all the help they can get. How's a couple of percent of light sound for no extra battery power and virtually no cost? And the Lux brightener item you use is probably already around the house or at the nearest grocery store.

Simply use Future Floor Wax and run a ring of the floor shine around your Lux emitter clear acrylic dome using your pinky finger. Then hang your emitter suspended upside down until the Future dries- about one hour but preferably overnight. The water-based Future is an extremely clear acrylic hard-shell coating that fills in small imperfections in the emitter acrylic dome. Since Future is self leveling it will cover imperfections and scratches in the emitter to give a sharper beam.

Hanging the emitter down until the Future dries allows the floor shine to puddle in the nose of the emitter forming a slight magnifier on the tip of the acrylic dome to help concentrate and throw the light beam a wee bit farther.

I know the pessimists and nay-sayers here would ask what about the heat peeling the Future and yellowing. I've had no problems with either. If you don't like the super clear coat you can always remove it with liquid ammonia.

Try using Future once and see how clear the emitter is after the application. You'll enjoy the sharper and brighter beam. For a brighter and shiner emitter…use Future! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

OK haveblue, I just would like to know how you stumbled on this one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Do we really want to know. mabyee he was mopping the floor and didnt see the star there????
Jeff /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Ahhh...the spotlight is on.

As another hobby I make plastic models. For years I've been using Future to coat models and clear canopies on models to make clear coats with airbrushes and paint brushes. Plastic canopies get glossy clear with an application of Future. The emitter coating is an extension of my other hobby. Did that satisfy your curiousity?

Isn't modding about experimenting and going out of the usual thoughts? Did I go beyond the boundries of the norm by experimenting?

You can Google Future and models HERE.

Very good information. Thanks for sharing with us haveblue
I wonder if RainX would do the same thing. It is supposed to fill in the chips and so forth on the windshield.

mut

Ok got to try this one out. seems like a no lose mod. go lots of sammies to try first before doing Xbins.

Interesting... would someplace like WalMart have Future Floor Wax?

-Mike

Wow! What a great tip!

Just uncanny that "Future" would be the name of the wax....

Thanks haveblue.

Are you supposed to buff the wax or not? I can just picture the guys on here with their dremels and buffing wheels polishing their emitters... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

And how much is too much? Can we put enough on to make it shaped like a 5mm led? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Mark

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif "A little dab will do ya!"

The last time I bought Future (yes, it is an ironic name) was at Wal-Mart. One bottle will last you a lifetime. I've also seen it a K-Mart and bigger grocery stores. It is made by SC Johnson and has been around for decades. Johnson did modify the Future two years ago...they added a citus scent to it.

You give the Future to your loved one for Christmas and when they reject it then you pretend to sulk away then use the no polish wax on your emitters while you laugh.

Happy holidays to you all.

Interesting~ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif
Thanks for the info's.

Haveblue,
That's a great idea. I've got 2 bottles of Future sitting here and I also use it to clear coat my models too. Didn't think of using it on LEDs but I can't say I've noticed any imperfections on the few I've had.
FYI, Future is an acrylic floor polish. No wax.
Doesn't yellow either it seems..none of my models have yellowed.
As for using your pinky finger, remember to wash your hand first so that you don't leave any oily residue. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

True, floor polish...I stand corrected.

Would this mod work on 5mm LED's?

I've never tried the Future with the littler 5mm LEDs. I don't see why the Future wouldn't fill in small areas and increase contrast and emitter beam projection. It wouldn't cost much to find out.

I could give it a try since I just happen to have an Xnova AA light in front of me.

Hmmm...I wonder if it'll work on plastic, non-removable lenses...

Excellent! remember to post the results! I have an Inova X5 that just arrived yesterday and I think I will try it on a single LED or two if it is safe.

[ QUOTE ]
Illuminated said:
Hmmm...I wonder if it'll work on plastic, non-removable lenses...

[/ QUOTE ]Exactly what I was wondering. I suppose I could try it on a throwaway replaced by UCL. If it works I could apply it to a Tektite blue 7 LED that has minor spiderweb scratches. I've got a AAAMag that can use all the help it can get.

Then maybe microwave displays, and low cost digital watches and compasses and cell phones and...and...hey! I think haveblue is onto something.

My apologies for the tangent. Nice emitter mod idea.

I just tried the Future test on an Xnova AA with 5 bright Nichia type emitters and the results are a definite...maybe brighter beam? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

The lux meter at one foot read 151 before Future and after the application the meter read 153. I know I'm in the margin of error area.

But I had nice and shiny looking emitters!

Cool product, I have a scratched emmiter may be able to repair it.