AuroraLite
Enlightened
A Dummy Reference for making PM6 LuxIII BB NG 1000 mod (pic intensive)
Hi, all.
Here is my humble step by step dummy reference for making a Pelican M6 Lux III Badboy NextGen 1000 Mod.
I had learnt so much from reading the posts and related sites from the forum, by no mean this mod or my skill is perfect in this process below, but considered it as a give back to the forum /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gifand hopefully, some could benefit from learning from my mistakes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif
Before I begin, I would like to thank Wayne from Sandwich Shoppe and McGizmo, since without them, none of this will be possible. And my special thanks to Stonedog and GreenLed for answering my original question in Shoppe forum. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Contents:
<font color="red">Section 1 Read this before you begin</font>
<font color="blue">Section 2 Shop/hardware list, recommended tools</font>
<font color="green">Section 3 Assembly</font>
<font color="purple">Section 4 Suggestions and related links (choosing converter board, wire gauge, etc)
</font>
<font color="red">Section 1 Read this before you begin</font>
This dummy reference is a step by step picture guide/reference for making a Pelican M6 mod, by no mean it is an official guide for making the mod, YMMV. And before you begin, I strongly suggest the following links for a comprehensive overview of making it:
Wayne's Pelican M6 Module Assembly Help
McGizmo's PM6 Module bulid notes
Those should be your primary source of building instructions, please make sure you had read thru and understood the instructions before you begin.
Simple terms:
PM6 = Pelican M6
Incan = incandescent
Shoppe = Sandwich Shoppe
BB NG 1000 = Badboy NexGen 1000, the converter board purchased from Shoppe
AA = Arctic Alumina, an epoxy purchased from Shoppe
AS5 = Arctic Silver 5, an epoxy purchased from Shoppe
Emitter = here refers to Luxeon III Led, usually means it has been extracted from original 'star'
All pictures hosted in Imageshack is in sequence for this mod, they all have the prefix for Pelican M6, Lux III(pm6lx3), a section number(s1, s2...), and picture number(p01, p02...). The last three digits on each picture is randomly assigned by Imageshack, and has no relevance to this dummy guide.
<font color="blue">Section 2 PM6s, Shop/hardware list, recommended tools</font>
Choosing the PM6
As of today, there are quite a few 'generation' of PM6s made by Pelican. Earlier version of PM6s might feature a red clickie(which user can press the tailcap button, it will 'click' and the light will be on).
LOTC and Clickie
Then a LOTC(lock out tailcap, black button) version came which upon loosening of the tailcap, the button will be 'locked out' and the light will not turn on even when pressed. Most recently, some dealers started to carry the new PM6s where the clickie is back(black button clickie). Depending what on personal preferences, I would suggest to check with dealer before your purchase. Btw, Shoppe and Flashlightlens both do carry the PM6 clickie which a user could modified a LOTC PM6 into a clickie PM6.
Sliver or Black body?
That is entirely a personal thing. I myself prefer black colored one. But as a recommendation, since the anodizing of PM6 is not HAIII(extremely durable), long term usage will eventually lead to discoloring of the body. Hence, I would recommend silver for anyone who intends to make it an EDC or use it very frequently. Also, for modding a LOTC to a clickie PM6, seems like numbers of users had found it easy to mod the Sliver tailcap than the black one.
Incan vs LED?
I like the PM6 a lot, and I do think, as of today, the PM6 incan is one of the best 'thrower' in the 2x123 flashlights category (un-modded) which estimated to be in the range of 80 lumens.
And as of LED, it is also a decent light due to its good reflector design, and user will not have to worry much about changing bulbs and the runtime will be longer.
If one is purchasing it just for the modding purposes and do plan to use it often, then I would recommend the Sliver Incan(either with clickie or LOTC, depending on what you like) since it will be cheaper than LED version and most likely can take more beatings.
Shop/hardware list
(pix: s1p04, s1p05):
For making the PM6 Lux III mod, here my shopping list from Shoppe:
--1 Lux III emitter or Lux III star
--1 Pelican module assembly(McModule)
--1 Converter board (Shown: BB NG 1A; pls read section 4)^
--1 (or multiple) PM emitter board *
--1 McR 27 reflector **
--1 Arctic Alumina Adhesive or Arctic Alumina(recommended: AA Adhesive; optional: Arctic Sliver 5)***
--Also, not from Shoppe (not shown):
--Few feet of 26-28 AWG wires, high heat resistance or Teflon coated.
--Some form of Epoxy if you don't use the Arctic Alumina Adhesive(to mix with AA, see last section on some related post)
^The reason I have chosen BB NG 1000 is because of its higher efficiency and less heat generated as compared to normal BB. Though I do not intend to use this light for more than 10 minutes at a time; originally, I was thinking about putting this BB NG 1A in a Minimag(when I first learnt of it), but I figured PM6 has more body/surface area to dissipate the heat--so if it does well here, it would do ok in Minimag(later, I have learned that Alkaline AA might not be great for runniing BB NG 1000, maybe Nimh is better). If I build another Lux III with PM6 body again, I would probably use Wizard2 937(the recent new comer) or maybe a Downboy 1A.
(Note: Though BB NG has the max input of 6V on spec, I have later learnt/been adviced that using this board with 2 x 123 could indeed be too much voltage for a Lux III J bin(Thanks Tony and Cy!).
Although, IIRC, there are individual posts indicate that BB NG 1A is ok with 2 x 123 for Lux III(j or k bin) due to the high current drag down the voltage of 2 x 123 into a safer voltage input, it indeed is still at the boarderline of safety.
If anyone who is interested in this mod/setup, I would strongly suggest to either use higher bin code, such as K or L or use it with a pila 3.7v or Wizard 2 board for a lux III J bin with 2 x 123(which is a great combo!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
*I would recommend getting a 1-2 extra, in case of messed up soldering or accidental damage to the board.
** See picture s1p05 for a comparison between different reflectors, if your original reflector(s) from PM incan(right) or PM LED(center, notice a raised 'ring' at top) does not look like the McR 27(left), I would recommend you getting the McR 27 since the Lux III emitter will not be at the optimal position for focus otherwise.(I have tried the original reflector from PM6 LED shown in pix, and the beam is out of focus with a big donut in middle /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif )
***I had read that Arctic Silver 5 has better themal management than Arctic Alumina, but one can just use AA for all the work done here. Also, later on, you will read about my total poo poo and a painful lesson about mistakening the Arctic Alumina as an epoxy--and no, it does not hold things together...so make sure you either use the Arctic Alumina Adhesive or Epoxy mixture with AA.
Enlarged pictures for some of the listed ingredients:
Arctic Alumina
Arctic Sliver 5
Badboy NexGen 1000 converter board
Pelican module assembly (McModule)
(Note: it includes heatsink, anode to battery, anode holder and 1 ground screw)
Tools recommendation:
Essential:
(Pix: s1p01tools1)
-Soldiering Iron(I use 25W iron only, but the gun has option to go either 25 or 120W)
-Soldiering Iron Stand
-Flux
-Soldier
-Soldier extractor(optional)
(Pix: s1p02tools2)
-tweezers set (great for holding components/wires when soldiering)
-Pliers and wire cutter
Optional helpful stuff:
(Pix: s1p03tools3)
-dough(play dough(sp?) used for preventing leak of AA to emitter board)
-3V 2AA battery holder (for checking polarity of emitter)
-toothpick (for positioning emitter and AA fill in)
-Crazy glue (Errr...holding things together?/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif)
-Nail polish (for shorting prevention on electric components)
-Electrical tape
-2 x 123 taped together (for checking whether the assembly works)
-small pedal (for manipulating AA or AS5)
(Pix: s4p1spring, s4p2minivise)
-Mini vise or some tool to hold the assembly, such as reflector spring from PM6 LED
<font color="green">Section 3 Assembly</font>
Please read thru Section 1 linked material before proceeding!
(Pix: s3p01, s3p02)
I got the two Lux III TV1J star together; use two narrow nose pliers to break them off.
(Pix: s3p03, s3p04)
Next, de-soldiering the Lux III emitter out of its original 'star--I clamp the Lux III star by using a 'mini vise'and use a tooth pick to move the Led lead contact once the soldier is melted. Next picture shown how the LED lead contacts are cleared off the soldier and the star.
(Pix: s3p05, s3p06 and s3p06a)
Use two large pliers to clamp onto the star, as close to the emitter as possible (not over the LED emitter lead contact), and start bending the 'star' backward. Eventually, the emitter will just fall/pop from its star. Make sure you have tissue paper or an area to 'catch' it when it does pop.
(Pix: s3p07)
Depending how smooth is the back of your emitter(I think it was originally glued to the star), you could file it with some really really fine sand paper or I use a dremel here to help clean out the back of the emitter. So as long it is not really uneven, don't worry too much about it.
(Pix: s3p08, s3p09, s3p12)
The PM emitter board will not fit as it came, one will need to break the little tab off to make it fit the McModule heatsink. (Notice the hole in the middle of the emitter board, that's where your emitter gonna sit later) Even after breaking off the tabs from emitter board, I would really suggest to check the fit and whether the ground screw will fit the hole with the board in position before epoxying the emitter to the top. In my case, I do need to file a bigger hole to fit the screw.
Important: Some converter board will require you to scrap off the connection to the ground screw, please read the instruction on Wayne's site to double check for sure before you epoxy the emitter. For BB NG, no scraping is needed.
(Pix: s3p10, s3p11)
As suggested by Wayne, I put some nail polish to the bottom of my emitter slug. But be careful--don't apply any on the connection leads!
caution: Very important that you will check the polarity of the Emitter connecting leads before you epoxy it onto the heatsink. I do it with a 3V 2AA battery holder.
(Pix: s3p13)
Read next step, get the body tube and reflector/head assembly ready for 'center test' before epoxying the emitter
Now, put a very tiny amount of Arctic Silver 5 or Arctic Alumina right in the middle of the heatsink, and place the emitter, with correct polarity, onto the epoxy. Use a toothpick to press it down firm onto the epoxy.
(Pix: s3p14)
'Center test'
After the epoxy part, now is the time to check whether it is centered in the middle of the reflector.
-Unscrew the end and take out the batteries, leave the tailcap and batteries out.
-Unscrewed the original PM6 head assembly, take out the lens, and place in the McR27 into the head assembly (without lens).
-Carefully screw the McModule (with the ¡¥epoxied¡¦ emitter) onto top of the body tube.
-Slowly screw the head assembly back down onto the body tube, STOP before it touches the emitter.
-While the body tube(end part) rest on a flat surface, put the tube between your two hands and rotate the body tube clockwise and counter-clockwise; you will see a faint even yellow glow on the reflector if you look straight down at emitter when it is centered.
-Check whether emitter is right at the center of the reflector. If not, move it with your toothpick, by only touching the black plastic around the emitter.
(Pix: s3p15, s3p16)
Pre-tinned all the ends that will be soldiered onto the board. Rotate and pre-tinned the wires, so they will not spread out when you put them thru the board. Also, it will be much easier to soldier them onto board later. Use flux, lots of flux.
For ease of use, I leave the end kinda long, and pre-stripped the part that is not going onto the board. So later on, I don't have to fiddle with those ends whilst the board is connected to them.
In terms of wire length, Wayne had instructed to have enough so that the board would just hang outside the McModule when all wires are soldiered on. And for myself, as safety precaution, I would leave another 1-2 inches longer, which I could always trim short later.
(Pix: s3p17)
Soldiering in process...
For correct connection, I really suggest to read and know the wiring diagram and Wayne's PM6 mod instruction before you proceed. For BB NG 1000, except the VIN which wire go from the bottom(soldier on top of board, next to components), all other wires are going away from board on top(soldiering on bottom of board).
Note: In picture, one of the ends that had been soldiered onto back of the board is sticking out long, which I did trim later on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
(Pix: s3p18)
Viola! All wires had been soldiered onto board, whew..., safely./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif As Wayne would suggest in his assembly instruction, I try not to leave too much bare wire exposed to prevent short circuiting.
(Pix: s3p19)
Then, I clamped the McModule fix on vise, and remember, your epoxy might not be dried by now--so be very careful when you handle your McModule. And I proceed to soldier the wires onto the board/Emitter.
I didn't do a very good job (me think a little too much soldier), so learn from my mistake! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif
Note: Check polarity again, and make sure the soldier is melt onto the wire, emitter lead as well as the lead on board. But be very careful NOT to use excessive amount of soldier, for it might flow to the heat sink and short circuit. Again, don't leave too much bared wire exposed.
Also, different board might have different wiring/soldering process. Some board may require you to soldier another wire to ground screw. The board shown here is BB NG 1000.
(Pix: s3p20)
Double checking whether the whole thing would work. I taped two 123 batteries together, then attached anode to the pos side of the batteries, and use another wire to connect the neg side of batteries to the outside of the McModule. If it lights up, it is a good sign./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/au.gif
(Pix: s3p21)
Optional step:
At this point, I put just a little bit of crazy glue to piece the wire to where it comes from the board. This is to ensure it will not move around too much later when I fill-in the epoxy.
(Pix: s3p22)
Slip the anode holder(the black O-ring) over the VIN wire, make sure the anode-tab hole is facing the tab, but not the McModule. Crimped and Soldiered the anode tab onto the wire.
(Pix: s3p23)
Optional Step:
I put play dough onto the holes of the McModule before I pour in the epoxy. This is to prevent the epoxy leak onto the board later. Once the epoxy is cured, I could safely remove the dough without leaving a mess. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif
(Pix: s3p24)
Double check again with the 2x123, holding the anode-tab to the pos of battery pack and use an extra wire to connect neg end to McModule. It still works!
(Pix s3p25a)
Fill in the a mixture of epoxy and AA to the core of the McModule. Try to avoid bubbles or void area. Note: I scotch tape some cut out Ziplock bag plastic over the Lux III to protect it while doing the epoxy. The last thing I want is to have epoxy all over the lux when I am done. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
(Pix s3p25b)
Also, twisting the wires(turning the board clockwise as you compressed it onto the epoxy+AA will help to ease it in.
***Optional Poo Poo reading begins***
Now, this part is the major poo-poo I did make over the whole process./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/Christo_pull_hair.gif After the whole thing, I finally learned that the Arctic Alumina is not an epoxy--so even after 12 hours of letting it sit, the core is still not 'solid'. Not to mention I was dumb enough to pull out the play dough think that it must have been 'cured' after 12 hours, and a little AA oozed out onto the board. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif
I later find out what a good mix of epoxy and AA is, extract the AA and refill it again with the mixture.
(Pix s3poopoo1)
So as improvement next time, I would definitely make sure I have the right mixture before filling anything in the McModule.
(Pix s3poopoo2)
If you were a klutz like me, I would suggest to play with the mixture(AA+epoxy or the 2 part Arctic Alumina Adhesive) in a tin foiled container or some plastic disbosable(like a ziplock bag) before use--see how long it takes to dry, will it withstand heat once dried(hairdryer or oven). And I swear will be patient enough to not remove the play dough till everything is cured.
Picture shown above is an observation experiment of different ratio of Artic Alumina grease with different epoxies, pre-baked and after baked(100C for 15 minutes).
***Poo Poo reading Ends***
(Pix: s3p26)
Using clamps to hold everything together until AA cures.
(Pix: s3p27a)
Finished!! If you had read KJ's post about modding a minimag reflector, then you would also learn that if your lux is in 'focus', the yellow colored area of lux will be reflected when you look straight into it; and it should be a even glow of yellow around the lux.(The camera is not totally centered to capture the even glow, but you get the idea). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
The shown Lux III is actually a TW0J which I later re-modded onto this BB NG 1000(since I didn't like the TX1J as much as TW0J).
(Pix: s3p28)
Beamshot: SF U2 vs PM6 BB NG 1000, ~8 feet to white ceiling, 0.4 sec shutter
Oh, boy! It is bright! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
(Pix: s3p29)
Beamshot: SF new KL1 vs PM6 BB NG 1000, ~1m to off-white wall, 0.4sec shutter
(Pix: s3p30)
Beamshot: SF U2 vs PM6 BB NG 1000, ~1m to off-white wall, 0.4sec shutter
<font color="purple">Section 4 Suggestions and related links (choosing converter board, wire gauge, etc)</font>
Suggestions:
-Clean and clear your table, keep your drinks away from reachable distance
-Find some tool/spring to hold the Mcmodule while you do the soldiering or epoxy
-Setup all soldiering tools before beginning; have iron stand, flux and soldier close by
-Do not touch the soldier stand by coil or leave the soldier iron unattended
-Use flux, and pre-tinned all the wires
-For a steadier hand for soldiering, put your elbow or forearm against the edge of the table when soldiering, that will prevent excessive shakiness of your hands.
-Wire stripping suggestions(I find it much easy to pre-striped the wire instead of cut/strip it when it is needed):
(Pix: s4p3, s4p4, s4p5)
--Slice/peel the coating off the wire with a sharp knife, don't cut too deep which you might cut into the wire.
--Use tip of knife to peel back the coating, and expose the bare wires. Twist the wires firmly into a tight strand.
--Then grip the wire strand with pliers, pull off the coating to strip wire.
-Practice soldiering on an empty board; know your soldier iron well before you begin. Understand how fast the soldier on board will melt when iron touches it. (For my 25W gun, when heated up for 5+ minutes, it will take 2-3 seconds to melt soldier on a board.)
Related links:
For choosing the correct converter board, here are some relevant posts/readings:
Aleph FAQ
Although it is for Aleph lights, it contains very useful info about various kind of Lux emitters, beamshot w/ McR27 reflectors, Converter boards info(driver info). Excellent read/post.
For bin codes info about Lux III or Lux V emitter
Bin Codes Explained from Wayne's site
Idleprocess' Bin code chart
Very useful soldiering tip:
Quickbeam's tips on soldiering
Other modder's pictures of PM6 mod:
Kj's Mcmodule runtime chart
Kj's McCapsule mod
McCapsule is a different animal from McModule, but the idea is very similar, and just great craftsmanship to learn from.
Jtice's page about PM6 Lux III mod
Epoxy related post
Which epoxy for potting the converter board
Artic alumina as potting compound?
AA + epoxy recipe help
What can I say? I wish I had read these links 48 hours ago, that is such a total poo poo on my part!!! Just remember not to repeat my mistake! It is so bad that it is not even funny--almost can be the joke of the year.../ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif
My original post asking about ingredients and advice on Shoppe.
Note: Stonedog has an excellent idea about making sandwich height(for Minimag), GreenLed has provided a few very useful links to soldiering, wire gauge and epoxy)
(Thanks again to Wayne, GreenLed and Stonedog for answering my questions!)
Thanks again to Sandwich Shoppe, McGizmo and many talented modders on our forum, without your instructions and inspirations, none will be possible! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
And Thank you for reading, and hoped your PM6 mod is a successful one! Enjoy! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Hi, all.
Here is my humble step by step dummy reference for making a Pelican M6 Lux III Badboy NextGen 1000 Mod.
I had learnt so much from reading the posts and related sites from the forum, by no mean this mod or my skill is perfect in this process below, but considered it as a give back to the forum /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gifand hopefully, some could benefit from learning from my mistakes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif
Before I begin, I would like to thank Wayne from Sandwich Shoppe and McGizmo, since without them, none of this will be possible. And my special thanks to Stonedog and GreenLed for answering my original question in Shoppe forum. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Contents:
<font color="red">Section 1 Read this before you begin</font>
<font color="blue">Section 2 Shop/hardware list, recommended tools</font>
<font color="green">Section 3 Assembly</font>
<font color="purple">Section 4 Suggestions and related links (choosing converter board, wire gauge, etc)
</font>
<font color="red">Section 1 Read this before you begin</font>
This dummy reference is a step by step picture guide/reference for making a Pelican M6 mod, by no mean it is an official guide for making the mod, YMMV. And before you begin, I strongly suggest the following links for a comprehensive overview of making it:
Wayne's Pelican M6 Module Assembly Help
McGizmo's PM6 Module bulid notes
Those should be your primary source of building instructions, please make sure you had read thru and understood the instructions before you begin.
Simple terms:
PM6 = Pelican M6
Incan = incandescent
Shoppe = Sandwich Shoppe
BB NG 1000 = Badboy NexGen 1000, the converter board purchased from Shoppe
AA = Arctic Alumina, an epoxy purchased from Shoppe
AS5 = Arctic Silver 5, an epoxy purchased from Shoppe
Emitter = here refers to Luxeon III Led, usually means it has been extracted from original 'star'
All pictures hosted in Imageshack is in sequence for this mod, they all have the prefix for Pelican M6, Lux III(pm6lx3), a section number(s1, s2...), and picture number(p01, p02...). The last three digits on each picture is randomly assigned by Imageshack, and has no relevance to this dummy guide.
<font color="blue">Section 2 PM6s, Shop/hardware list, recommended tools</font>
Choosing the PM6
As of today, there are quite a few 'generation' of PM6s made by Pelican. Earlier version of PM6s might feature a red clickie(which user can press the tailcap button, it will 'click' and the light will be on).
LOTC and Clickie
Then a LOTC(lock out tailcap, black button) version came which upon loosening of the tailcap, the button will be 'locked out' and the light will not turn on even when pressed. Most recently, some dealers started to carry the new PM6s where the clickie is back(black button clickie). Depending what on personal preferences, I would suggest to check with dealer before your purchase. Btw, Shoppe and Flashlightlens both do carry the PM6 clickie which a user could modified a LOTC PM6 into a clickie PM6.
Sliver or Black body?
That is entirely a personal thing. I myself prefer black colored one. But as a recommendation, since the anodizing of PM6 is not HAIII(extremely durable), long term usage will eventually lead to discoloring of the body. Hence, I would recommend silver for anyone who intends to make it an EDC or use it very frequently. Also, for modding a LOTC to a clickie PM6, seems like numbers of users had found it easy to mod the Sliver tailcap than the black one.
Incan vs LED?
I like the PM6 a lot, and I do think, as of today, the PM6 incan is one of the best 'thrower' in the 2x123 flashlights category (un-modded) which estimated to be in the range of 80 lumens.
And as of LED, it is also a decent light due to its good reflector design, and user will not have to worry much about changing bulbs and the runtime will be longer.
If one is purchasing it just for the modding purposes and do plan to use it often, then I would recommend the Sliver Incan(either with clickie or LOTC, depending on what you like) since it will be cheaper than LED version and most likely can take more beatings.
Shop/hardware list
(pix: s1p04, s1p05):
For making the PM6 Lux III mod, here my shopping list from Shoppe:
--1 Lux III emitter or Lux III star
--1 Pelican module assembly(McModule)
--1 Converter board (Shown: BB NG 1A; pls read section 4)^
--1 (or multiple) PM emitter board *
--1 McR 27 reflector **
--1 Arctic Alumina Adhesive or Arctic Alumina(recommended: AA Adhesive; optional: Arctic Sliver 5)***
--Also, not from Shoppe (not shown):
--Few feet of 26-28 AWG wires, high heat resistance or Teflon coated.
--Some form of Epoxy if you don't use the Arctic Alumina Adhesive(to mix with AA, see last section on some related post)
^The reason I have chosen BB NG 1000 is because of its higher efficiency and less heat generated as compared to normal BB. Though I do not intend to use this light for more than 10 minutes at a time; originally, I was thinking about putting this BB NG 1A in a Minimag(when I first learnt of it), but I figured PM6 has more body/surface area to dissipate the heat--so if it does well here, it would do ok in Minimag(later, I have learned that Alkaline AA might not be great for runniing BB NG 1000, maybe Nimh is better). If I build another Lux III with PM6 body again, I would probably use Wizard2 937(the recent new comer) or maybe a Downboy 1A.
(Note: Though BB NG has the max input of 6V on spec, I have later learnt/been adviced that using this board with 2 x 123 could indeed be too much voltage for a Lux III J bin(Thanks Tony and Cy!).
Although, IIRC, there are individual posts indicate that BB NG 1A is ok with 2 x 123 for Lux III(j or k bin) due to the high current drag down the voltage of 2 x 123 into a safer voltage input, it indeed is still at the boarderline of safety.
If anyone who is interested in this mod/setup, I would strongly suggest to either use higher bin code, such as K or L or use it with a pila 3.7v or Wizard 2 board for a lux III J bin with 2 x 123(which is a great combo!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
*I would recommend getting a 1-2 extra, in case of messed up soldering or accidental damage to the board.
** See picture s1p05 for a comparison between different reflectors, if your original reflector(s) from PM incan(right) or PM LED(center, notice a raised 'ring' at top) does not look like the McR 27(left), I would recommend you getting the McR 27 since the Lux III emitter will not be at the optimal position for focus otherwise.(I have tried the original reflector from PM6 LED shown in pix, and the beam is out of focus with a big donut in middle /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif )
***I had read that Arctic Silver 5 has better themal management than Arctic Alumina, but one can just use AA for all the work done here. Also, later on, you will read about my total poo poo and a painful lesson about mistakening the Arctic Alumina as an epoxy--and no, it does not hold things together...so make sure you either use the Arctic Alumina Adhesive or Epoxy mixture with AA.
Enlarged pictures for some of the listed ingredients:
Arctic Alumina
Arctic Sliver 5
Badboy NexGen 1000 converter board
Pelican module assembly (McModule)
(Note: it includes heatsink, anode to battery, anode holder and 1 ground screw)
Tools recommendation:
Essential:
(Pix: s1p01tools1)
-Soldiering Iron(I use 25W iron only, but the gun has option to go either 25 or 120W)
-Soldiering Iron Stand
-Flux
-Soldier
-Soldier extractor(optional)
(Pix: s1p02tools2)
-tweezers set (great for holding components/wires when soldiering)
-Pliers and wire cutter
Optional helpful stuff:
(Pix: s1p03tools3)
-dough(play dough(sp?) used for preventing leak of AA to emitter board)
-3V 2AA battery holder (for checking polarity of emitter)
-toothpick (for positioning emitter and AA fill in)
-Crazy glue (Errr...holding things together?/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif)
-Nail polish (for shorting prevention on electric components)
-Electrical tape
-2 x 123 taped together (for checking whether the assembly works)
-small pedal (for manipulating AA or AS5)
(Pix: s4p1spring, s4p2minivise)
-Mini vise or some tool to hold the assembly, such as reflector spring from PM6 LED
<font color="green">Section 3 Assembly</font>
Please read thru Section 1 linked material before proceeding!
(Pix: s3p01, s3p02)
I got the two Lux III TV1J star together; use two narrow nose pliers to break them off.
(Pix: s3p03, s3p04)
Next, de-soldiering the Lux III emitter out of its original 'star--I clamp the Lux III star by using a 'mini vise'and use a tooth pick to move the Led lead contact once the soldier is melted. Next picture shown how the LED lead contacts are cleared off the soldier and the star.
(Pix: s3p05, s3p06 and s3p06a)
Use two large pliers to clamp onto the star, as close to the emitter as possible (not over the LED emitter lead contact), and start bending the 'star' backward. Eventually, the emitter will just fall/pop from its star. Make sure you have tissue paper or an area to 'catch' it when it does pop.
(Pix: s3p07)
Depending how smooth is the back of your emitter(I think it was originally glued to the star), you could file it with some really really fine sand paper or I use a dremel here to help clean out the back of the emitter. So as long it is not really uneven, don't worry too much about it.
(Pix: s3p08, s3p09, s3p12)
The PM emitter board will not fit as it came, one will need to break the little tab off to make it fit the McModule heatsink. (Notice the hole in the middle of the emitter board, that's where your emitter gonna sit later) Even after breaking off the tabs from emitter board, I would really suggest to check the fit and whether the ground screw will fit the hole with the board in position before epoxying the emitter to the top. In my case, I do need to file a bigger hole to fit the screw.
Important: Some converter board will require you to scrap off the connection to the ground screw, please read the instruction on Wayne's site to double check for sure before you epoxy the emitter. For BB NG, no scraping is needed.
(Pix: s3p10, s3p11)
As suggested by Wayne, I put some nail polish to the bottom of my emitter slug. But be careful--don't apply any on the connection leads!
caution: Very important that you will check the polarity of the Emitter connecting leads before you epoxy it onto the heatsink. I do it with a 3V 2AA battery holder.
(Pix: s3p13)
Read next step, get the body tube and reflector/head assembly ready for 'center test' before epoxying the emitter
Now, put a very tiny amount of Arctic Silver 5 or Arctic Alumina right in the middle of the heatsink, and place the emitter, with correct polarity, onto the epoxy. Use a toothpick to press it down firm onto the epoxy.
(Pix: s3p14)
'Center test'
After the epoxy part, now is the time to check whether it is centered in the middle of the reflector.
-Unscrew the end and take out the batteries, leave the tailcap and batteries out.
-Unscrewed the original PM6 head assembly, take out the lens, and place in the McR27 into the head assembly (without lens).
-Carefully screw the McModule (with the ¡¥epoxied¡¦ emitter) onto top of the body tube.
-Slowly screw the head assembly back down onto the body tube, STOP before it touches the emitter.
-While the body tube(end part) rest on a flat surface, put the tube between your two hands and rotate the body tube clockwise and counter-clockwise; you will see a faint even yellow glow on the reflector if you look straight down at emitter when it is centered.
-Check whether emitter is right at the center of the reflector. If not, move it with your toothpick, by only touching the black plastic around the emitter.
(Pix: s3p15, s3p16)
Pre-tinned all the ends that will be soldiered onto the board. Rotate and pre-tinned the wires, so they will not spread out when you put them thru the board. Also, it will be much easier to soldier them onto board later. Use flux, lots of flux.
For ease of use, I leave the end kinda long, and pre-stripped the part that is not going onto the board. So later on, I don't have to fiddle with those ends whilst the board is connected to them.
In terms of wire length, Wayne had instructed to have enough so that the board would just hang outside the McModule when all wires are soldiered on. And for myself, as safety precaution, I would leave another 1-2 inches longer, which I could always trim short later.
(Pix: s3p17)
Soldiering in process...
For correct connection, I really suggest to read and know the wiring diagram and Wayne's PM6 mod instruction before you proceed. For BB NG 1000, except the VIN which wire go from the bottom(soldier on top of board, next to components), all other wires are going away from board on top(soldiering on bottom of board).
Note: In picture, one of the ends that had been soldiered onto back of the board is sticking out long, which I did trim later on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
(Pix: s3p18)
Viola! All wires had been soldiered onto board, whew..., safely./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif As Wayne would suggest in his assembly instruction, I try not to leave too much bare wire exposed to prevent short circuiting.
(Pix: s3p19)
Then, I clamped the McModule fix on vise, and remember, your epoxy might not be dried by now--so be very careful when you handle your McModule. And I proceed to soldier the wires onto the board/Emitter.
I didn't do a very good job (me think a little too much soldier), so learn from my mistake! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif
Note: Check polarity again, and make sure the soldier is melt onto the wire, emitter lead as well as the lead on board. But be very careful NOT to use excessive amount of soldier, for it might flow to the heat sink and short circuit. Again, don't leave too much bared wire exposed.
Also, different board might have different wiring/soldering process. Some board may require you to soldier another wire to ground screw. The board shown here is BB NG 1000.
(Pix: s3p20)
Double checking whether the whole thing would work. I taped two 123 batteries together, then attached anode to the pos side of the batteries, and use another wire to connect the neg side of batteries to the outside of the McModule. If it lights up, it is a good sign./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/au.gif
(Pix: s3p21)
Optional step:
At this point, I put just a little bit of crazy glue to piece the wire to where it comes from the board. This is to ensure it will not move around too much later when I fill-in the epoxy.
(Pix: s3p22)
Slip the anode holder(the black O-ring) over the VIN wire, make sure the anode-tab hole is facing the tab, but not the McModule. Crimped and Soldiered the anode tab onto the wire.
(Pix: s3p23)
Optional Step:
I put play dough onto the holes of the McModule before I pour in the epoxy. This is to prevent the epoxy leak onto the board later. Once the epoxy is cured, I could safely remove the dough without leaving a mess. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif
(Pix: s3p24)
Double check again with the 2x123, holding the anode-tab to the pos of battery pack and use an extra wire to connect neg end to McModule. It still works!
(Pix s3p25a)
Fill in the a mixture of epoxy and AA to the core of the McModule. Try to avoid bubbles or void area. Note: I scotch tape some cut out Ziplock bag plastic over the Lux III to protect it while doing the epoxy. The last thing I want is to have epoxy all over the lux when I am done. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
(Pix s3p25b)
Also, twisting the wires(turning the board clockwise as you compressed it onto the epoxy+AA will help to ease it in.
***Optional Poo Poo reading begins***
Now, this part is the major poo-poo I did make over the whole process./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/Christo_pull_hair.gif After the whole thing, I finally learned that the Arctic Alumina is not an epoxy--so even after 12 hours of letting it sit, the core is still not 'solid'. Not to mention I was dumb enough to pull out the play dough think that it must have been 'cured' after 12 hours, and a little AA oozed out onto the board. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif
I later find out what a good mix of epoxy and AA is, extract the AA and refill it again with the mixture.
(Pix s3poopoo1)
So as improvement next time, I would definitely make sure I have the right mixture before filling anything in the McModule.
(Pix s3poopoo2)
If you were a klutz like me, I would suggest to play with the mixture(AA+epoxy or the 2 part Arctic Alumina Adhesive) in a tin foiled container or some plastic disbosable(like a ziplock bag) before use--see how long it takes to dry, will it withstand heat once dried(hairdryer or oven). And I swear will be patient enough to not remove the play dough till everything is cured.
Picture shown above is an observation experiment of different ratio of Artic Alumina grease with different epoxies, pre-baked and after baked(100C for 15 minutes).
***Poo Poo reading Ends***
(Pix: s3p26)
Using clamps to hold everything together until AA cures.
(Pix: s3p27a)
Finished!! If you had read KJ's post about modding a minimag reflector, then you would also learn that if your lux is in 'focus', the yellow colored area of lux will be reflected when you look straight into it; and it should be a even glow of yellow around the lux.(The camera is not totally centered to capture the even glow, but you get the idea). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
The shown Lux III is actually a TW0J which I later re-modded onto this BB NG 1000(since I didn't like the TX1J as much as TW0J).
(Pix: s3p28)
Beamshot: SF U2 vs PM6 BB NG 1000, ~8 feet to white ceiling, 0.4 sec shutter
Oh, boy! It is bright! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
(Pix: s3p29)
Beamshot: SF new KL1 vs PM6 BB NG 1000, ~1m to off-white wall, 0.4sec shutter
(Pix: s3p30)
Beamshot: SF U2 vs PM6 BB NG 1000, ~1m to off-white wall, 0.4sec shutter
<font color="purple">Section 4 Suggestions and related links (choosing converter board, wire gauge, etc)</font>
Suggestions:
-Clean and clear your table, keep your drinks away from reachable distance
-Find some tool/spring to hold the Mcmodule while you do the soldiering or epoxy
-Setup all soldiering tools before beginning; have iron stand, flux and soldier close by
-Do not touch the soldier stand by coil or leave the soldier iron unattended
-Use flux, and pre-tinned all the wires
-For a steadier hand for soldiering, put your elbow or forearm against the edge of the table when soldiering, that will prevent excessive shakiness of your hands.
-Wire stripping suggestions(I find it much easy to pre-striped the wire instead of cut/strip it when it is needed):
(Pix: s4p3, s4p4, s4p5)
--Slice/peel the coating off the wire with a sharp knife, don't cut too deep which you might cut into the wire.
--Use tip of knife to peel back the coating, and expose the bare wires. Twist the wires firmly into a tight strand.
--Then grip the wire strand with pliers, pull off the coating to strip wire.
-Practice soldiering on an empty board; know your soldier iron well before you begin. Understand how fast the soldier on board will melt when iron touches it. (For my 25W gun, when heated up for 5+ minutes, it will take 2-3 seconds to melt soldier on a board.)
Related links:
For choosing the correct converter board, here are some relevant posts/readings:
Aleph FAQ
Although it is for Aleph lights, it contains very useful info about various kind of Lux emitters, beamshot w/ McR27 reflectors, Converter boards info(driver info). Excellent read/post.
For bin codes info about Lux III or Lux V emitter
Bin Codes Explained from Wayne's site
Idleprocess' Bin code chart
Very useful soldiering tip:
Quickbeam's tips on soldiering
Other modder's pictures of PM6 mod:
Kj's Mcmodule runtime chart
Kj's McCapsule mod
McCapsule is a different animal from McModule, but the idea is very similar, and just great craftsmanship to learn from.
Jtice's page about PM6 Lux III mod
Epoxy related post
Which epoxy for potting the converter board
Artic alumina as potting compound?
AA + epoxy recipe help
What can I say? I wish I had read these links 48 hours ago, that is such a total poo poo on my part!!! Just remember not to repeat my mistake! It is so bad that it is not even funny--almost can be the joke of the year.../ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif
My original post asking about ingredients and advice on Shoppe.
Note: Stonedog has an excellent idea about making sandwich height(for Minimag), GreenLed has provided a few very useful links to soldiering, wire gauge and epoxy)
(Thanks again to Wayne, GreenLed and Stonedog for answering my questions!)
Thanks again to Sandwich Shoppe, McGizmo and many talented modders on our forum, without your instructions and inspirations, none will be possible! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
And Thank you for reading, and hoped your PM6 mod is a successful one! Enjoy! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
