Help with ARC-LS mod please..

Ok I got a little excited when I placed my order with the Shoppe for my FF2 and I threw in a bunch of 17mm reflectors,resistors, and some 3 watt luxeons. I am going to attempt to put these parts to use on some of my ARC-LS lights and I am hoping someone can help me with the details of the reflector. I think the ones coming to me are the new style with the legs. I have the lights all apart now so most of it should be pretty easy to do. Will I have to remove the legs to allow the reflector to fit the board and if so is there any other thing I should do to make this reflector fit? I have one awesome LitFuse mod that inspired this idea of mine(TWOH at 667 mAh,reflector,UCL) and I am afraid to open it up to see how the reflector fits. If I play my cards right I will have a total of 4 ARC LS and each will have a reflector...(I am greedy) I am going to use the luxeons I just purchased also(TWOK,SWOK) and one I am leaving factory as the luxeon is already nice and white.
Sorry to ramble however I am kind of excited about my new toys....any help would be appreciated and I will keep you posted of the results.

I also have some 17 mm UCL lenses coming and I am hoping these will also be a drop in with these reflectors. They should be here within a few days and I have no idea what type of modifications I wil have to do to these new style reflectors....anyone??

Hey Noel, I have recently been completely removing the legs/fins from the IMS reflectors. I believe the bit of extra work involved is worth it. Removing the fins and making the reflector smooth will allow you to use the nylon optic retainer to "lock" the reflector in place which does a pretty good job in centering the reflector in the bezel and helps to keep it from shifting if the light gets dropped.

Alternately, you could just snip the "feet" off of the reflectors, omit the nylon retainer, and tighten the assembly via pressure from the lockring through the board, black perimeter of the Luxeon, reflector, and onto the lens. Either will work, but the modified reflector is a better way to do it. Chances are that your TWOH light has the fins still on it though as I've only been doing it the other way for a couple of months. A good tool to take the fins off is a Dremel with a sanding "drum" attachment. I used to use a file, but this is 10 times faster. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I tried to take some pictures to help illustrate what I'm talking about, but I have a hell of a time with macro type shots... At any rate here they are-- let me know if you have any questions.

Peter

BTW- Those 17mm UCLs are great for the FF~2, but they won't work in the Arc. I have some mineral glass lenses, let me know if you need a couple.

Fitting the reflector in is really quite easy. You'll have to trim off the legs and file smooth. When you get the LS's apart you'll see how the original optic is held in place. Mount the refector the same way. The outside shape and size of the reflector is much the same as the optic.

As for your UCL lens I believe the correct size is 19.5mm

Even faster than using a dremel to trim off the legs is to use some cutters (I've gone blank on the term - pliers that cut...), and if necessary file smooth. The plastic on the reflectors doesn't withstand much stress and snaps right off with very little force.

Good luck.

Robocop, you are on a roll!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Thanks Peter for the pics. I like the idea of using the retaining lock to hold the reflector inside the bezel. This seems easy enough to do and I hope the results turn out pretty good. I did not know the lens size was different however I will let you know if I need any more. The 3 ARCs I am modding have almost no use and the stock lens should do for now. GreenLed I do kind of feel like I am on a roll with this plan of mine. I really simply enjoy tinkering with this stuff and it makes it much more rewarding when I have a few better quality parts to play with. I have always compared my other ARCs to my LitFuse mod and they do not even come close to Peters work. I simply had to have reflectors,if nothing else,after I had Peter do my First ARC. I was kind of spoiled and just never looked at my old ARCs the same. I really recommend to all flashaholics to at least sample one custom mod of this quality.Believe me when I say you really do not know what you are missing. I am still learning but I always get a big kick out of improving,or simply changing,a light and have it work better than before...it is a lot of fun to me. On a side note can anyone tell me what bin most of the ARC LSHPs were ? I know the emitters were not on a star but will anyone like to take a guess at what bin most of the brighter LHSPs probably were. I have one LHSP that is crystal white and with a reflector should be perfect. I am most likely going to leave this one alone and use the SWOK and TWOK on the other 2. Also will I be able to have much difference if I bump the current to 667 mAh on the factory LHSP board that is already nice and white? Most people change out emitters when bumping current and I am curious if this is due to the factory emitter not being able to handle the increase or simply for a better tint.....Thanks for looking and for the help as well.

[ QUOTE ]
Endeavour said:
Even faster than using a dremel to trim off the legs is to use some cutters (I've gone blank on the term - pliers that cut...), and if necessary file smooth. The plastic on the reflectors doesn't withstand much stress and snaps right off with very little force.

Good luck.

[/ QUOTE ]


Side cutters? http://www.totalmodel.com/workshop/images/cutters.jpg

One of my most used tools.

The cutters are a good idea if you have a pair. I do actually use them first, and then the Dremel to finish the job.

I don't know about the bins on the -Ps, but if you're happy with the tint, I would just leave it in there. I've done a couple mods where the stock -P Luxeon had better brigtness than a "T" flux III. I've been doing most mods at 611mA now-- the brightness difference is pretty much nil, and they run a bit cooler and longer per battery. Try one at 500mA, the brightness difference is really not that much...

I have to say that I am not a fan of the stock LS lenses though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif A UCL would be my first choice, but the mineral lenses are very nice also. A glass lens in the modded LS is the only way to go.

Peter

Peter,

I bet you are the one who cleaned out Chris' LS UCL's. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif They've been out of stock for a while now.

While we're at it... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif..., I hope you won't feel like I'm jacking your thread, Robocop, as it's not my intention, but I've always wanted to know what was the stock mA for an Arc board, and also what resistor value should I add to get 600-700mA? (I'm pretty sure where that would be soldered, at least! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif)

The stock current is 333ma. Adding 0.15 would bring it to 667. 0.12 would boost to 750.

Here's a calculator to compute for desired current values.

And adding 0.27 will give you about 500 mA.

robocop, I'm thinking of modding my LS with a SO17 reflector, too, and I already added a Lux III. That really makes a difference (I had an LSL before).

Are the lenses 19.5 or rather 16.8 mm, as stated in another thread ?

Thanks for the replies guys, that's what I was looking for! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

@Billson,

You can get mineral glass here as LiteFuse pointed out in another thread Thanks LitFuse /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

ucl lens substitute

19.7mm for the arc-ls $15 minimum order, $8 shipping, Group buy
anyone?

Curious, modders trimming the legs off the ims reflectors I don't
because I'd like the weight distributed away from the base of the
luxeon as much as possiibe any theories why you do it?

What tool did you use to take out the retaining rings (and where did you buy the tool)? I have tried to use snap-ring pliers but to no avail.

Regards.

Brute force is the only way that worked for me.

cgpeanut I trimmed the legs off so I could keep the plastic retaining ring to more securely hold the reflector inside the head. There are 2 rings inside the LS with a plastic one for the optic and a metal one for the circuit board I assume this is why most modders trim the legs as with them in place the plastic retaining ring will not seat correctly. I had a fit with the very first metal retaining ring that I attempted to remove. Once I did it I seemed to be able to do it more easily with my others. I used a pair of needle nose pliars with the ends filed to a more thin diameter. I held a soldering tip to the ring and let it heat up a little. I was not able to loosen it at first but realized that if I actually tightened it a small bit it seemed to break loose the loctite and I was then able to move it. I worked it back and forth a few times and it simply un-screwed with little effort. If I remember correct I held the soldering iron to the ring for about 15 seconds. The body became just past the point where I could not hold it with my bare hands. I used a folded wrag and a pair of vice grips to secure the body. I really am not sure if I would suggest the method of tightening the ring a little first as I was a little worried that this could crush the emitter or board somehow. It did work however but I also found that if I applied a little more heat that I was able to loosen it without first tightening it.This mod seemed so confusing at first but after you jump into it it is actually very fun and not that hard.