Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 bezel

I am thinking of buying an L1 with a green Luxeon III, from a fellow CPF member. The light uses the new 4th generation KL1 style bezel, which in the case of the L1 doesn't have a regulation board installed in it. I would like to have the bezel worked on, to replace the emitter with a white TW0J Luxeon III, to replace the optic with a 17mm reflector, and to replace the domed window with a flat UCL glass. Will this new bezel design allow me to complete this project? Does anybody know the binning code of the Luxeon III emitter used in the white output version of the L1?

As far as I know, the binning of the luxeon in any particular KL1 is a crap shoot. I would venture a guess and say that Surefire is using T bins though.

As for modding it, I don't know. I recently modded a KL1 and it was a bear to get into. I was able to replace the stock luxeon with a TWOJ and replace the optic with a 20mm reflector, but after all was said and done, I don't think that it was a worthwhile mod.

Considering the cost of the KL1, the cost of the parts for the mod, the risk of damage to the KL1, and the time involved in the mod, I think that it would be more cost effective to just just buy a head, or light, that already does what you want to turn the KL1 into.

The route that you are talking about, going with a 17mm reflector, is going to result in a light that will likely have significantly less throw than the stock L1. The 20mm reflector is closer in throwing performance, to the stock optic, than the 17mm is; and the 20mm won't throw quite as far as the stock optic will. The 17mm will afford a more useable beam though. In my opinion, anyway.

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

HMM, YOUR GETTING RID OF THE DOME GLASS, WHY, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE FLOOD THAN THROW?

-David

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

[ QUOTE ]
cheapo said:
HMM, YOUR GETTING RID OF THE DOME GLASS, WHY, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE FLOOD THAN THROW?

-David

[/ QUOTE ]

Better beam quality, more useful (at short range), superior area coverage, etc......

Not everyone is obsessed with having EVERY light they own being badder and longer throwing than everyone elses I suppose....

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

The stock lens is thicker than a UCL. You will have to find a way to make it fit snug.

Jeff

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

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xpitxbullx said:
The stock lens is thicker than a UCL. You will have to find a way to make it fit snug.

Jeff

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I know this may not be up to standards, but I've been knowen to use sticky tact under a reflector or optic to make it fit correctly /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

As for bins, I'm pretty sure I've seen S binned L1's, but they are uncommon. I suspect somewhere around 95% are T bin, and the very rare few are U binned.

Cheapo, Flood is highly supeior the throw for using a light. It it utterly worthless to set a light down and try to fix something in the dark if it has a needle beam, not only can you not see what you are doing, but it will blind you as well. Look at an L4 for example, its a flood beam and is very very useful close up, but it will still throw pretty well out to about 40-50 feet, due to sheer brightness. I find it rare in real use that I ever need to see anything more then about 30 feet away, unless its a 'I wonder what that is' situation, but if that happens I'm usally at home and have easy accsess to spotlights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

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thesurefire said:


Cheapo, Flood is highly supeior the throw for using a light. It it utterly worthless to set a light down and try to fix something in the dark if it has a needle beam, not only can you not see what you are doing, but it will blind you as well. Look at an L4 for example, its a flood beam and is very very useful close up, but it will still throw pretty well out to about 40-50 feet, due to sheer brightness. I find it rare in real use that I ever need to see anything more then about 30 feet away, unless its a 'I wonder what that is' situation, but if that happens I'm usally at home and have easy accsess to spotlights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

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Very well said!

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

Tony,
Nice to see you again. Where have you been hiding?

A "T" bin Luxeon III is a very nice one indeed. Much can been done with a "T" bin, especially when it is underdriven to close to a Luxeon I level as it is in the KL1 bezel with the regulation board intact. I heard that the cracking open of the three bezel sections is the hardest phase of a mod. You are correct in the risk factor of a 4th Gen KL1 mod, but I just cannot get used to the optic and the domed window that comes stock on it.

Like you said, even the KL1 bezel without a regulation board that comes with the new L1, could represent a risky proposition trying to crack it open.

I realize that the TIRO optic gives much greater throw than my 17mm reflector replacement, but since you modded my L1 bezel and added the 17mm reflector, that has to this day been my favorite light of all times, even though I have several other SF lights and two McGizmo bezels for throw. The 17mm reflector projects a very usable beam for me, and this is why I have a KL1 (finned) bezel with one in it.

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

cheapo,
Good question! I am not fond of the KL1's beam pattern, as projected by the TIRO optic and the domed window. I have three Luxeon III lights using a 17mm reflector, and the beam pattern is just beautiful in each of them. Chop did one of them, and what a great job he did!!! My PR-T and Aleph3 bezels will take care of my throw needs.

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

Well spoken, 357......

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

You just "learned" me something Jeff. Are the mineral glass windows similar in thickness to the stock domed windows?

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

[ QUOTE ]
thesurefire said:
[ QUOTE ]
xpitxbullx said:
The stock lens is thicker than a UCL. You will have to find a way to make it fit snug.

Jeff

[/ QUOTE ]

I know this may not be up to standards, but I've been knowen to use sticky tact under a reflector or optic to make it fit correctly /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

As for bins, I'm pretty sure I've seen S binned L1's, but they are uncommon. I suspect somewhere around 95% are T bin, and the very rare few are U binned.

Cheapo, Flood is highly supeior the throw for using a light. It it utterly worthless to set a light down and try to fix something in the dark if it has a needle beam, not only can you not see what you are doing, but it will blind you as well. Look at an L4 for example, its a flood beam and is very very useful close up, but it will still throw pretty well out to about 40-50 feet, due to sheer brightness. I find it rare in real use that I ever need to see anything more then about 30 feet away, unless its a 'I wonder what that is' situation, but if that happens I'm usally at home and have easy accsess to spotlights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

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totally disagree, throw is not the end all nor is flood.
A light that does both is going to be versatile, and usable
in far many application's. i can't imagine paying money for a light that only give's 30 ft throw. Especially if your outside.
A KL-1 is a great light as is Q-III or L4 floodish light's, many people use a light in different way's, and
none is wrong, but i would think to most user's, a light that has a great balance between flood and throw is going to be used the most.
I love a tight beam (not a laser, not a X-1 type beam)
so the KL-1 does fine for me,It's beam DOES open up into a decent beam lighting up what your gonna be walking to with out having to pan back and forth and a HDS does even better because it has the throw of of a KL-1 and the a nice usable flood. Too many good light's out there to not have best of both. VDG

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

you can try using O-rings from a minimag bezel cap (the one that seals against the lens) to make the UCL snug. it sounds like you might be happier with a 3rd generation KL1 with a different optic/reflector.

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

[ QUOTE ]
thesurefire said:
Cheapo, Flood is highly superior the throw for using a light. It it utterly worthless to set a light down and try to fix something in the dark if it has a needle beam, not only can you not see what you are doing, but it will blind you as well. Look at an L4 for example, its a flood beam and is very very useful close up, but it will still throw pretty well out to about 40-50 feet, due to sheer brightness. I find it rare in real use that I ever need to see anything more then about 30 feet away, unless its a 'I wonder what that is' situation, but if that happens I'm usally at home and have easy access to spotlights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

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I agree with you thesurefire. Throw has it's close range limitations. I am not yet at the point in this hobby where I know what combination of flood and spot I desire the most. As I said, Chop's L1 mod using a "T" flux binned Luxeon III and a 17mm reflector, is my favorite light. Beside the L1 that I am bragging about, has anybody ever seen a KL1 (finned version) bezel with a TW0J Luxeon III, driven at 700mA, using a 17mm reflector? How about an Arc LSH bezel with a TW0H Luxeon III, driven at 611mA, using a 17mm reflector? You will be amazed at their crisp, clean, bright, and wide hotspots, as well as their very prominent and useful sidespill areas. There is something about this combination of parts that gives me goosebumps. This is why I seek out bezels where I may be able to obtain these characteristics.

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

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voodoogreg said:
Totally disagree, throw is not the end all, nor is flood.
A light that does both is going to be versatile, and usable
in far many applications. I can't imagine paying money for a light that only give's 30 ft of throw, especially if you're outside. Too many good light's out there to not have the best of both. VDG

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I like the way this thread has evolved. The discussion as to which type of projection method, optic or reflector, gives us the best compromise in output, is one which will persist for a long time. The use of the word "versatile" tells it all! It seems that all of my lights, except for the PR-T and Aleph3 bezels, have a nice blend of both worlds. Even the L4 may be a little too "floody" for me, in some situations. In that case, I just replace my KL4 bezel with my Luxeon III KL1 bezel. I love my light collection, so far.

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

chamenos,
Please refresh me on the "generational progression" of the KL1 bezel. My current one has fins, so is this 1st generation? I know that the one in production now is 4th generation. So how do the 2nd and 3rd generation versions look?

I strongly agree with everybody, in that I would be asking for trouble in many ways if I attempt a "buy and mod" of a 4th generation KL1. Therefore, I will not!!!

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

[ QUOTE ]
luxlover said:
[ QUOTE ]
voodoogreg said:
Totally disagree, throw is not the end all, nor is flood.
A light that does both is going to be versatile, and usable
in far many applications. I can't imagine paying money for a light that only give's 30 ft of throw, especially if you're outside. Too many good light's out there to not have the best of both. VDG

[/ QUOTE ]

I like the way this thread has evolved. The discussion as to which type of projection method, optic or reflector, gives us the best compromise in output, is one which will persist for a long time. The use of the word "versatile" tells it all! It seems that all of my lights, except for the PR-T and Aleph3 bezels, have a nice blend of both worlds. Even the L4 may be a little too "floody" for me, in some situations. In that case, I just replace my KL4 bezel with my Luxeon III KL1 bezel. I love my light collection, so far.

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I think so too LL. I have really enjoyed swapping bezel's on my vital gear and sure fire bodies,KL-1's and E1e on a VG 1X123 are both cool combo's for different application's.
I now want a chop mod to round out the SF/VG lego's collection. (and btw thanks chop for turning me on to the VG stuff) Man, VG/FB-1 + E1e bezel is soo small! really cool for times you don't need a real bright light.

I was thinking it's too bad that a LED light (or really any light)can't be done with a mag type flood to spot without the crappy beam quality.It sure would
make life easier imho. VDG

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

[ QUOTE ]
voodoogreg said:


I was thinking it's too bad that a LED light (or really any light)can't be done with a mag type flood to spot without the crappy beam quality.It sure would
make life easier imho. VDG

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That would be awesome to have spot to flood functionality, and GOOD (or better) beam quality....

Re: Replacing the optic and emitter in a new KL1 b

Throw..that's what the high power turbo headed incans are for ::sinister