yet another 3Dx3xLux3 mod (lots of pics)

This is my first completed mod (I started an O-sink one earlier, but am waiting for a couple of LDO regulars to finish it off). It's nothing really new per se, but I found that during my research to build this that pics really help out newbies like me a LOT. This is basically just like KevinL's Mag3X mod (where I got the idea from), except instead of using a 3C Mag, I'm using a 3D Mag, which I learned changes the recipe a fair bit.

First, you can't use SO20XAs since they're too tall, nor can you use Stars for the same reason, and you can't use a thick aluminum heatsink for the same reason again because there is a lot less depth in the D head. So what I ended up using was a 3/16" thick copper heatsink made by b2eze, 3 emitters, 3 Fraen optics, 3 SO17XA reflectors. I used the thinner copper disc because although aluminum dissipates heat faster, copper transfers heat even faster (that's why high end CPU (80-100watt applications) heatsinks are all made from copper instead of aluminum).

I first cleaned the copper disc with 99% isopropyl alcohol. As you can see on the tip of the Q-Tip, that was probably a good idea.



Next are the ingredients, all purchased and shipped very quickly from PhotonFanatic.


Next I seated the emitters upside down in the ingenious polycarbonate spacer disc provided by b2eze for perfect 120 degree spacing and applied a thin layer of Arctic Alumina Epoxy onto the metal slug of the emitters after cleaning them off with alcohol too.



Then I placed the copper disc on top of the assembly and clamped it together to allow the epoxy to set for a couple hours.



After letting the epoxy cure, I screwed in the PR base adaptor and proceeded to wire up the whole thing. Excuse the cruddy soldering job, soldering is not my forte.






Next is some test fitting of the Fraen optics and SO17XA reflectors.

Fraen








SO17XA





As you can tell from the pics, I was really worried that the SO17XA setup wouldn't work because it was sticking up a fair bit, and when I first tried to screw down the bezel, it wouldn't screw down all the way. So I just tried harder /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif , and when I finally screwed it all the way down, the polycarbonate lense bulged out a bit, but it worked. After trying them both out, I prefer the beam characteristics of the SO17XA. It had a smaller and tighter hotspot, with clearly defined sidespill. Very similar to a QIII, but bigger and brighter obviously. And you don't notice the 3 separate beam patterns until about 1ft away from the wall. The Fraen setup gave a noticably bigger hotspot, but less defined, and the sidespill kinda just tapered off from the hotspot. I'd post some beamshots, but I'm still trying to figure out good manual settings for my Canon A80. I can't seem to capture the light quite right. So if anyone has some tips on photographing beam shots with Canon digicams, please feel free to advise me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif Hope this is helpful for another newbie like me in their build.

Very cool. Good job with the mod and the pictures /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Will

The emitter jig is pretty neat

Nice job! Ever think of trying some 20mm reflectors?

Jeff

wquiles, Thanks! It's my first time posting pics, so I'm just glad they worked.

evan9162, yes, that emitter jig is pretty cool. B2eze included that with the copper heatsink. Glad he did too, because I'm sure I would not have been able to center it that perfectly freehand.

xpitxbullx, I wanted to try SO20XAs, but they're just too tall to fit. Even at 10.7mm high (without the legs), the SO17XA just barely fit, so the SO20XAs at 15.7mm (w/o legs) would most definitely not fit.

Hmmm, you're haveing the smae issues as i am, i guess i need shorter optics. poop

BTW this is Hamsup's buddy.

Nice setup. I was curious - do you use any kind of adhesive to mount the optics / reflector to the Lux ?

the optics are pressed down by the mag lens, or you can use a tiny dab of glue on the feet of the optics.

Turbo_E, yup, need short reflectors. I wanted the SO20s for more throw, but they're just too tall. Theoretically, if I eliminated the 3/16" (4.76mm) copper heatsink, the SO20s would probably fit, but then there'd be no heatsink. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Ahhh... so you're the other flashaholic that he knows, nice to meet ya. Small world. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

HarryN, the optics just sorta sit on top of the high domes, and I just plop the polycarb lens on it, then screw down the front bezel ring, and the pressure from the spring/switch pushes the PR base up into contact with the lens, so it's pressure fit. However, this does lift the heatsink disc up a bit, so the bottom outer edge of the disc does not make contact with the ledge of the D head, so only the outer edge of the disc makes physical contact with the head to transfer away heat. The PR base also conducts some heat, but not much compared to the disc.

The reflectors are just friction fit, 2 of the 3 fit really snug around the high dome, but again, it's pressure fit, but this time the disc is pressed back onto that ledge of the head for better heat dissipation because the SO17s are just a tad taller then the Fraens. But at this point I'm not too worried about the contact surface area because it's just direct drive on alkalines, so I'm maybe pushing 400-500ma through each Lux3, and the copper disc will easily handle that. If/when I swap in 4Cs and a DB1000 or an nFlex, then I'd be more concerned about heat. It's pretty frigg'n bright as it is. I made the mistake of staring into it briefly after I finished, just to make sure it worked, and was seeing 3 bright spots every time I blinked for the next 20 mins. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Man! that looks nice! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

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Man! that looks nice!

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Thanks, you are too kind (unless of course you were refering to my photography skills, which seem to be better than my soldering skills). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif I might try stranded wire next time, the solid core stuff was a bit of a pain to work with (using my meager skills). I actually twisted one of the Lux leads like 6 or 7 times while positioning the wires for grounding and I was afraid it was going to twist the lead right off. Hmmm... maybe I should screw down the ground wires first, then solder them onto the leads. Yeah, that sounds better actually.

Anyway, I still gotta find somewhere to apply glow powder now that I've finally managed to track down some Devcon 2 ton clear epoxy. I was gonna put some on the copper sink, but since I'm using reflectors, there isn't gonna be much light to charge them up. Hmmm... maybe I could put it on the inside edge of the front bezel since it will receive lotsa light and give it a glow ring effect. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif