Converting SL4 Xenon > LED?

[haibeis]

Update:

you don't need to swap pills to make it fit....

just cut about 5mm of the end of the 35mm reflector,and the brass pill will screw in far enough - and stay in nice and tight...

The beam that eventuates is just a bit tighter than the 26mm jobs,
but not different enough to go to the trouble of fitting it inside an SL4...

......for which it is just too long to fit in safely...

never mind - i have another use in mind for the resultant light engine....

stay posted - it's going to involve plumbing!

 

[DiverDun]

Hi Folks

Obviously I am late in the game to share my experience. I made my first DIY LED SL6 version last winter. My wife and I use a UK SL6 with a canister adapter (What Works, Works!). A number of people have asked about our light as it is extremely effective so I eventually made up a web page to share the procedure with some local dive clubs. Even though the modules are discussed well here, I think some may find my procedure useful. I also have provided some comparative photos and current measurements.
LED INSERT FOR UK SL6

I wish I had known about the reflector that you can buy earlier as I would have tried it on my last unit.

Jim

 

[haibeis]

Folks - stop the presses -

just saw a "CREE XPG" p60 drop-in module on kaidomain.
400 lumens from 3 watts.

for the non-flashlight-o-philes....

same size drop in as the one in this mod....
roughly twice as bright

Now where'd i put my paypal account.....

 

[wquiles]

Folks - stop the presses -

just saw a "CREE XPG" p60 drop-in module on kaidomain.
400 lumens from 3 watts.

for the non-flashlight-o-philes....

same size drop in as the one in this mod....
roughly twice as bright

Now where'd i put my paypal account.....

Keep in mind that specs from Asia tend to be on the "exagerated" region

If you look at the specs and data sheet from Cree here you will see that at max. current of 1000mA, the best bin (R5) will give a theoretical max. of about 312 lumens (139 * 2.25), and that would be at about 3.5 watts - so there is no way that a drop-in module at 3 watts can give you 400 lumens.

I am not saying that these drop-ins are not worth getting - just don''t believe all of the specs on these products coming from Asia

 

[haibeis]

Totally agree re: the specs....

given the existing R2's come from the same place,
and assuming the same exaggeration factor,
i still reckon these will end up being more than a tad brighter...

cheers,

 

[bevansmw]

Keep in mind that specs from Asia tend to be on the "exagerated" region

If you look at the specs and data sheet from Cree here you will see that at max. current of 1000mA, the best bin (R5) will give a theoretical max. of about 312 lumens (139 * 2.25), and that would be at about 3.5 watts - so there is no way that a drop-in module at 3 watts can give you 400 lumens.

I am not saying that these drop-ins are not worth getting - just don''t believe all of the specs on these products coming from Asia

I ordered one of these the other day, was looking at the specs and noticed the theoretical max actually has a 250% @ 1A (pg 5 here: http://www.cree.com/products/pdf/XLampXP-G.pdf), so it would be (139 * 2.5) for about 347.5lm min the binning data also shows min lm @ 350ma is 139 and max is 148 so range for each LED driven at 1A would be from 347.5lm - 370lm, still under the 400lm from DX page. The angle for light from the XP-G is larger than the XR-E as well. XP-G has 125 deg whereas XR-E is 90 deg for white color.

Watts @ max recommended drive current of 1A would be...

3.3V*1A = 3.3W (XP-G)

3.7V*1A = 3.7W (XR-E)

XR-E R2 lumens: 256.5lm - 274.5lm @ 1A

So XP-G provides more lumens at less power consumption compared to XR-E and wider beam emitted from LED lens. Means longer burn time than XR-E as well.

Overall XP-G looks like a much better LED than XR-E. More lumens, less heat and longer burn time for your batts. Curious how the beams are out of the DX reflectors.

 

[jjblomquist]

I just got some CR132a 3.7v batteries took 4 weeks to get here. I have a SL 4 w/cree R2 mod. So I repaced the 2 C batteries under the LED mod with 3 of the 3.7v batteries for a total of 14.1v. What a big diferences it makes Wow!!!!
I also tryied it in a Halcyon Scout with the R2 mod left one C cell in and added 3 3.7v on top for 12.6 v total nice and bright. Has anyone also done these and how long will they burn. Thank:cool2:

 

[spoolin01]

I just got some CR132a 3.7v batteries took 4 weeks to get here. I have a SL 4 w/cree R2 mod. So I repaced the 2 C batteries under the LED mod with 3 of the 3.7v batteries for a total of 14.1v. What a big diferences it makes Wow!!!!
I also tryied it in a Halcyon Scout with the R2 mod left one C cell in and added 3 3.7v on top for 12.6 v total nice and bright. Has anyone also done these and how long will they burn. Thank:cool2:

What sort of R2 mod did you make to your SL4? I've tried the DX R2 and Q5 drop-ins, but the drivers must control output, since the beam intensity is the same with an SL6 as SL4. How did you set up the R2? thanks, Mike

 

[nwbrewer]

I just got some CR132a 3.7v batteries took 4 weeks to get here. I have a SL 4 w/cree R2 mod. So I repaced the 2 C batteries under the LED mod with 3 of the 3.7v batteries for a total of 14.1v. What a big diferences it makes Wow!!!!
I also tryied it in a Halcyon Scout with the R2 mod left one C cell in and added 3 3.7v on top for 12.6 v total nice and bright. Has anyone also done these and how long will they burn. Thank:cool2:

Uhhhhh... are you really mixing battery chemistry's? This could go very much bad....

 

[haibeis]

yeah - have to second the warning re: using different battery chemistries - they all have different discharge characteristics, and if you stuff up bad enough, you could end up reverse charging a weaker battery - at best it will leak, at worst - "boom!"...
(why not replace the real 'c' cells with dummy ones?)

it is no big deal to run the R2's right up to their rated max voltage - the controllers are constant current output devices - (this is why sl4 or sl6 looks the same brighteness wise) you will find that when they are run at higher voltages, the input current is less,
so the Sl6 should burn for longer.

cheers,