[Dominik.M]

You probably all know this light, solid reliable but a bit old these days :cryin:

They declared 520-600 lumens output, but looking at numbers it never have that many - it consumes 8,1W of power that means that at 90% driver efficiency led will get 2,45W.
SSC P4 @ 2,45W -> 150 lumens * 3 => 450

The light is using standard Fraen_FL3_K2 optics designed for Luxeon K2 but it works fine - inside three SSC P4 emiters on PCB board - no wonder that after some time the light became bluish.

I was wondering why nobody retrofitted that light earlier - but when I saw the driver and individual led connections It was easy to figure why.

MOD :cornut:

You need to wire up the driver :

Connect it to a modified mcpcb with three Cree XP-G R4 Outdoor White :thumbsup: .

Put everything together and go for a ride :eekster:

HIGH

MID

LOW

Outdoor shots of moded light were made in wet conditions.

 

[Cat-man-do]

Dominik,
As an owner of a Dinotte 600L I have long waited to see someone do a mod of what is one of my all time favorite bike lights. Your pictures are top notch and the beam shots are great! To tell the truth I don't know how you got the thing apart! :lol:
Yes the back comes off but the front on mine feels like it's glued on (?)

I'm a little disappointed that you chose to use the smaller triple board but I am really glad to see that someone at least made the mod and shows that it is possible. I do have a couple questions as I just might be willing to try my hand at doing the same.

My questions:
1) How did you get the front off? Did it scratch up the outer front cap?
2) Was it hard ( over all ) to disassemble?
3) Since you're not using the original optic, are you using a clear lens over the new 20mm triple optic?
4) Continued from above, is the front water proof?
5) Are you using the most narrow optic for the new triple?

More general comments:
Since I also own a 20mm triple XP-G these are my observations of the two set-ups. ( I will assume you are using the most narrow optic )

My opinion is that the XP-G triple wins out over the 600L original set-up as far as the high setting goes. Once you get to the mid mode and the low mode, the original set-up looks to be more usable. This is likely due to the fact that the Carclo optics on the XP-G's are not as narrow as the originals. This makes the output on medium and low not as intense as the originals as the new optic spreads the output out too much. I would love to see this set-up done with an XP-E R2 set-up as the output should be much more confined and as such should also give better throw. This should also improve the beam patterns for the lower modes and make them more usable.

Could you give us a closer photo of the soldering you did on the driver board? ( or a simple drawing )
Once again, a double, double thumbs up! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Dominik.M]

My questions:
1) How did you get the front off? Did it scratch up the outer front cap?
2) Was it hard ( over all ) to disassemble?
3) Since you're not using the original optic, are you using a clear lens over the new 20mm triple optic?
4) Continued from above, is the front water proof?
5) Are you using the most narrow optic for the new triple?

1. Front lens is hold only by the o-ring - you have to remove it gently and the optics will fall out.
2. For person who cracked / cut / dismount most of the light available on the European market - no
3. No, and it is 35mm optics - it was chosen specifically because you have to maintain optic height to seal the lamp with the original o-ring.
4. I think so - but looking on this photo :

I think that it was only water resistant
5. Yes 15* - but I've also done 25* version :

HIGH

MID

And MCPCB :

 

[kwarwick]

As a previous owner of a Dinotte 600L, I definitely like what you've done! This light never lived up to its potential as far as I was concerned, which is why I ended up selling it. Now if I had known it was just a mater of pulling the o-ring in the front to get to the LEDS and optics I might of attempted to mod it also.

So one thing I am wondering was why you went with a 20mm triple XPG board and optics given the original board board and optics are 35mm?

Also do you know what kind of current you're driving each LED at now?

 

[Dominik.M]

del

 

[Dominik.M]

So one thing I am wondering was why you went with a 20mm triple XPG board and optics given the original board board and optics are 35mm?

Also do you know what kind of current you're driving each LED at now?

One more time - this is 35 mm optics :aureola:

No i don't - but it should be about 700mA - because actual power consumption after mod drops from 8,1 to 7,1W

 

[kwarwick]

One more time - this is 35 mm optics :aureola:

No i don't - but it should be about 700mA - because actual power consumption after mod drops from 8,1 to 7,1W

The original Fraen FL3 optics are definitely 35mm, but the replacement look just like Carclo 3 up 20mm optics that have added material to fill in a 35mm opening. I guess Carclo makes those, I just haven't seen them before.

So what I'm really asking is did you think of going with full 35mm optics, like say Ledil Cute 3 (http://www.ledil.com/datasheets/DataSheet_Cute-3-XP.pdf) with a 35mm LED board, or would that not have fit properly?

 

[Dominik.M]

So what I'm really asking is did you think of going with full 35mm optics, like say Ledil Cute 3 (https://www.ledil.com/datasheets/DataSheet_Cute-3-XP.pdf) with a 35mm LED board, or would that not have fit properly?

It wont fit - the fraen is 13,1mm from bottom to top and the Cute 15mm :nono:

 

[kwarwick]

It wont fit - the fraen is 13,1mm from bottom to top and the Cute 15mm :nono:

That's a good reason!

 

[Cat-man-do]

It wont fit - the fraen is 13,1mm from bottom to top and the Cute 15mm :nono:
]

Perhaps another option would of been to try to remove the emitters from the original board and replace them with just the bare XP-G's. Then you might be able to use the original optic. Since they used to make another narrower optic for the P-4's you could also use those ( if you could find them somewhere ) However I don't think doing this would be easier. Since the XPG or E uses a smaller dome and has an over-all smaller foot print you would then be faced with the task of getting everything aligned and centered. Not to mention the task of soldering those small emitters. Then you would likely need a thicker O-ring

It would also be interesting to see this tried with XM-L's :ihih:

 

[Dominik.M]

Perhaps another option would of been to try to remove the emitters from the original board and replace them with just the bare XP-G's.

1. The pads doesn't match :nono:
2. The thermal proprietress of the PCB (FR-4) su....s hard :madman: You are slow-boiling the leds :smallviolin:

 

[radirpok]

Nice mod... also a little bit too late for me as well
It is really a shame that Dinotte let the 600L die and did not give an upgraded version... :-(

 

[Glynis27]

Wonder if I could do something similar to my 400L. I love that little light, but a bit more light would be nice.

 

[Dominik.M]

Wonder if I could do something similar to my 400L.

I think that it is possible. You only have to do it by yourself, or wait until someone asks me for such mod - then the manual will certainly appear on the mtbr.

 

[ZoneRider]

Connections

And MCPCB :

Dominik,

I'm a noob with led lights, but I want to try modding the 600L I own for several years now.

As you said, the driver has individual led connections.
The original PCB gets a separated + to each led, and only the ground is common.

You seem to have only one RED wire (+ I assume) going to all 3 modded leds.

Did you just pick one of the positives from the driver, or did you short all 3 together and then use the red wire?

Also, why 3 negative wires and not one that splits on the PCB like the positive.

I feel that I'm missing something important and basic to make it happen.

Please elaborate on the connections...

Thanks.

 

[Dominik.M]

On the driver you have common (+) and individual (-)
so 1 (+) red wire and 3 (-) black wires...

 

[ZoneRider]

On the driver you have common (+) and individual (-)
so 1 (+) red wire and 3 (-) black wires...

Thank you for the fast reply.

When I tested with my Fluke, the 3 (-) are short together (common), and the 3 (+) are not common (separated).
Maybe I need the a picture of the other side, where the (+) is connected, to netter understand what you did...

My concern is that when I connect only one (+), the 3 leds will not get enough juice to operate.

On another note, where did you buy the optics and PCB?
Can you please give model #s and links to the store?