"McR- xx" Reflectors

Yepp, shots are non-shimmed with standard LEs.
bernie

Hey Don
I just wanted to post reguarding my impressions of the McR-18 in the Fenix.

I love it! IMO the fenix should come with this reflector. Great sidespill, smooth transition from spill to spot and a signifigantly larger spot than the oem flector.

Thanks alot for making these available. I am a very satisfied customer!

cool xochi!

hows the McR-18 look with a LuxV in a minimag? thanks..

Does anyone have any beam shot comparisons between the McR-20 and the McR-18?

I'm wanting to use a couple in a project, but am not sure which. I have another LED taking care of flood, but need something that will throw a little further out, but still provide wide coverage, at that throw, if possible. I'm limited in size, so it pretty much has to be either the 18 or the 20.

Oh, BTW, this will be used with a UX1K LuxIII Star. It will probably be driven at nominal current (350mA), or maybe just slightly overdriven, to possibly 500-600mA. I also believe this star has the new slug type.

Nemul,
No idea of the 18 with a 5W in any host.

Geogecko,
I don't have beam shot comparisons but perhaps someone else does. The 18 is just a cut down version of the 20 so figure a larger spot and corona angle on the 18 VS the 20 but by how much, I can't guess. With a Joker LED, you will have a less defined and concentrated spot and more light in the corona. A better beam for close to mid range but not as strong at distance. To allign the focus, file off about .015" from the rear of the reflector.

What I'm shooting for, as far as throw is concerned, is to see well about 100 feet out in front of me. Is your reference to a "Joker LED" the one I'm talking about using? Also, how would I know that I've taken .015" off the reflector (buy a caliper)?

Are you planning on upgrading your reflectors to conpensate for the new die positions? Reason I'm asking, is that if I end up making 100 or more lights, I'd rather not have to spend the time sanding down reflectors...just wondering.

McGizmo said:

Nemul,
No idea of the 18 with a 5W in any host.

Click to expand...

looks like im just goin have to try then huh? lol

Geogecko said:

What I'm shooting for, as far as throw is concerned, is to see well about 100 feet out in front of me. Is your reference to a "Joker LED" the one I'm talking about using? Also, how would I know that I've taken .015" off the reflector (buy a caliper)?

Are you planning on upgrading your reflectors to conpensate for the new die positions? Reason I'm asking, is that if I end up making 100 or more lights, I'd rather not have to spend the time sanding down reflectors...just wondering.

Click to expand...

Fair questions!

A caliper would be the best way to measure the height of the reflector. As far as plans go, this is a sore subject for me since I have yet to get a straight and firm answer from Lumileds (via Future). I was given the impresion that Lumileds has reverted back to the original pedestal height and that current inventory of LED's with the new sink would have the original height and not be "jokers". I purchased 500 Luxeon III's based on this understanding. Every one of them is a joker!

Ironically, for me, in the case of the deeper reflectors, I find I prefer the beam I am getting by having the die .015" behind the focal point of the reflector. I finished a new Ti light for myself last night and experimented with both the stock as well as joker tuned reflector and opted for the stock 20 mm.

At present, the only reflector I have redesigned and ordered for the "J" is an McR-18-J. I have some of these on order for the shoppe and any builder who might want some. I do have drawinngs for the 27L-J as well but these have not been ordered. I am starting to provide these McR reflectors to other builders and manufacturers and depending on qty needed and viability in general, these reflectors can be altered for the Jokers or even altered for specific build requirements. I am open to exploring any variations which have some potential.

If Lumileds is going to stay with the new die location on the Luxeon III's then I will have to consider that on re orders of reflectors. If in fact they are going to move back to the original but unspecified height of the die prior to the heat sink change, then this will need to be considered.

The McR line came to be primarily for designs I have been building. The line now has some life beyond my projects and I want to support this growth if and when possible. I am moving away from personal build projects and designs so availablity of reflectors will ultimately be a function of aftermarket demand as well as OEM and other builder's support and usage. At present, I have a near full time job doing contract work for other flashlight programs so it is becoming less likely that I will be engaged in many new programs of my own design and doing. I have components on hand and coming in which represent enough builds and time to move well into 2006 (provided there is any demand for my lights! )

Good points! Ah, now I see where the name Joker comes from.

I sent you an e-mail, before I fully had time to read your response here. Based on what you have said, it sounds like you may be too busy...

So would you recommend the 20mm reflector for my application (~100 feet of throw)? That is more of what I was leaning towards. That is the reflector used in the PD, correct?

Geogecko,
Yeah, sorry, way too busy! :green:

The 20 mm is more efficient due to its greater depth and yes, it is the reflector used in the Aleph 2 as well as PD.

What would I expect to see by using the 20mm reflector with a Lux V WWOT?

I'm starting to think that may be the way to go. In an outdoor test, with a PD, U2 and a Light & Motion HID, the throw of the PD was quite a bit more than the HID, but the side spill was lacking (compared to the HID). When comparing the U2 to the HID, the side spill was quite a bit more, and the throw was more in line with the HID.

I realize that the PD and U2 have different sizes of reflectors, so, what I'm wondering, is what a Lux V would give me with a PD reflector (20mm).

I was going to use two Lux III's in this design, but think I could get away with one Lux V, and cut most costs down by $35.

By trimming off the top McR18, it fits perfect on JIL CR2. Thanks, Don.

Warren,

Really...what does the MCR-18 reflector give you in terms of a beam pattern?

more intense center beam with Fenix-like-sidespill...

Geogecko ... here are close-ups of a LuxV in a McR-20:






... and here's the comparison with a range of other McR-xx with a LuxV and LuxIII.

In all those shots the typical variables (camera settings, surroundings, target, ...) have been the same as have been the LuxV and LuxIII LEs for maximum comparability.






And here are some classics for a comparison in thesame setting:




bernie

shot w/ LuxV with McR-18, maybe?

@ 22,000 lux with the HOLA!!! (You know you have too much light, when you still can't see what you're looking at!)

Thanks for all that Bernie.

I like what I'm seeing with the LuxV and the 20mm reflector. A nice broad beam, with just a little throw mixed in. The larger reflectors seem to lose side spill, in an effort to have more throw, at least, if what I'm looking at is correct.

I think I'm set on the 20mm reflectors. I've got some on order from the Sandwich Shoppe. I'm liking those WWOT LuxV Star's they have too, but wow, $44! I'm opting for the WO, because it seems like things look more real with that tint, at least, when looking at grass, trees, and what not. I'm basing this on a comparison between the HID and the U2 (which seems to have a more cyan tint to it's LED), and then, of course, my PD. I like the cool tint of the PD (which I think is a YO) for the tasks that I use it for, but outside, I like the tint of the U2.

So, I assume that the DB917 is a DownBoy regulator @ 917mA? Spec. on a LuxV is 700mA. If I heat sink the LuxV's really well, can I assume that 1A is a safe thing to do, or should I shoot for closer to 900mA?

[Edit: Oh, and Don, thanks for providing a source for screws, that is MUCH better, $4 for a box of 100, versus $155 for a box of 100!!!]

Uh ... Geogecko ... a word of caution !!!

In an Aleph2 head you need to be very careful about heat oo: ... and driving a LuxV at spec (700mA) is toomuch for that head in constant burn. 917mA overdrive is nuts!
I chose the 917mA for this comparison but would never use it in this small head!!!!

Also ... there are beam artifacts in the LuxV / 20mm combo (rings in my case ... you see them in the first pic upon closer inspection) and you might need to shim the LE a but away from the reflector to smooth out the beam.

And yes, it is basically a flood light.

Another option would be the Aleph19 head which gives a concentrated flood with an acceptable beam quality with any LED you might slap in there ... it's rather cool and I actually rpefer the 19mm over the 20mm for the LuxV.

Some pics:

Aleph19 LuxV:


Aleph19 LuxV 400mA vs. SF L4 (stock at 660mA)

less exposure:


McR19 LuxIII:


McR19 vs McR20 (LuxIII):



In those pics the LEs are not shimmed and just screwed in ... and with any LED you get an acceptable beam that can be further improved with shimming in some cases.

Other examples with the Aleph19:






Some other shots of interest:




Aleph19 BB400 LuxV (underexposed)


SF L4 stock 660mA same shootout:



bernie

Bernie.

I'm planning on using this combination in a bike light that I'm making, not in an Aleph head. I think I'll have enough mass to warrant driving it at least at spec. I think the block under the Lux's will be between 0.25" and 0.50" thick, and it will probably be a 2" head or so, with a solid amount of mass as well.

So you think the 19mm reflector would be better than the 20mm? How do you shim the reflector up from the Lux? Better yet, was is the best method of attaching the reflector, if not counting on the bezel holding it in place? I may need to rethink that idea.

Thank you for all your help. I'm sure it's not easy going through all those pictures.

I'm not sure the rings would bother me too much, but if it was obvious when looking at terrain, then I'd probably want it better than that.

I still need to order the LuxV. I've got the LuxIII's on the way, along with the 20mm reflectors.