I have an older Black Diamond Vectra IQ headlamp that has been everywhere with me but there are smaller, lighter, and brighter lights with more features these days so I'm looking to move this to my "garage/car repair/hunting/good chance of banging it around" light. I would also like to see about modding it a bit.
I've never loved the Xenon bulb. It's brightness is not impressive and it eats the batteries. Is there an LED module that is available or one that could be built? I found a Youtube video of someone that installed a Luxeon III 3watt emitter into the same headlamp, but it doesn't show what they did. I was was even thinking that a red LED might be nice for walking out/in from the deer blind or night fishing to preserve night vision. Of course, there are already headlamps with various LED colors but I'm just curious what is possible and at what cost?
The other thing that I never realized that I would not like is the "locator LED". A small LED perpetually flashes so you can find the light in the dark. This works okay as long as the head of the light is sitting upright. This headlamp also sits for extended periods in a drawer and the flashing LED will drain the batteries. Over the years I've had mixed success with remembering to remove the batteries. So if it is possible, I would like to bypass that LED; I can't say that I have ever thought, "Wow! Good thing I had that flashing LED otherwise I would have never found my large, bright orange headlamp!"
So if anyone has ever modded a Black Diamond Vectra IQ headlamp or has suggestions on how to proceed, I would love to hear about it!
Overall light
Reflector removed
Head
4 AA
Xenon bulb
I've never loved the Xenon bulb. It's brightness is not impressive and it eats the batteries. Is there an LED module that is available or one that could be built? I found a Youtube video of someone that installed a Luxeon III 3watt emitter into the same headlamp, but it doesn't show what they did. I was was even thinking that a red LED might be nice for walking out/in from the deer blind or night fishing to preserve night vision. Of course, there are already headlamps with various LED colors but I'm just curious what is possible and at what cost?
The other thing that I never realized that I would not like is the "locator LED". A small LED perpetually flashes so you can find the light in the dark. This works okay as long as the head of the light is sitting upright. This headlamp also sits for extended periods in a drawer and the flashing LED will drain the batteries. Over the years I've had mixed success with remembering to remove the batteries. So if it is possible, I would like to bypass that LED; I can't say that I have ever thought, "Wow! Good thing I had that flashing LED otherwise I would have never found my large, bright orange headlamp!"
So if anyone has ever modded a Black Diamond Vectra IQ headlamp or has suggestions on how to proceed, I would love to hear about it!
Overall light
Reflector removed
Head
4 AA
Xenon bulb
