# ssr-50 in an mg RX-1, excellent thrower



## Linger (Jan 14, 2010)

A while ago an LEO friend of mine was looking for a thrower. He'd tried a few of the mc-e lights that claimed '250yards' (an mc-e edc one, another 8 battery one) and was sorely disappointed. I said flashlights was kinda my thing and asked he let me recommend him something. All he wanted is throw, for chasing bad guys through farmland and forest.

I settled on the MG RX-1, the sleeper thrower of 2009. While there was a lot of praise and chatter for Tiablo, the MG Rx-1 had an afficinado following. The rx-1 had a suprise 2nd resurgence after Csshih's Tiablo ACE-G review. Csshih assembled a few thrower's to evaluate the beam of the Tiablo against, and the MG RX-1, included as a filler comparison light, was impolite enough to top the Tiablo and outthrow the Tiablo's its own debut. With the mg rx-1 clearly outthrowing a light twice its cost, a chain of 'budget thrower' ideas came forth.

When selecting a mod host, why not use a light established as a great thrower: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/229633

Modifications:
Emitter
Prior reviews included an medium orange peel reflector to compensate for the dark areas between the 4 dies that compose the mc-e emitter. The mc-e is a poor choice as a thrower because of these inconsistencies in an otherwise large emissive surface. I would replace this with a WJ binned ssr-50 from ARCmania.
The ssr-50 can handle a higher current, though this application presently does not push that limit. The ssr-50 is more efficient than the mc-e. This specific bin I had selected was spec'd for 600lumens @ 1.75A , an increased efficiency of (xxx) emitter lumens. The increased efficiency has knock-on benefits of producing less waste heat, theortically keeping emitter junction tempurature lower which maintians efficiency and intern minimizes waste heat production (though @ 2.8A, this one still gets warm right quick!)







Smooth reflector
The prior reviews of the rx-1 are with an MOP reflector to tame the mc-e's donut, and did a great job. Unfortunately MOP eats lumens and decreases throw.
I took out the MOP and replaced them with smooth reflector. You can see in the shot below that this really picks up the intensity (bright whiteness) of the mc-e but also reveals the donut with the dark center 
Smooth reflector + ssr-50 = excellent. Minimize reflector losses, maxize throw. With an emissive angle of 130degrees, the ssr-50 puts out a wide cone of light. The base of these reflectors had to be openned up to allow the emiter up inside to capture and then focus the beam.

Low resistance mods
Standard hotwire mods to improve the electrical path. The tailcap spring is suprisingly addequate, thick apparently gold plated firm spring. I have a few switches on hand but I was only measuring the tailcap at  so the forward clicky switch can stay.
I recalled the first review mentioning the RX-1 drew 1.3A at the tail, yet the driver was rumoured to be an 8x7135 hypothetically capable of 2.5-2.8A (300-350ma per 7135).
Looking through past reviews on the mg rx-1, no-one mentions this inconsistency. Driver is listed as (low), 1000ma(med), 2500ma(high). But the reported 'at the tail' measurements in reviews I saw were ~1.3. Infact, comparing across different brand lights (MG, Olight, Tiablo, JETBeam) the roughly the same drive current appears. Why are all these cpf'ers reporting 1.3A? Why is a 2.8A driver only getting 1.3A? I suspect this is actually an artifact of the users batteries. I took tailcap measures from a number of different lights (Moddoo triple, Nailbender Mc-e, Saberwolf mc-e, Ti Quark R5(high voltage model), MG PLI, MG RX-1 (modded ssr-50) MG RX-1 (stock mc-e), Aurora AK-P7...you get the idea... I was able to produce a shift from 1.1A to 2.8A through different battery options. The lowest output came with blue trustfires, the highest with AW IMR's. Working hypothesis is internal resistance. This really undermines many users expectations of their lights though. Advertised drive currents were no indication of tailcap current (and rating each light at the emitter is beyond the scope of this current project)
Anyway, result of this sideline was reading 2.8A at the tailcap of my modded RX-1, achieving desired result with-out finishing all the mods.

_:candle:buy AW cells: the best light with the most expensive emitter can only use what energy the cell provides it_:candle:​
pic of AW 18650 current at tail - watch a 'constant' current regulation on a DMM with 3 decimal places and there is a lot going on.





Still to come
-Replace wiring with Mil Spec 24g teflon wire - also proved unnecessary to reach 2.8A, though I'll still do this because I really like the wire and every decrease in resistance is an increase in efficiency, and I'll reach higher levels with lesser batteries.
-Replace the stock lens with UCL for another %5 increase


Beamshots 
This blows my friends req. and doubles the range he was hoping for. Its to bright to use high at less than 250feet this light is just coming into its own.

Beamshots on empty house: two mg rx-1's on medium, beautiful hotspot of the ssr-50, remember this is smooth reflector





Beamshot with street lights in the background. Unmodded rx-1 on the left (mc-e), moddified rx-1 (ssr-50) on the right.




donut of mc-e visible at center, sadly center usually where we like the brightest spot to be. With the ssr-50 it's perfect, hottest in the center, nice and bright all around.

*////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
*Issues with host and pictures, I'm out taking more pics right now. Check back later, title will be updated*
rx-1 (-50) lighting up a house across the street




Entire beam visible, huge cylinder of light reaching out. Pics taken 4:00am local.
Quark 2x123 r5 same shot




The Quark lights up the scene, no hotspot per say, the whole beam is diffuse by this distance. The quark looks to be doing much better against the snow across the street, and its intensity noticeably fades by roof-top.

:I had programed the camera before I left home (its cold and freezing rain out), set exposure -1, iso 400, manual and locked all the settings. Yet something went wrong and I have auto adjust light level. All is not lost: notice the rx-1 (ssr-50) picture is the darkest of them all with a bright beam, and the backgrounds get progressively lighter: this is camera adjusting for lower amounts of light added by the subsequent lights. A backwards way of illustrating which light is more powerful. 3rd round of beamshots coming up tomorrow night...

Rx-1 (-50) on a hydro substation, 150f away




Huge swath of light, reaching out like I could touch the transformer station. Again, the whole beam length is illuminated.
rx-1 (mc-e) same shot. Light beam less intense, visible donut on target




The mc-e version looks good, the dark center of the beam also enhancing contrast and making the beam very visible. But the beam column doesn't look as powerful, it isn't as bright traveling towards target.
JETBeam ProST III, same shot, little apparent illumination on target




I didn't even post the Ti Quark pic (remember that's an xpg r5 spec'd at 990ma drive on max:i've read +1.01A at the tail), it lit up the foreground and no noticable impact on target.


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## ergotelis (Jan 14, 2010)

*Re: *draft* SSR-50 in mg RX1, ultimate thrower *draft**

Why do i remember that i have seen this again?Have you posted it double?


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## Linger (Jan 14, 2010)

*Re: *draft* SSR-50 in mg RX1, ultimate thrower *draft**

nope, first rx-1 mod posted to cpf. i've been waiting on this since I recieved first sst-50s (but passed as this mod calls for star). You feel you've seen it because you're emphatically connected to me: just try too relax and let my thought enter...


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## ^Gurthang (Jan 14, 2010)

*Re: ssr-50 in an mg RX-1, excellent thrower *draft still**

Where did you source the RX-1?


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## ergotelis (Jan 14, 2010)

*Re: *draft* SSR-50 in mg RX1, ultimate thrower *draft**



Linger said:


> nope, first rx-1 mod posted to cpf. i've been waiting on this since I recieved first sst-50s (but passed as this mod calls for star). You feel you've seen it because you're emphatically connected to me: just try too relax and let my thought enter...


Maybe someone else has made something like that or similar host etc!
Nice mod by the way, which reflector did you use?Did you have to put the led sitting higher?Did you just unscrew the pill a bit?


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## Dioni (Jan 14, 2010)

It looks a nice mod. Indeed, the donut has disappeared! 

Thanks for posting. :thumbsup:


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## Linger (Jan 15, 2010)

*Re: ssr-50 in an mg RX-1, excellent thrower *draft still**



^Gurthang said:


> Where did you source the RX-1?


Shiningbeam, currently unavailable again but watch dealers forum in marketplace and Bryan will give heads up when the next are due in. The MG lights continually sell out and are replenished. My only complaint is no standardization thus no lego between models.



Ergotelis said:


> Maybe someone else...?


Nope, I lead this idea, but it'll surely be out done. It really is a fantastic mod, host is double and triple o-ringed all around, durable as heck.

Dioni - thank-you. I will provide better beamshots. This thrower is HOT, it is a perfect outdoors (LEO) tool - forward clicky, 3 modes, low - mid - high, memory, no BS. You can look inside a store-front or house window 200feet away.


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## bk737 (Jan 15, 2010)

This is something i thought about after receiving my Nailbender SST-50 drop in mounted in a D36 reflector. I have a MG-RX_1 and although it is a good thrower,_the Q5 was not enough.Congrats on an awesome upgrade! I may try to do this myself, after seeing your beamshots!!


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## Linger (Jan 16, 2010)

bk737 said:


> the Q5 was not enough.


You are correct!
It is a great host, nice and thick for solid heat transfer.
I suspect you might need to change the driver for higher current.
All told the balance is good, the weight is right, the range is fantastic. I lit up the top of a graduate student residence apartment building last night, I can see it lighting up against the skyline, but there's too much background illumination for a picture to capture the moment. I've never been so eager for a black-out: then you'll have white wall shots against campus buildings and hospital grounds from +500f.


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## csshih (Jan 21, 2010)

Fantastic work and writeup!

I might have missed it, but: where did you get the SMO reflector?


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## Linger (Jan 21, 2010)

wow, thanx csshih.
It fit 'ok' at the start but not the focus I wanted. I openned up the hole a few mm to allow the emitter to sit up inside. This entailed masking the inside, then rotating it while using a cut-off wheel to open the back up a enough for a grinding bit to get to the sides of the hole. I asked SB for them very nicely, they have an extra cost and are not included, but I've had a dozen obscure requests to SB over the past year and for some reason he humours me 
Need to upload a pic of the modded reflector.

I just got the solarforce turbo head, see if the weather co-operates for a beam shot with the two. I guess Craig will understand just how different the two beams will be.


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## Linger (Jan 22, 2010)

Beamshot as requested. I was messing around with clickies and temperature for a bit so neither of these were on fresh batteries: the furnace kicked on and I thought to have a look how they cut through the fog plume of the exhaust. MG RX-1 (ssr-50)on the left, Solarforce Masterpiece Pro 1 on the right:




Wow. We know the masterpiece is a 'tiny white circle' light, a thrower's thrower with a deep reflector. The pic indicates what is visible first hand - the rx-1's beam is brighter and more intense. (Note the spill causes glares off the tree: imagine the beam)

Beamshot on tree ~50feet away, lots of background light, infact there's enough street lights to stand under the tree and read a novel. Again rx-1 on left, there's a 3rd light who's beam is not visible




The rx-1 just has huge output. Colum of light from the solarforce is impressive (there's a quark above these shining forward (but not into the tree), beam was not visible in person and does not show up in pic: this indicates these two lights have impressive concentration of lux to appear. Sadly, I thought the rx-1 had a nice tint and now that its up next to the masterpiece pro I can see its a bit blue.


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## Dioni (Jan 23, 2010)

Thanks for the beamshots! 

Best regards,
Dioni


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## Linger (Jan 24, 2010)

By all means.
They still look better IRL though.
Wide beam is RX1, thin is solarforce masterpiece pro1. (notice cedar tree at right getting a bit of spill beam)





Pic to show this set-up really needs +100f just to take the edge off. With the big cedar trees at the right, notice the dark trunk and how much spill light the -50 puts out. The empty house should be dark, as it is in the above pic.





masterpiece pro1. The deep bezel does create an impressive hot-spot. And while the hotspot is comparable, its readily apparent that the pro1 is only throwing a tight bright spot, while the ssr-50 is lighting up everything and throwing out a huge spot. Notice the tree back left of the hot-spot is completely dark with the pro1 (below), while with the rx-1 (above), the tree left of the hotspot is lit


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## easilyled (Jan 24, 2010)

Seems like there's a lot of potential with the SST-50 in lights with larger diameter reflectors for impressive donut-free, far-throwing beams.

Someone posted another mod for the Dereelight DBS that looked good too.

The obvious mod would be the Jetbeam M1-X, because its an excellent light with the donut being the only drawback.

I'd love to see how the Jetbeam M1-X would throw with an SST-50 (highest bin available) :thumbsup:

Alas, I have no modding skills, otherwise I'd try it on mine.


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## Linger (Jan 24, 2010)

Easilyled:
I really like the mc-e, felt it represented a sea-change in lights.
The -50 shows just how debilitated mc-e lights were. I'm not happy about it, but you can't go back.


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## Vesper (Jan 24, 2010)

Nice mod and thx for all the info. Maybe I'll update my RX-1 too. May be a clueless question, but is there any way to swap out the driver for single mode high-only on this light?


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## Techjunkie (Mar 1, 2010)

Linger,

Did the 20mm SSR star fit, or did you have to reduce its diameter or remount the emitter on a 16mm star or what? Thanks.


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## Linger (Mar 2, 2010)

Stock ssr-50 is a perfect fit. AA on the back and a tiny bit of thermal paste on the copper pill threads and you've got a decent thermal path.
If you missed my MG PLI thread, the MG PLI and MG RX-1 have the same pill: it accepts 20mm board and 18mm drivers fit inside (utilize the stock contact pads to pick up + batt and -'ve).
Mod paradise...


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## ti-force (Mar 14, 2010)

Nice build. This actually inspired me to do my Tiablo A9 SSR-50 mod. 
Do you remember how thick the aluminum is where the emitter star is glued?


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## Linger (Mar 19, 2010)

Thanx ti,
wait till you see the 3.5A version

copper pill isn't great as far as thickness, only few mm's thick, but the full contact with the 20mm led engine and the generous copper side-walls threaded to the tube do an excellent job. It is a clear demonstration that the copper's role is in transfering heat to the outer tubing so it can be removed, and that heat management doesn't require a humongous sink.


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## Techjunkie (Mar 19, 2010)

Well, I'm inspired. I just received my cheaper Chinese clone of the MG RX-1, aka the SacredFire V-65C. I also picked up a small extension tube that would have let me use 2xIMR18500, but the 8.4V driver that I intended to use is too wide to fit the pill. That pill is crazy deep though, so I'm just going to stuff it full with AMC7135 regulators and run it from one IMR18650. I'm targeting 3.4-4.8A. Here's hoping that my results are as good as yours.


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