# Is it easy to build your own LED flashlight? Will common components bolt right in?



## HighlanderNorth (Apr 18, 2012)

What I'm wondering here is not necessarily whether its easy to make your own LED flashlight completely from scratch(which would be cooler no doubt if done right) but if you do it from readily available parts?

Just today I was reading a thread here that gave a few links to companies I'd never heard of, selling, apparently, all the ready to go parts you'd need to build an entire FL. One company that was linked to was 'Solarforce'. They make flashlight bodies. I thought it was cool that they make blue and gold anodized bodies, and that brings up an unrelated question: What the heck took so long to produce an anodized light in some other color than black? They didnt just come up with blue/gold/red anodizing abilities last week! I was into BMX in the early 80's, and you could get aluminum components in many different colors. Why not?

Back to the question at hand: There was another linked company that supplied the LED and the reflector, etc. I guess you'd also need the circuitry, the wiring or battery terminals, etc. Maybe the battery terminals and circuitry are included in the FL bodies(?)

If you buy a body from a place like Solarforce, is that body ready for all the components to easily bolt right in, or will some _modifications_ be required? Do you have to separately purchase the circuitry that regulates power levels and gives you multiple settings, etc? Does that just drop or screw in? Are the components supplied with the LED, like the reflector, etc. reliable and tough usually?

Does it really save to make your own this way, and will it be as good as a name brand unit like a Jetbeam, etc?

Lastly, I noticed that Solarforce also makes complete FL's. Are they good, cause they are less expensive?


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## Sgt. LED (Apr 18, 2012)

Black and dark green anno is much stronger. The red blue gold comes off easy, not quite paint easy but easier.

Read up on the P60 drop-in format, what that is. You can buy the Solarforce body, bezel, and tailcap all at once. That's referred to as a host. Into that host you drop in the drop-in and put the batteries in and you are done.
It's fast easy and highly highly customizable due to all the variations in drop-ins.

Is it as good as premade package lights? That's something only you can answer. 

There's lots more needed to answer your questions but you need to read up and build a basic knowledge base.
Oh and, Malkoff, look those up lol


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## yifu (Apr 18, 2012)

Yep, definitely check out the P60 format, we've got a lot of talented custom builders for that formatt right here on CPF like Moodo (Triple XPGs), Nailbender, Vinhnyugen, Kerberos, VanIsleDSM, Malkoff, Anto etc. From that lot you can chose pretty much any LED, any tint, any output, modes, beam patter, reflector/optics etc without the constraints that production lights have. For the host, Solarforce hosts are cheap options for trying out, although you'll find better hosts as well like bored Surefires, Malkoffs etc.

Again, it really helps to search up a topic before posting a thread. There's a huge thread about P60 drop ins and another on P60 hosts that is stickied right at the topic of this sub forum.


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## Fireclaw18 (Apr 18, 2012)

Brightly colored anodizing has been used on flashlight bodies for decades. Maglights come in bright blue, red and gold. 

Why don't most other flashlights come in different colors? There are different kinds of anodizing. Type II anodizing is thinner and wears through much faster. But it comes in many more colors. Almost all the brightly colored anodizing is all type II. However, the thin Type II anodizing wears poorly. If you've ever tried carrying around a maglight in your pocket with your keys you'll know what I mean. 

Type III anodizing is much thicker and less prone to scratching through the finish. Unfortunately, it's also available in far fewer colors than Type II anodizing. Most high-end flashlights use Type III anodizing and tend to be restricted in their choice of colors.


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## AnAppleSnail (Apr 18, 2012)

Mind your voltage ranges. That's the main stumbling block in DIY formats - if your cells underdrive the LED module, it won't be bright. If they have too much voltage, you'll cook it.


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## HighlanderNorth (Apr 18, 2012)

yifu said:


> Yep, definitely check out the P60 format, we've got a lot of talented custom builders for that formatt right here on CPF like Moodo (Triple XPGs), Nailbender, Vinhnyugen, Kerberos, VanIsleDSM, Malkoff, Anto etc. From that lot you can chose pretty much any LED, any tint, any output, modes, beam patter, reflector/optics etc without the constraints that production lights have. For the host, Solarforce hosts are cheap options for trying out, although you'll find better hosts as well like bored Surefires, Malkoffs etc.
> 
> 
> 
> Again, it really helps to search up a topic before posting a thread. There's a huge thread about P60 drop ins and another on P60 hosts that is stickied right at the topic of this sub forum.





Yeah, I understand that its best to do some reading before posting, but I didnt know where to start. I did do some reading, but much of the terminology I dont understand, so its all Greek. I had no idea what a P60 is, so I'd have no idea what the P60 thread was even about. I just wanted a basic answer about how easy or hard it is, whether the parts just bolt right in, or maybe there is some 'work' that has to be done first. Maybe all parts dont fit into all different brands of hosts(?) Who knew.... I was also wondering if the individual parts are of good quality or crap too, and if a homemade FL would measure up to a ready made one.

Most of those questions were answered though^^, and I appreciate everyone humoring me here with these questions.


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## HighlanderNorth (Apr 18, 2012)

Fireclaw18 said:


> Brightly colored anodizing has been used on flashlight bodies for decades. Maglights come in bright blue, red and gold.
> 
> Why don't most other flashlights come in different colors? There are different kinds of anodizing. Type II anodizing is thinner and wears through much faster. But it comes in many more colors. Almost all the brightly colored anodizing is all type II. However, the thin Type II anodizing wears poorly. If you've ever tried carrying around a maglight in your pocket with your keys you'll know what I mean.
> 
> Type III anodizing is much thicker and less prone to scratching through the finish. Unfortunately, it's also available in far fewer colors than Type II anodizing. Most high-end flashlights use Type III anodizing and tend to be restricted in their choice of colors.



See, I thought that just about every color came in type III. I read somewhere recently about a product anodized in colors aside from black, like blue for instance, that were supposedly type III. So I thought if it was type III, regardless of color, it would be durable.

I do know what your talking about when you mention 'lesser' anodizing scratching off though. Those same BMX bikes I mentioned in the OP seemed to often have that problem with the red, gold, blue anodized aluminum pieces. I can remember a pair of $75 Sugino cranks that had a lot of the gold anodizing scratched off($75 was a lot of money in 1981 at 14 years old paying for the stuff with a paper route!) Not to mention alloy handlebars scratching, alloy wheels, etc.

I dont know what grade of anodizing that stuff was, maybe type 1/2.... That stuff was expensive too! But if they actually do have type III in blue, I'd buy an FL in that color. 

My Jetbeam BC-10 is in my pocket all day and night(like right now), and it comes in handy. I've been carrying it around in my pocket for about 4 months, and its there with my keys and change, etc. But it's hardy scratched at all! Good job there, Jetbeam!


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## StarHalo (Apr 18, 2012)

Start at Radio Shack; they have a beginner's electronics book, and drawers full of LEDs and other basic components. You'll find that with about ten minutes of reading and a couple minutes of wiring, you can build a very simple low-power long-life LED circuit. And then you'll want to move up to something more powerful, then something with a different battery configuration, then something that will fit into a cheap flashlight you have laying around, and off you go..


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## LEDninja (Apr 18, 2012)

Solarforce is a Surefire P60 clone. Thee are many companies making these clones.
Here is a huge list of bodies:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?186661-*-P60-Flashlight-List-host
Here is a huge list of drop ins (the LED and electronics):
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?217252-P60-sized-led-drop-ins-(part-3)
In addition there are custom guys like nailbender.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-white-XPG-XML-SST-50-90-P60-modules-(part-8)

The other favourite build your own is to use a Maglite as the body.
For LED there is How To Mod a Maglite P7 - 38 PICS
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?238641-How-To-Mod-a-Maglite-P7-38-PICS
SSC has announced they will discontinue making the P7 soon. Many modders have already switched to using the Cree XM-L LED instead (a bit more difficult to solder and center - buy it on a star - easier to solder to a star circuit board than to the LED itself).
-
For incandescent there is Hotwire How-To: The ROP and the Mag 11
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?259443-Hotwire-How-To-The-ROP-and-the-Mag-11
That is for starters. You can build hotwires up to The Torch and beyond (See the infamous Youtube videos of flashlight setting newspapers on fire or cooking scrambled eggs)


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## Cheapskate (Apr 19, 2012)

Xeno Eo3 comes in red black and purpley blue. You won't build something better for the price.


See Rule #3 Do not Hot Link images - Norm


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## hellokitty[hk] (Apr 20, 2012)

You can take a look at my solarforce p60 build thread for a general idea, pictures included.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?311131-Attempting-my-first-drop-in&highlight=
There's also an accompanying troubleshooting thread.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...0-drop-in-poor-electrical-contact.&highlight=


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## WindsurfMaui (Aug 30, 2014)

hellokitty[hk] said:


> You can take a look at my solarforce p60 build thread for a general idea, pictures included.
> 
> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?311131-Attempting-my-first-drop-in&highlight=
> There's also an accompanying troubleshooting thread.
> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...0-drop-in-poor-electrical-contact.&highlight=



I'm not a builder or good with small parts and pieces but I want drop-ins which I can't find at budget prices online that I would have confidence in. So I have been reading all the threads on modding. One question I have is if the head gets very hot from the LED on high mode, won't things like electrical tape, and plastic pieces eventually melt in the flashlight? Catch fire? Give off toxic gases? There must be an easier way? Thanks.


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## StarHalo (Aug 30, 2014)

WindsurfMaui said:


> if the head gets very hot from the LED on high mode, won't things like electrical tape, and plastic pieces eventually melt in the flashlight?



All the heat pools in the heat sink and on the exterior of the body immediately next to the sink, the rest of the light barely gets warm. Everything in the battery tube usually remains close to room temp, discounting the batteries heating from discharge; more resistance means more heat, so using quality parts with good contact and conductivity means no worries about melting (the cheapo Kaidomain battery trays are rated at 1A, going beyond that means more heat build up and the possibility of melting/fire.)


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## DIWdiver (Sep 1, 2014)

HighlanderNorth said:


> See, I thought that just about every color came in type III. I read somewhere recently about a product anodized in colors aside from black, like blue for instance, that were supposedly type III.


That's probably because many cheap flashlights claim to be type III. Few actually are. Your BC-10 might be one of the few, if it survives like you say.

Type II anodizing, on many alloys, can produce a virtually colorless coating, which can then be dyed with a huge selection of colors. Type III produces coatings that range from tan to dark grey, green, or black depending on alloy and thickness. They can be dyed, but because of the base color, it's impossible to produce bright colors. Type III is also more expensive, and IIRC uses more toxic process agents.



HighlanderNorth said:


> So I thought if it was type III, regardless of color, it would be durable.



Yes, that's generally correct. But as with anything else, good or poor choice of materials, tools, and processes (or fictitious advertising) can produce widely varying results. There's also a wide range of thickness that can be produced with any of the types. That will have a large impact on durability, as will the hardness of the underlying metal. However it is true that properly done, type III can produce far more durable finishes than is possible with either type I or II.



HighlanderNorth said:


> My Jetbeam BC-10 is in my pocket all day and night(like right now), and it comes in handy. I've been carrying it around in my pocket for about 4 months, and its there with my keys and change, etc. But it's hardy scratched at all! Good job there, Jetbeam!


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## PeterH (Sep 3, 2014)

WindsurfMaui said:


> One question I have is if the head gets very hot from the LED on high mode, won't things like electrical tape, and plastic pieces eventually melt in the flashlight? Catch fire? Give off toxic gases? There must be an easier way? Thanks.


If the LED gets hot enough to cause trouble for plastic bits, you're going to have a very unhappy and short lived LED.


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