# Time to Make a Fenix LD01 Neutral



## EngrPaul (Feb 12, 2009)

Been on my keychain for a while. Bright, but TOO COLD! 

Got my thermal adhesive and Neutral Q3 emitters.







Got 'er open with pliers and tightly fitting PVC end-caps. Here I've already removed most of the blue epoxy.






Desolder.






Gently Pry until original emitter pops off.






I'll use this somewhere else... maybe a nightlight.






Gotta clean this.






So it looks like this.






Mix and spread sparingly.






Press emitter board against epoxy with fingernails, while centered.






Now I have to wait for the epoxy to set before soldering. I'll keep the sheet of material with the mixed epoxy here to check to see how hard it's become. Now I go eat...


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## EngrPaul (Feb 12, 2009)

OK, good meal!

Heat up soldering iron. Tin spots where I'm going to solder the wires. Then solder the wires... glad I got my (+) and (-) in the right position! :twothumbs






OK, now for the before and after pictures.

Before:






After:


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## spencer (Feb 12, 2009)

Very nice :twothumbs. If/when I get an LD01 then I'm definately doing an emmitter swap. 

You mentioned blue epoxy. Any more info on that?

Also, how is the original emitter glued down? Epoxy or paste? If it was epoxy, how did you remove it?


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## EngrPaul (Feb 12, 2009)

spencer said:


> Very nice :twothumbs. If/when I get an LD01 then I'm definately doing an emmitter swap.
> 
> You mentioned blue epoxy. Any more info on that?
> 
> Also, how is the original emitter glued down? Epoxy or paste? If it was epoxy, how did you remove it?


 
The blue epoxy is more aggressive than the brown stuff they used to use. It looks similar to a product I've used at work: Lord 305. Tough stuff!

That's epoxy holding down the original emitter. I pryed carefully on one corner until it released. I cleaned it off with my fingernail and a dental pick, then I finished with isopropyl alcohol.


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## clg0159 (Feb 12, 2009)

Nice! *Now* you have a winner:twothumbsI love the neutral and warm tints and hope the damand for WC tint:sick2: eventually tanks so that we can buy our ideal flashlight and still have a warranty!


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## Armed_Forces (Feb 12, 2009)

Great job Paul! :thumbsup:

I really enjoyed that little tutorial despite the fact that I don't own an LD01. 
This should give encouragement for those that may have been considering doing the same thing but lack confidence in modding.


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## Pontiaker (Feb 12, 2009)

Very cool, thanks for taking the time to post this!

If you dont mind where did you get the emitters and adhesive?
Thanks again.
Matt


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## Ty4752 (Feb 12, 2009)

Very nice, thank you for sharing this with us!


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## EngrPaul (Feb 12, 2009)

Pontiaker said:


> Very cool, thanks for taking the time to post this!
> 
> If you dont mind where did you get the emitters and adhesive?
> Thanks again.
> Matt


 
For retail sources, check this post:

**LIST* of LED flashlights WARM/NEUTRAL/~4000K *

Thanks everyone for the appreciation, I'll have to do this again on something else too.


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## geek4christ (Feb 16, 2009)

Nice job on the swap.

I have a question, though. You said you just applied finger pressure on the emitter to press it into the epoxy. Do you feel that gives an adequate thermal pathway from the emitter to the sink? I've been applying constant pressure to the emitter until the epoxy begins to cure, but I'm wondering if that's overkill.


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## EngrPaul (Feb 16, 2009)

geek4christ said:


> Nice job on the swap.
> 
> I have a question, though. You said you just applied finger pressure on the emitter to press it into the epoxy. Do you feel that gives an adequate thermal pathway from the emitter to the sink? I've been applying constant pressure to the emitter until the epoxy begins to cure, but I'm wondering if that's overkill.


 
Once you squeeze out the epoxy, it won't go back, as long as there isn't something the emitter hangs up on and it doesn't have wires soldered to it yet.

It doesn't take too much force to seat an emitter. However, if you are epoxying a large star, you need to be very sparing of the epoxy, and/or provide lots of seating pressure.


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## geek4christ (Feb 16, 2009)

EngrPaul said:


> Once you squeeze out the epoxy, it won't go back, as long as there isn't something the emitter hangs up on and it doesn't have wires soldered to it yet.
> 
> It doesn't take too much force to seat an emitter. However, if you are epoxying a large star, you need to be very sparing of the epoxy, and/or provide lots of seating pressure.



Cool, thanks.


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## toby_pra (Feb 18, 2009)

Really nice mod!


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## andi15 (Feb 19, 2009)

Very nice mod! I´ve got a LD01 Stainless Steel and want to try to follow your example and mod it. How did you disassemble the head?

Greetings from Germany 
Fritz


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## EngrPaul (Feb 19, 2009)

I will be getting a SS LD01, and might upgrade it if the original LED isn't that great. I have a hunch it might be easier to open since it's bare metal instead of anodized. I used PVC endcaps and pliers.


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## EngrPaul (Mar 6, 2009)

I also recently put a *RED LED* in a L0D-CE

See post here:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2866418&postcount=25


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## gunga (Mar 6, 2009)

Can you repoort back when opening the stainless one Paul?

I'd like to neutralize my SS LD01!

:devil:


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## skalomax (Mar 13, 2009)

Great light!


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## kaichu dento (Mar 13, 2009)

EngrPaul,

I love these type of threads, but I think yours are my favorites because of the combination of excellent instruction in both text and pics, and your story telling way of writing.

Anxious to see what you do next, and also if anyone has figured out a way to give the L0D/LD01 a low-low setting.


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## TexLite (Mar 13, 2009)

EngrPaul said:


> The blue epoxy is more aggressive than the brown stuff they used to use. It looks similar to a product I've used at work: Lord 305. Tough stuff!


 
Haven't opened a Fenix in a while so I haven't run into the blue stuff yet.

At least they didn't go with the red, unlike the blue the red is basically permanent in an application like this.

Nice swap.



gunga said:


> I'd like to neutralize my SS LD01!
> 
> :devil:


 



First time I've heard a neutral swap referred to that way.

-Michael


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## Cemoi (Mar 13, 2009)

Any way to open/modify a E01?


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## LEDAdd1ct (Mar 13, 2009)

Great mod; great story! Thank you for the tutorial.


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## youreacrab (Apr 2, 2009)

nice! i went the expensive way and got one of the japanese neutral ld01's. either way, great light!


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## Ninjaz7 (Apr 9, 2009)

Very nice...thanks for the input(great pics as well) :candle:


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## kwarwick (Feb 2, 2010)

Time to revive an old thread!  

I love my stainless steel LD01, except for the cool white emitter. I'm considering upgrading using a Cree XR-E Q3 5C Tint Neutral-Warm White LED Emitter with 15mm Base or perhaps XPE if it will fit well with the existing body/reflector.

Does anyone who has done this swap with the stainless steel version of the LD01 have any comments/pictures of the process?

Karl


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## Buck91 (Feb 8, 2010)

Don't suppose anybody hass the pics from the OP around still?


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## MatNeh (Aug 1, 2011)

I have the same question, because I am considering the same mod.


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## jupello (Aug 2, 2011)

I'd like to see some pictures of the process too.


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## SeanHatfield (Aug 13, 2011)

I neutralized my LD01! Well, one them at least 
I used the XP-G R4 neutral that i got out of my Quark (it has an XM-L neutral now).
Usually, when doing something like this i get so excited that i forget to take pictures, but i got some of the open LD01 head.
This is what you see after removing the head:



The plastic ring comes right off, there you see the emitter:




If you want i can take some more, or explain the steps that i took. This was the first time that i soldered the bare emitter, and it worked wonderful. I had to, because the R4 from the Quark was on a 14mm pcb that did not fit the LD01.


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## netprince (Aug 13, 2011)

Cool. I would like to see how the head opens. I haven't figured that part out yet...


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## SeanHatfield (Aug 13, 2011)

I put the head (the knurled part) in a vise and gripped the other part with an adjustable pair of pliers with heavy duty rubber band inbetween. The rubber band actually was a part of a strapwrench, but the strapwrench didn't get enough grip.
Leave the head on the body for that, so you don't crush the smooth part of the head. When the body is screwed in it gives more stability to the head.


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## netprince (Aug 13, 2011)

Nice, I'm going to have to give this a try. Thanks for the info...


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## shelm (Mar 12, 2012)

SeanHatfield said:


>



Hello, *how likely* is it that the aluminum reflector causes a short on the corner contacts (e.g. between #1 and #2)? Or are those contacts recessed? And what about bad centered LED's -- can they cause shorts?
Thanks for the great pictures! I wish there were even more (from different angles, of the black plastic, ..) for our records. CPF is a database of knowledge, so..


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## SeanHatfield (Nov 22, 2012)

Sorry for that (very) late answer, but my life has significantly less spare time now...
As for bad-centered LEDs: that can't happen, that's what the plastic thing is for. The reflector fits perfectly into the plastic ring, and when you screw the head on, the reflector will push the plastic ring (and, by extension, the emitter) in place. 
As far as i remember, the reflector will also not touch the LED because it first hits the plastic ring outside of the emitter region.

The next time i get to unscrew the light, i'll try to remember to take more pictures.


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## shelm (Aug 19, 2014)

All photos from the OP hosted on photobucket are down by now. 
Any chance to repost them all?



I'll send a PM to the OP too.


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## Illuminated (Sep 21, 2014)

Sorry for dredging up an old thread, but I'm sure there are many LDO1s that still live on.

I've EDC'd mine for over a year now. Love the light - but I'm not as fond of the tint. An emitter swap would be just the thing.

My question to those who've done it:
How hard is it to separate the head without damaging it?

Thanks-
John


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## datiLED (Sep 21, 2014)

Illuminated said:


> Sorry for dredging up an old thread, but I'm sure there are many LDO1s that still live on.
> 
> I've EDC'd mine for over a year now. Love the light - but I'm not as fond of the tint. An emitter swap would be just the thing.
> 
> ...



It is not too hard once you have heated the head for a while. I like to place the head on a mug warmer for 15 minutes, or more. It softens the epoxy and allows you to open it with a pair of strap wrenches. You may also find that using a thick rubber band will improve the grip. The strap wrenches that I use are Kobalt brand from Lowe's. They are reinforced rubber, and won't scratch the anodizing. Check out this old mod thread that details opening a Fenix L0P. It is very similar to the LD01, and will open the same way.


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## Illuminated (Sep 21, 2014)

Thanks so much for the reply. That tutorial was very well done and should prove useful.

It gives me some ideas for my old Fenix L2P head...an old friend that deserves a new lease on life.

John


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