# "Thor K 2012" -An Lk14 build (600 watt Q4559X)



## Hoop (Aug 12, 2012)

Finally, after several months of acquiring parts and tools and putting this beast together, it is finished. It uses a 600 watt GE Q4559X 28v Par 64 lamp, regulated to 30 volts with JimmyM's JM-PhD-X1 voltage regulator. It is a single mode light, but I purchased a programmer so I can add modes later if I want. This is my first flashlight mod/build, and actually is the first project I've ever soldered as well. Picked up a Hakko fx-888 and it was easy peezy.
*
Inspirational and historical credits:*
Original LarryK14 thread
Petrev's "Thor X10 Mod"
BVH's Regulated LarryK14

*Parts used in this build:* (prices include shipping)
*-*"Cyclops Thor X 10 Million Candle Power Spotlight." Purchased used on Ebay. =$30
*-*GE Q4559X Par 64 Quartz Halogen Landing Lamp =$40
*-*JimmyM's JM-PhD-X1 PWM Voltage Regulator =$85
*-*2x ZIPPY Flightmax 5000mAh 6S1P 20C LiPo's =$100
*-*2x C&K Components DM22J12S205PQ Double-Pole Single-Throw Rocker Switch =$15
*-*Illuminated Momentary Pushbutton Switch, 22mm, Red LED, Stainless =$20
*-*2x FrSky Lipo Voltage Sensor FLVS-01 =$30
*-*2x 12" 6S JST-XH balance extension cable =$7
*-*Anderson Power Pole Connectors =$10
*-*12AWG silicone wire, 3 feet of black and red =$10
*-*OP/TECH USA 0901012 S.O.S. Shoulder Strap =$25
*-*2x Sunon 40mm 8200 RPM MagLev Fan (MB40201VX-G99) =$30
*-*2x Black 40mm Fan Grill =$5
*-*2x small plastic boxes (harvested lids for voltage display covers) =$9
*-*Misc. Hardware (nuts and bolts for the fans, split rings for strap, etc.) =$5

*Total Cost of Materials:* Roughly $421 USD

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*The non functional (dead battery) host as seen on ebay:*

















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*The build:* 
(Not necessarily in chronological order, and some pics taken after light was completed because I didn't take pictures of everything I did during the build.)

First I cut/ground off excess plastic from the body so that the bulb would fit under the bezel. I eventually cut more off than this picture shows. In the Thor's stock configuration, the plastic bezel is screwed into risers in the body, and the back of the bezel sits off of the body about an 1/8" [3mm]. The rubber shroud has a lip on it which fits between that 1/8 gap and a big lip on the body. You can see the lip on the body in the above picture of the stock "AC charger" ports. Conveniently, after cutting off the threaded risers such that the bezel sits flush on the body, the rubber shroud has enough length to wrap around the lip of the body. Because of this, I didn't have to use any screws to retain the bezel to the body. It is held tightly by the rubber shroud. I did however have to glue the bulb into the bezel. I used Silicone RTV and applied it liberally, also putting some on the bulb to prevent light from shining back into the body.
















BULB SHOT:




Next to cut out the holes for the fans and voltage displays.










Installed the fans and voltage displays. The fans are 40x20mm, 8200 rpm 12v fans and are said to produce 10.8 CFM air flow each, at 27.5 decibels. They are pretty quiet and their sound is not annoying.











Next I cut out and painted a little plastic piece to cover the holes for the stock charge ports, then glued it in place.





The voltage display covers are lids harvested from very small clear plastic boxes I found Amazon. Brass tacks cover the holes where the stand used to attach. 











The stock SPST rocker switches were replaced with double pole switches. The bottom switch turns the regulator board on. The fans and the illuminated switch run off of the 12v aux outputs on the JM-PhD-X1, so when the board comes on, so do they. The top switch is connected to the ground lead of each pack's balancing cable, one to each pole of the switch, and turns on the OLED voltage displays. Each lipo gets its own voltage display which shows the total voltage and individual cell voltages with a claimed +/- .03v accuracy.












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*The finished light:* (pics taken in direct sunshine which makes minor blemishes stand out)




















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BEAMSHOTS!!!!!!!*

Its dark.






Not so much anymore. Distance to the far fence is approximately 425 feet. [133 meters]






Distance to the far fence is approximately 585 feet. [179 meters]







*Better beamshots to come...*


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## Hoop (Aug 12, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

*Ok I took better beamshots. * *

***Clicking on the photos will link you to the original size photo.**** 
These are from specific locations so that I could get relatively accurate distance measurements from google maps. I used a Cannon Elph 300 HS, in night scene mode, mounted on a tripod with 2 second shot delay timer so as to avoid blur from shaking the camera. I think the pics are fairly close to what I see in real life, but the light is a bit brighter in person and with more appreciable side spill. Took an hour long walk with the lk14 on one shoulder and the Olight SR-90 on the other, and toting a tripod under my arm. Snapped a couple of SR-90 beamshots to the 962 foot barn. The SR-90 is pretty good out to 400 feet or so but it doesn't do much out at 300 yards. *

Distance: *962 feet [292 meters] to that barn. SR-90 beamshots for comparison




 



 LK 14:



 
The black figure is a horse. 


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Distance: *1150 feet [350 meters] to the pole. That's a plowed field of brown dirt.


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Distance: *1300 feet [396 meters] to the railroad crossing.


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Distance: *830 feet [253 meters] to that house and outbuilding. The beam is aimed between the two structures but lights them both up.



 
Trees in the distance on my left:



 
Distant field and buildings to my right:


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## jmpaul320 (Aug 12, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*



nice build!!

i especially like that voltage monitor


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## tobrien (Aug 12, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

yeah that voltage monitor is insane!


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## Lips (Aug 12, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

:twothumbs

Awesome!


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## IlluminatedOne (Aug 13, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

Great build very high quality, love those voltage displays too . I do not think i have seen a LarryK14 build for a while, so always nice to see.


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## badtziscool (Aug 13, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

VERY nice build! I love the voltage monitors and the two cute little fans. What type of runtimes are you getting with this setup?


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## Hoop (Aug 13, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

Thanks guys! :huh: Run time is about 20 minutes which is what I was aiming for. Not bad for such inexpensive batteries! I have not timed it yet though. The front of the bulb gets very hot with continuous operation but has not melted the bezel and I have left it on for maybe 10 minutes straight. When I replace the bulb some day I will add a thin silicone O-ring so that the bulb doesn't touch the bezel.

Edit: Hmm. Perhaps I should order that O-ring now and add one in and do a continuous run time test.... Will be something like an 8" x 3/32" O-ring from McMaster.


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## BVH (Aug 13, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

Very nicely done! Along with all the others...Great find on the Voltage monitors! Just ordered a few. There's nothing like the 600 Watt QX lamp running at 30V! Like the cooling fan addition! Great shots!


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## willieschmidt (Aug 13, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

[email protected] light! Great feeling to be on the finishing end? Good pics & most excellent documentation. Digital voltage is a nice touch. Regards, Willie


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## Hoop (Aug 13, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

Thanks BVH and willieschmidt!

Yea. Feels good to have it totally finished. I was held up for a while figuring out how to tastefully do the voltage display covers. I almost went as far as to model some covers up in CAD and cnc machine them in my buddies shop. They would have had screw mounting that way and perfect alignment. I am happy with how my home brew solution looks though.


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## Bimmerboy (Aug 26, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

That is just beautiful, Hoop!

Totally love this build.


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## JimmyM (Aug 26, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

I saw this while I was away and never replied. I really like this. The OLED displays are awesome!


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## KuanR (Aug 27, 2012)

*Re: "Thor K 2012" -A Larryk14 build*

This is amazing, especially with JimmyM's driver and the OLED displays!


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## Hoop (Jul 24, 2022)

Ah, has it been 10 years? Bump for an old CPF classic, the LK14!

There were some coyotes howling in the field the other day. Shined the LK14 in their direction and I could see two sets of glowing eyes way off in the distance, and everything in between. They were about 1,000 feet away.

It's still working fine with the original bulb and original lipos, although it hasn't seen a whole lot of runtime. I store the light with the lipos at around 3.9V per cell.


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## hsa (Jul 24, 2022)

That's a nice looking beam on that light.


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## hsa (Jul 24, 2022)

What color were the coyote eyes?


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## Hoop (Jul 24, 2022)

hsa said:


> What color were the coyote eyes?


It was a greenish yellow kind of color. Real bright.


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## hsa (Jul 24, 2022)

The ones I've seen were white with a slightly bluish tint. That's interesting, they rarely look into the light. I have heard hundreds but only seen a few at night. Quite a few in the daytime though. My dog chases them away. She hates them.


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## KuanR (Jul 25, 2022)

Damn has it been 10 years, seeing you still have it is pretty cool. I still want something like this, there's nothing else on the market that has character like this.


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