# Open the Nitecore D10



## glockboy (Jul 5, 2008)

Just for fun.


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## yekim (Jul 5, 2008)

Ain't that a D10?

How did you do it?


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## glockboy (Jul 5, 2008)

Sorry, it's the D10.(fix)
Just bent the needle and hook the brass thingy out, and needle nose everythings out.


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## darkzero (Jul 5, 2008)

Cool! Was waiting for someone to do it. :thumbsup:

Are you willing to pull the module apart to take pictures of the top side of the driver? I posted pictures of the EX-10 driver already & I'd like to compare.


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## cave dave (Jul 5, 2008)

Yes, but can you get it back together?

More details on the disassemble please, with pics if possible. I want to get a mild HDS diffuser in there.


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## glockboy (Jul 5, 2008)

I already put it back so I can use it, I will open it again and take more picture.



darkzero said:


> Cool! Was waiting for someone to do it. :thumbsup:
> 
> Are you willing to pull the module apart to take pictures of the top side of the driver? I posted pictures of the EX-10 driver already & I'd like to compare.


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## glockboy (Jul 6, 2008)

Here the guts.








darkzero said:


> Cool! Are you willing to pull the module apart to take pictures of the top side of the driver? I posted pictures of the EX-10 driver already & I'd like to compare.


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## Nake (Jul 6, 2008)

Here is how I took mine apart. I used a dental pic to slip under the ID of the brass ring where the split is. Then gently pull up on the ring as you move the pic around the inside of the ring. Once it moves away from the pill you can pull it up completely. Now you can get to the two slots in the pill to unscrew it. I used small pointy scissors. There is a small amount of glue on the threads of the pill, but it didn't require a lot of force to break it loose.


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## cave dave (Jul 6, 2008)

Hey, I think I figured it out. The ring with the slot acts as a snap ring right? Once removed will the pill drop out?

No luck here on removing it. I can't seem to compress it and pull at the same time. It is too bad they didn't include holes in the ring for snap ring pliers. That would make it so much easier.


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## Nake (Jul 6, 2008)

cave dave said:


> Hey, I think I figured it out. The ring with the slot acts as a snap ring right? Once removed will the pill drop out?
> 
> It is too bad they didn't include holes in the ring for snap ring pliers. That would make it so much easier.


 
Sort-of, the bottom side of the ring has a tiny lip that fits over a raised portion of metal on the pill. This is just so it doesn't fall out. The pill screws out.


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## cave dave (Jul 6, 2008)

ahh, I need to expand and pull instead of compress. That makes more sense now that I think of it.


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## cave dave (Jul 6, 2008)

Well I got the snap ring out, but the module was so tight I couldn't get it to screw out and I put lots of torque on it. Had it slip off the tool once.

I added a few scratches to the inside of the head at the threads. Gave up once the tool slipped as I'm not willing to screw up my brand new light. Light still works upon reassemble. Those visible components on the back of the board scare me. Too much chance of popping one off if the tool slips.

This is definitely NOT a piece of cake even if you know the trick.
:candle:


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## WildChild (Jul 9, 2008)

I damaged the brass ring trying to remove it... it bent and cracked on the angle... I try to form it back but now the level switching is not reliable anymore...


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## mitch79 (Jul 26, 2008)

When removing the brass contact ring in my D10 I found that whilst I could lift one end easily with a small jewelers screwdriver, the other end of the ring would get caught in the thread inside the head and refuse to move.
I found by gently lifting one end of the ring then unscrewing the ring it came out easily.

In my D10 S/N 500+ (second batch) the pill was not glued in at all. The reflector does appear to be glued/sealed with a red compound.

Hope that helps


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## kaichu dento (Nov 29, 2008)

So a natural follow-up question to this would be to find out who has changed emitters in their D10?


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## tx101 (Nov 29, 2008)

LOL ... soon your going to get a D20 to dissect


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## darkzero (Nov 29, 2008)

kaichu dento said:


> So a natural follow-up question to this would be to find out who has changed emitters in their D10?


 
I've done a few EX-10 emitter swaps. The module looks pretty much the same as the D10. It's pretty straight forward, reflow & swap. Or one could swap the entire MCPCB & emitter, it's not epoxied, just has thermal grease under it.


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## Enzo Morocioli (Dec 4, 2008)

Well, I searched for this thread, and it gave me the willingness to open up my well abused (for durability purposes) D10.

I happened to have some of McG's high CRI emitters, so I sanded down the aluminum around the emitter until it fit within the D10's pill, slipped a small piece of copper underneath for better heat conductivity, and soldered down the wires... Screwed everything back together, and......

It works!

I set the D10 to low before I did this mod, so when it started up, it did not fry the LED... I have yet to ramp it all the way to full power, since I fear that more than the rated 350ma going to the LED will cook it good and well. But I have ramped it up and down within the lower portion of the linear output a few times, and it works great! 

anyway, here's some picts. 






















The beam is actually artifact free, which is wonderful... Has a nice blend of spot and flood, though at a distance the spot is hard to distinguish... Overall, i'm pleased with this mod/creation. We'll see how long the emitter lasts, especially if the D10 jumps to high on accident.. 

EDIT: Upon further, unmeasured testing, the emitter seems to withstand maximum output... I'm too much a scaredycat to keep it burning for longer right now, i want to enjoy it while it works... Though I know my curious ways will lead me down that path soon.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Dec 9, 2008)

Hmmm...Looks like I may need to toss a Warm White XP-E in my light.

Anyone know how hard the LED is being driven at max?


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## Nake (Dec 9, 2008)

Tekno_Cowboy said:


> Anyone know how hard the LED is being driven at max?


 
I believe I read at 500mA. There's a thread in this sub forum on the subject.


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## ruriimasu (Dec 31, 2008)

cave dave said:


> Well I got the snap ring out, but the module was so tight I couldn't get it to screw out and I put lots of torque on it. Had it slip off the tool once.
> 
> I added a few scratches to the inside of the head at the threads. Gave up once the tool slipped as I'm not willing to screw up my brand new light. Light still works upon reassemble. Those visible components on the back of the board scare me. Too much chance of popping one off if the tool slips.
> 
> ...



well.. i failed at this stage too. i could hear the glue breaking but.. i was exerting way too much force on it too. any slip and one of the electronics is sure to get scratched off  so i have to stop here.. :mecry: any tools on DX to recommend to get the module off?


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## Nake (Jan 1, 2009)

ruriimasu said:


> ......any tools to recommend to get the module off?


 
I ground the ends of snap-ring pliers to fit in the slots of the heatsink. It is usefull for disassembly of other LEs also.


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## robjdixon (Jan 1, 2009)

Can you please measure the current on high mode

Thanks


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 12, 2009)

A small scissors works well if you pull the driver up. The driver on mine was not epoxied, and pulled up very easily with a pick. That allowed me to fit a small scissors into the slots, and turn the module out easily. Just be careful not to break the wires!


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## Fallingwater (Jan 12, 2009)

Hmm. Anyone feel like trying a SSC swap? I would do it myself, but I don't have any other Nitecore than my NDI. Since the NDI is the one light I have that manages a nice beam with a Cree, I won't bother changing its emitter.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 12, 2009)

I'm going to be swapping the standard cree for a Q3-5A as soon as I have the emitter and my new soldering rig 
I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 12, 2009)

robjdixon said:


> Can you please measure the current on high mode
> 
> Thanks


Do you want the current at the LED, or going into the driver? I'll post both when I start working on my LED swap.


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## Fallingwater (Jan 12, 2009)

Tekno_Cowboy said:


> I'm going to be swapping the standard cree for a Q3-5A as soon as I have the emitter and my new soldering rig


I've seen this Q3-5A mentioned elsewhere. What is it?
Thanks.


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## spencer (Jan 12, 2009)

It is a Cree binned Q3 by brightness and 5A by tint. It is quite warm.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 12, 2009)

From what I can tell, it should be somewhere between a fairly white incan and a fairly cool LED.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 15, 2009)

I took apart the head for some measurements, and took some pics while I was at it 

Click for larger 

Module was glued in




Way too much thermal grease 




The side




The bottom




I may start a new thread as a "How To" type of thing, when I get all my supplies for my mod., I'll link to it here if I do.


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## robjdixon (Jan 29, 2009)

Tekno_Cowboy said:


> Do you want the current at the LED, or going into the driver? I'll post both when I start working on my LED swap.



Please can you measure the current going to the LED

Thanks


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 29, 2009)

robjdixon said:


> Please can you measure the current going to the LED
> 
> Thanks


I'll be sure to do that.
The link to the thread is in my sigline.


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## Edwood (Jan 30, 2009)

Anyone have pics of opening up an EX10?

Is the reflector threaded in the D10? 

-Ed


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 30, 2009)

The reflector in the D10 is threaded. See post #1...


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## Edwood (Jan 30, 2009)

Thanks, couldn't tell from the small pic in post #1. Couldn't tell if it was a spring like the one around the module.

Is the Reflector threaded in the EX10? Doesn't sound like it from what I've been hearing, but I haven't seen a pic posted of the EX10's innards yet.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 30, 2009)

I saw some pics somewhere here on the forum. If you keep searching, I'm sure you'll find it


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## Edwood (Jan 30, 2009)

I've searched quite a bit. Haven't found any pics.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 30, 2009)

Edwood said:


> I've searched quite a bit. Haven't found any pics.


I found this in less than 2 minutes...


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## Edwood (Jan 30, 2009)

Tekno_Cowboy said:


> I found this in less than 2 minutes...



Thanks. I suxorz at the internets.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Jan 30, 2009)

Once you learn how to phrase it, it gets much easier


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## pinoy (Oct 14, 2010)

I've been studying pics of the D20 and D10 trying to figure out how the piston switch works. Can someone explain how it works?


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