# Sunwayman V10R TI Neutral XP-G Mod



## Jackyl (Jan 24, 2011)

*Sunwayman V10R Ti. Mods?*

Going to order one of these badboys and have some questions even though I realize it's probably a little early to have these in modder's hands.



I will eventually want to upgrade the XP-G R5 to something brighter / more efficient, more neutral, possibly better throw. I am usually a DIY sort, and have basic electrical and soldering skills, but have no idea what I'm getting into with LED light mods. Would be open to letting a resident modder get a hold of it.



I would also like to upgrade the o-rings and switch boot if anyone has a source and knows the sizes I'll need.



Any way to make this anti-roll? Possibly an anti-roll crenelated bezel held on with set screws or other?



Unrelated question: Is anyone here making custom multi-mode LED drop-ins for the new style anti-roll E2D incan heads for 1xCR123 hosts? Veleno Designs is working on one, but figured Id see if there was anyone in the underground. 



Thanks!!!


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## nekomane (Feb 21, 2011)

The mod itself is a straight forward XP-G R5 to XP-G R4 Nuetral emitter swap, but thought posting a how-to for opening up the light would be useful for some. 








Bezel ring screws off without effort. The reflector needs some shaking and nudging to get out because the base (around the emitter) is lightly stuck with some adhesive. Careful not to touch the inside of the reflector. 







Unscrewing the circuit board retainer.







This is a jig I made to secure the light in a vise. The ID of the jig is 25mm, and a 1mm thick sheet of stiff vinyl is inserted to prevent slip and scratching.







I used 2 piece blocks like these before, but after seeing Mettee's tool in this thread (link lost in crash), made the new one.







The parts are small and hard to grip AND have very strong threadlocker on them. Use some rubbing alchohol to wipe off any grease from the surface to prevent slip.







Heating the threadlocker from outside with a small butane torch.







Gripping the top half with a vise wrench.

Bike tubes and a thick piece of leather are used to prevent scratches.
(I have since made another jig as seen in the 4th pic, and can now secure both ends very tightly without any danger of squashing).







Control ring opened up. Threadlocker residue has been removed.







O-ring and washer. The washer keeps the control ring from seizing up when the parts are tightened. Using a thinner washer will eliminate any play in the control ring.

When reassembling, note that the washer fits _under_ the o-ring.







Stripping down further.



















Circuit and LED desoldered.


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## nekomane (Mar 10, 2011)

*Following posts #2 and #3 have been reconstructed after CPF crash Feb 2011. (Couldn't get the following posts from any cache)*

From here, swapping the emitter.

I could only find a Neutral XPG on a 2mm thick, 10mm diameter board, so had to trim it down to 1.1mm thickness and add a donut shaped washer to center it. A lathe was used for both these steps.










Adding some Arctic Alumina.





Fitting the heatsink and soldered LED.





The solder added some thickness to the board, and the bezel would not screw down completely. So, I left out the black plastic ring, and put in a thinner sheet of GID tape to prevent the reflector from shorting out the LED.





White balance daylight shot. Nice and warm tint.





And with a nice clip.


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## nekomane (Mar 10, 2011)

I also tried some new grease to relube the control ring, but it wasn't as sticky as the product name suggested.










See post #20 for better grease.


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## ronac (Mar 10, 2011)

Great work! I found it VERY difficult to get the light apart. When I finally did, I threw in an XM-L and never looked back.


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## gunga (Mar 10, 2011)

So it's not possible to pull out that plastic disc from above with full disassembly?


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## nekomane (Mar 10, 2011)

gunga,
I'm assuming you are asking "*without* full disassembly".

Answer is yes, you must take the control ring off to pull out the ring without destroying it.
You _can_ try cutting up and scraping the ring out. After that, you will need to remove the LED from the heatsink and relpace it. This must be done all through the tiny opening.
You will also need to find somthing to replace the ring which prevents the reflector from rattling, and isolates the LED from shorting out.


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## nekomane (Mar 12, 2011)

Hi gunga, 
I'm trying to reply to your PM regarding this mod, but your PMs are disabled.

Hope you see this.


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## mudman cj (Mar 12, 2011)

I modded mine today with an XP-G R4 5C1 and it is now just right. The 5C1 tint is ideal IMHO, and the light was already my favorite EDC, but just got even better. 

I used rubber strap wrenches to get mine open, with a hairdryer to heat it. I used what amounts to a large oven mit to help funnel the heat over the head for about 5 minutes to make sure it was good and hot. One strap was pinched very tightly in a vise, so as the vise tightened it pulled the strap tighter and tighter to hold the end of the head nearest the body. The strap formed a teardrop shape and applied pressure pretty evenly on the head so it didn't deform, and mine is even the aluminum version. The other strap was used to prevent marring the light and was between the head and a pair of slip joint pliers. 

Unfortunately, the second strap was narrow, and my pliers found their way around the edge of the strap in my hurry to get some good turns in before it cooled, and scratched the adjustment ring a little. Oh well, you can hardly notice the scratches just at the edge of the ring and the result was well worth it. I just need to invest in another wide strap wrench for my next mod.

While I had it apart, I lapped the MCPCB flat so it would make better thermal contact with the heat sink. They tend to be concave, and this one was no exception. After lapping it using 25, 15, and finally 5 micron lapping film, it was much better. The new LED was reflow soldered onto the lapped stock MCPCB after removing the original. A little Arctic Silver thermal paste completed the thermal path. 

Thanks to those like nekomane who braved the path and took pictures and provided tips. I will add that you need to make sure the wires don't get pinched between the circuit board and the outer rim that supports it when you are reassembling the head. It helps to use very flexible wire that is not too long.

I can share another tip. Watch out if carrying the piece that contains the magnets. There is nothing holding them in and they can fall out!


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## AaronG (Apr 4, 2011)

*Re: Sunwayman V10R Ti. Mods?*

I'd be curious to know as well. It's a pretty pricey light so it would be nice if it was upgradeable.


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## mjn (Apr 4, 2011)

*Re: Sunwayman V10R Ti. Mods?*

I'd imagine any mods for the Ti would also work on the basic black model... I know I love mine, but I'll be watching this thread for any performance improvement ideas..


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## kaichu dento (Apr 4, 2011)

*Re: Sunwayman V10R Ti. Mods?*

I really like my V10R Ti and am hoping to get it modded to either a high CRI warm tint XP-G or XM-L.


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## Studey (Apr 14, 2011)

nekomane,

Nice tutorial! I know this is a bit of a blast from the past, but can you explain where you got that pocket clip from and how you attached it? I have a V10R Ti on the way that I'd like to put a similar clip on.


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## supasizefries (Apr 15, 2011)

ronac said:


> Great work! I found it VERY difficult to get the light apart. When I finally did, I threw in an XM-L and never looked back.


 
Did you have to enlarge the hole in the reflector to accomodate the XM-L?


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## ronac (Apr 15, 2011)

Yup you have to.


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## supasizefries (Apr 15, 2011)

Care to share how you enlarged the hole? Any idea how much current you're getting to the LED on high?


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## dongkoo (Apr 15, 2011)

If normal body. How to heating the threadlocker?


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## nekomane (Apr 15, 2011)

Studey said:


> *snip* where you got that pocket clip from and how you attached it?


More info here:
SWM V10R Ti Clip Options



dongkoo said:


> If normal body. How to heating the threadlocker?


Same as Ti. I have opened several of both. Some need more heat, one needed no heat. Just depends on the ammount of threadlocker on a particular light, and how tightly you can secure the parts.


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## dongkoo (Apr 16, 2011)

Thanks. I shall try.


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## nekomane (Apr 17, 2011)

The grease I posted about in post #3 was too light and didn't work as expected, so I did some more searching.

There was a lineup of 'damping grease' from Nyogel which sounded interesting but I could'nt find a good source for small ammounts.

After more online searching, I found 'helicoid grease'. This is the stuff used in lenses to keep the focusing ring from turning too easily. 

There are several grades to the grease according to stiffness, but I chose the heaviest thinking that the small circumfrence of the V10R would need more resistance.

I dabbed a generous amount of it inside the control ring. 
The result was great, actually too good that it made the ring too stiff to turn one-handed. But the stiffness can be adjusted by adding/removing grease. 

There are no details about what this stuff is made of, but if it's used for intricate and expensive camera equipment, don't think it could do harm to Ti or HA.
Not sure about o-rings or gaskets.


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## bud760 (Apr 19, 2011)

*Re: Sunwayman V10R Ti. Mods?*

+1 for any mods thread subscribed


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## gunga (Apr 19, 2011)

*Re: Sunwayman V10R Ti. Mods?*

Use a D10/EX10 clip (or the Steve Ku Ti equivalent) with longer screws and you have a clip, as wel as anti-roll.

See Nekomane's thread on opening up and modding V10R Ti. It's possible, just hard to open.

I also switch out the tailcap boot for a glow one.


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## nekomane (Apr 23, 2011)

Changed the switch to a McClicky.

Switches side by side.
(From Left) Cut Down McClicky, Standard McClicky, Standard V10R






The McClicky was shortened 1.3mm, and the spring was cut.





A spacer (OD 16.9mm, ID 13.0mm, t 2.8mm) is dropped in.





Though there is just enough clearance to keep the contacts from shorting out, a piece of electrical tape is wound around just in case.





The switch works fine, but the boot protrudes a bit making 'tail standing' slightly wobbly.
Momentary on will become super sensitive too.


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## pistolsnipe (Apr 25, 2011)

pretty sweet, do you prefer the feel of the mcclicky to stock? also, did you use any special tool to remove the boot, or just needle nose pliers?


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## ronac (Apr 25, 2011)

What's the advantage of going to a McClicky? It seems that the stock switch is decently reliable and can handle the currents without problem.


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## nekomane (Apr 25, 2011)

pistolsnipe said:


> pretty sweet, do you prefer the feel of the mcclicky to stock? also, did you use any special tool to remove the boot, or just needle nose pliers?


I like the McClicky better, but momentary-on has become too sensitive for pocket carry because it sticks out on the V10R.
OK for use around the house. I'll probably switch it back.

I used a tool like this with the angled tip.




Search Amazon or the bay for "snap ring plyer" (The ones I have do not fit the small holes on the HA version).
Steady force does the job to loosen the retaining ring, but stronger force with firmer needle nose plyers is recommended to tighten it back.


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## nekomane (Apr 25, 2011)

ronac said:


> What's the advantage of going to a McClicky? It seems that the stock switch is decently reliable and can handle the currents without problem.


There is nothing wrong with the stock SWM switch.
It's just that senna94 mentioned the idea in this thread, and running out ways to play with the light, I gave it a try.
Most of the modding here is just for fun


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## seahunt (Apr 25, 2011)

This light is also very 'bush boreable' for 18350.
I have done two and it's not difficult as the body will pass 
a dowel all the way thru snugly wrapped with abrasive paper.
Used 60 -320. Just slow. Spindle sander did most start-up work but
I got worried of going too fast and biting through the sidewall so
finished mostly by hand. Opened till my largest cell slid down like
a piston--smooothly. No problems when warm. Length adapts well with stock springs.
Very satisfied, with about 40% longer run times. Even AW IMR18350's give longer run time.
Legos Forever. Regards, Chuck


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## nekomane (Apr 25, 2011)

seahunt,
Never knew of the 'bush bore' technique nor the 18350 until now, thanks.
Maybe after trying some heat anodizing :naughty:


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## ronac (Apr 26, 2011)

You're right, I'm running out to ways to play with this light too. Its definitely my favorite and it seems there isn't much left to do. I guess I may try boring it out since its basically additional capacity with no additional size.

I have one of those extenders coming my way which I'll be boring out so I can use a 17500 battery. If I bore it out even larger, I'd be able to put a 18500 which is give me almost triple the capacity.


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## pistolsnipe (Apr 26, 2011)

it looks like you could shave down the top plastic "plunger" from the mcclicky to keep the switch boot from bulging out


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## gunga (Apr 26, 2011)

Is it worth it? Do you guys feel that a McClicky is that much better than the stock switch?


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## DaFABRICATA (Apr 26, 2011)

Thanks for the great pics and info!!

My V10R was modified last night with a neutral XP-G and is now ideal.

If the inside of the ring is milled out a bit more, it allows for a lower low....FYI. 
Just don't go too far or you'll end up with a high at either side of the extreme rotory adjustment.


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## kaichu dento (Apr 27, 2011)

DaFABRICATA said:


> My V10R was modified last night with a neutral XP-G and is now ideal.
> If the inside of the ring is milled out a bit more, it allows for a lower low....FYI.


 Well now this really has my attention!


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## gunga (Apr 28, 2011)

Nekomane, why did you add the spacer for the McClickey?

Kaichu, you will love whatI have in my V10r Ti. High CRI (90), warm XP-G. Beautiful, supposed to be 3000K but much nicer than the one in my previous Quark mini AA warm.


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## kaichu dento (Apr 28, 2011)

gunga said:


> Kaichu, you will love whatI have in my V10r Ti. High CRI (90), warm XP-G. Beautiful, supposed to be 3000K but much nicer than the one in my previous Quark mini AA warm.


I don't even need to see beam shots to know I love it! That's the same emitter that I'll probably end up with although your mention of the warm MiNi makes me want to know if you can tell us how much of a difference the 7B from them differs from the 3000k high CRI?


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## pistolsnipe (Apr 29, 2011)

when i opened up the top of my light, cleaned out the thread locker and screwed everything back together, the ring binds and won't rotate freely, even though the o-ring and washer are still seated properly. when i back off the tension a bit, everything works fine. were you guys able to screw everything back together without issue?


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## nekomane (May 2, 2011)

pistolsnipe said:


> it looks like you could shave down the top plastic "plunger" from the mcclicky to keep the switch boot from bulging out


I thought of this too, but there is only about .65mm on the tip.



gunga said:


> Is it worth it? Do you guys feel that a McClicky is that much better than the stock switch?


It has a smoother/lighter feel, but the stock switch is OK too. With the McClicky switch too sensitive and slightly protruding for this setup, the stock switch feels more reliable. 



DaFABRICATA said:


> *snip* If the inside of the ring is milled out a bit more, it allows for a lower low....FYI.
> Just don't go too far or you'll end up with a high at either side of the extreme rotory adjustment.


Great mod!
This is just an idea, but do you guys think tweaking the position of the circuit board could also have the same effect? You may lose a bit on the high side, but the difference in output is barely noticable for the last few degrees on that end anyway.
If it works, it could be easier than milling the ring. 



gunga said:


> *snip* Nekomane, why did you add the spacer for the McClickey?


The spacer is used to back out the switch. Without this, there is too much of the McClicky sticking into the battery tube. 
The AA extension will allow for some more space, but with use with 16350 size only.



pistolsnipe said:


> *snip* were you guys able to screw everything back together without issue?


Mine had no problems. Adjust the tightness and use a small amount of threadlocker again?


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## nekomane (May 2, 2011)

For those of you looking for tools to open the light, these might come in handy.
I have no experience using them, but found them while looking for helicoid grease.
flexi-clamps


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## rioimmagina (May 3, 2011)

nekomane said:


> I also tried some new grease to relube the control ring, but it wasn't as sticky as the product name suggested.



Hi, Nekomane, I would like to have more contrast in the throttle in my v10r, so i found very interesting this part... To add some grease i need to disassemble the light?


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## nekomane (May 3, 2011)

Hi rioimmagina,

I don't understand what you mean by 'contrast' but will assume you want the ring to be heavier.

It is pretty tough to squeeze additional grease through tiny cracks without dissassembling, especially if you want to add more torque which requires stickier grease.

By the way, the grease shown in the pic was not suited for this application.
Please see post #16 for something better.

Hope this helps.


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## rioimmagina (May 4, 2011)

Yes, have more torque!!
Ok, probably i should disassemble my light...
Thanks!


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (May 16, 2011)

Hi - I am bringing this thread back with a few questions. After getting a table top vise and pretty much following the OP instructions I have managed to literally destroy a V10A head. By the time I was able to get the threadlocker (why on earth do they use red threadlocker???!!!) to let go I had bent the part of the head to an oval and the magnetic twist will never turn again. The vice grips on the top part hard gone through 4 layers of bike tire and some canvas and scraped the head all around. AAARGHH!!


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (May 16, 2011)

Oh yeah - the questions.....
- How much torque did you nead to crak the thread lock.
- How much heat did you apply? I got mine pretty hot, but didn't hold the torch on mine for over about 30 seconds.
- I recall from my RC hobby days that red thread lock takes a heat of about 300* to soften and let go - do you guys think that is about right?


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## nekomane (May 16, 2011)

Sorry to hear about your troubles.



ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond said:


> Oh yeah - the questions.....
> - How much torque did you nead to crak the thread lock.
> - How much heat did you apply? I got mine pretty hot, but didn't hold the torch on mine for over about 30 seconds.
> - I recall from my RC hobby days that red thread lock takes a heat of about 300* to soften and let go - do you guys think that is about right?


 
Not much torque is needed as long as you can get a tight, secure grip (which is difficult due to the small parts) and have the thread locker softened.
Heat was applied in short bursts, about 5 seconds each. After each burst, I quickly secured the vise wrench and twisted. If the parts did not budge, I applied another burst.
I have made another jig (same as the hexagonal one shown in the first post) so now both ends can be secured without any danger of oblonging the bezel.
The most I need now is 3x5 seconds.

Can't answer the last question, but have replied to your PM


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## rioimmagina (May 17, 2011)

Hello folks, maybe you can solve a doubt: my v10r Ti control ring runs for around 2.8 cm, but I have noticed that the last part of the run is "dead" (i.e. I turn the ring but power doesn't increase)...Is not a big issue, but I don't know if can be considere normal or not. Maybe i can't reach the max power? Actually my SWM is not as bright as expected...Just a bit better than my r2 lights...
What do you think?
Ciao


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## mudman cj (May 17, 2011)

I think that is normal. My two lights are the same way (one Al, one Ti).


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## rioimmagina (May 18, 2011)

mudman cj said:


> I think that is normal. My two lights are the same way (one Al, one Ti).



Thanks Mudman, your opinion is comforting, I thought was just an issue of my specimen... Anyway I find this dead zone quite annoying, someone has an idea on how to fix it?

I love my V10r Ti, great light (and with the ex10 clip is even better)!


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## Chongker (May 21, 2011)

Loads of great mods! How do you stand out in this crowd?






























:naughty:


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## pistolsnipe (May 22, 2011)

is that a cut down 26.5mm carlco optic?


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## Chongker (May 22, 2011)

Yup, a Carclo spot optic for a Rebel. To be honest the beamshot isn't very pretty (don't have proper means to focus it), but it is just for fun anyway. Might swap back to the reflector soon, after I swap the LED for something more pleasing and get a nice clip for it (won't be carrying it until that happens).


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## EngrPaul (May 22, 2011)

The reflectors on mine slide out no more than 1/8" and stop. Too small to grip on with fingers. I wrap some tape along the exposed edge and it allows me to pull the reflector out better.

On both mine the emitter had adhesive on it from the black inner washer. Cleaned it off of course. But then I found the black ring blocks some of the light when I compared with and without. Since the black ring is two pieces stickied together, it's very easy to leave off the inner one. The result is a smoother transition from spot to spill.


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## Chongker (May 22, 2011)

Strange, the reflector on mine just slid out and didn't have any adhesive on it, just popped straight out. Was hoping that the head was the same and wasn't sealed like others were but no joy, gonna have to break out the heat gun, though not having my own vice will be annoying. Thanks for the heads up on the black ring, might do the same after the transplant


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (May 23, 2011)

I just wanted to say thank you for the assistance provided in cracking the light open!

I went to perform the neutral mod tonight and decided to go straight for a XM-L led. IMO the reflector on this light is pretty deep and the spot on the XP-G beam a bit tight for the uses I would have for a light like this. Not looking for ultimate throw, but rather mostly indoor or under 25ft usage. So a floodier beam is more desirable. With the deeper reflector, a XM-L looks really great. The spot with the XM-L is nice and big and the flood very useful.

Bored out the end of the reflector a bit and trimmed down the plastic ring just a bit. Mounted a E5 XM-L on a datiled 8x1mm round and glued it in with AA.

Had a problem the first time I re-assembled the light in that it would not get very dim. Disassembled and checked out all the wiring. When I re-assembled the second time the levels were working fine.

This is a great and very little light. I plan to EDC it for a bit. Looking forward to Battery Junction finally getting in the AA adapter and it has been a back-order for what seems like a month now.


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## Morelite (May 24, 2011)

http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_117&products_id=2886. Goinggear has the AA adpters in stock.


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## gunga (May 24, 2011)

How did you bore out the reflector? I'm tempted to do the same but don't want to damage it!


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## JWRitchie76 (May 24, 2011)

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond said:


> I just wanted to say thank you for the assistance provided in cracking the light open!
> 
> I went to perform the neutral mod tonight and decided to go straight for a XM-L led. IMO the reflector on this light is pretty deep and the spot on the XP-G beam a bit tight for the uses I would have for a light like this. Not looking for ultimate throw, but rather mostly indoor or under 25ft usage. So a floodier beam is more desirable. With the deeper reflector, a XM-L looks really great. The spot with the XM-L is nice and big and the flood very useful.
> 
> ...



Pictures? I'm on the fence....Do I keep this light and mod it to something neutral or sell it. They really are very well made but at this point I just don't see it knocking my warm Haiku or warm Aeon out of my pocket unless it gets a warmer LED.


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## kaichu dento (May 25, 2011)

JWRitchie76 said:


> Pictures? I'm on the fence....Do I keep this light and mod it to something neutral or sell it. They really are very well made but at this point I just don't see it knocking my warm Haiku or warm Aeon out of my pocket unless it gets a warmer LED.


Pictures, and beamshots?


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (May 25, 2011)

I will take and post pics tonight. I don't have a reference for a non-modded beamshot at this time (I picked up another V10R from the sale yesterday at BJ so when that arrives I post some) but will do my best to take a beamshot pic too.


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## Morelite (May 28, 2011)

Just received a few XPG's in 4000K and swapped one in the V10R. Here is a beamshot of one compared to a stock one before I do the second V10R.

Both on the lowest setting




Now both at the same midpoint.




I'm not that good with beamshots but it does show the difference.
I also enlarged the hole in the plastic piece around the LED, that might be the reason for the larger hotspot.


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## Jetpowered (Jun 6, 2011)

Maybe you guys can help. I'm considering buying a Sunwayman V10R Ti, mainly for the ring selector and the very low output ability. The only other light that is in the running is the Nitecore IFE2 which has a similar operation. Which would you recommend? Maybe I should just buy both and keep the one I like best then sell the other. Any input would be appreciated!


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## mr.snakeman (Jun 8, 2011)

Do as I did: buy both and keep both. With the AA adaptor for the V10R I now have three different battery options between the two lights.


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (Jun 8, 2011)

I am having my V10R HA cracked this week and will take pictures as I work on modding it to a XML.

I used a dremel running at high speed and handheld the reflector in a pair of vice grips. I don't know the name of the particular dremel head, but I'll post it up in a pic. Running the dremel at very high speed and using quick touching motions appears to take of just a little metal at a time without causing damage to the reflector. Always using the air compressor to blow off any metal particles.

On a side note - I know see why they used the red thread lock on the head. Once the head has been opened it is near impossible to open and close the battery compartment without unscrewing the bezel a bit. Also - if you tighten the bezel down too much the ring gets too snug to turn. It's a very small range of what is just right. I think I am going to clean mine with some alcohol and then use blue thread locker to hold the head in place - it should hold for battery changes but be easy enough to crack down the road if I want to do another mod.

On other thought - as nice is the light is, it could be a bit brighter. Tailcap current measurements calculate out to ~500mA to the LED. I know a few guys on CPF have figured out how to modify a resistor controlling the drive current on other lights to give them a boost and was wondering if anyone here has been able to do that with the V10R?


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## ronac (Jun 8, 2011)

My XM-L V10R pulls 2A on a IMR16340 cell at the tail. I think the stock V10R should get 1.4A at the tail.


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (Jun 8, 2011)

ronac said:


> My XM-L V10R pulls 2A on a IMR16340 cell at the tail. I think the stock V10R should get 1.4A at the tail.


 
An XP-G can only handle 1.5A - I am amazed you haven't toasted anything yet. I actually did see this when I was doing some initial current testing before the mod - but that high current level scarred the heck outta me and I haven't put an IMR in there since.

I measure about 800-850 mA out of a primary CR123 (@ a nominal assumed loaded 2.5V) which is around the ~500mA @ 3.2v to the LED I calculated.

Since I have the XML in there now that can handle the current I may just have to try this out - that would potentially make one heck of a pocket rocket.


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## ronac (Jun 8, 2011)

I think you may have misread, my XM-L modded V10R pulls 2A. The IMR cell with the V10R and XP-G will pull 1.4A.


With the XML, its significantly brighter. If output is what you're looking for, definitely do the swap. I've been using mine for a while now and it seems that the driver has no problem handling the extra current.


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (Jun 8, 2011)

Thank you for the clarification - I thought you meant a V10R TI versus a non-TI version. I get it now. I will be trying it out as that would give this awesome light an extremely huge boost in book as being one of the best "small" form factor lights out in quite a while.


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## Morelite (Jun 8, 2011)

Maybe I'm lost here, but why would the current to the LED change if all you did was swap out the XP-G in favor of the XM-L? These lights are supposed to have a constant current driver. If the XP-G was driven with 1.4A on high shouldn't the XM-L be the same?


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## ronac (Jun 8, 2011)

I'm not sure how the driver is setup but it may be because of the different Vf vs Current curves of the XP-G and XM-L.


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## Morelite (Jun 8, 2011)

My V10R-Ti pulls 1.8A on high at 4.1v with rechargeable cells (IMR and regular) and 2.0A at 3.0v on a primary 123. Light is stock other than I swapped the LED to a 4000K neutral XP-G.


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (Jun 8, 2011)

Intersting. I just measured mine again tonight on a brand new SF CR123 and a fully charged IMR16340 cell.

SF CR123 - 0.765 A
IMR16340 - 1.7 - 1.85A (depending on cell used, I tried 3 different cells)


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## Th232 (Jun 8, 2011)

For reference, a few more readings that Morelite did using a benchtop power supply, plus one of my own:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?315883-Sunwayman-V10R-Current-Questions

This driver is a really confusing one. If anyone's modding one, would it be possible to do a voltage sweep and measure the actual current going into the LED? Especially with the disturbingly high readings from Morelite in the thread above, I'm not sure if the LED is getting the extra power, or if the driver's dissipating it somehow. Either scenario is kinda disturbing.


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (Jun 8, 2011)

It's not very confidence inspiring since Sunwayman specs these lights as being Li-Ion compatible.

It would appear that the lights goes into some sort of direct drive as the voltage rises above 3V.


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## kaichu dento (Jun 9, 2011)

ronac said:


> With the XML, its significantly brighter. If output is what you're looking for, definitely do the swap. I've been using mine for a while now and it seems that the driver has no problem handling the extra current.


Now this makes me wonder how the emitter swap affects the lowest levels, if there was any modding needed for the reflector to work with the XM-L, and assuming that it's now a lot floodier, does it still generate a noticeable hotspot?

I'm getting ready to send mine off for modding and the idea of going with an XM-L is sounding very tempting, as long as it didn't ruin the lowest levels.


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## ronac (Jun 9, 2011)

It definitely becomes floodier with the XM-L. There will just be a larger hot spot. With the XM-L, it definitely doesn't go as low as it does with the XP-G. It's not something I care too much about since the lowest on the V10R is REALLY low. If that's something you care about though, I'd suggest not swapping to a XML.


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## gunga (Jun 9, 2011)

Ronac, are you able to open the head successfully without damage? I'm local... Vancouver...


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## ronac (Jun 9, 2011)

First time was a disaster, the second time was better but it wasn't without damage. The good thing about Ti is that I was able to sand away the damage.


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## gunga (Jun 9, 2011)

How about third time?  Can you PM me details?


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## Chongker (Jun 10, 2011)

DaFABRICATA said:


> Thanks for the great pics and info!!
> 
> My V10R was modified last night with a neutral XP-G and is now ideal.
> 
> ...


 

Just finished swapping mine to a high CRI XPG, and had this happen to mine. Now have high on either extreme end of the rotary adjustment. I didn't mill the ring out at all, any suggestions for ideas of what might be going on? It's a minor annoyance, something that I'd rather fix but can live with if I have to.

The light is a lot better for me now though, despite the issue. The beam colour is just gorgeous :huh:


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## Morelite (Jun 10, 2011)

Chongker said:


> Just finished swapping mine to a high CRI XPG, and had this happen to mine. Now have high on either extreme end of the rotary adjustment. I didn't mill the ring out at all, any suggestions for ideas of what might be going on? It's a minor annoyance, something that I'd rather fix but can live with if I have to.
> 
> The light is a lot better for me now though, despite the issue. The beam colour is just gorgeous :huh:



Take the control ring back off and rotate it 180 degrees and put it back on.


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## Chongker (Jun 11, 2011)

I didn't even take the control ring off though, I basically did this:



> gunga,
> I'm assuming you are asking "*without* full disassembly".
> 
> Answer is yes, you must take the control ring off to pull out the ring without destroying it.
> ...


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## Morelite (Jun 11, 2011)

Chongker said:


> I didn't even take the control ring off though, I basically did this:



Well that really throws a wrench in my idea and that was all I could think of and the driver has to be in the right position as it only goes in one position.


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## Chongker (Jun 11, 2011)

Yea, it's a little strange what's going on. But it's definitely something I did, I got lazy and decided to reflow solder the new LED while the board was still in the head. Ended up busting one of the connections on a component of the driver board (and extremely fragile, slither of copper wire in what I think is a tiny inductor). Resoldered that back to get it to work, and I'm thinking that is what caused my dilemma. Very strange consequence, only when the light is in one orientation the high on both ends occur. I just rotate the light 180 degrees and then it works as normal, maybe something moving around in there with gravity? It's pretty cool actually, if I leave it in a mid-range point, I can just rotate the entire flashlight and it ramps between a small range of outputs (as if I'm rotating the ring). Leaving it at the low position I can switch between low and high just by moving my arm 

Quite a funny quirk that I can't quite figure out how to fix, but I might leave because it's kinda cool (if unpredictable). If I do another LED swap on another sample, I'll be sure to remove the driver board first


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## Morelite (Jun 11, 2011)

Maybe one of the magnets became loose or dislodged. I know if you wave a magnet around the outside it will go through different levels of output.


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## Chongker (Jun 11, 2011)

It's possible, I might try butchering the driver from my V10A and see if that solves the problem. If it doesn't it might be the magnets as you've said.


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (Jun 11, 2011)

Does anyone have a suggestion for glue to hold the head back on? I've tried both red and blue thread lock, but they don't hold because you can't screw it down tight enough.


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## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond (Jun 11, 2011)

I was trying to fins something in what I had and decided to try some Arctic Alumina - worked like a charm, don't know if I'll ever get the top off again if I need to though. :duh2:

I worked on modding the V10R HA tonight, but I have to say the overall feel of the driver is nowhere as nice as that of the V10R Ti. As you move change the levels the brightening of the LED appears to happen jumpy and there is a quick jump at the end to a full brightness. This is how it was out of the box, so my mod did not impact that, although the driver was working fine with a CR123 before I started working on it and now will only fire up on a IMR16340. I'll have to check for a cold solder joint somewhere on the boost driver.

Here are the pics of opening the reflector hole. Really probably the easiest part of the whole process.


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## pistolsnipe (Jun 13, 2011)

very clean mod, do you have a pic of what the led looks like in the reflector from the reflector side? i am assuming that you switched pcb on the led because the old one was too thick? it looks like it would fit otherwise.


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## nanotech17 (Jun 16, 2011)

can the same mod procedure apply on the M20A?


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## geek1 (Jun 16, 2011)

So many people here with great modding skills. Is there anybody willing to make me a mod of a SWM V10R (aluminum). I really want one with a High CRI XP-G (90+) as the one used in the Malkoff M61 High CRI:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-CRI-Release&p=3650635&viewfull=1#post3650635

post #139

PM me


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## Chongker (Jun 18, 2011)

Swapped out the boards on my V10A and V10R Ti and that solved my problems, so used the V10A board as a reference and managed to get the V10R board working properly as well, and now have two properly working lights :thumbsup:
Did it all without actually having to strip down the light completely, just did it via reflow soldering through the bezel opening, which I found easier than trying to get the fussy head to open.


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## nanotech17 (Jun 19, 2011)

nanotech17 said:


> can the same mod procedure apply on the M20A?



Ok minor operation successful - now it has XPG R4 NW - the tint now is so sexy


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## bansuri (Jul 5, 2011)

My question is about a V10A, but seeing as they are all so similar and this seems to be the "extreme modding" thread, I'll ask here.
Saw somewhere, (edit: here) that a user dropped their light a short distance and now it doesn't work and something is rattling around inside the head.
The only thing I can think of in the head that could come loose and rattle would be a surface-mounted component on the board.
Any ideas on a compound that could be put on the board, (avoiding the edges and screw hole), that might prevent components from popping off in the event of a drop?
I'm confident enough that most any thin coating of stuff put on the board wouldn't interfere with the switching mechanism that I'll use mine as a guinea pig.


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## nanotech17 (Jul 5, 2011)

bansuri in this case maybe the user who drop it need to re-tighten that small screw (don't do it too hard ) again.


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## mr.snakeman (Jul 11, 2011)

bansuri said:


> My question is about a V10A, but seeing as they are all so similar and this seems to be the "extreme modding" thread, I'll ask here.
> Saw somewhere, (edit: here) that a user dropped their light a short distance and now it doesn't work and something is rattling around inside the head.
> The only thing I can think of in the head that could come loose and rattle would be a surface-mounted component on the board.
> Any ideas on a compound that could be put on the board, (avoiding the edges and screw hole), that might prevent components from popping off in the event of a drop?
> I'm confident enough that most any thin coating of stuff put on the board wouldn't interfere with the switching mechanism that I'll use mine as a guinea pig.


Something that might be worth a try is to cover the board with a thin layer of a product called "Liquisole" or it`s less thick brother "Liquiseam". Both products are a polyurithane rubber in solution. Put masking tape around the edge of the driver to prevent run-off, apply and smooth out. It takes about 4 hours to begin to harden and 24 hours to dry completely depending on the applied thickness. Any holes that have been covered can be easily drilled out. This stuff is real sticky and should make a good bond to whatever it is applied to.


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## badtziscool (Jul 18, 2011)

For those who have taken apart the head to do the emitter swap, has any one use a little bit of acetone to break down the thread lock? I read in an old thread on CPF that they use some acetone to break up the thread lock on an old surefire KL3 head. I wonder if the same trick will work as well with this? It would make it much easier to take it apart and reduce the chance of damage.


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## Titanium81 (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: Sunwayman V10R Ti. Mods?*

Any info on doing a XM-L emitter swap on the V10R Ti?


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## tx101 (Sep 1, 2011)

*Re: Sunwayman V10R Ti. Mods?*



Titanium81 said:


> Any info on doing a XM-L emitter swap on the V10R Ti?



See here


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2011)

Sunwayman V10R Ti. Mods? Merged with Sunwayman V10R TI Neutral XP-G Mod - Norm


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## badtziscool (Sep 9, 2011)

Oh no!! The pics are gone!


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## nekomane (Sep 18, 2011)

badtziscool said:


> Oh no!! The pics are gone!


 
Fixed


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## jh333233 (Nov 18, 2011)

Does altering the circuit affect the hall effect sensor and IV control?


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## jake royston (Nov 18, 2011)

i finished moding mine today, only to put it back together and have it stuck on the lowest output. turn the ring and nothing happens. checked the wiring and solder joints multiple times, as well as trying different wires and desoldering, and resoldering the wires to the board. 
any suggestions?


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## Morelite (Nov 18, 2011)

jake royston said:


> i finished moding mine today, only to put it back together and have it stuck on the lowest output. turn the ring and nothing happens. checked the wiring and solder joints multiple times, as well as trying different wires and desoldering, and resoldering the wires to the board.
> any suggestions?



Did the little magnet on the ring fall out?
Try using an external magnet and move it around the light, does the output chang?


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## jake royston (Nov 18, 2011)

nope! but i turned it on and it got bright, then went out, so i opened it and i could smell something burning. no smoke, but a nasty all-to-familiar smell, and now it wont turn on at all. the led still works thankfully! id hate to loose one of my new neutral XP-G R5s !!!
sent an email to sunwayman, hopefully i can get a replacement.


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## NoFair (Nov 20, 2011)

jake royston said:


> nope! but i turned it on and it got bright, then went out, so i opened it and i could smell something burning. no smoke, but a nasty all-to-familiar smell, and now it wont turn on at all. the led still works thankfully! id hate to loose one of my new neutral XP-G R5s !!!
> sent an email to sunwayman, hopefully i can get a replacement.



You might have some trouble getting a warranty replacement after modding and killing it  

Hopefully they are nice and might repair it for you..


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## jake royston (Nov 29, 2011)

well mines out for the count unfortunately!
if anyone damaged theirs during disassembly, heres your chance to fix it! im selling mine for parts. 
i will part out each peice of the head if i can find buyers for every part. the control ring and reflector are spoken for if i split up. 


http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/sh...s-night-ops-GLADIUS-*price-drops*-TI-D11-clip


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## Flucero28 (Dec 3, 2011)

Just want to share the results of my Sunwayman V10R Ti mod. Unfortunately I did not take pictures along the way but im very pleased with the very clean mod to XPG R5 4C tint, which is right in between 4500 and 4000k 

Heres the before shot, V10R Ti on the left, vs my HDS Rotary with the XPG R5 4C tint emitter (I just recently modded it as well) with both lights on their highest output settings.







Heres both lights on their lowest settings






Heres the two after the mod, both on high. V10R Ti is still on the left. 






And on low now...






I am much happier with my V10R Ti now, especially with the new lower low!!! Thanks for looking guys! 

Frank


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## kaichu dento (Dec 3, 2011)

Nice story with pics Flucero, and welcome back!

I'm also really pleased to have gotten a lower low when I had my V10R Ti given an hCRI swap.


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## Flucero28 (Dec 3, 2011)

Thank you Kaichu! Good to be back. Which High CRI did you go with? Do you happen to have any beamshots by chance? Im really debating doing a high CRI XPG R2 bin 90+ CRI (3000K) mod to another V10R. I just dont know if it will be too yellow for me, and if it will be bright enough.


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## kaichu dento (Dec 4, 2011)

Flucero28 said:


> Thank you Kaichu! Good to be back. Which High CRI did you go with? Do you happen to have any beamshots by chance? Im really debating doing a high CRI XPG R2 bin 90+ CRI (3000K) mod to another V10R. I just dont know if it will be too yellow for me, and if it will be bright enough.


Mine's got an XP-G in it, and I believe it's the one you're considering. Here's a thread showing comparisons between the XP-G and Nichia 119, which Don puts in his McGizmo's. I love both of them for different purposes, but as an all around I far and away have a preference for the comforting warmth of the XP-G, although I'd be going for the neutrality of the Nichia 119 for photography or medical purposes.


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## jake royston (Dec 31, 2011)

heres the end results of modding mine with a high CRI xpg Q2.


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## bansuri (Feb 15, 2012)

Found some grease that is _at_ _least_ as stiff as the stuff that comes in these stock. Took about 3 weeks to get from DX but worth the wait. PN 112202, Excellent Performance Damping Grease.


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## rewdee (May 30, 2012)

Hi, I have a V10R Ti with stock cool XPG, wondering if anyone here can swap the emitter for me into a warm XPG?

I live in indonesia and hope someone in the neighboring countries could do this for me. Hate it if i have to send it all the way to the USA and back, either gonna take forever or gonna cost me a fortune.

Thanks.


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## wquiles (May 30, 2012)

rewdee said:


> Hi, I have a V10R Ti with stock cool XPG, wondering if anyone here can swap the emitter for me into a warm XPG?
> 
> I live in indonesia and hope someone in the neighboring countries could do this for me. Hate it if i have to send it all the way to the USA and back, either gonna take forever or gonna cost me a fortune.
> 
> Thanks.



I know this thread is about using the Neutral XP-G on the V10T, but now that we have the awesome Nichia 219 available, you might want to consider using the 219 instead as it is a more "true" neutral than the XP-G. I have them both, and I much prefer the Nichia 219 as the Nichia 219 (although warm) looks more natural - here is a side-by-side of the Nichia 219 (left) vs. the XP-G neutral (right) of two of my custom shop LED lights:






And this thread has lots and lots of comparisons:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?336907-Post-your-Nichia-219-4500k-beamshots&p=3944241#post3944241

Will


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## rewdee (May 31, 2012)

Hi Will, thanks for the info, haven't seen the nichia 219 in person yet but i guess i like the warmer tint of the xpg. Its easier on the eyes in my opinion. Will go through the comparison thread u provided.

I heard you will do the emitter swap for v10r ti. How much do you charge? If i cant find anyone around here that can do it and desperate enough, i might send my V10r ti to the states.

Thanks.


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## kaichu dento (May 31, 2012)

rewdee said:


> Hi Will, thanks for the info, haven't seen the nichia 219 in person yet but i guess i like the warmer tint of the xpg. Its easier on the eyes in my opinion. Will go through the comparison thread u provided.
> 
> I heard you will do the emitter swap for v10r ti. How much do you charge? If i cant find anyone around here that can do it and desperate enough, i might send my V10r ti to the states.
> 
> Thanks.


I'm with you on the preference for warmer tints. Funny how incan fans prefer warm tints and so many light fans in general use a different yardstick when it comes to weighing in on LED tint, changing to a preference for pure white, or even cool in some cases. I like the white tints, but I love an LED that makes people, myself included, think that I'm using an incan.


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## wquiles (Jun 2, 2012)

rewdee said:


> Hi Will, thanks for the info, haven't seen the nichia 219 in person yet but i guess i like the warmer tint of the xpg. Its easier on the eyes in my opinion. Will go through the comparison thread u provided.


It is quite amazing to see both in person - it is like the picture I posted. The Nichia looks white, as if there is no tint. Colors looks "natural" to me. But I do agree 100% that it is all relative and that you might very much love the warmer tint on the XP-G.




rewdee said:


> I heard you will do the emitter swap for v10r ti. How much do you charge?


This is not a sales thread, so it is not appropriate to discuss pricing/services. Please contact me via email (in my signature) for details.




rewdee said:


> If i cant find anyone around here that can do it and desperate enough, i might send my V10r ti to the states.


You might want to post your request in this sub-forum to see if you can find a modder closer to you:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?92-CPF-Custom-Flashlight-Builders-and-Modders


Will


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## Dimitri Stephan (Nov 11, 2012)

I want to swap the emitter on my v10r ti for an XM-L. There are many different ones available, so which one should I go for to make this as easy as possible? I want to do it myself instead of buying the new v10r Ti+.


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## egrep (Nov 11, 2012)

Dimitri Stephan said:


> I want to swap the emitter on my v10r ti for an XM-L. There are many different ones available, so which one should I go for to make this as easy as possible? I want to do it myself instead of buying the new v10r Ti+.



The reflector is the wrong size for an XML. You should trade someone with an XML head for yours. FYI, the XPG head is much more valuable than the XML head for those of us who prefer great tint (Nichia 219 is a simple modification) to ultra white and bright. So, you should have an easy time of trading. I might have a stock XML head I'd be willing to trade you. PM me if you're interested.


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## think2x (Nov 11, 2012)

egrep said:


> The reflector is the wrong size for an XML. You should trade someone with an XML head for yours. FYI, the XPG head is much more valuable than the XML head for those of us who prefer great tint (Nichia 219 is a simple modification) to ultra white and bright. So, you should have an easy time of trading. I might have a stock XML head I'd be willing to trade you. PM me if you're interested.



Option 2 would be to pick up a new or used (on the MP) XM-L aluminum version and swap the reflectors and emitter boards, That's what I've done before for another member.


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## Dimitri Stephan (Nov 12, 2012)

Wouldnt it be possible to just drill out the reflector so that an XM-L would fit i there? I'd rather do it myself than relying on exchanges just for the sake of time and convenience.


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## think2x (Nov 12, 2012)

You could if you have either a steady hand or drill press. You will need to find or modify the emitter board to be the same thickness as the factory one and you will need to make an isolator ring so the emitter contacts don't short against the reflector, that's why it's better to find the donor light because it's got all the parts you need already.

Plus it has factory looking results that way.


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## Dimitri Stephan (Nov 12, 2012)

I'm just going to buy a new Ti EDC light in that case. I changed my mind regarding the surgical procedure hehe.


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## axello (Dec 12, 2012)

Hi, i got a used v10r from ebay. It is very hard to change the settings with magnetic control, is has losened up a little bit after using it lately. What do you suggest i do? Please excuse me for asking, but im swedish and my mechanical skills are few. Any explanation will help, but consider what i wrote and try to be very "understandable". Thank you


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## tobrien (Dec 12, 2012)

axello said:


> Hi, i got a used v10r from ebay. It is very hard to change the settings with magnetic control, is has losened up a little bit after using it lately. What do you suggest i do? Please excuse me for asking, but im swedish and my mechanical skills are few. Any explanation will help, but consider what i wrote and try to be very "understandable". Thank you


using some "helicoid grease" appears to be the best for the control ring


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## axello (Dec 13, 2012)

Ok, great, but I have to open the flashlight as explained by the first post? The grease is to be applied on the threads?


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## JWRitchie76 (Dec 24, 2012)

I just got my Ti V10R back from Vinh. He swapped the XP-G out for a neutral XP-G2. The control ring is very loose and need's some grease to stiffen it's action. I was pretty hesitant with the Helicoid Grease listed in post #20 because I can't find listed anywhere that it would be water and moisture resistant. I am making an assumption here that because it's main purpose is for use in camera's and telescopes that it won't be. It seems though that the PTFE additive is what gives the grease it's dampening qualities and also makes it resistant to running and leaking so I did a search and found a synthetic PTFE based grease that is also listed as being resistant to moisture. This stuff seems to have a lot of other great properties for application in this light also IMO. I just ordered some and I'll report back once I get it and have used it a bit. HERE'S a link to what I bought.


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## JWRitchie76 (Dec 24, 2012)

BTW does anyone have extra V10R parts laying around? I noticed that one of the magnets in my control ring is not right. I need a replacement. Anyone have one or two they can part with?


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