# Riverrock/Aurora/Stormlite 2AA anyone modded this ?



## mpc (Mar 3, 2007)

I have a Stormlite Aurora 2AA Nichia Jupiter. It has an optic, which produces a tight circle of blue light with several rings spreading out. It's more a an oddity than of any real use.

Has anyone opened this and tried to insert a Cree (with or without star). I would love to make this a useful light

In fact any info on modding this would be useful - especially how to open the head. I thought about using heat, but the lens is plastic.







Thanks !


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## mpc (Mar 5, 2007)

Okay, I got the head off - very hard to do. Minor blemish on the knurling/namestamp.
Now to order a cree


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## StefanFS (Mar 5, 2007)

I put an Cree X-RE P4 WC in mine (starmounted). I set the focus so it projects the leds die shape in perfect detail. If you want a more floody beam you have to increase the focal height with a spacer or similar between the headassembly and the led pill. In order for the star to fit you either have to trim the stars outer edges or remove the black plastic reflector shaped thingy. With an Cree it's a throw monster. Mine throws as far as my D-Mini, not as bright as the D-Mini obviously. It's almost only throw, but it throws far. Output (throw) increases from about 450 lux to 4700 lux with alkaline cells. MAJOR improvement in flux, ~10 times the flux compared to the stock emitter.
Stefan


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## mpc (Mar 5, 2007)

Thanks for the reply Stefan. I was hoping it would be a throw monster 

Since I already have a Cree light on order I thought it would be nice to have a change

I have ordered an SSC U-bin from Dealextreme. I believe that the star is electrically isolated so I should be able to use that. I know the SSC has a difference in emission angle - and I will have to be careful with that "Gummy" dome.

I intend to post photos of the emitter swap, and possibly some beam shots.

Did you do anything with the Nichia Jupiter LED ? I may put it into the last remaining ARC AAA clones that I have.


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## DonX_Fi (Mar 5, 2007)

Hello
How did U opened the head ?
I wanna open head, too.


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## mpc (Mar 5, 2007)

Heating didn't work. This is what I did.

Wrapped two pieces of very tough card around the head and body. The card MUST be very tough. This type was a piece of shiny junk mail. I used about 3 doubled over layers.

Molegrips - I unscrewed them until they slipped over the card. Then I screwed the adjustment screw tighter. I set it until I could just about close the molegrips - lots of strength required. (This would probably crush a similar aluminium light)

For the body section, make sure that the flat section of the body (where the logo is) makes contact with the flat section of the mole grip jaws.

Then apply a slow but very firm twisting motion - don't try to rush it, or you will cause damage to the body.


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## jhawkins1 (Mar 5, 2007)

DonX_Fi said:


> Hello
> How did U opened the head ?
> I wanna open head, too.



I managed to get mine apart one day when I was feeling real rowdy! I wrapped a rag around the head and one around the body and used large pliers to get mine apart, it came apart really hard. I am guessing if you had some strap wrenches they might be easier on the metal, I managed to mangle the knurling a bit.

It's cool to find this thread, I was just looking at the light the other day and deciding how to pop a cree into it!


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## StefanFS (Mar 5, 2007)

I put in a vise and applied sticky tape around the bezel, sticky on both sides. Then I put a nylon baggage strap around the bezel and twisted counterclockwise this with my biggest wrench/pliers. You need to hold the wrench horizontally. A makeshift strap wrench. I_ was incorrect about the Lux readings before, checked my numbers after work. Throw should be 4700 Lux @ one metre with new alkaline cells (IKEA brand). I did confirm this again with my Lux meter just now._ 
Stefan

Edit,
Sorry for invading your thread, couldn't resist a beamshot (or two). Exposure 125/1000, f 2.8. 3 metres. Cree X-RE P4 WC





Exposure 8/1000, f 2.8. 3 metres.


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## mpc (Mar 5, 2007)

Looks like I could project a 1980's space invader onto my neighbour's roof at night :naughty:


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## StefanFS (Mar 5, 2007)

Yeah, that you could. And on your next, next, next neighbours roof at that. It easily throws 100 metres. 
There are some things that are very important for this mod to work. First you have to trim the star (if you use a star) because the inner part of the bezel pushes down the led pill for contact, and the star is to big to fit in this inner diameter of the bezel.

Trimmed star:





Then you need to enlarge the hole into the black reflector shaped piece of plastic just enough so the Cree's metal ring fits through the hole. This way you use this hole to center the star when the thermal epoxy hardens. It also pushes the star down when screwed down tight.





Soldering is easy, just use the existing leads. The leads are even marked + & - where they are attached to the driver circuit board. Just for fun I tried the optic with another light that I have modded with an SSC P4, Liteflux LF1. The led in that light is driven harder than the Aurora but throw is visibly less with the SSC P4 in this unscientific experiment. I recommend to use an Cree X-RE with this optic, it seems to throw much better.
Stefan


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## mpc (Mar 5, 2007)

Excellent Stefan, really good pictures. I'll fit the Cree 

I'm sure lots of people have this light, but have not been able to do anything with it. 

What did you end up doing with the Jupiter LED, nothing?


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## StefanFS (Mar 5, 2007)

I did this mod in early January, but never posted it because I thought: Nah, no one have this strange light. But it really shines with an Cree led in it.
The Nichia Jupiter lives in my "old led storage section" of my led modding toolbox. I have modded all my led lights with either Cree X-RE or SSC P4 U bin. I got the idea to use the Jupiter in a bedstand 0.5 watt Nuwai, but it wasn't worth the trouble. And I do like 0.5 watt Nuwai at night because it produces maybe 10 very blue Lumens, which is perfect for indoor navigating when you wake up and have to find your way to "the room".
Stefan


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## mpc (Mar 5, 2007)

One last question - since the reflector holds down the star, is it necessary to use thermal epoxy? I have ordinary heatsink transfer compound (not epoxy) - would that do?


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## StefanFS (Mar 5, 2007)

What if you drop it? Could be goodbye emitter in a worst case scenario. Just use some ordinary household epoxy on the outer tips of the star to fix it in place, then use thermal compound in the center. I did this, I used Arctic Ceramique thermal compound in the center and Arctic Alumina epoxy on the tips of the star. All household epoxies I have seen can stand at least 100 degrees Celsius, so just use whatever you have. There is a cavity in the heatsink where the Nichia Jupiter is epoxied, I just filled that cavity with thermal compound, works great.
Stefan


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## StefanFS (Apr 9, 2007)

It's been a while. Did you do it? How did it go? Like it? Hate it?
Stefan


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## spider-cricket-hater (Apr 10, 2007)

hey Stefan. I got this light about a year ago when it was on sale in Target for mare 5$. I love the light simply because the spotlight has that perfect "moon" look to it. After you modded it, do you still get that clean, sharp edged spotlight or is it gone ( due to small modifications to the reflector ? ).. 

Also could you point out which star from DX did you use ? Did you have to mess with the circuits ( if any ?) or was is as simple as getting out the old led and putting the new one ? thanks!


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## spider-cricket-hater (Apr 10, 2007)

would this cree work in this light ?
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1302

or.. this ? http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1445


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## StefanFS (Apr 10, 2007)

They both work. If you want the clean projected die shape go with the Cree. Thats what I like with this, the projected "space invader" spot, the SSC is fuzzier in the spot. Either way you won't get the moon shaped beam if you mod it, it will be a throw light. With such a Cree star you should get an intense dieshaped spot.
Stefan


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## spider-cricket-hater (Apr 10, 2007)

thanks. I am off to DX to order the Cree!
I assume I don't need to mod anything on the circuit board ?


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## Lynx_Arc (Apr 10, 2007)

I wonder if you could somehow remove thee lens, put in another glass non magnifying lense and a reflector with a lux or cree instead. I like the form factor of this light but hate the spotlight beam.


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## selfbuilt (May 14, 2007)

Just to update this thread, I thought I'd post my experience and pics in turning this light into the a "space invader"







Despite earlier difficulty in getting the head opened, I happened upon this method which worked best for me: secured the body in a Dremel-brand table-top vice (with nice soft plastic grip areas), and gave the head a good yank counter-clockwise with a fairly large rubber strap wrench. Surprisingly, it came off rather easy. I had no success using my old smaller strap wrenches and vice-grips (with heat) - but this worked like a charm

Here's a few shots of disassembly, to compliment StefanFS pics:
















After removing the old LED (needed to cut, grind and polish it off the aluminum base), and enlarging the hole in the reflector, I attached a dealextreme.com Cree P4 WD star (trimmed the same as StefanFS). I put a dab of arctic silver under the centre of the emitter, and used arctic alumina epoxy around the edges of the star.

And now the beamshots. I didn't realize just how sharply it would project the Cree die, even at great distances. It's an amazing effect!

First shot is at *5 meters * (~16.5 feet), at the middle of a door (you'll see the shiny doornob as a reference):

Shutter speed: 1sec, F:8.0





The next shot is at *15 meters * (~50 feet), same target

Shutter speed: 4sec, F:8.0





In real life, the "space invader" is even more distinct than the picture shows! And that's at 50 feet away ...

Of course, if you want to smooth that die image out without losing too much output, I've found a small bit of Glad press-n-seal works well on centre of the lens:






Shutter speed: 1sec, F:8.0





This last image is directly comparable to the first beam shot. Gives you a fairly even square spotlight effect.

Enjoy! :thumbsup:


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## spider-cricket-hater (May 18, 2007)

great.. great light.. I also modded it and have the "space invador" effect. I like it, but I liked more that smooth, moon shaped throw. I wish I could have it also with the cree.. 

maybe some genious would come up with an idea on how to do it ? Or is it impossible from the technical point of view ?


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## spider-cricket-hater (May 18, 2007)

also, there are MINI version of this light - that take one AA. Has anyone tried to mod it as well ? Would the cree light up in that torch without messing with the circuits ?


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## AndyTiedye (May 20, 2007)

I have never been able to remove ANYTHING with a strap wrench.
All it ever does is slip no matter how tightly I try to wrap it around.

Is there some trick to it?


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## selfbuilt (May 21, 2007)

AndyTiedye said:


> I have never been able to remove ANYTHING with a strap wrench.
> All it ever does is slip no matter how tightly I try to wrap it around.
> Is there some trick to it?


Depends on the wrench. I had 2, and one was useless for everything. Bought a new one at walmart for $5, with a thicker & wider strap and a larger "heel" region for leverage, and it worked like a charm.


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## StefanFS (May 31, 2007)

AndyTiedye said:


> I have never been able to remove ANYTHING with a strap wrench.
> All it ever does is slip no matter how tightly I try to wrap it around.
> 
> Is there some trick to it?


 
Yes there is. Use a makeshift setup. I put flashlights in my tabletop machinist vise (which has rubber protection pads on it), then I use sticky tape, sticky on both sides, on the part that I want to take off. On the sticky tape I put a piece of heavy duty nylon baggage strap that I turn with the BIG wrench in the desired direction (strap needs to be held as tight as possible with the wrench). Works for me every time.

It's possible to get the moon beam effect with Cree/SSC. It depends on emitter height in relation to the lens. You just have to experiment a bit.


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## selfbuilt (May 31, 2007)

FYI, looks like Kaidomain.com is now carrying this light:

https://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=2081

I've ordered one, so we'll see how a SSC mod compares to my space invader.


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## StefanFS (Jun 1, 2007)

selfbuilt said:


> FYI, looks like Kaidomain.com is now carrying this light:
> 
> https://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=2081
> 
> I've ordered one, so we'll see how a SSC mod compares to my space invader.


 
I tried that. I got a fuzzier space invader.


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## FlashCrazy (Jun 7, 2007)

I'm selling one mostly done in the Custom B/S/T forum, if anyone's interested.


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## f22shift (Jun 10, 2007)

i actually could remove the head by hand. seems there was some residue from glue. i had a battery stuck in it so i was hitting it on the carpet to get it out the head separated from the body. probably have to glue it back together.


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## selfbuilt (Sep 7, 2007)

I though I'd ressurect this thread to point to my runtime analysis of the Aurora Cree-mod on my single-stage 1AA/2AA review

In that thread, I've compared a number of the inexpensive Cree/SSC DX/Kai lights to a few classic mod jobs. As you'll see from the results, the "pre-modded" lights typically don't offer anymore than the DIY jobs.


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