# Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht



## EngrPaul (Mar 7, 2009)

*Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

Hi friends, I've got my next mod planned. :naughty:

On the way are a couple of the little XP-E emitters.

Digikey # XPEWHT-L1-R250-00AE5CT-ND

These are 5A Q2... "Neutral White"

The plan is to see how they work in my NiteCore D10 with the stock reflector. The D10 is Osram Golden Dragon Plus.

Any words of wisdom while I wait for my emitters to arrive? 

P.S. if I fail miserably, I could always put a warm GDP back in... Digikey p/n 475-2594-1-ND


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Mar 7, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> Cree XP-E 5A Q2 Neutral*

Wow! I've been looking for those! Looks like you beat me to that mod 

Are those LED's bare, or on a board?

How do you decode that as a 5A though?


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## EngrPaul (Mar 7, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> Cree XP-E 5A Q2 Neutral*



Tekno_Cowboy said:


> Wow! I've been looking for those! Looks like you beat me to that mod
> 
> Are those LED's bare, or on a board?


 
Everything from DigiKey will be bare... I ordered both (in CPF tradition). :nana:

75lm / 4500K /170° for GDP

87.4lm / 4300K / 115° for XP-E

I'm afraid I'll have to stick with GDP because of the reflector optics, even though it's less efficient. The Osrams are only efficient with a high color temperature. Hence, why they are very blue.



Tekno_Cowboy said:


> How do you decode that as a 5A though?


 
00AE5 is 5A Q2. See technical data sheets, they are linked in the product page.


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## Edwood (Mar 7, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> Cree XP-E 5A Q2 Neutral*



Tekno_Cowboy said:


> Wow! I've been looking for those! Looks like you beat me to that mod
> 
> Are those LED's bare, or on a board?
> 
> How do you decode that as a 5A though?



If it's anything like the GDP EX10, it's a bare emitter.







-Ed


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Mar 8, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> Cree XP-E 5A Q2 Neutral*

I can see that it points to Q2 5x, but how do you tell if it's 5A, and not 5D instead?


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## EngrPaul (Mar 12, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> Cree XP-E 5A Q2 Neutral*

OK, I decided to do a straight emitter swap...


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Mar 12, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> Cree XP-E 5A Q2 Neutral*

Think that holder would hold an SSC P4?

Oh, and I think I speak for everybody when I say: "Beamshots Please"


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## EngrPaul (Mar 12, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> Cree XP-E 5A Q2 Neutral*

It's about 3 or 4 range, not 5 (in cree terms).

about 4500K instead of 4000K

Comparison beamshots will be coming after dark...


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Mar 12, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> Cree XP-E 5A Q2 Neutral*

It's smack dab in the middle of the 4 range in cree terms. The 5A's are about 4000K-4300K, so a 200K-500K difference.

How does the tint look to you?


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## EngrPaul (Mar 12, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

The tint is better, but the beam of the Cree is more useful in my opinion. 

The GDP continues to have radiating tint variations. The beam is smoother, but spill is less. 

I might have to go back later and try the XP-E.

See some pictures below, same shot but the second picture is underexposed intentionally.

The light on the left is D10 5A Q3, the light on the right is D10 GDP 4500K.

Please note that automatic white balance was set on my camera. These images are colder than reality.

Would I recommend this mod? Not as readily as I would the Cree. The brightness seemed to suffer more than the Cree neutral mod goes.


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## Edwood (Mar 12, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

I like the Diamond Dragon better. It has a beam profile that looks more like a Seoul P4, but with the throw of a Cree XR-E.

And with uniform tint color, unlike the GD+.

Diamond Dragon EX10 Left, Cree Q5 Right





Underexposed 3 Steps





I used the GD+ LE, but the Cree's reflector. A good amount of light is lost out the sides, so ideally, it would be better to have a larger opening, and have the Diamond Dragon emitter higher up into the reflector. 

-Ed


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Mar 13, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

The problem with the Diamond Dragon is that it is not anything even close to neutral or warm.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Mar 13, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*



EngrPaul said:


> Hi friends, I've got my next mod planned. :naughty:
> 
> On the way are a couple of the little XP-E emitters.
> 
> ...



I did some checking with digikey, this is any tint from 5A-5D. To get a specific tint, you need to specify exactly which one you'd like. According to the Digikey tech guy, you shouldn't be able to tell any difference with your eyes if you stay within 2 bins of the one you want, due to manufacturing varience. So for 5A, within 4C-5C should get you about the same tint as a 5A. I don't really buy all that, but he could be right. :shrug:


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## RyanA (Mar 13, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

Just curious, could you tell me the diameter of the driver board?


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## Predators_84 (Mar 14, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

Hi all :wave: i swaped my d10 with a xp-e q5. It was a bit tricky to get it centered and focused.


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## bee-man (Mar 31, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

Anybody mod their D10 with a Seoul? Is it even worth it or would it work with the Cree reflector if a smoother beam is desired? I miss my GD+


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## MWClint (Mar 31, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*



bee-man said:


> Anybody mod their D10 with a Seoul? Is it even worth it or would it work with the Cree reflector if a smoother beam is desired? I miss my GD+



ive done the ex10 cree q5 with a bare emmittor seoul p4 and it focuses fine..

the reflector sits on the shoulders of the seoul and creates a smooth beam. 
i also swapped the lens oring to a thicker glow in the dark oring to take
up the extra space. a p4 star with the thin oring may or may not fit..
although you could always sand the star base thinner.

the cree reflector's opening is larger than the seoul's dome..so you do have to
epoxy the seoul to the brass heatsink to keep it from sliding off center.

ex10 and d10 have the same reflectors..so if you are able to open it up..
the rest of the swap is pretty easy.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

Looks like I'm gonna have to try a Cree to High CRI SSC conversion :naughty:


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## MWClint (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*



Tekno_Cowboy said:


> Looks like I'm gonna have to try a Cree to High CRI SSC conversion :naughty:



one warning if you do this mod.
.
.
.










all your other lights will become jealous. 

the ex10 w/high cri seoul turned into one of my favorite lights...it's just so usefull... the high is still plenty bright..and the low becomes a real low.


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## bee-man (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

MWClint, care to post beam shots? 
I guess I'm forced to buy the D10 R2 since the Q5's are no longer available. If the R2 beam stinks, then it's nice to know that an SSC emitter may help for my needs. Cheers.


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## MWClint (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*



bee-man said:


> MWClint, care to post beam shots?
> I guess I'm forced to buy the D10 R2 since the Q5's are no longer available. If the R2 beam stinks, then it's nice to know that an SSC emitter may help for my needs. Cheers.




i only have a wall shot comparison pic. the ex10 cree with the high cri seoul is the middle light. as you can see you dont really lose much brightness
compared to other edcable lights. 

Peak Pacific U2SWOH, Ra Twisty 100 U-bin, EX10 SSC High CRI P4, Surefire G2 Incan, Spy 007 U2SWOH


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

How does the beam compare to the stock cree? It looks like it would be much narrower in that picture...


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## MWClint (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*



Tekno_Cowboy said:


> How does the beam compare to the stock cree? It looks like it would be much narrower in that picture...



yep, it is narrower than the cree ex10 beam, but the spill is brighter and 
overall a very smooth transition from spot to spill..no cree rings obviously. 
there is the typical seoul corona that you can see on a white wall..but not in 
use. if you have used a U2 bin you know what i mean. on the cool white 
seouls, the corona is a warm yellow..on the neutral high cri S2 bin, the 
corona appears as a cooler tint, but still warmer than a cool white tint. my 
camera wont pick up a seoul corona tint..even on the cooler bins.

reds and browns look great. skin tones are lively and not a zombie like pale green.

unfortunatly, my camera wont do outdoor night shots > 6 feet. even with a 3 
second exposure on manual mode, you get a black image with no detail and 
an overexposed white blob in the center. if i lower the exposure, you just get
nothing. absolute junk.

imo the swap is worth every penny of the $5 for the led. if you dont like it, 
it's easy to swap the cree back into it or to try a q3 5a. those of you who want a lower low, will be absolutely overjoyed. mega bonus.


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

$5, is someone forgetting the shipping costs?

I'm definitely going to have to try this mod sometime, I really like a narrower beam


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## bee-man (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: Next Mod Up: Convert NiteCore D10 from Cool White GDP >>> [Edit: GDP] Neutral Wht*

MWClint, Thanks!


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