Dismantling the Tank007 HC-128

[qumefox]

This is for anyone who wants to make builds using these hosts, and would prefer not to scratch them all to hell getting them open.

To start with, I has video!



And to continue, since i'm apparently unable to actually hold things in front of the camera, here are some pics of the parts I missed, and also pics and commentary about removing the 'pill' from the housing. I encountered two different styles of pill in the two lights I dismantled.

First off, the stuff I apparently couldn't hold in front of the camera in the video.

See! No scratches!

Next up. Removing the pills. As I said. I encountered two different types, mounted in different fashions. After talking about it with Flaminpyro, I finally came to the conclusion that the ones I got are a new batch, and they apparently changed their design somewhat, since he said he'd never encountered the type of pill I found in the second light I dismantled.

Anyway. First up, the 'old style' one. This one is relatively obvious how to get out. Unsolder ground wire from the brass retaining ring, use the two holes in it to unscrew it and the pill slides right out. It's an aluminum cup, with the driver glued to one side, and the LED to the other. Before this particular pic I had the driver off testing it with various LD loads, so there's no glue anymore. I'm just holding it together. You can also see it's not even soldered to the LED anymore.

Here's another view. Also note that it's threaded all the way to the top of the housing.

Now on to the second light I dismantled. Which happens to be the one I did in the video. It has what i'll call the 'new style' pill. From this pic you can probably tell why I was worried. From the looks of it. it was a solid brass plug that was either pressed or glued in.

Note the definite lack of visible threads. Fortunately, it actually wasn't that difficult to get out. It wasn't pressed in, though it was glued. But it was also threaded. Getting it out was just a matter of mechanical advantage.

So reinstall anti-twist bolt in the tripod mount, and back in the vice it went!

Next take two small screwdrivers, and insert them in the holes the wires go through.

Then take a much larger screwdriver, and thank Archimedes as you break the glue and unscrew the pill.

As you can see, it was threaded. The threads were just recessed. Not sure why. I can only assume that they found a cheaper source for the cree pills and changed the host to accommodate it.

Hope you enjoyed this bit of deconstruction. I hope to be taking more things apart soon!

 

[RA_pierce]

I would recommend using cardboard, leather, or rubber rather than the soft fluffy thing you are using in the vice.
It will give you better grip and is less likely to tear.

 

[qumefox]

It was just a rag. It was whats left of a towel that the dog had gotten hold of in the past. I just cut some strips out of it.

Leather would have worked well as you said, but I don't have any laying around. And actually with the bolt in the tripod mount keeping it from spinning, the vice isn't really clamped down much at all.

But my fluffy rag still worked fine. No scratches at all.

 

[BShanahan14rulz]

Kinda surprised they still soldered to the top lip of the pill on the newer version... I guess the assemblers weren't told about the new design either

So whats going into that there host?

 

[qumefox]

Which? I ordered six of those. heh. Though i'm actually running out. I'm actually using two of them for their intended purpose. I sold two of the others. That pretty much just leaves the two I dismantled and didn't put back together. The two I tore apart and and rebuilt are the ones i'm actually using as flashlights..

One will end up as a 445 build as soon as I scrounge up a new belt for the lathe. The last one i'm not sure. Probably as a 12x 405 though, but I do want to see if I can cram both a 405 and a 650 in one though and do a magenta build. I think it's possible but i'll have to get creative on the machining though, and the beam will likely exit off center.

Oh.. I also want to point out to anyone making builds with these. ALWAYS test them out on a bench power supply before you stick batteries in one.. On one of the ones I put back together as flashlights, I got the positive lead from the switch pinned between the pill and the casing when I reassembled it. I'm glad I checked it before I tried a non-protected 18650 (all I have). It probably wouldn't have ended well otherwise.