Lens Holder Help Thread

Hello,

I need advice on the LED lense. I just can't seem to figure this out. These components don't seem like they should fit together. The lens holder sort of fits over the Lux, until I solder on some wires. Then it doesn't seem to fit. Can some one please tell me how these parts go together?I am using the following components:

Luxeon V
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/pc...tar-green.aspx

Luxeon III/V lens holder
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/pc...ns-holder.aspx

Luxeon Collminator, 5 degree
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/pc...ing-angle.aspx

thank you

Did you use the salder pads closes to the location where the nylon screws are when its mounted to the heatsink? if not then your ognna have to alter the lense holder to make rome for the wires. post a pic of what your complications are it will make things easyer for us.

The 5 deg. lens will not fit that holder without some modifications. You'll need to file off the flat tab on the one side because it won't fit the opening in the holder if you don't. I can post some pics later if you need some.

Without seeing a picture of how you are currently trying to fit them together no one can be certain but a few things to check ....

a) the star leds have a total of 6 pads arranged 1 to each point of the star.
3 are positive and 3 are negative. The legs of the led emmitter are soldered to 2 of the pads already. You need to connect the wires to 2 of the unused 4 pads. If you connect to the same pads that the emmitter is already soldered to the plastic lens holder wont fit over the wires

b) If the lens is from the same manufacturer as the holder then it should fit in the holder. Awhile ago however I did have one combination of lens and holdr that wouldnt fit. The locating tab on the side of the lens was a bit too wide to fit the notch in the holder. Triming a tiny bit extra from the holders notch with a sharp scalpel worked a treat. Modify the holder NOT the lens. The lens is a precision bit of engineering, the holder isnt ;) Far cheaper to mess up a holder than a lens too.

Jay-gon,
Hi, this is actually Col-Mas from the RL Midwest Base. Yes, if you could post a couple pics, it would be helpful. I would have guessed the parts would snap together, but it looks like I'll have to make some adjustments.

Ryma,
Here are pics of what I have so far. What are salder pads? I am thinking of buying a different kit from TCSS (I got this from a friend). As you can see in this one, the LED is very deep inside the heat sink, making it difficult to work with.

Here is the LED when it is mounted in the heat sink:
http://www.tremorintheforce.com/saberproject/led1.jpg

and here is the lens holder and collminator.
http://www.tremorintheforce.com/saberproject/lens1.jpg

thanks to both of you :)

No wonder why it won't fit. It's because of the way the wires are run. Tim's heatsinks have holes in the bottom, on opposite sides of the LED so that the wires go through the holes and down to the switch or driver board, so they don't interfere with the lens holder. This is his heatsink, turned upside down. The holes closest to the center are where the wires go through, the others are for the screws that hold the LED onto the heatsink.

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/im...medium/649.jpg

You are going to have to relieve some areas of the bottom of the lens holder, so the wires will fit into some grooves or something, and seat all the way down over the LED. It might also be possible to resolder the wires so that they are not coming off the pads at that angle, and put them closer to the screw so they aren't interfering with the "legs" of the lens holder. But be careful not to let the wires touch the screw, or you will short out the LED. It looks like you are using metal screws to hold the LED onto your heatsink. Tim sends nylon screws with his, so there is no danger of them shorting the LED.

The solder pads are the spots where you soldered your wires to on the LED. :wink:

You do know that the lens holder is upside down in your pic, right? If you are trying to fit the lens on it in that orientation, then that's another problem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jedi-Loreen

You do know that the lens holder is upside down in your pic, right? If you are trying to fit the lens on it in that orientation, then that's another problem.

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Thanks for the tips. No, actually I didn't know. I had no idea how these fit together, or how they should fit with the LED. I did order the lens and holder from TCSS, but they don't come with any instructions :? No wonder I'm confused. Does anyone have a pic of how this should all look? Also, those are nylon screws in my pic. They just look gray, almost like metal.

Well, hello there Col-mas! Yup, you'll want to turn the lens holder over to get it to fit in there. It looks like you're using a custom heat sink/mount? Where you've got the wires soldered shouldn't be too much of a problem, but I'd put the positive across from the negative to be sure to give you clearance for the holder. The four pegs on the bottom of the holder will fit into the holes around the star's edge. I'll get a pic or two up soon for you.

Another thing I would suggest, that if your gonna keep this setup to get some nylon screws to hold the led to your heatsink, and your gonna need some way to keep the optics onto the led and again if your gonna kep this setup then you will have to alter the optics to let it sit right. just a couple alterations and your fine I would say not a compleat redo.

just a FYI for you phantom, use stranded wire. it looks like you are using the "solid" wire (don't know what else to call it). if you bend that wire enough, it can break. stranded is way better. :wink:

Here's what the optics look like in the holder:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...-assembled.jpg
That is a 5 deg optic in the TCSS holder.

The star led on the MHS heastink:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...-MHS-mount.jpg

The lens and heat sink assembled:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...k-assembly.jpg
That is a 5 deg. lens in there. It just doesn't quite fit, because it's slightly different than the 10 deg. optic.

Hope those help!

To get the 5 deg optics to fit, you'll need to either modify the holder, or the lens. I did the lens, because for me it was easier. There are two tabs on the lens. One is a square shape that will fit into the notch in the holder just fine. The tab oposite that is what needs to be removed. A simple file will work for that. Whatever you decide to modify is up to you. They're your parts, do what you will! Either way, it still isn't quite going to fit:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...mhs-holder.jpg
This lens was intended for that holder. I got one from Luxeon for a 5 deg. and this was what it looked like (it's the white one on the right):
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...cs-holders.jpg
Unfortunately, the white one won't fit in the MHS set-up, but the 5 deg. lens snaps right in it.

The 5 deg. lens doesn't fit the holder Tim sells because it doesn't have the "step" on the edge that the 10 deg. does:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...-deg-optic.jpg
The 5 deg. has a totally flat edge:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...-deg-optic.jpg
There's nothing there for the tabs on the holder to grab onto. The 5 deg. lens will just sit in the holder instead of snapping in like the 10 deg.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phantom465

Also, those are nylon screws in my pic. They just look gray, almost like metal.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ryma Mara

Another thing I would suggest, that if your gonna keep this setup to get some nylon screws to hold the led to your heatsink

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:roll:

Hallelujah! I see the light! Or, I should once I get this put together the right way. Thank you everyone for your help.

So the question is, how to get that 5 degree to stay in that holder without gluing it. After removing the extra tab, it just sits on top of the holder, any kind of motion would tip it out. The holder I got has the hole just big enough for the lens to slip through, falling out if I tip it.

you know the great thing about you Jay-gon Jinn, is that you give detailed pictures and explanations of things. I followed your guide when I built my sink tube saber and this lens holder really cleared things up. Thank you so much for your helpful guides!!