Project Log: DIY Canister light

[ChefLamont]

I was wondering if anyone else has been looking at the three-emitter Luxdrive star. I found it while cruising the internet the other day thinking about doing a light project. Here is a spec sheet.

http://www.leddynamics.com/LuxDrive/datasheets/7007-Endor.pdf

I have not been able to find any optics for it yet, but the specs are impressive. With 540 lumen from a single star driven at 700 mA, it could pave the way for crazy small (lightheads anyway) or crazy bright lights.

 

[marchand]

If you can find a reflector for it it would work well.

 

[BNow0707]

Marchand- are you planning on milling out the aluminum or did it come set up to use?

nwbrewer-would you mind telling us more about your lights? Also which lights were used in the comparison shots in your photos?


Also instead of using a 10 x "D" cell NiMH (@ 1.2volts each) rechargeable battery pack that runs about $120 plus charger and such. Would it be possible to run the light off 8 x "D" cell alkaline (@ 1.5volts each) batteries wired in such a way as to provide the necessary 12 volts to run the MR16 bulb? Understanding the fact the batteries would cost more to be replaced considering the 1000 times the pack could be recharged, I'm just asking if it would be possible. And would it produce the same light output.

 

[ucfdiver]

I would think you could use the batteries, but I'd prefer rechargeable. I'm going to lurk ebay and web specials for a good deal, I'm in now rush, I've got to buy doubles and DIN compatible regulators anyways.

 

[cfelliot]

Have you done any research into driver ICs in place of fixed resistors? My understanding is that you burn a lot of power with the limiting resistors.

I'm interested in this too and will be following this post.

http://datasheets.maxim-ic.com/en/ds/MAX16801A-MAX16802B.pdf

 

[BNow0707]

yeah i was just wondering because if you used the right connectors eventually you could replace the alkalines with the pack or even just use rechargable batteries in the D cell holders from radioshack. That's what i was lookin at.

 

[marchand]

Yes, I plan on milling out the piece of aluminum, but Deepairmike on cavediver.net has said that he will make a head for anyone that wants one; however, I don't remember what he was asking for it.

If you are short on cash that can be dedicated to a project, then yes you can use 8 alkaline batteries and later switch to a rechargeable pack. You will probably have to solder on new connectors though so make sure you leave enough wire to do that.

 

[nwbrewer]

Marchand- are you planning on milling out the aluminum or did it come set up to use?

nwbrewer-would you mind telling us more about your lights? Also which lights were used in the comparison shots in your photos?


Also instead of using a 10 x "D" cell NiMH (@ 1.2volts each) rechargeable battery pack that runs about $120 plus charger and such. Would it be possible to run the light off 8 x "D" cell alkaline (@ 1.5volts each) batteries wired in such a way as to provide the necessary 12 volts to run the MR16 bulb? Understanding the fact the batteries would cost more to be replaced considering the 1000 times the pack could be recharged, I'm just asking if it would be possible. And would it produce the same light output.

What would you like to know? I really need to put together a description of how the light gets put together.

I use the Maglite drop in's from terralux for the bulbs. I know there are brighter ones out there, but at the time I was experimenting they were affordable. I'd like to upgrade to a multi-die emitter soon. I use a 2 amp reed switch in the head, with a rare earth magnet glued into the goodman handle, so rotating the head in the handle turns the light on/off. I went with this to avoid the additional penetration that may leak.

The light head is a chopped down maglite obviously, and I hacked apart the switch unit to use to hold the bulb, and i just use the mag reflector, but it's no longer adjustable. (It is, but you have to set it before you put the light together.)

The canister is PVC, the lid is made of HDPE. The battery pack consists of 5 2.7ah AA. (the driver is built into the drop in.) I've never done a burn test, but I get over 2 hours of burn time.

I think that Multi die emitters are gonna be the way to go, like the OSRAM OSTAR, the SSC P7, and the Lumiled Rebel.


This one -

Is (L to R) a 4 cell maglite Terralux drop in, 30watt IR MR16, and the Maglite LED upgrade from Maglite.

This one -

Is (L to R) regular 3 cell Maglight, PT 4 AA xenon backup, Maglite LED drop in placed in the pelican backup, and the night eyeze maglite LED upgrade.

As for the question on D cells, there's no reason why Alkaline's instead of Ni-Mh, but why use a halogen bulb? Using LED, you can get away with smaller batteries, and you're gonna out perform the Halogen pretty easily.


The list of part numbers is a word document, anybody who wants it can PM me an E-mail and I'll send it to ya.

Jake

 

[M_Bipartitus]

Have you done any research into driver ICs in place of fixed resistors? My understanding is that you burn a lot of power with the limiting resistors.

I'm interested in this too and will be following this post.

http://datasheets.maxim-ic.com/en/ds/MAX16801A-MAX16802B.pdf

I have been looking into that for a DIY light I'm starting. I should post info on in in a new thread in the next day or two.

 

[BNow0707]

I was looking at a 50w MR16 bulb for sipmlicity (or implied simplicity) of wiring. I'm not very technical when it comes to LED's, drivers, resistors, and what not. I get confused.

Here's bacically what im shootin for making the canister out of PVC, a simple on off switch and the brightest light output while still maintaining a decent burn time. I would like the option of rechargeable batteries. wat would recommend