Yet Another Custom Bike Light

Well this is another basic Triple XM-L U2 bike flashlight

Battery pack is 4S3P made with 12 TrustFire 2400 Flame (bad DX's batch, I have to disassemble it now for RMA >.< )

I made it with a good heatsink because I don't want heat problems.

LED board and Optics are from Cutter.

Runtime is around 200 minutes at high.

The connector is ugly I know, but it works as and interrupter to change modes, I only have to press the "button" and it cycles through modes, but I will install something better with a DC plug with a battery pack with balance connectors.
This is the Beta and test version of the flashlight!

Video Link: http://youtu.be/6rnAKRssYxE

Gallery link: http://postimage.org/gallery/ax9jx35a


What do you think? What should I improve apart of the connector? I haven't found any small interrupter for it, so I accept recommendations

Awesome .

Wow. That's a ton of light. Nice looking light.

Good Job, it looks great, and has to dissipate a lot of heat with that body, I have to say I hate you a little bit haha.

Exactly which driver did you use (link please)? If you have 4S3P then you get quite high voltage. I have similar lenses (Ledil) and led board, but still waiting to find good driver to be driven by 2S2P battery package.

Maybe this

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/6-18v-3000ma-3-mode-circuit-board-for-xm-lt60-emitters-57779

Thank you all for your comments ;)

As Pok said, I’m using DX SKU57779 it is a buck driver, so you can’t drive three LEDs with 2s.

Well I tested it today on the road, and the beam is too floody for my taste. The lens is a Cute-3-XM 12.5°
Do you have any ideas to make it a bit more thrower? there is also a 9° lens, is the difference notorious? The lens is cheap, it costs only USD4.5, but shipping is USD15 so I don't know really what to do... Any recommendation?

You can get the lenses from Farnell if the postage is any better: http://si.farnell.com/ledil/c11333-cute-3-ss-xm/cree-xml-35mm-triple-optic-spot/dp/1901785?in_merch=New%20Products

It is visualy narrower, but can't recall how much. I'll try to find my sample pictures later at evening.

Pictures from Ledils web page also shows some difference - mouse over.

Mind the hotspot intensivity. SS lenses has also a bit better efficiency.

EDIT: Found also very informational PDF: http://www.led-tech.de/produkt-pdf/ledil/DataSheet_Cute-3-XM.pdf

Btw, what is the thing you use as a host?

Great setup anyway.

I tried to buy from Farnell, but it seems that they don't ship to South America :(

I bought a 50.8mm x 120mm (~700g) aluminium cylinder for less than USD9, and it went directly to the lathe.

Well, how about http://www.led-tech.de/en/High-Power-Supply/LEDIL-Optics/CREE-CUTE-3-XM-optic-19%C2%B0-LT-1751_106_146.html ?

Someone from Germany might help you with shipment costs as the shippment inside Germany is for free. Of course if you are willing to take the risk of cheaper shipping cost to your country (ie. no tracking no.).

Have you look at last PDF I've pointed out? Do you find SS lens better?

Thanks!, I checked the PDF you’ve pointed, and I DO find SS optics better for me, I like it :wink:

I'm looking at led-tech, but they only have 19° and 25°, so it will be worse with those angles.

EDIT: I think I don't understand what SS means, it can have a higher angle and throw better? I would like something between 4° and less than 9° like in this post shows: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?184606-Cutter-Optic-Comparison

No, the 19° is the SS one and the 25° is M one like yours. At Led-tech they are talking about full angle while in PDF you can see ±9.5° which is exactly the same 19°. Just go ahead with SS one. Had no time last night to find my own pictures, but you probably got enough info from PDF. Find someone from Germany to send it to you if you want to spare few €.

Ledil Cute-SS is the most narrow you can get at the moment. There might be Khatod ones, but I couldn't get them neither with help of the people from Italy where Khatod resides . PL605A06 lenses might be even more narrow (ie. ±6°).


OK, thank you, I’ll try 19° SS then :smiley:

See also this above. If you find suitable (not very expensive) Khatod elsewhere, please let me know.