MISSION:
* To make a flashlight that uses both analog and digital means to mix XM-L RGBW color led's.
* Use 7 segment displays to view 30 bit color mixing (i.e. 10 bit PWM/channel) in real time.
* Use modular 7 segment display pcb's if possible.
* Provide cooling to 36W max led array using PWM'd laptop fan.
* Use a bunch of cheap laptop pulls for power, and display voltage with 5mm rgb led.
* And lastly, try to use aluminum shapes, screws, wood, and sheet goods to make an interesting form factor.
THE BUILD:
Order coming from Industrial Metals Sales, plus what I have on hand to put this together.
Here is a thought on how the AL faceplate is going to look over the lexan protection lens. Some 1-1/2" sched 40 pipe sleeves to hide the Ledil RGBW optics. Those optics are for the MCE, but initial reaction is they seem to blend the colors well for the XM-L. For those that are curious, the Ledil color optics include a frosted TIR, with a very fine textured pmma? lens cover.
Time is slipping by, less than three weeks left, now.
When ordering up the aluminum shapes and sheet materials, I ran into a circular reasoning problem. Order bare minimum? But shipping is kinda expensive.....shapes are cheap so order more to justify shipping....shipping getting more expensive so add more cheap shapes....Well anyway, I ended up on the stocked inventory side of things .
Out comes the metal cutting blade and a line of 3in1 oil along the cut.
Gonna get some samsung blue tops out if I can.
I got to twisting the pack around trying to get the batteries prized free from the glue on the back. Too much bending and twisting, I think I prematurely cut some of the taps and BZZZT, small smoke event, and into a bucket and out the door (three steps away). Thankfully when things straightened out, no short, BE CAREFUL!!!
Don't bend and twist a lot getting them out, or this could happen!!!
Yay.
Got a couple of those craptastic 4X18650 wrapper ripper holders. Going to build charge plugs so as to avoid taking them out of the craptastic holders all the time. One is going to be 1S4P for the leds, and the other is 4S1P to run the fan, and a 5V (1.5A) regulator for the electronics. Going to use a 0.33Ω 3W resistor to knock the fan voltage down from the 4S pack to approximate 12V.
Below is a pic on how the CAD design is transferred to the frame of the lantern style flashlight. Screw/glue blocks will hold the four sides together, and provide standoffs for the internal AL sheet used for the battery, fan, and cooling compartments. Lots of drilling and tapping to be done for the #8 brass screws, pots, etc.
Since my favorite pen style center punch finally broke ( it was made of aluminum and the tip was bent), I went a looking, and came up with an automatic one. Never heard of such a thing, but it works great.
Time to recharge the battery.
Really had to hog out the holes for the pots, they had a 3/8" bushing and plenty short at that. To top it off, no panel nuts, thankfully they are same as tv ant panel nuts, so found some of those.
More drilling and tapping. I spent way to much time just finding a way to clamp things up in position and not interfere with the tap handle.
Here is how the screw blocks are attached, and side panel attachment. The blocks also provide support for the AL sheet compartments for the battery's, fan, and cooling chamber.
Counter sunk holes for the brass screws were hit and miss. Some good, most O.K. and some a bit sloppy. Such are ways of hand drilling, and keeping things perpendicular with the tap .
Cut sheet for fan and battery compartment. Batteries will be on the bottom and underneath the horizontal shelf. More cuts required to fit in the cooling chamber partition; which attaches to the 1" standoffs in the front behind the emitters.
The box dimensions are 5-1/4"W x 7"L x 4"H.
This is where the project ends prior to the contest ending. Pretty happy thus far on how it's turning out, and anxious to get on with it. An after contest section will follow on thru project completion.
In hindsight the project, from a mechanical perspective, could have been simplified to a great degree by using lighter gauge panels, excepting the front face where the emitters will be. Also, using thru bolts would have reduced most all the hole tapping action which was a real pain. Some things you just don't realize till you start digging in, and start facing the challenges presented to you.
Of course the electronics were a little over the top, and chewed up a good amount of time. A certain satisfaction is derived by placing a challenge for ones self, and continue on thru the journey no matter where it ends. I am sure the other contestants feel the same way with their creative and very unique builds. Out for now.