LEDs and Driver for Flood Mod

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Tried finding some advice on CPF for this project but I guess its only cool to mod a light if you spend a lot of money on it

I have since found this site, so maybe there'll be more helpful people here? If not, this will just be where I keep notes on the project!

I paid $3 for this (actually, $6 for two) - it takes 4 AAs and has 9 crap emitters in a plastic reflector w/ glass lens. The trigger is a clicky switch and the carrier is removable.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150450109021798.416632.581641797&type=1&l=58459a8446

At first I'd considered some 60 lumen emitters that DX sells, pack of 10 for ~$13?

I could probably swap a resistor or two to get the current up and call it finished, but I doubt it'd get much use.

Instead, I want to build a hunting/tracking light.

I'd like to put a WW xml in the center and 8 'high power' emitters around it - 4 red and 4 UV. I'll make an aluminum heatsink (LOTS of room) - driver and batteries TBD (by what the non-white emitters will draw)

Ok...what I need...

Quality Lens: 67.8mm x 27.8mm

4 red and 4 UV emitters: 14mm stars would make alignment easy, but 'any' size will do, this is the primary purpose of the light, ie I'd use 8 xml (at ~1.5amp) if they came in red/UV. Using UV emitters w/ different wavelengths would be cool (but mismatched Vf might be hard to drive properly?).

1 white XML emitter: 22.9mm space if using 14mm reds, (19.9mm if 17mm reds). True color reproduction would be primary use, so...warm white?

3 Drivers: at a minimum: Red, UV, Red/UV, White, Red/UV/White. To simplify the UI, and drivers, I'll probably use the trigger for white and add a switch for Red and a switch for UV (on sides, must tailstand). High/Off would be fine but press for low and hold to ramp up (to max spec) would be awesome.

3 quality clickies

square 4x18650 battery carrier

I spend a lot of time finding and comparing this stuff on DX/Kai/Mana - but I am betting that some of you guys know exactly which components are best, and who has them the cheapest, which would save me a lot of time and indecision

and fyi, I'd like to keep it under $100...

(edit: fixed typo, 1860 to 18650)

2

Reserving this space for links to components:

Lens: (stock 67.8mm x 27.8mm)

4 red emitters: (14mm): $3.64,DX,20mm,19.-2.2V,1W?,3W? Or $5.99,LEDsupply,20mm,2.1Vf,1-2W

4 UV emitters: (14mm): $7.15,Kai,16mm,3V,?W,395nm, $10.23,Kai,20mm,?Vf,410nm,3W, $6.95,superbrightleds,14.5mm,3.5V,1W,407nm

1 WW XML emitter: (20mm): $11.14,Ledsupply

XML driver:

Red Driver:

UV Driver:

3 clickies: $6,Mana,6 ea.,UF branded,1.5A

square, 4x18650 battery carrier: DX,$2x2


3

It will be interesting to see this coming together. I don’t have anything to add regarding the build. That might have been the problem at CPL as well (who knows).



I looked at the Facebook pictures of your light. Can that tail stand and why would you need to tail stand this hunting light?



I would think the lens would be hard to find. Is the original that bad?



Be sure to post when you have it built. Maybe someone else with more to add :slight_smile: will be along shortly.

4

It will tailstand stock but a heavy heat sink might make it pretty unstable. I figure I'll put a diffuser (plastic bottle) over the end to use it as a lantern - when I hunt, I camp.

But now that you mention it, the right size bottle could make it face stand. Putting the buttons on the back would look much cleaner, too, thanks!

Not sure how bad the glass is, I don't have a light meter. It is more reflective than any other I've inspected.

If no one chimes in I'll just have to research red and UV leds - not as much chatter on that stuff, but surely the info is out there.

As for the drivers, I've learned a lot on here but haven't seen a reference to DIY ramping drivers. That's not essential though...

5

I don’t know if this site would be helpful to you but at least their shipping is fast (US based). I’ve used them before.



http://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/component-leds/

6

thanks!

I just updated post 2 w/ some suitable emitters, including one from them...

I'm at about $60 w/o drivers. That's where I'm kind of lost. I was just checking those out on ledsupply - if there aren't cheaper ways, I might have to forget about ramping. I suppose Lo>Med>Hi would be fine...

7

Well for ramping up the power I'm afraid I've not seen any commercially available for some time now. But if you want to have that option, may I suggest that you look into QTC pills (just one) that Don sells for cheap. Check Match's Mods out, he put a really cool video on youtube where he shows the potential for this stuff. According to what I've seen (If I understood it correctly) then that would work ideally with a direct driven led.

8

wow, thanks for bringing that to my attention. I've got a couple twisties I wanted to direct drive and this is PERFECT!

but...not sure this body lends itself well to variably squeezing something

the more I think about it, the more I think 3 well spaced modes is fine. I can figure out the xml driver - so much info here on that. But the Vfs of the red leds have me confused. Must be specific drivers for them?

9

and all I´ve managed to come up with is that it seems most people use the "regular" drivers and a few put a resistor in series that brings the voltage down to specified voltage.

If you want to try the resistor path then calculate it by R = (Vsupply - Vf led) / Iled

But that is all I´ve managed to find. Sorry I could not help you more.

10

interesting idea. i'd considered using just resistors, but not a combo. i think there are drivers available for the low vf emitters because I've seen others mention them - just need to find the time to research a bit more

11

" Quality Lens: 67.8mm x 27.8mm"

That is a seriously thick lens! You planning to explore the marianas trench? :P