Any DIY pros to teach me what to get.

Hi all,

A newbie here.
Was thinking i can get some valueble advise from kind people here.

Brief intro.
Have to help take care of a small Oil Plam Plantation inside forest in asia. (Malaysia).

There is a "house" for me to stay overnight.
During the night> totally darkness. Sky is blocked by tall trees so there is zero moonlight around the "house".
Cannot see ownself in mirror/own fingers 20 cm away from eyes that type of darkness.

Not getting a petrol/diesel generator for 230v tubelight or bulbs so no electricity. (generator might get stolen).
Althought the cost might come up to be about the same after currency conversion if i get several lights.
Main issue is that size of the mini generator. Size is >2ft by 1.5ft by 1.3ft, not really potable and bring in and out of the country through custom is an issue.

Currently, my solar led can run bout 8 hours, price is bout usd$50/- per set, i can buy a few set if light is bright, but its gloomy so not worth it.

What would be a better option for me? - to have resonably floody light for ~7 hours

1) Get any headlight that uses cree from ebay/manafort/aliexpress, then get many batts wired in paraller?
Eg: get Ultrafire UF-H3 then i try to wired it in paraller with say 8 x 18650?

2) DIY> Buy cree Q5 or xml, then some batt pack to feed them?

Can those LED take the heat for long hours of usage?
Where can i get reflector that gives floody beam for use with xml or Q5?

Trying to illuminate 1st area of "15 feet by 30 feet" , then another small area. may use up to 2 or 3 emitter.
What other ways can i go or am i all wrong?

Thanks In Advance.
Dennis.

EDITED: To walk around i have several sub 200 lumen flashlight, DRY yet to reach me.
Problem now is to hv resonable bright light for long hours.

Thanks Again

Welcome, Dennis...and wow!

it isn't often that people REALLY need light, but you certainly do if any of us do. So you are just looking for floody lights for around sections of your dwelling, correct?

If I were you, I'd invest in a few cheap lanterns. Any from any store that run on rechargeable batteries of any kind would work. It would need to be cheap, so I'd recommend a few of these. That way, if broken or stolen, replacing them won't be hard...

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/1343

Has a 30-hour burn time on a couple of AAs. I'm not an expert on lanterns, but that thread has a few to investigate.

Hello Cop,

Welcome to BLF. If you want a floody Light go for XML without reflector ,

that would be the trick .A good Heatsinking ( per example an old cpu cooler )

would keep it healthy.Driven with max 2 A gives a lot of Light.

Use a high voltage driver with multimode and rechargeable 18650

and you have a lot of run time.

I Use a KD C8 XML tailstanded in Low with white ceiling to enlighten a room enough

for seeing something (not enough for reading ) but in low ( 80 ma/h ) it runs

for more than 20 hours with one 18650.

I think there are more people around here who can give you more advanced

suggestions and we will solve your Problem for sure .

(Hey BLF don`t make me a Liar )

Thanks Rusty Joe & NiBi for the fast reply.

@ Rusty Joe> Yup, trying to find some floody light to light up, 1) kitchen & pathway leading to toilet. 2) surroundings if possible.
I do have a solar powered LED floodlight purchase off aliexpress, the light intensity seems to be about the same as that, only run-time is bout 8 hours & some rechargable lanterns.
I believe maybe it is a lantern w/o good reflector so the LED dun seems bright like florencent tube, or simply the LED are low powered stuff.

@ NiBi> That was something in my mind originally, just that i do not know where to get the correct electronics parts. (which is why i first thought of getting any headlamp then try wiring them in parallel which i dun even know can it work.) Never study electronics nor electrical stuff, but simple soldering or fixing with instructions should be ok.LOL

So, should i just get> say 2 XML, mount on heatsink side by side, then drill hole in a small piece of mirror for the emmiter to pop out.
1) Will need ppl to spoonfeed me the correct driver LOL.
Would DIY above be cheaper or?

2) Any cree LED headlight usd$11-$18 each like>> http://www.aliexpress.com/product-gs/477710728-300-Lumens-CREE-LED-Headlamp-3-Mode-Aluminum-Waterproof-ZOOMABLE-Hiking-HeadLight-wholesalers.html or http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/443628675--Hot-sell-cheap-18650-Headlamp-5W-300Lm-CREE-Q5-LED-HeadLight-3-Mode-Waterproof-Headlamp-wholesalers.html then i just get extra 2 or 4 x 18650 wired in parellal?

Or, i buy some headlight, dismental them & mount it on heatsink..
Pros>Save trouble to look for correct driver, price wise below usd $50/- for 3 LED + battery, got focus & flood light all together.
Have old heatsink & mirror lying around somewhere.

Yeah, BLF people will sure solve my problem, all are gurus here ^^

Hi Dennis! Welcome to BLF! :D

I think I would just recommend you the KD C8,
http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S009844

I have bought one with SMO reflector, and it is a very good torch! For your case you need a floody light and thus I suggest this one with OP reflector to you.


Btw, I am Malaysian, and are you currently stay in Malaysia?

If you could use a generator, it sounds like you can't use wall chargers . . . how will you have ability to recharge several hours daily to recharge sets of batteries?

Thanks, saw the web but noticed the run time is one hour on high?
Can I know what is OP reflector?
I am in Singapore. Father have oil plam at Kota tinggi. I often spent night there with my bro at night. Cos gonna re plant them, hv to clear some stuffs. Dun want to waste $ to buy generator. Not every night at there, the most is 3 night straight.

Thanks for the concern of how am I gonna recharge the battery.
If I get generator, I can wire them to power sockets , then I can plug in ^^.Some generator also offer sockets at the side .
I am not living in the forest everyday, I only go there the most 4day 3 nights per week. I can charge the batteries at home & bring in. Which is why I need potable stuff & long run time.
At first I thought of using car 12v batt, but charging them is a headache.
Then bringing it in & out too heavy. LOL
Which is why I can only think of battery or battery packs.
Then came the light qus, what type of bulb / tube can I use when powering them with batt & need them to be bright yet have long run time…
Thus my post came out with diff combination for the quest.
Thanks

Sorry for no spacing, using iPhone to reply.

If you can afford the $$ and the size, I would get a TK41. It will give you great throw when you want it, and it will also run on "Low" for 270 hours. That is a full month of running it on Low, 8 hours per night. Plus you can bring along a couple extra sets of alkaline AA batteries and it will run off of those or Eneloops just fine.

Whatever you choose, I would make sure it has a moonlight low for long-runtimes without messing too much with your night vision. Even a 2 x AA Klarus ST20 would be a good light in that situation. So would an S-mini if you don't have to have the throw.

Welcome to the club, cop!

I think D cell nimh rechargables and multiple 5mm leds have to be the most efficient ..???

or

a coleman lantern ... and a can of gas

@ troopleswis > Of cos i would want to do it as cheap as possible but bright..hahaha
I will see if the price is comparable to some other smaller lights. Thanks.

@ raccoon city > Thanks for the kind welcome :)

@ Boaz > My younger bro do have a rechargable lantern that comes with bout 28 pc of 5mm LEDs (or maybe smaller).
That have decent light, good for 5 sqm if one is near the light, if tie on roof> facing ground, floor can see but very dim.
I naver tried coleman stuff other then the icebox. The lantern is the using batterys that one but can of gas? (or issit same as the old type i see when i was young- one have to pour kerosene into it, then when lit, pump air into the gas chamber?)

How does the coleman u recommend fare against if say> i get 3 average headlight + parellal connections of 18650?

Thanks again.

I see, you need a long runtime flashlight. Well then I think you should play around with some D-cell big guys,

SmallSun ZY-C56,
http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/small-sun-zyc56-3mode-cree-q5-led-flashlight-3xd-p-7530
If you are familiar with Malaysia maybe you will know there is a shop named Mr.DIY in many shopping malls, and this flashlight is sold there with lower price, around RM60-70 I would say if I remember correctly.

And flood-to-thow if you like, the SmallSun ZY-A603,
http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/small-sun-zya603-floodtothrow-zooming-3mode-cree-q5-led-flashlight-4xd-p-7528

Besides the D-cell flashlight mentioned above, there is another light that uses one 18650 that can run for very long at low mode, claimed by some members here, the EDI-T P4,
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/edi-t-p4-cree-q3-wc-3-mode-230-lumen-convex-lens-white-led-flashlight-black-1-x-18650-104995

OP stands for orange peel, usually provides a floody beam, while SMO stands for smooth reflector, which is good at focusing a beam and thus enable the beam to reach further. Hope this help :)

Ok, thx for recommendation, i will go find in a few days time.

Only noticed those headlight i posted do not use 18650, made a fool of myself..
Think i will go all 18650 for lights.

BTY, why the battery i charged, althought it shows full from charger, some measure 3.86v, some 3.52v?
They are the normal battery that came with the 3T6 i bought. And, i always see some here can get 4++v??

Is battery issue or charger?

EDITED: Asking a stupid qus now.
I think its not right to mix batt to charge althought all 18650.
*Other flashlights coming in & it comes with the blue colour 2400mAh (i think) 18650.

Will anything happens if i mix (shown 3000mAh) 18650 & (shown 2400 or 2600 mAh) 18650 when charging together?

Thanks again.

Aloha and welcome to BLF Dennis!

I've read the OP several times now including the size area "Cop" needs to be illuminated. I'm surprised in such an area of absolute total darkness, such a powerful LED such as an XM-L or even something less powerful would be required. In darkness such as that, once your eyes adjust, even those little plastic keychain LED lights some of us carry around truly put out a good deal of light.

It sounds to me a good solution would be to purchase some inexpensive LED flashlights, using rechargeable "AA" or "D" size batteries, and a charger that can be connected to a 12v portable battery source. But I don't know how he actually gets to this area he needs to be at, or if carting a small amount of equipment is a viable option for him.

Thanks fishinfool :)

@Richie086 - Yes, i understand what you mean. Of course, a small light or even a small lighted candle placed in a small glass (placed in front of the mirror) does provide light to see, erm.. i am starting to get greedy..hahaha

What i am thinking is > I have seen ppl using serveral 100watt LED floodlight running of generator, those light are just @#$%^& bright. (Almost day light at the intended area).
For my case > No generator, so i can only think of using alternative source for lighting "keeping in mind i am greedy for light, but have to be realistic."
Reason is > There are wild bores & some monkeys "patrolling" for food at night, so maybe more light is a good idea when sleeping. (Outside have a fire going)

Yeah, i also thought of getting some cheaper light using CREE Q5 from DX or Manafort. even wanted to run them with18650 when they should be used with 3x AA.

Originally thinking to get headlights then run with 18650, then noticed those used 3x AA, then see maybe use UF H3 to run 18650 in parallel.
After reading many post here, maybe i am settling for xml, then run off 18650 batts.

At first, i drive my own vehicle into the forest, but its too low, keep having oil-sump / under carriage knocked on uneven grounds, then i drove my wife's vehicle (also kind of low), drive till i fed up as same issue as my vehicle, end up i sat my dad's vehicle in..


Edited: taken from inside house at 12 pm.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.384290433212.164173.707718212&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=10150749442928213&set=a.384290433212.164173.707718212&type=3&theater

Darkness outside is bout 7 - 8 pm.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.384290433212.164173.707718212&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=10150733390038213&set=a.384290433212.164173.707718212&type=3&theater

A perspective outside house, under the sky (trees blocked no moonlight) , my younger bro using some light with 300 lumen. check with my bro, its bout 8pm..

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.384290433212.164173.707718212&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=10150733354553213&set=a.384290433212.164173.707718212&type=3&theater

So...duration of darkness starts from 7pm to 5+am...if possible, need some light that can hv bout 10hours of decent light for the intended area which is kitchen & path leading to toilet, and maybe some lights to shine on the perimeters of the house.

So is there some light that can be bright yet last bout 8 hours, hopefully wall of light to shine areas i want.
1. Heard some LEDs may burn? so have to be on LOW Mode?
2. If its on low mode, can only use for inside the house.canot for perimeters of house.

Or i have to go the diy route?

Here are some photos which i took 2 days ago with iphone. Which is why i wanted xml or watever floodlight, for surroundings or inside the house.

Noon look like this >>



It already quite dark by 7pm, but i was eating dinner..lol

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/icopulate/IMG_0623.jpg

bottom is how bright a candle in the darkness.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/icopulate/IMG_0634.jpg

Not really a beamshot. Tree is bout some 10-15 meters away.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/icopulate/IMG_0642.jpg
[img]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/icopulate/IMG_0642.jpg[/img]

Bout 15-20 meters away when i took the photo.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/icopulate/IMG_0637.jpg

All using Trusefire tr-3t6, battery are avearge 3.86-3.93v.
Video is soming up, youtube very slow..
3t6 dun seems very bright in photo, not like what i see with naked eye, maybe my iphone is the culprit.

Should get HID or J12 will be better choice?
(think i starting to be caught in the light hobby..lol)

EDited: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBZYugWKOpc&list=UUaGv0QtMAlGqmnc21QN4UOA&index=1&feature=plcp
With those flashlight, i almost completly 4gotten my original aim of getting multiple xml to drive off 18650..lol