High CRI really makes a difference. If you have a chance to use it to light up a large photo, poster, or map, you will see the colors so much more realistic.
If I were you, I would try the 14500 withought bleeding it off. What are you talking about 4.2v? or higher than that? 4.2 shouldn't kill the led, since it's going to sag right away. I've done 3 AA Alkalines with these Nichias and that's 4.5v when it turns on.
Okay, Iāll try the 14500. Iāll take the readings now. Fingers crossed! BTW I edited my last post to put up rough numbers of the lumen output. And it has 8k lux at 1 meter.
EDIT: Looks like Iāll have to wait a short bit, my highest 14500 goes to 4.13V. Iāll charge it up to 4.2V then Iāll test it. And the alkalines I used in the first test read 1.57V after I finished testing.
Okay, after some confusing results here are the final numbers:
3.14V (2AA alkalines): 99.7 lumens, 800 lux (I accidentally misstated the previous readings, itās 800, not 8000).
4.23V (1 14500, 1 dummy): 288.3 lumens, 3,400 lux.
Again, give it 15% leeway for error as these are just rough numbers, but itās interesting to see how much the output increases with just an extra 1.1V. Amazing!
I am pleased for you (kudos to Justin too) & just a little sad for me
From your earlier post (#8) arenāt you quoting LED lumens - OTF might be 2/3?
Cheers, John
EDIT: From another thread I have just bought some safer LiFe 3.2V AA & AAA cells, plus a charger. $23 for a 3.6V (rather than 4.2V) charger plus 4 batteries might allow your dad to more safely operate this torch - with an LED lumen output closer to 200 lm giving a cooler & longer runtime? Although AA capacity is only 600mAh.
I kind of want another one or two, and maybe to give away to someone who appreciates high CRI lights, but maybe itād be better off to left the next person to get it. But if Justin is up to making more than one then I would be happy to get another one
From post #8, it says this: B10 Flux Bin(100-110lm@350mA, 2.7-3.1V)
And with my crude method I measured 99.7 lumens at 3.14V, 300mA. Iād say that itās pretty accurate. This test was using 2 AA alkalines. Btw itās worth noting that in the first 20 seconds, on alkalines the output steadily but slowly drops, about 1.5 lumens every 2 seconds. This didnāt happen with the 14500 LiIon battery.
I measured 288 lumens at 4.23V, 600mA with the 14500 battery and after running for 5 minutes indoors the head gets warm, at 35.6 degrees centigrade with ambient temperature of 21 degrees centigrade.
I suspect a second edit might be overdoing sequential reading. :bigsmile:
Keep up the testing and reporting back. I might even consider joining the dark side, & linking my Debit card to PayPal :cry: , if Justin is prepared to repeat the exercise.
My current NiMHs have been decommissioned due to ultra fast discharge so Iāll have to wait until my Turnigy AAs come in to do the NiMH testing.
Iāll make a new thread that consolidates all the data when I get them.
I donāt really know what else to test, except runtimes. But Iāll do those another day.
The name Slewflash comes from three different parts, slew is a mixture of my first and last name and flash comes from flashlight.
EDIT: I also donāt have any NiZn or LiFePO4 batteries, but I probably wonāt be getting them any time soon so I wonāt be able to test those.
Thanks for the testing. I would say using one 14500 is well within the range of use for this led. That's my personal take. I think using a 14500 is for someone that just needs bright. I think using 2 Alkalines, is what most people really should do, if they just want a light for getting around with. I think NiMHs will be way too dim, as the combined output from 2 NiMHs will be 2.2v after a couple minutes of turn on. That is what I found, when trying out NiMHs.
To me, this would be a good give away light, as most people are familiar with Alkalines and they would appreciate the color rendition the Nichia gives.
I will be making more of these (I don't know how many) and while on the one hand I could "take orders", on the other hand I like to put them up for sale on different days and different times of the day/night, so that more people get a chance at one. If I take orders, I make a business out of it. If I just do them when I feel like it, then it remains a hobby. Once I loose interest, I loose it for good, usually, so I try to keep it interesting for myself, lest I quit all together (which I have been known to do,LOL).
Well donāt force it then I know Iām probably going to run it on 14500s since it gives such a boost over alkalines. I canāt imagine how dim the nimhs will be. Btw the tailcap spring cuts a hole in the battery thatās touching it whenever I unscrew it or screw it. So for future builds you might want to file down the edge of the spring Iāve already filed mine down so now it doesnāt affect it anymore.
Really? The spring was that sharp? Looks like Maglite is following the rest of the world, lack of quality control, due to rising costs and using fewer people to do more work. Sadā¦
Were the spring to pierce the 14500, lumens might go off the scale.
I have a AA Sipik 68 that also scratches the base of the battery. As it is the only one I have that always starts on High, rather than their perpetual cycle, I used a nail file to smooth out the cut end. A second pair of fine needle nosed pliers might have enabled me to bend the end of the spring down & inward.
It is pleasing to hear that Justin may make further versions. However creative juices need a challenge - even Leonardo had difficulties in completing some works.
I wonder what effect this type of lens has in converting LED lumens to OTF?
Yeah, the explosion would atleast double the output. :P I think what he meant was that due to the added pressure and the spring being more compressed more current will pass through.
I just looked at my fairly old minimag and it has done the same to one of my TFFs (both now moved to separate SK68s). Apparently not a new maglite QC problem - perhaps softer material on the TFFs?