D.I.Y. Illuminated tailcap

I bet there is a very good chance oshpark can cancel it and refund you. Just email them at support@oshpark.com
Oshpark custom service is friendly, there is nothing to lose.

Do you mean you were just joking, and did not pay for super swift?
If so, you got us! :smiley:

Lets have a look at these clear switch boots, I’m interested in the idea.

Transparent tail caps are available at cnqg. cnqualitygoods > Tail Cap
Haven’t seen anyone else carry them.

:bigsmile: :party:

Oshpark just made my day!

Here is the email I just got from them:

Shall see how this project goes. Might need to get some of those.

The basic concept is tested as working, but it definitely takes some tweaking. You’ll need to slightly modify your driver in addition to having this board. Read this thread for more info.

My clear caps made it to Chicago, so they should be here very soon. I’ll post pics when I get it fully assembled.

This is pretty cool. So good to see you and Helios- turning your idea into reality.

Now that I am nearing the completion of a project, I will order some of these boards and experiment with this too.

Wow…SWEET!!!

Clear switch covers were delivered today! I did a mock-up with my test rig and my new ultra-bright leds. I’m still waiting on the 20mm boards to get the final product.

This is with a 1.5mm through-hole led tucked right up under the cover. I think if I keep it lower in the body the light will spread over the cap much better. It’s also way too bright with the current resistor set, that will be changed later.

Wow awesome job!!!

Now we just need RMM to start selling preassembled kits and drivers. Or make it an option on his modded lights. 0:)

OK I am definitely going to need to do this to some of my solarforce lights.
Can we see some photos of the resistor added to the driver and the switch built?

Nice…lighted tailcap…how cool is that!

Missed this sofar, pretty cool, going to do this, thanks fkr making this happen, pd68&Helios!

I have more good news for people looking to try this. :smiley:

I added resistance at the tail, and put my DMM in-line to take some draw measurements.

The resistor on the driver is 560ohm, and in-line with the tail led is 4.7kohm.

Moon mode for the main Nichia LED draws 10.6ma.

With the light off, the tailcap LED draw is only 0.29 milliamps :star:

So assuming you use a 2500ma battery, and assuming the tail LED is left to run 24/7, you will lose roughly 8.4% of your battery capacity every 30 days, and it will run for a full year before completely exhausting your battery.

Obviously I still wouldn’t put this in a light that is never used, because there is clearly no low voltage protection, it will drain your battery to unsafe levels if left unattended. But I think it’s pretty awesome for a bedside light or some other light that gets used and recharged regularly.

Here’s the best part: when i took the measurements above, the LED I’m using is still FAR TOO BRIGHT.

It is clearly seen glowing under the clear tailcap even in direct sunlight, and in a dark room you can see the glow on the ceiling.

I expect that the current draw at my optimum brightness level will probably be 0.1ma or even lower.

Why not try also led with size 0805?
you could draw pad SMD resistor and LED, to save space;
Helios Thanks for your great work!

http://www.mouser.it/ProductDetail/Kingbright/APT2012SECK-J3-PRV/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMseGfSY3csMkTeYsK%252b3NnHeAS8V4xHV944%3d

The pcb is designed to use an 0805 resistor, and your choice of through-hole or 0805 Led. I used a through-hole because it’s easier to get the light up to the tailcap, whereas the light from an smd led might be blocked by the switch housing and spacer ring.

I wonder what it would take to have a red, yellow, green (or whatever color you wanted) to activate at certain voltage levels…aka tail cap tells you the voltage

I know simple is better but just brainstorming here…

Wait…if it has enough power to run the LED, why would it not be enough to toggle a MOSFET?

There is a bleeder resistor on the driver that keeps the mcu shut off. Read through the last page of the thread listed in the OP for more info.