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.
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)