AA Flashlights - "Cockroach" / "Vampire" / "Drain-me-till-I'm-empty"

[gchart]

The CDRH5D28 is just a somewhat common (especially on AliExpress) inductor by Sumida. It’s footprint is 5.7 x 5.7 mm.

Anything in that size ballpark (say 5x5 to 6x6) should work fine. Something like the Bourns SRN5040 or RS Pro 53 or 54. Just pick your inductance according to the ZXLD381’s datasheet (47uH = 6.5mA, 22uH = 15mA, 10uH = 30mA, etc). Heck that RS Pro 53 looks suspiciously familiar… like a store-labelled Sumida.

I’ll upload the other footprints (like 15mm diameter) soon. I wanted to make sure there was interest before spending the time to create them.

[hodor]

Awesome, you’re the best!

One more question For the TLV61220 version, is a 1206 inductor ok in place of 1210? I could only find inductors with low DC resistance in 1206 footprint.

[gchart]

Yup, 1206 isn’t a problem at all.

[skinny_tie]

@gchart

@skinny_tie

Do you think it would be feasible to make a 10mm version for AAA lights? A couple of times I’ve purchased really cheap single mode AAA lights just to put the driver in a (slightly) nicer host that came with a high/low/strobe driver.

I think so. I can play with the layout and see if 10mm will fit. Some AAA drivers have lobes on them. Are you thinking completely circular, or odd-shaped like that of the Astrolux A01 or Lumintop Worm or Tool AAA? Do you have a specific host in mind?

I don’t really have a host in mind, but 1xAAA (with a tail clicky) is my favourite format for EDC and my most carried lights are SF-348s which are single mode anyway. I was basically just thinking out loud. I’m not really sure whether 20mA would be bright enough for a general-purpose EDC light.

The Astrolux A01 might be a good choice of host since it’s cheap, readily available, and has a horrible stock driver.

I’m planning to pair the 15mm version of your driver with a red XP-E in a TG06S host to make an astronomy light for my father.

[gchart]

Update: 15mm designs have finally been done and uploaded to Oshpark

ZXLD381 15mm: OSH Park ~
TLV61220 15mm: OSH Park ~

Will be ordering the boards soon.

[buck91]

Awesome! Guess I better figure out what LED I’m using now (thinking a warm or maybe neutral sst-20).

[MascaratumB]

@gchart

Update: 15mm designs have finally been done and uploaded to Oshpark

ZXLD381 15mm: OSH Park ~
TLV61220 15mm: OSH Park ~

Will be ordering the boards soon.

Thanks for the update
Will be looking for them :+1:

[MascaratumB]

Got my “joule thief” drivers from gchart today
Seem’s like I’ll have some mods to do

Thanks for your work gchart

[MascaratumB]

So, I said I was going to start modding and so I did

But before, please let me clarify that the 2 bottom drivers have been marked by me with black permanent marker to mark them as the 0.3-0.5 lumens I requested, so I could distinguish them from the others! They all arrived in immaculate condition

So, what did I do?
I installed a 15mm driver (5 lumens) on the Amutorch S3, with Nichia 219C and TIR optic. (LEFT)
I installed a 17mm driver (5 lumens) on the Alonfire X360, with the stock NW XP-G2 and OP reflector. (MIDDLE)
I installed a 15mm driver (0.3-0.5 lumens) on the Amutorch S3, with XM-L2 T6-4C and TIR optic. (RIGHT)

And here they are compared to the Acebeam TK16 (0.5lumens) and Skilhunt M150 (0.2lumens).
The 3 modded photos are the ones starting in the left.

Again, I want to thank gchart for his work in these “joule thieves”

[gchart]

thanks for sharing!

[MascaratumB]

@gchart

thanks for sharing!

:+1:

I’m glad with them!
Thanks man!!