djozz's lantern, an attempt for the 3rd annual scratch build contest

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
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I will just start a thread now, all hobby time this whole summer was filled with catching up with other projects, and now the deadline is already not too far away: just starting this thread might help me making slow progress. I do not expect finishing before the deadline, but I'm ok with that.

The plan is a small lantern for camping, working on 3 AA batteries. This is some stuff that will be used:

Here's already a challenge for the judges :bigsmile: : the 3xAA battery carrier was already made last year, because this build was already planned for last year's contest, but I never got further than the carrier. So it is not build within the time frame of this year's contest (build thread of the carrier). Further, there's a piece of plumbing copper, a brass coupling, a Philips household bulb (I will just rob the optic) and a 3000K 83CRI Nichia 219C led. I chose the new 219C because the extremely low Vf makes it great for use on 3xAAbatteries.

Teardown of the Philips bulb.

I have already posted about this bulb 2.5 years ago, link. I just want the optic, but I was also interested in the build of this bulb, so here's a complete teardown. First the clear plastic outer bulb was simply twisted off, it is glued, but not that tight.

That optic looks like it is really easy to re-use, a nice flat base screwed over the ledboard, great!

I found an intruiging led under the optic :-)

I tried lighting it up with my led tester but did not get it to work. Then I noticed that the four leds are connected in series, so two red plus two white would be ~11V. But my power supply even at 30V would not light it up. So now I think it is actually a 220V led! All those red bits are separate leds in series and the white ones are sort of COB leds. I did manage to get some very dim light out of it by touching one of the connections with my finger (I'm a cap man!), the power supply (my old small one) apparently lets through some 220V ripple or something.

LOL, there's a defective led in the left red section!

The electronics (of which I only have basic knowledge) indeed show no conversion to low voltage, I see some caps, resistors a rectifier and a fuse.

But I digress, hopefully to be continued later with progress of the build...

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Subscribed. Always interested to see what you come up with.

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Looking forward to this build. A lantern is a great idea, lots of ways to show some creativity.

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Cool, I love lanterns!
I’m looking forward to your progress! :slight_smile:

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So does that “reflector” just angle the light out at a 90 degree angle or does it focus the beam forward also?

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No focussing. The optic is clear plastic that is frosted at the surface. At the entrance of the optic the light is diffused, and then diffused again on the side. Inside, the light goes freely, with a reflecting cone on top to direct some light sideways that would otherwise go out of the top. The result is smooth light that goes a bit more sideways than in other directions.

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Good luck, & don't use any plaster..... ;)

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I understood the time is running out bit.

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I love cannibalizing other stuff for parts. I think they taste better!

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Looks interesting!

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Love this type of stuff. Best wishes on the build. :)