My new headlamp (driver challenge...)

Other Types of Lights LED Headlamps
1

Hi guys,

I have found a new headlamp for a decent price:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/T6-Rechargeable-Headlights/32672336495.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Severe-Cold-6000lm-CREE-XML-L2-LED-Headlight-Headlamp-Head-Lamp-Light-Torch-USB-Charge-Head/1895124_32780308879.html
Prices may vary, i paid around $ 16

Brand: Shuolide
Rechargeable 18650 headlamp with headband and the light in the middle.
FAKE XM-L2 on a little over 1000mA. nope, see edit…
2 modes: medium and high, ramping feature (unfortunately without memory) on both modes, double click for strobe.
UI is medium > high > off. I can live with that.
No visible PWM :+1:
No PWM at all apparently. :+1: :+1: (checked visually with a spinning fan)



EDIT:

Sooo…. it turns out the thing has no current regulation…
I didn’t expect this at all, but on a fresh battery the current is much higher (like TWICE as much) than on a partially discharged one…
So i was too soon with my enthusiasm and i hope i didn’t make people buy this light to be honest…
On the highest mode ramped up to maximum i just measured around 2 Amperes, which is more than i need, beyond the specs of the LEDs and it gets quite hot too.



I modded it, but it’s not finished yet:

I put in 8x OSRAM DURIS E5 LED 4000K 95CRI 5730 size 0,5 Watt.
Lovely LEDs with virtually no tint shift.
So it’s a “mule” with no hotspot, total flood.
Very pleasant for close up work like modding flashlights :smiley:

Had to change the spring, because the stock one was very short, barely making contact with the battery.
Copper shim with taller spring glued inside the end cap.

Micro USB rechargeable.
I also put on a different headband from an older headlamp i never used as a headlamp.
The headband it comes with is nice quality and black, but doesn’t have the band that goes over your head.
It was okay, but this is better (for me).

Hmmm… Very green button, want to put in a black one but didn’t get the end unscrewed yet.

This light is approximately 20 grams lighter in weight than my previous one.
This one weighs 143.7 grams with Panasonic 3400mAh and head band.
Sure, the Skilhunt H03 is lighter, but not floody enough and i don’t like the light isn’t in the middle.

It will eventually weigh a couple of grams more, because i’ll put in a diffuse lens of some sorts.

Anyway, i thought i’d share this with you because it’s a user friendly and fairly easily mod-able headlamp.
The medium mode is just the right brightness, i estimate it’s 1.25 Watt or maybe a little more.

EDIT: So this highly depends on the battery voltage… :weary:
read later posts if you’re interested in the driver challenge…

2

So you don’t need to change the driver, no risk to fry the new led? (sorry the question will sound stupid but I’m a total noob when it comes to modding)

3

A stupid question is a question you don’t ask. :wink:

EDIT:
Yeah, like me not asking if this driver has current regulation… :person_facepalming:
So it turns out i do need to change the driver because it pushed a whopping 2+ Amperes through those poor little LEDs with a fully charged battery…

4

Thanks :+1:

5

Neat mod. I envy your soldering skills.

6

Nice idea :+1:

7

Well done. The extremes some go to. :+1:

8

very nice (in my best borat voice)

9

what type of pcb are you using there?
I have plenty (2000?) of 5730 LEDs and would love to do something with them :smiley:

10

I’d like some explenation on the pcb also. How did you fix it, cause on the pic it looks like + and - are shorted with solder ? I’m guessing the mid stroke of copper on pcb is - and the 2 outsides are +.

Cool mod tough. How do the COB LEDs compare to cree/nichia led in a mule setup?

11

The one with 6 of these LEDs on them was a XM-L board, the one with 8 (in the light) and the bare one were XP boards.
Some of them have that long centre pad (you say “mid stroke”), which is ideal for this purpose.
I just sanded off the masking paint.

:+1: Exactly.

They have practically no tint shift, so everything is the same tint, both in front of you and to the sides.
My other headlamp (which is starting to wear down a bit) has a single 219C and does have a little more yellow on the outer perimeter, even with diffusing optics.

12

Nice mod.

It looks like the plus and minus are shorted, but they must not be?

13

2000 ?! :smiley:
That’s 1 Kilowatt of LED power…. :disappointed:
I bought these some time ago:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-pcs-OSRAM-DURIS-E5-LED-4000K-CRI-95-HIGH-QUALITY-5630-5730-GW-JDSRS1-CC-0-5W-/282448446858
I really like them.
That shop has many more high CRI Osram LEDs by te way.

14

The centre pad is the minus. :wink:

15

Right, but it looks like you have solder going across all three pads.

Also, how is the UI? Edit: I saw you explained it some in the OP.

16

Yeah, it looks like it, but it’s not so.
There’s just very little space left when you put 8 of them on it.
In the picture with 6 on it you can see better.
So i soldered a jumper over the outer pads, where the red wire is soldered on to.

low, high, off. e-switch.
Long press for ramping. First long press increases, second long press decreases output, would be better if it decreased the first long press.
No ramping memory.
double click for strobe.
Not perfect, but no PWM. :+1:

(edit: Yeah i did explain in the OP :slight_smile: )

17

Well, i use a headlamp daily.
Together with my reading glasses it makes me see very well what i’m doing.
With external lighting there’s always shadows cast on the things i’m working on / with.

I’ve found a lens that fits (after some filing) too, to finish it off, but haven’t found a proper way to hold it in place yet.

18

Backlit?

My RJ02 glows red when charging and when in magic mode (wave on, wave off), and green when finished charging.

Maybe yours glows green after charging?

19

Very nice headlight build. I also love hi cri mule 18650 headlights. I’ve always used nichias. I’m not familiar with the emitters your using. They are cheap enough to experiment with some. Thanks for bringing these to my attention. What would you guesstimate the lumens on high is?

20

How good is the charger? Channel your inner HKJ and comment, does it stop charging when the cell is full, no ongoing trickle?