1

So i’ve decided to enter this, for SAG. I can already see from the other contestants, that I’m way out of league.
This is gonna have a ghetto hack feel to it :smiley:

I’m building a huge lantern out of a matte plastic storage container (will include pic later)

Features so far:

Powered by 9 x 18650
Dual LED, 2700K + 6000K 5200K
Active unnecessary cooling :smiley:
3A charge circuit
Battery charge status LED
Q8 driver with Andruil

Todo:

USB port, so it can function as a power bank
Mechanism to change between each LED or have them both on (FOR MAXIMUM CRI :smiley: )
All the rest; switches, on/off etc.

After two hours, here’s the progress so far:





Boost driver to power the fan @5V


Specs:

  • LED1: XP-G3 R4 8A3 2700K
  • LED2: XM-L2 T6-3B 5200K
  • Driver: BLF Q8 with Andruil
  • Cells: 9 x 18650 (LG S3 2200mAh)

2018-09-26 Edit: Added specs
2018-12-01 Edit: Failed to complete build

Update: So I failed to complete the build, due to life. 40+ hour work weeks and prioritising my family left little to no time to this.
I will finish this eventually. Perhaps in a little different setup. I think an other driver is needed. Non FET ragulated e-switch driver thats built for just 1 emitter. Given my 9 x 18650 cell setup :smiley: It’s 9 old used low discharge cells, but combined they will still be able to deliver 18A. A but much for 1-2 emitters in direct drive.

So I’m out of the voting. Till next time :beer:

Merry Christmas :crown:

2

Nice :wink:
Subscribed to learn :wink:

Don’t forget to inform the about your entry :wink:

Good luck with the build :+1:

3

Thanks, I have sent a PM :beer:

4

Looks like fun :slight_smile: :+1:

5

Looks really good.

I’m worried about one thing though.

Are you sure you should 9 cells in parallel in a direct drive config to only power 2 LEDs? Wouldn’t they release the magic smoke or something?

6

Thought about that yeah.
The cells that are going to power it, are salvaged 18650’s. They are used, and had 2200mAh when they were new. Now they can hold around 2000mAh.
I have no idea what chemistry they are, other than they are very low discharge. Also, all the wiring will add some resistance before the juice hits the LED.
But time will tell :smiley:

7

Impressive!
Is this going to be your next EDC? :smiley:

8

I’m gonna need some bigger pants then :smiley:


Test fitting


Banana C8 for scale

9

You’re putting a mule light inside a translucent container to get a portable light panel with a very soft, diffuse light?

10

That’s the idea yea. It’s not a “lantern” as in to light up an area. But a box that gives off a soft ambient light. That’s also the reasoning behind the dual LED’s.
So I can choose warm yellow or more white light :sunglasses:

11

Cool! I can definitely see uses for that.

12

Just don’t put the power switch on the bottom so that you’d have to lift up the whole thing just to turn it off. :laughing:

13

Yeah, me too! It makes me think of those balloon lights I’ve seen used for night-time road work in recent years. Those are VERY bright so they light up a huge working area, but produce almost no glare!

14

FWIW, the ‘lantern’ branch of Anduril supports tint mixing. You’d have to modify the driver though, or use a different one, to drive the LEDs independently and get equal amounts of power on both channels.

15

cool big lantern project :slight_smile: will follow this one too.

16

Cool, good luck with the build!

2018: the year of the lantern… DBSAR must be in BLF heaven! :partying_face:

17

lol so much lantern projects this year :smiley:

18

Good luck with the build!

19

What he said. ^

:beer:

20

And me to. :slight_smile: