The 6th Annual BLF / Old Lumens - Handmade - MtnDon's Entry (fini)

MtnDon · 2018-11-17T06:58:44.000Z

The lipo battery is rated at 3000 mAh.

I ran the lantern on the 50% which is theoretically 700 mA.

After slightly more than 4 hours the light output seemed somewhat dimmer. At 4 hours 15 minutes, the light had dimmed more and the driver went into its blinking, low voltage mode. The voltmeter read 2.91 volts.

It appears the battery is pretty much the advertised 3000 mAh capacity. That makes me happy.

During the recharge the copper strip heatsink was barely warm to the touch. I guess I could have used a 2 amp charger, but didn’t have one on hand and was not sure one would arrive from CN in time. The PO tracking shows a package should arrive next week, so it could be here in time to swap, but I don’t think I’ll do that. The 2 amp is slightly larger and the connection points are in different locations. I’ll save the 2 amp for a second one I may build.

GreenLights · 2018-11-17T07:28:21.000Z

MtnDon:

The 2 amp is slightly larger and the connection points are in different locations. I’ll save the 2 amp for a second one I may build.

Can you link the 2 amp charger you ordered. 1 amp are easy to find but can’t find a decent 2 amp. I’m in the process of building a lantern myself, but nothing compared to your skills.

MtnDon · 2018-11-17T14:20:48.000Z

GreenLights:

MtnDon:

The 2 amp is slightly larger and the connection points are in different locations. I’ll save the 2 amp for a second one I may build.

Can you link the 2 amp charger you ordered. 1 amp are easy to find but can’t find a decent 2 amp. I’m in the process of building a lantern myself, but nothing compared to your skills.

Yes, it could be paralleled with the 1 amp charger board. Finding a place to mount the second board would be the challenge. A 2 amp would need a heat sink for certain. I have used one before. I thought I had a spare but could not find it. That’s why I ran into a time crunch to order a 2 amp. I could maybe mount it externally under the bottom cover piece. ??

gchart · 2018-11-19T13:41:43.000Z

GreenLights:

Can you link the 2 amp charger you ordered.

MD, that may be a request for a hyperlink. Even if it wasn’t, it would hurt to give the link for us curious individuals. Thanks!

MtnDon · 2018-11-19T14:18:02.000Z

Total misinterpretation of the statement / question about “could I link”…… I’ll look that up and get back here and post it. Thanks for making that clear to me. Getting old or something….

MtnDon · 2018-11-19T14:24:26.000Z

This charger board

gchart · 2018-11-19T21:21:28.000Z

thanks

GreenLights · 2018-11-19T22:22:01.000Z

Sorry I wasn’t clear with my request. The hyperlink is perfect. Thank you.

MtnDon · 2018-11-19T22:23:27.000Z

Well, it is funny how the mind works. At least I think it is funny how mine works at times.

DBSAR · 2018-11-19T22:27:37.000Z

Beautiful Work!

MtnDon · 2018-11-26T19:35:33.000Z

OK. It is completed. No changes or additions, but I dusted it off a bit and polished the external copper discs. Then I took a few more pictures.

CRX · 2018-11-26T19:35:43.000Z

Very nice sir

MRsDNF · 2018-11-26T19:41:32.000Z

I think its been mentioned before but when does the group buy begin? I’d be up for a few.

MtnDon · 2018-11-26T19:51:44.000Z

I am thinking of making another with a few changes in design that would make construction easier. The appearance would be about the same. The number of hours invested in this light makes it a tad costly.

RobertB · 2018-11-26T20:01:39.000Z

Nice job Don. Some chinese company will copy it, and we will probably start seeing these for sale on Banggood in short order… lol

gchart · 2018-11-26T20:34:01.000Z

Looking good! I think the only thing I’d change might be to carefully hide the driver under the top plate. But granted you only see that when opening the lantern, which should practically be never, right?

MtnDon · 2018-11-26T21:24:33.000Z

Yes, the driver could have been hidden above the copper plate in a recess carved into the underside of the upper wood plate. That’s one of those things that would likely be changed if there is a second version built. That would be a little tidier looking. There’s no practical reason to ever remove a panel. The main reason the panels were made removable was to make assembly easier. Sticking the paper on the inside of the grids would have been awkward at best if the grid assembly was a more permanent part of the unit.

MtnDon · 2018-12-25T23:24:56.000Z

For Christmas my lantern project was gifted to our son. Here it is at it’s new home. (He has the bookshelving with the matching Shoji style doors.)

CRX · 2018-12-25T23:24:16.000Z

Nice

Flashy_Mike · 2018-12-25T23:50:35.000Z

What a beautiful gift!