Water Cooled Flashlight Modding a MT35 PLUS RE-MODDED

CNCman · 2018-09-22T22:59:06.000Z

EasyB:

Interesting project. The copper heat exchanger looks really cool. How do you plan to move the heat from the water to the air?

Why do you want to use an aspheric lens? It will increase throw by a bit? Light collection efficiency of a lens like this is only 25-30. Whereas a reflector puts 70+ of the light into the beam. If you really want to use a lens I might consider using a precollimator lens which can double the light collection efficiency.

The heat will be displaced from an aluminum coil mounted around the head, but no fan for that.
I wanted to have it zoom-able for flooding and throw, not sure how effective it will perform for either one until its finished.

CNCman · 2019-12-25T14:02:50.000Z

Enderman:

Nice project! What rads do you plan to use for cooling?

1/4 in diameter soft aluminum tubing wound around the head 2 times with .100 in gap between coils. No fan.
I have been trying to learn from your builds so we all kinda work together and share.

The coil is in work to get finished this weekend if everything goes as planned.
Using the head for the mold.

TheOnlyDocc · 2018-09-22T23:53:33.000Z

How much heat (W) do you want to dissipate with the coil? Build a few watercooler for CPUs and Motherboards myself a few years back. And also build a lot of custom cooling solutions. Interested to see how you fit it together.

Enderman · 2018-09-22T23:54:41.000Z

CNCman:

1/4 in diameter soft aluminum tubing wound around the head 2 times with .100 in gap between coils. No fan.
I have been trying to learn from your builds so we all kinda work together and share.

The coil is in work to get finished this weekend if everything goes as planned.
Using the head for the mold.

Nice.
Is that like 25ft of coil?
Should definitely be enough for a CFT90 as long as you don’t do more than 30-40A

CNCman · 2018-09-23T00:52:20.000Z

“TheOnlyDocc” Sorry, I’m not able to know the amount of heat except from reading and guessing how much trouble
everyone is having with thermal step down after a few minutes run time. I’m not sure this idea will work at all, but I could not
resist the opportunity to try and maybe throw some information into the hat for everyone to use.

“Enderman” Yes it is a 25ft roll. Trying to squeeze as much as possible on it and not take away too much flashlight appearance.
I have yet to solder the spacers in place and form it into shape. I will give the total feet used for reference so the guys who know how can do those if we can give them accurate info.

CNCman · 2021-03-14T19:36:32.000Z

Aluminum soldering proved too difficult so small stainless steel wire was used to assemble cooling coil.
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More pics next week. Still a lot to mod before completion.

AlexGT · 2018-10-01T03:04:34.000Z

Interesting, Keep up the good work!

pinkpanda3310 · 2018-10-01T07:16:54.000Z

Epic build Will be following this :sunglasses:

TheOnlyDocc · 2018-10-01T12:38:22.000Z

I noticed that you are using copper and Aluminium in the same loop. This will get you corrosion fast. Had the same problem in a PC watercooling loop. Even with very high quality additives. It takes longer but eventually it happens. And the solderjoint that have contact with the water will also be a week point.

CNCman · 2018-10-03T00:59:30.000Z

TheOnlyDocc:

I noticed that you are using copper and Aluminium in the same loop. This will get you corrosion fast. Had the same problem in a PC watercooling loop. Even with very high quality additives. It takes longer but eventually it happens. And the solderjoint that have contact with the water will also be a week point.

Yep , that’s a good point. I had read some on this subject, mostly for best heat transfer. Corrosion was mentioned often as a concern and freeze preventative which can lower cooling efficiency. Probably will use automotive coolant and empty the system while in storage and flush it clean, but not sure what corrosion preventive to use at flush and leave dry.

This is all a guess for me, so if anyone has a suggestion please feel free to say something, I’m just a newbie here, I can machine things but I know little about flashlights.

BlueSwordM · 2018-12-29T22:37:23.000Z

So, has the project been finished or not?

I’d like to know

moderator007 · 2018-12-30T02:28:17.000Z

Looking Awesome CNCman. Can’t wait to see the finished build.
Have you got any updates on this project.
Very good pics by the way.

hank · 2018-12-30T03:08:59.000Z

Will it have a steam whistle for overpressure release?

electricjelly · 2018-12-30T03:54:40.000Z

I just ran across this. Very ambitious build. Some good ideas I see here. I’m curious to see how it will work. I’m wondering if convection would be enough to move heat without a pump. Probably not,but it probably doesn’t need a lot of flow to be effective.

CNCman · 2019-02-20T01:42:30.000Z

Sorry guys for not responding. We have had a few Life Events and are just recovering from it all. I will now begin finishing the light and post pics on the progress in a few days.

mattadores · 2019-02-20T16:06:37.000Z

Hey, this looks like an amazing project! Very excited to see how it progresses!

ZozzV6 · 2019-02-21T01:35:35.000Z

Great build!
I am really curious about end result. I think you could have been bought a 6V bigger MCPCB and mod it to 12V. Not a big deal. Just two cuts with a dremel and a thick wire.

CNCman · 2019-12-25T13:40:24.000Z

Sorry about the loss of pictures here, I will attempt to replace them.
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Also, I have finished the parts that were missing and plan to start finishing the light the day after Xmas.
This build became more than I was able to handle and was delayed for lack of experience.
Of course the intent has never changed and that was to eventually put a CBT90, SBT90,
or some hot led in it, keep it cool, and determine how much water cooling is required.
Afterwards a new design can be incorporated that will have a normal appearance.
This light is for testing, not looks, so I will not be offended by comments.
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Yokiamy · 2019-12-25T22:05:54.000Z

Do you have more info about the cooling of the LED/shelf?

If you can reduce the heat of the shelf drastically you dont need all that aluminium wound up next to the head, if you could just take out the heat below the LED.

Or is that your heat exchanger?

CNCman · 2019-12-25T23:48:14.000Z

Yokiamy:

Do you have more info about the cooling of the LED/shelf?

If you can reduce the heat of the shelf drastically you dont need all that aluminium wound up next to the head, if you could just take out the heat below the LED.

Or is that your heat exchanger?

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The MCPCB is .062 thick and will be inset into the copper cooler. The copper cooler is .100 thick it will sit on.
Im guessing this is the shelf you are asking about. As far as technical info on cooling capacity, no I am no Engineer. Sorry.
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Yes , you are correct, in after thought and already in deep, it is overkill.
The aluminum coil is the radiator and the copper cooler is the heat exchanger.
They will be connected and water will be pumped / circulated thru both.