Right, subsequent to the demise of the replacement battery tube I’ve decided to make an alternative.

There was quite a bit of interest in the idea of a nice simple ‘dummy cell’ concept for those wanting an external battery pack for the P7, and were happy to drill a hole in the side of their torch.

This will be a bit of a DIY solution, as you’ll have to source your own cable, and either crimp or solder the ends, and of course drill your torch, but it should be a fairly simple solution which should be reliable and versatile.

That’s the holder, and this is roughly how it’ll go in a P7 (only with the wires meeting up of course!

Price will probably be under a tenner, but not really decided yet.

I’ve updated my website and the ordering page will be up and running as soon as I’ve made a few pouches and cast a few holders – I’d rather people had to wait a bit to order, than wait to receive after paying!

My friendly rapid-prototyper is again providing amazing help, and I’d expect that I’d have the first dummy cells within a fortnight.

Cheers, Rich

Rich – so the advantage of the dummy cell over simply soldering the cables to the terminals in the torch is that you can remove it and use a single normal cell instead if you want to? Are there other advantages?

I would be the first to admit that it doesn’t offer a huge number of advantages over soldering direct to the terminals.

However, I have found that unscrewing the emitter on some of the new P7’s to be virtually impossible, so you may find that trying to solder to the positive terminal inside the battery tube is rather tricky.

Also, the tail cap will obviously rotate and coil up a wire soldered to it, but with some slack that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Depending on whether you drilled a hole in the side of the torch, or cut a slot down through the tail cap threads, you would most likely have to un-solder the connections from the dummy cell to remove it fully from the torch anyway, assuming you couldn’t thread the other end of your power cable through your torch hole.

Clearly there are loads of solutions, it’s just several people had expressed an interest in this idea, so I thought I’d give it a go.

It’s not a commercial ‘plug and play’ option, but might be of interest to some folk.

Cheers, Rich

Thanks. I didn’t mean to poo-poo the idea, but I did want make sure I wasn’t missing a big problem with the “just solder it” route.

No worries jfeb 🙂

You did make a very valid point though, since soldering will still be a requirement with my solution.

I think the disassembly problem with the new P7’s is a genuine issue though, getting the emitter module out, they can be a bit of a b@stard 😯

Cheers, Rich

Just like to register my interest in a battery holder, probably a 1S4P version. Though I hear you’re entertaining the idea of making a 2 cell holder as well?

Have posted pics of P7 cut down PROTOTYPE mark1 test bodge for your info.

Total Weight is 420g for 4 18650 cells,which should give around 4 hours on max, which compares well with the Hope 10w HID which has only 2.75 hours run time by comparison, and visibly less output for sure. Obviously they are pretty cacky at the moment, and nead ALOT of tidying up in the next version.

Nice tidy leads from battery space are the next thing to be substituted and will use the inline switch they provide, with waterproof trail-tech connectors. They’re very nice and only add a few grams. This will also give me the option to run a double light set if needed ( or just wanted!!!!) via a Y cable splitter.

Am also planning a nice little turned aluminium end plug via a friend who’s a bit handy with a lathe and has just bust a few teeth so owes me a favour! This should tidy up the end and add a little finning for heat management.

http://peter76.fotoblog.co.uk/c1644214.html

Once TF’s holders are available it will be much better.

Looking forward to seeing your battery holders mate, but no rush, just thanks for your enthusiasm and effort.

Drillski

Guys, quick update to say that I’ve been busy making lots of bits, and I’m ready to start taking orders.

4 x 18650 cell holders

2 x 18650 holders

single 18650 holders

pouches

Dummy cells will be available soon, the first mould didn’t work out quite as I’d hoped, so it’ll be a few days before I’ve got them sorted – 24 hour cure time on the silicon is a bit of a drag…

Turboferret

I might not be able to quite meet initial demand, but I’ve made a bit of stock, so hopefully orders won’t take too long to be completed.

Cheers, Rich

Nice 3D modelling Rich. Whats it in ?
I modelled my P7 up with a view to doing exactly as your doing. A dummy battery bridging the poles & wire passing out through the centre of the P7 & running to a remote pack of 3 18650’s in parallel.

I’d be interested in a dummy cell as mine never left the cad screen…!!!

PT

PT,

Everything is in SolidWorks, which has been invaluable!

I have a rapid prototpe of the cell, but need to make another attempt at the mould which was a bit fiddly, and the 2 halves weren’t quite lining up properly.

Fingers crossed I’ll manage a better version in the next day or so, and dummy cells can start flying off the production line.

By production line I mean this 🙂

which is where I moved production to when it got rather chilly in the garage. So far managed not to get too much resin on the furniture, but it’s only a matter of time 😆

Cheers, Rich

Hi Interesting Thread

Count me in for one of the

4 x 18650 cell holders

details in profile

cheers

Rob

TF: Great job. Quick question from a thicko…… is it possible to just put 2 cells in the 4 cell holder and have it work?
Not sure if I want to get two more cells yet, but don’t want to limit myself to two.
If this is the case I’ll go for a 4 cell holder and a dummy.
ted:at:targetmedia:dot:net

Rob, and everyone else,

Please make orders via my website ordering page, as I have lots of interest from different areas, trying to keep up with interest on forums is too time consuming. Having all orders coming through one channel will ensure that everyone gets what they want, in roughly the order they are placed.

Turboferret

Hope that’s OK with everyone.

Ordered a 4-cell holder. Nice work, TF 🙂

Shark, if you ordered a holder which uses cells in parallel, then you wouldn’t need to use a complete set.

A 1S4P (4 cells in parallel) would run fine with 1, 2 3 or 4 cells inserted.
A 2S2P (2 pairs of parallel cells in series) would run fine with 2 or 4 cells inserted, assuming you got the 2 cells in the correct slots.
A 4A1P (4 cells in series) would however require a full compliment of cells, as removing 1 will break the circuit.

Hope that makes sense!

Cheers, Rich

Rich. What are the benefits of running the batteries in series? Parallel = increased burn time right? I would imagine series therefore meant brighter but can the LED run brighter?

I am sure this has been covered before but I can’t remember – sorry!

any idea when the dummy battery will be ready? – I’ll certainly have a 2x 18650 pack and dummy battery

just ordered 4 cell and pouch .
Been watching this for a while , very nice work Turboferret . Very glad to see you found a way around the problem with torches being all different.
I like this version better anyway, easier for us numpty’s to work out.

Thanks Simon

jfeb – you wouldn’t want to wire your batteries in series to run a P7, but plenty of other light solutions require a different voltage. In general terms, 1 lithium cell will power 1 LED, so if you have a 2 LED light, you would need twice the voltage, a 4 LED light, quadruple the voltage etc. Obviously this isn’t a hard and fast rule, and if you use a buck module you have a wider range of possible input voltages.

Regarding the dummy cells, I’d say about a week, hopefully, the current mould is tricky to line up accurately, and as the part is so small, any differences in the alignment of the halves is noticeable and the cylindrical part becomes somewhat disjointed. Hopefully a new mould with some more positive locating datums will solve this.

Cheers, Rich

Just a quick note to say that if anyone is after a triple holder, they’ll be in production soon to make a complete range.

Dummy cells shouldn’t be too far away either.

Quad cells will be moving onto a 2nd generation design shortly, not such a tight fit, and better quality.

I’ve given my website a quick revamp too.

Orders have been coming in steadily, which has been encouraging, and thankfully, everyone who has received a holder so far has been pleased, perhaps pleasantly surprised 🙂

Thanks for all the support, and any queries, drop me a line.

Cheers, Rich

You have not sent the CAD for this one yet turboferret!!

Might have made an assumption there 😮

I think that tinsy has revealed himself as one of the essential parties involved in the project, without whom you’d all have to put up with dodgy cardboard patterned parts 😆

The rapid prototyping for patterns gives superb results, assuming you can make your mould properly, which I think I can now 😀

Cheers, Rich

You look pretty mouldy to me… 🙂

Got the holder this morning – very quick!

For those of you thinking of buying, but waiting to see what the first ones are like, it’s a nice, solid bit of kit.

The batteries are held in place tightly, and it’s very compact. Soldered joints are shiny, and all those little slots and channels hold the wires nicely. Cosmetically, the finish is not exactly mass-produced glossy (as TF has already said), but who cares!

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what it’s like to run, as I’m waiting on another two 18650s, and bought the 4S1P set up.

Can’t wait to hook it up to my iBlaast 2 in a couple of days.

Regardless of how mouldy I look, if I’ve learned anything in the process, it’s that it’s worth spending longer getting a perfect mould, rather than cleaning up cast parts with a dremmel to remove imperfections due to air bubbles. I now have a fine coating of polyurethane shavings over everything in the garage from trimming 50 quad holders 😆

Cheers, Rich

Simon, glad you’re happy with your holder 8)

As I’ve said, 2nd gen quads won’t be such a tight fit, as I think they’re overly tight currently, but overall finish will improve considerably.

Has been a steep learning curve, and has taken a little while to get there, but I’m very happy with my results now 🙂

As I’ve said on my website, I think these are the only 18650 holders available on the web 😯

Orders so far have come from most corners of the world – UK, USA, Sweden, Canada, Bulgaria, Australia, Italy, Slovenia, Norway, and France

Cheers, Rich

Hi rich
recievd my quad and pair holders and cases….
EXCELLENT!!!!
guys, if you’re wondering, BUY ONE!!!!!

I cast the first 2nd gen quad holders last night, and I’m really happy with the result – they won’t require any finishing with a dremmel any more

Someone requested a photo with some scale, so here are a few more

The 2nd gen quads are the same length as the twins and singles, which are 2mm longer than the 1st gen quads, as the batteries were a rather tight fit initially.

Triple holders will be available very soon too – the mould is half done, and the 2nd attempt at the dummy cell is part-way there too, no more problems with mis-alignment of the 2 halves of the mould now

I’ll be making a complete kit suitable for the P7, consisting of a holder, pouch, dummy cell, cable and grommet for protecting the cable as it runs through the torch – I’ve got some cables on their way from Germany at the moment.

Cheers, Rich

sory If Im repeating an earlier post, but is P7 a brand or type of lamp? I have seen a light called a P7 made by Led Lenser is this the same one that you are talking about? Thanks

Budgie

Budgie, P7 is actually a type of LED emitter, or a Soul P7 to give it more of a full title. However, when used on here, it generally refers to the MTE P7 torch.

Good review here with links to Dealextreme for buying them.

Cheers, Rich

Right, quick update on a few products 🙂

Triple holders are pretty much ready to rock and roll, couple of pics below (click to embiggen)

That’ll be in 11.1v and 3.7v flavours. This comes out of a 3 part mould, which takes a bit more cunningness than the other holders, which are all 2 part moulds. I need to make a jig to stop it compressing when you clamp the parts together, but it’s 95% there, available for purchase very soon.

On the dummy cell front, we have our first fully working prototype

This one is using circular copper ends, but the production items will most likely use a copper rivet as suggested by someone on MTBR

I cut a slot in a P7 to see how it’d work all assembled, and I reckon it’s a goer 😀 Several more shots below

There are pros and cons to cutting a slot up from the bottom, rather than drilling a hole in the side.

Pros being that it’s easier to get the cell in and out, getting the dummy cell stuck inside the battery tube would be a pain. Also, you can easily swap back to a single cell should you want, just be removing the 2 o-rings and sliding out the cable and dummy cell.

Cons are that the unit won’t be quite as well sealed, as even if you plug the grommet after removing the cable, there will still be a little exposed slot between the grommet and the tail cap.

All in all, I’m quite pleased, although I need to improve my dremmeling 😀

Hopefully have rivets in a few days to assemble a few more hopefully finished items.

Cheers, Rich

So – let me get this straight and sorry for covering old ground.

Get a P7 light for Deal Extreme, get a quad holder and a dummy from Rich, put it all together and bish, bash bosh Hope 4 beating lights for not much money and a little bit of effort.

What is the performance going to be like? In terms of run time and what batteries do i need in the quad holder? Oh and how much for the bits from Rich?

Thanks,

SC

4 x 18650 protected, from DX.

Battery life should be 4 hours on max, and the output from a p7 is more like 600lumens than the fanciful 900.