I'm sure there must be reams of threads on LED lighting systems, but I can't find them 😡 Can some kind soul point me in the right direction? I'm a definite novice in this, so am just looking for a recommended collection of components to go and buy, and recommended retailers. From what I gather, I need some CREE/Seoul/luxeon LEDS, some optics, some drivers (buckpuck) and a case.
I'm hoping to create a nearly-car-blindingly bright red tail light, and a narrow beam 200ish lumen spot light for my helmet.
Cheers
Gareth
EDIT I had a quick look at the candlepower forums, but it may as well have been in a different language...
here is mine:
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/my-diy-led-light
(still need to get some beam shots)
for rear just buy one Smart 1/2watt
Cool. Are Cutter a good company to buy from? What's the wait for delivery, as it has to come from Australia?
If I want to run three CREE XPG LEDs, is it fine to use a 1000mA buckpuck and put them in series?
Cheers
Gareth
[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/lumicycle-halogen-to-led-conversion-with-piccies-and-a-step-by-step-guide ]read this thread with pics[/url]
Cutter are the company to deal with about 14 days delivery no idea re driver as chucky builds mine for me.
Do you mean a tail light like this
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and that is on low
Beast.
Actually the tail light is gonna be put in series with my 1000mA front LED light which is run off a dynohub, so hopefully there will be enough power.
Cutter are cool to deal with, helpful and quite fast, though for task led drivers, best to buy direct from tasked as they work out cheaper
Gareth if you are running off a dynohub it is a slightly different ballgame .
what voltage does the hub put out also you should be looking at putting some super capacitors in there for a stand light possibly .
Yeah the front light works a treat, and has done for about a year. Hub outputs 6V 3W (so 2A), this goes through a bridge rectifer and two beefy capacitors. Then to a 1000mA buckpuck then to the LED. Can't remember which LED it is, but it's plenty bright enough for road riding.
You wont get a narrow beam from the xpgs with the current crop of optics stick with the xpe or xre leds
2 red XPE leds will be about 4.4 volts and a 700 ma driver should do very nicely with your 6 volts
Give us a shout and I can probably fit you up with some stuff
your not wanting to run the helmet light from the hub are you
Cool, cheers.
The head light will be run off something from Smudge I suspect. Looks like 3 XP-Gs might do the trick.
Gareth, i am putting another cutter order in. If you like I can add yours onto it. It all helps split the postage charges.
let me know if you wnat in.
Ta
Chucky
e mail in profile.
Chucky
Dont know if you aware it is free shipping on orders over $100 till the end of feb
cheers trout, need to get an order for $100 dollars then
anybody else want anything?
Get your selves a few red ones and build an easy rear light
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and at 180 degrees to the light and 30 metres away
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Oooh, perhaps this is the excuse I need to pull a finger out & get some DIY bits ordered.
Chucky, I'd be interested in the bits from Cutter for a Lumi conversion so long as I can still get hold off a BlackCat eBay driver (nips off to check).....
So, would I be right in thinking that would be an XPG 3 LED board and an XPG optic? Might as well go for the narrow & the medium to try them both out. Are you gonna sort out a group purchase then? How much did people square up last time? Cheque??
Tried a 35W halogen in a Lumi can last week - seriously bright, but seriously hot - have melted the halogen connector plug! It was starting to dim after 2hrs which wasn't bad considering it was actually running at 42W.
Chucky - it was the 670mA driver, wasn't it?
There's also a 970mA version, but I seem to remember this was considered perhaps a bit too much for the Lumi cans in terms of heat build up & doesn't the output of the LEDs start to drop off anyway, making 970mA not massively brighter than 670??
yip it was the 670ma driver I used, just to keep the heat down. Others have used the 970 one though.
XPG and a narrow optic is my view, Don't do the wide XPG optic as the narrow is a wider optic than the XRE one.
I am using a XRE optic on my XPG at the moment which gives a slightly narrower beam pattern.
You could order 1 XRE narrow and one XPG narrow optic as they are only £4 each.
and yip i'll sort out a group purchase.
don't worry about the dosh I'll order it all and then straighten up afterwards by paypal or bank transfer preferably.
last time people paid up no probs.
mail me if you want in on the order
jeez chris those are bright
Chucky - you got mail......
my e-mail address looks a bit weird, but it's not spam, honest! It's a yahoo account...
I have not read the whole thread but I made a 200 lumen helmet light. One cree running at 1 amp gives you the 200 ish lumen and is fine as a helmet light with a bar light as well. I use a cheap led torch to mount it in and a heatsink in the cutdown battery compartment. Maybe I have been lucky but the reflectors in the torches has worked fine giving a really tight spot beam
I run it of 4XAA and get 3.5 hrs out of it.
I can't get on flikr 'cos I am at work but if you are interested I will put up the pics tomorrow
hmmmm that would make one serious brake light on a motorbike ❓