I have a couple of the hope ones here from a failed hope2 upgrade .
remind me when the leds have arrived .

Am i too late to order two of each please? tlyons10@aol.com

RWS yes can add you will have a tot up tonight .

Looks good – gonna have to get the shopping list out and turn this into a little project for the next few weeks.

what the hell, i fancy a crack at this. put me down for 2 + 2 please (im hoping by the end of it i will have a vague idea what you lot are on about!!). will it be advisable to get myself armed with a heat-shrink kit for this, or can you get by without?

v8 I’d get a kit there only a couple of quid from B&Q last time I looked.

Hi Chris,

Can you put me down for 4 leds and refelectors.

Thanks
JC

hi trout

can you put me down for 2 + 2 please.
cheers
Carl

I have found a housing that will accept 3 XPGs and reflectors, and was thinking of powering it using 3x 18650 (11.1V) batteries (fitted inside), would a single Teapot driver be OK for this, and would one of the Smudge 12.6V (1A) Chargers work as well?
Does anyone know if Teapot has any drivers, as there are none listed.

I take it you would need the heat shrink for the cables going to the battery pack or would it be needed for the wiring inside the housing also?

Yes you should be fine with that combo TSB .

I have emailed Teapot / blackcat technologies about his driver stock .

Thanks Trout, can I change my order to 4 XPG’s and 4 reflectors.

Jeeze this is mad .

Lipseal 2+2
Vinnyeh 2+2
steelfan 2+2
van halen 2+2
surfbus 4+4
Stay high 4+4
filtertips 2+2
Citezen kane 2+2
runswithscissors 2+2
adamdv8 2+2
clobber 4+4
Free space 2+2

I’ll give it a go too. 2 + 2 for me. How long does an order usually take to come through?

Jeeze this is mad

Not yet it isnt but I’m guessing it will be 😉

To save time with emails flowing my way at the minute. If anyone is interested I am doing a short run of a 7.5V 2.6Ah Li-Ion battery and 2S charger for £47 inc postage (paypal fee extra).
Please email for more information.

Good work Troutie and good luck to everyone building one up

Bloody Hell CK you started this off and made history

Will do and any tips on the thread would be appreciated .

Trout,

I think youve got this one well under control, it will be great if all these orders turn into lights.

I’m given these reflectors a go after building an Easy DIY with 6 XPG’s and 20mm round optics. Huge amount of light going in all the wrong directions.

Is this light going to earn itself a nickname, along the lines of Bastid? Be useful for follow-up threads, eg ” Show us your Feckr lights”. Any suggestions?

Ha Ha CK maybe now but not when the leds come in and I am frantically building Liberators might need your help then .

Teapot is building drivers and just waiting for a diode to come in to finish them .

What drugs are you on Smudge you just said to save emails flowing and in the next breath said email me for details 😆

Lazymike I am hoping this week but prob next .or I am up sh*t creek .

and to make it easy I have a length of the ali angle so will chop it up and for a small donation send with the leds.

Ok I’ve done some reading and now have some questions to be getting on with. Please bear with my mental knuckle dragging.

I would like the light to be 3 mode, hi/low/off so I would need a on off on switch such as THIS in type B or can you get a push or click switch to do this function?

Can the TEAPOT driver be used for this type of switch?

What thermal paste would people recommend using and where from or does it matter? I was thinking of getting stuff from Maplin but are they the Halfords of the electrical world? Also what glue would you use?

Ok thats enough for now, my brain hurts.

Thanks chaps 🙂

stayhigh couple of things I’ve picked up…copper slip for thermal paste, click for glue and I think the driver is a high/low, if not you could always use a resistor on the other side of the switch(not sure on ohm size though?) HTH

Troutie is it too late to jump on the order?? If not can you put me down for 2+2 please

Hi Guys,

Troutie tipped me off about this topic – thought I’d just chip in to answer a few questions. I’m hoping to have drivers this week – the missing parts should be with me tomorrow so I’m hoping to get a few finished and tested then. I won’t be able to despatch Thursday and I’m away this weekend so unless you catch me on Friday it will be Monday before they ship. (Not that this should be a major worry if you have to wait for bits to come from Cutters – I hope Troutie has better luck getting XPGs from there than another customer of mine did!)

Anyway, the driver comes in two types, standard and half-power mode built in. The IC I use has a control pin which works as a very low power shutdown when connected to ground (battery negative). You can also reduce the output current by connecting it to ground via a resistor. The half-power versions have this resistor built in – unfortunately this means you can’t use the shutdown. It’s fairly easy to use a three-way switch with external resistor to allow you shutdown and reduced power modes. I’d suggest a resistor between 100k and 200k – this gives roughly 1/3 to 1/2 full power. The dim-mode drivers have 200k built in. You could even use two switches, one on/off and one giving three brightness settings.

The lumicycle drivers I do have a slightly different arrangement so you can still shutdown but the dimming resistor is still on board. I think the next batch of drivers I get made will have something similar as it seems a common requirement.

Hopefully these links will work….

Half-power and shutdown option with the standard driver:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50439158@N02/5034032089/

Three-level power with separate on/off switch:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50439158@N02/5034050709/

Edit: Sorry, can’t work out how to embed pictures from Flickr so you’ll have to make do with the links…

chris you put so much back in………………..hats off

Nockmeister put the order in late last night but added a few on either for me to use or late comers so your OK for a couple.

BCT Steven thanks for chipping in and helping my rapidly overloading brain ..

Depending on which way works best any chance of you sending the correct resister out with your board.

Cheers Monty to be honest I didnt think it would be so popular when I posted the OP

Thanks for all the links and tips, I am a total noob at this so its fun learning new stuff 🙂

I’m still a bit confused over the driver set up I would need for hi/low/off. I’d like to just have the one switch on the back so I would need to use an external resistor between 100-200k with th standard driver?

I had a quick look on Maplins who list a variety of different types, wirewound, metal film, light dependant. which type would I need for this driver?

If I was to use a Smudge battery for the external pack what would give me roughly 3 hours on full whack?

The standard driver and resister works best for me with an 3 position switch .

the smudge battery would give you about 2.5 hours on full but may dim a little near the end.

Would that be the 7.5V 2.6Ah Li-Ion battery and 2S charger he mentioned above? If so I’ll have to go the AA route for now as cant really afford that.

How do you know how many batteries to use and what voltage ampage etc. I guess then that the battery holder would be wired to the light and the cells could then be taken out for charging.

When I have a bit more spare cash could then upgrade to Smudge battery.

i`m going for the standard driver and 200k resistor with external battery and bodged bar mount.

the missus was laughing at me last night as i was getting excited about this.

off to maplins tomorrow with list clutched in hand to be laughed at by those more knowledgeable.

Van Halen: are you getting the switch and resistor from Maplins? If so which ones are you going for?

wish I’d caught this yesterday, I’ve not added up the costs but looks good!

One option for switches:
http://www.rapidonline.com/sku/Electronic-Components/Switches/Toggle-Switches/Miniature-toggle-switches-SCI/30254/75-0135

with this cover:
http://www.rapidonline.com/sku/Electronic-Components/Switches/Toggle-Switches/Toggle-switch-cover/60332/75-0120

I have a few of these so could supply either loose or ready-wired.

Just a quick note I’d best put in here, running from a 7.5V battery my driver will fairly quickly fall out of regulation running two XPGs. Internal losses at 1A are around 1V which only just leaves enough power for the LEDs. You’ll still get nearly full power once it drops out of regulation though.

Trout,

Its unlikely you’ve any spare but please if you do have 2+2 spare then Id be interested. Its a fantastic project by all accounts and just what I fancied doing!

J.

Dont rush to buy owt yet The leds may be a week

and Steven aka black cat tech is looking at the driver options he mailed me this morning about it .

Bigjim I have ordered a few extra sets just in case .

idea to help me keep track if additions to the list

copy the list and put your name and requirements on a new post
then the updated total will be the last one on the thread.

Edit .
those switches and boots look just the job

second edit

Jazid got enough ordered to include you too 😉

hi i emailed you just signing in

Ok Mr Trout, put me down as well for 2+2 and a bit of angle please. I will have a go at doing this as well for my son rather than buy a Magicshine light. Liked the look of some of those on the MTBR link you posted!

i`ll be getting everything (bar the bits teapot and trout are supplying) from maplins.

or from what i can pillage from around the home/garage.

the best bit about maplins near me is i get to go to the the thai shop down the road. tom yum noodles are lush. there is a good lbs round the corner too but noodles win every time.

You’re a very generous man Troutie. The amount of emails that you have answered is amazing. You could have built some lamps in the time (joking).

Me too mr Troutie.

I’m going to have a go at an external battery and use it as a head mounted unit.

this is providing you have enough sets left of course. I’d also appreciate some angle too.

many thanks.