DIy 700 lumen batteries inside light

stupid phone reposting messages………… 🙁

second edit…

ggrrrrr….. looking forward next week to upgrade.

Thanks Troutie! Please put me down for the 2+2, plus a bit of angle too.

Please let us know how much you want and how and when we should pay? Paypal or direct bank transfer?

Very much appreciated your helping the community learn about LED lighting. Shame the end product won’t be a patch on your own wonderful products, buts a great start anyhow! Thank you.

just checking in
cheers buddy

OK list update.

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
lazymike 2+2
nockmeister 2+2
jazid 2+2
wildrness 2+2 & Ayup upgrade ???
markyg82 2+2

if you are on the list and shouldnt be or arnt and want to be then post to say.

battery wise for externals would be a 3S lithium ion pack 11.1 volts

for the AA battery pack an 8 cell pack 9.6 volts .

Hopefully you are adding me 😉 thanks!

Can you put me on the list with a bit if alu as well.

Cheers

When you all get your kit, get together, switch on at the same time at midnight and see if you can make all the birdlife think dawn has come early…

Missed me on the list for 2+2 and angle please 8)

Think this light should be named “the rookie”, especially with my soldering skills! Really excited about building this now.
Didn’t realize you could run this off 8aa’s (obviously run time will be lower and weight would be higher).

Anyone know anything about LiFePO4 batteries and suitablity for this project (i.e. will they explode if I were to majorly stack it on a night ride)?

OK list update.

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
lazymike 2+2
nockmeister 2+2
jazid 2+2
wildrness 2+2 & Ayup upgrade ???
markyg82 2+2
SV 2+2
Quirrel 2+2
Curly68 2+2

Thats only 4 leds and 4 optics left on the order .
Im gobsmacked by the response.

Right I have had a change of plans for mine as the Li po battery I had was too tight a fit .
so I cut the case in half to make a light with external battery . I am going to put it on a lupine head belt cos the light is so light weight .

What to use for a facia plate after a bit of rooting in the garage there it was a spare clear cover for a welding mask .

these are consumables and can be had from welders supplies .

That looks like a wicked head light! I am going to build one for my son. He has problems mounting a battery on his Intense Tazer being a monocoque frame and no water bottles plus short stem!
I did see that on the MTBR link, there were a few lights with three + LED’s in what looked like the same enclosure. Is that the case or just a bigger unit?

Just in the process of building up a new batch of drivers. I’ve got parts to make 30 more then I’m afraid there will have to be changes. The IC I use has just doubled in price from my supplier so I’m going to have to increase the cost by about £1.25 minimum, possibly more as I’ve been absorbing price increases up to now.

There is an alternative at a similar price to my old supply, the problem is that the lower input voltage limit has gone up to 8V so the two-lithium cell option goes out the window with that particular chip.

Sorry to break this to people, I’ve only just found out myself… I’ll hold the existing price for the remainder of this batch.

BCT- is it going to be best to order the driver from you off here or ebay?

Might be easier to work out how many are accounted for on here and give them priority then release the rest for eBay. I can also do them on here for a fiver as it saves my eBay fees.

If anyone on ‘the list’ doesn’t want a driver, please post here, if anyone not on it does want one again post to let me know. I’m assuming all want 970mA standard mode drivers (dim/off via the switch) unless told otherwise.

BCT – Standard for me. These diagrams that have been posted look quite easy. Will be out of work in two weeks (redundant) so will have some time on my hands to make one 😉

Standard driver for me also please.

i’m going to have a go at the headmounted option – what difference does this make to the battery options, what would you recommend in terms of life versus size/cost, and how would it then be best to wire up? socket in the back of the light,or sealed cable gland and socket at the battery end, if you get what i mean.

Blackcat – Standard driver for me please too

Trout – bit of angle as well if any going spare. thanks

Thanks BCT, standard driver for me too please!

Is it worthwhile you sending the completed batch to Troutie and then him sending them out directly or is this too confusing? Would it then be worthwhile us paying Troutie your £5 and him paying you?

If not (I dont blame you) how should we pay you?
(Ive just sent you an email with my email addy anyhow)

John
Like a kid in a sweet shop…

BCT not sure if you’ll want to give away your trade secrets! but my son is on an electronics course and fancies having a go at making a driver, where can he find a components list? you can email me if details are too sensative for open publication!! (Thx for putting us at the top of the list for the next batch btw)

Fellas
I am cool if you want to pay Steven by what ever means is best for him #
and he can send them all to me in one package I will then sent them with the leds .

Hardly a trade secret! It’s just a pretty standard implementation of the Zetex (Diodes Inc) ZXLD1360 – just google that and you’ll find the datasheet. I’d say not possible to build one without a proper PCB though as heat and electrical noise would be too much of an issue.

I’ll leave it up to Troutie if he wants to take the batch and do it that way – I can also supply the switch and boot if people are interested.

Regarding batteries, I’d say three lithium or 8 minimum NiMH for this setup. For the lithiums you’ll get about 1h40 run time on full power for each amp-hour of capacity.

Found this holder for the 8 AA rechargeable battery solution (£2.25 delivered);
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300448563550

BCT thx, i’ll pass on your wise words,alot of very helpful people on here can’t wait to get started!

BlackCatTech,

Do you have a feel for the maximum cable length I can use if I were to site the driver away from the light unit, I know that other Buck devices have a max recommended cable lenght, I’m thinking of putting the driver about 18 to 20″ away.

Lyn.

Consider
http://www.rapidonline.com/sku/Electrical-Power/Batteries/Boxes-Holders/Battery-boxes-with-covers/62278/18-2913

(x2) for your battery box. The lid helps keep the cells in place. Don’t bother with the ones with switches, it’s not rated highly enough for the amount of current.

For longer cables the impedance will have an effect on the efficiency of the driver. ‘Basic’ cable is about 0.1 ohm per meter so you’ll add about 0.1V to your LED load for each meter of cable. Better cable will have lower losses. You need to be aware that a cable may act like an antenna and transmit some lovely electrical noise as the current isn’t static, it fluctuates at a few hundred kHz.

My email is in my profile for payment details for parts.

If I pay Black Cat is he going to send the driver to Trout who will send it to me?

IS that that current state of play?

Go on then if theres any left

OK list update.

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
lazymike 2+2
nockmeister 2+2
jazid 2+2
wildrness 2+2 & Ayup upgrade ???
markyg82 2+2
SV 2+2
Quirrel 2+2
Curly68 2+2
bear-uk 2+2

only 2 +2 left

Crazy people 😀

Standard driver for me please ,BCT is it possible to fit a supressor to cancel out any interferance

I in agreement with the ‘Kid in a sweetshop’ statement….I feel like I’m in a virtual Bike LED bike light ‘Wall Street’ scenario….

Is there no limit to Troutie’s skills, Midas of the light world 😉

Just wondering, with all the links within this tread, would anyone (I don’t have the expertise) compile a handy step by step that collates the ‘which bits to buy’ please…if they can?

Would be awsome.

Great thread, I’m never going to get my dissertaion off the ground while this sort of thing his hammering along!

2+2 left, shame to leave it there, yes please 😉

I’m never going to get these drivers built tonight as this rate! 😉

If most people are likely to want the switch and boot I can add them and a suitable resistor to the driver for say £1 (unwired). I’ll discuss the combined option with Troutie as we need to decide on P&P charges – if I’m sending a load to him I can pretty much write off the postage cost. I charge a quid on eBay to cover the packing materials as well as the postage charge so anyone buying direct would need to add that.

Would there be any call for DC power connectors? I can get both sockets and plugs on 1.8m of cable as below:
http://www.rapidonline.com/sku/Cables-Connectors/Connectors-Mains-Power/DC-Power-Connectors/Moulded-DC-power-lead/28843/20-1020
http://www.rapidonline.com/sku/Cables-Connectors/Connectors-Mains-Power/DC-Power-Connectors/Heavy-duty-DC-power-socket/63544/20-1072

I order from Rapid fairly often so can do a bulk order if a few people want these adding to the driver. Don’t forget that Rapid prices don’t include VAT unless you click the appropriate button. They are generally considerably cheaper than Maplin but you have to order £30 minimum or you get hit with a fiver charge.

As for suppressors, it’s not really something I’ve looked at. You could probably fit a ferrite ring on the lead but I can’t quantify how much effect it would have. I’ve not got the kit to hand to measure performance on longer pieces of wire I’m afraid. I can’t see it being a massive problem and if anyone comes chasing after you because you’ve disrupted Corrie on their TV then you’ll just have to get a bit more exercise than you planned! 😛

driver for me please.

what are the dimensions of the driver? thinking about getting the most out pf the space.

DC connectors and cable required for the external battery pack would be a great idea to include. Yes please!

DC connectors and cable for me as well.

OK list update.and all gone 😯

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
lazymike 2+2
nockmeister 2+2
jazid 2+2
wildrness 2+2 & Ayup upgrade ???
markyg82 2+2
SV 2+2
Quirrel 2+2
Curly68 2+2
bear-uk 2+2
fozzyuk 2+2

All gone now 😆

BlackCatTech

Thats 25 sets and you said you were doing 30 drivers of the standard design .

put me down for the other 5 please as I like to have them in the parts box .

to recap and add a little
I will be supplying

2 xpg leds on 20 mm stars @ £5 each
2 Regina reflectors @ £1.82 each
1 piece of aluminium L section @ £0.50
and can also do the front clear 1.5mm thick lexan @ £0.50
plus postage ?????

the lexan wont be cut to size and drilled 😥

Can`t take credit for the light design as it was CKs original idea and think the name should reflect that

BlackCatTech/Troutie

As I ordered enough for two sets of lights can I also order two drivers, would also be interested in the lexan switch, resistor, cable and connectors, again enough for two lights worth.

Thanks