anyone make their own LED flashlight?

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amgkid

Senior member
Sep 12, 2000
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My friend and I are planning to convert a large Mag-Lite to LED. We want it ridiculously bright and still be able to be powered by the 3 C cells it has. I'm thinking like 20 super bright white LEDS, like from here. 20 LEDs might not fit into a maglite so maybe we can find another flashlight body to hold it. I was just wondering if anyone has had experience building one of these and how to wire them? Or even better, circuit diagrams?

Sorry if this doesn't belong in off-topic, just didn't think it was a "general" hardware type of question... :)
 
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rival

Diamond Member
Aug 19, 2001
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i imagine you would want to put them in parallel so they have the same voltage and one doesnt draw more than the next...

 
Nocturnal

Nocturnal

Lifer
Jan 8, 2002
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Originally posted by: amgkid
My friend and I are planning to convert a large Mag-Lite to LED. We want it ridiculously bright and still be able to be powered by the 3 C cells it has. I'm thinking like 20 super bright white LEDS, like from here. 20 LEDs might not fit into a maglite so maybe we can find another flashlight body to hold it. I was just wondering if anyone has had experience building one of these and how to wire them? Or even better, circuit diagrams?

Sorry if this doesn't belong in off-topic, just didn't think it was a "general" hardware type of question... :)
Click to expand...

I think that this is a kick arse idea, no diggity, no doubt.
 
dahunan

dahunan

Lifer
Jan 10, 2002
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I want to use LEDs in my turn signals so they will so fricking bright I won't have to worry about a$$holes not seeing them
 
Bignate603

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
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Hmmm... now you got me thinking... I'm thinking that you would need to hook them in parallel. Two batteries pump out 3 volts, that should be close enough for running these things. How much current do D cells normally put out? I'm thinking this could be a good idea...
 
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amgkid

Senior member
Sep 12, 2000
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some sites say you put them in parallel and also have a resistor in each series
 
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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: Bignate603
Hmmm... now you got me thinking... I'm thinking that you would need to hook them in parallel. Two batteries pump out 3 volts, that should be close enough for running these things. How much current do D cells normally put out? I'm thinking this could be a good idea...
Click to expand...
It is a very good idea. Unfortunately, you aren't the first to come up with it. :)

With insane LEDs like the Luxeon Star... the possibilites are endless.

By the way.. the brightest white LEDs put out around 10,000mCd.

The Luxeon Star (The 5 watt version I believe) puts out a whopping 180Cd(180000mCd)

:Q
 
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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: amgkid
can you guys look at this and tell me if it would work? or if i should do it without a board



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2507521380&category=7287

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3310761593&category=7287


36 LEDs is better than 20 right? :D
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Cool.

How big is your Mag light? Is it one of the 6 D battery ones?

The more LEDs, the more power it will consume.. so you have to take that into account.

Check into the Luxeon Star. It is a single LED that is as bright as eighteen 10,000mCd LEDs and twenty seven 6500mCd LEDs.

It will also draw less current than all those LEDs, and will also draw less power all together.
 
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amgkid

Senior member
Sep 12, 2000
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Originally posted by: zayened
definitely pics when done...
Click to expand...

no problem, got my canon s40 all fired up in macro mode and my soldering iron plugged in, just gotta figure out what to order for this project =)
 
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amgkid

Senior member
Sep 12, 2000
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do the luxeon stars dissipate lots of heat? if not, how would a cluster of those work out? yes, i know i'm going for excessive excess ;)
 
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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Yes, they do dissipate a lot of heat, but they come premounted on a circuit board/heat spreader.

The 1W Stars cost about 13$ each. Not sure how much the 5W ones cost.
 
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Mark R

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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The luxeon stars do produce a lot of heat and cooling is essential - a simple metal plate would be fine as long as you allow 1 in^2 per 1W LED or 5 in^2 per 5W LED. Finned heatsinks are recommended for the 5W models.

The power of the 5W LEDs is extraordinary - 120 lumens each. A normal 60 W light bulb produces about 600 lumens. Normally the luxeon LEDs have a very wide beam - a full 180 degrees and therefore only achieve a relatively low brightness of about 40,000 mCd.

An optional 10 degree lens is available for the 1W versions. Assuming you could attach this to a 5W one, you could get brightness figures of over 3kCd. (I don't know off hand if they are compatible).

The luxeon LEDs are pricey - About $6 each for a 1W one (if you just want an LED) - about $15 if you want one attached to a PCB with heatspreader. The 5W ones are 3x the price (i.e. $20 and $45 respectively).
 
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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: Mark R
The luxeon stars do produce a lot of heat and cooling is essential - a simple metal plate would be fine as long as you allow 1 in^2 per 1W LED or 5 in^2 per 5W LED. Finned heatsinks are recommended for the 5W models.

The power of the 5W LEDs is extraordinary - 120 lumens each. A normal 60 W light bulb produces about 600 lumens. Normally the luxeon LEDs have a very wide beam - a full 180 degrees and therefore only achieve a relatively low brightness of about 40,000 mCd.

An optional 10 degree lens is available for the 1W versions. Assuming you could attach this to a 5W one, you could get brightness figures of over 3kCd. (I don't know off hand if they are compatible).

The luxeon LEDs are pricey - About $6 each for a 1W one (if you just want an LED) - about $15 if you want one attached to a PCB with heatspreader. The 5W ones are 3x the price (i.e. $20 and $45 respectively).
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing things up a bit. I hadn't looked at them in a while.
 
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amgkid

Senior member
Sep 12, 2000
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i don't think my funds will allow me to buy some 5w luxeons, maybe 1w ones? how bright do you think it will be compared to a regular bulb? i don't want to do all this work just to match the brightness of a regular 3 D Cell maglite :confused:
 
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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: amgkid
i don't think my funds will allow me to buy some 5w luxeons, maybe 1w ones? how bright do you think it will be compared to a regular bulb? i don't want to do all this work just to match the brightness of a regular 3 D Cell maglite :confused:
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You are not going after brightness. You are going after the near infinate bulb life and longer battery life.

That said, I bet a Luxeon would be brighter than a normal bulb. It depends on how much current you allow to pass through it. The more current, the brighter(up to max.. 350mA?), but the more the drain on the batteries.
 
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thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
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Originally posted by: Bignate603
Hmmm... now you got me thinking... I'm thinking that you would need to hook them in parallel. Two batteries pump out 3 volts, that should be close enough for running these things. How much current do D cells normally put out? I'm thinking this could be a good idea...
Click to expand...

D cells are 1.5 volts each, same as all alkaline cells.
 
E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
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Originally posted by: thomsbrain
Originally posted by: Bignate603
Hmmm... now you got me thinking... I'm thinking that you would need to hook them in parallel. Two batteries pump out 3 volts, that should be close enough for running these things. How much current do D cells normally put out? I'm thinking this could be a good idea...
Click to expand...

D cells are 1.5 volts each, same as all alkaline cells.
Click to expand...

I think he means milliamp hours(mAh).

It depends on the battery.. I bet there are some high quality D cells that can put out like 5500mAh+.

There are AA batteries that put out 2200mAh..

Edit:Wow,here are some NiMH D batteries that are rated at 7500mAh. :Q
 
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