Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

[angelofwar]

Well, finally made it up to Radio Shack...the winner appears to be the "5mm-High Brightness LED's" (P/N 276-0017). Rated at 7000MCD, with a voltage range of 3.3V and 3.6 (max).

I'm doing a pseudo-runtime now using a RCR 123 that read 3.38volts at start...it's been going for 1h48m with no signs of loss in lumens. It's about as bright as my older Inova X1 (5-7 lumens by my guesstimate), and is plenty for finding my way around the garage.

Once again, this isn't supposed to be a pocket rocket...just a way to safely get rid of your old cells, and for extended power-outages, and save your pocket-rockets for when things get busy. It can also double as a back-up bulb if your incan (or even led) goes down, and will let more people get use out of their 3P's. Speaking, I might have to get one, if they weren't so expensive...

Nice lights so far...I might have to break one of my crappy P60's to get a new green 5mm I got...those appear to have a higher voltage and be more useable than the yellow's/red's. Plus, they're close in tint to the LED's on the A2-YG. I also grabbed a 10mm high-white...gonna try plugging those into a PR based buld, and see if I can make my own nite-ize drop-ins :naughty:

 

[bullfrog]

Hi Angelofwar - thank you and CONGRATULATIONS on your child!!!!!


The next generation of flashaholics

I was two seconds away from buying that same 5mm high brightness LED from radioshack but the only one they had was opened and missing one of the two LEDs - who steals LEDs :shrug:

Good to know its a winner!

I think I'm going to hunt for a higher brightness green as well - the green I have in now is maybe half a lumen... still enough for a totally dark room but not the best...

 

[angelofwar]

Oh, the High-Brightness White's (5mm) I mentioned appear to draw 25mA...so this thing may run forever??? Off 1 Primary123 or a RCR123, you have the perfect long run-time emergency light....

 

[angelofwar]

3h40m running, single RCR123 is still sitting at 3.27volts (down .11 volts)...no detectable drop in brightness...I'm gonna leave it on over night and see how she fares...

 

[Chrontius]

You know, I'll ship you guys (with working P60s to be sacrificed) blown lamp assemblies if you'll ship me your sacrificial, but working P60s. I'll pay for shipping both ways.

Edit: I only have, IIRC, two blown modules.

 

[angelofwar]

Shoot me a PM Chronitus...

 

[M@elstrom]

Hmmm... this calls for a Solarforce L2M project!


* looks into wallet * :sweat:

 

[angelofwar]

Good Morning...12h01m...Not much drop in brightness...still about 5 lumens bright..maybe 4...cell is sitting at 3.20volts (.18 drop over 12hrs...and plenty to go...). I can still use it to navigate my garage easily...will update at about the 20 hour mk...

Maelstrom, what's the solarforce L2M project???

 

[Kestrel]

Very cool mod - thanks for sharing!!!

Hey Bullfrog, is that your FM 3P-type body you were trying to sell a while back? After you parted that light out for me back then, I'm guessing that body isn't for sale after this thread, right?

Well, finally made it up to Radio Shack...the winner appears to be the "5mm-High Brightness LED's" (P/N 276-0017). Rated at 7000MCD, with a voltage range of 3.3V and 3.6 (max).
[...]
Oh, the High-Brightness White's (5mm) I mentioned appear to draw 25mA...so this thing may run forever??? Off 1 Primary123 or a RCR123, you have the perfect long run-time emergency light....

So to make sure I have things straight, you can't run a fully charged LiIon on this without frying the LED, right, too much voltage (4.2v -> 3.7v under a 'normal' load, but this particular application is pretty much zero load I'm guessing)? Otherwise I'd love to give this little guy a fresh AW18650 and let'r rip...

Hmmm... this calls for a Solarforce L2M project!

+1, I've now been perusing Jake25's site...

Good Morning...12h01m...Not much drop in brightness...still about 5 lumens bright..maybe 4...cell is sitting at 3.20volts (.18 drop over 12hrs...and plenty to go...). I can still use it to navigate my garage easily...will update at about the 20 hour mk...

One thought, such a low current draw should defeat the low-voltage protection circuit on RCR's such as AW's. Theoretically, doing a deep-discharge might damage your cell (albeit after a week of runtime or something...).:shrug:

 

[angelofwar]

Do you need a bezel with Pyrex or the lexan on the stock G2 can handle this upgrade?

LMAO!!! I recommend a sapphire lens...my lexan vaporised as soon as I hit the T/C, and then the body of my 6P started melting...

 

[angelofwar]

Thanks for the inputs and replies every one...well, after 21h34m, it was down to about 3 lumens...still enough to read, and use the pisser (trust me...nuff said). The cell read 2.62volts, so it may have stayed at 3 lumens for another 20 hours, and then down to 2 lumens...either way, for a 1 cell light, that cost $.75 for the lamp, this is a good bulb to keep around to replace your high powered noraml P60's if you needed, and will work off those other dead cells...

Kestrel, yes, the LED will fry..they have a few 12V 5mm LED's, but I was short on cash...I'll have to pick up a few more my next trip up there. And, if left on for a week, it probably would bypass the protector circuit, but with primaries, you should be fine (used primaries preferrably).

 

[BigMHoff]

Great motivational thread! I even bought a soldering iron and learned how to use it! (not well).

First tried a 5mm red led. Useless. Way dim. Then re did it with a High-Brightness White (5mm). Pretty good. The High-Brightness leds from ratshack are the only way to go. Dont waste time with the regular kind.

 

[M@elstrom]

Maelstrom, what's the solarforce L2M project???

A Solarforce reinterpretation of the Surefire 3P, essentially a single cell **123 host with a plethora of add on custom parts, simply perfect for your battery vampire project

An example can be seen here @ Lighthound.com OR Solarforce Lights :thumbsup:

 

[angelofwar]

Great motivational thread! I even bought a soldering iron and learned how to use it! (not well).

First tried a 5mm red led. Useless. Way dim. Then re did it with a High-Brightness White (5mm). Pretty good. The High-Brightness leds from ratshack are the only way to go. Dont waste time with the regular kind.

Glad it worked out for ya! I did manage to get a 6 volt high brightness red LED with long enough leads though :devil:. Got it off a key-chain light I got in the desert for $1.99!!! Well, it's pretty bright, and will run off a fully charged RC123 or too semi-weak (~2.9 volt) primaries. I didn't want to try running it off two new one's with the risk of frying it though, since it's my only one. I believe it to be the first G2L-BK-RD But I'm still waiting on a another dead P60 to put the high brightness white one that you had mentioned, cause it's pretty good for a "snoop around the house at without waking up the whole family" light, and with a diffuser, put's out a nice beam.

 

[angelofwar]

Nice idea!

If i get some spare parts i might make a blue one or UV

I saw a slot for the UV led's at RS and got excited...until I realized it was empty.... hopefully they'll get some more in, in the next 6 months...

 

[angelofwar]

nice mod! can we get some beamshots?

Yeah, sorry it took so long...Just wanted to make sure I had what I absolutely wanted.

The garage door is about 10ft away, and don't have camera settings, but there was no flash.

Here's the 6volt High Brightness Red, w/ a diffused lens.

And a "lighted" beam shot. Nice, dark red (Not that "orange" crap you get from cheap filters)

OK, this shot is of a E1L w/ F04 for comparision (~45 lumens)

And the "G2LL-BK" ...

Not bad, considering you get this for level of light for ~20hours (and this is before dropping in out-put...probalby 70hours declining down to 1 lumen???) for $.75 (the High Output White LED from RS), and a burnt-out P60. Hope to see a few more of these built.

What I really like about this mod, is that most of us on CPF can do it, with little to no experience in modding, and we can do it in a few minutes with-out having to order a bunch of parts online. And it exemplifies the K.I.S.S. principle...keep 'em coming!

 

[Search]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Few questions.

I've got a G3 with a P90. Would this work in this module also? With two dummy cells obviously.

The red LED. Is that an actual red LED, or do you have a red diffuser.

I've never looked at LEDs at Radio Shack so I'm curious as to what they have. I've been looking for a cheap red light.

If I can do this mod with what I've posted above, I'll save tons of money on batteries.

 

[angelofwar]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Few questions.

I've got a G3 with a P90. Would this work in this module also? With two dummy cells obviously.

The red LED. Is that an actual red LED, or do you have a red diffuser.

I've never looked at LEDs at Radio Shack so I'm curious as to what they have. I've been looking for a cheap red light.

If I can do this mod with what I've posted above, I'll save tons of money on batteries.

1) Yes, with two spacers, but it would be cheaper/easier to use with a 2 (or 1) cell light.
2) The red LED is an actual LED, with no filter, but the bezel is diffused. Don't think they have a red one that's this bright at RS...not at these voltages anyway. I got the LED off of a cheap keylight I got when I was in Iraq for $1.99. But, I replaced it with the YG one from radio-shack!!!
3) As far as getting a decent LED, look at the above post and I have a part number for the high-white 5mm that fits into this voltage range.

Glad you're getting into it, and hope you can find what you're looking for. I'd trade ya a G2, but I already have 5 3 cell lights...but, if this guy doesn't buy my 6P, I might be able to do the trade with ya. Post some pic's when ya get a mod done!

 

[Search]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

1)

Glad you're getting into it, and hope you can find what you're looking for. I'd trade ya a G2, but I already have 5 3 cell lights...but, if this guy doesn't buy my 6P, I might be able to do the trade with ya. Post some pic's when ya get a mod done!

I put up a thread in B/S/T, specifically trade, offering a mint G3 for a 6P or G2 working or with a blown bulb.

So a mint light for a broken one Hopefully someone will offer.

I found THIS website selling very bright LEDs.

I'm going to let that thread sit for a while to see if anyone will want a good light for a bad one. If no one does, I'll order up two dummy cells and one of those bright LEDs.

This is a perfect way to save money. Even my girlfriend was interested. Which was almost better than a new light.

Edit: Had an offer, so if all goes well I'll have a 6P soon enough to start my vampire. I found high brightness red 5mm LEDs on that above site. All is going to be well

 

[Search]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

On THIS website they have pretty high rated red LEDs. It's a CPF special. You get free extra LEDs.

That seems like a great deal. These are brighter than the ones you guys have been posting.

However, before I bought some I noticed it said:

CAUTION: All LEDs require current limiting. Click here to calculate the correct resistor value for your application

You can click the blue to go to the "calculator". I'm not sure what to type to get the brightest red LED that will work with this setup.

Any help? BTW: Here is the site if any of you want to get some that I "think" are brighter than Radio Shacks.