Sold/Expired Feeler: Custom P60 Headlamp (with prototype!)

[psychbeat]

Im sure with copper tape n AS-5 etc the heat transfer will be similar to any other host- if so def more material to wick it away!

If people are gettin away with 5.6a drop-ins with handhelds should be no problem with a remote batt host like this to keep em on high longer.

The initial drop in lux is more likely how the emitter was soldered on the pill rather than the host. Ie direct to heatsink vs pcb etc.

I want RED!!

But am cool w blue.

Not as down w the purple tho.

Purple ano=90s

 

[kevinm]

Yes but only if there is a good connection between the pill and body. Very possible I just want to see the pics.

Here ya go ahorton:

The lux results are interesting. You do get a small drop of 10% but that's not too bad at all. Gives me a bit more confidence. Now you just need to cut the weight down to about 50g on the head and I'll buy one!

Thanks. Wait...the Spike was really cool and 100g for the head! It's not that much heavier! Seriously, I'm not sure I can get the weight down much more and have it remain as indestructible as I would like a caving light to be.

 

[kevinm]

Thanks, psychbeat! I'm waiting on the quote for the battery case; as soon as I have it, I'll let you know. I want pics of this with that drop-in. When this happens, you get the first one; you've been asking for one since day -10!

And there's nothing wrong with the 90's :tinfoil:

Red's still on the table...

 

[kevinm]

Hey ahorton, would your aspherical kit fit inside? That would be cool...

 

[psychbeat]

Hey Kevin,
I've got one if the aspheric kits and I think you would need to alter the plexiglas cover to accommodate the lens.

 

[kevinm]

Too bad.

 

[ahorton]

That does look very good. Given how solid it is, I'm surprised that it's only 125g. Plenty of strength is always feels good. Does the 125g include all the components (dropin, window, switch, oring, wires ...) or just the aluminium block?

Even the Spike was too heavy in my mind. Of course I'm not a caver. A helmet means the weight is less of an issue.

I doubt you'd get the aspheric kit inside. Even if you did, it would be a terrible headlamp. Pure throw wouldn't be much fun at all.


All looking good so far, but of course I have more demands!
Now I want pictures of the cable entry. You mentioned gland so I can probably guess but I still want to see it.

 

[kevinm]

The 125g is an estimate since I don't have an accurate scale at home (my home scale says 3 oz, but its a bathroom scale and I don't trust it too much). The aluminum block was 104g on the shop scale, which I do trust. The switch, o-rings, drop-in, etc are less than on oz, and it felt lighter than the Sten, so I just made a safe guess.

It's a shame the aspheric won't fit. I agree it wouldn't make a great headlamp at that point, but it would be a fun mobile spotlight!

The cable glands look like this:

I just got those two days ago, so they are not yet installed.

 

[ahorton]

Plated brass glands I'm guessing. What size? I use M8 often but I've seen some M6 which are tiny.

 

[kevinm]

Plated brass glands I'm guessing. What size? I use M8 often but I've seen some M6 which are tiny.

Exactly right. I'm using the M8 as the cable I am using is bigger than the small ones can take.

 

[psychbeat]

the lens design of this would make it easy to add colored filters
behind the lexan - like amber or red for special uses. I could probably
hack some of my old goggle lenses (lexan) and make a persimmon..
already have neutral drops mostly anyways tho.

I was also thinking Allen bolts might be sexier than the Phillips
but would probably add to the cost and complexity for non bikers.
Ive always got Allen keys on me in "the field". I could always order
some from McMaster etc.

 

[kevinm]

Hmmm...night vision preserving...

Allen bolts would cost about the same. I could offer those to the bikers and Philips to the non-bikers. Stainless (less strength, but shiny) or black? They are 2mm screws.

 

[DM51]

Just curiosity... what is the large open rectangular hole next to the drop-in? Is it a locker for Size15's shoes?

 

[kevinm]

It's room for a small nuclear reactor. You know, in case the batteries fail.

Switches that are waterproof, dust proof, latching, and high current at high voltage tend to be big. This one was the smallest I could find (have made). Plus, it's low profile and stainless steel! About half the volume there is the switch. The rest might be used for a flood led add on when I figure that out.

 

[simples]

Am I being daft, or is the point of a drop-in not that it simply drops in. Im not seeing how that works here. From photo it looks like the P60 components, LED, and driver all need fitting up and soldered in. What am I missing?

 

[kevinm]

There is a hole on the right side that the drop-in drops into. No soldering is required; there's a circuit board in there to make contact with the springs on the back of the drop-in.

 

[simples]

I see. I think I understand. Is that a replacement for the board that lives in the back of the drop-in, for current control and modes, or an extra little board to make the connections? Have you got a photo?

 

[bstrickler]

I see. I think I understand. Is that a replacement for the board that lives in the back of the drop-in, for current control and modes, or an extra little board to make the connections? Have you got a photo?

From looking at the pictures, and the channel that's milled out, It's just a board to make a connection from the postive terminal of the battery/switch to the positive spring on the dropin. The channel is most likely there to hold a piece of wire, with the part under the positive spring being an actual hard board (or it will just be a long, narrow board the switch/positive connection will be soldered to), with insulation around the edges, to prevent any short circuiting from happening.

~Brian

 

[kevinm]

I see. I think I understand. Is that a replacement for the board that lives in the back of the drop-in, for current control and modes, or an extra little board to make the connections? Have you got a photo?

It's an extra board that lives at the bottom of the shaft at the right. I don't have any photos, but picture the Target logo.

 

[kevinm]

From looking at the pictures, and the channel that's milled out, It's just a board to make a connection from the postive terminal of the battery/switch to the positive spring on the dropin. The channel is most likely there to hold a piece of wire, with the part under the positive spring being an actual hard board (or it will just be a long, narrow board the switch/positive connection will be soldered to), with insulation around the edges, to prevent any short circuiting from happening.

~Brian

:thumbsup: