Idiot's ROP guide please

[Waspy]

Thanks, I'll check them out.

 

[Chrontius]

May I be the first to suggest the Fivemega 6AA - 2D adapter with eneloop batteries? They're reliable, safe, and available at Costco nationwide. They don't require any real special handling, and an adequate charger comes included. An ideal charger is $40ish, and will work with most of your other household electronics, since most of that won't run on "standard" sized li-ion cells anyway. A $23 charger from BatteryJunction, a couple bucks of Radio Shack parts, and a soldering iron will give you a very refined pack charger.

My parts list:
Mag 2D
Kaidomain's "Golden Shorty" tailcap spring
Kaidomain's textured Mag reflector, cammed
Kai antireflective glass lens
Fivemega 6AA adapter
6x Eneloop low-self-discharge cells
Magic Lube teflon-bearing silicone lubricant on the threads

What I'd like to add:
Fivemega bifocal Mag reflector
Universal Smart Charger
FlashlightLens.com antireflective ultra-clear glass lens

There's really very little to the assembly, just unscrewing various components, removing the plastic parts, and substituting metal and glass. Most people won't need instructions on that (but if you do, PM me).

 

[srfreddy]

But 6 eneloops give so much less "whiteness"...

 

[alpg88]

But 6 eneloops give so much less "whiteness"...

compared to 2x li ion, yes , not to mention that 6aa holders are not available neither from FM nor from Modocod

 

[Chrontius]

So what's the preferred ROP-hi power source these days? a pair of IMR-C cells?

Also, do those require soft-start? I recall that large lithium-manganese cells generally needed one, and none of the turnkey softstarts work with anything but bi-pin bulbs. On top of that, I was one of the early adopters that tried Kai's lithium-cobalt D-cells and they ate themselves pretty quickly - they went from firing up the ROP-hi on the first click, to the hundred-and-fiftieth click, to not at all... and then they wouldn't fire up the ROP-lo either, so color me cynical.

 

[KiwiMark]

So what's the preferred ROP-hi power source these days? a pair of IMR-C cells?

Also, do those require soft-start? I recall that large lithium-manganese cells generally needed one, and none of the turnkey softstarts work with anything but bi-pin bulbs. On top of that, I was one of the early adopters that tried Kai's lithium-cobalt D-cells and they ate themselves pretty quickly - they went from firing up the ROP-hi on the first click, to the hundred-and-fiftieth click, to not at all... and then they wouldn't fire up the ROP-lo either, so color me cynical.

I'm still using KD 32650 cells - they work fine on my 3854-L, 3853-L & 3853-H bulbs and my AW soft start 64430 bulb. I have some inrush current limiters from Digi-Key here that I'll have to use to make my own soft start for my 3854-H bulb which currently works from my KD 32600 unprotected cells but not my KD 32650 protected cells.

I have been using these cells for over a year now and they work really well.

 

[KiwiMark]

I have some inrush current limiters from Digi-Key here that I'll have to use to make my own soft start for my 3854-H bulb which currently works from my KD 32600 unprotected cells but not my KD 32650 protected cells.

My first attempt is a bit rough, but it works - my 3854-H bulb now powers up on the first try using protected cells.

It was a darned fiddly job getting that limiter soldered to the spring and leave room for it when the spring compresses and to make sure the current doesn't short-circuit passed the limiter.

For those interested it is this part:
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/D...ink=hp_go_button&KeyWords=570-1077-ND&x=0&y=0

I'd like to try again and see if I can improve on my rough kludge job - maybe buy a copper washer and solder the wire to that and use some softer silicone insulated wire.

 

[Justin Case]

KiwiMark, do you recall this thread of yours re: soft start? What aspect of your NTC job is "rough"?

 

[Stephen Wallace]

May I be the first to suggest the Fivemega 6AA - 2D adapter with eneloop batteries? They're reliable, safe, and available at Costco nationwide. They don't require any real special handling, and an adequate charger comes included. An ideal charger is $40ish, and will work with most of your other household electronics, since most of that won't run on "standard" sized li-ion cells anyway. A $23 charger from BatteryJunction, a couple bucks of Radio Shack parts, and a soldering iron will give you a very refined pack charger.

My parts list:
Mag 2D
Kaidomain's "Golden Shorty" tailcap spring
Kaidomain's textured Mag reflector, cammed
Kai antireflective glass lens
Fivemega 6AA adapter
6x Eneloop low-self-discharge cells
Magic Lube teflon-bearing silicone lubricant on the threads

But 6 eneloops give so much less "whiteness"...

compared to 2x li ion, yes , not to mention that 6aa holders are not available neither from FM nor from Modocod

Just to add to what has been said, KD no longer have any Golden Shorty Mag springs.

For that matter, and referring to the posts about the KD 32600/32650 Li-ion cells, KD no longer have the protected version of these batteries in stock either. Getting harder to find some of the things that we used to take for granted.

 

[Chrontius]

That's a cryin' shame, Stephen. That Golden Shorty was basically what made everything fit in the tube.

One of these days, I'll build the FET-based softstart into my mag switch, but today is not that day.

 

[Stephen Wallace]

Yep, was definitely nice to be able to buy items such as these rather than having to modify a stock spring yourself.

 

[KiwiMark]

KiwiMark, do you recall this thread of yours re: soft start? What aspect of your NTC job is "rough"?

Yeah, it was after that thread that I bought some NTCs. I've had them sitting around for a while until I finally decided to hurry up and try one on my ROP high.

What part is rough?
Ummm, my soldering, the wire I used, the contact point for the battery, the insulator.
It really would be hard NOT to do a tidier job on an 2nd attempt!

 

[keith p]

No classic ROP-LE?

2C Mag
FiveMega Deep And Wide Tailcap
Metal Reflector
Bora Float Lens
ROP Bulb
Battery Sleeve
2X Protected 18650

I added a Download Metal Tower for giggles.

Double tap to start. Even with the new AW 18650 2900mAh you still need to double tap.

 

[fivemega]

No classic ROP-LE?

2C Mag
FiveMega Deep And Wide Tailcap
Metal Reflector
Bora Float Lens
ROP Bulb
Battery Sleeve
2X Protected 18650

I added a Download Metal Tower for giggles.

Double tap to start. Even with the new AW 18650 2900mAh you still need to double tap.

Double tap is required for ROP 3854 HO bulb. LO bulb does not need double tap.
WA1111 has output of higher than LO bulb and lower than HO bulb and works fine with single click in same setup.

 

[Waspy]

Finally got my ROP built and very good it is too.

I bought these batts from a guy claiming they were:
IMR-18650 LiMN Lithium 3.7V 2400mah Rechargable Battery

However that's not exactly what it says on the label. The ROP (Hi) works fine on them.

Am I OK with these cells?

 

[srfreddy]

Finally got my ROP built and very good it is too.

I bought these batts from a guy claiming they were:
IMR-18650 LiMN Lithium 3.7V 2400mah Rechargable Battery

However that's not exactly what it says on the label. The ROP (Hi) works fine on them.

Am I OK with these cells?

Uh ohs.... did you get those on fleabay?

 

[Waspy]

Yes I did. Is there a problem?

Item number: 110674134358

 

[KiwiMark]

Is there a problem?

They will probably work fine, but ICR & IMR cells are different chemistry and unprotected IMR cells are much safer than unprotected ICR cells.

IMR = LiMn
ICR = LiCo

It's pretty rubbish to be sold IMR cells and then receive ICR cells - the seller should be more accurate in describing what he is selling.

 

[scout24]

NotRegulated, Conte and OP Waspy- Thanks for the postings! I really am fighting the urge to put together a ROP 2C... Really, I am...

 

[Machete God]

Yes I did. Is there a problem?

Item number: 110674134358

I think you might have a problem.

First off, it appears that MNKE DOES NOT manufacture these cells. See their product page here. If these cells are indeed not manufactured by them, you've got to ask yourself whether you can trust the other claims the label is making.

Secondly, just because the cells appear to do the job it doesn't mean you haven't been scammed. The product page advertises 'IMR-18650 LiMnNi Li-Ion Battery 3.7V 2400mah Rechargable Battery' but you've been sold ICR-18650 LiCo cells instead.

Because these appear to be unprotected ICR cells, you should educate yourself of the dangers of associated with them. Personally, I'd only remotely trust these cells in single cell lights.

Anyway, I think you should contact the seller and get them to change the description. Get a refund while you're at it and dump these cells (or only use them in single cell lights). Failing that, you should trigger the Buyer Protection, just so that the sales can be stopped and nobody else unwittingly buys some and builds themselves a potential pipe bomb.