Hi guys, first post
I'm just waiting for my two "Cree 5W" (not actually 5W) ebay cheapies to turn up, and have already ordered an external battery pack to hold 4xx AA rechargables, an XR-E R2 WG with star to try out, and very stupidly a £15 controller for it that takes upto 5.5v input (to give me 1000ma and a load of other modes).
A few things I'm confused about:
1) With this controller I've got http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110632352901&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT if I use 4x AA's (Sanyo Eneloop) will I burn out the LED because the voltage is too high? I admit I'm slightly confused by the voltage side of things vs the ampage. (So for example, with 4x AA's and I measured them at 1.33v when taken straight from the packet), that would give me at least 5.32, and I've seen people say they are 1.44v's when fully charged = 5.76v. Will the controller handle it (I assume some loses from the battery pack though), and what voltage will the XR-E LED see? I don't want to burn it out because I haven't understood something.
2) I've just realised this morning that I have a 12v lead acid battery pack (WP1221W) from a UPS I rarely used. I then saw that some people are powering single XR-E's from a 12v power source. Going on question number one.. I thought 12v would almost blow the LED instantly? How are people doing this? (See here for a guy running 12v with 1 led and 10x AA's. http://www.ghostgum.com.au/misc/BikeLight.htm
Sorry if they are newbie question's, really just want to try some things out, but don't want to keep blewing parts from not knowing the basics.
I'm just waiting for my two "Cree 5W" (not actually 5W) ebay cheapies to turn up, and have already ordered an external battery pack to hold 4xx AA rechargables, an XR-E R2 WG with star to try out, and very stupidly a £15 controller for it that takes upto 5.5v input (to give me 1000ma and a load of other modes).
A few things I'm confused about:
1) With this controller I've got http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110632352901&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT if I use 4x AA's (Sanyo Eneloop) will I burn out the LED because the voltage is too high? I admit I'm slightly confused by the voltage side of things vs the ampage. (So for example, with 4x AA's and I measured them at 1.33v when taken straight from the packet), that would give me at least 5.32, and I've seen people say they are 1.44v's when fully charged = 5.76v. Will the controller handle it (I assume some loses from the battery pack though), and what voltage will the XR-E LED see? I don't want to burn it out because I haven't understood something.
2) I've just realised this morning that I have a 12v lead acid battery pack (WP1221W) from a UPS I rarely used. I then saw that some people are powering single XR-E's from a 12v power source. Going on question number one.. I thought 12v would almost blow the LED instantly? How are people doing this? (See here for a guy running 12v with 1 led and 10x AA's. http://www.ghostgum.com.au/misc/BikeLight.htm
Sorry if they are newbie question's, really just want to try some things out, but don't want to keep blewing parts from not knowing the basics.