http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/ en Wed, 22 May 2013 10:57:41 GMT vBulletin 23 http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/images/misc/rss.png http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/ http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?362345-How-well-Energizer-Lithium-accept-low-current-charging&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 21:26:30 GMT Hi, I have nice wall clock at home powered by 2xAA. The problem is they need higher voltage but just very specific range to work properly - If I use Ni-MH cells, LCD is not contrast enough. So I used... Hi, I have nice wall clock at home powered by 2xAA. The problem is they need higher voltage but just very specific range to work properly - If I use Ni-MH cells, LCD is not contrast enough. So I used Energizer Lithium and the contrast is too high (all LCD segments are slightly visible) So I used 3.0V low current, low dropout voltage regulator and it is working fine now (it has only 2uA own current consumption so it is nothing and even at 3.05V on input keeps 3.0V on output at my load)

But now when I opened them and modified them with my nice voltage regulator I have an idea - I want to modify them and add solar panel to extend battery life. I am thinking two ways I can do it:

1) solar panel-->diode-->large capacitor-->(maybe another diode to prevent discharging batteries at night to cover capacitor leakage current)-->clock.
The batteries will be connected though diode to clock so when there is solar power (or capacitor is charged and its voltage is higher than battery voltage), batteries will be idle and not discharging - they will discharge only at night or when there is not enough solar power, current spikes etc...

I already tried this solution (only with small capacitor to power them for few minutes), my "power logic" is working fine, regulator is also working fine, but to power them all night it will need much larger capacitor and those large capacitors (1F for memory backups etc) have large leakage currents so it will consume significant current from solar panel and if I use smaller capacitor I will still drain batteries at night...


2) I will connect solar panel directly (through diode of course) to batteries. So at day they will be charged. And here it comes - do you think it is reasonable to charge Energizer Lithium primaries? The charge current will be at max 1-2mA and not for very long, more like 0.1-0.5mA for few hours (and much less at winter) so I am thinking maybe they will accept this slow charge just fine, but I just want to ask you if you think is is very bad idea or just bad idea :devil: Thanks for suggestions :thanks:

EDIT: I was also thinking about using switching step-up regulator and use standard ni-mh cells (Eneloop) but I think the regulator will have very low efficency.
Also I was thinking about using 3AA cells in series but there is no room for them ]]> Flashlight Electronics - Batteries Included czAtlantis http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?362345-How-well-Energizer-Lithium-accept-low-current-charging http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?362332-Ultrafire-DT-C6-Cree-Q5-Driver-Help&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 18:22:10 GMT Hey

I bought an Ultrafire DT-C6 Cree Q5 off ebay, although it was listed as an Ultrafire K8. I didn't really know much back then, I just needed a decent torch for work that was rechargeable, and it was a good price, so I went for it.

Anyway, it works well and all, but I find the flashing modes VERY annoying, especially when I hand the torch to my manager to use and it almost gives him an epileptic attack!

So I started trying to work out the electronics of the thing, to see if I could modify it so that it only has the low, medium and high modes.

Since then, I've searched all sorts of things, all over, and signed up to this website. From what I've found, my driver seems to be very basic. However, I can't work out what this component/chip is, that is on the board. It's marked with the code CBB2f. I've searched all over and can't find any information on it. I've also tried to search for information on the driver itself, using the number that is printed on it, and to no avail. Additionally, I've searched for information about my Ultrafire DT-C6 (or K8?) and still not found anything. To be honest, I didn't think my torch was a genuine branded torch, but it seems as thought the model number has just been made up altogether! There doesn't seem to be much information for it at all.

Anyway, if anyone could provide any information that might lead me to figuring out how the driver works, that'd be great. Even if you could just suggest what the chip might be, and what it might do!

Thanks in advanced.

Jamie












This is my driver. The chip in the middle is the one I'm not sure about. It has CBB2f printed on it. Also, to clarify, and the components as either side resistors? With a value of 220 ohm for the one on the left, and 471 ohm for the one on the right? And the component underneath, the brown one, is that a capacitor or resistor? And how can I find out the value of it?


Your help will be greatly appreciated! ]]> Flashlight Electronics - Batteries Included jamieb http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?362332-Ultrafire-DT-C6-Cree-Q5-Driver-Help http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?362307-Any-B-amp-M-store-selling-Lithium-CR123-primary-cells&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 11:12:40 GMT Any B&M store selling Lithium CR123 primary cells? I have checked all the local Cvs, Walgreen's, Walmart type stores to no avail. Help. ]]> Flashlight Electronics - Batteries Included jerelect http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?362307-Any-B-amp-M-store-selling-Lithium-CR123-primary-cells