What I'd like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Dropin

What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Dropin

I would like someone to create the followingl,
A drop in for a Maglite with the following specs:

One that uses the Maglite's normal positive and negative connetion points, that screws onto the bulb base, that has a heatsink (like Elektrolumens) that has cooling fins and a 3 mm raised platuea for a 5 watt emitter to sit on (preferably one already attached, and from a good bin). The cooling fins could protrude down into the body an inch or so to help in cooling. Basically, you could switch between an incandescent bulb, and the 5 watt dropin.

Is this do-able?

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Dropin

Elektrolumens has the finned heatsinks? And all along I thought Lambda was the one had those (and here I have four of them in my hand as I type this -- one-handed!)...

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

I was thinking why not make a 5W badboy or madmax that would drop into a Legend LX??

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

No, Elektrolumens doesn't have the fins. I was saying LIKE Elektrolumens, in that it can fit partly down into the body of a Maglite, and fins not like Lambda, unless he was the one who did it, which would be awesome, and top notch quality. The fins I was envisioning protruded down [perpendicular to the surface] into the body, perhaps touching the inside of the body to transfer heat to the frame better.. . . .. theoretically. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

A badboy/madmax dropin for the Legend LX would be a good idea too! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

My Mr. Bulk Legend 5W is my favorite. I like having a one of a kind light, but its so cool that maybe someone with the talent should make some more like it.

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

McGizmo's workin' his magic on a PM6 gadget drip/drop... Best stay tuned and UHF focused...

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

there is no way to properly heatsink a drop-in 5w unless the mag reflector is modified.

if you chop the tail off the mag reflector, it should be fairly easy to attach a pr base to the bottom of a heatsink similar to lambdas or elektrolumens...

i think i might go out to the lathe tonight... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
i actually don't have any spare ls's to use /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
if i can make a heatsink that fits though, i'll let you know /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

and actually...inside a flashlight body, fins are counterproductive. you want as much contact area as possible.

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

Inretech's got a few Mag dropins that would work like the PR bulb...

My personal favorite is the Helios offering... It'll get a little toasty if you leave it on for 30 minutes or something, but usually that rarely happens...

Otherwise, if you feel comfortable enough and don't want to swap out a module, you can just arctic silver the module to the sides of the mag body...

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

hmm...i didn't even consider not using a reflector...as the intretech does! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

that opens up a crapload of possibilities...

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

Yes, without the reflector, with a couple (or three) 5 watt stars on a LARGE heat sink, you'd have a really nice flood light. I made a 'makeshift' flood using just one 5 watt star, and it is pretty good itself. Greater than one would be even better!

The reason why I would want a unit that screws into the bulb base is because, on Maglites, I have a hard time wiring it up, and something that screws right in there would be much easier, and you could still switch it back to incandescent, . . . . . if you really wanted to.

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Dropin

You mean something like this?

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Dropin

Hey now, what have you got there, Lambda?

It looks like the "Master" has returned.

Pat

*I was just thinking about this - you've got these and the Micro-Illuminators, plus you are still making Illuminators, Ill Pills, and MegaClops. Jeez, you've got a lot of irons in the fire.

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Dropin

Hey Lambda, that looks pretty cool to me!

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Dropin

I have made a few of these in the past. I cut a slot in the fins with a hole in it for a screw. Drop in the adapter and tighten the screw to make the fins expand and grip the inside of the battery tube. They actually worked quite well. A real PITA to make, but could be removed by removing only one screw.

Treek13 - Yes, my irons are burning very hot now days. And you left out my current 27 Luxeon mega project...

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Dropin

yes lambda...that is what i've done in the past /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

i plan to make something similar, but with a solid piece of aluminum /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Dropin

Wow Kevin, with such an obviously efficient heatsunk drop-in system one could DIRECT DRIVE a 5W wit no fear...instead of Ev*rled, can you spell MEGAled? No resistors, necessary, just make it stricly for 5- and 6-cell Mags (or 2-cell ones sleeved for three CR123's).

I smell a huge marketing op here...

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

I don't understand what those fins are supposed to do if they're inside the light. I thought the idea of fins was to get rid of heat by radiation and/or convection, both of which only make sense if the fins are on the outside where they can transfer heat to the outside air. Wasn't there a thread about this before, that concluded that inside the light a solid slug made more sense?

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

Hi Paul,

The only advantage the fins have inside a Mag battery tube is to keep things perfectly in line. Try to imagine keeping a 1/8" flat heatsink perfectly aligned when pressed into the battery tube. Now think about something quite thicker; like with fins. They give the light weight heatsink the same alignment advantage as a solid piece of aluminum just as thick, but without the weight. The real secret is the pure aluminum content; soakes up the heat 1.5 times faster than aluminum alloys.

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

the only problem with that setup charlie, is that the reflector would need to be modified.

i've given serious though to the whole idea of a dd drop in, and can find no way to effectively do it without moddifying at least one aspect of the light. usually the reflector.

of course, modifying the reflector won't make focusing with a regular bulb quit working, but it is "some assembly required", and getting the little plstic shavings out of the shiney area is a b*tch.

Re: What I\'d like to see: User Friendly 5W LS Drop

If you can find a cheap source for just the Mag reflector, you can chop the tail off and supply the modified reflector along with the drop in. That will attract people who don't have confidence in their ability to use cutting tools. It will also give them the option to go back to the original incandescent if they are insane /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif