hotlips focus?!?!

[CNC Dan]

I am about to do a 2D hotlips badboy/madmax mod, and would like to know
how to best position the LED reflector to get the tightest focus.

I would think it would have to do with how you cut off the cam end of the reflector.

Does un-screwing the head do any good changing the focus?

Would using a side emmiter be a good idea?

Thanks, dan

[Rothrandir]

hd's tend to work the best, though se's and ld's work also.

the cam will need to be removed for it to fit, but aside from that the focusing works much as it did before, where you twist to acheive your desired focus.

[Sway]

Cut all of the cam tube off as close as you can to the reflector put it back in the head and twist it down to get your desired focus that’s all it takes [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Later
Kelly

[3rd_shift]

After you do that, Don't wipe the cutoff dust from the reflector with anything! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/str.gif[/img]
Use compressed air (computer store) to blow out the dust.
Leave about 2-3 millimeters of the cam neck on when you cut with a bandsaw, or hacksaw.
You can always sand off any remaining to perfection later. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
Vise pliers carefully holding the cam do help when using a primative hacksaw. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[LEDmodMan]

Better yet, use a pair of aviation (tin) snips to cut off the reflector cam. NO DUST!!! Trim slowly and rotate the reflector as you go. The piece you cut off will look like a spiral when you're done (to give you a better idea of what I mean). I've yet to have the plastic crack. It cuts very nicely and cleanly.

[hotbeam]

Everything I would have suggested has been said above [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

Summary:
- Clean your reflector without making contact with it. Compressed air or air bulb (like those used by photographers) works well
- Do not cut the curved part of the reflector visible from the reflector stalk. Leave ~2-3mm of the reflector stalk intact.


If you find a good flux SE LuxV, that would be a very nice beam for walking and spotting. You get a lot more spill closer to you (than the HD) and you also have a good spot that is marginally less than a HD.

[illumiGeek]

Use a Nibbler tool to cut the cam off. Very easy and fast, and no dust!

[CNC Dan]

Thanks guys.

I will use a lathe to part off the cam tube. Just one long chip.

Dan

[3rd_shift]

What color mag host are you using?
A black one will require some inside-the-tube work to get the Hotlips in without spending hours malloting it in.

[CNC Dan]

haven't decided on my old 3D(black) or my new
3D(lt. blue/green). I was going to do a Madmax driver in the 2D,
But am thinking of using an old 3D for a Lux3 DD mod.

If Vin is greater than Vf will a madmax or Badboy direct drive without harm? That way I can put the MM/BB in the 3D and have DD untill the batteries rundown, then the MM/BB will boost to get the last bit of juice out of the battries.

Dan

[KevinL]

[ QUOTE ]
3rd_shift said:
What color mag host are you using?
A black one will require some inside-the-tube work to get the Hotlips in without spending hours malloting it in.

[/ QUOTE ]

Come on. It only takes 10 minutes [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

(and $40 to replace a LuxV if you miss!)

[hotbeam]

FITMENT GUIDE:
-----------------------
Hotlips-D
Black body: snug (need sanding of the ID of the OAD opening)
Silver body: snug (need sanding of the ID of the OAD opening)
Red body: perfect
Blue body: perfect
Green: perfect


Use hotlips.hotbeam.com to get to the Hotlips thread

[shiftd]

the BB and MM are not recommended to be used as direct drive setup. However, folks have run their MM with lithium AA, which is about 3.6V or equals to 3 rechargeable NiMH with quite success. So your mileage may vary.

[CNC Dan]

thanks all. I did have to turn down the OD of the hotlips to fit into the black 3D. I wired up for DD and put in the three D cells. Hit the switch and there was light. I measured the curent and it was about 0.375A. Not what I expected. Then I remembered that the cells were old and partialy used. So in goes three fresh cells and now the current is 2.1A. Too much. So then I remove the hotlips and add two 1.5 Ohm resistors in paralell for .75Ohms. Checked the currnet and its at 0.850A just about right. Now I have to make another hotlips for my 2D.

When using a convertor board (MM/BB) where should I put the board?
I could wrap it up and just leave it, or I could glue it to the bottom of the hotlips.

Dan

[greenLED]

You'd need to attach it to the bottom of the horlips, using some thermal epoxy, IIRC.

[Icarus]

Or you can put the converter in an ecan and epoxy the ecan to the bottom of the hotlips.

[CNC Dan]

[ QUOTE ]
greenLED said:
You'd need to attach it to the bottom of the horlips, using some thermal epoxy, IIRC.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can do that. But should I glue down the componant side to try to cool the IC and stuff. Or the flat side for better contact?

How likly is a short to the hotlips? If I had planned ahead, I could have used some of the AA epoxy that I mixed for the emmiter, to make a hard thin layer first (to be sure and have a layer between the board and the hotlips), then add some more to hold it in place.

Oh well, I have pleanty of AA, so it doesn't matter if I have to mix two more batches.

Dan