2D Mag Mod Question

[daBear]

I have some 2D Mags that I want to convert to use 3W or 5W Luxeon Star or maybe even multiple Stars. The only coversion I have done is a direct drive OA3D with hotlips and a TWOL Bin and a lot of help from the Light Refineries Cook Book. Are there any guides published to help someone new to modding?

Some of the multiple Luxeon star mods look great. I see some 2D to AA battery converters available, but the rest of the parts can be tough to find. Any help and guidance will be appreciated.

 

[smitty244]

Hi, I'm interested in this too. I just ordered one of those 3 to 1 MagLite D adapters to use 3 luxeon star LEDS in a maglite body and am wondering where to go next. Ideally I was also looking for a 2D solution, and from looking around I've seen adapters and mods to let you use 3 C size batteries, AA to D adapters, etc. Going for a current draw of about 1.5amps (500mA to each luxeon) would a 3C mod with aa to C adapters do it? Anyway, I'm also anxiously awaiting any replies too!

 

[daBear]

Well Smitty I can help a little. You will have to decide on the horsepower of the luxeon bin(s) you will use which will probably have to be 1W or 3W if you use multiple emitters or stars. Then based on what you are driving you will have to figure out how much power you will need from the batts. D-cells are pretty much out. Your common choices are multiple arrangements of AA's or 3 - 123s, among others. Then heatsinking, current versus voltage regulation, reflector(s), and lens. Some websites selling Luxeon Stars also sell the reflectors for them, the power regulation is the biggest issue for me and that is where the calculations and options are.

I am curious about the 3 to 1 Mag adapter you refered to. Please explain.

Maybe some real modders will chime in later.

 

[hotbeam]

You can try this or this or this

 

[KevinL]

You can pack 3 C cells into a 2D light. I usually roll up some paper around the batteries and load it into the light to test before I run out and purchase adapters. Cheap way of finding out whether things will fit nicely.

The 3-in-one Maglite adapter is probably one of these: Project Mag3X.

Once you get 3 cells into the housing of your choice, some approaches easier than others, you can use one of those adapters.

It's hard to control current very precisely using direct drive lights, so we just drive 'em with a lot of tolerance. My early testing before I got my C cells was done with AA NiMH batteries and a paper sleeve as described above, I got around 1.2-1.5A total current driving 3 Luxeon 3s. TW0L is a good bin, I used TWAK. The more important part is the last letter which describes the voltage, try to get a "K" if you want to do this mod. Hotbeam has some TX1K stars that are of the correct voltage bin for this mod.

If you use AAs, normal alkaline AAs will be too wimpy to handle a 1.5A drain, you are likely to get only around 1A. Use NiMH, cheap and readily available most places.

 

[Anglepoise]

With the help of threads on this forum , I just completed a DD, no resistor, Mag 2D mod.

Converted to 3 C cells ( alkaline ) and used a "L" bin Lux III.
Absolutely delighted with the mod. Amps are a little high when batteries are new, but with the 'Hotlips' style of heat sink, I believe that the junction is not being overheated.

 

[Chop]

I've been playing with the M@gs lately too. They do make a wonderful mod host. Going with the 3C setup in the 2D light is a pretty easy mod.

Lately, I've been favoring the 2D mods using a converter allowing the use of 2D cells rather than messing with an adapter to fit 3C cells into the light.

A simple setup in a 2D regulated light would be to drive a low Vf Luxeon (H or J) with either a BadBoy or NexGen converter. The BadBoys are less expensive and work well, especially in a mod that has such massive heat sinking.

You could drive the light to 700mA, which will be plenty bright, and you'll get good runtimes too.

 

[Icarus]

Maybe you can try the VIP driver from George.
Take a look at my VIPMag's. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[smitty244]

Hi, thanks for all the advice! The adapter I'm getting is the same one mentioned in the Project Mag3X thread (just search on eBay for luxeon maglite and it will pop up.

 

[greenLED]

Can the nFlex work with 3C cells? If so, you'd get 8 brightness options and 3 Amp levels to choose from (user programmable). Search for icarus' old posts on this.

 

[daBear]

That's a pretty slick heat sink and star adapter. I just went on eBay and nabbed one from buy2eze who is a CFP member. Now to track him down here.

Thanks folks, as usual you all provide excellent tips and information and do not beat up a novice. Much appreciated.

 

[smitty244]

I've been looking around on this site and am having a bit of trouble finding where to buy luxeons. Where did you find an L bin lux III? From what I've seen sources for luxeons in general can be from dat2zip, elektrolumens and a couple of other places, but some of the other sources don't list bin codes. Lastly, is it OK to do the 3C mod (with NiMH AA in C adapters for the higher current use and fast recharging) in the 2D host with 3 lux IIIs in series completely direct drive? Or should I use a resistor to limit the total current (or will the luxeons do that themselves)? Thanks again!!

 

[Chop]

You really have to look around for luxeons. Most of the time you have to buy in some kind of quantity to get in on good buys.

As for the 2D mag mod, if you host three Lux IIIs in series, it may not even light up unless you use a converter and more voltage. If you want to direct drive them on 3C cells in the 2D, run them in parallel. I just don't know what your runtime will be with each luxeon drawing over an amp. I don't even know how much current the Cs will be able to crank out.

 

[smitty244]

I'd read somewhere that Cs and Ds weren't that great for high current demands, what I was going to do was get some of those AA to C adapter that are available and use some high capacity NiMH AA batteries. I would love to use a converter but from what I'm seeing it wouldn't do much good anyway with D size cells. A post above too mentioned that K binned luxeons would be perfect for NiMH use as their Vf is between 3.5 and 3.7 volts, and I've read the OA4D cookbook too and it mentioned how to properly use resistors, but with batteries hooked up at exactly the Vf of the luxeon I'm not sure as to what type of resistor I would use to limit the total current to 1A - 1.5A.

 

[daBear]

I am getting a 8A to 2D adaptor to hold the motor for the light . At this thread:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=839192

 

[KevinL]

buy2eze goes by 'b2eze' here, he's posted in the Mag3X thread too. I found him on ebay.. small lights world, isn't it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The Hotlips heatsink is a wonderful piece of engineering as well, it can handle something in the region of 6-7W of heat without breaking a sweat.

As for the AA-to-C NiMH project, I tested the Mag3X on that setup before I got my NiMH C cells. You probably want a voltage bin of L or K. K will have a little bit higher current draw, maybe something in the region of 1.2-1.8A total current. Is it safe? I would say yes, after putting more than 22 hours of runtime on my Mag3X.

You must wire the stars in parallel, the Mag3X is a parallel config. To get them to run in series, you'd need something close to 12 volts.

 

[daBear]

Here is where I am now and need suggestions on bin voltage and current regulation. Parts collected so far are:

2D Mag chasis, 3 to 1 heatsink adapter (b2eze), 8A-2D adapter (9.6v unregulated), glass lens (flashlightlens.com)

I am planning to use 20mm SO20XA reflectors and am looking at TWOJ stars (group buys), and a badboy or nexgen current regulator. But I need advise particularly on the stars and current regulation. Thanks.