KevinL
Flashlight Enthusiast
So after the success of the Mag3X with three TWAKs, a beautiful beam and precision SO20XA and UCL optics, it's a tough question - where do we go from here?
The next logical step up from there would be 4 LEDs, and true enough, I have decided to visit 4 LED territory. This time, I'll be using 3 D cells and a direct drive system as well.
I present...
NOT what you folks were expecting, eh... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
This is a mod born out of pure cheap. I came into a bunch of D cells because someone else was throwing them away, unsure of how much capacity they had left. Again, he who has the DMM has the advantage.. I found quite a number around 1.3-1.4V, and useable. Problem is, all my D-cell lights are D-cell in bore diameter only, having been re-sleeved to accomodate SubC cells (Roar of the Pelican) or AA cells (Mag85, Mag2HID).
And I wanted it as bright as possible for what it could do. This would definitely be designed as a battery eater, and an expendable one at that. I'd recently come into a bunch of 26Kmcd 5mm LEDs, which are pretty damn bright little things, so I figured why not drive 4 together. I'd need a plastic holder, and I remember from a previous botched mod that a Swiss Army Knife (I use the SAK Tinker) with an awl will punch a hole in plastic that is PERFECT for a 5mm LED. Don't drill too deep with the awl, around halfway thru or a little bit more will create the perfect sized hole for a friction fit.
So I got a soda bottle cap. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I 'soldered' the wires to the batteries - they wouldn't stick so I just wiped a blob of solder on top that seemed to hold them in place. Note that this is contrary to ALL the best practices we do but sometimes it's fun to break the rules.. the alternative would have been to use clear packing tape to secure the wires anyway. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif
The LEDs were then mounted in their bottle cap and soldered to the wires.
Total cost of this mod? $1.60. And it is a bright little mod too, it really lights up the bathroom very well for those urgent calls at night. I think I'll retain the bottle cap/4LED array for future battery eaters as well.
The next logical step up from there would be 4 LEDs, and true enough, I have decided to visit 4 LED territory. This time, I'll be using 3 D cells and a direct drive system as well.
I present...
NOT what you folks were expecting, eh... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
This is a mod born out of pure cheap. I came into a bunch of D cells because someone else was throwing them away, unsure of how much capacity they had left. Again, he who has the DMM has the advantage.. I found quite a number around 1.3-1.4V, and useable. Problem is, all my D-cell lights are D-cell in bore diameter only, having been re-sleeved to accomodate SubC cells (Roar of the Pelican) or AA cells (Mag85, Mag2HID).
And I wanted it as bright as possible for what it could do. This would definitely be designed as a battery eater, and an expendable one at that. I'd recently come into a bunch of 26Kmcd 5mm LEDs, which are pretty damn bright little things, so I figured why not drive 4 together. I'd need a plastic holder, and I remember from a previous botched mod that a Swiss Army Knife (I use the SAK Tinker) with an awl will punch a hole in plastic that is PERFECT for a 5mm LED. Don't drill too deep with the awl, around halfway thru or a little bit more will create the perfect sized hole for a friction fit.
So I got a soda bottle cap. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I 'soldered' the wires to the batteries - they wouldn't stick so I just wiped a blob of solder on top that seemed to hold them in place. Note that this is contrary to ALL the best practices we do but sometimes it's fun to break the rules.. the alternative would have been to use clear packing tape to secure the wires anyway. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif
The LEDs were then mounted in their bottle cap and soldered to the wires.
Total cost of this mod? $1.60. And it is a bright little mod too, it really lights up the bathroom very well for those urgent calls at night. I think I'll retain the bottle cap/4LED array for future battery eaters as well.
