5-Watt Luxeon on 9 Volts -- The Junior Dragon Lives

[MR Bulk]

I am getting a flashlight ready to run the 5-watt White Luxeon at full blast, as is the MR Bulk way.

Not wanting to use the large, heavy and ubiquitous Maglite D model again, I made like Lemlux and chose a Maglite 2C running three 123s in a tubular adapter, but unlike Lemlux, there is a 5-watt Luxeon sitting inside the focusing head.

Running at 1.6 amps, this Junior Dragon is brighter than its bigger Fire Breathing Dragon brother, which I have since transplanted into a Maglite 2D using the new 6AA battery adapter discussed in another thread.

I found very true what Lemlux said about the seductivity of the 2C. Just 1/4" longer than an LGI, it is slimmer, shorter, and with lithiums much lighter, than the Mag D lights, feeling very easy and natural in the hand. Yet it retains the same size and shape reflector for optimal focusing and brightness:

The Junior Dragon waits impatiently for its white 5W Luxeon transplant...

 

[beamer]

While I wait to buy one from you...I hope.

 

[BeamChucker]

Now we're talking. I really like the feel of the Mag 2C also. I really like Lemlux's conversion too, with some 9V Carley's coming to use in this Mag 2C body. It's such an easy mod. I'd love to eventually be able to use C cells with a stepped up circuit 5W in one of these if it ever becomes possible. It's just the right size. The 3C body is too long. A little bit of extension (about 1/2") on the 2C body with a wider ID tail cap would hold 3C's for a very carryable mod.

Mr. Bulk, how much run time do you think you'll get with your Dragon Jr.?

 

[MicroE]

Expect run times well under an hour. My 5W cyan running on 3 123 batteries (done at Mr. Bulks suggestion) draws 1.3 Amps and ran only about 35 minutes. (If you pay $2US for a SF 123 this thing eats $10UD in batteries per hour!)
The 123's have 1500mAh but this mod requires that the voltage of the 3 batts stay above the forward voltage of the Luxeon. You're o.k. when they're all fresh (9+ Volts) but things get dim after they have given up about 75% of their power.
I anxiously await your results, Mr. Bulk. Just sign me---Grasshopper

 

[BugLightGeek]

Looks absolutely beautiful...brought a tear to my eye!

 

[INRETECH]

Having brightness in a flashlight is nice, but being able to use it for more than 30-40 minutes is nice also

Sure, you can pack a 5w part into a tiny flashlight and go around impressing your friends with a lot of replacement batteries in your pockets

I could have a AAA Flashlight in my hand, and go around showing my friends how BRIGHT it is and have it run for several hours, just as long as no one discovers that cable running out of the flashlight to the batteries hidden in my coat

I once saw a digital camera that took a 24meg image into its memory, you could take ONE picture before you had to download the information to your computer

The magic formula, still applies

Run_Time X Brightness = Weight

 

[sunspot]

MrBulk. Very nice work. Now I want to try a 5W White. Where do you order from and what is the cost, if you don't mind?

 

[x-ray]

Nice work Mr Bulk, another great mod.

Would it be possible to add some form of regulation to increase the runtime ?

 

[Alan]

I prefer 2D Mag w 6AA NiMH. With 2000ma AA, it could be able to run more than 1 hour of bright light.

Will it be available in White 5W?

Alan

 

[MR Bulk]

Hey Beam, thanks -- I guess we're all waiting on the 5w whites to see what they can really do first.

Stream, Run time will probably be terrible. Kinda like a supercharged track car, all go with no longevity.

MicroE, must agree (hey, that rhymes). But we're not in it for the longevity, are we? BTW no more signing that you da grasshopper, since I'M still the grasshopper to some of the guys around here...

ChrisM, you're only in Wyoming...for now?

Mike, I try to load fresh batteries in this thing when I'm out of sight of my friends. But seriously, I do have the 700-hour Eternalights, etc., for longevity, and all good Flashoholics have several lights, different ones for each purpose. Besides, longevity is usually only necessary when you need more time to make out what you're shining at because your light is too dim.

Dana I'm sorry but there are no 5W whites yet, at least not for me (that I can legally talk about, anyway). Waiting on Future like the rest of the flashlight world.

x-ray, I do have a circuit board or two, one is even expressly designed for the 5w, just don't want to waste it on a run-of-the-mill Cyan...

Al, not sure how well the Whites would do on rechargeables, especially overdriven like this. They do have that 1000-hour lifespan, you know.

 

[Slick]

Very nice Charlie, Does it heat up very much / have you hit it w/th infrared thermometer?

Just for planning purposes, I may pick up a 3C model to measure for heatsinks, then just stick a 1W LS in it..

 

[Alan]

Charlie, if it survive 3 of CR123 (9v), it should survive 6AA NiMH (around 8v for fresh) and their discharge curve is pretty close. Only a guess.

I thought the current 5W white only have 500 hr lifespan. With 1000 hrs life span, assuming I would be using it 2 hrs/week, it would last more than 9 years! I would be using 1W/200 lumen LED by then🙂

Alan

 

[MR Bulk]

Slick, the body of the light gets warm after a couple of minutes (literally). Have not hit it with the IR therm yet, was waiting for the epoxy to set up real good first, may do it one of these nights now that I'm back at work. Yes, a ready made heatsink for this one would be good, since it may become the 5W EDAC (Every Day Automobile Carry) for many once the mod is all worked out. Small enough to fit in any glovebox, and actually even rides quite well in my uniform trouser slash pockets where we carried the 16" shorty nylon baton years back before we got our ASPs...

Al, I do know that the 1000 hr. lifespan rating is when driven "at spec". These 9V jobs may not last long at all, although the light getting quite warm quite rapidly is a good indication the heat is not staying cooped up inside with the emitter, which should help extend life.