A New Host for my trusty Luxeon 5W (now SSC P4) bike light (pic heavy)

[joedm]

It's been a while since I first built my Luxeon 5W bike light. I was very impressed with it although it looked a bit like a hydra with it's heatsink fins...

I'd always intended to modify it and put into a better looking host and that it just what I did last night.

Specs: 5W Luxeon, 3021 BuckPuck, 4x 18650 in series.

Here it is:

If you want to see more pics keep scrolling down :laughing:.

Here is what the original cap looks like... the pepper one has had the hole cut into it. This was by far the hardest thing for me to do. I used my cheap dremel like tool to cut a rough hole in the center and then ground it until I had widened it enough.

(FROM LEFT to RIGHT)
1)Bottom of the pepper shaker
2)Inside view
3)3021 buck puck
4)Wiring and switch
5)Switch and wiring from the back
6)3021 inside. Lots of room
7)Compared to an 18650 cell




Aluminium reflector from DX with threads removed.

I cut my own glass lens from a cheap $2 photo frame and hot glued into the lid. Then the Reflector was hotglued into place.



I fashioned a U style bracket from aluminium bar so that it would be a tight squeeze. It was too tight. I had to do a lot of filing but I guess that means for better contact on the edges.

The 3021 buckpuck fit's nicely into this bracket. The orange wire you see in the image below is just to help me pull the bracket out (it's that tight a fit).


Front view... here the led looks a bit out of centre.. but it doesn't seem to make much difference to the beam profile. I tried experimenting with moving the reflector around (closer and farther) but it seemed that the best profile was right up against the led.

I've got a scratch on my hand... battle scars.

More pics in case that wasn't enough::twothumbs


Here together with the battery holder I built:


All dissassembled..

And now some beamshots:

First my hallway:

And now the wall (somethings wrong with my camera settings... too much noise):

The reflector from DX seems to do a good job compared to what I had previously (my camera settings are alot different):

All in all... took around 4 hrs work. I enjoyed most of it.
Now... I have a spare canister and lo and behold... a spare reflector and SSC P4... I wonder...:naughty:

EDIT: Here's pics of the old 5W light:

EDIT (17/05/2007):
Went for a ride tonight and met up with my mate Von on the M7 bike track.
Took some pics of our lights... sorry for the amateur photos, will try harder to hold the camera steady next time

First off the modded SSC Ristoft from DX:


Then my mate's EYJ U2 Style Cree flashlight from DX:


Then my homebuilt light (now with SSC P4):

 

[gandbag]

Re: A New Host for my trusty Luxeon 5W bike light (pic heavy)

I like the body of the light. cool idea for the battery back as well!

I've seen similar salt/pepper shaker lights on the 'net before, but not quite like yours.

What kind of runtimes are you seeing? Also, what type of clamping mechanism are you using?

 

[joedm]

Re: A New Host for my trusty Luxeon 5W bike light (pic heavy)

not sure about runtimes.. haven't field tested it yet.
And that's also why I haven't got a clamp for it yet.

My current ideas:

1) Aluminium bar clamp... home made of course.
2) Mod an existing clamp from a cheap light/reflector.

500mA from the batteries..
So my guess is a loooong time. My 18650's are from an old laptop so I don't know what their mAh ratings are.

Based on 4 18650's drawing 500mA in total, and assuming the cells are 2000mAh, what would be the theoretical runtime? Is it 4hrs per cell?

 

[N00Ber]

Re: A New Host for my trusty Luxeon 5W bike light (pic heavy)

Based on 4 18650's drawing 500mA in total, and assuming the cells are 2000mAh, what would be the theoretical runtime? Is it 4hrs per cell?

Using this handy utility, it looks like you should get about 7.5 hours. That's assuming your LuxV draws the average 6.84 forward voltage.

 

[joedm]

Re: A New Host for my trusty Luxeon 5W bike light (pic heavy)

hmmm... yeah that makes sense..
I was still thinking in terms of Cree's and SSC's with a forward V of 3.5ish.

A single 18650 cell I have easily runs a SSC P4 > 3 hrs. So I'm thinking maybe the 2000mAh is a bit understated. If I assume 2400mAh then it calculates at ~4hrs which is closer to what I was getting with these cells.

I don't think I'll be going on a bike ride for 7 hours.. but then again I am thinking of adding a second light to be powered off the same battery pack..

 

[scott.cr]

Re: A New Host for my trusty Luxeon 5W bike light (pic heavy)

You people without machine tool access never cease to amaze with the inventiveness of your designs!

 

[joedm]

Re: A New Host for my trusty Luxeon 5W bike light (pic heavy)

thanks for the compliment?

I'd like to get into buying a lathe an all but I don't have the dosh and I also wouldn't know how to use it...
Plus I'd go crazy and make all sorts of things.. and start selling stuff on this forum and that would mean I wouldn't have time for my job or my family because I already spend too much time here... :thinking:

And I wouldn't be scoping out the $2 shops and hardware stores for suitable containers, clamps, etc. to build my next light with.

Aaaghh!!! I need to spend more time riding my bike instead of building these lights..

 

[joedm]

Made a big booboo the other day. In my haste to center the 5W led in the reflector I had to loosen the screws holding the star down. Of course I forgot to tighten them up. The next day I was playing around with the light and I noticed it would dim about 10 secs after turning on. Initially it would be blinding white but then gradually dim. what was going on?

Anyway, this is where every sane person in their right mind should stop and tell themselves that repeatedly switching the light on and off will not fix the problem. After a few repeated attempts at this the light suddenly switched on BLUE and then subsequently cut out. WTF?

There was screaming in my brain... for a split second..
I opened the reflector up and my 5W had gone to led heaven.:mecry:

What a sad occasion.

Ok, so 30 mins later I was over it and grabbed a SSC P4 I had just laying around and installed it into the light this time making sure to screw the star down with ample thermal paste EVERYWHERE!!!!.

Switched the light on and BOOYAH!!! We're back in business!!!

I've updated the first post with some pics when I went on a bike ride tonight. Bike ride took 4 hours. Light was on the whole time. Did not dim at all. I'm quite satisfied.

I still miss my 5W. I'm still gonna keep it..
Actually I ran a very small current across it and it lights up.. I don't know if there's anything that can be done.. but my guess is no.. :shakehead

 

[julesb]

What are the plumbing components used in your battery holder? The design looks just right to clip in to a pump holder.

 

[joedm]

Actually, you are right!
Funny how I never thought of that.

I'll try my pump holder tonight..
And next time I go to Bunnings (hardware) I'll list down the exact components.

 

[AndyTiedye]

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