Aleph 1 w/ Lux V Questions

[charlesn]

Apologies in advance for any newbie stupidity below. Please bear with me. (Actually, I'm not such a newbie any longer, but I still find the decisions involved in purchasing an Aleph to be somewhat daunting.) This is a light you have to really WANT to own. Maybe Don likes it that way. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Anyway...

Just bought a WXOT bin Lux V, and I want to have an Aleph 1, 2x123, McE2S built around it. I've done my research here, and have a few questions:

BB700 or BB750? I'm leaning towards the 750, because I'd prefer a brighter "bright" setting, but will I get significantly better runtime with the 700 for only a minimal loss in brightness?

Speaking of runtime, I can't seem to find plots for the Lux V/BB750 or BB700 combo. Specifically, I'd like to know how long the light will run in regulation in bright mode. And what's the drop off like when you're no longer in regulation?

And finally: I'm completely lost when it comes to choosing a resistor value for the low mode. (That is what the resistor is for, isn't it?) Suggestions?

 

[kj]

This may help you to estimate the runtime of these configurations. Regarding your question on the drive level, I think either is fine. There is not much difference in any way.

As for the resistor value for the low mode, I would suggest 15 ohm or about. If you want a brighter low mode, you will go to a lower resistor value, say 10 ohm. If you want a dimmer low mode, you will go higher.

 

[charlesn]

Thanks, KJ... so, if I'm reading that chart correctly, I'm looking at about 35-40 mins. in full regulation?

 

[McGizmo]

charlesn,

I certainly wouldn't want someone to buy one of these lights unless they wanted it! If you are making reference to all of the options and combinations, it certainly is a double edged sword there! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[kj]

charlesn,

I guess the runtime would be 40-60 mins. I used Sanyo cells in these tests and, IIRC, they tend to give shorter regulated runtimes than other brands such as SureFire.

Don,

You are worrying whether the heat from the LED kills the converter, right?

 

[Kiessling]

Aleph1 / LuxV / 2x123 / 700-750mA is a GREAT choice ... one of my real favourite LuxV combos /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
bernhard

EDIT: in this combo you can use a resistor of 30ohms and still get a reasonably bright low mode and a great runtime ...

 

[brightnorm]

deleted double post

 

[brightnorm]

[ QUOTE ]
Kiessling said:
Aleph1 / LuxV / 2x123 / 700-750mA is a GREAT choice ... one of my real favourite LuxV combos...

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent combo, but use 123's only, especially in Aleph II; I had some LE failures with PILAs.

Brightnorm

 

[Argent60]

[ QUOTE ]
Kiessling said:
Aleph1 / LuxV / 2x123 / 700-750mA is a GREAT choice ... one of my real favourite LuxV combos /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
bernhard

EDIT: in this combo you can use a resistor of 30ohms and still get a reasonably bright low mode and a great runtime ...

[/ QUOTE ]

Just out of curiousity, what is your favorite Lux III combination?

 

[seattlite]

What Lux V LE would you use to run on 1x123?

 

[Hallis]

Seattlite: I wouldnt try to run a LuxV on 1x123 unless it was a 4.2V cell. there just isnt enough power otherwise. a BB750 would be what you'd want as far as electronics with a 4.2V.

Argent60: If it were me. I'd run a NG750 or NG1000 in an aleph1 1x123 with a LuxIII and a Li-Ion 4.2v cell, runtime isnt the best in the world but my got its bright /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Shane

 

[Chop]

What the heck. I'll throw in my two cents worth here.

For Lux III combos, I like the following:

T bin Lux III running at 500mA for smaller reflectors (like the Aleph II).

T bin Lux III running at 700mA for the medium sized reflectors (like the Aleph I).

T bin Lux III running at about 1A for larger reflectors (like an Aleph III or M@g mod).

It just seems that increases in current are better taken advantage of by larger reflectors. Going from 500mA to 1A makes a much bigger difference in an Aleph III than it does in an Aleph II. It's just what I've observed, but then again, I could be going blind.

As for the Lux V/1X123 combo, I don't know of any combination that would get you regulated output from a single 123. I'm not saying that it won't run. In fact, it will probably run nicely, but you won't get 700mA to the lux from a single 123. You might be able to muster 300-350mA from a single 123 cell.

I'd just use the lowest Vf Lux V that I can find. Is there and S Vf? If not, a T would be pretty nice.

In my experience, a low Vf Lux V being driven by a BadBoy350 in an Aleph I head on a 1X123 body is a killer little light.

 

[seattlite]

[ QUOTE ]
Chop said:
In my experience, a low Vf Lux V being driven by a BadBoy350 in an Aleph I head on a 1X123 body is a killer little light.

[/ QUOTE ]

What will the beam look like? Equal to an L4 with less runtime?

BTW, Don built me a A1/LuxIII/Wiz2 1000/TX0J/2x123 a few weeks ago. Dang nice throwing light. I'm now looking for a small flood light. Hoping to get an SF L5 looking flood in a 1x123.

If its not possible, what LuxV LE do you suggest that will run 2x123 or Pila 168S.

 

[Icarus]

[ QUOTE ]
brightnorm said:
Excellent combo, but use 123's only, especially in Aleph II; I had some LE failures with PILAs.
Brightnorm

[/ QUOTE ]

What kind of failures? What caused the failures? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

 

[Chop]

Well, the beam from the Lux V in the Aleph I will, of course, be not as much of a flood with more throw than that of the KL4. This is due to the larger reflector. If you went with a BadBoy700, then you could run it on 1X123 for use as a pocket light, and you could run it on 2X123 to some real light.

 

[McGizmo]

icarus,
Blown BB circuits would be what kind of failures!!! The BB is not protected or designed to handle input current above 1.5 amps. If you subject the BB700 to a Pila with a voltage say of 3.7 volts, the current required for regulation of the 5W is well above the internal capacity of the circuit! The saving grace of using 1x123 or 2x123 on the BB is that the batteries themselves can't provide the excess current to get you in trouble. I personally don't care to build a system where the driver is by design not in regulation but others do and use them to a level of success. I will not build a circuit and provide it if I know it is going into a likely fatal package! Subjecting the latest versions of the BB's with 5W LED's to a Pila or other Li-Ion is such a fatal package, IMHO!

 

[Hallis]

But a NG1000 and a LuxIII would be ok Don? Just wanting to knwo as that will likely be my next combo.

Shane

 

[McGizmo]

Shane,
NG1000 is fine on 1x123 and 1x Li-Ion it will drive at 1000.

 

[Hallis]

sweeeeet /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Now all i need is another paycheck to come in, lol.

Shane

 

[Chop]

Guys,

Just be aware, and of course, this is just my two cents. Feeding a BadBoy with a Pila has been frying the converters because the BB cannot handle that kind of input current. If you can live with throttling down your 5W, you MAY be able to get away with running a Pila.

I have a 5W/BB500 LE that I've been running for a while now and I feed it exclusively with Pilas. When I get a couple of extra 5W emitters, I'm going to have to do some testing to figure out exactly what bias it is that will keep input current under the 1.5A limit. That is unless one of you math wizzes can tell me.