An Even Brighter Key Chain Flashlight Mod!

LEDBE
jayrob

jayrob

Enlightened
CPF Supporter
Joined
Jan 3, 2008
Messages
900
Location
Northern CA U.S.A.
This time, I disabled the little circuit at the button switch, and used a 3 ohm 1 watt resistor to regulate the current to 295mAs'! :cool:
(With a 3.6 volt rechargeable, the emitter will draw 1 watt without the resistor)

This seems about 3 or 4 times brighter that my first Key Chain flashlight mod seen here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=221523

With this one, the 'constant on' feature is disabled. The side button is a momentary switch now, which is fine. The run time is going to be less than an hour between charges with this brighter version.
Note: For a 'push on - push off' switch with this higher current, see the pictures below the 'beam shot' under 'Retrofit'.

Using the 'Task Force' key chain light from Lowe's, and the emitter from the 'Pocket Mini Host' (see link below)

* Key Chain light: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=225284-50584-FT-MINI&lpage=none
* Pocket Mini Host: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5963
* Or you can buy an emitter by itself, such as this: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2394
* 10280 batteries: http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=187951
* This charger works well for these batteries: http://www.powerstream.com/licoin-charger.htm

Here are the pictures...

MCBL1.jpg

MCBL2.jpg

MCBL3.jpg

MCBL4.jpg

MCBL5.jpg

MCBL6.jpg


It has no reflector except for the shape of the key chain head...

Update: Reflector and glass lens retrofit! (see below)

The throw is very wide, which is really nice for a light of this size... :)

MCBL7.jpg

MCBL8.jpg


Not a bad use for the left over emitter from the 'Pocket Mini Kit'
wink.gif

Jay







Retrofit! - Now a 'push on / push off' clicky installed under the side button! :grin2:

Using a clicky switch similar to this one from DX: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5604
(only mine has one leg at one side and the two alternating hot legs at the other side - see pictures)

Here's how...

MCBL9.jpg

MCBL10.jpg

MCBL11.jpg

MCBL12.jpg

MCBL13.jpg

MCBL14.jpg

MCBL15.jpg


It was a lot of work to get the clicky to fit inside. But now that it is all done, I am very happy to have it working at this higher current using a clicky (constant on) switch! :cool:

Using the clicky switch, and 3 ohm 1 watt resistor, I measure 332mA's current draw with a fresh battery! :)






Reflector retrofit!

Man! I'm really happy with being able to fit the head of the tiny Key chain light with a machined down reflector from the Pocket Mini host, and an 11mm X 1mm thick piece of flat glass. (this is the modified lens from the Pocket Mini host, modified using a sand blaster)

MCBL16.jpg

MCBL17.jpg

MCBL18.jpg

MCBL19.jpg


This little sucker has some throw now! :) Nice center spot too! Not bad for the size of it!...









Another cool mod for this great Key Chain host! :)

This time it is using a huge, super bright 'Blue' LED with a very narrow beam (10 degree), and a 10280 battery...

MCBlue1.jpg

MCBlue2.jpg

MCBlue3.jpg


The wall in the beam shot is 30' away! This sucker is so bright that it just about has a beam at night! If the beam was any narrower, it would be a 473nm laser! :cool:
Jay





My first Key Chain Flashlight mod - 2 hour run time!:cool:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=221523

Check out my Key Chain Laser Build - Must See!
cheesy.gif

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2768679#post2768679

My Pocket Mini Laser build kit!- Must see!;)
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2791675#post2791675
 
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Very nice indeed Jay..!

Now, how much would one need in terms of money to get one of these...??

:popcorn:
 
Thanks for the compliment!:)

It might sound kind of expensive, but there is some time involved in this tedious build. (besides parts)

I think I would have to charge about $75 dollars without the battery or charger...
Jay
 
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Nice, but I'm pretty sure the absence of a permanent switch would be a deal-breaker for many. It certainly would for me...
 
Yeah... I would also like to have it be a 'push on - push off' switch like the other one that I modified. But the little button circuit limits the amount of current.

Is there such a thing as a micro sized switch that I could just buy and replace the stock switch with? That would be easy if there was a 'push on - push off' switch that small...
Jay
 
That would be a very simple solution! Easy to simply solder a connection to bridge the switch...

Then the side button would just not work, but always be on. But it would be so much better if I could find a tiny 'push on - push off' switch.

Anybody know if there is such a thing? (see pictures in the first post)
Jay
 
Retrofit!

I went digging through my box of stuff and found a clicky that I some how got to fit inside the little Key Chain light! :grin2:

The really tricky part was to also make room for a 3 ohm resistor. See the first post under 'retrofit' and see how I did it! :cool:

Using the clicky switch, and 3 ohm 1 watt resistor, I measure 332mA's current draw with a fresh battery! :)

PHEW!...
Jay
 
Last edited:
I would like to sell them, but I wish it wasn't so difficult to get that resistor to fit!

And I would imagine that in this application, you would need to have the 1 watt resistor.

I'll make another one and see if it goes faster and easier the second time...
Jay
 
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