Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

[etc]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

I ran it again overnight and again the lumens are not diminished with that CR123A cell. I think this is the 5th night but really I lost track of runtime. I don't think I have hit the 'vampire mode' yet, as I started with the a fresh cell, which to make makes most sense anyway.

 

[Kestrel]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Since I have a large pile of used CR123's (price was right i.e. free), they first run in my SF T1A, then when the cells can't sustain max output in that, they go to this. So 100% vampire mode over here.

 

[etc]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

I hit 2.8V on this 123 cell and it's pretty dim now, somewhere between 1-5 lumens, way dimmer than Gerber Infinity. I think it's in the 'vampire' mode now.

Since it's so floody, it's essentially useless for navigation outdoors but somewhat useful if you want to read a map or go around the house.

To reiterate, this lite shines on a fresh 123 with enormous runtime before it even gets to the 'battery vampire' stage, but I wouldn't count on the latter, it's just a bonus.
Great TSHTF lite basically.

 

[M@elstrom]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Not wanting to "reinvent the wheel" but I chanced upon a P60-5mm LED conversion guide circa 2006 (thanks to an unrelated google search) and figured I'd post it here for posterities sake and as an additional reference source :thumbsup:

Lemonade from Lemons

 

[archimedes]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

I realize this is bumping an old (though awesome) thread, but didn't see mention of anyone else using a fivemega bi-pin adapter for this mod - Rather over-engineered for this purpose, admittedly, but a FM G4/D26-Sunlight adapter works great !

I got a bunch of different LEDs, in various flavors and colors, and swapping them is super-easy with this adapter (since the leads just slide into the bi-pin holes). To focus, just loosen the side "set screw" and adjust as needed.

Right now, I am running a 3.0Vf (20mA) diffused yellow (585nm) 55mcd/40deg LED in a SureFire 3P host .... 😀

 

[DM51]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

AoW, I'm not seeing your photos in post #1. Did you move them or delete them?

 

[angelofwar]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

AoW, I'm not seeing your photos in post #1. Did you move them or delete them?

I'm guessing they got moved in photo-bucket when I was loading my stuff for the SF manuals thread I did up DM. I'll re-post them here sometime this week-end. It's kind of hard to do the mod with-out 'em...LOL!

 

[fyrstormer]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Nowadays it would be better to buy an empty P60 LED drop-in kit from Illumination Supply and install a Cree XP-G and a Joule Thief driver in it. Alternately, a smaller and pre-assembled solution would be to buy a Peak Logan, which will basically run until the CR123 is completely dead.

 

[Kestrel]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

The whole point of this thread is to use parts that many here already have on hand: a dead P60 LA (i.e. free) and a 5mm LED ($1 or less).
What would be the cost estimate for your suggested alternate configuration?

 

[fyrstormer]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Illumination Supply sells empty P60 kits for $4.00 apiece, not including shipping of course. It also has a removable reflector, which makes it easier to assemble everything without leaving a fingerprint on the reflector surface, which may matter for some people. Nowadays I suspect lots of people who have the ability and the inclination to build one of these also have a couple spare surface-mount LEDs laying around. Driver boards vary in price depending on complexity, so that part of the cost is impossible to estimate. There's no reason you couldn't use a 5mm LED and a resistor in it, though, in which case it would cost just a few bucks more for the empty P60 kit. In any event it likely would not cost more to build than it would cost to buy a new P60-compatible incan assembly, so it would still be a net savings and a fun project too.

 

[nbp]

I just recently got a CR123 dummy cell as part of some bonus stuff in a trade...time to bust up a P60 and make one of these and stick it in a G2 with the dummy cell to burn up my depleted primaries. Radio Shack here I come! Whats a nice little clean white 5mm emitter to look for these days? How many options will I have, or is there just one choice there?

 

[fyrstormer]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

The SMJ 4-die 5mm LEDs from The Sandwich Shoppe are nice. Also, LED-Tech.de sells some half-watt 5mm LEDs that produce the best flood beam I've ever seen in a 5mm LED.

 

[angelofwar]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

I just recently got a CR123 dummy cell as part of some bonus stuff in a trade...time to bust up a P60 and make one of these and stick it in a G2 with the dummy cell to burn up my depleted primaries. Radio Shack here I come! Whats a nice little clean white 5mm emitter to look for these days? How many options will I have, or is there just one choice there?

The one I mention later in the thread is the best they have. Makes for a nice little night stand/find you way through the house at night light.

 

[nbp]

Well, finally made it up to Radio Shack...the winner appears to be the "5mm-High Brightness LED's" (P/N 276-0017). Rated at 7000MCD, with a voltage range of 3.3V and 3.6 (max).

I'm doing a pseudo-runtime now using a RCR 123 that read 3.38volts at start...it's been going for 1h48m with no signs of loss in lumens. It's about as bright as my older Inova X1 (5-7 lumens by my guesstimate), and is plenty for finding my way around the garage.

Once again, this isn't supposed to be a pocket rocket...just a way to safely get rid of your old cells, and for extended power-outages, and save your pocket-rockets for when things get busy. It can also double as a back-up bulb if your incan (or even led) goes down, and will let more people get use out of their 3P's. Speaking, I might have to get one, if they weren't so expensive...

Nice lights so far...I might have to break one of my crappy P60's to get a new green 5mm I got...those appear to have a higher voltage and be more useable than the yellow's/red's. Plus, they're close in tint to the LED's on the A2-YG. I also grabbed a 10mm high-white...gonna try plugging those into a PR based buld, and see if I can make my own nite-ize drop-ins :naughty:

Is this the one AoW?

 

[angelofwar]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Is this the one AoW?

That's it NBP

 

[Kestrel]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Is this the one AoW?

Yes it is, I just checked my Electron Hut (Radio Shack, lol) packaging and I used the same item for mine.

Edit: AoW beat me to it. This 5mm LED has a considerably nicer tint (i.e. more neutral) than the standard el-cheapo 5mm LED's.
They are a bit more expensive at ~$2 for a two-pack, but still pocket change. 🙂

 

[nbp]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Sweet, thanks boys. I picked up a 2-pack today on my way home and intend to work on one of these this afternoon. (Why go outside in the beautiful weather when I can stay inside and play with flashlights?) I think I may have a dismantled LA from when I wanted to do one of these awhile ago and then never finished...otherwise I can break a new one. 😉 I'll let ya know how it comes together later. 🙂

 

[nbp]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Well...it's together. I learned two things though: 1.) I'm not a modder. 2.) I need a smaller soldering iron...and a fair amount of practice with it.

In spite of the now smudgy reflector and the crappy soldering job, it does in fact work! I put it in a G2 (alu head for heat dissipation 😉 ) with a dummy cell and an old CR123. Also, I am pretty impressed with the beam quality, especially given the slightly off center emitter and less than perfect reflector. The tint is decent too-on the neutral side of cool. :thinking: Probably 2 or 3 lumens in my estimation.

Here is what it looks like running. Kinda a neat pic actually, considering I just shot it with my phone real quick.

AND A BEAMSHOT!!!!!!

That's from about 18 inches, on my closet wall, which is painted plain white.

Whatcha think, modding gurus?

 

[Kestrel]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

Well, no modding guru here but my thought is that the tint looks on, but the donut surprises me. Is the 5mm LED down as much as possible, i.e. touching the plastic cylinder that previously held the 6V bulb?

The reason that I ask is that with mine I noticed that I got that same donut if my 5mm LED was seated deeper, i.e. by using a spacer to increase the distance between the reflector and the plastic bulb 'holder'.

The LED is seated to reference off the plastic riser, without further elevation modifications. I tried adding a washer between the aluminum reflector and the plastic bulb holder (to seat the LED 'deeper' into the reflector), but the only visible change was a slight donut. I also added a single layer of paper to better center the plastic bulb holder inside the hole in the aluminum reflector.

I am happy with the beam quality, it is virtually perfect to my eyes. 🙂

Regarding tint, it is slightly warmer than most of my LED lights when doing side-to-side comparisons. 🙂

 

[nbp]

Re: *Beamshots-Post #36*Build yer own "Battery Vampire" with a P60

It's a little off kilter, but not terrible. That very well could be the reason for the donut though. I intend to rip it apart after while anyways and redo it when I pick up a soldering iron with a smaller tip and some smaller diameter solder. It's kinda messy now. To be honest though, it's a better beam than I was expecting anyways given previous experience with most 5mm powered lights.