Can you convert a MagLite LED to run off AC-DC inverter?

[detroitdr]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and can't believe it exists... Internet is Great!

Ok What I need to do is turn off a street light for 3 hours every night during christmas for our "light show". The street light has a photo cell, and using a Car 1,000,000 watt light pointed to the top of the street light easily turns it off. Two problems.. 1) this large light heats up too much and energy wasted 2) the spill is too great (too noticable)

So I was thinking of using lasers pointed at it, but not sure if they would work.

sooooo the Maglite LED 3D is focusable to 20 feet no problem and at that range very directional with hardly any spill (going onto the houses in front of me)

SOOOOOO

I'd like to take the Magelite 3d and take the head off, focus it and use an AC-DC converter on a switch that would power the head for 3 hours and turn off after our show.

Question: Can I do this with the 3watt MageLite LED... if so what ma should the 4.5DC current be.... Anything I should avoid?

I hope someone knows.

thx

Detroitdr

 

[cratz2]

Hrmm... Well, I don't think a stock 3D Mag will turn off most street lights. There is a while series of 'Hot Wire' modified Mag lighs and one of the tests is whether it will turn off a streetlight. Some of the modified Mags won't and the yare MUCH brighter than a stock Mag. The Luxeon LED Mods tend to throw very well, but again, aren't in the same league. Not possible multiple Crees would do the trick.

Out of curiosity, is it legal to turn a street light off for 3 hours? Do you need to get special permission? Most of the time, it's just done in a flash (pardon the pun) for brightness testing, but three hours... I'd think that would draw attention.

By the way, welcome to CPF!

 

[detroitdr]

Thank-you for your reply.

I have no idea if it is legal or not legal to turn the street light off. That is why I would like to make it as less noticable as possible. I'd prefer to use lasers as no one would be able to see me doing it...but again have no idea if a laser would be bright enough. I'm not sure if I would get in trouble as I'm not touching the street light or modify the public property. I would guess they would warn me first if there was an issue.

Again I primarliy want to turn it off by not touching it... and it appears from your information that this mag lite led won't do it either.

Anyone know if lasers would? (they are pratically un-noticable)

 

[cratz2]

Well, I'd imagine different lamps from different distances would require different intensities to turn off... So even if a green laser works for a lamp in Florida, it might not work for your lamp.

 

[ACMarina]

You'd probably get into a lot less trouble shutting off a street lamp with a flashlight than you would with a laser..

 

[TigerhawkT3]

I think the most effective, legal, and inexpensive solution would be to just go to your city gov't, tell them about your light show, and ask them to turn off the streetlights for it. You'd have better luck if your neighbors wanted the same thing at the same time (to see your light show or have their own).