Changing from Cree XR-E Q-5 WC 230 Lumens to Luxeon III Star Red-Orange 190 Lumens

[Just-Hunt]

I am new to flashlights. One problem I have is I haven't been able to find an affordable place to get flashlight barrels and tailcaps with clicky on/off remote switches. So if you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them.

But here is my real issue. I am currently using a Cree XR-E Q-5 WC LED with 230 lumens at 800mA Current Output, Digitally Regulated Circuitry. I'm using 3 x 1.2V/1.5V AAA batteries.

I want to change to a Luxeon III Star RED-ORANGE Lambertian 190 Lumens at 1400mA. Max continuous current at 1540mA. Forward Voltage 2.95Vf.

Do I need a resistor? If so, does anyone know what kind of a resistor I would need to facilitate the required power to reach the 190 lumens? Can I achieve this with the AAA batteries? If not, what would you recommend as far as batteries to use to achieve the 190 lumens?

Any help is appreciated. like I said I don't know anything, just starting out so I'll apologize up front if my questions are novice or just flat don't make any sense.

And, if anyone knows where I can go online to find a vast assortment of tactical flashlight parts I would appreciate it. I've looked for hours upon hours!

Here's the really dumb question, can I simply take off the cree and replace it with the Red-Orange Luxeon III Star without playing with a resistor since it takes more to drive the Luxeon III? If I did at 800mA, any idea what amount of lumens I'd be looking at after the change?

Kindest regards,

Kevin

 

[baterija]

The short answer is it depends. I'm guessing there's no kind of constant current driver in a 3xAAA light. That LED has a lower forward voltage than the white cree so that much voltage will push more current. If you plan to use alkaline you might be ok anyway because the voltage will sag heavily under those loads. NiMh rechargeables and you might overdrive it without a resistor.

Is there a reason you want to drive a red-orange LED that hard? That's so much light you are losing night vision preservation anyway. In which case white gives you more natural vision.

 

[Just-Hunt]

I'm using it to hunt predators. Predators don't see the red light. Turn on a white light and they're gone in a half a heartbeat.

 

[VidPro]

hmm, if the thing really is regulated, even mostly, you should be able to replace the led easily, without much concern, because you want more output, and a mostly regulated thing, will probably do that.

but as baterija said usually these 3aaa things are regulated by the battery, and voltage, and there isnt anything in them to fully regulate, so you might need a second LED to test that theory

if it was RED led, and a 3xAAA UNregulated , you would just use a dummy cell , and it would just work, just like the self regulating white one with 3 batts. but with the red-orange your in between. if it was Regulated, the Voltage drop might not allow a regulator to FUNCTION, because depending on the parts, a buck control might need 2.4v+ to start working even.

chances that the original regulator would work perfectally the same 800ma (which you want higher) with a different led voltage are slim.
i would guess and hope, and just put the red-orange in, if your using Alkalines, chances are good you wouldnt loose anything.
and chances are good if the regulator doesnt bust (beings its probably only good for 1A) the current will be slightly higher like you want.

to get battery tubes and heads and stuff, you buy cheap lights from countires that specialise in cheap lights, and toss the stuff they put in them, as they are at least good for parts sometimes
there is also an array of builders and modder and dealers and , and just look in the marketplace, just in the light sales location alone people are selling all sorts of parts and pieces, the only problem being they are BRAND and Number identified by people who can tell you every number and brand out there, but size and shape and thread count, are not listed, the brand and numbers are.

you could replace the DRIVER , that is having to be done a LOT around here, when you want to change something, especially if you want to change the current output.

my dog is a preditor, and he can see a red laser from hundreds of feet away, but then he is a light preditor

 

[poguy]

Is this close to what you are looking for:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.20333

And here's an oddball item:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.14414

 

[SemiMan]

Question: How long will you leave the Red LUXEON flashlight on for at a time?

If it is more than a minute, odds are, you are better off running at much much lower than 1.5Amps. Though the LED can take that, if you look at the curve of light output versus temperature, it drops like a rock as the part heats up. Just turning it on at 1.5A, and you raise the die temperature 20+ celsius.

If you are going to keep it on a while, you are better off running it at 700mA-1A.

Semiman

 

[Just-Hunt]

Maybe about 1 min at a time. When I bow hunt at night I try to keep my hold at full draw waiting on the right shot for shorter than a minute.