Cheap 1W Dealextreme headlamp much brighter with3AAAs than with 2AAs

[Garnett]

Is that what I should have expected?

I bought the LED Headlamp 1W LED from Deal extreme and tried it out. Ther was no iundication of how the batteries should be put in polarity-wise so I guessed.

Last possibility was the right one!

With 2 AAs the light is less bright than a cheap keychain LED.

With 3 AAAs it's significantly brighter and could actually be used as intended.

Is this a fault, or should I have expected such poor light from the 2xAA setup?

 

[abvidledUK]

The clue is in the question.

Alkalines...

2 x AA = 3v
3 x AAA= 4.5v

Looks like direct drive to me.

(Unless there is a fault in yours, of course)

 

[Garnett]

Thank abvidledUK (A fellow Brit!)

I know nothing about this sort of stuff - sorry.

Would that explain why the light is so much less bright? It really doesn't chuck out anything with those AAs...

 

[abvidledUK]

Thank abvidledUK (A fellow Brit!)

I know nothing about this sort of stuff - sorry.

Would that explain why the light is so much less bright? It really doesn't chuck out anything with those AAs...

Yes, the LED probably needs a good 3.3v-3.6v to work properly, and 2xAA is just not enough.

Here is but one explanation of the electronics...

http://www.future-mag.com/0710/071033.asp

 

[f22shift]

thats right


you should swap the emitter for a cree, ssc p4
it'll be even brighter
it's an easy swap

 

[dw51]

you should swap the emitter for a cree, ssc p4
it'll be even brighter
it's an easy swap

I just put a SSC p4 in this light today. What a difference! As easy of swap as can be done.

I've been wondering though, how do you run 3 AAA's in this light?

 

[AvPD]

How bright does it run using 2xAA with a Cree or SSC?

 

[Garnett]

you should swap the emitter for a cree, ssc p4
it'll be even brighter
it's an easy swap

I just put a SSC p4 in this light today. What a difference! As easy of swap as can be done.

How so? I take it I need a SSC Seoul P4 (U-bin) SW0 Bare Emitter or a Cree XR-E Q5 Emitter on Premium Star but do I need anything else, and what do I do with it when I have it? Sorry, a bit new to the game...

I've been wondering though, how do you run 3 AAA's in this light?

Mine came a converter you fit into the battery slot which takes 3 AAAs before you slide it in. Like I said before, with 2 AAs this light was absolutely terrible - unusable, I'd say. I don't know how they could advertise that 2 AAs was a potential setup to be honest.

How bright does it run using 2xAA with a Cree or SSC?

I'd love to know too.

 

[dw51]

Garnett,

I simply removed the existing star (2 screws and 2 soldered leads) and replaced it with a Seoul U-bin emitter/star. If you can solder, you can do it.

Now I did add one of these as well: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4735

I don't know if it was necessary or not. I was trying to get more out of the original emitter before I added the Seoul. It probably wouldn't hurt. I too am new to this game.

As for output, I would say the hotspot was slightly dimmer than my 6P with a Cree dropin, but still quite impressive for this cheap light. Much better than the original emitter.

Mine came a converter you fit into the battery slot which takes 3 AAAs before you slide it in. Like I said before, with 2 AAs this light was absolutely terrible - unusable, I'd say. I don't know how they could advertise that 2 AAs was a potential setup to be honest.

Mine must not have come with this. Maybe I threw it away thinking it was junk? I don't remember it. I was just curious as it has plenty of output now with the Seoul.

 

[AvPD]

Now I did add one of these as well: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4735

Does it take a lot of soldering skill to add a circuit board? How much spare room is available?

 

[Mark620]

If that thing has a cheap driver without polarity protection, you may have blown the driver when you put the batteries in backwards. concerning the room in that light, you will just have to disassemble it and look...

 

[dw51]

Does it take a lot of soldering skill to add a circuit board? How much spare room is available?

I don't know if it is so much skill as it is patience. There is a photograph on the DX website with that board that shows where to solder. Believe me there isn't much room to solder. As for spare room in the headlamp, there is ample space for the board behind the reflector.

 

[Garnett]

Garnett,

I simply removed the existing star (2 screws and 2 soldered leads) and replaced it with a Seoul U-bin emitter/star. If you can solder, you can do it.

As for output, I would say the hotspot was slightly dimmer than my 6P with a Cree dropin, but still quite impressive for this cheap light. Much better than the original emitter.

Thanks for that - really helpful. I might have a go.

Now I did add one of these as well: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4735

Do I need to add this as well?

If that thing has a cheap driver without polarity protection, you may have blown the driver when you put the batteries in backwards. concerning the room in that light, you will just have to disassemble it and look...

I think this is quite likely. If I have is the torch wrecked? Can I fix it by starting again with a cree or a seoul?

 

[dw51]

Originally Posted by dw51
Now I did add one of these as well: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4735
Do I need to add this as well?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark620
If that thing has a cheap driver without polarity protection, you may have blown the driver when you put the batteries in backwards. concerning the room in that light, you will just have to disassemble it and look...

I think this is quite likely. If I have is the torch wrecked? Can I fix it by starting again with a cree or a seoul?

To answer the first question I would say yes after seing your second question. If you ruined the driver, you will probably have to replace it, so you might as well use the one I mentioned. It's not that difficult to do, it just appears intimidating at first.

Like I said though, I'm no electronics whiz so I hope someone with more knowledge than me chimes in here.

 

[Garnett]

Thanks DW51, that's great.

I'm going to go for it then - time for Garnett to attempt his first mod! I'm going to start a new thread in the hope I'll attract some more advice, and hopefully so that thread can stand on its own as a tutorial on how to go about the mod. Any help gratefully received.

 

[AvPD]

I've recently ordered one and a Seoul with a 5-mode driver. If/when the headlamp breaks due to shitty plastic (I own a 21-led version) I'll put the LED in my "5 watt" MXDL I bought before being aware of DX.

 

[AvPD]

I got the parts today and managed to fit the driver and the LED. The driver was difficult to fit, I ended up bending the two boards in a V shape and sitting it sideways, this gave it enough clearance. The driver isn't very good as it turns out, the low mode is flickery and it only has high, low and three strobe modes. It draws 1A from the batteries on high and 350mA on low. Heat is a big problem however as even on low mode the LED and metal plate get scorchingly hot. On high, within a minute it becomes too hot to touch for longer than 3 seconds.

I ended up removing the driver and the light output is respectable with fresh alkalines, and it only draws 50mA. I think the best option for this headlamp is to buy a Rebel as those have the lowest voltage requirements, or a driver with the lowest output possible. I tried the 3xAAA adapter and strangely there was little heat generated, despite the light output being similar to the low mode mentioned above.