Coleman Conversion and Nordic Flashlites

[Saaby]

Anyhew I kept hearing about this board and so I am a registered member now, but I do have an idea for a mod...one I will do some day (Read...when I have the $$$) but even before then I'd like to find out exactly how to do it, and if somone else wants to do it before I do...I can live with that too...

So here it comes, I like the idea of the Bonfire tent light, but I like the idea of the Coleman remote tent light even better!

It's a lovely little light that sells for as little as about $12 (For the non-remote model) or if you really splurge (Trust me, you want to splurge) and pay about $16 you can get the model whith a remote...ooohhhhh


What else makes this light special? Well it it (I don't own one yet but I've seen them in the store) has some type of magnetic mounting system so that it will literally attach to the TOP of your tent! Cool eh?
Then theres the remote which I previously mentioned but I know you're still asking...

Ryan, why is THIS the light to do a LED mod on?

Simple, it already has accomodatoins for 4AA batteries and currently takes a Xenon bulb, but other than that (as far as I can tell) has a fairly empty case...


I think 4 white LEDs ought to be enough, the Bonfire has 3 amber leds and seems plenty bright but really, who wants 3 LEDs when you can have 4??


Yes yes yes so I have spent far too much time on Craigs LED Museum site but really, you need one more LED light don't you???


I will eventually mod one of these, but I would love it if somone else felt the need to do it first, you don't even have to give me credit for the idea, just take lots of pictures so I'll know how to do it when I'm ready

Ryan

 

[Saaby]

OH crud, I almost forgot I was going to include a link to (what I have found) the cheapest place to buy it


Coleman Remote Tent Light for $14

and while I was typing in that long URL (no just kidding I know about copy paste) I thought to myslef "Self, you could also buy these instead of those tap lights, if you put 6 in your house you'd have 6 remotes, but as long as you always had 1 of those remotes on your pocket you could turn on these remotes, well, remotely"

It's late...time to go watch infomercials? NO no no, I think I'd better go to bed

Ryan

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Saaby:
It's late...time to go watch infomercials? NO no no, I think I'd better go to bed
Ryan<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What's better than watching infomercials?
Seeing someone else who's already spent hours awake at night TRASHING them!!

The Infomercial Toliet
Buying a Vaccume Off TV & Destroying It

BTW I like your idea of modifying those Coleman lanterns. A remote-controlled "stick anywhere" LED light would be so cool.

 

[Saaby]

Yeah I had just blown a few hours on your site reading about those...hence the quote I couldn't resist...

Ummmm, I like LED bulbs (Wait they're not bulbs)

Just didn't want to get too off topic, ok ok ok now I am really going to bed...

 

[Darell]

Ryan -

The secret is to begin your threads off-topic, then complain about anybody who posts something relevant. It has served me well, and I offer it to you for free...

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Saaby,

Welcome to CPF! Did you look inside that Coleman already and see if it has a flange-type bulb? If so, I already know where you can get a DROP IN mod with 4 leds!!!

 

[lambda]

Welcome Saaby,

Very interesting light; I've not seen that in any stores around here, but if I do, it most likely will meet Mr. Dremel tool like the rest......

Lambda

 

[Saaby]

Hmmmmm, I thought I'd been looking at enough mods to be able to answer anything you could throw at me but I have no idea what a flange type bulb is...I suppose (But I don't have one but now I am thinking I'll have to invest in one...soon) that it just takes a standard flashlight bulb...I'll see what I can find out today

Oh Darell, I would've never figured that out! Reverse phycology type of thinking eh?

Ry

 

[sunspot]

A flange bulb is the kind of bulb that goes in a Mag light. Also called a PR bulb.

 

[Tater Rocket]

Welcome Saaby. Looks like I am no longer the youngest member here (I am ALMOST 18, in half a month). I know full well your money problems, that has been my main problem these past couple years too. I guess the best thing to do is mod, you MIGHT spend less money that way. Anyway, welcome to the board.

Spud

 

[Saaby]

Oh...I suppose it uses a screw in bulb, why? I don't know...It hangs up side down and I know those mag light bulbs stay in quite well, but I personally wouldn't ever design something that had a bulb like that when it was going to be hanging up side down 90% of the time...

I know they make those pre-fab drop in bulbs but somehow those just don't seem good enough for the potential of this...now in my defense, I am almost 16...I am in Drivers Ed right now and get my permit in about a week and a half

I am going on a scout camp in about 2 weeks and my main tent light will be an Energizer folding LED light specially modified so it will mount magnetically (Ripped the idea off the Coleman light, I'll post a picture after I actually buy the Light...I have everything in place I just need to get to Wal-Mart and buy the light) but eventually I think a remote controlled LED light would be cool...


But as long as we're on the off topic, are there any easy mods for flange bulbs? I have a Mag light rip off (Actually it's better than the Mag...made by a local company that produced these lights FAR before Mag came along...or so they claim, nice lights anynow) that I think I'd like to convert to LED...maybe I should start a new topic about that light since I actually own one

-------------------------------------------
Looking for a good signature...
Ryan


6-23*****EDIT******
Duh! At the time, even after the explanation, I thought you were talking about the Bi-Pin bulbs of the Mag AA and AAA and Solitare...what can I say, I've learned a lot this week!

 

[sunspot]

Ryan. On a PR lamp, one has to push against a spring and than turn it to engage the slots. It does not come out in any position. The screw type is not used very much nowadays. If you can use a solder iron you can mount your own LED's in a empty lamp socket after breaking out the glass and bedding compound. You will have to figure in the volts used to see if you need a resister (most likely).
Your pre-Mag light must be a Nordic. They were the precurser of Mag AFAIK.
Keep reading this board and learn to mod. That's what I do. ;>)
P.S. See the thread on resistor value that is going on now in this same forum.

 

[Saaby]

You're RIGHT!! IT IS A NORDIC!!!

How did you know?!?

They were supolst to be the offical lighting people for the Olymics here in Salt Lake but they kinda went out of buisness...There were a few novelty lights with that lighthouse on them but other than that...

My brother worked in their graffics department and told me of jimmy rigged 21 D Cell torches as tall as him, but he said you couldn't turn those ones on because it would blow the bulb...

In case you don't know Nordic flashlights are somewhat like Mags, better in my opinion but thats just that, an opinion, except they have a push button instead of the twist cap. Also, you can take BOTH ends off leaving you with an Alluminum tube...This allows for some cool things, like for awhle there was an accessory that made it so you could replace the flashlight head with a flexible neck, well on the AA size one (Like I have) you can flip the tube around (So the logo is by the battery cap instead of by the button, I'll post pics) but thats it...But on the bigger D-Cell ones the engineers botched it a bit, you can take 2 flashlights that took 3 Ds each and turn them into one flash light (You have an extra light and battery cap) that takes 6 Ds. Well at the corporate offices there was no shortage of these things so (Or so my brother says) there were flashlights kicking around that took 20 D sized batteries!!

But they are gone now so...

Ryan

 

[InTheDark]

Sound's like Mr. Bulk's 9C flashlight. Of course that's no match for my 24C light. Now to just win the lottery so I can buy the batteries.

The Nordic sounds like an interesting light, can you post pictures of it?

 

[rycen]

I just went to ****s sporting goods and they had lights that were made Nordic but the funny thing is that they are identical to the 3C lights that radioshack had on clearence for 3 bucks.Also they can be combined together as said above.

 

[Saaby]

Somone mentioned C-Cell Nordics, I think they made some plastic bodied ones as well, I'm refering to the metal ones...

I tried to post pictures here but my website people don't want me doing image hosting so you'll have to link to there and endure 1, only 1 I promice evil pop up...

Oh, it's not a fancy page...I used my [sic]amazing HTML abilities and it only took me about 3 tries but what can I say...Oh the link

Nordic Flashlight Pictures

 

[sunspot]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Saaby:
You're RIGHT!! IT IS A NORDIC!!!

How did you know?!? Ryan<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
We at CPF know all and see all. Masters of the arcane and all things eclectic. Kidding.
I have a couple of 2AA's I bought at Ebay. The switch is kind of crappy but a great concept. I want to mod one of mine to a Lexeon Star (hereforto known as LS). The non-dependable switch is holding me back on that. I sent a 3D to a friend in the UK. I don't know what he did with it yet.
Saw your pics. Mine has a flat tailpeice. Btw, it's not the switch. I just took mine apart and the problem is the ground path spring that is at the bottom of the switch assembly not making a good connection. All fixed now. LS mod, here I come.

 

[sunspot]

I'm back. Peel off the rubber switch cover and put to the side. At the bottom of the plastic switch assembly you will notice a small metal tab that hooks over the brass at the very bottom of sw assm. It may not be in solid contact (tab to brass). I think that the rubber cover holds it in place to the brass but sometimes not enough. You can test this by pressing the tab with your finger towards the brass. If the light comes on steady thats the problem as was the case in mine. With a small pointy thing (back off darell) push the tab closer to the base. That should do it. If not, I will dab a spot of solder on the brass base. Reassemble. You might want to us a small bit of oil or talc powder to ease the rubber cover on.
Sorry this is so long but I did not want to leave out some small detail that maybe necessary.

 

[Saaby]

Ok thanks, I'll try it...you mean the push button switch right? Whats the best way to get it off..

Anyhow I changed the name of the topic, mainly because I am used to internet News Groups where once you click send you're done with it forever and I am just having too much fun with these editable posts and such...


I finally got out to Wal-Mart and got my LED light, I will do the mod on it now (Hardly a mod by your standards, but I think it's cool) and post some pictures right here! Stay tuned...

Actually, on second though I will make a new topic as this thread is already multi-topical


NOW lets try to get back on topic...I have done my homework so I have a better description, I think now that I'd just like to take a Coleman remote tent light and turn the Xenon bulb into a Luxeon Star...Junding from their extreme brightness I think that 1 star would be enough, am I right? I have stepped up to the plate now and am totally willing to do this mod and let everyone know how it works but I need a full shopping list because other than the Coleman light and the Luxeon Star, I'm clueless to what exactly I'd need to make this work...after I have a full shopping list I'll gag myself on this topic until I've saved the $$ for everything (I'm perpetually poor remember) and then...I'll buy everything and do the mod, undoubtedly asking a few questions and learning A lot along the way but thats half the fun anyway isn't it?


Now my first question, I think I'd want to use a dummy cell...could an old, more or less completely dead battery be used as a dummy cell? Or would it become a resistor of sorts?

You could also take this light and make a cool Bike light, come out at night and click a button and your bike lights up

Oh, maybe I should tell you all something about myself, I am a remote freak...in my room I have 2 X-10 controlled lights (One above my bed and one aimed at the dim LCD on my laptop that comes on automatically when I am at my desk using a motion sensor) in my room, my stereo is fully remote controlable (Including tape) and I even have a remote controlled FAN!

I was at Wal-Mart today picking up my new Energizer folding lantern (My first actualy LED product! YAY) and I found a remote controlled Pad Lock, now I am LOOKING for a use for it so I have a good excuse to scrimp and save and buy it!

I like lights too, not just LEDS, all lights, including stage lights (Ooohh....BRIGHT!) so natuarally the oppertunity to combine the 2 (Remotes and lights) is...not a good thing? No, it's a very good thing


Sorry about the length of the post...just thought I'd tell you who I am!

 

[Saaby]

How exactly did you fix yours because they aern't half bad flashlights and they'll actually give you white light for some time but mine starts to go all dim (My silver one, which is lost in the house, is worse than my black) but if you smack it a couple times it comes back on...I will be very interested in the mod, in my opinion a LED Nordic is the perfect stage crew light...

Just talked to my brother on the phone (He just lives across town but...) and he is going to eMail me some pics of the larger ones. He said that there were some LED Nordics in the confrence room about the same size as the little ones (Hmmm, 3 AAs perhaps) but that they were just in prototype stage. He said they had different colors, and like up to 9 LEDs...Shame shame shame they're gone


Ryan