CREE MC-E Star - Housing for Bike Light Issue

daloot8732

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
2
I'm currently in the planning process of building a bike light made from the parts listed below. The only part I seem to be stuck on is the housing all this will go into. Can anyone please help with any ideas?


Item
Cree MC-E Star (CREEMCE-W430P) ledsupply.com
5 Li-Ion 3.7v 18650 cells
PCB for 18.5V Li-Ion Battery Pack 5 cells with 8A limit (32012) www.all-battery.com
Buckpuck Driver (3021-D-I-700) ledsupply.com
5k Linner Pot
Carclo Lens 20mm 20° Beam for Cree MC-E Star (10193) ledsupply.com
Carclo 20mm Cree Star Lens Holder (10425) ledsupply.com

I would like it to be a small form factor with good thermal transfer qualities. I would like to keep heat at a minimum level. The idea is to have a housing that the 20mm Carclo lens will fit into nicely. Not to sure on the placement of the Buckpuck though still working out where that should go.
Also if any one sees anything wrong with my component list or foresees any compatibility issues; please feel free to make suggestions. This is my first LED build and I'm fairly new to the LED technology. Still learning the ropes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
daloot8732
 
Welcome to CPF, daloot8732 :)

As you are planning to build this yourself, I'll move your thread next door to H&M.
 
Hi daloot,

Ok, first I want to know why a 20mm lens combined with a 5x18650 cell pack ? Or do you want to make a battery belt ? (EDIT: Oh silly me, it's for a bike light... sorry..)
Secondly, the MC-E has a nasty setup for use with those 20mm TIR-optics: The four separate chips, definitely create donut like spot deformations..( EDIT: But for a bike light maybe not so bad..?)
The only advantage of the MC-E (my opinion..) is the seperate chip addess posibility, you can use them in series at high Volt and lower Amp, or parallel at low Volt and high Amp..
But maybe that's just where you're looking for..

There are however other solutions: SST50 for example (Luminus), but that one needs high Amps at low Volts..


Let us hear (or read..) what you think of this first..


Welcome to CPF,

Ra.
 
Last edited:
A crucial bit of information is whether you want to use this for the road or on dirt. A road light generally wants a narrower beam with some throw. An MTB light emphasizes lots of light a little closer in. And what are your requirements for run time?
 
Hi daloot,

Ok, first I want to know why a 20mm lens combined with a 5x18650 cell pack ? Or do you want to make a battery belt ? (EDIT: Oh silly me, it's for a bike light... sorry..)
Secondly, the MC-E has a nasty setup for use with those 20mm TIR-optics: The four separate chips, definitely create donut like spot deformations..( EDIT: But for a bike light maybe not so bad..?)
The only advantage of the MC-E (my opinion..) is the seperate chip addess posibility, you can use them in series at high Volt and lower Amp, or parallel at low Volt and high Amp..
But maybe that's just where you're looking for..

There are however other solutions: SST50 for example (Luminus), but that one needs high Amps at low Volts..


Let us hear (or read..) what you think of this first..


Welcome to CPF,

Ra.

I will be making a battery belt pack for this. I want it to also second as a light mounted on to a helmet or head band for hunting; as well as for mountain biking. I do realize that the light will cast the spot deformations which I think will be ok, unless i used a frosted lens. Not to sure about that though. What I am really after is the higher amount of lumen's and at the same time lower heat dissipation issues. My first idea was to use the "ssc p7" led for the 900 lumen's. However I believe in order to achieve that level of output the heat is going to be a little bit warmer than what I would prefer to have strapped to my head. I may have this information misconstrued a little bit though. So please put me on the right track.
The battery pack I plan to make will consist of 5 Li-Ion 18650 cell's that are being re-purposed from some 7.2v battery packs that have never been used. They will be wired for 18.5v connected to a new PCB. My plan was to go with the higher voltage and at no more than 700mA. Wired parallel; each die with a vf of 3.2v - 3.4 would equal to 12.8v of my 18.5v battery pack. Combined with the buckpuck which would need 5v constant I'm well with in range of that. The voltage in isn't as close to the voltage out that I would like but, I think it will be ok. [Assumes...]
Also I'm thinking of using a three position rocker switch and a few resistors in order to get a on/off, Hi/Low setting. As for run times I haven't really set down to figure out the math on that. I really don't know what that mAh for the Li-Ion cell's are either. That information was no where to be found on the batteries or the case they were contained in. I'm thinking they are around 2200mAh.
Once again forgive me, these are all assumptions I have made, from the design up. If you see me straying down the wrong path, please feel free to slap me around a bit.
thank you for your help.
daloot8732
 
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