Drop in AA regulator instead of a dummy AA?

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ikendu

Flashlight Enthusiast
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I was just thinking about regulated vs. non-regulated lights and reading some of the old threads on this.

Then I had this idea.

How about building a regulator/step-up that is the size of a AA battery? Instead of dropping in a dummy AA as I've seen in some threads... this could be dropped into either a 4, 3 or 2 AA light (Tec 40, Brinkmann 3AA or Maglite)...possibly a screw driver slot to select the source voltage (1,2 or 3 AAs, Lithium/NiMH/Alkaline) and the output voltage for either an incandescent bulb or LED depending on what you've got? It'd give you the ability to add regulation to any AA light and run LEDs properly in any light.

I'd hate to give up a battery for a long hike or extended camping, but for a light to use around the house or for daily walks it might be a pretty cool accessory.

Anybody know of such a thing already?
 
ikendu:

This idea has been discussed on CPF from time to time, but most have expressed their personal inability to design a sufficiently compact package.

This AA form factor voltage regulator would be at the positive end of the batttery series.

I would be a customer for multiple AA dummy/regulators. I would be willing to pay a considerable premium for an adjustable AA form factor voltage regulator.
 
While the regulator would have to be at the top of the stack, a ground reference would also have to be had.
It may be possible to pick it up from the wall of the flashlight....
I considered trying this for a different project (JBL TakeControl Remote). Instead, I just soldered in an evaluation brd into some spare space in the case.
 
Floating Spots:

The ground reference you mention is a complicator I hadn't appreciated. I guess this ties into why Willie Hunt's voltage regulator require 3 soldered hookup connections.
 
The room would be better used by having a battery there, and yes - it is very difficult to get a good ground connection

I have a 2AA flashlight with 2x2/3AA's and a Microprocessor running code

Why? Because; now I have the worlds most "powerfull" flashlight (15mips)

Mike
www.inretech.com
 
This ground issue complicates my most probable applications -- in a DB8AA. This is because the aluminum body is no longer a ground in serial mode -- it is merely the conncections between cells 4 and 5. It would appear that a board in the head would be much easier to wire in this case.
 
The thread subject is excellent, but it's a topic for our Electronics/Battery forum.
 
Originally posted by INRETECH:
...it is very difficult to get a good ground connection
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Anyone want to explain this a little?

If I take a AA battery, hook a wire to the bottom, touch a bulb to the top and connect the bottom wire to the side of the bulb...where's this need for a good ground (a third wire????)?
 
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