Has anyone modified a RayOVac Hunter 8D/6V?

[Vinniec5]

Looking for any Ideas or previous experiences. I'm trying to keep it a lantern and would rather have runtime over brightness. Already put a terralux replacement bulb in but looking for any ideas you guys have.

If you think this should be in Lanterns please move as neededlovecpf

 

[Vinniec5]

It uses 8D's in a 2x4 6v parallel set up or a single 6 volt lantern battery & a PR bulb base. It does have a metal reflector with a fairly large head and glass lens. If anyone has any ideas for a replacement bulb or mod for the base let me know thx

 

[lctorana]

Are you sure the reflector is metal?

The Eveready equivalent (the "Lantern 61") has a plastic reflector.

If not, the key limitation with the RayOVac will be the slide switch.

If you use any sort of high-current bulb, you will need to buffer the switch with a relay or a MOSFet.

All I have done with my Lantern 61 is to replace the bulb with a HPR53, which on a lantern battery is overdriven nicely.

 

[Vinniec5]

Positive the reflector is chromed over copper plated steel. Those are 4 volt halogen bulbs? how long do they last in the light approx?

 

[lctorana]

Haven't burned one out yet.

4 to 4.8V is only a mild overdrive, so the result is rather nice.

The alternative is to use one of the following:
HPR50 / GH164
SPKR823
HPX41
with an alkaline battery. These all give 80-odd lumens without overdrive.

But since your reflector is metal, you can try a Pelican 3854H after stuffing 6 cells into a dead 4F battery shell.

That would require some sort of upgrade to the bulbholder, and, as I said before, buffering of the slide switch.

 

[Vinniec5]

I'm going to order some HPR53 bulbs first and give it a shot. The TerraLux is great for runtime but i'm lookin for a brighter lamp and with 8D's runtime will be good anyway. Thx for the headsup on the bulb

 

[lctorana]

If you're ordering, order a HPX41 as well.

And don't forget this!

 

[Vinniec5]

lctorana the HPR53 is a great bulb!! What a difference in the light and since its Incan very warm and daylight like light!! Thx for the suggestion

 

[jaundice]

Vinnie;

I've been watching this thread, and located one on eBay in excellent condition. I already have a set of Pelican 3853 bulbs ("ROP" bulbs) and they're awesome! It seems an excellent fit for a Hunter. The only thing holding me back is the high cost of D cell Nimh cells. I don't want to spend $20 on the lantern, and $80 on cells.

A couple of questions. Can you run this lantern with just 4 cells, or are 8 required? Also, is the reflector more of a flood or throw?

Thanks,

-John

 

[lctorana]

Please re-read posts #3 and #5 before you try this.

There is no such thing as a high-current slide switch, and I think you would find the slide switch impossible to replace.

You can run this on 4 D cells, but a 4F lantern battery is far cheaper, longer lasting, more robust, less prone to leak and better performing.

The beam is neither flood nor throw - it's in between.

 

[jaundice]

lctorana;

Thanks for the head's up. My thought was to replace the switch with a rocker switch that can handle the amperage, rewiring the light as necessary. Also, thanks for the info on the 4F battery, I'd always had a negative impression of them from the poor performance of lanterns as a kid. I guess those old lantern batteries were probably carbon-zinc batteries.

What's your opinion of a probable safe amperage to put through the switch? I won't hold your feet to the fire; a ballpark guess would help me immensely.

Thanks,

-John

 

[lctorana]

0.5A is the rating, I wouldn't exceed 1A.

If originality is an issue, you can buffer the existing switch with a relay or MOSFET; there is planty of room in the head behind the reflector to hide the extra components.

Whatever batteries you choose can be hidden inside a dead 4F battery shell, and armed with this setup you can overdrive anything up to about a 3853H.

Beyond that, you'll want to hard-wire the battery connections, not rely on spring contact.

A barn-burning Hunter or Lantern 61 is theoretically possible...

 

[Vinniec5]

Jaundice Runnning it on a Lantern Battery is much easier and cheaper unless you get a deal on D-cells.lctorana is dead on with his specs on the light. The beam is a definite cross of flood and spot but with modern bulbs and especially batteries a nice old style light to have around

 

[jaundice]

It's interesting that both of you suggest using a lantern battery over 4 or 8 D cells for cost reasons. Around here, 6v batteries are ~$12 each, but I can get 8 D cells for $7.99. Looking at the energizer website, the 6v lantern battery shows 12000 mah at 500 mah draw. The energizer EN95, an equivalent technology, shows a 12000 mah capacity at 500 mah draw. So, for me at least, D cells appear to be less than half the price of lantern batteries for the same capacity. Is this different where you live?

Thanks,

-John

 

[Vinniec5]

There's a surplus store on @!bay that has energizer 6volt lantern batts for $50 for 6 free shipping and 12 for $90 free shipping for D&AA I usually buy at Costco or batteryjunction and sometimes get a deal for Procells when I hear about a sale at a local Military/Police store. There's a cpl threads that show the difference in some of the name brand 6V batteries weight being the easiest way to spot the difference. The Radio Shack Alkaline gold is one of the best I buy a few when I can find them. To me they blow away the Duracell lantern batteries and are as good as the Energizers which I buy on *Bay. I also keep a bunch of 6V to D cell adapters around incase I run out or have a problem,I don't like to only have 1 way to power my Lanterns if I can help it

 

[lctorana]

It's very, very different where I live.

Lantern batteries are cheaper than 4 x D cells of equivalent chemistry here.

But that's not the real point.

I shouldn't have to point out the inherent advantages of an F cell over a D.

The pressure of miniturization is off and the cells have the freedom to perform as they should.

An example is service life.

I have a Big Jim with a heavy duty (that's zinc-carbon mind you, not even the super heavy duty zinc-chloride) battery, and after eight years of occasional use in the boot of my car, where it is subject to temperature and moisture extremes, still delivers 5.4V at the bulb. D cells would have died more than four years ago.

But everything else improves, too.

The "bounces back after use" recovery is far more pronounced in this size.

Internal resistance of a larger cell, for the same chemistry, is much lower.

Shelf life is longer for the same chemistry.

The cells are more robustly constructed, and less likely to leak in the first place, and the jacket substantially contains the damage even if they do.

And so on. It's chalk and cheese. There is no reason, other than cost, to send a D cell boy on a man's errand.

Just make sure you're comparing apples with apples.

 

[jaundice]

Lctorana;

Thanks for taking the time to explain the advanatages to me. I'm new to this game, so I hadn't really considered the 4F cells to have an advantage. I wasn't thinking along the physical lines you were thinking, ie larger size, etc.

Yes, I realize that the wage/price stucture is dramatically different in different parts of the globe. Just curious; how much are 4F and D cell batteries where you are?

Thanks,

-John

 

[lctorana]

D cells
GP Zn-C D cells are about A$1 each.
HD Zn-C D cells are about A$5-6 for four
SHD Zn-Cl D cells are about A$7-8 for a pack of four
Alkaline D cells are about A$10-11 for a pack of four
1.2Ah NiCad D cells have just gone off the market
4.5Ah NiCad D cells are about A$13 each
9Ah NiMH D cells are about $25 each

F cells:
An HD Zn-C lantern battery is about A$3
A SHD Zn-Cl lantern battery is about A$6-10
An Alkaline lantern battery is about A$9-14
But it pays to shop around. I have picked up fresh Alkaline lantern batteries for A$3, and SHD for as little as $4. The rule is, ALWAYS look in the battery/bulb/torch isle of your supermarket whenever you are there.

A lead-acid 6V (n.b. not 4.8V) SLA lantern battery replacement is about A$33
F NiCd and NiMH are not available in Australia - anywhere - at any price.

The A$ is worth about US$0.78 at the moment.