Help me install a Red Nichia LED in a Maglite solitaire

[Blue72]

I have some Red 5mm nichia LED coming in

here are the specs

http://www.nichia.com/specification/led_lamp/NSPR510CS-E.pdf

I would like to have these run on a standard alkaline AAA battery in a maglite solitaire. Can anybody help me how I should do this.

Thanks

 

[Lynx_Arc]

have to have a boost circuit and finding one made for a solitaire AND to power red LEDs is probably a custom job on your part. Many people use button cells like AG13s or a lithium ion AAA and dropping resistor.

 

[Blue72]

have to have a boost circuit and finding one made for a solitaire AND to power red LEDs is probably a custom job on your part. Many people use button cells like AG13s or a lithium ion AAA and dropping resistor.

Thanks Lynx

Due to the much lower voltage of the red LED (2.1 volts) compared to the white LED. I was thinking of trying direct drive. However, does anyone know if the 1.5 volts of AAA battery be enough to light this thing?

 

[Monkeyboab]

Im interested in this too as I have a nichia GS that I could put in a useless solitaire I have lying around, how would you fit the resistor in with a 10440? Would it be better using 3x 1/3AAA's? Not sure the 1.5volts would give you enough light from your red led, maybe a lithium aaa would be better.

Rob

 

[jmw19]

Well, from looking at page 9 of the specs, I see the voltage/current curve starts at 1.75V or so. A fresh 1.5V alkaline might light it, but not too brightly, and not for that long. A lithium AAA would work slightly better, as they start off around 1.6 to 1.7V.
Best bet is probably the AG13 with a resistor and spacer (perhaps sandwich the resistor in some epoxy and make it the spacer - you could use a 1/8 watt carbon resistor for this, and just buy an assortment and play around until you get 20-25 mA).
Alternatively, I think the 1/3 AAA NiMH cells are really closer to 1/2 AAA in length. So, two of them with a resistor mod for safety would work beautifully. Again, a 1/8 watt resistor would be great, or even a surface-mount for space-savings.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

If cost were less of an issue you could buy a solitaire dropin and try to mod the output of it and swap the LEDs. You could even buy a cheap boosted light and swipe the circuit out of it and use a 2/3AAA nimh fitting the circuit in there somehow and modify it.
depending on how much runtime you need the AG13 cells and a resistor would be the cheapest way not having to worry about a boost circuit or buying special sizes of AAAs. If you wanted to go with a boost.... maybe the rayovac 1AAA for $3 at walmart would have a good circuit in it... not sure tho

 

[Blue72]

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[Blue72]

Going back to the solitaire.

I have a bunch of Energizer AC675 zinc-air batteries. They are rated at 1.4 volts and 635 mah.

If I used two of these button cells would it create enough of a resistance to work with the red led or would I still need to add a resistor.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

if you have a DMM and a variable resistor you could just dial it down to get the current you need through the LED and measure the resistance needed. I am unsure of the internal resistance of the batteries and 635mah sounds high for a button cell... sure it isn't 63.5mah?

 

[Blue72]

if you have a DMM and a variable resistor you could just dial it down to get the current you need through the LED and measure the resistance needed. I am unsure of the internal resistance of the batteries and 635mah sounds high for a button cell... sure it isn't 63.5mah?

I dont have a DMM so I am trying to get a general guideline so I do not fry the LED but at the same time get some decent brightness.

And the AC675 is definately 635 mah, here is the spec sheet. Also since they are common hearing aid batterries, they are fairly cheap as well

http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/ac675.pdf

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I just looked at that spec sheet.... you are right it does say 635 ma but at 2.1ma draw. you probably want to run your LED at 10-20 ma or full spec and from 1.3-2.1ma the capacity drops 35 percent which isn't even double the current. I am guessing it would fare the same as an AG13 battery in peformance due to the actual amount of chemicals in it. capacity at 10ma would be in the range of perhaps 80mah? and at 20ma half that.
You would perhaps get one hour to 50% output from such batteries more if you overdrive the LED and use 50% as a benchmark for *normal* 50%.

button cells just don't have enough size unless they come up with more powerful chemicals to use in them that don't require protection circuits and stout seals.

I dont have a DMM so I am trying to get a general guideline so I do not fry the LED but at the same time get some decent brightness.

And the AC675 is definately 635 mah, here is the spec sheet. Also since they are common hearing aid batterries, they are fairly cheap as well

http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/ac675.pdf

 

[Blue72]

Thanks, you guys have been very helpful,

I will play around with a bunch of different configurations when I get these LED's this week and post the results.

 

[Blue72]

Here are some pics

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2469748#post2469748

 

[Lynx_Arc]

yup easy mod...... not sure how hard you are driving it with 3 cells but the sag and the nichia may handle it ok.... would not recommend the 10440 without a dropping resistor at all.... that would certainly fry a red LED and push a white nichia to screaming overdrive and posssibly death also.

 

[Blue72]

I think the next thing I am going to try is get a smjled solitaire drop in and desolder the LED out and put a red LED in. So I can use regular alkaline AAA battery, anybody see any problems in doing this.

I would like to use a 3mm Red led, but nichia does not make one. anybody else make a durable LED.

 

[warlord]

You could also just buy one of the microconverters that MJ is selling.

 

[Blue72]

You could also just buy one of the microconverters that MJ is selling.

I thought about that, but then I would have to install the Bi pins. I think the smjled pill would be more simplistic

 

[Lynx_Arc]

if you put too much money in converters you may be cheaper off buying a 1AAA led light and swapping out the LED, and adding/changing a resistor in it.
I think the problem with using a regular red LED in place of an SMJ led is twofold... first the SMJled is driven way higher a voltage, second the SMJled can take 80ma at that voltage that means a regular red LED used to 20ma at about 2v will have to handle 80ma at 3.4v.... *blot*... one fried LED

 

[Blue72]

Lynx

you have been very helpful, thank you.

I think I will stop and leave the solitaire at its current mods. If I want a AAA, I may take advantage of the Peak memorial day sale and pick up a red LED matterhorn for $22.

But then again tinkering is to much fun!!!!

 

[Lynx_Arc]

YES!... tinkering is a blast. One thing I would suggest is look for threads about transplanting LEDs into existing lights. I am sure you could find something about red LED lights even perhaps luxeon red lights too.