Hey guys,
First post! FWIW I'm in Australia at uni, studying things unrelated to electrickery.
My current bike liight currently revolves around a Luxeon III I bought at jaycar (Australia).
Currently there's a 6V lantern battery, 1.8 ohm 5W resistor and the Luxeon all in series.
Under load my (new) lantern batteries drop to 5.3V, there's less than an amp flowing, I think more like 800mA. It certainly doesn't get hot, but then it is well heatsinked.
I have the following questions:
This new 2x bright Nichia innovation is impressive. I've never heard this 2x brightness mentioned WRT to luxeons though, are there 2x brighter luxeons around? How would I know which mine is? (I noted down the serial number on the back before the thermal compound went on)
How hard is it reasonable to drive a this luxeon III when well heatsinked?
This is the big question:
I need some current regulation circuitry that I want to meet the following:
- Over 70% efficent
- Will operate in the voltage range 13.8V to 3V
- Adjustable level of current regulation (say, 100mA - 1000mA, or maybe 1300mA?)
- To power a white Luxeon III
I would also prefer the following things, if possible/reasonable:
- Some gauge, even if only 3 LEDs, of current draw (say red>1000mA, 1000mA>amber>700mA, green<700mA)
- Some gauge of battery voltage, once again 3 LEDS would do
- Adjustable level of current regulation (say, 100mA - 1300mA)
- To power either a white or red Luxeon III
I can solder, I should be able to manufactor a PCB at uni using the machine in the electrical engineering faculty (don't ask me what it is exactly...all I remember is a arm moving in 2 dimensions drawing the tracks).
I also have plenty of time.
The biggest obstruction is I want this done soon, so ordering parts from the US isn't really favourable.
My jaycar store is the preferable source of components, www.jaycar.com.au.
The following is on the path to a agreeable solution I suspect:
MC34063 DC to DC Converter IC
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=ZK8837&CATID=&keywords=34063&SPECIAL=&form=KEYWORD&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=
I know this is probably a old question, I did search. You guys use alot of jargon that is unique to you folks (fatman, uflex..etc..) that takes a bit of effort to work out.
Links to information/previous threads would be greatly appreciated.
As would links to circuit schematics
First post! FWIW I'm in Australia at uni, studying things unrelated to electrickery.
My current bike liight currently revolves around a Luxeon III I bought at jaycar (Australia).
Currently there's a 6V lantern battery, 1.8 ohm 5W resistor and the Luxeon all in series.
Under load my (new) lantern batteries drop to 5.3V, there's less than an amp flowing, I think more like 800mA. It certainly doesn't get hot, but then it is well heatsinked.
I have the following questions:
This new 2x bright Nichia innovation is impressive. I've never heard this 2x brightness mentioned WRT to luxeons though, are there 2x brighter luxeons around? How would I know which mine is? (I noted down the serial number on the back before the thermal compound went on)
How hard is it reasonable to drive a this luxeon III when well heatsinked?
This is the big question:
I need some current regulation circuitry that I want to meet the following:
- Over 70% efficent
- Will operate in the voltage range 13.8V to 3V
- Adjustable level of current regulation (say, 100mA - 1000mA, or maybe 1300mA?)
- To power a white Luxeon III
I would also prefer the following things, if possible/reasonable:
- Some gauge, even if only 3 LEDs, of current draw (say red>1000mA, 1000mA>amber>700mA, green<700mA)
- Some gauge of battery voltage, once again 3 LEDS would do
- Adjustable level of current regulation (say, 100mA - 1300mA)
- To power either a white or red Luxeon III
I can solder, I should be able to manufactor a PCB at uni using the machine in the electrical engineering faculty (don't ask me what it is exactly...all I remember is a arm moving in 2 dimensions drawing the tracks).
I also have plenty of time.
The biggest obstruction is I want this done soon, so ordering parts from the US isn't really favourable.
My jaycar store is the preferable source of components, www.jaycar.com.au.
The following is on the path to a agreeable solution I suspect:
MC34063 DC to DC Converter IC
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=ZK8837&CATID=&keywords=34063&SPECIAL=&form=KEYWORD&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=
I know this is probably a old question, I did search. You guys use alot of jargon that is unique to you folks (fatman, uflex..etc..) that takes a bit of effort to work out.
Links to information/previous threads would be greatly appreciated.
As would links to circuit schematics
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