LED Headlights and Headlight conversions

[remuen]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Guy Guyer:
I would be interested in any homemade headlamp you build. Let us know if you do it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for your interest. I am still working on this issue and hope some more guys are placing their experiences and ideas here.

For the moment Jeff1500 and I (better: a friend of mine in my company - I'm only the translator) are working on a DC-DC converters for a Minimag conversion (see at http://www.candlepowerforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=001221 ). I'm sure such a converter could also be used for a headlight conversion.

The Versalux Module that Aragorn mentioned in an earlier post in this thread is still in my head. The only disadvantage of this module is its size. Up to now I found only the Petzl Duo headlamp to convert with this module. I didn't buy this headlamp but looked very well at and in it at my outdoor equipment dealer. I'm not absolutly sure (to be sure I had to give out about $80.00 for the headlamp and the Module) but it looks as using the Versalux Module in the Petz Duo would mean to remove also the halogen bulb which I really want to keep. Is there anybody who has a Petzl Duo and a Versalux Module and can try it out?

A smaller converter together with separated LED's would give more possibilities for a conversion.

 

[remuen]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by barbarin:
The results with this kind of green light are surprising in the green forest. I don't know exactly what kind of forest you live in, but being from Switzerland I think it is way green. The clues are the superior performance of the LED over any kind of bulb when we want just a color, and the refraction of the green light over the vegetation. Another advantage is that the green light does not disturb your light vision as much as the "white" light.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Barbarin, I couldn't test the turquoise LED's under really bad weather conditions because since a few days we have a little bit of snow and it's very cold ( - 10°C).

One advantage of the turquoise LED is the wider beam. But I'v got the impression that I can recognize roots and stones not as good as with the white ones. Maybe it's because the contrast of the turquoise LED is lower than with white LED's.

I've got a good result using two white and one turquoise ARC together. So I think such a combination of white and colored LED would be good for a headlamp too.

 

[remuen]

There is another thread running on converting a headlamp with a Luxeon Star (see under My first mod (LS headlamp)). Using the mentioned headlamp this will be an easy conversion with quite a good result.

For me I would like to go a bit another way. There are three reasons for this:

1. I prefer using a DC-DC converter so one will have an almost steady bright light until the batteries are really low. This also means one can squeeze the batteries much more. To test this I've made experiences with my Petzl Tikka which has no DC-DC converter. It dimms slowly but steady! To have a really useable light for outdoor activities as running you have to replace the batteries after about 5 hours - long before they are really low. Such a replaced (= used) battery works in a ARC AAA (which has a stepup converter) at least for another 2 hours with full brightness before the ARC switches in the moonlight mode.

2. Using 8 - 10 standard LED's instead one single Luxeon Star will give me the possibility to work with different lED colors or a combination of white and colored LED's (see my last post dealing with the turquoise LED). And last but not least: With the standard LED's one will have less heat problems than with the LS.

3. For more safety eg. for caving one could use two stepup converters in one headlight each one for only one half of the LED's. So if one converter will break down you are not lost in the darkness because you have still some light.

What do you think about these ideas?

 

[remuen]

I've just got a mail from a caver with an intersting link: http://www.luxbrite.co.uk .

They have a headlamp with 5 or 9 LED's wgich uses an DC-DC converter. You'll also find a conversion kit for a Petzl Duo with 5 LED's - unfortunatly without such a DC-DC converter.

Take a look I think it's worth doing it.

 

[remuen]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by barbarin:
I´ve tried with green and turquoise leds in the forest while running, and the results are impresive. With just one Photon Microlight II green the light is enough, as the green color reflects and it is not absorbed by the vegetation. For such an especific aplication why don't you try this?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Trying the turquoise ARC now for some days in different situations I've made up my mind: It is not the best light color for me even it is brighter than a white ARC AAA.

With the turquoise light I am not able to recognize stones and roots as good as with the white light. I think it's somehow because the 3D visibility of my eyes is worse with this light color.

But I still think putting white and turquoise LED's together in one lamp would be a good combination for the kind of head lamp I need. IMO this combination would be fine if one takes about 2 or 3 times more of white LED's (eg 6 white and 2 turquoise LED's in the same lamp).