Light Project

[Buckles]

I have been on the forum for a while, but i havent posted in quite some time. I have recently started getting interested into lights again so i figured id come back here.

Here is my question. I want to build a custom light. Something around the size of a surefire 6P, LED with around 150 lumens and possibly with a rechargeable battery. I would also love if it had multiple functions, such as adjustable output and maybe a strobe. The rechargeable part wont be a deal breaker though.

I have been looking at the Solarforce L2 body as a host for the light, but aside form that I have no idea what im doing. I found a few threads that have a list of drop-ins that will fit that body, but as far as batteries go i dont have a clue.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Btw im trying to get this project around the $50 range. I might be willing to do a bit more if it meant a much better light.

 

[AnAppleSnail]

I have been on the forum for a while, but i havent posted in quite some time. I have recently started getting interested into lights again so i figured id come back here.

Here is my question. I want to build a custom light. Something around the size of a surefire 6P, with around 150 lumens and possibly with a rechargeable battery. I would also love if it had multiple functions, such as adjustable output and maybe a strobe. The rechargeable part wont be a deal breaker though.

I have been looking at the Solarforce L2 body as a host for the light, but aside form that I have no idea what im doing. I found a few threads that have a list of drop-ins that will fit that body, but as far as batteries go i dont have a clue.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Btw im trying to get this project around the $50 range. I might be willing to do a bit more if it meant a much better light.

What does 'custom' mean to you? Are you picking a driver and LED, attaching these to a heatsink and reflector, then putting it in a P60 dropin (compatible with the L2) and putting that in your L2 body? It can be tricky to get these things right, although 150 lumens is quite doable. If your plan is to build your own dropin, consider:

Driver choice - current output, modes (if any).
LED choice - efficiency, output at various current.
The batteries come from the driver, or the other way around - you can't use a driver that wants 6-9v in a 1-cell light, because the lithium cell will not deliver that.
Heatsinking - This is critical for performance, you have to get heat off the diode and driver, into the light body, and into your hand. That requires a good thermal path - solid contact between smoothly fitting metal surfaces. This may require machine shop work, patient grinding, or clever drill rigging.

So: Are you building a dropin for the L2, or just having at it with what you've got? Dropins are convenient for changing later, taking out and upgrading, or maybe even changing optics.

 

[Buckles]

What does 'custom' mean to you? Are you picking a driver and LED, attaching these to a heatsink and reflector, then putting it in a P60 dropin (compatible with the L2) and putting that in your L2 body? It can be tricky to get these things right, although 150 lumens is quite doable. If your plan is to build your own dropin, consider:

Driver choice - current output, modes (if any).
LED choice - efficiency, output at various current.
The batteries come from the driver, or the other way around - you can't use a driver that wants 6-9v in a 1-cell light, because the lithium cell will not deliver that.
Heatsinking - This is critical for performance, you have to get heat off the diode and driver, into the light body, and into your hand. That requires a good thermal path - solid contact between smoothly fitting metal surfaces. This may require machine shop work, patient grinding, or clever drill rigging.

So: Are you building a dropin for the L2, or just having at it with what you've got? Dropins are convenient for changing later, taking out and upgrading, or maybe even changing optics.

By custom i mean something i put together. Theres probably a better name for it but at 4 in the morning i cant think of one right now. lol

i dont plan to build my own. im really not that skilled or patient lol. I was thinking of using something like this

http://www.lighthound.com/Solar-Force-LC-1-Cree-R2m-Drop-In-for-L2-Flashlight-Three-Modes_p_3472.html

 

[AnAppleSnail]

By custom i mean something i put together. Theres probably a better name for it but at 4 in the morning i cant think of one right now. lol

i dont plan to build my own. im really not that skilled or patient lol. I was thinking of using something like this

http://www.lighthound.com/Solar-Force-LC-1-Cree-R2m-Drop-In-for-L2-Flashlight-Three-Modes_p_3472.html

Oh, that's not so bad then. Buy the L2p (SBFlashlights has cheap shipping these days) and a dropin. The voltage range you pick will depend on the batteries you use. An L2 or L2p with no extender can hold 1 18650 or 2 RCR123s - so you have about 3.7v or about 7.4v. You can get an extender tube to use 2 18650s for monster runtime. You won't need more than 2 Li-Ion cells with most dropins.

For example:

L2P ($30)
5-mode dropin ($21). The voltage is .8-4.2v
18650 cell and charger - $20ish

Put these things together and you have a light. If you want a different tailcap you'd have to buy one, but the host comes with body+head+window+tailcap. Adding the dropin and battery makes it complete.

 

[Buckles]

thanks for the help.
can you recommend a decent brand for the 18650 cell? and if i do go with the 18650 would i be able to interchange it with the cr123s? or does this all depend on the voltage that the dropin can handle?

 

[AnAppleSnail]

thanks for the help.
can you recommend a decent brand for the 18650 cell? and if i do go with the 18650 would i be able to interchange it with the cr123s? or does this all depend on the voltage that the dropin can handle?

It's all dependent on the voltage the dropin can handle. Most dropins that work well with 1 cell (they stay in regulation for the cell life) will be in trouble with two cell's voltage. I haven't used 18650s (yet!) but I hear good things about AW, the ones Solarforce sells, and bad things about most of the uniquetrustsuper-fire types on DX/KD.

 

[Buckles]

ok. so here is what i have come up with so far.

this body
http://www.sbflashlights.com/Solarforce-Lights/Solarforce-L2-p4.html

this drop in
http://www.sbflashlights.com/Solarforce-Dropins/Solarforce-LC-1-Cree-R2-5-Mode-8-4-2V-p29.html

with this battery
http://www.solarforce-usa.com/product.sc?productId=25&categoryId=10

i know ill still need a charger so thats what im looking for now

 

[AnAppleSnail]

ok. so here is what i have come up with so far.

this body
http://www.sbflashlights.com/Solarforce-Lights/Solarforce-L2-p4.html

this drop in
http://www.sbflashlights.com/Solarforce-Dropins/Solarforce-LC-1-Cree-R2-5-Mode-8-4-2V-p29.html

with this battery
http://www.solarforce-usa.com/product.sc?productId=25&categoryId=10

i know ill still need a charger so thats what im looking for now

Looks good so far. The more you spend on chargers, the less often you'll replace batteries - consider it an investment vs. payoff. Also you're even less likely to have an exciting battery event if you avoid the superbad chargers - These folks should be able to help you the most.

One of my friends picked up an L2 and found that the dropin didn't have a good thermal path. He cut up a coke can, polished the paint and interior coating off, and made a wrap just long enough to wrap around the dropin. Metal is a much better conductor than air, and this aluminum shim improved the heatsinking of the dropin. Hot LEDs are dim, so you may want to shim the dropin if there's room. It just wraps around the blue-colored part and slides into the head with the dropin.

 

[Buckles]

I just ordered the body and the dropin. Im still looking for a decent 18650 and charger though. Most places that carry the solarforce brand seems to be sold out.

Thanks for the link to the battery section.

 

[Buckles]

sTopped by lighthound today and picked up a battery and charger. I can't wait to get home and charge this thing up