Luxeon DB-4AAA

[vcal]

Delivered to me today was the 4AAA Doublebarrel white Luxeon Star conversion by CPF member Ron Ellenbecker.

This light really only runs on mere 2AAA power, because of its circuitry, and after using it I'll have to call this white Luxeon the SUNSHINE LED.

It's size is almost exactly that of my Lightwave 2000, (except for a slightly larger head), looks to be about 4X as bright, and it's beam color is reminiscent of a "cool white" fluorescent.
My Lightwave runs on 5V. and is no weak sister, but I have to say it suffers by comparison.

BTW-craftmanship on this conversion was First-Rate, and when you consider that it only actually only uses 2AAAs, it's output is VERY surprising for a small flashlight.
-Keep in mind, this isn't even with the "Hi-Dome" module.

Finally, if I was in the incandescent lamp business, I'd start looking nervously over my shoulder to be sure those LumaLed people aren't gettin' too close.

-As member Brock once said: "did I mention I really like this light?"

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

Good review Doug.

Does it have a step-up, or is it just running at 3 volts?

 

[vcal]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Go, Go Gadget Flashlight:

Does it have a step-up, or is it just running at 3 volts?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This one can run on just 2AAAs (@ full brightness) or 4AAA -for longer battery life.
-This configuration is supposed to allow running on just two cells with 2 spare ones in the other barrel (by just reversing them).
So here, we evidently have an example of what "series/parallel" wiring can do?

 

[Ron]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Go, Go Gadget Flashlight:
Good review Doug.

Does it have a step-up, or is it just running at 3 volts?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I am the builder of the light. It is running at 3 volts, no step up. This prevents heat problems since the head of the light is not much bigger than the optics of the Luxeon. In fact the board/heat sink of the Luxeon has to be trimmed so it will fit.

Ron

 

[Quickbeam]

Do we have a run-time on the little critter?

I'm thinking of making one myself now.
(EDIT: Just looked at the e-bay site again for the pics - Nice job Ron!)

 

[Ron]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Quickbeam:
Do we have a run-time on the little critter?

I'm thinking of making one myself now.
(EDIT: Just looked at the e-bay site again for the pics - Nice job Ron!)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks.

I would estimate at least 12-24 hrs of very nice light from 4 AAA batteries (Duracell Alkaline Mar 2005). Even longer if the light is only used periodically.

I built another AAA light last night and ran a 9+ hr continuous test. When I ended the test I had no problems moving around a dark basement with only this light. It could easily light items across the basement (15-20 feet).

First try at putting pictures right in the message.

The pictures are a little misleading because the two comparison lights are so bright.

I will probably put another AAA light up on Ebay in the next couple of days. (If I sell a few it makes it easier to justify with the wife

)

Test Start

2 hr test

9 hr test

Ron

 

[vcal]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Quickbeam:
Do we have a run-time on the little critter?

I'm thinking of making one myself now.
(EDIT: Just looked at the e-bay site again for the pics - Nice job Ron!)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've informally discovered a couple things about this light. It does not like rechargeables, unless they're freshly charged. Also, it performs very respectably on the worst, run down AAA batteries I could find.

Edit:8/19-out of the 70-80 flashlights that I own, this is easily one of the 2 or 3 most Interesting lights I have ever used-can't stop playing with it!

 

[Ron]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by videocal:
I've informally discovered a couple things about this light. It does not like rechargeables, unless they're freshly charged. Also, it performs very respectably on the worst, run down AAA batteries I could find.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have tried it with the Rayovac Alkaline rechargeables and it worked fine with them. The Nicad or Nimh rechargeables only supply about 2.4 max and that is not really enough to get a good amount of light.

Ron

 

[Quickbeam]

Ron, If you don't mind my asking, how the heck did you get the reflector out of that thing - I just got one and I don't see any easy way......

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

I don't know how different the newer ones are, but I took the reflectors out of the 6AA DB's with no tools. The newer ones may be glued differently...

Squeeze the sides of the bezel from round shape to oval. Work it around and around. You'll hear the glue pop as you go. Eventually, the reflector just pops out. My worst one left a small sliver of reflector still in the bezel. Just picked it off with a sharp knife afterwards.

 

[Ron]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Quickbeam:
Ron, If you don't mind my asking, how the heck did you get the reflector out of that thing - I just got one and I don't see any easy way......<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

A lot of patience and a very tough needle nose pliers. I put the tips in and work my way around squeezing pretty hard and hear a lot of cracking noises. After I go around a couple of times I start squeezing even harder and the reflector generally gives. It is not a real easy task but I have yet to have the reflector not give before anything else.

If I had something like a Dremel I would try to carve it down and leave a little reflector around the Luxeon. It would not help the light output any but would make it look just a touch nicer. The plastic is just too tough to try cutting with a knife.

Ron

 

[Ron]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Go, Go Gadget Flashlight:
I don't know how different the newer ones are, but I took the reflectors out of the 6AA DB's with no tools. The newer ones may be glued differently...

Squeeze the sides of the bezel from round shape to oval. Work it around and around. You'll hear the glue pop as you go. Eventually, the reflector just pops out. My worst one left a small sliver of reflector still in the bezel. Just picked it off with a sharp knife afterwards.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Better explained than what I did, I use the needle nose pliers because of the smaller size. My big fingers can not get hold of the reflector.

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

Ron, my fingers don't fit either!

Hehe!

I squeezed the outer black housing piece and it deforms slightly. The reflector is much more rigid, so it doesn't bend and pops loose eventually.

You have to work it loose over time... Squeeze, turn, repeat.

 

[Quickbeam]

I decided to go the "easier"

route and convinced the wife that a dremel would be a good investment. I used it to grind out the reflector to fit the LS and trim the edges of the LS. Used Cat5 cable wire to connect the LS to the lightbulb socket - just tinned the copper wire on the ends and stuck in the socket holes. Only problem I had was that the LS wouldn't sit level in the head, so I got a spring, shaped it and put it in the head so that the LS presses forward gently against the plastic lens of the light - it marrs the lens slightly with a ring-shaped impression where the LS rubs when tightening, but you can't see it with the LS in there anyway - no effect on light output and the LS lens is protected. Plus if it get's dropped on it's bottom, the spring will bounce the LS forward where it belongs. I'll try to get pictures on my webpage sometime soon, but it looks the same as Ron's mod.

PS: Thanks for the idea and suggestions Ron (and company

) !

 

[Quickbeam]

I have uploaded images and details to my website. Check it out! Beam pic of LS next to MiniMag with Nexstar bulb.

 

[vcal]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Quickbeam:
I have uploaded images and details to my website. Check it out! Beam pic of LS next to MiniMag with Nexstar bulb.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Doug-QB
Looks like you just did another excellent job. Now everybody can see that a small single LED unit can be used to make a real flashlight.

-Mine, identical to yours, shines across the width of my large backyard.

Another Doug

 

[LEDagent]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ron:
Thanks.

I would estimate at least 12-24 hrs of very nice light from 4 AAA batteries (Duracell Alkaline Mar 2005). Even longer if the light is only used periodically.

I built another AAA light last night and ran a 9+ hr continuous test. When I ended the test I had no problems moving around a dark basement with only this light. It could easily light items across the basement (15-20 feet).

First try at putting pictures right in the message.

The pictures are a little misleading because the two comparison lights are so bright.

I will probably put another AAA light up on Ebay in the next couple of days. (If I sell a few it makes it easier to justify with the wife

)

Test Start

2 hr test

9 hr test

Ron<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Ron, i was considering getting this light on ebay. Just one question though. Those pictures above... Is that a test with 2AAA or 4AAA? Because you say you can get 12-24 hours of light, while i see it dimminishing considerably in only a 9 hour period in your pictures.

 

[Ron]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by videocal:
LEDagent,
While I should let Ron answer answer your question directly, I, after having used that same light for a week, (and experimented a Whole lot with it) have a couple of observations that may be helpful.

With 4 fresh AAAs, mine puts out strong light for about 4 hours, medium light for another 2-3 hrs. and then light output about like the Lightwave 2000 for about another 4-6 hrs....

BTW-a friend of mine has the LW 4000, and this light compares VERY favorably with his.
-look at the beam comparisons on the FIRST eBay auction -#1175838148- "completed items" (which look very different from the ones in the current offering...)

-my 5¢<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree with times videocal said. In fact I could not have said it better.

The pictures above are a little misleading because the while the Luxeon is getting dimmer the LW4000 and the normal light are staying at a constant brightness because they get turned off during the test.

It basically depends on what you are using the light for, if you will end up nearer the 12 or 24 hr mark (with 4 AAA). After the 9 hr test I used the light for about 1-2 hrs a night for almost week to read by and move around in a dark house. I then changed the batteries because I wanted more light, I could have easily squeezed more use out of the current batteries.

The 'normal' flashlight in the center of current picture does throw the image off a little bit. My digital camera only has an auto exporsure setting.

As a note: This flashlight does not like NIMH or NICAD batteries. The light will work but it be much dimmer right away because of the lower initial voltage. The Rayovac rechargables work fine.

Hopes this helps.

Ron

 

[vcal]

LEDagent,
While I should let Ron answer answer your question directly, I, after having used that same light for a week, (and experimented a Whole lot with it) have a couple of observations that may be helpful.

With 4 fresh AAAs, mine puts out strong light for about 4 hours, medium light for another 2-3 hrs. and then light output about like the Lightwave 2000 for about another 4-6 hrs....

BTW-a friend of mine has the LW 4000, and this light compares VERY favorably with his.
-look at the beam comparisons on the FIRST eBay auction -#1175838148- "completed items" (which look very different from the ones in the current offering...)
Imo-this unit packs a real wallop for an LED flashlight this size..

Edit:-a little risky (?), but rewarding is using 3 x 2/3 AAA NimH (300 mAh) in one of the barrels: it blows away my friend's Lightwave 4000

Caveat: it warms up the head of the light after 5 min. or so..
runtime: about 30 min.-at which time the OTHER barrel's 2 x AAA alkaline cells (which had been reversed-removing them from the circuit) can be used to provide strong, but lesser light for another 4-6 hours.-One heckava flashlight

my 5¢ worth