Modern Aurora Options

[Chrontius]

I have just acquired an original AuroraLite kit for the mini-mag. What is the best way to bring it into service in this day and age? I've seen cut-down 1xCR123 mini-mags, so how hard is it to bore them out for 3x123? (well, 2xIMR17500)

Some of the crazy crap I loved and wanted to do involved the WA 1274, which battery technology is finally catching up to. I'll reproduce the whole post for you here, with my emphasis:

AWR's LDO3 800mA driver equipped sammie with TX0H in a MiniMag with Auroralite MDR reflector and Kroll switch. Shockingly bright, astounding in side by side comparison with a stocker (a joke!). Tie with that the incan hotwire madness and fun of Auroralite's TL-3 Minimag mod, 150+ lumens....

Then there's MiniBeast, a Welch Allyn 1274 driven by 2 LiIon in a Minimag. 400 plus lumens from a MM for a SHORT runtime.

Trying to figure out if I can get a micro miniature ballast to power a 10W WA HID bulb in the Minimag with a Mag C turbo head. But I need a one AA cell extender too for 3AA (14500 LiIon)

AndrewWynnRouse gets credit for the brains behind my most powerful and fun 2AA hotrod design. LDO3, like his other creations, are bleeding edge performers. KISS principle high performance.


Flip side of the coin, for simple stock nice reliable, for best value per dollar, smiles per mile, and absolutely the highest enjoyment for an absolutely stock config with outstanding quality goes to the Fenix L2P. A stock L2P is a near perfect multipurpose utility light. I wonder why nobody ever posts about the Fenix lights here on CPF?:naughty:

What I REALLY think is awesome is the fact that there are lights out there from production companies, that are nice to own and use. But put them in the hands of CPF modders, with their brains and skilled hands they transform the mundane and everyday into the terrifically fun and thrilling. Like AWR and Auroralite. These 2 individuals have single handedly crafted my most awesome and fun lights by way of their modder talents. Thanks to CPF, and only to CPF, I have lights that just flat out ROCK :rock:


Thanks guys!!:goodjob::rock::laughing::):grin2:

Thankfully, the 1274 wasn't one of the discontinued superbulbs, but it's not hugely practical... and now we have the IMR-E2 for 'tactical pocket hotwire' duty. Since that takes care of serious business... what should I do?
:popcorn:

 

[RyanA]

This is a cool idea! Probably the most sleeper light ever. Just be careful that it doesn't turn on your pocket. And be sure to keep me posted!

 

[R@ndom]

I have just acquired an original AuroraLite kit for the mini-mag. What is the best way to bring it into service in this day and age? I've seen cut-down 1xCR123 mini-mags, so how hard is it to bore them out for 3x123? (well, 2xIMR17500)

Some of the crazy crap I loved and wanted to do involved the WA 1274, which battery technology is finally catching up to. I'll reproduce the whole post for you here, with my emphasis:



Thankfully, the 1274 wasn't one of the discontinued superbulbs, but it's not hugely practical... and now we have the IMR-E2 for 'tactical pocket hotwire' duty. Since that takes care of serious business... what should I do?
:popcorn:

Sorry but there is no way the minimag is going to hold 17mm cells. I think you were refering to the 14670 mini minimag. 2 lifepo4 14500 cells and an 1160 should be interesting though.

 

[RyanA]

How thick are the walls? I suppose you could check out the exotic coating thread in bst. Boring and hard chrome are available!

 

[Chrontius]

Hm, but the 1160 was one of the discontinued superbulbs, and AW's not got IMR 14500s out yet.

Regarding exotic coatings, I'm going for sleeper chic with this one. Unless I can get a four-lobed CombatGrip put on and use it with a Kroll, that is...

 

[RyanA]

Hard chrome might look kinda stockish, cmon, it's so cool...

EVERYONES doing it. :poke:

Random, Awesome sig! That sucker needs to be on the cpf shirts.

 

[Chrontius]

Hard chrome might look kinda stockish, cmon, it's so cool...

EVERYONES doing it. :poke:

Random, Awesome sig! That sucker needs to be on the cpf shirts.

+1 to that.
I don't know who here came up with it, but it should really be the group's motto.

And maybe, once I get it working at all.

 

[RyanA]

I checked the clearance when I got home, I'm not sure it would work, with cr's you'd wind up boring the threads that hold the tailcap on and the walls would be paper thin.

 

[R@ndom]

I can vaguely remember that someone posted about lifepo4 14500's at Wal-Mart.

 

[Chrontius]

I have those at one local Wal-Mart. Still, there's no *great* options for 2xLiFe direct-drive at the moment. Maybe the defective Carley 1794s, since they'll be underdriven? ;) (I kid, I kid!)

Until we get IMR14500, I'll probably be using LiFe14500. I actually checked Home Depot tonight for similar li-ion garden lighting since I was there, but no joy.

 

[Bimmerboy]

Hi Chrontius,

Congrats on snagging an Auroralite kit! I love these things.

Let me save you a bunch of time on trying to decide the best configuration. The 1274 is a G4 size bulb, which is NOT going to fit the T1.5 pin spacing of the Auroralite ceramic slug. Besides, you're most definitely not going to find 14mm batteries that'll drive the thing anywhere near properly, or safely. The output would be quite orange due to massive voltage sag, and you'd be pulling about 4C on those poor batts. Forget it! I'm not sure what Lunarmodule, and AWR were smoking at the time... probably Li-ion fumes.

Anyway, boring for larger batts is out of the question, so that leaves you with two options:

Use a Streamlight TL-3 bulb with a pair of AW 14500's. Probably the best option overall, and you'll completely kill many bigger flashlights for a solid 15 minutes.

The other, less practical option (as if the first one is practical... lol) is to run the H1499 available in the Marketplace from Litho123. The output from such a small hotwire is awesome, but you will have a little more voltage sag, hence the color temp will be a little more yellow than the TL-3. Even so, it rocks! :rock:

However, current draw will be a good bit over the recommended discharge rate of 2C on 14500's. To help with that situation, you can do what I did, and have someone cut a threaded extension using a donor Minimag tube to extend it to the length of two AW 14670's. It'll bring you to under 2C, and help raise the color temp a little. Check out Baby Magzilla, and the beamshots a few posts later.

Good luck with the kit. Once running the proper config, I think you'll really enjoy it!

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Hi Chrontius,

Congrats on snagging an Auroralite kit! I love these things.

Let me save you a bunch of time on trying to decide the best configuration. The 1274 is a G4 size bulb, which is NOT going to fit the T1.5 pin spacing of the Auroralite ceramic slug. Besides, you're most definitely not going to find 14mm batteries that'll drive the thing anywhere near properly, or safely. The output would be quite orange due to massive voltage sag, and you'd be pulling about 4C on those poor batts. Forget it! I'm not sure what Lunarmodule, and AWR were smoking at the time... probably Li-ion fumes.

Anyway, boring for larger batts is out of the question, so that leaves you with two options:

Use a Streamlight TL-3 bulb with a pair of AW 14500's. Probably the best option overall, and you'll completely kill many bigger flashlights for a solid 15 minutes.

The other, less practical option (as if the first one is practical... lol) is to run the H1499 available in the Marketplace from Litho123. The output from such a small hotwire is awesome, but you will have a little more voltage sag, hence the color temp will be a little more yellow than the TL-3. Even so, it rocks! :rock:

However, current draw will be a good bit over the recommended discharge rate of 2C on 14500's. To help with that situation, you can do what I did, and have someone cut a threaded extension using a donor Minimag tube to extend it to the length of two AW 14670's. It'll bring you to under 2C, and help raise the color temp a little. Check out Baby Magzilla, and the beamshots a few posts later.

Good luck with the kit. Once running the proper config, I think you'll really enjoy it!

Ok, I really need to see that "Excrelamp"...

 

[Bimmerboy]

Ok, I really need to see that "Excrelamp"...

I'm quite proud of that poop (pun intended) to be honest, as it was hand modded purely by the seat of my pants. What better way to produce such a nugget of ingenuity?! :nana: BTW, it works extremely well.

And, tell me that isn't the best name!

Anyway... scroll through that stuff to get to "Baby Magzilla".