How difficult would it be to build a new flashlight with Cree 7up, Maxflex5, a Khatod 6 degree optic and 18650 batteries? The only discussion I have seen for this setup is for bikelamps. Can you buy decent looking housing? Why is the Maxflex5 so expensive? Why is cutter the only store that sells 7 XPGs on one board in the entire world? Do they have sales? Do I need an electrical engineering degree and/or a mad scientist's lab? I don't even have a solder kit. Well, I believe that is enough rambling for tonight.
Newbie question on skill needed for 7 up project
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DM51
Flashaholic
hmm... hmm. This doesn't belong in B/S/T. How about I move it to H&M, hmm? lol.
spencer
Enlightened
You can buy a maglite that has been bored to accept 2 18650 side by side times however long you want (linked one would be too small to supply the voltage needed). You can buy a heatsink from the Sandwich Shoppe. IMO a seven up board is not necessary. Just buy the LED's and position them on the heatsink yourself. Cutter has lots of sales, mostly to bigger guys but lots to people on this board. You will definitely need a soldering iron.
As for the electrical engineer it depends on how well your mind works on this kind of thing. For me I understand it like nothing but it goes WAY over my brother's head and he wouldn't have a clue where to start. Everybody has their own strengths.
As for the electrical engineer it depends on how well your mind works on this kind of thing. For me I understand it like nothing but it goes WAY over my brother's head and he wouldn't have a clue where to start. Everybody has their own strengths.
ifor powell
Enlightened
Electricaly using the 7up Xpg board with a maxflex is straightforward although you do of course need to be able to solder but you should be able to learn on the project if you do some practicing before getting to the maxflex. If the optic is what you want (even the narrow is quite wide) then it is a very easy thing to get a lot of light.
The hard bit is the mechanicals the 7up board needs very good heatsinking. I have never built a 'torch' but have done lots of headlights the latest one being a 7up. I am relying on airflow from running or cyceling to keep it cool, for a torch you will beed a suitable head.
Maxflex is not realy expensive when you consider what it gives you. You need a boost converter for the 7up or you need a very large number of cells. You need the thermal protection capabilites. you get a host of operating choices as far as UI is concerned. You get battery protection and status information.
I belive Cutters design there own MCPCBs for the leds they have decided to do the 7 up to match the 7 up optics. There is somthing of a chicken and egg situation for multi led optics and boards...
Plenty of sales from Cutters as far as I can tell. As you say they are the only suplier catering for the hobyist market and have a good reputation and a good choice of products.
If you are new to soldering then I am not so sure about Spencers advice about getting bare leds the xpg'x are tiny and I would not like to solder them bare. Soldering the little 10mm boards is tricky if you have a lot to closely position acuratly for an optic. Using a multi led board is the way to go in my opinion provided the optic suits your needs.
Here is my 7up headlight.
The hard bit is the mechanicals the 7up board needs very good heatsinking. I have never built a 'torch' but have done lots of headlights the latest one being a 7up. I am relying on airflow from running or cyceling to keep it cool, for a torch you will beed a suitable head.
Maxflex is not realy expensive when you consider what it gives you. You need a boost converter for the 7up or you need a very large number of cells. You need the thermal protection capabilites. you get a host of operating choices as far as UI is concerned. You get battery protection and status information.
I belive Cutters design there own MCPCBs for the leds they have decided to do the 7 up to match the 7 up optics. There is somthing of a chicken and egg situation for multi led optics and boards...
Plenty of sales from Cutters as far as I can tell. As you say they are the only suplier catering for the hobyist market and have a good reputation and a good choice of products.
If you are new to soldering then I am not so sure about Spencers advice about getting bare leds the xpg'x are tiny and I would not like to solder them bare. Soldering the little 10mm boards is tricky if you have a lot to closely position acuratly for an optic. Using a multi led board is the way to go in my opinion provided the optic suits your needs.
Here is my 7up headlight.
spencer
Enlightened
I forgot about that.
