*Now Built* P7 has converted me from incan only to LED - now I need help building one

[jirik_cz]

Re: P7 has converted me from incan only to LED - now I need help building one

just wondering has anyone tried out 1 of those P7 collimators from litemania.com? http://www.litemania.com/front/php/product.php?product_no=801&main_cate_no=313&display_group=1

I seem to mostly see P7 in mags or with large reflectors...havent seen any using optical lenses yet

Finally! Thanks for the link!

 

[Norm]

Re: P7 has converted me from incan only to LED - now I need help building one

Translation not that it contains much information.
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translat...3&display_group=1&lp=ko_en&btnTrUrl=Translate
Norm

 

[Yapo]

Re: P7 has converted me from incan only to LED - now I need help building one

Glad i could be of help...they seem to have a few different optics/collimators i havent seen before...like a 2 degree optic but most of them seem to be made for luxeons though.

 

[missionaryman]

Re: P7 has converted me from incan only to LED - now I need help building one

looks vr interesting but could it be used in a mag with a reflector?

 

[missionaryman]

To all who have contributed in this tread and other P7 builds & tutorials :thanks:.
I have just finished building this light and it's awesome. I'll post pics, details & beamshots tomorrow. Right now my keyboard needs new batteries and typing is getting annoying

 

[missionaryman]

I'm having power issues and need help.
To get going I've powered this light using a 3AA - 1D plastic carrier and 3 NIMH AA's.
It's getting 3.2v regulated to the LED but only 0.8A, it's still quite bright though.
I'm using the KD driver which has an input range of 2.7 - 6.0v, so I added another cell and it bumped the current up to 2.1A and a bit brighter so then I tried my 2D LiIon pack (7.4v) and it gave me the full monty 2.8A 3.2v.

I was going to buy a 1D LiIon cell to run this light but now I'm wondering if that will leave it underpowered - which would be a tragedy.

Would I be better off getting a carrier from FM and running 4 x 14670 in 2S2P (2200mah 7.2v) or do people thinke the single cell will do the job?

If anyone has actually built one this way and can measure 3.2v 2.8A from a single cell using this driver then it's a no brainer but I don't want to stab in the dark.

 

[GSteg]

I dont know exactly which driver you're using, but I'm getting 4.10-4.20v from the driver (8x7135) with ~2.8A. This is all with a single d-size Li-Ion battery from kaidomain. After a week (5 minute short burst every day), I'm still getting the same voltage (measured after the driver)

 

[missionaryman]

I dont know exactly which driver you're using, but I'm getting 4.10-4.20v from the driver (8x7135) with ~2.8A. This is all with a single d-size Li-Ion battery from kaidomain. After a week (5 minute short burst every day), I'm still getting the same voltage (measured after the driver)

Are you using the existing wires tat it came attached with to the LED?
Sounds like the same one I have: KD#: SKU4338

 

[Norm]

I'm having power issues and need help.
To get going I've powered this light using a 3AA - 1D plastic carrier and 3 NIMH AA's.

Sounds like your problem.
Norm

 

[GSteg]

Are you using the existing wires tat it came attached with to the LED?
Sounds like the same one I have: KD#: SKU4338

No. I took those out. I looked at the wires and said to myself no way those dinky little wires are enough for those P7s! I upgraded to 20 gauge wires.

 

[GSteg]

Sounds like your problem.
Norm

What's his problem...the 3 AA or the plastic carrier?

 

[Norm]

What's his problem...the 3 AA or the plastic carrier?

Yes
Those plastic carriers are OK for low powered applications but will not handle anything like 2.8 A.
Norm

 

[missionaryman]

Thanks for the input guys, I did suspect as much and used the 7.2v Lithium D cell pack I have and saw 2.8A but it very quickly drops down and keeps going down so I wonder if that's those skinny little wires letting me down now?

 

[GSteg]

I would upgrade the wires anyways just to be on the safe side. I'm not too fond of the stock wires carrying 2.8A for a long amount of time.

 

[missionaryman]

I have upgraded the wires to the ones that come with a KIU - they are much beefier and safely carry 10A loads.

I still have the issue of when I use a 7.2v pack the current drops rapidly from 2.6A or so down to 0.9A. Has anyone else experienced this?
I noticed that with the 7.2v pack it's starting voltage is around 3.4v which drops quickly to 3.2v but then very slowly descends 0.1v every 10 seconds, at the same time current is falling like a stalled 747?

The top end of the light gets warm, not hot, but when it cools down again after I switch it off the current starts up ok again. The light's not changing colour but I think the amps drop quickly as it heats up.

Is this normal? I'm using the britelumens heatsink.

 

[missionaryman]

I went out tonight and took some beamshots of the new P7 build and took my ROP along for some comparison shots.

Aerial photo showing distance to pole you can see in the background is 175m

And just to show my level of dedication: the temperature - brrrrr!

 

[missionaryman]

Here's the beamshots - text explains scenarios:

Some close ups:
Aspheric P7 illuminating pole 175m away

Aspheric ROP to the same target - only barely just gets it:

P7 to the same target without Aspheric lens:

Then ROP to same target without aspheric lens:

 

[missionaryman]

I know my ROP looks really yellow but it's not, it's about the same as a good 6AA NIMH ROP with no resistance in the circuit. It's a 2D LiIon set up running 4xparallel NTC which drops voltage by 0.3v, bulb is getting about 7.6v at the start settling down to about 7.0v, Just the P7 is really white

If you finding it really hard to believe that this ROP isn't too yellow compare it to the car headlights which are yellower again with the engine running.