Quad Cree 1C Mag with aspheric/reflector combo

[LED Zeppelin]

Hardware:

- HA black 1 C Mag, tailcap bored for shorter length
- (2) Sharks in parallel
- (2) SharkSink C, HA natural
- Shark topside micro heatsinks on IC and diode
- (1) 20K ohm log pot
- HA black LZ pot knob w/ trit vial indicator
- (4) Cree Q5 WG
- PXR19-C heatsink, HA black
- (3) McR19XR w/ MirageMan centering rings
- (1) 18mm X 6mm back focal length AR coated aspheric lens
- (1) custom lens holder physically interchangeable w/ McR19XR
- (3) trit vials installed under aspheric
- UCL lens

Specs:

- Powered by 1 AW Li-ion C cell
- Sharks are wired in parallel, each driving (2) Crees
- Vf or LED pairs ~ 6.9 V @ 350 mA
- Current pot-adjustable from 0 - 650 mA (knob rotation mechanically limited)
- Cell draw 3.4 A on hi, fully charged cell
- Runtime 45 - 55 minutes on hi
- Measures ~ 13,000 lux @ 1m on hi

Beamshots:
Camera settings for beamshots: ISO 200, F5.6, 1/10 sec, white balance to sunshine.

L to R (distance to wall ~ 15'):
- apsheric only beamshot
- beamshot of the (3) McR19XR
- full quad beam
- dimmed full beam at 1'



Build info:

This build was designed to be a pocketable throw light. I wasn't sure the single C cell could cope with the demand of a full 1 A to the LEDs, and it couldn't. Above 700 mA, the voltage sag is too great and the Sharks complain by overheating, cutting current, and flickering. After testing the build, I mechanically limited the pot rotation to the center detent of 650 mA by fitting a tiny roll pin into the tube under the knob which rides in a corresponding slot in the knob underside. Full rotation can be restored by removing the knob and pulling out the friction-fit pin.

I tested several small aspheric lenses and found a suitable one from the Surplus Shed. Unfortunately they only had a handful. I had some lens holders made that are interchangeable with a McR19XR, and incorporate a centering ring. I slightly defocused the lens/LED to smooth out the die image and reduce chromatic aberration.

The beam hotspot is dominated by the square aspheric, with some rings visible. But the combination of reflectors and the lens offers a good compromise of useable spill and excellent throw.

Special thanks to Mac for his help with this build.

 

[kurni]

interesting; wouldn't you get more throw if you use 4 aspheric? Beamshot would be like a cross but at least you get a very bright spot at the intersection LOL

Is your lens chipped?

Is it plano convex?

Great build

 

[LukeA]

interesting; wouldn't you get more throw if you use 4 aspheric? Beamshot would be like a cross but at least you get a very bright spot at the intersection LOL

The beamshot wouldn't look like a cross outside of a few inches in front of the light. The spots will overlap. If the dies aren't defocused a little, the emitters should be lined up so there's not a multi-point star shape spot.

 

[LED Zeppelin]

interesting; wouldn't you get more throw if you use 4 aspheric? Beamshot would be like a cross but at least you get a very bright spot at the intersection LOL

Is your lens chipped?

Is it plano convex?

Great build

I played around with more aspherics installed, but I didn't want only throw. The single aspheric/3 reflector combo gave good throw, good spill, and an overall more useful beam for my purposes.

What appears to be a chip in the lens in the head shot is the image of one of the trit vials. Three are epoxied to the conical bottom of the lens holder, but the lens makes them appear to be mounted in line with the axis of the light, just under the lens.

The lens is indeed plano convex.

 

[greenlight]

It's a good idea.

 

[maxspeeds]

This is an awesome build! Muchos Kudos! The only thing I would change is taking off one of the three reflectors and raising that cree emitter for dedicated flood use.:tinfoil:

 

[beetleguise]

Led Zeppelin is the best modder hands down.

 

[cryhavok]

This is a fantastic mod!

One question, isn't your lux@1 meter reading a bit low? I have a 4xCree Q2 XR-E mag that I made with the optics being McR-19's and direct driven (light pulls ~2 amps from the battery, so each LED receives ~500mA). My Lux@1 meter readings for this light is ~18,000. I would imagine your readings should be much higher given the higher driving current and use of aspheric lens.

 

[LED Zeppelin]

This is an awesome build! Muchos Kudos! The only thing I would change is taking off one of the three reflectors and raising that cree emitter for dedicated flood use.:tinfoil:

Good suggestion, incorporating beams fro one extreme to another. A bit late for this particular build but neat idea.

Led Zeppelin is the best modder hands down.

Bettleguise, many thanks though I can't wholeheartedly agree. I can say that I try to be the best modder I can be.

This is a fantastic mod!

One question, isn't your lux@1 meter reading a bit low? I have a 4xCree Q2 XR-E mag that I made with the optics being McR-19's and direct driven (light pulls ~2 amps from the battery, so each LED receives ~500mA). My Lux@1 meter readings for this light is ~18,000. I would imagine your readings should be much higher given the higher driving current and use of aspheric lens.

Cryhavoc, thanks also.

I really have difficulty getting consistent Lux readings with my Meterman LM631. It helps to turn the meter on well in advance of the reading and let it stabilize. But other than back to back readings for comparison purposes, I don't always have luck reproducing previous measurements. I would say at least a +/- 15% error is common for me.

I don't have many lights that will overload the meter (> 20K lux @ 1m). An M6 or some of my Moby **** FM3 based multi-LED lights will do it, but your readings seem higher than my meter would measure.

By contrast to the 13,000 lux this 1C light measured, this quad SSC Mag 2C (pictured next to the 1C above) running at about 1A per LED measured ~ 9000 lux. I know its apples to oranges, but nonetheless a marked increase in throw.

 

[Gunner12]

That seems like a really good idea.

I've been thinking about a similar light with 4 different optics. One aspheric, one throwy(but with some spill) optic, one middle range, and one flood.

 

[starfiretoo]

Good to see your mods again :goodjob:

 

[Icarus]

Another nice mod Dennis! :twothumbs
I like the potmeter knob with the trit and your cpf name very much.
Is the knob CNC made?

 

[LED Zeppelin]

Freddy, the knob was made on a CNC mill, but a jig was made to do the vertical grooves in lieu of an indexing table - a series of pot-size shafts with flats that varied, and the knobs were moved from shaft to shaft for the cuts.

 

[mcmc]

With this pot, does trimming to zero actually mean no current going to leds (i.e., use as alternate for clicking off?). And, that's great that the asph. is the same size as a McR-19! Can a McR-19 still be dropped in in place of the asph. + holder?

 

[LED Zeppelin]

mcmc,

with this particular cell/LED string Vf combination the light does indeed dim to zero. I suppose 0 output could be the same as clicking the light off, but I still use the switch. About 1/8 turn of the pot is required to light the LEDs.

The aspheric/holder can be interchanged at any time with an McR19XR, and can also be used in other lights. I just tested it and it fits perfectly in an A19 head as well. It has an integral centering ring like the McR17XR.