Question about the Princetontec MiniWave

[richardcpf]

Looking to make a 2500 lumens dive light and I think this is a pretty solid host. It will use 4x DX C size li-ion cells, blueshark boost driver, 7 xpg with Ledil LXP RS optics, 3" CPU heatsink, two modes with a 300 lumens low, and a external 12V auxiliar input.

I have few question for those who have a miniwave or miniwave led:

1. How is the battery bay configuration? 4 cells parallel in square shape or 2 rows or 2 cells stacked each?
2. What is the diameter of the head?
3. Is the reflector removable?

Please if anyone can provide this information because I cannot find it anywhere in the internet, they dont state the size of this spotlight.

Thanks.

 

[gcbryan]

Looking to make a 2500 lumens dive light and I think this is a pretty solid host. It will use 4x DX C size li-ion cells, blueshark boost driver, 7 xpg with Ledil LXP RS optics, 3" CPU heatsink, two modes with a 300 lumens low, and a external 12V auxiliar input.

I have few question for those who have a miniwave or miniwave led:

1. How is the battery bay configuration? 4 cells parallel in square shape or 2 rows or 2 cells stacked each?
2. What is the diameter of the head?
3. Is the reflector removable?

Please if anyone can provide this information because I cannot find it anywhere in the internet, they dont state the size of this spotlight.

Thanks.

I don't think there is any way that you are going to dissipate enough heat to drive 7 emitters for 2500 lumens regardless of the heat sink. At a certain point the heat has to leave the heat sink and be transferred to the outside and that isn't going to happen with a plastic body.

I've had similar lights in the past and as just a guess from the shape it's using 4 single cells in a square shape. If it comes with an option for a rechargeable battery pack then it might well be entirely square with no dividers but if not it's likely to be 4 single cells in a square shape.

This is just a guess however.

I've heard of people converted similar halogen lights to led lights with 200-300 lumens in a plastic housing but I don't see how your plan is going to work?

 

[richardcpf]

I will run tests to see how hot does it get and which is the maximun time I can leave it at max. If it doesnt work, I must open vents on the host and use a small fan to cool the heatsink. It will lose waterproofness but I don't do lot of diving anyways.

 

[gav6280]

I will run tests to see how hot does it get and which is the maximun time I can leave it at max. If it doesnt work, I must open vents on the host and use a small fan to cool the heatsink. It will lose waterproofness but I don't do lot of diving anyways.

Dude this is the dive light section! You got to at least have a go right?

Why so much lighting power, i bet most of the time that much will be totall over kill.

 

[Packhorse]

Dont even bother. There is no way to get rid of the heat.
I built a SST-90 based mag and that runs real how and it has a huge heatsink and lots of surface area to dissipate heat.

 

[Linger]

+1 for using a M@g instead (metal + water = amazing heatsink)

Those dx cells aren't high performers - you might drive 4 xpg's decently with them but push the cells too hard and they'll fall off. You'd be better with AW C or batteryspace IMR maybe.

 

[Hallmcc]

Dont even bother. There is no way to get rid of the heat.
I built a SST-90 based mag and that runs real hot and it has a huge heatsink and lots of surface area to dissipate heat.

Packhorse is that still running hot during a dive?

 

[Packhorse]

I have not got it wet yet.
I will have no way of measuring the temp while submerged ( unless I do it in a bowl with the tail cap off), but I guess it will run very cool as the heat sink has a lot of surface area contact with the handle of the mag.
Still waiting on the LDO10C.

 

[Klem]

Richard,

It is possible.

I have converted two Miniwave II's (halogen) to 12Watt 600-700 lumen LED's. I have uploaded some photo's to another site to show you;
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hiddivelights/photos/album/1203423054/pic/list

The Miniwave normally takes 4 C Cells in series but you are correct in thinking with a few minutes of soldering you can convert it to a 2-cell Li-ion design, using 4*25500 batteries.

Yes, you can remove and discard the halogen reflector.

The one problem you would have is getting rid of the amount of heat generated. While my 12Watt rig works, I'd hate to think how close to shutdown it is getting. Plus, that heat stays inside the same compartment as the Li-ion's which can reduce capacity.

The batteries take up all the space in the back, while the LED sits in the front section. This makes it difficult (but not impossible) to heatsink. You could drill and waterproof bolts to the outside but the LED is in the front section and doing would fix the LED to the front, which needs to spin on threads to close.

In the second conversion I discarded the factory switch and replaced with an external waterproof toggle. Doing this frees up space on the circuit board which you will need.

If you can solve the potential for heat shutting down your circuit it will work.

Look forward to hearing how you go.

Klem

 

[Klem]

Richard,

Before I forget, in answer to your other questions...

It is a single stack square of 4 C Cells.
The inside diameter of the front section is 62mm, and you have about 40mm of space forward of the existing circuit board to use for your LED.

Klem

 

[Klem]

Some pickies of the build...

It works, but only because of the extra heat sinking you build into it. Frankly it's an average platform as there's too much space around the head and this is uneccessary bulk and does not help with heat sinking.

The batteries are Li-ion C cell size.