Regulated Incandescents

[357]

How many regulated incandescents are there?


Why doesn't Surefire (or other leading edge companies) offer all their incandescents with a regulated option?

 

[maverick]

The incandescent lamp in the SF A2 is regulated. Not too sure about others....

 

[StuU]

It would be very cool if some of the electronics wizards in the group could come up with a regulator board for incandescents. Maybe something that could be built into a 2C or 2D Maglite for instance.

With steady, regulated current at say 800ma and a xenon bulb, a light like the Mag 2C would overcome the annoying problems with alkaline voltage drop. A good aftermarket reflector would make this light a top-notch contender.

 

[fivemega]

I have done that by installing a voltage regulator between switch and bulb on M*glite. It works fine and keeps brightness steady but shorten run time.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I would like to see incan bulbs designed for better bulb voltage range. Say a six volt nominal voltage bulb that would maintain good brightness from 4 1/2 volts to 7 1/2volts. I guess that is what leds are about. They are not dependent on just voltage, and can produce good light at higher and lower vf. An incan would need a constant current regulator with batteries of high capacity. There is one fairly constant current source for incans, the Nicd or NiMH battery.

Bill

 

[McGizmo]

As I understand it, the incans are voltage dependent and you *do* want constant voltage; not constant current. The A2 also has a soft start feature to go easy on heating up the filiment, if I'm not mistaken.

I think it's unfortunate that SF has not had the time or inclination to expand on the A2 platform. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[John N]

Isn't the SF E2D regulated?

Some of the BD headlamps like the SuperNova are regulated.

Willie Hunt sells regulators you can stick in pretty much anything:
http://www.cs.indiana.edu/~willie/lvr.html

-john

 

[Size15's]

The E2d is not regulated; it's another flavour of the E2 along with the E2e and E2o.

 

[John N]

Then, what is the "D" for?!

-john

 

[pjandyho]

The "D" designation in E2D stands for Defender series light. It is just an E2 series light with crenellated strike bezel and tail cap for jabbing your attacker in self defense.

 

[Techmedic]

I found CPF originally by searching for regulators. They are used mostly in headlamps by cavers, since there is almost always extra space in them. (Search)
Great idea, but I think most people (ahem...CPFer's) switch to lithium, ni-cad or li-on to get the flat discharge which gives the same net effect - whiter light for longer.

 

[js]

Willie Hunt has some great Voltage Regulators on his site. They are for incandescent lights only, however. They have soft-start, are very efficient (99%), can be made to give warning signals at near the end of cycle, automatic voltage cut-off and other cool stuff.

I think that regulating incans is a great idea, especially as it can be done VERY efficiently by using an AC output, which cannot be done with LED's, which must have a DC-DC regulator. And unfortunately, the A2 has both, and so has the less efficient (but more difficult to engineer) regulation circuitry.

The automatic voltage cut-off is great for protecting NiMH chemistry battery packs from over-discharge, too, and the soft-start feature really saves your lamps, as this is the time when the filament is by far the most likely to blow.

 

[Phaserburn]

Does no one use these regulators because more powerful incan mods (the only worthwhile kind!) use rechargeables with a flatter discharge curve? Still... why has no one incorporated this technology?

 

[brightnorm]

I'll gladly pay any modder who can make me a regulated PM6 xenon or D3/SRTH/N2, though Wilkey's "MiniUltraStinger" does fill a similar role in a rechargeable

Brightnorm

 

[js]

Phaserburn,

You CAN buy lights with Willie Hunt's LVR voltage regulators in them. I think the simple answer as to why there is only ONE production regulated incandescent light is COST. It costs a good bit of money to make up a regulation circuit, and if you don't "need" it, why do it? For example, the LVR3I costs $50.

Keep an eye on the mod forum, though, because I have some plans for an LVR or two.

 

[John N]

FYI: One thing I didn't realize with Willie's LVRs when I first looked is they don't have any sort of step-up. So, you need to start with a higher voltage supply than what you are going to be running your bulb at.

-john

 

[js]

[ QUOTE ]
John N said:

FYI: One thing I didn't realize with Willie's LVRs when I first looked is they don't have any sort of step-up. So, you need to start with a higher voltage supply than what you are going to be running your bulb at.

-john

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Absolutely. That's one of the reasons it's so efficient. If it were a boost/buck circuit, there's no way it would be 99 percent efficient. Also, if it were putting out DC, there's no way it would be 99 percent efficient/ This restricts its use to incans.

 

[turbodog]

For exactly what we're all talking about, please see my thread in incans. I have a review there of a drop-in 8aa to 2d with regulation and soft start.

 

[Phaserburn]

Just ordered a BD Supernova w/ Willie Hunt regulator inside. Under $50.

 

[Ginseng]

Phaser,
Got link?
Wilkey