Lobstradomus
Newly Enlightened
I came up with this idea while struggling to sleep last night, and was hoping to get some feedback on the feasibility and/or sanity of my concept. A bit of backstory first - I've been debating what to do with a spare G2 body, of course I could just go with a P91 or one of the ready made hot drop-ins from someone like Lumens Factory but that just seems too easy and too common. I remember a long time ago fivemega did a small run of G4 bi-pin P60 Dropins which looked pretty amazing, especially when combined with an 1185 Welch Allyn bulb and 3 IMR cells, but those seem to be nearly impossible to find.
So I was thinking about building my own bi-pin drop-in and reflector when it struck to me to instead make it a PR potted bulb socket. With a potted socket I can use regular potted bulbs, or any of the bi-pin socket adapters in their various sizes lending to great versatility.
Without any adapter I could use a common 3 cell Mag bulb with a single lithium ion battery, two li-ions with a 5 or 6 cell Mag bulb, or my personal front runner 2 IMR's with a ROP bulb (going by LuxLuthors destructive testing it looks like 500+ lumens with the low bulb or (with a bored out host) possibly over 1k lumens with the high bulb on a pair of 18350 IMR cells.)
Of course those numbers seemed like they would give any bi-pin bulb a run for their money, until you add in a third battery that is, (this is where I really start to question the sanity of my idea.) Granted there don't seem to be very many bulbs that can handle the initial voltage of 3 IMRs while still putting out some decent lumens (aside from the Carley/FM 1909 @~2k lm.) But with a soft start switch the options open up a bit more to include the WA1185, JC5607 or even the Osram 56580 and GE 427118 if used with batteries that can withstand the 8 amp draw.
Of course sheer massive output isn't the only benefit of a potted bulb drop-in, as I mentioned regular Mag Lite bulbs could be used for longer run times, or with different bi-pin adapters the light could be fitted with a streamlight TL-3 bulb, mini-mag bulbs or possibly even some 5mm LED's with a bit of modification.
So that's my idea, I still need to work out the construction but it seems like it would have huge versatility with battery and bulb combinations and be capable of massive output (granted its probably just going to spew light everywhere with the incredibly small reflector to bulb size ratio.) My main concern is heat transfer to the batteries and keeping them cool, but even if I can isolate the heat inside the bezel if it doesn't melt/catch fire would the trapped heat risk essentially cooking off the bulb? Still something about the idea of a G2 1k+ lumen ROP sleeper almost makes the risk of catastrophic failure/fire/explosion seem worth trying.
Thoughts? Warnings? Mental Institution recommendations?
So I was thinking about building my own bi-pin drop-in and reflector when it struck to me to instead make it a PR potted bulb socket. With a potted socket I can use regular potted bulbs, or any of the bi-pin socket adapters in their various sizes lending to great versatility.
Without any adapter I could use a common 3 cell Mag bulb with a single lithium ion battery, two li-ions with a 5 or 6 cell Mag bulb, or my personal front runner 2 IMR's with a ROP bulb (going by LuxLuthors destructive testing it looks like 500+ lumens with the low bulb or (with a bored out host) possibly over 1k lumens with the high bulb on a pair of 18350 IMR cells.)
Of course those numbers seemed like they would give any bi-pin bulb a run for their money, until you add in a third battery that is, (this is where I really start to question the sanity of my idea.) Granted there don't seem to be very many bulbs that can handle the initial voltage of 3 IMRs while still putting out some decent lumens (aside from the Carley/FM 1909 @~2k lm.) But with a soft start switch the options open up a bit more to include the WA1185, JC5607 or even the Osram 56580 and GE 427118 if used with batteries that can withstand the 8 amp draw.
Of course sheer massive output isn't the only benefit of a potted bulb drop-in, as I mentioned regular Mag Lite bulbs could be used for longer run times, or with different bi-pin adapters the light could be fitted with a streamlight TL-3 bulb, mini-mag bulbs or possibly even some 5mm LED's with a bit of modification.
So that's my idea, I still need to work out the construction but it seems like it would have huge versatility with battery and bulb combinations and be capable of massive output (granted its probably just going to spew light everywhere with the incredibly small reflector to bulb size ratio.) My main concern is heat transfer to the batteries and keeping them cool, but even if I can isolate the heat inside the bezel if it doesn't melt/catch fire would the trapped heat risk essentially cooking off the bulb? Still something about the idea of a G2 1k+ lumen ROP sleeper almost makes the risk of catastrophic failure/fire/explosion seem worth trying.
Thoughts? Warnings? Mental Institution recommendations?
