Linger
Flashlight Enthusiast
Emitter
The obvious inspiration for this is the Moddoo triple. There is a source for bin selected Rebel 100's, (3000k, 4000k, 5000k,etc: I used 2x3000k, 1x4000k) in Ontario, and the flux is listed higher then any cree warm tints (Rebel spec's 105lumen@350ma).
I reflowed these onto a 20mm triple star. They were my 3rd, 4th, and 5th reflowed emitters (1st and 2nd went to a quad m@g) and went perfectly, the liquid solder emerging in a moment as the emiter settled down on it. More efficient then AA or thermal expoxy, now the emiter slug is soldered onto the contact pad.
I wired these in parrallel.
Each emitter has it's own -'ve coming off the driver. I connected one +'ve to the board and joined the two other contact pads to it. The wiring was a challenge but I'm very happy with the low voltage requirement (the 3p rebels actually tested well w 2s eneloop, 2.4v open circuit so the drop-in would run-on for some time with a primary cell)
Optic
I've grown fond of optics vs. reflectors. I want to see what I shine the light at, and I like the gradual fade to the periphery. Optics have gotten good reviews in some headlamps as being 'more natural' and suiting the higher concentration of rods towards the center of the eye and gradual distribution towards the periphery. (The Ledil Boom is another great one for this beam pattern) I selected the Carlco 'narrow' for this, reported as 12.5FHW, this was as narrow as I could get (3x 5.5FHW polymer optics wouldn't fit the host). This will be my premier wilderness light so it needed decent range to fit the req.
Driver
Easiest would have been to run the emitters in series but that limits my power options, and I'm not familiar with 11.1v drivers. The SB 8x7135 is my consistently performing favourite, low-mid-high + memory, discharge protection...it's great. I should knock the polarity protection off, but I'll do it in with an emitter less dear to me.
Wiring
All 26g Teflon coated wires, in all contact points. Since I started into Incan I read a lot about m@g resistance mods. With incan, higher voltage is more power, so after a light is designed to meet over-drive spec everything that can be done to reduce resistance and actualy meet that spec is done. It seems common misperception that lower led drive currents haven't made this so pivital, but I've been looking back through reviews and every one I see reports tailcap reading well below the advertised spec. While the majority of it is in cheap batteries, this is a hobby so I have time to do silly things like run wires through my contact springs.
I added an additional -'ve contact wire and a seperate black wire to each emitter.
Beamshots
(I have a univ. exchange student from HK renting an appartment, it is her bed cover and shows the beam colour excellently)
With Moddoo triple xpe
no comments on battery strenght, triple xpe powered by 2x123's, tripel rebel by an 18650. Hotspot roughly equal, note the excellent colour blending of the 3 rebel emitters, the triple rebel 100 looks uniform even with two 3000k and a 4000k emitter (tint difference visible only when tested individually)
Slight difference in beams - the xpe triple larger hotspot, triple rebel smaller hotspot but smoother spread, larger 'corona' visible around the spot. So while xpe seems to 'eat' into rebel hotspot the rebel corona reaches almost to the bed and wraps around nicely.
This is a solid combination and an excellent beam. The triple rebel has a defined hotspot for decent range, good blending around the center with a large usable beam that is bigger then traditional hotspot of a reflector and brighter as the majority of light concentrated in the center, less 'waste' lumens spilt around the 180 radius.
Thank-you.
Linger
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