What replacement emitter for a Sparr 1xAA light?

xachopin

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Mar 3, 2009
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My lowcost Sparr 1xAA light (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6514) took a fall yesterday and it won't light up anymore. After a quick diagnostic it seems that the emitter is dead.

Since the light itself looks like nice body to start modding (emitter en clicky are screwed not glued), I would like to replace the emitter with a new one (I'm new at modding flashlights, but I know how to solder).

So, I'm looking for low price emitter (16 mm) with good runtime (1 ou 2h), preferably on kaidomain or DX since shipping is free, and that would work with one 1,2-1,5V AA battery. Can anyone provide me with some links to that kind of emmiter (the one I've seen seems to work only with 3V)?
 
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Any white led needs this 3.7 Volts, also the one that died ...

Could You open the head and give a pic of how the led is mounted?
If You are lucky (and the driver still works), there is a chance You only have to do a simple emitter swap.

Purchase something like this http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1445 and solder it in instead of the original one.
As this light is soooo small, there is a chance the big star (the hexagonal plate the led is mounted onto) does not fit in. The s smaller round one is needed, like: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11023
(unfortunately I did not find one with a Seoul led. This Cree led here might need a bit of work around the reflector, maybe just to drill the hole bigger. Except for physical size, it is identical with the Seoul)



but the easier and better way were to purchase a light - more expensive of course - that gives You good working and machining form the beginning.
As this was a 1 AA light, that were a Fenix LD10
(I would advise a model powered by 2 AAs)
 
Any white led needs this 3.7 Volts, also the one that died ...

Could You open the head and give a pic of how the led is mounted?
If You are lucky (and the driver still works), there is a chance You only have to do a simple emitter swap.

Thanks for your quick answer. I retested the light last night, and the output voltage at the exit of the driver is only 1,5 V, so it seems that the emitor is the problem. I've alos tried to hook the emitter to as 3v AC adaptor, and it lights up alright.

I've found 3 board on DX that seems to be compatible with 1xAA lights, but I don't know wich one will give me the best performance (longest runtime with acceptable light output). Do you have any hints on how to choose the right driver?

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7880
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7302
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10084

but the easier and better way were to purchase a light - more expensive of course - that gives You good working and machining form the beginning.
As this was a 1 AA light, that were a Fenix LD10
(I would advise a model powered by 2 AAs)

Even before my light broke I was looking for a new (better) one, and I was very interested by the Fenix L1D and LD10, so I guess I'm gonna order one of the two pretty soon. But for 3-4 $, I'm still interested in replacing my defective driver, just to experiment a little with flashlight modding.
 
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