what's this thing and why the led works without it?

[jalbam]

Hello!

I bought an "Aurora SH0032 Cree XPE Q5-WC 114-Lumen LED Flashlight with Carabiner Clip (1*AAA)" on DealExtreme (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26245) and I broke positive and negative wires (which was connecting the "thing", which I think it's a driver, with the led) while I tried to disassemble.

It was really difficult to dissasemble, and I had to use "brutal force". Now the body is broken (concretely the head), but the things inside seems to works well (despite the broken wires).

I tried to direct connect the led to a 4.5v cell (3LR12) and it works fine, really bright. Without reflector and any other thing.

Here you have the photo:

I have the following questions:

1) Is this a real Q5 led? It seems really tiny to me.

2) What's that thing? Is it a driver? How does it work? Why do I need it? Why does the led work without it?

3) How can I use the led? Now the flashlight head is broken. Can I build a very simple "handcrafted" flashlight? What would be the best and simplest method?

Sorry about my English and about the bad quality of the pics

Cheers,
Joan.

 

[coolperl]

Ad1. It's tiny because it's an XP-E type LED. Size here, doesn't matter. All flux bins (Q2, Q5, R2, etc.) in XP-E package are the same size.

Ad2. It's a driver. You need it, because LED needs something around ~3.4-3.7V to work properly. And thanks to a driver, you have some modes (i.e low, medium, SOS). The LED can work without driver, but the voltage ~4.5V is very dangerous for the LED (too high). Although LED will work at that voltage - this won't be long.

Ad3. I think the easiest way is ...to buy another flashlight. These are cheap...
To reparit it ...just reverse destroying procedure. Solder positive (red) wire to LED+ and negative (black) to LED-. The led must be placed on a pill (for heatsinking). And the whole pill (with led on top, and driver on bottom) must be placed in the head.
The head cannot be used anymore ? Find another that will fit, or buy another flashlight...

 

[jalbam]

Thank you very much!

Actually I don't understand what is a XP-E. I don't know what is a pill, driver, etc. hehehe. I though that CREE LED's (e.g. Q5) had only a unique size.

The flashlight only has one mode, then can I use a low-voltage cell without driver in a safe way? May be an AAA, directly.

The head it totally destroyed. It doesn't even have threads. May be I will try to build a custom flashlight (but I am really bad soldering) but I don't know where to find a head or how to build one. Also, I wil buy another one.

 

[Marduke]

XP-E is the LED model. "Q5" denotes the flux bin, not the model of emitter.

I would just get another light. Yours is beyond all reasonable repair. Just keep it for spare parts.

 

[jalbam]

What is a bin? Is there any thread with an explanation about what is a emitter (I think it's the same as LED), driver and bin?

Thank you again

 

[Marduke]

I suggest you read the Welcome Mat.

 

[jalbam]

Thanks for suggestion I visited http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=172991 and now I know a little more about leds, hehehe