(FAILED) Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

This is a dream attempt to make a Regulated AAA Luxeon I Light with a decent runtime.

Raw Materials:
Body: $2 (Bare Al)
LED: $3 (Luxeon I)
Switch: $.5 (Clicky/Tactical)
Optic: $1 (Custom,Acrilic)
Regulator (LDO): $1
Assembly: $2.5 (Misc Costs + Profit)
--------------------------
Total: $10

Extra: Li-Ion AAA Rechargable (350 mAH) + Nano Charger (AW's Cells)

The LDO to be setup to run a Luxeon I at about 70 mA (near Max Luminous Efficiency Point)

Runtime: (350mAH/70mA) * .8 (LDO Efficiency) = 4 Hours (realistic)

...i dream to build about 100 initially and then later on up to 500 per run...

Does it sound like a realistic dream???

Let's think about this seriously... comments & feedback welcome

EDIT: please read this post... https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/1269093&postcount=150

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

I'm in - for about 5 of them!!

Especially if they are mag. solitaire sized.

That would be a brilliant deal.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

If the size was kept very small I'd be interested in a couple. If I was able to drive it at higher currents aswell that would be even better. I'd gladly sacrifice a bit of runtime for brightness. Two stage?

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

If you mean the Willie Hunt LDO regulator, it's a buck regulator and is for incandescent bulbs only.

Relying on a li ion battery (and its charging system, more $$) defeats the notion of a $10 light. So I'd say use 2x123, lets you use a UK eLED-like buck regulator with no inductor, with high efficiency and flat output. Or it might be interesting to use a 9 volt battery. With 75 ma from the battery you could put 200 ma through the led, giving pretty good brightness and runtime.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

Are you sure AAA Nanos are still available? They seem to have disappeared from both the dealers & modders sub-forums.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

LEDninja said:

Are you sure AAA Nanos are still available? They seem to have disappeared from both the dealers & modders dub-forums.

Click to expand...

The AAA Nano chargers are back in stock..... here.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

paulr said:

If you mean the Willie Hunt LDO regulator, it's a buck regulator and is for incandescent bulbs only.

Click to expand...

Not saying the Willie Hunt regulator is a cost effective or space saving idea here, but it should be able to be used by leds. I have a Black Diamond Vectra IQ headlamp that uses one, and it has 3 regulated levels for both the incan lamp and the leds. I'm pretty sure both the incan and leds are both hooked up to it. It's a buck regulator, yes, but the 3.7V output would be no problem for 5mm leds or a luxeon. I use nimh in mine to increase the current available at 3.7V for a brighter incan lamp than stock.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

Viren, your costs will be a higher but I believe you can do it. And when you do, I would like to buy one.

Hopefully, you will make them in the USA.

Peter

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

Phaserburn said:

Not saying the Willie Hunt regulator is a cost effective or space saving idea here, but it should be able to be used by leds. I have a Black Diamond Vectra IQ headlamp that uses one, and it has 3 regulated levels for both the incan lamp and the leds. I'm pretty sure both the incan and leds are both hooked up to it. It's a buck regulator, yes, but the 3.7V output would be no problem for 5mm leds or a luxeon.

Click to expand...

The regulator designs that I've seen from Willie were not buck regulators. They were pwm regulators designed solely for use with incandescents, and are designed to put a fixed amount of power into a resistive load. Definitely not suitable for a LED.

For that matter, a voltage regulator isn't suited for leds either. A current regulator is the appropriate type. The has been discussed numerous times the the electronics area of the forum.

Steve K.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

Gransee said:

Viren, your costs will be a higher but I believe you can do it. And when you do, I would like to buy one.

Hopefully, you will make them in the USA.

Peter

Click to expand...

I wish, they could be built in USA, for building them in USA the cost will simply be triple (in terms of Labour, Machining etc....)

This is my first attempt to think of some thing seriously....

Currently searching Global Sources (mainly in China) to manufacture some small quantity of bodies with Maximum Quality Control ...

I am thinking of following steps
1) Get (Proto) Body Built First and build a "Proof of Concept"
2) Build a Minor Run (may be 10 - 20) and distribute for "Testing"
3) If all goes ok, do a small run of 100
4) Fix a time line after the first 100 build and response.

dont know if i am on a right path yet....

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

paulr: it's a simple LDO regulator (not buck one) ....

I m planning for R**J or R**H bin's for this light...

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

Steve K said:

For that matter, a voltage regulator isn't suited for leds either. A current regulator is the appropriate type. The has been discussed numerous times the the electronics area of the forum.

Click to expand...

There are a good number of lights that use voltage regulators with leds. The Arc AAA comes to mind, among others. Current regulation is better with leds, but voltage regulation is certainly useable. I'm not sure if the BD Vectra IQ is using a Willie Hunt job, but I'm pretty sure it is.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

OK, maybe I misused the term "buck regulator" to mean any regulator whose input voltage is higher than the rms voltage seen by the load.

Now it looks like you're planning to attempt offshore manufacturing in high volume. I'm not sure you know what you're getting into. Why don't you just talk to whoever is making the Xnova/Ghost/similar lights, and suggest they make a Luxeon light?

I was going to say something about the UK 4AA eLED which was $20 at Brightguy til recently, but it's now up to $25.95.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

paulr, Yes it is more or less of same idea. to request some manufacturer to make similar light (hopefully with the cost constrains)... may be i email dae with the requirements.

The size of this light would be similar to Arc / Peak Pocket series, (space savings in not having space hungry components like inductor etc)

The Beam patern will be not a thrower but a genral purpose close work up light... (may be an simple polished aluminium reflector instead of optics could also do) ....

keeping open on options....

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

If it works out, l'd be interested in at least one... but it sounds like it might cost more when you factor in labor... what about heatsinking? Will you use Chemkote?

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

at 70 mA to Luxeon I there wont be enough heat generated ... so there is no need for any heat sink...

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

I'd be intrested in doing the electronic design, if you handle the reflector and case.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

DCFluX: It would b great thing to do... Please remember, this will be a Light light for benifit of people here on CPF & others too...

You are welcome to propose electronic design... .. remember the cost constraint on the design of LDO Regulator...

I am thinking of a simple LDO setup with a Resistor controling LDO in Current Mode to 65 - 70 mA

All things including the LED will be on Single PCB, single sided, Other side will be used as a +ve contact for the Battery.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

I'm a newbie, so please pardon my ignorance, but I've read everywhere on the forums that Lux1's are ideally driven at 350mA. Is 70mA considerably underdriving the LED?
Thanks.

Re: Let's Build a $10 AAA Regulated Luxeon I Light...

yes jsr, its a tradeoff to have a long runtime and enough brightness ( please remember that it will be far more than a 5 mm LED running on 50 mA) for instance a Nichia LED being run at 50 mA Overdrive...

Luxeon I at 60 - 70 mA should give a compromise of near Highest Lumens per watt readings and efficiency in terms of light output...