Just another LED conversion question

Gentlemen,
This is my first post so please be gentle.

I'm looking for advice on converting a Tekna "Splash Lite" to white LED. For those not familiar, it currently uses 1 Lithium 123A 3v bat. and a standard bulb. It puts out a pitiful amount of light with terrible beam quality. I have no use for it except as an emergency light.
Owing to it's water resistance and long life lithium, if I could replace the bulb with a more efficient LED, it may make an excellent last-resort light. I reviewed other conversion posts and the wealth of information at Ledmuseum but I'm still "in the dark" (sorry, bad joke).
Any ideas on LED specs, where to buy, and mounting would be much appreciated.

The problem is white LED's want about 3.6v to 4.0v to light at any decent level. So a single 123, about 3.2v brand new, won't do much for you. Unless you use some sort of step up converter you need at least 2 123's.

Brock

Yeh, I have a UKE 2L It's bright enough for what it does (sits in my collection), so I think I will leave it alone for now.

I'm kinda bummed about the Splash though I was hoping to give it a new life as an LED. Would any color LED work or do they all have the same power requirements?

You could get red, yellow, or green LEDs that would work in the under 3V range.

Check out www.hosfelt.com part number 25-335 (TLYH180P) as a decent example.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BEAR:

Would any color LED work or do they all have the same power requirements?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Strongly recommended for your avail. voltage is Toshiba TLYH180P(U2)-8000mcd from Hosfelt Electronics-item #25-335
-lotsa bang for the buck! (.75ea-AMBER)

Oh ya! I am so stuck on white I didn't think of other colors. But red, orange and green all use lower voltages, so you could go that route.

Brock

If you want to hold out for a day or two I have a white 3 volt 9mm base 3 led bulb coming from Ledtronics. I will be testing it tomorrow or Saturday (I hope). It may (must I think) have a step-up built in to the P-R base to achive the light output (18000mcd). If it works as claimed it might simplify your quest as it could be dropped into any two cell/3 volt light useing that base (standard Mag-lite type) .

Thanks for all the help, Hosfelt.com- cool site, I can do some damage there.

An amber LED would be fine since the beam now is pretty yellow.

Alright, you guys are batting 1,000 so far, now do I need a resistor for the 2.5v LED?

Sorry for all the newbie tech questions, I'm not an electronics expert- unless you count the time I nearly electrocuted the cat...I like to tinker but I need some direction to get started.

Ken B,

That sounds like a winner if it works, any idea what the diameter of the module is- will it fit my bezel? Let me know when you get it.

thanx

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BEAR:

Alright, you guys are batting 1,000 so far, now do I need a resistor for the 2.5v LED?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Nope, as a matter of fact I put
one of those in a 3 cell Keyled
and it's Strong-no problem....

It`s a standard replacement type...like the ones used in the Turtle light but instead of a resistor in the base it has a step-up ( at least that`s what I an assuming at this point). I don`t know what type of bulb yours uses...is it a bi-pin or like a mag-lite?

KenB
The Bulb for the Splash is a Mag type with a screw base. 2.2V .25A. It's held in a plastic bub holder reflector assembly And upon further review, there seems to be some extra room in the bulb holder for a larger bulb if necessary. Can't wait to see it!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BEAR:
KenB
The Bulb for the Splash is a Mag type with a screw base. 2.2V .25A. It's held in a plastic bub holder reflector assembly And upon further review, there seems to be some extra room in the bulb holder for a larger bulb if necessary. Can't wait to see it!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I just got a 9mm screw base, 3-LED bulb today for evaluation... but I don't own a flashlight that uses a screw base lamp.

The size of the base seems to be the same as the PR, but it's a screw type and has no flange.

Recommendations for a flashlight I can test this bulb in?

All headlamps from Petzl use screw based bulb, except the low beam on Duo, the high beam on Duo still uses the screw based bulb.

The only model from Petzl that doesn't use screw based bulb is the one you already have - Tikka

Alan

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BEAR:
KenB
The Bulb for the Splash is a Mag type with a screw base. 2.2V .25A. It's held in a plastic bub holder reflector assembly And upon further review, there seems to be some extra room in the bulb holder for a larger bulb if necessary. Can't wait to see it!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, I`m sorry to say I don`t have a camera. I have a web cam but the only thing my kids taught me to do is play "pop the bubble" and a basket ball game called joop. Now that I think about it I wonder where it is...darn kids. But I will post as to whether it works as claimed or not.

I can't add to what Brock said, but I have a question. What do you think of that light (other than the beam quality with an incandescent)? Is it built well and waterproof? I found it for sale for $20. Do you think it's worth it, or is it a piece of junk?

I'm torn, I've had the light for forever and a day - It was one of my earlist forays into the world of flashlight freakdom, so I'm kinda fond of it. But no, it's not all that and a bag of chips.

It's fairly waterproof when on (when the bezel is screwed down tight) but when off there are not enough threads to keep a good seal with the o-ring. In other words it's easy to over-losen the bezel and it will leak. It's small and and light weight with a crappy beam.

Go UKE for waterproof, go Tekna for Nostalgia

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BEAR:
Go UKE for waterproof, go Tekna for Nostalgia<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks BEAR. In fact, I was going to suggest you get a UKE 2L and convert that instead, since it uses 2 batteries. I also heard that Tekna was bought out, so I don't know if they really exist anymore, although I found their (informationless) website.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by telephony:
I just got a 9mm screw base, 3-LED bulb today for evaluation... but I don't own a flashlight that uses a screw base lamp.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Is this the same lamp that KenB is talking about and if so can you tell me where you got it from or possible post a picture?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BEAR:
Is this the same lamp that KenB is talking about and if so can you tell me where you got it from or possible post a picture?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

One picture, coming right up...

*click*

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