Small Size & Ultimate Brightness

x-ray · Aug 5, 2002

Anyone got any ideas for a mod that can be done on any small flashlight (was thinking AA Mag or similar) that would make it extremely bright.

Now I know this has been asked before but here's the twist, It only has to last for lets say 3 - 5 minutes before it melts/explodes/bursts into flames etc

I'm open to any suggestion for LED or incandescent lights.

And yes I know this is a very silly thing to do but hey just think how much fun it would be to impress your friends with a 1 million candlepower Mag Solitaire

Doug S · Aug 5, 2002

Originally posted by x-ray:
Anyone got any ideas for a mod that can be done on any small flashlight (was thinking AA Mag or similar) that would make it extremely bright.

Now I know this has been asked before but here's the twist, It only has to last for lets say 3 - 5 minutes before it melts/explodes/bursts into flames etc

I'm open to any suggestion for LED or incandescent lights.

And yes I know this is a very silly thing to do but hey just think how much fun it would be to impress your friends with a 1 million candlepower Mag Solitaire

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">If you are willing to consider 4AA lights taking PR bulbs such as the Princeton Tech TEC40, then I would suggest 4AA NiCd or NiMh driving an HPR-53. It will be a race between the bulb blowing and the reflector melting. You should get around 110 lm while the fun lasts.

B@rt · Aug 5, 2002

carbonsparky · Aug 6, 2002

At one time you could get AA lithium cells that were rated at 3 volts a cell, Two of those would almost melt down a mini-mag. All the AA size lithiums I have seen lately are rated at 1.5 volts. If you could find a lithium the right size to be able to stuff two of them in your mini mag or one in your solitair. Better yet just buy yourself a Brinkmann LX at your local Wal-Mart (about $20) and impress your self and your friends with about the brightest light you can buy for $20 or less and still be roughly the size of a mini-mag.

carbonsparky · Aug 7, 2002

Sorry did not notice your London Address. You probly don't have any Wal-Marts there. I just picked up a Brinkmann Legend LX and it is very bright. If you check out some of the threads on this forum you will find there is a few different brands of lithium powered Mini-Mag sized flashlights. Most of these are knock your eyes out bright, and as in the case of the Legend will run for about a hour on a set of two 123A batteries. The Legend package says it is 10 times brighter than a standard 2 AA flashlight and I believe them.

x-ray · Aug 8, 2002

Thanks For The Advice Everyone.

Carbonsparky I too can't seem to find any 3 volt lithiums, Do you think putting 3 N size batteries in a mini mag would have much effect ?

hank · Aug 8, 2002

AAA size 3+ volt cells are common as computer memory backups, try a computer supplier if you don't find another source. Don't use them in place of a standard 1.5v cell in anything you might fry!

Vikas Sontakke · Aug 8, 2002

I accidentally applied 2.4V to Solitaire bulb. It was *bright* for about "igni-second"! Bi-pin bulbs don't take over-voltage kindly.

EMPOWERTORCH · Aug 12, 2002

Good to met another Uk torchaholic!
How sbout a Cyan 5W direct-drive luxeon in a 3AA cell torch as available from Maplin? Use high capacity nicads or Lithiumms though! The torch will put out seriously briliant light before it gets very hot!

Lantern Jack O. · Aug 13, 2002

Originally posted by EMPOWERTORCH:
Good to met another Uk torchaholic!
How sbout a Cyan 5W direct-drive luxeon in a 3AA cell torch as available from Maplin? Use high capacity nicads or Lithiumms though! The torch will put out seriously briliant light before it gets very hot!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Whoa, better put a 'dead-man switch' on that one. Otherwise it might burn a hole all the way to China when you drop it to save your hand from being branded.

Orion · Aug 14, 2002

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by EMPOWERTORCH:
Good to met another Uk torchaholic!
How sbout a Cyan 5W direct-drive luxeon in a 3AA cell torch as available from Maplin? Use high capacity nicads or Lithiumms though! The torch will put out seriously briliant light before it gets very hot!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whoa, better put a 'dead-man switch' on that one. Otherwise it might burn a hole all the way to China when you drop it to save your hand from being branded.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Um, . . . . from Lumileds, they show that the cyan 5W LS has a minimum forward voltage of 5.43, a typical of 6.84, and a maximum of 8.31, so why do you think 3 AA batteries would make it bright and hot? That's not even to the minimum forward voltage. . . . . . . . . . . .or am I missing something here?

Jonathan · Aug 14, 2002

If the goal is lots of watts very quickly from a 2AA tube, I'd suggest taking a look at the 2/3AA and 1/3AA sized NiMH and NiCd cells. You can certainly get higher voltage primary cells (eg. the 3V lithiums), but you can't beat the NiCd cells for low internal resistance, and the NiMH cells are a good second with higher energy storage.

This gives you a choice of 3.6V or 7.2V, to run the 1W or the 5W luxeons, or a suitable incandescent lamp. Running the ordinary maglight bulb with 3.6V of NiMH will probably be quite bright, though only for a short bulb life.

-Jon

EMPOWERTORCH · Aug 14, 2002

I see the problem with the 5W Luxeon! That drives me to yet another idea! How about using a PP3 battery direct-driving a 5W luxeon...it wouldn't last long but it woulld be bright!

Small Size & Ultimate Brightness

x-ray

Flashlight Enthusiast

Doug S

Flashlight Enthusiast

B@rt

Flashaholic

carbonsparky

Enlightened

carbonsparky

Enlightened

x-ray

Flashlight Enthusiast

hank

Flashlight Enthusiast

Vikas Sontakke

Enlightened

EMPOWERTORCH

Enlightened

Lantern Jack O.

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Orion

Flashlight Enthusiast

Jonathan

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EMPOWERTORCH

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