**UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

**UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Jan 31 '03 Update:

Hi everyone, lots of developments in these LED-based lights - particularly recently with the emergence of almost a half dozen new versions, models, etc. Scroll down...

A.
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Hi everyone,

I was having fun on the workbench last night and started building some more small LED-based map/reading lights. I call these very functional little gizmos "mapdinosaurs". (see the pictures for an explanation) These are little LED-based lights intended for use in a car, in a tent, in your bedroom, a sound booth, airplane cockpit, etc.

This started when I did a couple a while back for my sister who works in the sound booth at the local Arts Centre. They were an instant hit. They kind of took off since then. For example, my pilot uncle has asked me to build a handful for him and his buddies to use in their cockpits at night, etc.

In any case, I have some high intensity red KnightLEDs here as well as some nice Fairchild MV8W00 whites from a particularly white reel. I was prototyping again last night - a few different battery configurations, LED holding configurations, etc. I wound up with three different prototype lights:

2 LED red (3 x AA batteries)
3 LED red (3 x AA batteries)
4 LED white (4 x AA batteries)

Here is a photo:



The biggest light is the white one (4 x AA) , the other two are the red ones (3 x AA)

All have different LED mounting arrangements. The smallest red one has a stiff neck with a flexible end and the other two have fully flexible necks.

All three use AA battery holders with switches and run on standard AA batteries (or can use rechargeables if desired). The LEDs are run with current limited appropriate to the supplied voltage, current requirements, etc.

Here are some more photos:

Here are all three mapdinosaurs together showing their beams:

1. standing up, shining down onto a page


2. laying down, shining along a flat surface


Here is a photo of the white mapdinosaur and its' beam, all alone:


Here are some comparison beamshots between the mapdinosaurs and a new Photon II. In comparison with the mapdinosaurs the Photon II looks like it's headed for extinction!

1. The 2-LED red mapdinosaur and a Photon II:


2. The 3-LED red mapdinosaur and a Photon II:


3. The 4-LED white mapdinosaur and a Photon II:


In case this isn't obvious from the photos, these little suckers are *bright*.

At this point I'm open to some suggestions/comments/etc. from fellow CPF'ers...

best regards to all,

A.

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

I'm working on a deal with him...

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

You would have a ready market from LEO's working the night shifts. The red would preserve night vision while doing reports and using the notebook computers. I'm showing my ignorance here, but I'll ask anyway: is there any way to use a dimmer with LED's?

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

>dimmer

Rigel Systems' astronomy lights have dimmers.
They have a thread here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000034

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

>dinosaur
This is a very nice idea. I'd recommend making one where the LED cable comes out of the smallest side of the box, so the box can be dropped in a front shirt pocket with the cable curling up and forward.

There are "USB" powered LED lights for sale with similar 4-AA boxes (found a few a while back, haven't seen them lately) but the socket is in the biggest side of the case so they're not easily shirt-pocketable, which is a nuisance.

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your interest in the mapdinosaurs!

4x4Dragon - I do make these to sell from time to time so please drop me a message if you are interested.

bikecop - thanks for your interest on behalf of LEO's on the night shift. This is pretty well the same application that my airline pilot uncle and his buddies like the mapdinosaurs for.

Regarding dimming - I can also make these switched with a dimmed setting and a full brightness setting, or two dimmed settings and a full brightness setting if desired.

hank - the LED cable in fact does come out of the smallest side of the box on all but the stiff-necked 3 LED red mapdinosaur. Here is a photo showing that a little better:



Thanks again to all for the thoughts and comments.

If there is enough interest in these I will start a new thread in Buy/Sell/Trade. Just pipe up and let me know!

best regards to all and Happy New Year!

A.

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Very nice indeed! You could even use the flat side of the battery holder to apply velcro to make them easy to stick the dash..

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Yes, very nice work!

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Hi Slick,

Thanks for the comment. Yes, velcro is an option. I am also doing them with high-friction tape on the bottoms, rubber feet, a hook to hand over a bed headboard, etc. Lots of options!

Stay tuned since I'll be working on these a little more over the next while...

best regards,

A.

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Originally posted by abohnen:
Hi Slick,

Thanks for the comment. Yes, velcro is an option. I am also doing them with high-friction tape on the bottoms, rubber feet, a hook to hand over a bed headboard, etc. Lots of options!

Stay tuned since I'll be working on these a little more over the next while...

best regards,

A.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Me would like to buy one! C'mon, don't wimp out on us, make some more and sell them! Please!

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

selling/trading away the mapdinosaur prototypes...

...EDIT...

moved to B/S/T on 24 Jan.

Thanks!

A.

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

The word "dinosaur" makes the light sound as though it's a dated design or something. How about "Dino-Lite" or something? Or "Cobra-Lite", "Gooseneck-Lite", etc.

Nice idea!

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

...or "mapasaurus"

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

DipLEDocus

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Originally posted by x-ray:
DipLEDocus

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Haw, haw, haw!

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

'DinoLux', or, 'Luxosaurus', or 'Maposaurus Luxeus'

Very inovative!

Wayne J.

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Thanks for the praise Wayne - I really appreciate it, particularly from you!

best regards,

Aaron

p.s. - red mapdinosaurs are still available...

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Using the dinolamp in an aeroplane cockpit sounds a cool idea!
You could even have some made with Boeing or the airline Company logo on the batterybox!

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

Hi everyone,

I've been doing some more prototyping and here is another sample I completed today. It's a one-LED version in white with a longer, *modular* adjustable neck. This single-LED version is also a real battery miser. It should provide 30-40+ hours at full power or near to it from a set of AA batteries. The light is not nearly as blue as it seems in this photo - that's mostly because of the dim incandescents providing background illumination in my office.

Here's a photo:



There are also a few other models in the pipeline. Lots of options too - options for the neck to come from the top of the unit rather than the end, short necks, long necks, single/double/triple/etc. LED options, even dual head options! The dual-head version was suggested by my father for use illuminating controls on the front of a guitar amp but would also be good for a reading light - one head for each page of an open book...

Lots more coming! Suggestions/thoughts/etc.? What do you all think and/or what would you like to see?

best regards,

A.

p.s. - these are available only in singles at this point, and each is custom. Please email or PM if interested...

Re: **UPDATE** "mapdinosaurs" - my LED-based map/reading/cockpit lights ... beamshots!

it looks like the modular head is an RCA plug. What I would suggest is putting something like 4 or 5 rca jacks on it, maybe 2 on one end, one on each of the other sides, and selling the modular heads seperate, then you could plug up to 5 heads into the same power pack, or choose where the head was, or what head was on, etc. Not sure how much rca plugs cost though, probably like a dollar each at radio shack, and the jack might be a couple bucks, not sure though. Would be nice way to choose how much light you wanted. You could either plug in one head with 4 LED's or 4 heads with one led, or 2 heads with one led, or whatever.