Brinkmann on Steroids ?

I have a Brinkmann "rebel" I got at Wallmart a while ago, it has been screaming for a mod, so,
I'll give it a go with a micropuck and Luxeon star
this weekend, if all goes well and it doesn't melt down, I'll be happy. Stay tuned...

/ed b in NH

Isn't the Rebel already somewhat regulated? I only uses 2 AA batteries, right? It would have to have some sort of step up electronics in it to power the 5mm.

At any rate, good luck on the mod, and I hope all goes well!

It originally had a single white LED and a simple 2 transistor step-up circuit. I guess this is a case of upgrading more than of modification, as it already was an LED light, not it is just a better one...

With a LOT more "firepower", using a 1W white "star" ( on the little hex-shaped board), and the NXO5 optics from a previously "dead" 1W Luxeon Star/O.

Conversion was simple, the hardest part was figuring how to get the original LED assembly out. Installed a "MicroPuck" in the bottom of the now empty "cup" and wired that to the Star and battery holder twrminals. (Didn't use a Star/O, because it wouldn't fit inside without serious board trimming). I carefully glued the NXO5 to the inside of the
front bezel, and used four garden hose washers as a support and filler (they are somewhat compressible, and three Canadian quarters *, stacked below the Star, and attached with some Artcic Silver. These and the hose washers just fit inside the "cup" with a tiny amount of slack.

Now it is as bright, even a bit brighter than my Arc LS "second" and doesn't have that pee green tint.

* Someone had previously mentioned a "quarter-sized" heatsink, and I thought, "why not..."

Next, to do this to an old "Long Life LED" flashlight, the fat stubby one, just as soon as I figure out how to get it opened up. I may have to call up Houdini's spirit for this one ;-)
This one will most likely get the Royal Blue treatment.

The original LED and circuit will eventually get "reincarnated" into some other project. I never throw anything away...

Once I figure out one of teh ways to post a picture, I'll add it .

/ed in NH

While at the local hardware store last night, to get salt to melt the fargin' ice on the driveway,
I spotted some potentially better heatsinks for
1W Luxeon Stars, namely copper end caps for 3/4"
copper pipe. I bought 4 (39 cents each) and got them home, they measure just perfect for sticking inside a gutted Rebel. Incidentally, the plastic optics carrier from a 1W Luxeon star/O fits inside
with a little wiggle room. But my use would be to arctic silver the Luxeon on the outside end, glue
(very carefully) the NX05 optics to the bezel of the Bebel, and proceed from there.
So, hopefully this will provide better heatsinking and optical stability tham my use of 3 quarters and 4 garden hose washers.

Off to Wall Mart of the way home tonite to secure a couple more Rebels for modding...

/ed B in the blizzard

During this latest blizzard (we sure have a lot of these around here), I took two new Brinkmann Rebels and removed the original LED assembly, saved them for future projects. The aforementioned 3/4 inch copper tubing caps were the perfect diameter, but about 5/16 inch too long to seat properly. I used a simple tubing cutter, and some patience, and shortened them, then drilled two small holed to pass #24 wires from the micro puck. Arctic silvered the white
(and later red, in my original prototype) onto the end of the caps. Wired teh black and red wires to the battery terminals in the plastic
"cup" that held the original LED assembly, ran the orange and green wires thru the little holes, and soldered them to the + and - terminals on the Luxeon Star (no puck meeded for the red LED) and pushed the new LED assembly into the cup part way, and then re-inserted it into the Rebel. Viola - it works. Next carefully ran a fine line of superglue around the inside of the bezel, carefully put in the NX05 optics,
being super-careful not to smear any glue on it,
and tried for fit. Had to push the copper pipe cap LED assembly in a little, try again, etc until everything fit and was in focus and the beam centered. Worked perfect! better than my original "75 cent" heatsink, and doesn't shift around when the light is dropped or whacked.
I then took the original one, removed the LED and 3 quarters heatsink, and put in a copper cap with red Luxeon star. Once again, all works perfectly. Nice simple mod, and reading this rambling dissertation probably takes longer than the mod will.

/ed B in the blizzard #2