1w LS in 6v light?

Please forgive me if there is already a tread about this. I searched and could not find what I need.

How do I run a 1w LS in a 6 volt light? Specifically, a 4 C headlamp. Do I need a step down circuit or is there a simpler option to get the volts down to around 3.6? Simple is better for me.

Thanks for the help.

Well, if you really do cave exploration like your CPF name suggests, I would seriously suggest that you install a step-down, regulating circuit, and save yourself the precious weight and efficiency loss from dummy battery and resistors.

Thanks for the input guys!

Yes, weight and efficiency are very important to me, but so is keeping it simple. Is there a simple step down, regulating curcuit? I don't know much about these curcuits.

FYI, I am planning to put a 1w LS in the spot side of a Petzl Duo Belt. After seeing the results of the lens used with ElektroLumen's Blaster II, I think the Duo would make a great host for such a setup. Petzl's 8 LED mod for the dim side works great.

i don't use headlamps...is that one metalbodied?

if not, you certainly don't want to overdrive it very hard, especially as there probably won't be much room for heatsinking inside.

well, if you have a really high vf luxeon and good heatsinking, you could dd it, but i would suggest using some resistance. dropping in a couple resistors will work just fine for this.

Make a dummy C cell. The easiest way is to wrap aluminum foil around a piece of cylindrical wood (broomstick?)about the size of a C cell. There are many variations.The other three C's will give you about 3.5 volts. You may want to resistor the 1W Luxeon. Not the most elegant solution but simple. Maybe make a hollow dummy C to hold an incan. bulb so you can convert the light back to incan. in the field.

Hello there caver,

I like the idea of the dummy C cell.
I'd hollow out the dummy cell, then insert
a 2 to 3 ohm, 1 watt resistor inside there.
Leave enough room for air to circulate.
That would be about it. You would be
running the LED off of three C cells with
the series resistor of 2 to 3 ohms.

Take care,
Al

Caver,

Look at the micropuck here.

http://www.ledsupply.com/02009a.html

It is specifically designed to run either a 1W luxeon or several white LED's.

After readig your second post I understand why you can't run a dummy battery. Your luxeon needs 3.5 volts but that 8 LED module was designed for 6 volts. You will have a headlamp with 2 lights that require different input voltages sharing the same single power source. Hmmmm....

I have a duo too and I am considering the same mod. I plan to reconfigure my battery pack to run 4 cells in series/parallel to send about 2.4 V (I use rechargeables) to the micropuck, which will provide the appropriate voltage to the Luxeon or an array of LED's. But you asked for simple and this is not.

Good luck with whatever you do.