HID powered mini

Question for you modders guys/gals(?). Can an HID (small no doubt!) be powered by an 18650 and, in what size configuration---any possibility of building something of this sort in a U2-sized light?


Karl

I have, of course, no idea, but at least I could move your question to the correct forum
bernie

Sorry but, what forum is the correct one?


karl

They can be powered by 18650, it's just a question of how many.
The smallest that "we" have is the MiniHID powered by 2x 18650 with full voltage regulation. The pack was made by Burnt_Retinas using LT chips.

As for U2 size, I believe this is a tad bit chubbier

The correct forum would be "Homemade and Modified" and not the "Homemade B/S/T" (as you aren't selling anything) where it was initially. No biggie though, of course
bernie

Sorry Bernie. I wasn't---buying, selling.......


Karl

modamag said:

They can be powered by 18650, it's just a question of how many.
The smallest that "we" have is the MiniHID powered by 2x 18650 with full voltage regulation. The pack was made by Burnt_Retinas using LT chips.

As for U2 size, I believe this is a tad bit chubbier

Click to expand...

I'd like to see that---got a thread to take a look at...?


Karl

The light is being produce by cmac.
Check out his light section.

As for the voltage regulator. It's a rarity. To my knowledge only couple dozens were made since it was a PITA, but you might want to drop a WTB in the BST or a PM to BR.

Ah yes, Mac's mini mini!!


Karl

Well, I have one of Mac's "Mini-Mini" HID lights...

It runs on three 3.7v RCR123s for 30-45 minutes in my experience. It's only about seven or eight inches long, but it's fat like a D-cell Mag. It's not really "EDC"-able unless you're a very big man (I'm not), but it's an excellent and convenient portable beacon/searchlight/etc.

I used mine to light up the top deck of a comm tower in a blizzard while we were repairing a wind turbine that had exploded. Let me tell you, it worked like a champ. Sorry, but I ain't letting this one go.

Not knowing if there have been any attempts to build an even smaller HID (than Mac's mini mini) I figured I'd ask. I just don't know if HIDs are manufactured in very small dimensions nor if they would be usable if they were/are. I'm thinking again of an overall mid size body around U2 size. Now, that may render the light usuable for only a very short period of time or not at all but, it certainly would be an adventure in extreme engineering or--a boondoggle waste of time. Let me know your thoughts.


Karl

i did break a D2S bulb, and did remove the inner xenon glass bulb, and put that into a tiny reflector just for fun
That was indeed the smalles xenon reflector I ever have seen !!

But then again, it`s usless becouse of the heat the xenon bulb will burn up the reflector...
And my HELLA trafo was huge
I did also run my Hella xenon from a LiPoly 11.7 volt 2200mAh battery (about 10-15 min i guess) but after some period the batteri did die becouse of the high current from the hella trafo..

But I want to buy a REAL HID flashlight (I live in Norway and they cant be found here)
What do I have to search eBay for to find a HID that is small and have some quality ?

modamag said:

They can be powered by 18650, it's just a question of how many.
The smallest that "we" have is the MiniHID powered by 2x 18650 with full voltage regulation. The pack was made by Burnt_Retinas using LT chips.

As for U2 size, I believe this is a tad bit chubbier

Click to expand...

Jonathan it was 2x 17670 that Chris (Brunt Retinas) made. I still have one left There great but it's a pain as you and I both know to remove the cells from the holder when not in use as the regulation circuit draws even if the light is off.

Mac

karlthev said:

Not knowing if there have been any attempts to build an even smaller HID (than Mac's mini mini) I figured I'd ask. I just don't know if HIDs are manufactured in very small dimensions nor if they would be usable if they were/are. I'm thinking again of an overall mid size body around U2 size. Now, that may render the light usuable for only a very short period of time or not at all but, it certainly would be an adventure in extreme engineering or--a boondoggle waste of time. Let me know your thoughts.


Karl

Click to expand...

My Mini Mini is the smallest that I have seen. The "D" mag has to be bored 0.050 to fit the ballast so a smaller host at this date and time is unlikely unless the ballast shrinks in half.

Mac

Hi Mac,

Just how small is your smallest HID ??? I made this one:



I put all my knowledge in this to let it produce 250,000 calibrated cp's for over two hours..

There is another reason I bring this up: Earlier you mentioned the problem of current draw of the electronics when off.. Take a look at this:



The green ring just below the heatsink houses a little magnet, triggering a reed-sensor inside the body,, Being not a fan of tailswitches I operate this light with this extremely waterproof switch setup..

Maybe you can do the same to cut off the electronics when the light is off, so you wouldn't have to pull out the batt's.

Just a thought...


Regards,

Ra.

cmacclel said:

My Mini Mini is the smallest that I have seen. The "D" mag has to be bored 0.050 to fit the ballast so a smaller host at this date and time is unlikely unless the ballast shrinks in half.

Mac

Click to expand...

Thanks Mac. Just some idle time thinking about how small this form of lighting could be made. Guess it's time to think of how the ballast can be shrunk.


Karl

Hi Ra, Mac's 3xR123A version looks about the same diameter only much shorter.

Hi bfg9000,

Indeed seems alot shorter, pitty I don't have a one dollar bill around.. I'm a very poor guy, and living in Holland meight have someting to do with it as well.. (not having a one dollar bill that is...)

So, I hope my question is obvious: Can you measure the length of a one dollar bill for me, please...???

Ofcource I wanted my HID to be as small as possible, but I also wanted lots of runtime. So, I found three 2600 mAh 18650's the best solution to my needs, gives about 2 hours and 10 minutes runtime..


Regards,

Ra.

Nice pic of the Mac Mini Mini HID 10w




2nd from right (close to 6 inches)

Nice picture Lips...

Just under 6 inch... Mine is just over: 6,5 inch to be exact, and the diameter is 2.2 inch measured at the head.

With RCR123's I could easily hit the 5 inch-mark, but I doubt I would be satisfied with 45 minutes of runtime...

But mac's HID shure looks beautiful !!! How much (Calibrated..) CP's does it generate ??


Regards,

Ra.