found: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

Id like to use a flashlight head as a landing spot on my RC plane. I should run directly from a 3s lipo pack so it wont strain the my 5V line. One of those P60 dropins would be good, but it wouldnt have a lens. 12V capable lights from DX are pretty big and over 35$. Something the size of a P3D would be awesome. Any ideas?

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

Get a P3D head.

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

A P3D head would be 6 volt (2*CR123 batteries), not 12 volts. You could of course run two of those in series...

You could search for drop-ins that accept higher voltages. Such as this one:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12501 (deal extreme sku 12501). Drop-ins are easiest to find for P60 hosts, which are larger than P3D head. If waterproof isn't important you could cut off a lot of the reflector and housing, making everything much smaller and lighter.

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

Yes, i found that dropin too. I dont need it to be waterproof but it needs at least a lens. If i use a p60 hosts(or the smaller one in the link) head the dropin would just fall out of the back, means i would need to glue it in ruining the host.

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

Do you need it projecting a beam? If not then just get a P60 module and glue a water bottle cap on the front to diffuse the light and protect the led.

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

qwertyydude said:

Do you need it projecting a beam? If not then just get a P60 module and glue a water bottle cap on the front to diffuse the light and protect the led.

Click to expand...

You could do that AND have some projection... get some of those ultra-cheap acryllic aspheric from DX and mount them at the appropriate distance. Making a hole in a plastic water bottle cap and gluing them in place seems like a good way of doing this... Far from perfect, but certainly good enough for this application.

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

jankj said:

A P3D head would be 6 volt (2*CR123 batteries), not 12 volts. You could of course run two of those in series...

You could search for drop-ins that accept higher voltages. Such as this one:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12501 (deal extreme sku 12501). Drop-ins are easiest to find for P60 hosts, which are larger than P3D head. If waterproof isn't important you could cut off a lot of the reflector and housing, making everything much smaller and lighter.

Click to expand...

The P3D head has been tested to work up to 12v previously.

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

How about one of these?
12V MR11-6SMD Whitelight Lamp SKU: S008730 Price: $6.91

http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=9751

These are quite bright although obviously all flood. I have a couple of these hooked up to 12V wall warts to use in lamps.

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

RC airplanes are very sensitive to weight and that MR16 sure looks heavy.

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

It is tiny (under 2 inches wide) plastic and lighter than any aluminum drop-in I have seen.

Re: Looking for a small cheap light that could run fom 12V

Sorry for the late reply, i was busy soldering all day.

Anything over 50g wouldnt make sence, i could just tape my EZAA under the plane for the same result.

The suggestion about the MR11 buld made me think. Why bother with leds when a got battery that can deliver 400W. So i took the 50W halogen spot i had liing around (to be put in a mag). Put it on a 10A max switch, i can leave it on for a minute without the plane melting. Looks crappy but works fine. Its a nice addition to the 180 colored leds

I hope there will be good weather soon so i can try the first night flight.