Legend 2AA - luxeon 5W mod

This is sorta my my third modded light and first 5w Luxeon mod.

I finally got my lithium-ion AA cells, many thanks to Highlandsun! I used a constant voltage precision power supply to juice them up to 4.1500 volts, and some crazy bit of machining on my Sherline lathe and mill and voila:


Legend on the left, modded M@g on the right.

Beamshot!

The left is the 5W mod. The right is of a Q3JW 1W on a Madmax 400 running on 2 NiMH AA in a M@glight. My friends thought that the 1w was blindingly bright as it was.

Anyway here's the mounted emitter:


Sorry, my Sony CybershotU 2.0mp doesn't do macro too well.

Here's a photo of all the components used:


The light output is very impressive but the experience let me know several things:
1) I really need a cutoff tool for the lathe
2) Aluminum does not solder well at all
3) machining is the process by which $1000 of tools makes a $1 part.
4) machining is really messy
5) Aluminum gouges too easily

Very nice. I bet your friends are running for cover now /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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rayearth said:
3) machining is the process by which $1000 of tools makes a $1 part.


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lol, so true /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

Way cool! How long can you run it before it heats up?

nice mod! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

i really like the pill /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif i did the same thing (but with a 1watter) to my legend 3aa /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

i need a parting tool also! cutting a 2" aluminum rod with a hacksaw is really a pita! (although my forarms are bigger than you're head now /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Despite the large aluminum heatsink and heatsink grease, it gets warm in 30 sec and hot in 1 min, but not uncomfortably so.

Good deal! If you use it sensibly, it'll last a long time.

I speak from having built many 5W luxeons into lights that were FAR too small to stay cool for very long. What is most surprising is how long the light will remain bright in a useful mode (once the batteries are partially depleted) without heating up.

I guess I'm going to have to look into the Lithium Ion batts.....

VERY nice. Is that an NX-05 optical collimator you're using out in front?

I'm using the NX-05 and the original plastic reflector from the M@g modified with a larger center hole. The beam patterns with and without the optics favor the combo - it has a tighter hot spot. A micro-sized hemispherical lens on top of the emitter would probably be more efficient, but I don't have a cheap source for them.

Nice job. I have been thinking of doing this mod, not only by using dat's BB board, but also DD. I am planning to use 6 1/3AA to direct drive it, but unable to find/get a good pill for heat transfer purposes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Tried to ask roth to make one for me but he is under tight schedule /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

That's the reason I machined my own aluminum heatsink. I was originally going to make it out of pure copper, but copper is difficult to machine. I really should study latheing techniques, but I was in a hurry to make this mod, hence the rush job.

David

Very nice work.
Lotta light from that little package.
Keep up the good work.

Looks good!

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rayearth said:
I'm using the NX-05 and the original plastic reflector from the M@g modified with a larger center hole. The beam patterns with and without the optics favor the combo - it has a tighter hot spot. A micro-sized hemispherical lens on top of the emitter would probably be more efficient, but I don't have a cheap source for them.

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Slick did a review on the fraen low profile NX05 replacement here: Slick's fraen report. It didn't show to be tight but better in that it was smoother and the grills were overlaid with the larger hotspot. Something to take a peek at anyway.

I've posted this before:

http://www.roithner-laser.com/Optics-LD.htm

These might fulfill your desire to try "A micro-sized hemispherical lens on top of the emitter". I been wanting to see what they did for intrepid souls like yourself. The site shows them to be between a dollar and two dollars a piece.