Single AA Luxeon mod--How bright can it be?

It seems odd--there has been quite a few AAA-sized commercial lights and mods that use under-driven Luxeon emitters, but there has been only one AA-sized Luxeon mod that nukiez made from a Infinity Ultra /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

According to nukiez, the original Infinity Ultra board has problem pumping out more than 160mA from a 1.2V source---kind of the same observation I made in my Solitaire and Arc AAA LS mod---the ZLT circuit becomes unstable if you try to get more than 600mA battery draw. But with the energy density of 2100mAh NiH, it would be interesting to try pushing the current up a little. So, I decided to take up the challange of building a more powerful single AA LS mod.

I planned to use an Infinity body and a cut-down version of NX-05 as the optic. When I started digging, I was quite disappointed at the construction of Infinity---the roll-crimp on Infinity is really thick and almost impossible to crack open without breaking some pieces /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif After hours of drilling, boring, and filing, finally I got the bezel to the right size and shape that will properly accomodate the LS and the optic.


The NX-05 was sawed short and polished


Here is the bezel with the lens in the cavity


I couldn't think of a good and simple way to hold the lens in the bezel. They were simply epoxied together---too ugly to be shown here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

The Luxeon emitter was mounted on a brass disk like I did in my Solitaire mod.


The electronic part is based on the ZLT unit, but with some modifications to allow higher current. It pulls 900mA from a single NiH battery. I don't know the output current, but I would expect something in the 300mA range.

Size comparison among Arc AAA, Infinity LS mod, and Micro Illuminator:


The output is very satisfying. It has a squareish hotspot plus a nice side spill, similar to the typical beam of a HD with a NX-05.

The hot spot is brighter and a lot bigger than that from a MicroIlluminator:

2 level under-exposure


1 level under-exposure


And it totally blows the stock Arc AAA away


Overall I am happy with the results, but a lot work will have to be done to make the bezel look prettier.

Very nice work.
I like that you used the nx05 optic.
How did you make it smaller? Did you JUST cut it down shorter?
How did you get it flat?

You can just saw off the section you need and polish the end with progressively fine grade of sand papers.

Beautifullll mod /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif Look at the beam from a trim down NX05, it looked alike compared to mine! Bit squarish rounded corners. I was worried that it wouldn't work well looking at the shorten optic but it did performed.

Btw, a correction, if you read my previous post again, it's 260ma at ~3.0v output from a stock infinity ultra circuit.

It can't be 160ma at 1.2v, it will blow the 5mm nichia LED. It's ~66ma at 1.2v. ~3x overdriven Nichia.

I find that the infinity circuit will work great with nimh but not normal alkaline, the current draw is too demanding. Any remedy for this? Inductor swap?

You are right not to cut down the tail, I'm kinda regretting with mine, the shorter size is harder to edc. The cutdown tail is becoming spider's home on the shelf.

Any plans to mod an Inova X1? I reckon it's a great host, not forgetting the ARCAA too they are all suppose to be 1 watters!

Vince.

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with 3.0volts lithium you will underdrive the Luxeon at 260ma stock.

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However, the runtime on a AA(before shorten) luxeon running at 180ma is 4 hours without much dimming. There is a catch with this circuit is that if you run the Luxeon at more than 150ma with an AA you will experience problems.

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Mmm, did I miss something? I thought you said the 260mA was when you use a 3V lithium as the power source, not 1.2V NiH.

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According to nukiez, the original Infinity Ultra board has problem pumping out more than 160mA from a 1.2V source

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This seems to confuse some people... let me get this straight..

Original Infinity Ultra Circuit(non modded)
Volts: 1.2
Current: 66mA

Volts: 3.0
Current: 260mA

*Modded* with wire as sense resistor
Type A
Volts: 1.2
Current: 150mA

Type B
Volts: 1.2
Current: 180mA, must be NIMH 2200mAh for 4hours runtime

Volts: 3.0
Current: ~420mA, just did a measurement

I hope this will clear it up. Type A and B simply differs from the length of their sense resistor wire.
Vince.

[ QUOTE ]
nukiez said:

*Modded* with wire as sense resistor
Type A
Volts: 1.2
Current: 150mA

Type B
Volts: 1.2
Current: 180mA, must be NIMH 2200mAh for 4hours runtime

Volts: 3.0
Current: ~420mA, just did a measurement



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OK, It's 180mA from 1.2V, then---I don't see it as a real difference from 160mA /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif I am pretty sure you won't get anywhere near 300mA from the stock Infinity Ultra parts if you use one 1.2V NiH battery /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

You mean you have achieve 300ma output at 1.2v nimh with the Zetex circuit? I barely can go pass 180ma. What secrets do you have?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

So any plans on the upcoming X1? ArcAA? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif I guess the lens on X1 will make a luxeon long throw. With another lens we might get a white laser like. What do you think?

Some people have asked me to mod their Arc AA's when they become available---I hope Peter won't make the roll crimp as thick as the Infinity so it will be easier to crack open /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I also hope the curviture in the bezel will be closer to that of Nx-05, so I don't have to do that much digging/grinding/filling /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

I haven't really planned on Inova X1 yet---from their X5 construction, I guess the X1 will be just as impossible to disassemble---I don't own a X1, so I don't know for sure /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif