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Sold/Expired Feeler: Custom P60 Headlamp (with prototype!)

kevinm

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Jun 2, 2006
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891
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Denverish
Hi all,

I have designed and half machined (a friend with a machine shop did the critical machining) a headlamp that takes P60 drop-ins. To change the drop-in, unscrew the screws on the front, put the drop-in in the hole, then put the screws back in. I have tested the prototype in caves in Colorado, and it has performed well. Even the Stenlight users admitted it was brighter than theirs with a typical 450 lumen drop-in. :devil:

PA080006.jpg


and

PA080005.jpg


This one is not yet anodized; it's $110 for a batch, even if it's just one piece.


Details:
body: 3-6mm thick
hard anodized in the US (probably blue)
lens: 1/8" thick Lexan
switch: waterproof to IP68
stainless steel
10A, 30V DC
mechanical (won't mess with your compass)
cable glands: waterproof to IP68, 5 bars
connectors: same as Stenlight
copper clad circuit board for contacts
less than 125g by my scale (for the head)

I'm offering three packages:

CPF Package:$200
headlamp
3 strap headband with aluminum bracket (with holes for helmet mounting)
connectors for the battery pack


Cheap Caver Package: $230 (I think; still waiting on a quote)

headlamp
battery pack (plastic dipped, 2x18650)
charger
Solarforce XM-L 3 mode dropin


Deluxe Caver Package: $270 (I think; still waiting on a quote)

headlamp
battery case
3x18650's
charger
Solarforce XM-L 3 mode dropin

Options:

4x18650 battery pack:
like the one above, but with 4 18650's in parallel or series or 2s2p

battery case:
KevinBox2.jpg

KevinBoxTop2.jpg


This is the battery case. It'll be closed with thumb screws, anodized to match the headlamp, waterproof, and durable. Inside, there is a holder for 3 protected 18650's in parallel or 4AA's, buyer's choice and user swappable.

possible flood option:
This would be a second LED that mounts in the left hand side over the switch inside the headlamp with its own driver. Still working on this...


This will cost me quite a bit to make happen. Before I spend a lot, I thought I'd ask to see who's interested. If there's enough, I'll start a pre-pay! They could be ready in 4-5 weeks if I get on it. :thumbsup:

Thanks,
Kevin
 
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kevinm

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Messages
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Location
Denverish
And here is the first final product, in CPF red hard annodized, 2mils thick!

Redheadlamp.jpg


Time to start the sales thread. :)
 
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ahorton

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Jul 22, 2008
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You'll need to convice most of us of the heat-transfer ability.

Can we have more interior / cutaway pictures?
 

kevinm

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Jun 2, 2006
Messages
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Location
Denverish
Yep, I should have said something about that. I ran it on high with a 1.5A Nailbender drop-in for an hour. The body got warm, but not hot (lots of mass). I don't have any really high powered drop-ins to try. I have an IR thermometer here somewhere; I could run it and check the drop-in temp and the interior of the body temp. Good idea, ahorton!

I'll take it apart tomorrow and post some pics of the interior, but on the drop-in side, it's basically a cylinder cut out of a block of aluminum with a larger diameter concentric cylinder for the lip of the drop-in.

Thanks,
Kevin
 

ahorton

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Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
715
I could run it and check the drop-in temp and the interior of the body temp. Good idea, ahorton!

Better yet, turn it on and record lux readings every minute for 30 minutes.

Getting warm is a good sign.
 

bugsy714

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 1, 2007
Messages
1,028
Interesting, I was working on a similar rig but couldn't get past the mental block of the thing accidentally blowing up on someone's head =) Having the batteries separate is a +
 

kevinm

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Jun 2, 2006
Messages
891
Location
Denverish
Interesting, I was working on a similar rig but couldn't get past the mental block of the thing accidentally blowing up on someone's head =) Having the batteries separate is a +

My head blew up and I'm fiiiiinnnneee.:duh2:
 
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kevinm

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Jun 2, 2006
Messages
891
Location
Denverish
Better yet, turn it on and record lux readings every minute for 30 minutes.

Getting warm is a good sign.

Okay, I did a run, recording values every 5 minute for 30 minutes. I put the meter just outside the hotspot to minimize fluctuations.

10:00 350
10:05 335
10:10 334
10:15 335
10:20 333
10:25 330
10:30 332
10:35 330
10:40 331
10:45 Batteries in meter dead. :(

Pretty stable. Around 11% drop in brightness over the course of the run with a cheap drop-in. I have a Nailbender and an Anto around here somewhere. I should try those.

It started off cold (72F ish, according to house thermostat) and ended up warm to the touch (85F ish; different parts were different temps). According to the IR thermometer, the LED is 95F.

I'll try again later; right now I have to go teach.

Kevin
 

precisionworks

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Apr 19, 2007
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You'll need to convince most of us of the heat-transfer ability.
Since the entire aluminum case/enclosure is one huge heat spreader the drop in should run cooler than it would in any hand held light on the market. It would probably run fine with an XM-L driven at 3500 mA.
 

fabienne

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just thinking about the possible drop-in to be used and all I can think of right now is only Malkoff M61, M91, Oveready triple so it's better off to get more flexible with the battery case option for 2/4x18650 to be 2s or 2s/2p for 4x18650 to reach 8.4 volt.
 

kevinm

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Jun 2, 2006
Messages
891
Location
Denverish
I'd be interested in one, with strap & battery pack connectors. Also preferably both (2x18650 and a 4x18650) battery packs, no need for drop-in, batteries or charger.

Thanks! Hopefully I'll have the rest of the information today to figure out the best price I can do for you.

Kevin
 

kevinm

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Messages
891
Location
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Since the entire aluminum case/enclosure is one huge heat spreader the drop in should run cooler than it would in any hand held light on the market. It would probably run fine with an XM-L driven at 3500 mA.

That's my hope too! Maybe some thermal grease to move all the BTU's. :devil: Plus the battery heat will be dissipated away from the head by the battery case.
 

kevinm

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Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Messages
891
Location
Denverish
just thinking about the possible drop-in to be used and all I can think of right now is only Malkoff M61, M91, Oveready triple so it's better off to get more flexible with the battery case option for 2/4x18650 to be 2s or 2s/2p for 4x18650 to reach 8.4 volt.

Since I'm wiring the battery case by hand, any battery configuration that will fit is possible. Just let me know which you want when you order. Thanks for reminding me about that; I forgot to put it in the first post!

Kevin
 

psychbeat

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Nov 3, 2009
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SF norcal
I'm in for everything besides batts n drop-ins

I'll be using a 4.2a VAN quad in mine!

3x18650 parallel case w connectors in red ano if u still might do red!

PM me the cost n I'll have $ later this week!!

Or I'm ok with buying just the host first while waiting on the packs - I'll make my own pack if u can send the connectors or cables etc.

Thanks!!
 
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ahorton

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Jul 22, 2008
Messages
715
Since the entire aluminum case/enclosure is one huge heat spreader the drop in should run cooler than it would in any hand held light on the market. It would probably run fine with an XM-L driven at 3500 mA.

Yes but only if there is a good connection between the pill and body. Very possible I just want to see the pics.

The lux results are interesting. You do get a small drop of 10% but that's not too bad at all. Gives me a bit more confidence. Now you just need to cut the weight down to about 50g on the head and I'll buy one!
 
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