Building a hunting LED headlight ???

Judsoncandle

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Oct 3, 2012
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9
Hello,
I'm trying to build a headlamp, i'm looking at using a Cree headlamp matched up with a battery pack etc...some questions are where would i go for this stuff like websites etc. and Can i up the volts to say 12 volts would that work or hurt...Thanks any ideas are great thanks again
 

Judsoncandle

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Oct 3, 2012
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9
Building a light ??

I had a post on building a hunting light, its basically like a mining light, i would like to have about 1000 lumens or 1200 any ideas would be great on where to get parts and all that
 

Blitzwing

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Apr 15, 2009
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Straya
Re: Building a light ??

I have been using a headband from intl-outdoors and fitting a Solarforce P1 into it. You can tailor the output and beam pattern by changing dropins or lenses. I use it for searching out eyeshine of game animals and then swapping to the rifle mounted light when I'm in range and ready to shoot.
 

Tiresius

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Sep 19, 2009
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Fresno, CA
Re: Building a light ??

I think DX sells relatively cheap drivers that can support up to 15v or so. Can't remember exact voltage. The only downfall is that they run at a relatively low amp. I know illumination supply has several drivers of various amperes and voltage capacity. I picked up their XML emitters and 2.8a drivers but are no where close to your 12v needs.
 

Gunner12

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Dec 18, 2006
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Bay Area, CA
Re: Building a light ??

Sometimes you can run parallel drivers to the LED, and combine current that way. It will take up more space then a single driver though.
 

Judsoncandle

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Oct 3, 2012
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Re: Building a light ??

What would the first step to building a light be ? i'm pretty new to this i guess basically i'm looking at buying a cree light that puts out fair light and then trying to put more volts too it or is that not really the way to go ?
 

jason 77

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Oct 2, 2008
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cali
Re: Building a light ??

What would the first step to building a light be ? i'm pretty new to this i guess basically i'm looking at buying a cree light that puts out fair light and then trying to put more volts too it or is that not really the way to go ?

More volts will not make the LED brighter, LEDs are current driven. If you want more light then I would add another LED to the head light.
 

Gunner12

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Dec 18, 2006
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Bay Area, CA
Re: Building a light ??

LEDs work on a relatively narrow voltage range. Any less, they don't light up, any more, they will try to draw too much current and could burn out. White LEDs usually operate between 2.7v-4v, with the actual voltage determined by the model, and how much current the LED is being driven at.

Most LED lights have a circuit that raises or lowers the battery voltage to the voltage that the LED needs to operate. Adding more voltage will just be testing the circuit, and not changing power to the LED. If you add too much voltage, the circuit can fry. The actual voltage to power out of the circuit will depend on the circuit itself.
 
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