illumiGeek
Enlightened
I've been experimenting with the 3x123 in 2C mod with various lamps and have been having some fun. Except for burning through 2 boxes (60) 123 cells in 2 months. I figured it's about time to do something rechargeable, but that means going to something a bit larger in form factor. So I dusted off my very old and seriously abused 3D Mag body and started looking at what I could stuff inside...
I experimented a bit with 6xNiMh AA cells as an alternative, and that worked pretty well, but the voltage was a bit lower (although output was more stable over time).
Then I tried 7 x NiCad and the lamp I had been running off of 3x123 and 6 x NiMh went <POOF!>. Hmmm... that was unexpected, and a bit dissappointing. Especially when I couldn't find a replacement lamp (I could have sworn I had more)...
So now I have this big ugly Mag stuffed with 7 x NiCad high-rate shorty cells and nothing to put in it. Then I remembered that dive light I melted a while ago /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif (long story) and the lamp for that was rated to run off of 6 x AA cells, or 9V. Hmmm... that sounds like it has possibilities.
Popped it in and hit the switch, and WOW! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
The lamp is from an Ikelite PCa light, and I'm not absolutely certain about its rating, but I believe it's something like 7.2V at 1.05A (7.5W). So I really wasn't expecting anything special compared to the 1.7A+ lamps I have been running, but I was very pleasantly surprised. This sucker puts out some light!! And it focuses a bit tighter than the higher amp lamps with their large filaments. Beam pattern is major ugly though. So I tweaked the lamp a bit for better centering and dropped in my PMR and I am having some fun tonight. I still can't believe how much light is coming from this relatively low amp lamp.
I have no idea where to get replacements (dive shops I guess), or how much it costs - it's probably not cheap since it is a specialty lamp made exclusively for Ikelite - then again, it is a PR Halogen, not some high-tech gas-arc, so it's probably not scary expensive either.
Anyway... I'm gonna go play some more with my "Baby Mag Charger" and I'll let you know if I find out anything more about this lamp.
Aloha, iG
I experimented a bit with 6xNiMh AA cells as an alternative, and that worked pretty well, but the voltage was a bit lower (although output was more stable over time).
Then I tried 7 x NiCad and the lamp I had been running off of 3x123 and 6 x NiMh went <POOF!>. Hmmm... that was unexpected, and a bit dissappointing. Especially when I couldn't find a replacement lamp (I could have sworn I had more)...
So now I have this big ugly Mag stuffed with 7 x NiCad high-rate shorty cells and nothing to put in it. Then I remembered that dive light I melted a while ago /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif (long story) and the lamp for that was rated to run off of 6 x AA cells, or 9V. Hmmm... that sounds like it has possibilities.
Popped it in and hit the switch, and WOW! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
The lamp is from an Ikelite PCa light, and I'm not absolutely certain about its rating, but I believe it's something like 7.2V at 1.05A (7.5W). So I really wasn't expecting anything special compared to the 1.7A+ lamps I have been running, but I was very pleasantly surprised. This sucker puts out some light!! And it focuses a bit tighter than the higher amp lamps with their large filaments. Beam pattern is major ugly though. So I tweaked the lamp a bit for better centering and dropped in my PMR and I am having some fun tonight. I still can't believe how much light is coming from this relatively low amp lamp.
I have no idea where to get replacements (dive shops I guess), or how much it costs - it's probably not cheap since it is a specialty lamp made exclusively for Ikelite - then again, it is a PR Halogen, not some high-tech gas-arc, so it's probably not scary expensive either.
Anyway... I'm gonna go play some more with my "Baby Mag Charger" and I'll let you know if I find out anything more about this lamp.
Aloha, iG