Introducing the FatMag (LuxV 500–1500mA)

This is a Mag3D LuxV with modded Fatman driver. Adjustable output using an external potentiometer.
Minumum current output = 500mA; maximum = 1500mA.

Pewter Mag3D, LuxV WX1S emitter, cyan glow ring, hotlips heatsink, modded Fatman converter, UCL lens, smooth reflector, using 5x 1/2D 4Ah NiMH batteries.



The driver is housed in an aluminum extension for the hotlips heatsink. This will allow me to pot the converter if needed.
You can read more about the Fatman converter here, here and here .



Left = max brightness (1500mA), Right = min brightness (500mA). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/str.gif
Distance from the flashlight to the wall was 2m.

Thanks to George for this very nice converter and to jcciv and litho123 for the Mag3D.

Thanks for looking.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif

Great work Icarus,
You always do an excellent job on the wiring, you take great care to make it neat and connected very well.

Did you mod the Fatman yourself? Howard is ussing beafed up Fatmans in his Pocket W light project, that George made.
I would also like to get about 1.5 amps out of these Fatmans in a mod or two I have in mind for the future.

What pot did you use? and where did you get it?
I have a hard time finding small 50K pots /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

-John

Nice workmanship there iCarus /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif There is plenty of room for the pot and Fatman in the OAD isn't there.

Yet another fantastic looking mod! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/goodjob.gif

[ QUOTE ]
jtice said:
Great work Icarus,
You always do an excellent job on the wiring, you take great care to make it neat and connected very well.

Did you mod the Fatman yourself? Howard is ussing beafed up Fatmans in his Pocket W light project, that George made.
I would also like to get about 1.5 amps out of these Fatmans in a mod or two I have in mind for the future.

What pot did you use? and where did you get it?
I have a hard time finding small 50K pots /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

-John

[/ QUOTE ]

John,

Yes, I did the mod of the Fatman myself. I replaced the 1.5A rated schottky diode by a 3A version and replaced the trimpot by a fixed resistor.

To calculate the resistor I got this equation from George:
1.26V = (1 +169k/R)*0.1*1.5

Where R = 0.422k + R1//R2

R1 = the fixed resistor value
R2 = the max Pot resistance

Since Pot resistance can vary +/- 20% you will need a different resistor value for each pot to get the 1.5A max. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mpr.gif

I had a hard time too finding the right pots but you can get them from Digikey or buy them from George (like I did).

Thanks for the nice words but I really like neat mods. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

using 1/2D cells? dont think ive ever seen one before. Just like it sounds like same width just 1/2 the height?

[ QUOTE ]
hotbeam said:
Nice workmanship there iCarus /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif There is plenty of room for the pot and Fatman in the OAD isn't there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, plenty of room in the Mag3D for huge batteries too...
I expect runtime will be at least 1 hour 45 minutes at full brightness. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ QUOTE ]
gregw said:
Yet another fantastic looking mod! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/goodjob.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks Greg. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Hallis said:
using 1/2D cells? dont think ive ever seen one before. Just like it sounds like same width just 1/2 the height?

[/ QUOTE ]

They are called 1/2D but height is actually 0.6D. So... 0.6D * 5 = 3D. Same diameter as 1D cell. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

interesting stuff. got a link to where some odd height cells might be bought? ideally rechargable

Hallis
Some time ago there was a group buy. You can read more about it here.
Maybe you can pm Ginseng.

Thanks /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

although im afraid if i PM Ginseng and actually start talking and get to know him, that i might be tempted to try to have him build me an Aroura. lol and i dont need to part with that much money just yet lol

Very clean and nice job! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

icarus,
Nice clean work, just like your other nFlex mag.
I'm also trying to put a LuxV in a Fatman driven Mag. Looking at your beam shots and you Mag, I can't help but wonder why your beam shots don't have a donut hole. It seems you're using a smooth reflector, right. I have several Lux V lights, but all have donut holes unless I diffuse the beam. I like the smooth reflector because I like throw, but I don't like donut holes. Do you mind sharing your trick?

thx,
ernest

Ernest,

You are right. When the first picture was taken I was using a smooth reflector but actually I'm using an OP reflector to get rid of the donut hole. Unfortunately with a LuxV emitter and a smooth reflector the donut hole seems to be unavoidable.

I see /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I thought there's a magic smooth reflector out there that would get rid of the donut hole.

thx,
ernest