LED Flashlight mod

Ok...so I bought a cheap flashlight and broke the bulb and soldered 2 white LEDs in. They are crazy bright but seems more like a flood than a flashlight...what's the best way to get them to focus and project properly?

Dale

To focus it you need either the Reflector in there or even add optics if its possible. I take it you took out the reflector in this light? If you can, drill it to fit the Leds but you may not necessarily get an even spot though.

I left the reflector in and just modified the bulb to accomidate 2 5mm LEDs. I'm gonna tinker with a little PCB to hold like 4 or 5 of them and still use the reflector.

Seems like because of the forward throw of the LEDs the reflector doesn't do a whole lot. I have plans for a larger scale project but right now I'm playing with $3.00 lights from Big Lots /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dale

It's probably the position of the LED's in the reflector. By modifying the bulb, the LED's are probably positioned too high in the reflector - sort of like how you can adjust a Mag from spot to flood by adjusting the position of the bulb up or down. The optics of the LED's themselves may limit your ability to focus them in the reflector though.

Hey wreck, welcome to our madness. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif In my opinion, I doubt that a reflector will help at all. You may just have to accept the beam you get from the 5mmLEDs as it is. If you want something that can be focused, you will have to use a Luxeon LED.

I'm with the folks that say the reflector isn't doing anything except catching spill from the LEDs and reflecting it forward, probably in the form of rings. You could try modifying the shape of the epoxy domes of the LEDs (kind of like the LED "bulb" in the old Dorcy Cool Blue)-- it would be fun to test different shapes: flat, concave, V-shaped (you could drill into the dome to try to make the light go sideways into the reflector). Or you could try painting the dome with silver paint.

As a confirmed Big Lotser, I sympathize. Check out their little 3-LED AAA flashlight for $3.50 while you're over there looking for materials to modify things. Not superbright but clever and well made.

Walt "Incredible Cheapskate" Brand