Hunting, Camping, Caving prototype, PICS

OK for starters, My wife was talking to a friend that does night hunting here in Michigan. She noticed his LED hat light and asked him if he liked it. To say the least it got a poor review. I did some searching online and found a very limited selection of hands free lights. I got some parts together and made a proto for testing. There are 4 different settings (Actually more as the switch I used is BCD encoded). Mode 1 is a SMD white running at 22mA, 180 degree light, good for low level or closeup work. Mode 2 is 3 nichia whites running 30mA each. Mode 3 is 2 spider LEDs (RED) running about 20mA each. these have an oval pattern to fill field of view. Mode 4 is the 2 spiders running at 75mA each. Of course switch pos 1 is mode 1, pos 2 mode 2, pos 3 mode 1 and 2... and so on.

Battery is a nokia Li-ION battery, I think 1000mAH. in mode 1 it ran for 2 days, then I gave up checking. mode 2 ran for about 12 hrs. mode 3 I didn't check, and mode 4 was about 8hrs.

The circuit board is still on the battery so charging is simple, and at cutoff voltage it just turns off to save the battery.

Right now it is just the PC board glued right to the battery, but with a travel charger it could be charged in a car in about 1-2hrs.

Any input would be appreciated.











Jeff

Very nicely done. Smart use of 3 different types of LEDs and 4 driving levels. I take it that the LEDs are driven with current limiting resistor for each mode?

So now you need to find a good body to put in it. I would suggest one of those aluminium project boxes and a sheet of 5mm thick acrylic or polycarbonate. Cut out a section to fit the LEDs and cover it with the plastic. Try it make it water tight yet allow a charging jack to be connected without having to dismantle the entire thing.

One thing I would like to know is how you connected the SMD LED to the board. Thanks.

Steelwolf, Yea, casing it is the problem, and a small size ns needed. RS has one that is too small, and one that is too big. Ideally I would like this to be mountable on a hat, velcro sounds nice. And yes, a charging jack is needed, All of my mini plug sockets are being used right now, and I need to get some more. As far as the SMD white, I have some PCB connector pins, gold square ones about 3/4" long for connecting PC boards. I pulled two out and put them in a solderless breadboard, and soldered the LED to the top of them. Nice heavy pins used as both a standoff and for pulling heat off the LED.
As far as controll, I would REALLY like a low standby PIC or something... with 1 pushbutton control. mode 1, off, mode 2,off, mode3, off, mode 4, off , repeat.
I was playing with it last night, The single white puts out a fair amount of light. The reds were primairly because Deer have a harder time 'seeing' red.
Jeff

Very nice,
You might want to check out Mouser Electronics. They were recomended to me by georges80 for a light I'm building for the enclosure, and they have a ton. Also, the shipping was nice and fast and I had my order in my greasy little paws in 3 days /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

DasFX

Limited selection of hands free lights? Did you try searching for head lamps? There are a lot of them used for caving, biking, etc.

You asked for comments, so... I like the small size. For small lights that clip to a hat, you are right there aren't that many. Photon Freedom is teh first one that comes to mind. This has better run time. But this would be heavier and would be weighty on the end of a hat bill.

The thread is Hunting and caving as well as camping. For hunting and caving I would think you would want more throw in the light. So maybe add in a luxeon with a reflector.

I do like the 180 degree surface mounts. Cool!

My thought would be to make it a little smaller, add a luxeon and refelctor, and add a clip. Then you have a very useful light.

Please, keep going. Good job so far.

SMALLER, how am I supposed to make it SMALLER!!!! Its LEDs glued to a battery!!!! GEEESH.... always the same with ya'll....SMALLER....BRIGHTER....LESS RADIOACTIVE....BLAH BLAH BLAH....

Seriously. I thought about using a LUX and a reflector, but this WOULD make it bigger (Space for the reflector and the heatsink and all) and severly shorten the battery run-time. And practically, 1 Would you really want THAT much light in a cave when your eyes have adjusted? 2. A FL with good throw would be better for this.

Stats.. The batery size is 1 1/4" x 2' 1/4"
lying flat, to top of 5mm LEDjust under 1"

Jeff

how about a lux III running at 50-100ma? no bad tint, look ok, and can be made brighter!

neg

[ QUOTE ]
WildRice said:
Yea, casing it is the problem. . .

Ideally I would like this to be mountable on a hat, velcro sounds nice.

[/ QUOTE ]

Making the casing work is always the hardest part about headlamps. Mainaining water resistance, mechanical strength and proper balance is tricky.

One feature that you will miss severely if it is not included will be a tilt feature. If you can't aim it at your book, feet, or whatever you are looking at, you will be a mighty unhappy camper. It is proably the hardest part of making a light from scratch. Canablaizing another headlamp for the body is usually the best way to go.

But buying a headlamp to canablize sort of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

By the way, nice looking board and set up.

ok, no pics yet but I am up to rev.2... I changed the LED gonfig to a single strip. SMD white in the middle, two SF red on either side of that, and 4 whites, 2 of either side of the reds. This board was placed on the ling edge of the barrery, and a piece of proto board is on the large flat part of the battery with the resistors. I am still looking for a switch. I found some SP4T small ones on ebay, but this only gives me 3 selections. flatter is better. I put an old pager clip on the other flat side as a hat clip.
Jeff