Regulated 3D Mag Mod?

Well, I finally suceeded in modding my first Maglite. I went for an easy Direct Drive setup in a 3D.

Now, I see that the runtime from Roy's test as approx 8 hrs to 50% brightness with continual dimming



So it started me thinking...

What is required to regulate the output so it maintains a constant level throughout 70-80% of the life of the alkaline batteries?

If possible, could you give me sort of a "shopping list" of the required parts? Don't forget to speak NEWBIE!

www.amondotech.com

6 Titanium 11,000mah Nimh D batteries and a vanson BC1-HU charger.
10+ hours of near flat runtime glory!
D cells
Vanson Charger!

Really? Is that it?
No badboy's or downboy's or NFlex or UFlex?

I don't undersatand either.
I think it still requires a regulator of some kind.
The fatman would work (and allow you to vary the output).
Yaesumofo

where do I get a fatman?
how much is it?
does it come in various configurations?
how do you use/select the variable output?

I don't think the fatman will work. You've got yourself a TXOK and Vin of ~3.6V, that would make to converter go to DD. The nFlex converter will not work either since you don't have enough Vin > Vled+1.1V.

It would be easier if you have a Mag2D, then you could use any boost converter (Fatman, Badboy, Nextgen...).
- Fatman is adjusted thru an external potentiometer.
- nFlex is adjust thru the modified momentary switch (same as LionHeart)
- Badboy/NextGen is adjusted by replacing the sense resistor.

Here more info on the various converters.
- Fatman boost converter
- nFlex converter
- Sandwich shop converters

Here's some nice mods that icarus made:
- Mag2D LuxIII nFlex mod (8 brightness levels)
- Introducing the FatMag (LuxV 500-1500mA)

Best choice for a LuxIII + 3 NiMH batteries is the Wizard-2 driver.
Depending on the Vf of the Luxeon you can also use a BadBoy/NexGen.
You can order them at The Shoppe. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ QUOTE ]
BugLightGeek said:
where do I get a fatman?
how much is it?
does it come in various configurations?
how do you use/select the variable output?

[/ QUOTE ]

I make the Fatman drivers, you can find the technical info at fatman tech info and from there the order page with pricing. There is only one Fatman configuration, it has a tiny trimpot that allows you to select the maximum regulated output current. An external pot allows you to dim.

Now, Fatman is a boost converter and to dim it reduces the current to the load. If the current is reduced then the Vf will drop. If the Vf drops below the Vin (battery voltage) then Fatman will stop boosting and go direct drive and no further dimming is possible. So, if you have 3.6V input (3 nimh cells), you won't be able to dim a Lux3 very far before it just goes direct drive.

george.

I second the comments from 3rd Shift.
Voltage supplied from 3 NiMh should be about spot on for a LuxIII, so boost or step down converters would not be working within the parameters req'd for them to do their thing.
Rechargeable cells have a very linear discharge curve - maintaining a constant output until they just suddenly tail off and go flat.
Mag 3D is a perfect host for this kind of DD mod - A great mod, I love it.

Tim

[ QUOTE ]
Timson said:
I second the comments from 3rd Shift.
Voltage supplied from 3 NiMh should be about spot on for a LuxIII, so boost or step down converters would not be working within the parameters req'd for them to do their thing.
Rechargeable cells have a very linear discharge curve - maintaining a constant output until they just suddenly tail off and go flat.
Mag 3D is a perfect host for this kind of DD mod - A great mod, I love it.

Tim

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is over simplified. Asuming just J, K and L Vf bins, a Lux III will have a Vf as low as 3.25 and as high as 4.0 volts. That's a big range.

3 NiMH cells will vary a lot depending on the charger and how long since the last charge. Fresh off the charger it's near 1.5 volts each.

If your Luxeon Vf is actually 3.25 and you use freshly charged NiMH, you'll have nearly 4.5 volts going into a device rated for 3.25. Initial current will be near two amps.

The Wizard buck/boost converter was suggested since it will take the initial 4.5 volts and drop it down to the voltage needed by the luxeon for the desired current, and as the battery voltage drops it will start boosting it to maintain the set current.

Many of the current controlled buck converters will do a good job of keeping the light output steady until the battery can no longer provide enough current to support the converter. Buck converters use a battery pack with a higher voltage than the LED needs, so a downboy with a 6 volt NiMH pack would be a good match.

Daniel

Even if your mod runs great DD off NiMH initially, it won't likely after a few hours. I've got 2 TV1K LuxIIIs on my test bench right now, doing a 100 hour continuous run, and monitoring the Vf (this is for the "Luxeon Vf shift over time" thread). So far, after 50 hours, the Vf of both have dropped about 0.4V. A drop like that can turn a DD light running at 700mA to one running at over 2A

OK...So, I've got a TYOL that is supposed to have a nice HID tint to it coming my way. I want to regulate the output so it is as bright as possible for as long as possible in whatever way is the easiest for this beginner modder.

So, out of all these suggestions, what is the best way to accomplish my goal? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

I am considering doing a Hagite 3D mod and using Elektrolumens Hyper-circuit. This circuit was designed to boost a 2-cell 3V insput up to 3.6V.

But apparently the hyper-circuit will sit inline with a 6 or 4.5V input and just pass the current straight through(maybe with a little resistance added). When Vin drops below 3.6V, the hyper-circuit kicks in and starts operating as a boost circuit- and draining the batts way down.

I've got a few hyper-circuits and have set one up on a 3D Mag just temporarily. It seemed quite happy with 4.5V in and put out a very nice strong beam. I need to make it permanent.

3rd Shift said:
6 Titanium 11,000mah Nimh D batteries and a vanson BC1-HU charger.
10+ hours of near flat runtime glory!
===============

Hey 3rd Shift,
I'm going to make a 3D mag conversion also.

What for shopping list?
1 Hotlips for D mag
2 shall i get luxeon 3 pre installed with hotlips?
does that luxeon version have Highdome for tight beam?
(suggestions otherwise?)
3 Nimh batts
4 charger

Do you use a resistor of any sort on your 3d luxeon III conversion? I really like the 3D mag. Its not too big, and VERY cheap at costco and sams.

I might use alkalines also, any problems?

On your posts, next to your ID is a picture, you're holding a 3 led mag? All luxeons?
Whats the good and bad about that mod? No spot? What are the components. Would you make it again? Looks cool.

Thanks for all of your informative posts. I'm a newbie here and got lots of lingo and sources to learn about.

I think there should be some kit directions somewhere on this board for someone taking their first baby steps on modding. Like for example: Simple project #1, the cost, and the sources, for a reliable generally liked light.


One more thing, any great mods to a AA Mag you know of?

Thanks--Brian

The lights I have are;
1 direct drive 3.6 volt TV1K emitter in a 3c magg with a c cell Osink.
I have nicads running in it.
1200 milliamps starting, leveling out to about 800 millamps for a long time afterwards, folowed by a quick dropoff in output as the cells are indicating "time to charge us up again" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

2 lightly resistored ( .4 ohms added ) , but same as above.
I run nimh c cells in these.
1100 milliamps starting out.
Leveling off to 650-750 milliamps for a looooong time.

1 3D cell direct drive 3.9 volt TWOL emitter on a black D Osink.
I have nimh D cells in it starting off at 1100 milliamps, and leveling off at 650-750 milliamps for a loooooong time.

Even if the light gets played with enough to develope a reduction in vf, just take it apart and add a slight series resistor, or just let the son of a gun run brighter.

Oh yes, the www.InReTech.com Trilight3 (I purchased) in my December avatar did develope a (slight) reduction in forward voltage after over 100 hours of use at work this year.
It used to draw 2.5-2.6 amps on nimh D cells when new.
It now draws closer to 2.9 - 3.0 amps from the same nimh 8500 batteries. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
It's resistors are only .4 ohms per led in a 4D host.
Very high vf luxeon 3's went into that one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
SWAN bin?


Hey Carnal!
Welcome to cpf!!!
Go check out the reviews forum on my 3c maggmod and many other fine lights from other members you will find around here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Edit:
Man I gotta start my own maggmod thread and lose this old avatar picture. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[ QUOTE ]
BugLightGeek said:
OK...So, I've got a TYOL that is supposed to have a nice HID tint to it coming my way. I want to regulate the output so it is as bright as possible for as long as possible in whatever way is the easiest for this beginner modder.

So, out of all these suggestions, what is the best way to accomplish my goal? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


Any suggestions?

Carnel asked about AA mods. There are many. The simplest is to buy a prebuilt sandwich from the Sandwich shop. Drop it in, replace the reflector with the supplied optic or reflector and in 10 minutes you have a good bright light. Lambda makes a drop in pill that's highly regarded too.



BugLightGeek asked for "right as possible for as long as possible". This represents a conflict, since as bright as possible will not run as long as possible. I'll suggest 'very bright for a long time'. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

For the 3D mag, I'd mod it using a simple yet effective setup

Use a Badboy at 750ma. You could use any other buck converter.
A hotlips heat sink

If possible, use a battery configuration that gives more than 6 volts. Will 4 123 fit in a 3 D mag? I think so, using a piece of hose as a holder. 12 volts will mean the battery drain will be down around 300ma. That should give many hours of bright regulated light, somewhere around 4 hours.

There's an OAD cookbook available if you want to see what others have done. You shoudl find it if you search the threads.

Daniel

What about a Badboy at 1000mA?
Will it be noticeably brighter?

What about 6 NiMH's in a 2D body?
Will the 750mA Badboy still work with 6 NiMH's?

If you want to use 6AA NiMH's (or 8AA) in your Mag2D you need a DownBoy. A BadBoy will not work because the BadBoy converter is a boost converter and the voltage of the batteries (6AA=7.2V) is higher than the Vf of the LuxIII (I suppose you are talking about a LuxIII mod). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

ok...downboy. But, should I stick with a 750mA or go brighter with a 1000mA?

Yes...I was talking about a Lux III mod /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif