How many mods killed before success?

It seems like somehow I've managed to kill every single sammie I've built, and I'm on my fifth LUXI attempt (2 Zetex boards, and 3 MM sammies). All my other mods are relatively swap & switch, so they don't count as successes.

OK, people, time to 'fess up! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif When you're trying a new mod, how many attempts does it generally take you to be successful? That is, the light works consistently and within your expectations (although you may still feel the need for some tweaking)? How fast does your pile of dead hosts and components grow? What do you do with them?

When messing with small electronics, I have good days and bad days. (Enough that I ain't gonna fess up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Larry

hmm, forgot to vote in the second one a second time. Usually I use them for something else.

Doesn't help that converter boards are dime sized

I won't say how many parts I have used for "learning experience", but it is "non negligible". If I added it up, my yield is perhaps 10 - 20 %, probably because I really don't use normal configurations.

Now you know why I stick to using configurations where the V battery is greater than Vf, and add my trusty 1206 SMT size, aerospace grade, multi watt resistors. The configuration is small, still large enough to work with, and works without s/w and electonic action that I cannot measure.

Generally I research well known configurations and build them, this helps keep the success rate high - because the 'cost' of R&D has been done by many others who have lit the way before me here on CPF, and I must /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif to them. Without them we'd still be in the dark /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

When trying something unusual, then my chances of mucking up are much higher. I once succeeded in really messing up this Rayovac 2D light.

Second question's easier - Whatever I can salvage, I salvage. Whatever I cannot, then I toss. I managed to pull the TV1K emitter out of the Rayovac and it eventually found its way into a very successful sandwich. The heatsink bits and pieces I did not find a use for, and the body was messed up enough that I decided not to bother.

I guess I should've followed your example, Kevin. I was so sure I could solder small parts... but was proven otherwise the first time I saw a converter board from Da Shoppe. At least I've "practiced" (read: ruined) enough converters that I can do this OK. Now, if I could only find a way of not shorting the circuits I build, or... I dunno. I'll keep trying /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm still curious to see people's success rate! Come on, there's nothing to be ashamed of! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

So far, so good!--But it's early! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I've definitely had luck on my side.. don't know how i haven't killed a lux yet (yeah i am sure i just jinxed myself).. not to mention my fatman and VIP drivers.. which i've done extensive modding on and plenty of accidental mishaps with open or short circuits etc.. i thought i killed my latest VIP driver (in my ACTUAL VIP light.. whoda thunkit).. when i accidentally open-circuited when the test clip fell off the ammeter.. whoops.. it output only 13mA for a bit afterwards and managed to come back to life and now has EIGHT levels. (not *because* i did an open circuit.. i did add new stuff)..

I managed to miss-wired the circuitry doing my VIP-8 putting something on ground plane that was supposed to be Vcc.. didn't work 'quite right' but still output something.. it it amazing that a mistake that big didn't make white smoke.

I almost always have some minor malfunction going from head-board to bread-board and again going from bread board to circuit.. for example.. i killed a LOT of little transistors with too much soldering heat before i figured out that was the problem, and now maybe 1 of 20 gets zapped.. and i even can replace the tiny chips if i determine that is the fault.

Just yesterday i had to desolder the main control resistor from my VIP driver in my VIP to put in the new controller... and when i wired up the new control guts.. not knowing where Vcc was on the topside of the circuit board i connected to the wrong side of the inductor.. the light came on but really dim.. i even had control.. would go from like 30mA to 200mA.. just not the 723 it was supposed to be... i only had to move the 'hot' to the other side of the inductor after realizing that was the problem.. lesson: don't assume that 0.5 ohm is just the meter leads :-D.. apparently a really good inductor will 'look' like a short if you aren't paying attention.

Well off to make some more nano drivers and chargers... fortunately the hit rate on those is muuuch higher nowadays.. they are soooo tiny it is quite a challenge but it's like climbing a mountain.. every one is a 'eureka' when it lights up.. even the 'fails' i usually find the culprit, usually a bad solder joint and sometimes (PITA) blown dual npn transistor.. have to desolder and put in a new one..it's buried under things so it's a real pain to fix...

In any event.. here's to taking that risk.. no reward without risk is the saying.. learn from the blown circuits and buy spares :-D

-awr

My first mod was actually a success. So were the 20 or so that followed it. I ran into problems when I started doing things that were "off of the beaten path." Now that I'm pretty set in what I do, I don't have too many failures these days. The point is that is just takes practice.

I'm always trying something new.. so I end up killing some NICE luxeons. some on purpose just to see how far I can take it.

I'm still reeling from killing my original Mr. Bulk SNII by running 2x 18650's /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif SNII WAS almost as bright as MR-x X3T.

been needing to kill a TWOH on purpose to see how much current Hbin will take before dying. My power supply only delivers up to 10amps so that's far as I can go with a power supply.

Hey.. cy i just picked up some of those H bins.. and am very curious about what they can take re: voltage.. I think i'll be making an LDO driver to run off LiON.. but since J bins run really hot DD.. wondering with H how much lower the voltage requirement really is.

-awr

last batch of TWOH measured 3.07V @ 349 milliamps
3.182V @ 700 milliamps

I must retract myself from my last "kill count". I was able to revive a sammie that I thought was dead. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif It was a poor contact. So that makes 4 LUXI attempts and 3 or 4 sammies. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif