Side Emitter Protection Ideas Needed for Lantern.

I have been looking for an OSRAM lantern for a while now, an dcant seem to find one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
I may have to resort in dishing out big bucks to have one shipped to me soem someone that has found them locally.

I while I was sitting here solking over it, I remembered I had a Side Emitter led laying around. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
After some quick tests I determined it has a great beam pattern for a lantern like this.
This will be my first time useing a Side Emitter led.

I want to basically make a 4AA light, with nflex, and side emitter.
But I am having trouble finding a good clear dome shaped protector for the Emitter.
I would like the sides and top to all be clear, so some sort dome, like the ones in those little 50 cent toy machines they have with gumball machines sometimes.

This doesnt have to look good, just as long as it doesnt effect the beam much.
Im thinking a small plastic enclosure, with the dome epoxied on top of it.
With a 4AA battery holder inside it.

Thanks for the help guys, let the brainstorming begin.

~John

Re: Side Emitter Protection Ideas Needed for Lante

Although it doesn't have a clear top you could use the rayovac kids lantern and remove the diffuser and build yourself a base for the emitter.

Re: Side Emitter Protection Ideas Needed for Lante

lol, damnit, I knew that was gonna be the first suggestion... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon6.gif

I just got done destroying one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif
I was boring out space for the nflex, and the batt terminials fell out of the top of it, theres not much holding them in there.
Plus, I did some testing with the dome lens it had, theres vertical lines in it,,, and it makes the beam odd /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I was just now thinking of a piece of plastic, or acylic rod. I could bor it out hollow, maybe even hand shape the top round.

anyone have a small piece of 1" to 2" diameter rod I can use? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

~John

Re: Side Emitter Protection Ideas Needed for Lante

Try going to lowes and look in their plumbing section they have clear and opaque water hose you may be able to use and the rolled tubing can be bought by the foot so if you aren't sure it won't cost you much to find out. Another idea would be to get one of those focusing lanterns with a side emitter you could even use it as a flashlight.

Re: Side Emitter Protection Ideas Needed for Lante

I ruined a mini one of these

Re: Side Emitter Protection Ideas Needed for Lante

At least those are fairly cheap at walmart. I am trying to think of other hosts out there. I have seen a pull chain closet light that is round with a dome with nearly straight sides on it.

Re: Side Emitter Protection Ideas Needed for Lante

a side emitter still has a POINT light you SEE,
so (to me) a side emitter with clear (non-refractive) lens is not so good for lantern.
a lantern should somehow not blow your iris or SPOT your retnia when you look at it directlly.

so i think a "lantern" should not only have 360* light, but also break that "fillament burn" to a wide dispersion.

on one unit, they have a normal led inside that hits a tall cone reflector, that disperces the point to a wider output.
the outter lens is completly clear and non refractive, its the cone reflector that disperces the light , even to your eyes.

minor pyramid or circular CLEAR diffusion (like that dorcy lens for example), would break that darn emitter point, so it hits more of your eyes.
with clear refractive difusions, you lose less light , then the milky ones, which can Kill light. and you still can break the beam to eyes problem.

just depends on where its hanging, or if you want it to be SEEN from far away , and stuff like that there.

looking into emitters, even side emitters, ruins my seeing capacity for to long /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

for plastic rod, i would go to TAPplastics ($$$) , they are even online now.

Re: Side Emitter Protection Ideas Needed for Lante

Maybe you could use a short piece of clear tubing and put a cap on it. Tap Plastics might have something like this.

Re: Side Emitter Protection Ideas Needed for Lante

John, if you are familiar with the (now kinda antique) military 1D marker lights, they have a clear plastic dome. A very similar case comes with the strobe light pictured, with the added advantage of a magnet. You could always drop a 3/4? to D holder in it. The strobe is a module that drops-in over the D-cell. More than room enough for any driver you want.

Larry