Suggestions for an 18650 light wanted!

Hi folks,
I've got a couple of 18650's (unprotected) that I'd like to use in a LED light.

I'm looking for suggestions for a safe (regulated) light to build using a single 18650 cell.

Can anyone make suggestions for which body to start with, and electronics to use?

Thanks.

i think a chopped 2C maglight would be awesome!.. make it just long enough to fit the 18650.. even shorten or remove the spring.. use a fatman driver for power and i think you can run 3x lux3 at about 700-800mA.. put them in SO20XAs you will have a 'sleeper' light that will blow peoples minds.. i'd be betting you can get 4000-5000 lux.. the fatman driver can be hacked to have a voltage cut out at any voltage you desire.. very easy hack..

If you want to run a single emitter.. you can also use fatman, but need to have a high Vf emitter like L bin and you can still have some brightness control if you want.. if you don't need brightness control.. Kbin or Jbin emitter with fatman and one Lion is awesome combination.

-awr

You could just buy a Surefire U2 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

any mag mod will reguire that you incorperate a protection for low V cutoff i think'

I have to agree that Surefire has already succeeded on this one.
I had a chance to try a single 18650 unprotected in a U2.
All 6 brightness levels lit up fine. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

A cutdown c cell mag with a Fatman from www.taskled.com and a Luxeon5 could be quite interesting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Even a protected cell ought to work if you leave a few extra millimeters length for it.

For a regulated, I would have to say to, go the protected route just to be safe.

welcome to cpf mountainh, one of the easiest mods is Pelican M6 LED version with body tube bored out to 18.25mm.

I've got one available ready to accept 18650 for $75 shipped conus usps. insurance is extra. Please PM if interested.

cy,

what driver are you using?
I would assume this doesnt have over discharge protection.

jtice, I've got two PM6 that's been bored out to accept 18650.

this one pictured uses stock LED module. other one uses PM6 module from shoppe and 5watt (Xbin?) side emitter with BB750.

cell used is bare 18650 with no dead short dangers.

I have a U2 and I love it!
That's the reason I ended up with some cells.
Now I'm wanting to tackle a construction/learning project and thought that this might be a good one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have been running (4) Lux III's on one protected 18650 using two fatman drivers. I will be hopefully getting back a chopped 2C mag that will be just long enough for the 18650. Size for size and oz. for oz. its going to be hard to top it.
Good Luck,
Chris
.308

that sounds like a very neat light.. tiny in comparison to the fivemega mod i have (chopped 2D).. but i'm pushing nearly 20W out the emitters.. a little more bang for a lotta more buck (4x UX1L.... however i guess i did save $22 only using 1 fatman).. hmmm.

-awr

i hate to be pickey AND a cheapskate TOO.
but is there a light that holds that battery that:

1) isnt 3 times bigger than the battery?
2) costs about 30$
3) uses a REAL luxIII
4) has a low setting
5) either has no driver, or the driver can be tossed (nor space wasted on it)
6) the head isnt 3 times bigger than the battery
7) and has optics (or the ability for them)
8) uses a switch on the side or rotation of the head, where it can be reached.
9) runs for at least one hour on full
10) is a tube for a battey and a light, but not a huge hunk of boat ballast with added metal that serves no functional purpose.
11) comes in Chromed finish
12) has no plastic parts, unless needed for electrical insualtion
13) uses a glass lens
14) ahh what the heck, make it rechargable too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

ok so i like to be pickey then /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

with a DD type of setup a White luxIII isnt going to be triggering its gate at some low voltage level, so discharge protection is not as great a nessity, when you run a driver that purposfully drains the battery , that is great for alkalines.

mountainh,

Try using a nice lux I w/ proper forward voltage and a buck circuit, such as a downboy. By proper, I mean it'll run regulated at whatever current you wanted (say 500ma) for most of the battery life, but at 3.5v (or whatever you feel comfortable with), drops into direct drive. You should notice it dimming shortly after, and hopefully swap batteries.

Cy, that Pelican job is nice; I've been planning to do the same, but perhaps....pm on the way.