What would you use?

Hello everyone. I am obviously new to the forums, but I love what I am reading! What a wealth of knowledge and support!

Quick question on another (final) school project I am trying to figure out...let's say you wanted to build the brightest headlamp possible, in an inexpensive way, utilizing LED's as the light source (with a reflector). I would want my battery(s) to be able to sustain the LED's for 3-hours before I needed a recharge (if using gel cell). Or, if using standard over-the counter (throw away) batteries, I would still like the same 3-hour charge.

Which direction would you tend to go? LED choice, battery choice? BTW, I wasn't sure which section to post this question in, so if it needs to be somewhere else, my apologies. I look forward to your responses! Any answers would be a great help, since I need to start my construction ASAP.

Sincerely,

Gary Robertson

In my opinion, this belongs in the Homemade and Modified Lights forum, so that's where I'm going to move it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

White light or will some other color (green, orange) do? How will brightness be measured, by meter or by eyeball?

brightness will be measured by meter.
As you want to build a headlamp...well how many led you use? using 1 AA 1400 mAh you can make the LED work for at less 4hrs.<--1 W LED

White light is preferred, and no real measuring scale will be used other than by eyeball. I need the brightest light possible, on a limited budget. In other words, how can I best light up an area about 6-8 feet in front of me, with a swath of light maybe 6-8' wide? For the least amount of money. Knowing a VERY limited amount about LED's, I was thinking about perhaps an LED cluster which bounces off of a chrome reflector, similar to a fog light on a vehicle, for lack of a better example.

ANY IDEAS are encouraged, and I can't thank you all enough for trying to help me out. This is one great forum! I look forward to your help!

Thanks-a-million.

Gary Robertson

Sounds like you want a floodlight type output. I would suggest something like 12 5mm white LEDs or more.

I made a 12 LED headlamp by modding a cheap $4 headlamp with a boost circuit and 12 26kmcd LEDs. It is pretty bright for about 3 hours. I modded the original reflector to catch some sidespill but LED sidespill doesn't amount to a whole lot. If you use 5mm LEDs I wouldn't bother with a reverse bouncing reflector and engineering one properly for a luxeon will be time consuming and possibly costly and require extra space and weight in a headlamp.

12 LED headlamp mod

Thanks for the info, Lynx! Great stuff, indeed! Does anyone else have a recommendation to add? Anyone?

Thanks!

Gary

USE China LED you will be able to make it super CHEAP!!!In USA you wont get that cheap

find one that with small angel veiw to make better pattern
another choice is to use Nichia's LED <-- one of the best LED
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The 26kmcd LEDs don't make a beautiful pattern but it is still rather bright and very useful and appears to be a good battery drainer.



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