This is my first post here in CPF. I have been searching for many hours for a driver for a 1 watt luxeon to fit in the solitaire. I will be using a AAA NiMh. It seems that something called the micropro pill is the best, but I can't find out how to get one. Even a list of parts and a schematic would be fine. Are there any other drivers besides the micropro? Is there a way to build one from scratch, using parts from radio shack? Also, I saw a post on how to cut down and fit a Dorcy 1 AAA led driver into the Solitaire. What would happen if I put a 1 watt luxeon on this driver?
Need to make driver for 1 watt Solitaire
- Thread starter Gonzo
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
The minipro is the driver that I believe you were reffering to, is designed for AA-minimag and is too big for the solitare.
The dorcy driver will drive the one watt for sure, read this:
http://darkgear.com/mrbulk/dorcy1aa.htm
Mr. Bulk got 148 lux at 1 meter.
Arc Mania made a small converter that used to be at the shoppe, I tried it in a solitare and was not happy with the results.
Lambda made a series of pills that he made fit into the solitare.
But, I would recomend that you get some li-ions the size of AAAs and direct drive it.
Lastly make sure that you heatsink the LED no matter what you do.
The dorcy driver will drive the one watt for sure, read this:
http://darkgear.com/mrbulk/dorcy1aa.htm
Mr. Bulk got 148 lux at 1 meter.
Arc Mania made a small converter that used to be at the shoppe, I tried it in a solitare and was not happy with the results.
Lambda made a series of pills that he made fit into the solitare.
But, I would recomend that you get some li-ions the size of AAAs and direct drive it.
Lastly make sure that you heatsink the LED no matter what you do.
Crux
Newly Enlightened
Maybe I missed something, but it didn't seem like that Dorcy stood up too well against a "slightly modified Arc LSH-P", and that is a 1AA version. (Drop in a 3V lith from a CRV3A, and you've got 1W+)
The Dorcy 1 AAA will not drive a lux at 1W from a NiMh. Better results would come from a Lithium AAA, but probably still not 1W. Try using a Linear Tech LTC3490 IC, it is designed to drive a Lux at 350mA from one or two NiMh or Alk cells.
The one I put in a Dorcy 1 AA gives a solid 350mA down to 1.2 Volts. I just finished a 2 AAA minimag using this and a side emitter. It works great!
I have also used a Texas Inst. TPS61020 in a Solitare driving an 8mm warm white led at about 150mA. Its under-utilizing the ability of the TPS but it fits well in the soli and doesn't need a reflector. I Lux in a soli doesn't leave much room for an efficient reflector.
As mentioned LiIon's will work great and don't need a converter. The big problems come down to mounting the Lux (heatsinking), and light management (reflector).
Crux
The Dorcy 1 AAA will not drive a lux at 1W from a NiMh. Better results would come from a Lithium AAA, but probably still not 1W. Try using a Linear Tech LTC3490 IC, it is designed to drive a Lux at 350mA from one or two NiMh or Alk cells.
The one I put in a Dorcy 1 AA gives a solid 350mA down to 1.2 Volts. I just finished a 2 AAA minimag using this and a side emitter. It works great!
I have also used a Texas Inst. TPS61020 in a Solitare driving an 8mm warm white led at about 150mA. Its under-utilizing the ability of the TPS but it fits well in the soli and doesn't need a reflector. I Lux in a soli doesn't leave much room for an efficient reflector.
As mentioned LiIon's will work great and don't need a converter. The big problems come down to mounting the Lux (heatsinking), and light management (reflector).
Crux
[ QUOTE ]
Crux said:
Maybe I missed something, but it didn't seem like that Dorcy stood up too well against a "slightly modified Arc LSH-P", and that is a 1AA version...
...As mentioned LiIon's will work great and don't need a converter. The big problems come down to mounting the Lux (heatsinking), and light management (reflector).
Crux
[/ QUOTE ]
Crux,
I was giving examples of what didn't work well and showing him what would.
Yes those two would be problems, but they would be problems with anything that he did.
Crux said:
Maybe I missed something, but it didn't seem like that Dorcy stood up too well against a "slightly modified Arc LSH-P", and that is a 1AA version...
...As mentioned LiIon's will work great and don't need a converter. The big problems come down to mounting the Lux (heatsinking), and light management (reflector).
Crux
[/ QUOTE ]
Crux,
I was giving examples of what didn't work well and showing him what would.
Yes those two would be problems, but they would be problems with anything that he did.
andrewwynn
Flashlight Enthusiast
i'd recommend using an aaa lithium ion bat and an ldo driver.. youc an run it full power for about an hour on a charge.. that'll last a month of normal use per charge.
-awr
-awr
WildRice
Flashlight Enthusiast
I EDC my LUX I Soli all the time now. Switching assembly removed and LUX I mounted to the top of the Soli. I drilled out the reflector just enough to fit. ! use a Li-ION AAA (14400). And I drilled a hole in the tailcap and put in a SMALL pushbutton for momentary use.
If building a pill for one of these things, IMHO it would be almost impossible to run it at full power. Space and Thermal management would get in the way.
Jeff
If building a pill for one of these things, IMHO it would be almost impossible to run it at full power. Space and Thermal management would get in the way.
Jeff
andrewwynn
Flashlight Enthusiast
AAA Lion is rated for a max of 450mA... don't know how well you can heatsink a soli. but the nano can do 450 ok fine.. i wouldn't run more as a safety concern alone.. but at 450 they get toasty and output gobs of light.
-awr
-awr
rscanady
Enlightened
I am driving a Lux I in a soli DD with a 6ohm resistor from a Li-Ion AAA cell, it runs around 200mA. Before the resistor it was drawing quite a bit more and thermal issues concerned me. But with it around 200mA, i get around 45 minutes of good light out of it.
I smoked the Micro Pill I had when I applied a Li-Ion to it, ooops oh well live and learn I guess.
Ryan
I smoked the Micro Pill I had when I applied a Li-Ion to it, ooops oh well live and learn I guess.
Ryan
andrewwynn
Flashlight Enthusiast
ouch on the smoked.. yeah 3V they are happy with.. 4.2.. notsomuch.
I used 1.5ohm to get like 300mA on my 'dd-3-way'.. http://aaa.rouse.com with the nano driver it'll go about 50 minutes with a completely flat output at 300ma.. check out the brightness curves at http://rouse.com/nano the driver is not difficult to build.. look at http://ldo.rouse.com all the diagrams and parts are listed.
-awr
I used 1.5ohm to get like 300mA on my 'dd-3-way'.. http://aaa.rouse.com with the nano driver it'll go about 50 minutes with a completely flat output at 300ma.. check out the brightness curves at http://rouse.com/nano the driver is not difficult to build.. look at http://ldo.rouse.com all the diagrams and parts are listed.
-awr
