LiIon Heart with LuxV

Just finished the LuxV conversion of my LiIon Heart:


The output of the PWM board drives to BB330 converter, giving a total of 660mA to the WXOT Led. The two bad boys in parallel should give a higher efficency.
The relatively low current density (330mA/mm2 compared to >1A/mm2 of the original LED) results in a good LED efficiency, which over compensates the loss of the additional converters and I like the beam of a LuxV with a McR27!
Additionally the light is now completely regulated over the battery runtime .

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

Cool ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

So you left the LH PWM driver with the interface and just put the 2 BB drivers after the LH driver? Aren't there any problems with such a set-up, especially safety- and efficiency-wise?

And yepp, a LuxV with a McR-27 (or any other 27mm reflector) is a fantastic and useful beam! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bernie

nice job! got any pic's before you buttoned it up?

Thanks Charlie!

Bernhard: Yes, the interface is the same and the BB's are after the LH driver. I don't see a safety risk, but there are some effects on the efficency: The on resistence of the LH driver reduces the voltage for the BB and the input capacitance of the BB causes some losses during the PWM switching. But I think both effects are relatively small.
I didn't see a current increase after inserting the LH driver (=> the on resistance of the LH is no problem).

Cy: Unfortunately I didn't take pictures. It's a very tight fit and I thought for a long time, that it won't work out. On one of the BBs the epoxy beneath the inductor is removed (dremel) to make space to the inductor of the second BB (making a very compact 2BB sandwich).
It was also necessary to desolder the switch on the LH board, insert the switch into the cavity and resolder it after placing the LH board. The BBs are located in the cavity, below the LH board and next to the switch.

Well, I guess you'll have to disassamble the unit to take some pics for us then ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin07.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
bernie

P.S.: What's the runtime on high? And do you have a beamshot comparison?

no reason this should not work with lioncub and one BB board. sure sounds tight with two BB boards.

what an excellent concept! 5watt w/lioncub sure sounds sweet!

Now THAT is a Mod!

Awesome Peter, PM sent

Awesome Peter, PM sent,Scott

Can we get some beam shots, if possible, regular vs modded LH.Pls.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

Wow, so you had to REMOVE the switch just to get it all in, and then RESOLDER the switch back on after? Awesome!

Very nice job. Running the BB's at low drive levels results in high efficiency even with two in parallel. Since the two BB's are not in series you won't incur double losses. Effciency of the two Badboys should be around 85% or so.

PeterB,
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif This thread got my mod juices flowing and I went and piggybacked a BB500 on one of the LH/LC boards with intent of installing it in a Ti LC. I did a very nice mont job and hooked up the leads like I figured they should go. Uh, no workie though! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif I reckon there is some electronic modification that was required and not a simple "in line" input/output configuration. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Outstanding /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/goodjob.gif

Will

Sorry, I was busy the last days, therefore the late reply.

Bernhard: I knew, that a suggestion like that would come /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I will wait with the disassembly, till the runtime tests and beamshots are finished /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif

I hope I can make some beamshots during the weekend, but it is similar (or identical) to a McLux PR with LuxV. I'm quite pleased, since there is almost no center hole.

I have done a runtime test on high with a 150A, which gave 37min. I would expect >80min from my LG2400mAh cell (but haven't done the test yet). The current draw (on a full battery) is 1.4A. By the way: This combo works also with 2XCR123.

With 1 BB the fit is much easier but the BB double stack was in my mind for some time, therefore I had to try it. Motivation was really the high efficency, that Wayne explained.

Don: I only made the simple series connection: LED + of the LH board to Vin+ of the BB, Ground to LH driver, BB Vin- and LED - and BB Vout+ to LED+ and it worked immediately. I have only noticed a change in the brightness levels: There is a bigger difference between the levels than in the stock configuration, which results in a faster scrolling through the intensities. I attribute this to the start up time of the bad boy. If the PWM is for example 100µs on, and the start up time is 30µs the resulting on time would be 70µs. And this would have a larger effect on the lower settings. I have the firmware V1 and actually I like the new spacing very much. Perhaps the V2 would have to large steps /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Perhaps you could measure the voltage at the output of the LH board. The full battery voltage should arrive there.

Iowatollah: No pm arrived (I also lost some messages by pressing submit only one time)

PeterB,
With confirmation that I hooked it up right, I just tried the driver again but increased the Vin above 3 V and seem to have something going but the BB will be in DD on a Li-ion and I see that a CR123 doesn't provide enough voltage to get me anywhere. I think your solution is elegant and mine sucks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for sharing the info Mr. PeterB /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

I will try this with my LH v1 circuit board as soon as I receive my BB, MM from the shoppe. I found a host that might fit brinkman legend lx /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Now if I understood it right the LH PVM is the controller and the BB is regulator?

Don,
Probably the undervoltage protection (for LiIon) of the LH prevents the operation below 3V. I observed, that the battery voltage was about 3V when the light started flickering.
But you could use a downboy or wizard board for the a LiIon LuxIII combination. You only have to take care to wire the LED- correctly, as you certainly know (keep LED- isolated from ground).

Roberto,
Exactly, the LH circuit controls everything (on,off, pwm) and the BB makes the boosting and regulation.