DIY lights - LED project

[WillemT]

well it's worth a try but what i hate about that site is that it gives you absolutely no details. Go and have a look on www.rabtron.co.za I know it's old tecnology and whatever, but you must admit it's very sorted out and straight forward, and because I like to build stuff and know what i'm actually working with, i'll go with the luxeons for now...

 

The site for the cree's is terrible!

[Brighter-Lights]

Potent: The P7 uses 4x dies in parrallel... so you need beefy hardware to drive it at 2.8 to 3.3 amps and 4volts. That's why we don't have a pwm type triver for it, there's very few chips that support that high current.

I have a textured alu reflector here for the P7.

 

sampie: No I don't use drop-in's. Most of the drivers they use are cheap chinese and not very efficient. Those reflectors also give a ringy beam with a cree.

 

My reflectors in the Revelation-1 look like this :

 

I specially designed the Revelation-1 for tTrans Baviaans or 24hr solo riders. I've just been so busy, almost done with the new website.... check in a week! I'll take pre orders for the Revelation-1 soon.

 

The Revelation-1, 440g System weight, 11.5hours burn time at 210lm. R2000-00 - no competitor can even come close to matching this performance!

 

Prices are soon going up because I'm talking to distributors now.

 

Here's a beam photo of a Sigma Sport EvoX 10w Halogen (1.5hrs), Brighter-Lights Revelation-1 (11.5 hours), and a Blackburn X3 (same as X4) 3.5 hours...

 

[AndreZA]

The Revelation-1' date=' 440g System weight, 11.5hours burn time at 210lm. R2000-00 - no competitor can even come close to matching this performance!

 

[/quote']

 

does that price include the battery and charger?

 

 

[Flea]

Are you going to have stock ready for Baviaans?

Also is that the light output for 11hours? Not just for a burst and then dimmer to get the life?

[WillemT]

That light looks very cool!!

 

Have you seen the new MC-E LED from cree? Hear its going to be on sale at the end of july... Same idea as the P7 except you can choose whether you drive it in series or parralel.

[Brighter-Lights]

mampara: It's for a complete package.

 

Light + bar mount (70g)

Li-po battery in bottle (350g) 11.1v 4000mA

3 cell balance charger with power adapter.

 

Flea: It uses an 11.1v li-po battery with a buck regulator so it burns at a constant brightness for 11.5hrs when the low battery warning comes on at 11:30 +-

I built one prototype and then got parts for 4 more. I sold 2 yesterday and need to build the other 2. So there's 2 left, although a bike shop asked for one. I will probably get parts for another 10 in time for Trans.  

 

night-tider : Yes ! the MC-E is super efficient at up to 800lm at just under 10w... problem is... to drive 4 in series you'll need a high v+ source... at least li-xxx cells in series. 

[WillemT]

Well you can choose if you want to put it in series or parralel. The four chips is controlled seperatly so you can choose, the thing is as you say that very little circuits can handle high amps... I thought of maybe using 2 buckpucks in order to get the amps needed to put 2 in series and then the other 2 also in series and connect it to the second driver. then you'll need about 9 or 10 V for a nice constant drive and about 2 amps. If you get a decent polymer bat it should work. But I guess if you want more light you'll always have to get more batt, basic fisics... hehe The nice thing is if you build the circuits yourself, you can not only dim it but cut out two of the LEDs and only run on two wich will give you better bat life. If you maybe run 2 LEDs per buckpuck you can only shut off your one driver and you run of half capacity. They plan to launch it middle - end of july with the optics designed for it!! Can't wait!!!!!!!!

[Brighter-Lights]

The problem with series is in order to run 4x chips at 750mA, you'll need 14.8v to 15.2v for the LED's alone to be in regulation + 1 or 2v for the drop from the driver, depending on the driver you're gonna use... so minimum voltage of 16+v's if you don't want the light to dim towards the end of the battery's cycle...

4 cell's empty voltage is around 13.5 to 13.8v so by that time, it will be, say 14v (battery empty) - 1v (driver) = 13v / 4 = 3.25v for each LED = +- 350mA depending on LED's vF.

 

 

[jacostrydom]

Also went the Rabtron route.

Spares came to R500.

 

I wired it with a DPDT switch to have 1 LED - OFF - 2 LEDs. Also put a POT in (using the buckpack control pins) for variable brightness control

 

Going to use it on the freedom challenge from next week.

 

I figure that in the middle of the night, on my own in the middle of the karoo even a match or candle will give PLENTY light.

 

I tested it locally and the light is really a BIG step up from the original light I was going to take (Normal torch bulb like 5 AA battery light).

 

Even with 1 LED on it gives me more light than my Petzl XP

 

I wanted to post a picture but apparently I do not have sufficient permission

Error

Only members with sufficient permission can access this page.

[sampie]

Which LED's did you use

[Hog_]

 

Also put a POT in (using the buckpack control pins) for variable brightness control

 

 

What pot did you use?

 

 

[GT oke]

why is everyone busy making lights for their bikes?

go ride in the morning or afternoon, when it lighter and much warmer!!

[sampie]

Try to send the pics again, very curios.

[jacostrydom]

Also put a POT in (using the buckpack control pins) for variable brightness control

What pot did you use?

 

2k2 single turn - gives me a full range from off to full blast (close to 1000mA)

I have calibrated it and put marks on my light every 200 mA

1 LED is about full brightness at 300mA 2 at 700mA

[Speedi]

How bright is that?

[Speedi]

what mount is that?