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LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp (Read 3056 times)

Kwijybow

Five Star Member

mostly a commuter

Posts: 1026

LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp
Oct 18^th, 2007, 8:17am

So far after one day of commuting I'm pretty happy with my conversion. I had a couple of 4AA streamlight polypro luxeon 1W flashlights that had bit the dust due to breakage of internal parts due to road shock, so yesterday I converted one to an run off my generator hub by wiring in a bridging rectifier made from shottky diodes. I decided to go as simple as possible, and have no smoothing capacitor, or over voltage protection in the circuit. I used the old flashlight body to house the wires and diodes, and used the built in switch for activating it. I wanted to see just how it would do without the extra components.

I get usable light at walking speeds, and the flickering stops by 6 mph. The flickering I think is a feature, as it is very noticeable to cars and such, but isn't that noticeable from my perspective. It will be interesting to see how the LED stands up over time to the over volting, but it appeared to be functioning fine even after my hour commute in the dark. Definitely brighter than the Lumotec halogen lamp it replaced.

I'll get pictures soon, but it really just looks like one of these

http://www.brightguy.com/products/Streamlight_ProPolymer_4AA_LUXEON_LED_Flashlig ht.php

with wires sticking out and running to the hub.

Take Care,
Nelson.

Commuter 1 Cheesy

avidson Impulse
Commuter 2: Motobecane Fixie
Commuter 3: Salsa Journeyman
Recumbent 1: Schlitter Encore 20
recumbent 2: Bacchetta Ti Aero

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FlyingLaZBoy Moderator '16 ICE SprintX fs, '16 Rocket, '12 KHS Mocha Posts: 5803	Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp Reply #1 - Oct 18^th, 2007, 2:16pm What IS it about recumbent riders that we like to tinker with crap so much????
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Opus the Poet Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 1353	Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp Reply #2 - Oct 18^th, 2007, 2:28pm I dunno, I came back to bikes after a couple of decades building hot rods. So now I build hot rod bikes Opus
Back to top	I ride my bike to ride my bike, and sometimes it takes me where I need to go. IP Logged

Richard rbent member Posts: 480	Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp Reply #3 - Oct 18^th, 2007, 3:50pm It's one of those bent stereotypes that is true. Now, are you an old fart with a beard that likes to tinker with crap!? Uh oh that was me, until I shaved my beard off.
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Opus the Poet Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 1353	Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp Reply #4 - Oct 18^th, 2007, 8:44pm I'm not old, yet Opus
Back to top	I ride my bike to ride my bike, and sometimes it takes me where I need to go. IP Logged

Kwijybow

Five Star Member

mostly a commuter

Posts: 1026

Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp
Reply #5 - Oct 18^th, 2007, 10:24pm

Here is the picture, not too exciting, but I'm pretty psyched.

Now that I've done the proof of concept I have some plans for the next one.

I'm going to engineer a heat sink, lens holder for a nice Cree XR-E Q5 bin LED. Beefing up the electronics a bit next time as well.
Since it'll be something I really don't want to cook, I'll put in some overvoltage protection, and probably a bFlex driver circuit much like this one:

http://img.stimpy.net/pics/bike/creeled/

Also, how do I attach more than one pciture?

Take Care,
Nelson.

trek_ledgen2.jpg

Commuter 1 Cheesy

avidson Impulse
Commuter 2: Motobecane Fixie
Commuter 3: Salsa Journeyman
Recumbent 1: Schlitter Encore 20
recumbent 2: Bacchetta Ti Aero

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Bud_Bent Moderator Posts: 3310	Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp Reply #6 - Oct 19^th, 2007, 9:02am Nelson, Looks like a great setup. I'm not sure about attaching more than one image. I just put mine on photobucket, then post links to them.
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Kwijybow

Five Star Member

mostly a commuter

Posts: 1026

Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp
Reply #7 - Nov 21^st, 2007, 4:36pm

Finally posting link to MKII of the generator LED light. The second version uses a Cree XRE Q5 star mounted LED thermal epoxied to a M10 bolt head. The bold is run through a copper end cap and bolted to a conduit hanger, which is in turn clamped to another copper end cap. I silicon sealed it, so hopefully it will mostly be waterproof. Adjusting the fit of the optic was a pain, and the performance of the optic is less than overwhelming. It is producing more light than MKI, but it might actually have less throw. Need to be more careful picking out the optic for MKIII. MKIV is also in the planning stages, with some circuitry to drive 3 LEDs with an automatic voltage doubler for low speed lighting needed for running the multiple LEDs. My guestimates are MKI about 50 lumens with good throw and beam pattern. MKII is around 80-90 lumens but with a more floody pattern. MKIII with better optics should get me near 100 lumens with good throw, and MKIV I'm hoping for over 200 lumens!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nelson_ralls/2053768282/in/set-72157603258072698/

MKII LED, and parts cost @$15

Commuter 1 Cheesy

avidson Impulse
Commuter 2: Motobecane Fixie
Commuter 3: Salsa Journeyman
Recumbent 1: Schlitter Encore 20
recumbent 2: Bacchetta Ti Aero

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Bud_Bent Moderator Posts: 3310	Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp Reply #8 - Nov 21^st, 2007, 5:29pm I'm not sure that I understand. Was it just one of these that you started with? Is there no other lens or anything covering it?
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Kwijybow Five Star Member mostly a commuter Posts: 1026	Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp Reply #9 - Nov 21^st, 2007, 5:34pm Hi Bud, yep exactly, here is the optic http://www.ledsupply.com/l2-optx-1-006.php with this diffuser http://www.ledsupply.com/l2-optx-1-dif8.php used the oval one first and it was just too wide. Take Care, Nelson.
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Bud_Bent Moderator Posts: 3310	Re: LED flashlight -> LED generator lamp Reply #10 - Nov 21^st, 2007, 7:20pm Interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing, Nelson.
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