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View Full Version : DIY Rear Luxeon III tail light compared to Planet Bike Superflash




mjzraz
11-26-07, 10:58 AM
I just finished with the build and attempted some beamshots/video comparison with a Planet Bike Superflash.

Basically the light is built with the following:
1" square aluminum tubing
Red Luxeon III
NX05 optic
Dealextreme 5 mode 1000mA driver
Pushbutton switch with waterproof boot

I cut all the aluminum and assembled the heat sync/backing for the star. I used some right angle sections of the square tubing to attach inside the main housing as the mounting point for the star. To attach the optic to the star and to secure the optic to the housing, I used silicone. I used two blobs of clear silicone at the base of the optic and then using clear silicone to "fill in" around the optic. I still plan to attach a plexiglass cover with a slight bead on the face of the housing to secure it.
With the exception of the plexiglass, everything is together and working. The optic is in place and the area around it is filled in with silicone. When I attached the optic to the star, I think I put too big a blob of silicone because there is a spot on the optic and it doesn't appear to be as reflective in that area.
The night time pictures are my first attempt at beam shots or night shots. I put the camera in manual mode set the white to daylight and adjusted the light settings (I think) In all the photos I tried to represent what it looks like in person. Most of the comparison shots are side by side with my light and a planet bike superflash with fresh nimh rechargeables.

The driver is 1000mA - If I wonder if it's worth trying to experiment with a driver that can get closer to the 1400mA max for this Red LED. It's supposed to have 140Lumens at1400 mA. I went with the 1000mA drive because it was not that expensive.

There is a short video here: http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=2B5E53809BD811DC83F5000423CF385C
More pictures here:http://picasaweb.google.com/mjzraz/LEDBikeLightDIY
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2128/2066363504_f440e631c2.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2394/2066364030_4c8b375bd7.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2059/2066369276_20187b6fbd.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2034/2065572019_aef3853e84.jpg

Beamshots (Mine on the left, PB Superflash on right)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2325/2066369588_29c2b0e2af.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2111/2066370026_08eb776cb4.jpg

Against the house there was a big difference even in person:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2014/2065572353_ff4f06948c.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2269/2066369912_835e55eb5e.jpg

One of the effects I liked best was angling it down to cast a glow on the road:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2355/2066370316_731b014090.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2015/2065572687_df7175019a.jpg
jeff-o
11-26-07, 11:08 AM
Nice work, very professional! I'm not surprised by the difference in light output, though! Your tail light is running with 7-8 times as much power as the Superflash!
mrbubbles
11-26-07, 11:41 AM
I think you could've made the tube a little shorter, and what degree optics are you using?

I'm currently rigging up a Cree XRE red led with 30° hooked up to that exact same driver from DX. Still waiting for the drivers to arrive though.
I'm guessing you are powering it with 3 AA.
mjzraz
11-26-07, 02:01 PM
I think you could've made the tube a little shorter, and what degree optics are you using?

I'm currently rigging up a Cree XRE red led with 30° hooked up to that exact same driver from DX. Still waiting for the drivers to arrive though.
I'm guessing you are powering it with 3 AA.
The tube is 2 3/4" and the only area I have wiggle room is where the driver board goes. The front 1" is the optic and the led/board and heatsync. The rear plastic cap goes in 3/8" the switch takes up 3/4 of an inch and the driver is a 1/2 to 3/4". I still needed room for the mounting screws, the wires and to be physically able to get the switch in place. As it was after I put in the threaded inserts for the mounting bracket, I had to grind one of them down, because the switch wouldn't make the turn to go into the hole in the housing.

The optic is a NX05 (http://www.luxeonstar.com/item.php?id=396&link_str=&link_catg=&partno=LXHL-NX05) 10 degree

3AA's are powering it. I used a radio shack 4AA holder with the 9V style connector.

This (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6190) is the driver I am using.

Where did you get a RED Cree XRE ? What are there specs on that? All I found was the ones being sold on kaidomain which I though might have been mislabled XR-E instead of XR. Here is the link (http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=3314).

I can't find any info on a red Cree XR-E on the XR-E datasheet:
http://www.cree.com/products/pdf/XLamp7090XR-E.pdf

I can only find a red Cree Xlamp XR:
http://www.cree.com/products/pdf/XLamp7090XR.pdf

Since the red Luxeon III is rated 140 lumens at 1400mA - I just found this driver (http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=3257) that will drive the LED at 1200mA and has a higher input voltage range (2.6 to 6V) $4.99 is cheap enought to try it.
mrbubbles
11-26-07, 04:34 PM
http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=3314

That's the one you mentioned, I fried the initial one with 4AA, so I'm waiting for another one.
It comes on a star, the big issue was finding a lens that will fit, so I have sanded a 30° from Kaidomain that was supposed to be for Luxeon/Seoul.

I'm not sure whether the Cree is an XR-E or XR. Either way doesn't matter, for $4 I'm not complaining. I would've gotten a Lux III but I could only find it in US, and the shipping alone is almost double the value of the LED, so no point.

I will be modding an old Vistalite with Planet Bike attachment for BRT3, 5 and SF. I'm still deciding whether to go for a thin heatsink or a copper end cap. It will be powered by two AAs.
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Lights/VistaLite_Super_Nebula_5.jpg
mjzraz
11-27-07, 03:33 PM
http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=3314

I will be modding an old Vistalite with Planet Bike attachment for BRT3, 5 and SF. I'm still deciding whether to go for a thin heatsink or a copper end cap. It will be powered by two AAs.

reminds me of what Dan over on instructibles did:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Ultimate-Bike-Light---Front%2fRear-Combo---100-Lumen/

He's got a lot of cool ideas. before I found the dealextreme drivers I was going to roll my own.
jbierling
11-28-07, 04:37 AM
Red Luxeon III
NX05 optic
Pushbutton switch with waterproof boot


Nice!

Do you have purchasing links for the above components?

-Joel
slvoid
11-28-07, 05:28 PM
I hear osram has an LED star that produces 1000 lumens...
Nouia
11-30-07, 08:48 AM
I love how simple and effective this is. I've been trying to come up with a cheap DIY Dinotte-killer for a while, this looks like it.

I have 2 questions:

3 AA's would put you around 4.5 Volts, but this data sheet ( http://www.lumileds.com/pdfs/DS46.pdf ) says that the max voltage is 3.5 V or so. Are you driving it at over the max voltage or am I missing something?

How did you attach the leads from the regulator onto the Luxeon star? I guess I just can't tell from the pictures, but I don't see any wires going through that aluminum 90 degree angle piece that the star is mounted to. Are the leads attached to the back of the star somehow?

Sorry, I'm mentally challenged at the DIY electronics game, ha.
mrbubbles
11-30-07, 01:15 PM
I hear osram has an LED star that produces 1000 lumens...

You mean this,
http://www.ceatec.com/2006/imgx/product/0326.jpg

Problem is, driven the led at 1 amp, it's 22 watts, and it's actually six led chip on one die as you can see by the picture.

In comparison, 6 Cree Q5 at 22 watts can put out 1500 lumens.
smacmillin
12-10-07, 08:36 PM
Very nice light! What mounting bracket did you use? And where did you get it? http://picasaweb.google.com/mjzraz/LEDBikeLightDIY/photo#5055307609952641634 It looks very sturdy.
diff_lock2
12-10-07, 09:03 PM
You mean this,
http://www.ceatec.com/2006/imgx/product/0326.jpg

Problem is, driven the led at 1 amp, it's 22 watts, and it's actually six led chip on one die as you can see by the picture.

In comparison, 6 Cree Q5 at 22 watts can put out 1500 lumens.

i used to think that way too, but in some casses the close proximity of the dies makes for a crazy point source, and can be used for throw. Also there are the tri rebells which i think are perfect for bike lighting if you like leds. But they are only in white for now, or as far as i know.
mjzraz
02-03-08, 09:05 PM
Nice!

Do you have purchasing links for the above components?

-Joel

NX05 and Red Luxeon: http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=169435
Switch: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=504PB-ND
boot for switch: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=513PB-ND
mjzraz
02-03-08, 09:09 PM
Very nice light! What mounting bracket did you use? And where did you get it? http://picasaweb.google.com/mjzraz/LEDBikeLightDIY/photo#5055307609952641634 It looks very sturdy.

It's a plastic bike reflector bracket. BIke shops probably would give you one. I removed the reflector part and it's a nice bracket to mount anything. They come in several styles and sizes.