Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Got my LEDs, building light after recovering my sight
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unterhausen
03-19-09, 07:46 PM
On edit: I have no idea how I got the emitters wrong, I'm using XRE emitters because I figured these weren't going to be my last lights and they were easier and cheaper for now.
I hooked my Cree XRE R2's up to a variable power supply and I'm still seeing spots. I also got some XRE red LEDs for the rear. Those are also pretty bright. Don't know that they bin those for brightness though.
I'm building a dyno lighting system. I have one of the Shimano hub dynos with a Shimano incandescent light that doesn't quite cut it.
Unknown Cyclist
03-19-09, 08:09 PM
Have you checked out Pilom (http://www.pilom.com) ?
Triple LED Headlight (http://www.pilom.com/BicycleElectronics/triLEDhead.htm)
unterhausen
03-19-09, 11:54 PM
I've been studying Pilom. I was thinking about building his circuit 10, but I think I'll go with a simple bridge/capacitor scheme for now.
Unknown Cyclist
03-20-09, 02:54 AM
I've just put together a rectifier/smoother for mine, I can take some photos if you like.
:)
I've been studying Pilom. I was thinking about building his circuit 10, but I think I'll go with a simple bridge/capacitor scheme for now.
My first couple of led shipments gave me huge headaches. Nowadays I wind the powersupply right down unless I'm taking beamshots or heat testing.
Where did you get the red XPEs from?
10 takes a while to wire up. Just do the bridge and then see if you need a dimmer or better low speed performance. I need to sit down for a while this weekend and do one for my new triple.
I've put C1 into the headlight assembly so should be a little tidier than my 5LED below, might use a board instead of spaghetti wiring.
http://idisk.mac.com/timonz/Public//Penta/pentaC102.jpg
Unknown Cyclist
03-20-09, 09:21 AM
Ok,
Here's the rectifier for mine:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e61/Unknown_Cyclist/Rectifier.jpg
The layout I chose for the rectifier was to fit easily inside the case and also so that the 'IN' leads were at one end and the 'OUT' leads at the other.
This was for two reasons, ease of connection and to allow the whole thing to go into a reasonable diameter piece of heatshrink.
The plastic box is drilled to bolt directly onto an otherwise unused dynamo boss on my fork leg.
The diodes are schottky for less voltage drop and the board measures 11mm x 26mm.
It could be smaller, but for ease of assembly I went for that layout.
:)
unterhausen
03-21-09, 01:15 AM
Where did you get the red XPEs from?
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Sorry, it's all XRE. Don't know where the P/R mixup came from. I bought everything from DX
Thanks for the inputs.
I've got to dig my rollers out, I promised beamshots :)
Unknown Cyclist
03-21-09, 07:45 AM
Ok......
Which LEDs do you have ??
unterhausen
03-21-09, 12:04 PM
XRE R2 white and XRE red, sorry about the original post
Unknown Cyclist
03-21-09, 12:49 PM
XRE R2 white and XRE red, sorry about the original post
Like this ?
http://www1.dealextreme.com/productimages/sku_2394_1.jpg
unterhausen
03-21-09, 01:09 PM
that's the one
Unknown Cyclist
03-21-09, 01:16 PM
Going to use condiment containers ?
unterhausen
03-21-09, 05:45 PM
no, I'm going to machine housings. I'm cleaning up my shop so I can get the lathe working again.
unterhausen
03-25-09, 11:09 PM
I built up 2 of the leds without any housing. I used a bridge with a bipolar cap and smoothing cap like Martin's Circuit 6. They are quite bright, they also flash quite a bit at low speeds. I'm going to try a bigger smoothing cap. I also need to get some better diodes, I ended up using some 1n4004 which drop over a volt.