ed 

I call it tactical because I used some PIMP Weaver rifle scope rings and a schwiggitty Weaver base. I'm only estimating the 700lm b/c Mfgr's always over rate these...yet I'm running this at a full 2.8amps instead of the crappy amperage that the orig. MTE was spitting out.

I've learned alot since November when I decided to replace the Nitehawk Raptor.

-Incandescent lights requre 3x the current to achieve similar lighting.
-Direct drive is okay for LED's...but has its pitfalls
-You can't be lazy if you want to build a decent one.
-I have an illness...this crap if fun!!


I decided to hack the MTE SSC P7 flashlight up for this project so I'd have a good compliment to the MagicShine on my helmet. I don't have a mill or a lathe...so I needed a good host for the emitter that looked decent and fit my needs. I also...just like to tinker.



I learned "the hard way" that high output LED's are low voltage / high amperage. (but not too high) With the Seoul Semiconductor P7 emitter, you need to try to keep a constant voltage around 3.7v. You can run low amperage for good run time and low light / high amperage for the opposite. (with my incandescent's...I'd +/- voltage to give it more/less output.

Someone told me that I could "direct drive" the P7 with 4 lithium ion cells in parallel w/o hurting it. WRONG!!! I burned one up. You either need to drive it off one lithium ion cell, or use a circuit board to limit the voltage and current that you're sending the emitter. You can do it several ways, but I found some super-cheap boards ($3ea) that are 3.7-4.2v input / output, so I decided to do a 4x 18650 lithium ion cell pack in parallel wired through a decent switch to the boards. I got the boards from Hoffman Amplifiers.

Here's a wiring diagram:


I decided to just do a straight 2.8amp setup instead of a 2-stage setup. I don't see any reason to run it on 1.4amps if I have a 4-cell pack.

Here's an example of the wiring...I didn't use the white switch pictured. We'll get to that:

1x 1.4amp board:



Adding the second board to give it a full 2.8amps:


Here's the P7 on the other side of the heatsink:



I hacked the MTE SSC P7 light about 4-5mm behind the lamp head. I bought a "cable gland", connectors, and trailtech switch from Battery Space.

ed 

The large "inside" nut on the gland was the perfect size to press-fit into the 19mm hole that was left in the back of the light when I cut it up. I rounded the corners off the nut and pressed it in for a watertight fit. The Trail Tech connector fit right in there and soldered to the base of the limiter boards. Screwed everything together:



Now, all I had to do was build a battery pack and try to mount the thing:
I got the pack from LuminousDIY and wired it 4p.

Similar to this...except mine's in parallel...and I dremeled channels in it to keep it all "flush".


Now, to mount it...I got a Weaver scope base and rings laying around...what the hey! It fits perfectly! Attach the base to pretty-much anything ya got laying around. I had a couple of NiteHawk bar mounts chillin:


Switch:


The whole whatevah:


Mounted:





I think I'm gonna add an extension to a seat bag for the battery pack. I have this little triangle bag...but not really into it.

ed 

The little circuit boards are only 17mm diameter. Looking at those pic's...they look easy to work with. They actually fit in the tube right in front of the scope rings. Here's a picture of one next to my thumbnail to give you an idea about the size of frustration:


I removed this one from the orig. MTE b/c it was fried.

scrublover

Nice work!

ed 

I had a little bit of concern with heat, so I added a heat sink from the local hobby shop. I think it's for an electric airplane motor.
I had to drill and tap the head to attach it, but I flattened out the lip on the head and added some heat sink paste. IMO it's a little uglier now...but it definitely has a bit of character and will be safer on warm nights.

ed 

Reminds me of these:

Daspydyr 

That is a blast. When does it go into production. Got any catchy names thunk up?

ed 

I'll call it the Troll Maybe the Stache.

If you figure:
Flashlight - $32
Switch - $5
Battery holder - $15
Cells - $16
2x PCB's - $6
Scope mount - $13



You may as well go buy a MagicShine from Geomangear for just shy of $100 shipped. This is a tad more "spot" than the MS with a slightly tigher hot spot...but I think the runtime and volume of light are about equal. The MS may be a tad brighter over the entire runtime b/c it uses a buck PCB and a 7.4v 2s/2p battery pack. Still though...they seem to look about the same side-by-side initially. With a 3.5hr runtime...I doubt I'll notice much dimming in either light. I don't normally ride that long at night.

If I get the bug to build another...I'll probably buy a buck PCB and do the 7.4v battery pack...I just wanted to see how these $3 boards perform. I've got a p60 host laying around that I could use, i guess.

ca7erham

Nice, nice, I dig. Just out of curiosity (I've been off for so long) when did you go to a Pike, and how you liking it? I'm thinking that way here semi soon (But then again, every few weeks I want a new fork)

4evrplan

Awesome project. You definitely got the bug.

ed 

The pIKE is excellent! Noticeably smoother than the Vanilla and blows the Float140 clean outta the water. Got it late last yr.

...and yes...the bug, I got!

dminor 

Awww, heck . . . I think I just want a nice little hydrogen fuel cell so I can power a 100,000 candlepower KC Daylighter and be done with it!

Trouble is, the HFC I found (for RC car applications) is still over $1,400 through Edmund Scientific. Oh well . . . .

ed 

You can buy a LiFePo4 "M-size" cell.

Capacity
Nominal: 10000mAh (3.8V cut-off, 1C )
Minimum: 9800 mAh
Energy density: 82.05 wh/kg

Max.Discharging current
50 Amp (Continuous discharge rate)
100 Amp ( < 30 sec Surge rate)


Couple of those would prolly get'er'done!

Daspydyr 

Kinda looks like the spybot in Transformers.

born2bahick

Damn Ed, you should copy this to the Electronics and lighting forum, They might get a kick out of it too!

ed 

We have one of those? Be right back...

born2bahick

I finally got all my stuff from these peeps a Deal Extreme. Order at Halloween, Got It by Easter! But I will say the cheap Flashlights will serve as a hell of light setup on the cheap. THe MTE P7 is going on the bars, for a super bright flood pattern, and the Utrafire Cree 2 Emitter is a tight spot for the helmet mount. Charger, Betteries for 2 hours run time, mounts both helmet and bar, and lights, total 85 bills to my door. That's a cheap setup for trail riding and it's more light than the halogen setups I have that cost 360+.

ed 

Beamshots...I measured the shed from the lights with a tape...50 feet 6 inches:

Control


Magicshine


My own P7 creation


Both together



So the MS has more flood with a larger hot spot and a warmer emitter. The Homebrew has a cooler tint, tighter/slightly brighter hot spot, and less flood. I should switch these around and run the Homebrew on the helmet...but honestly...both will be adequate in either situation.


I'd like to take this time to show y'all a little light that I picked up recently. It's a Trustfire TR-1200. It has 5x Cree XR-E Q5's and will run on 3 RCR123a's, 2x18500's, 2x18650's, or 3x18650's in series (just add extensions for whatever battery combo):



This 50' beamshot doesn't do it justice b/c this light can throw a beam a couple of football fields. 50 feet is just rediculous for it Notice the blue'ish streak on the right side of the picture...that's all LED flame.

WorldIRC

Holy that's amazing!! Make me one!!

ed 

No can do...I have to build a new shed...just burnt mine down doing these beam shots.

mzeffex 

I guess you would know - is this where to get the magic shine from?

https://www.geomangear.com/index.php?...roducts_id=138

ed 

Yup!

mzeffex 

Sweet. What light do you use on the trail most of the time?

ed 

While I was experimenting with Halogen overvolting, I was running the MS on my helmet for comparison reasons and as a back-up in case the Halogen died early. It was basically just for experimental reasons that I didn't use the MS

9/10 I use the MagicShine on my helmet. Now that this is built...I'll be using it on the bars due to the mounting restrictions of my MTE build at the moment. We'll see how goes. When I get this 3xR5 project done...I may move the MagicShine down to the bars next to the MTE...and run the R5 on my helmet b/c it'll be even 2/3 the size and 1/2 the weight of the MS. (the MS is def. light enough for a helmet though)









I've read a few reviews of MS issues...I think they're from the dealextreme version of the MS. I know there are two versions over there. (5mode/3mode) The one from Geoman.com is great. The battery pack is not waterproof though. You may want to silicone the ends of it to protect the circuit board from water. I have read about people getting the battery pack wet repeatedly and the board corrodes. Waterproofing is easy enough though. IMO...I think it's just smart to silicone the ends instead of plastic-dipping the whole battery. It will keep it cooler. (not a proven theory...just a random opinion)

mzeffex 

Okay cool. The main reason I need it is for the one 24 hour race in July, and then whatever road stuff after that. I'm not allowed to ride the trails at night (mom), yet she will let me race mtb at night! It's gonna be one hell of an experience.