LED Light to light up cave

[DJMaitland]

Hi, i have recently got into electronics and i need to build a very bright but portable LED light (This is to light up the inside of a cave for caving and climbing), companies like Inova there products are very expensive for what i want. I want this to be about 700 Lumens (looking at Luxeon LEDs) wide beam, cool white, last about 2-3 hours, all in a small case about 4 inches across 3 inches wide and 2.5 inches in depth and i need also to have a small switch that wont get turned off by accident and it will need to be recharged. This is just for handheld use. I'm thinking about using 2 Luxeon rebels @ 435 Lumens and housing them on a heat-sink in side this small case with a clear lid. Im not sure what stuff i need like drivers or what type of battery to use can any you help me or give suggestions?

Thanks, David

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

You forgot to mention it needs to be waterproof, and able to survive a drop down a 50 foot hole on to solid rock.

 

[DJMaitland]

Yes, good point.

But at this early stage im not worrying about going in to all of that. I need to have this done with in about a week, but at a later stage yes.

 

[Ubergeek63]

readily available rebels 80Lm min at 350mA or around 100Lm typical. You would want 6 of them not two to get 600Lm at 6W.

To get 2 hrs you need 12WHrs plus losses. If you get an 8AA battery holder you have 2.5AHRx1.2Vx8=24WHRs for something in the neighborhood of 3-4HRs of runtime on rechargables. Or 4 LiFePo4s for 15WHRs

 

[DJMaitland]

Sorry but could you explain why it would be better to have 6 100 lumens than 2 300 lumens.

Thanks, David

 

[Ubergeek63]

Sorry but could you explain why it would be better to have 6 100 lumens than 2 300 lumens.

Thanks, David

Because there is no such thing as a 300Lm Rebel. The Rebel data sheet gives a maximum output for cool white as 180Lm typical @ 700mA, if you can find them.

With the readilly available Rebel at 80Lm min at 350mA and 145Lm typ at 700mA you should be using them at 1W @ 100Lm/W instead of 3W @ 48Lm/W for the sake of battery life, LED life, and to simplify heat sinking.

 

[Ubergeek63]

of course you could go to a premade assembly: Endor Rebel - Cool White, Tri-Emitter, 540 Lumens @ 700mA [7007-PWC-10-3] but even here they warn about spuratic availability

 

[DJMaitland]

yes, sorry when i said 300 Lumens i meant two of those pre made clusters

I see why it is very important to give as much information as possible.

Thanks, David

 

[Externet]

Hi.
Browse the candy store; there is many options that will yield what you want at a fraction of putting it together by yourself.:
**broken link removed**
Miguel

 

[Ubergeek63]

yes, sorry when i said 300 Lumens i meant two of those pre made clusters

I see why it is very important to give as much information as possible.

Thanks, David

Well that makes sense then and my battery recommendations should suit you nicely.

Luxeon Rebels are the LEDs in the assemblies, but it seems you realize that now

two **broken link removed**, one for each tri rebel star and five **broken link removed** or four **broken link removed** is about as small as you will get for 2-3 hours at 600Lm

 

[ezpcb.com]

You can't do without it

This LED will blow all the above away...It's a custom made LED for one of our customers (light maker). The power is 12W. It must be work with heat sink.

**broken link removed**

 

[Hero999]

Or just use a DC CFL, this one should last a couple of hourse run off a 2.5Ah Lion or NiMH pack.
**broken link removed**

 

[Ubergeek63]

This LED will blow all the above away...It's a custom made LED for one of our customers (light maker). The power is 12W. It must be work with heat sink.

Spec please. I suspect that it is one of the shoddy 35Lm/W jobs from the look of it. I could care less if it puts out more light if I need a huge battery pack and fancy heat sink on top of the $20-$30 you would likely charge for that thing!

 

[DJMaitland]

Hi.
Browse the candy store; there is many options that will yield what you want at a fraction of putting it together by yourself.:
DealExtreme: Flashlights, Guns & Lasers (hot gadgets) (Page 1)
Miguel

----

Right i have had many LED torches, some very expensive and powerful one's. Im not looking for another one i'm looking to build my own powerful project.

 

[Ubergeek63]

Hi.
Browse the candy store; there is many options that will yield what you want at a fraction of putting it together by yourself.:
DealExtreme: Flashlights, Guns & Lasers (hot gadgets) (Page 1)
Miguel

That is one of my normal stomping grounds. I still want to know if that guy had something worthwhile or if he is just another crap peddler in disguise.