• The Derbyshire Caver, No. 158

    The latest issue is finally complete and printed

    Subscribers should have received their issue in the post - please let us know if you haven't. For everyone else, the online version is now available for free download:

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1500 lumens, wide angled, filming & photographic light - Interested?

Rob

Rob

Well-known member
Darkstar said:
Thus dispensing with the large amount of swearing when the fireflies fail to trigger or when a flash swallow dives into a steamway.
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Exactly the reason why i've gone this way! Flash guns are easy when they work, but torches (almost) always work and are much easy to compose the shot with.

Darkstar said:
Sorry if this is a silly question, but would it be possible to have the light output continuously adjustable across the range?
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Unfortunately P7 leds require a lot more juice than convensional leds (3A instead of ~1A - basically because they are 4 leds in series). Therefore all the fancy led drivers available will not run them at anywhere near their full capacity, without additional circuit boards. The Scurion P7 only utilises about 50% of their potential. Therefore i can only put in what's available, and the driver i'm going for is the most flexible i've found. If anyone else knows of a more flexible driver that's cheap and can deliver 3A please let me know asap. I find that a quick smeer of mud across the front manages to dim it quite precisely (although can effect the colour)!

mrodoc said:
When are planning to go into production. Have a trip to Scotland end of April and would be fun to give the system a whirl there.
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Some bits already ordered. However i am by far not the best modelmaker/solderer in the world so it will take some time for the design/production to settle to a level acceptable of selling. Will let you know once i've got a better idea, but end of April sounds reasonably reasonable!
 
Rob

Rob

Well-known member
nickwilliams said:
Rob,

You may care to bear in mind that I will likely be in Assynt at the same time as Pete in April.

NIck.
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:-\ Does that mean:
  • You can deliver one?  (y)
  • You may want one for yourself once you've come back?  (y) (y)
  • You probably won't want one for yourself once you've come back cos his broke?  :thumbsdown:
  • If i'm running behind scedule i can't use your facilities to finish one off in time?  ;)
 
Rob

Rob

Well-known member
Very well, almost finished the first batch... I'm now just trying to source some "Warning, do not look straight at the beam" stickers!!!    :eek:  8)
 
mrodoc

mrodoc

Well-known member
How's it going. Do you think you'll have one available for my trip to Assynt? Perhaps Mr. Williams could bring it with him - he could even start in the film!
 
M

MatthiasM

New member
I'm interested, too. I know all that flashlight woes as I'm often flash slave for one of our photographers.
Best regards
Matthias
 
Rob

Rob

Well-known member
OK, so I've made my first (and possibly last) batch.

3419996187_3365b6d6cf.jpg

  • 2 x P7 11W LEDs
  • Three power settings for each LED (high - 100%, med - 35%, low - 5%)
  • Independent control of each LED (one can be tuned off, or ran at a different power to the other)
  • Low battery protection
  • Head measures 88 x 50mm

3419996473_dbbd599063.jpg


I've made up a few Li-Ion battery packs which use the TrailTech waterproof connection, with chargers...
3420804314_9ef6317c95.jpg

However the heatset can use any battery pack between 5.5v and 15v, so with a bit of work you can set it up to run off anything you want (eg Sten light batteries, 2x4.5v flatpacks, +5 rechargable AAs, a car 12v socket, etc). You'll just need to purchase a few connectors (i've got a couple spares...).

See, even Bounce likes them ...
3420803868_53b0c4db9d.jpg

(but only when turned off)


Costs are:
head unit = ?120
2-cell = ?30
4-cell = ?50
Smart charger = ?20

I think i have:
4 x 2-cell 2000mAh
2 x 4-cell 4000mAh

These prices are mostly for the raw materials, i'm not making much for my time. Therefore I will offer lots of help and advice, but no warranty. The whole unit can be stripped down relatively easy, should it need to be, and you can buy replacement parts from wherever i bought them from.
I've tried hard to make it fully waterproof, and it does resist a 5 minute dunk in the bath, but submerge it at your own risk.
The dual high power mode should be used with restraint. Unless actually underwater (or in a very draughty cold cave) it will probably overheat after five or so minutes. It is mainly for photos, rather than video. This has been a design compromise between thermal transfer and size. The PCB does have built-in thermal protection but i'm not sure i trust it totally...

Send me an email if you are interested...: roberteavis "at" hotmail "dot" com
 
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