LED nirvana

[potholer]

Regarding the Peli lamp, it *does* look a bit front-heavy.

Also, 33hours off 4x alkaline AAs = something like 0.4W average even with 100% efficient circuitry.
As a rough guide, at low-to-medium power drains, (ie something below ~1Watt for a 3/4-cell light), an alkaline AA might give out 3.5 Watt-hours over its life (and that's probably being quite generous for anything other than low drains).
Circuitry is likely to take at least 10%, and possibly rather more off that.


Waterproofing Oldham headsets rather depends where the water is getting in, and whether it's a pressure thing (ducks and dives) or just general bad weatherproofing (waterfalls, etc.). Cable entry holes can leak - wrapping some insulation tape well around the cable and headset near the entry hole can help work out if that's a problem, and some flexible glue could be drizzled down the hole to help seal it if so.
The switch can leak - I notice more recent headsets (the grey-bodied ones) use an O-ring rather than a fibre washer to seal the switch shaft.
There's the possibility of leaking round the reflector seal (maybe some vaseline on the rubber, or a new seal if the old one is stiff would help), and possibly even the contact 'pip' that bolts through the shell - sealable with some kind of glue.

 

[darkplaces]

pah - its only 1 watt. You would be better off with an oldham...

Yes, I agree, but I do have bother keeping the water out of my olham headsets, the Peli is waterproof to 500' and therefore better for diving (I know its a bit off subject)
It sounds like you spend allot of time in the shed; Do you know how to make an oldham watertight?

I dpo now thanks to potholer, cheers
I'v been grounded due to injury so set about fiddling with bits in a box to make something for my FX5 and something for short trips, yet easy-cave (tm) proof. Something to wander about in box with. ta for the help.

 

[Johnny]

I gave up on waterproofing the Oldham and resurrected my ST Headlite;
1) Replaced the reflector for a metal one without a 'back-up bulb' mounting (no need, it's for diving and I have got another four strapped to my helmet)
2) Blanked the switch using an M4 counter-sunk bolt and existing o-ring
3) Epoxied an industrial cable gland connector into the cable hole
4) Fitted one of the LED replacement bulbs, the ones that Caving supplies used to stock.

It kept water out at -5m but was a bit dim, next steps;

5) Replace the ST bat. pack with a 4xAA nicad pack for a bit more volts.
6) Make the connection into bat. pack with a Micro Buccaneer connector

 

[cucc Paul]

sorry been off on mendip...

Ummm they seem to add light to the sides... if that makes sense so you can see more in your periferal...

all i need to do now is wait till i feel fit enough to cave again cant wait

 

[cucc Paul]

if any one wants an off the shelf jobby this looks really good... im sure it has some draw backs but as an all rounder... plus life time guarantee
http://www.thetorchshop.co.uk/princeton_tec_yukon_hl.html

 

[darkplaces]

if any one wants an off the shelf jobby this looks really good... im sure it has some draw backs but as an all rounder... plus life time guarantee
http://www.thetorchshop.co.uk/princeton_tec_yukon_hl.html

Ahh, you can get the same design with a 3watt LED inside known as a fishing head lamp on ebay for about £30. They are not waterproof only water resistant. The light it gives out is indeed very good and has a wider side light then the MyoXP with a spot beam in the middle, the Luxeon LED used isnt not side emitting its a lamberton/rounded end job. (side emitting has a kind of inverted triangle ontop). Sadly it fell apart when it arrived so I took the battery case which has a rubber seal around the edge and a very secure snap lock to keep it shut. I took the Luxeon which looked like a push fit flange builb replacement, once resoldered and the edges cleaned up fits perfect into any torch (with the right voltage etc) which takes a non-screw flange type. I'v since also used the reflector that came with it to create a beam for my FX5 - 5watt Luxeon convertion.

Also returning to the original design, you cant focus it by twisting the front as that unscrews the front, allowing water in and the reflector can then move about inside.

More lies from the advertsing monkey whores. If your in advertsing, KILL YOURSELF NOW.

 

[cucc Paul]

I'm only a poor student.... i wish i was on the kind of sallery the advertising gimps get....

 

[darkplaces]

I'm only a poor student.... i wish i was on the kind of sallery the advertising gimps get....

Dont get me wrong cucc paul a worthy link, the 3watt ebay versions are pritty good for general caving, adhoc dry caving and the Luxeon itself is worth pulling out and if you have the right oldham headset will slot stright in, just also use the big resister that is inside the fishing lamp. I'm actually very pleased with the home build.

I guess to lie, cheat, steal, lie, misrepresent, lie, deliberatly get wrong as all sales/advertsing and marketing people do; any decent human needs to be paid a lot of money. Sorry that last bit is off topic.

 

[Stu]

More lies from the advertsing monkey whores. If your in advertsing, KILL YOURSELF NOW.

Ill finish the job for you....

"By the way if anyone here is in advertising or marketing... kill yourself. No, no, no it's just a little thought. I'm just trying to plant seeds. Maybe one day, they'll take root - I don't know. You try, you do what you can. Kill yourself. Seriously though, if you are, do. Aaah, no really, there's no rationalisation for what you do and you are Satan's little helpers, Okay - kill yourself - seriously. You are the ruiner of all things good, seriously. No this is not a joke, you're going, "there's going to be a joke coming," there's no fucking joke coming. You are Satan's spawn filling the world with bile and garbage. You are fucked and you are fucking us. Kill yourself. It's the only way to save your fucking soul, kill yourself. Planting seeds. I know all the marketing people are going, "he's doing a joke... there's no joke here whatsoever. Suck a tail-pipe, fucking hang yourself, borrow a gun from a friend - I don't care how you do it. Rid the world of your evil fucking machinations. I know what all the marketing people are thinking right now too, "Oh, you know what Bill's doing, he's going for that anti-marketing dollar. That's a good market, he's very smart." Oh man, I am not doing that. You fucking evil scumbags! "Ooh, you know what Bill's doing now, he's going for the righteous indignation dollar. That's a big dollar. A lot of people are feeling that indignation. We've done research - huge market. He's doing a good thing." Godammit, I'm not doing that, you scum-bags!
Quit putting a godamm dollar sign on every fucking thing on this planet!
"Ooh, the anger dollar. Huge. Huge in times of recession. Giant market, Bill's very bright to do that." God, I'm just caught in a fucking web! "Ooh the trapped dollar, big dollar, huge dollar. Good market - look at our research. We see that many people feel trapped. If we play to that and then separate them into the trapped dollar..." How do you live like that? And I bet you sleep like fucking babies at night, don't you?"

God Bless Bill

 

[cucc Paul]

Hi off topic sorry.... Does any one know of any web sites where you can get led clusters in a mini edison screw fixture for the fx headlights... looking at either 3 or 4 leds runing of six volt flat packs....

There for the uni caving club so cheap but reliable are best any replies will be much appreciated we've looked at a few sites but they all seem a bit on the pricy side.

 

[Johnny]

Hi off topic sorry.... Does any one know of any web sites where you can get led clusters in a mini edison screw fixture for the fx headlights... looking at either 3 or 4 leds runing of six volt flat packs....

There for the uni caving club so cheap but reliable are best any replies will be much appreciated we've looked at a few sites but they all seem a bit on the pricy side.

These any good?
http://www.caving-supplies.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/32523||LED~@c~@b|40|user|1,0,
Not 6v but will run off a 4.5v flat pack

 

[potholer]

Are there 6 volt flatpacks around?

PS - Paul, what would you call pricey, and what would you call un-pricey

 

[andymorgan]

Paul; I'm sure Dragon do them, but it will involve phoning up rather than using the internet! Same applies to other caving shops, give them a bell and they will post to you.

 

[cucc Paul]

we got some for about £10 pricey was deemed more than this un pricey would be 1p....

 

[AndyF]

These are great....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspxModuleNo=32435&doy=23m11&QV=P

I've been using them for a year or so. They are a chinese copy of the Peli lamps..

They also do a Ni-Mh version, coplete with charger for £19.... (not on the web site)

 

[cap n chris]

... and there was me thinking I was the only person who'd heard of Lord God Almighty Bill Hicks. He IS Jesus.

 

[Stu]

These are great....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspxModuleNo=32435&doy=23m11&QV=P

I've been using them for a year or so. They are a chinese copy of the Peli lamps..

They also do a Ni-Mh version, coplete with charger for £19.... (not on the web site)

Link is showing page error

 

[AndyF]

These are great....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspxModuleNo=32435&doy=23m11&QV=P

I've been using them for a year or so. They are a chinese copy of the Peli lamps..

They also do a Ni-Mh version, coplete with charger for £19.... (not on the web site)

Link is showing page error

Curses. THere must be a cookie at work..


Go to http://www.maplin.co.uk/Home.aspx and search for "2 in 1 Halogen"

 

[Stu]

Bloomin' 'eck! Is the price a typo? What is the "ultra bright" LED? It can't be a luxeon... can it? IS it waterproof?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[potholer]

The Maplin price is no typo - I bought one for ~7-99 a year ago, and a couple more when they dropped to 4-99.

The same basic headset (or one *extraordinarily* similar) is available at Bernies under the Gelert brand (HL60) for ~£9-99 with a 4-AA holder on the back of the headband, and a ~2.5W bulb.

For both types, the LED is a 5mm type with a lens assembly that give a flattish semi-wide spot (varying a little between lights). For the Maplin light, the 4-D cell waist pack is made from the same hard translucent plastic as the headset, and *looks* ratiher like it would break the first time it was dropped onto a hard surface, though looks may be deceptive.

The headset bezel has an O-ring seal, the connection to the battery is via a 3.5mm jack plug going through a rubber ring (possible to pull out *fairly* easily), and the switch is a pretty tight fit to the case, - I'm not sure if there's any sealing inside, but a spot of grease might help matters.

I've only actually used the light as bought for a few minutes (I gutted mine virtually straight away), but the zoom seemed OK, if a bit irregular in shape. In its modded form, mine has been out in *some* rain, and I haven't noticed it getting wet inside, though I *have* recabled it (using a Petzl battery box) and sealed the cable hole.

For homebuild converters, it's an *excellent* headset - very easy to dismantle the internals to leave the 2-way switch in place and throw away the bulb mounts to leave loads of room in there for electronics. Doesn't dissipate heat quite as well as an Oldham, though.