Homebrew light or adapted torch?

[yashicamat]

While my new Hope Vision 2 is really very excellent, the way the aim is set up (so as not to blind other road users) lights up about 85% of the area I need. To compliment it I could do with a narrow beam set to shine directly ahead, which I can switch on when other traffic isn't about.

I was all set on using the (discontinued) 3W tesco torches (Luxeon?), in fact I even found one in a Tesco on the way home from a trip up to Bolton today. Unfortunately they refused to sell it to me as it "didn't register on their system".! Given that these are apparently like hens teeth now, I was furious and refuse to buy their comparatively overpriced 1W torches.

So my question is, is there a similar high power torch available (which doesn't cost the earth) which either has an adjustable beam width or comes with a narrow beam, or am I better to go down the "homebrew light" route (I do have a reasonable electronics knowledge and ability, although truth be told I don't know what the crack is with these power LEDs and their drivers).

Cheers.

 

[AlanW]

I have recently bought a LED Lenser P7 torch, here and a Two Fish mounting block, to mount it on my helmet.

I also bought the smaller P5 version.

Amazing amount of light out of both of them!

 

[yashicamat]

Cheers. The other thought was to buy a car type HID kit using H1's and fitting it into an aftermarket foglamp. Power would be the only tricky aspect, 35W IIRC for a car HID bulb, plus the bulky ballast, but the lighting would be incredible!

 

[AlanW]

Cheers. The other thought was to buy a car type HID kit using H1's and fitting it into an aftermarket foglamp. Power would be the only tricky aspect, 35W IIRC for a car HID bulb, plus the bulky ballast, but the lighting would be incredible!

Sorry, but it begs the question why faff about cobbling up lights that Mr Heath and Mr Robinson would be proud of, when LED lighting is that cheap and effective this days?

For example, I have the twin HID Lumicycle set up, (one flood and one spot) but the beam on the P7 is more powerful?

Plus, the LEDs are so much more versatile in both use and application.

 

[yashicamat]

Sorry, but it begs the question why faff about cobbling up lights that Mr Heath and Mr Robinson would be proud of, when LED lighting is that cheap and effective this days?

For example, I have the twin HID Lumicycle set up, (one flood and one spot) but the beam on the P5 is more powerful?

Plus, the LEDs are so much more versatile in both use and application.

I was thinking out loud really, but a HID kit can be bought for less that the price of that Lenser P7 torch and a single bulb will chuck out well over 2000 lumens.

A couple of the cheap tesco 3W would have been perfect.

But yes, you are quite right, if there is an off the shelf unit that produces about 200 lumens or so but is a bit cheaper than the Lenser products (especially as I'm liable to refit the emitter and lens into my own housing) then I will happily go for that (if anything, that's what I'm after).

I like making things myself anyway, so it might be the homebrew route for me . . .

 

[heliphil]

I'm looking for a suitable donor front light that I can convert into LED power!!!! - the rear light that I have just done uses 2 x 0.5 watt AVAGO red LED's in series with 4 x 1.2v nimh and a diode to drop the volts down a bit..... I reckon that I can use the same technique with a higher power LED on the front light. It might not be the easiest or cheapest but its fun.....

 

[yashicamat]

I'm looking for a suitable donor front light that I can convert into LED power!!!! - the rear light that I have just done uses 2 x 0.5 watt AVAGO red LED's in series with 4 x 1.2v nimh and a diode to drop the volts down a bit..... I reckon that I can use the same technique with a higher power LED on the front light. It might not be the easiest or cheapest but its fun.....

Do you mean resistor?

I suspect that LEDs over 0.5W might require a driver circuit (which you may already be using . . . I'm a bit new to the world of these fancy power LEDs) so it might be a little more complex. The most lumens I've seen from a non-driver LED is about 5 but it'd be a nightmare to set up a lens with that (unless you live with the given angle of light which is unlikely to be what you want) as you'd need so many.

If you do build anything though, please post it - I'd be interested to hear how you get on.