Sylvania/Osram Mini 4AA Lantern Upgrade

[Lynx_Arc]

finally got around to putting a cree Q5 in one of these lanterns. It measures 440ma on high and about 80ma on low. I proceeded to swap out the R5 resistor for a ~70 ohm resistor and now off of used duracell alkalines at 5.85v (4 batteries) it draws about 250-260ma on high and 28ma on low so runtime on high should nearly double with on low it should be triple. I am finding that using the solder wick trick to bridge the cree emitter contacts to the circuit board is the easiest for me to do. I was considering using a lower low but decided that about 80 hours runtime on low at the light level should be just fine and I estimate perhaps 8-10 hours on high from 4-6 (at 440ma).

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Finally got around to reassembling the Q5 resistor modded light (yeah I forgot about it working on other things). I did an eyeball comparison with it and it *looks* to be about the same output as the original lantern but drawing considerably less power than the original LED. I am considering modding one with a super low mode now as 8 hours is plenty for a high mode to use all the time, a low low mode would allow you to leave it on for days in a power outage to find it.

 

[baterija]

Thanks for updating Lynx. I picked one up at the recent clearance a couple weeks ago and the trail you blazed will come in handy.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Thanks for updating Lynx. I picked one up at the recent clearance a couple weeks ago and the trail you blazed will come in handy.

one thing I will say when you mod it... when you pull the black plastic clip that holds the switch in remember how to put it back and I opened the top and stuffed a kleenex in mine to hold the diffuser assembly in place when reassembling it, also a good idea to trim the tabs off the bottom screw in base and sand or file the edge so it doesn't slice into battery covers when you screw it back on. I stuck a sticker on the bottom of mine to tell me which ones I modded and how I did it because I have 4 of them out now two modded and two unmodded.

 

[Black Rose]

Anyone know if these lanterns have a parasitic draw?

The reason I ask is that I took 4 Eneloops out of one of my lanterns and all the cells had about 550 mAh capacity remaining in them.

The lantern has had maybe 10 minutes use, so the cells should have had a lot more capacity remaining.

The batteries from my second lantern are being discharged right now, so I don't yet know if this is an isolated case or if both lanterns exhibit this behaviour.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I just measured the current draw when off and got about 170 microamps or 0.17ma which IMO would take perhaps 490 days to deplete 2000mah batteries in it so I think perhaps it got turned on or the batteries you put in were not fully charged to begin with.

 

[Black Rose]

What LED(s) do you have in yours? I have SSC P4 U-bin and SSC P4 U2-bin in mine.

The batteries in the second lantern were down to around 950 mAh each.

The batteries that went into the lights were Eneloops that had been charged before being placed in the lanterns last July :shrug:

The lanterns sit unused (except for quick batt tests) - one is beside my recliner in the living room and the other is on top of the TV in the bedroom.

 

[baterija]

The batteries that went into the lights were Eneloops that had been charged before being placed in the lanterns last July :shrug:

Almost a year of sitting and Lynx's measurement seems to explain it. The amount of cell life you had remaining seems just about right if you had Lynx's rate of parasitic draw and a little self discharge tacked on. The second on with 950mAh actually seems to be a bit high. Maybe you have less parasitic draw on that one.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

What LED(s) do you have in yours? I have SSC P4 U-bin and SSC P4 U2-bin in mine.

The batteries in the second lantern were down to around 950 mAh each.

The batteries that went into the lights were Eneloops that had been charged before being placed in the lanterns last July :shrug:

The lanterns sit unused (except for quick batt tests) - one is beside my recliner in the living room and the other is on top of the TV in the bedroom.

the one I tested had the original LED in it, the LED in it should have no effect on the current drain when off. If the lantern was sitting for a year that explains the drain as even LSD cells discharge about 15-20% in a year I figure plus the parasitic drain would drain it by itself in about 1.5-2 years depending on if the drain lowers or goes up as voltage decreases as I measured with duracell alkalines not nimh cells. As for the current draw I would bet with an SSC led the current draw is higher due to lower Vf so if your *testing* added up over time to half an hours worth over the year that could be 200mah drain as I had a Q5 version draw 450ma

 

[Darell]

Well, after this info caught my attention, I realized that I have at least a couple of lanterns sitting around since last summer that I"m about to use again. Switched one on and got nothing. Popped the Eneloops in the charger, and one of them is DEAD. Damn. Not only are the batteries somewhat expensive (and have been in use just once!) but now I have an odd number of the.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Well, after this info caught my attention, I realized that I have at least a couple of lanterns sitting around since last summer that I"m about to use again. Switched one on and got nothing. Popped the Eneloops in the charger, and one of them is DEAD. Damn. Not only are the batteries somewhat expensive (and have been in use just once!) but now I have an odd number of the.

I think that is one problem of lights that have electronic switches there is a parasitic draw that will very slowly drain batteries. I typically no longer leave batteries in most lights I don't use at least once a month and those that I don't I try and check them once every few months. It is quite possible the current draw increases as the voltage of the batteries decrease I haven't checked that.

 

[Darell]

Time for the addition of a toggle switch!

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Time for the addition of a toggle switch!

or just remove the battery carrier and store it near the lantern.
If I was going to add another switch I would try and make the lantern such that it had two more modes to it
that way you have two low modes a low low and a medium high and have a medium low and a super high on the switch.

 

[Bimmerboy]

I think that is one problem of lights that have electronic switches there is a parasitic draw that will very slowly drain batteries.

Exactly. I keep the batts out of all electronically switched lights until needed, except for the ones that also have a mechanical on/off switch.

It is quite possible the current draw increases as the voltage of the batteries decrease I haven't checked that.

I'm pretty sure the parasitic drain is just from the quiescent current of the PCB components when the circuit is "off". The inverse change in current relating to batt voltage only applies when the circuit is in turned on, and in regulation.

This threads reminds me that I need to get optics for my Sylvania's. There's a lot of light being lost under that diffuser base!

 

[Darell]

or just remove the battery carrier and store it near the lantern.

Couple of reasons why this is a pain. I have *several* of these lanterns, and they'd take up twice as much room on my shelf with the batteries out. When I want to grab one to use it, it is another step. And finally - it is a bugger to get the batteries in and out of some of these, as the NiMH are a bit tight! Plus, putting a switch in is way harder and has a bigger chance of screwing everything up - what's not to love?

If I was going to add another switch I would try and make the lantern such that it had two more modes to it
that way you have two low modes a low low and a medium high and have a medium low and a super high on the switch.

Ha. Well, I already have five levels to choose from, plus auto-off after 15 minutes. I've got that covered.

 

[gunga]

I'm curious, has anyone tried these modes with a reflector like an IMS20?

Would it fit under the diuffuser? Best of both worlds perhaps?

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I'm curious, has anyone tried these modes with a reflector like an IMS20?

Would it fit under the diuffuser? Best of both worlds perhaps?

a reflector would probably cause a hot spot *band* unless you defocused it somehow.

 

[Beamhead]

Ha. Well, I already have five levels to choose from, plus auto-off after 15 minutes. I've got that covered.

How much for this mod? :showoff:

 

[gunga]

a reflector would probably cause a hot spot *band* unless you defocused it somehow.

How about a stippled Khatod, 17 mm?

I was thinking of putting the reflector UNDER the diffusion dome, pointing up of course...

 

[Lynx_Arc]

unless the *beam* produced without the dome and the top lid on is more like a round ball than a hot spot it will reflect as bands of light on the walls I would figure.