Streamlight lightbox led conversion

Chris1330

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Oct 2, 2018
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I have two streamlight lightbox models that I would like to convert to led. I do not want to do the standard options that streamlight offers. The batterys run at 6v currently. I would like to keep them but would go to 12v if required. Looking to do something very bright, would like to consider the cree 3590 with the obvious required electronics to support it. Not sure where to start and can't find any other conversions online. Thanks
 

DrafterDan

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Jul 28, 2013
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Did you see the video from Adventure Sports Flashlight on youtube about this? Is this why you are considering this LED?

The SL lightbox models I saw online are already LED, do you have an older model? After you get more than three posts, you can upload images (via an image hosting website).

The biggest issue you'll have to overcome is how to draw away the hundreds of watts of heat this LED will put out. That lightbox looks like it's all plastic.
 

Chris1330

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Oct 2, 2018
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Did you see the video from Adventure Sports Flashlight on youtube about this? Is this why you are considering this LED?

The SL lightbox models I saw online are already LED, do you have an older model? After you get more than three posts, you can upload images (via an image hosting website).

The biggest issue you'll have to overcome is how to draw away the hundreds of watts of heat this LED will put out. That lightbox looks like it's all plastic.


Yes, you are correct. Both on the video and the litebox being plastic. I was not aware it created that much heat. My current setup is incandescent not led due to the age. Any suggestions for something a bit more tame that will not turn the plastic to a molten state? Thank you.
 

DIWdiver

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"Hundreds" of watts is a bit of an exaggeration, but around a hundred is possible. Still WAY too much for a plastic head.

It looks like SL's LED head has an aluminum body, which should help loads with keeping the LEDs cool. If you want it to last a good while, that's a lower limit than melting the plastic.

Given that big aluminum body, it seems surprising they only pull 540 or 615 lm from it. Their HL looks like the front half of the head is aluminum too, instead of rubber, and the back looks to have deeper fins. That might give it 3-4 times the surface area, but they claim nearly ten times the light output! That suggests the thermal design of the non-HL heads might be a compromise, or maybe the HL is over-rated, or maybe a bit of each.

At any rate, I doubt you could do better in a plastic head than SL did in a (half) aluminum head. If you run the numbers, 540 lm at 140 lm/W is 3.86W of light. 140 lm/W is around 38% radiometric efficiency, depending on spectrum, so total power input needs to be just about 10W, and heat is over 6W. Somewhat higher, as some of the light generated by the LED doesn't escape the light and gets converted back to heat. I'm not good with plastic, but it seems that even if you spread it around pretty well, 6+ watts in a sealed plastic box is going to get hot.

For reference, any idea what the halogen puts out?
 

Chris1330

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Oct 2, 2018
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Thank you all for your input. I will be rethinking this and look for a better doaner/starter light.
 
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