# One D Cell 160+Lumens Light



## lambda (Feb 18, 2006)

This project let me accomplish two things I wanted to do, all in one light. I have always wanted to try my hand at making a bright one cell light that runs off a single D cell, and I had a new three die power LED I wanted to test out. These two desires resulted in this, the D1:







The LED used in this project was supplied by ArcMania (thanks Mike). The LED is rated for 160 lumens output at 700ma. Now that's impressive, even when compared to the new Luxeon K2 which would require 1500mA to come anywhere close to the output of these new LEDs. These new LEDs come in a six legged ceramic package where each of the LED dies have connections to the leads. This allows each LED die to be independently illuminated and controlled. The LED dies are mounted on a metal stud that extends through the back of the ceramic case so that it can be mounted on a heatsink. The large low dome lens is actually made of a soft, clear silicone type compound that is very soft and flexible like RTV. However, as shown in the photo below, the phosphor emitting area is quite large, maybe ten times, or more, larger than a Luxeon LED.






This large emitting area does not lend itself well to forming a tight, bright flashlight beam spot like smaller emitting surface LEDs produce. Since the phosphor light emitting area is so large, the expectations were that this would produce a very broad beam, but with 160 Lumens to work with, it should still be pretty bright and impressive. And with the one D cell form, the light should be adaptable for use as a handlebar bike light. In a bike light application, the broad beam produced would make it a good headlight beam compared to a normal flashlight's pencil thin beam.






This is the integrated heatsink and light engine used in this project. The LED specs call for 700mA, which works out to about 233mA per LED die for the 160 lumen output. However, I've never been one to be real conservative when testing out new parts, so what the heck, if driven at 900-1000mA I figured the LED should produce at least 180 to 200 lumens. So each of the seperate LED dies got its own converter, which drives each of the LED dies at 350mA from the single D cell. The LED dies did test out with a very low vfd of about 3.1V at 350mA, so even with the extra power excessive thermal heating should not be a problem. With a vfd of only 3.1 volts, and one amp of total current, the LED would only be running at about 3.1 watts. Not bad at all for a device that should produce around 200 lumens of light.

Modifying a 2D Mag into a short 1D light also requires making a tail cap switch for on/off operation. This setup uses an adapter plate made from part of a heatsink to adapt a Brinkmann AAA tail cap switch for use in the Mag tail cap. 






The switch is held in the adapter plate by a treaded ring (cut from Legend battery tube) and is easily replaced should the need arise. The switch and adapter plate are just press fit into the stock tail cap that has had a 9/16 inch hole bored in the end for the switch button to pass through. 






Cutting down the 2D battery tube was a real challenge as my mini lathe won't accept anything that big in diameter into the chuck. So, a lot of pain staking messing around was needed to make the mini lathe do the tricks required to shorten the battery tube for use with one D cell. After a very long and slow machining process, it finally all came together.






To drive this LED near one amp of current from a single D cell battery requires a whopping 3 amps of input current. So full brightness really is not possible from an alkaline D cell, as alkaline D cells can't maintain current that high but for very brief period. However, good NiMh D cells can deliver that level of current without problems. Also, using an adapter it is possible to run the light off 4 AA NiMh cells for faster recharge times compared to D cells. Using a 11000mAh NiMh D cell, or 4 2400mAh AA cells, the expected run time is around 3+ hours. 






Results - 

The light output from this new LED in my estimation is at least 200 lumens, probably a little higher. While it does not foucus to a sharp bright spot like a regular flashlight, it does have a bright central spot that fades evenly into a huge bright corona of side spill light.






Here's a shot of the D1 (right) compared to a 2D Mag with BIN X4T 5W Luxeon (left) powered by six AA cells running at about 1.4 Amps.

Conclusions -

While this LED does not produce the typical tight flashlight beam, it does produce a huge amount of useful light. The beam produced with a 2D Mag reflector would be very well suited for use in a bike light, providing lots of side spill to illuminate off the side of trails and road ways while trowing plenty of light forward to see where you're going. As a flashlight it's still very useful and bright if you don't need to project a beam spot long distances (beyond 100 yards). 

Over all, in my opinion, building this light was worth the effort involved, and resulted in a unique single D cell flashlight. Very bright and compact, it can also provide bright emergency room lighting by pointing at the celing and standing it on the tail cap.

Lambda


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## Frenchyled (Feb 18, 2006)

Hmmmm.. very nice Lambda !!


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## CroMAGnet (Feb 18, 2006)

:Twothumbs

Awesome Lambda! So is this thing running on ONE alkaline D-cell or a 4AA Pack? I'm guessing 1D cell. What LUX reading did you get? What's the runtime? Can you get more of the LEDs?


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## Christoph (Feb 18, 2006)

Kevin ,Where should I send the paypal?:wow:


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## cy (Feb 18, 2006)

nice job! who makes this LED?

can this use the new D sized li-ion cells?


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## aosty (Feb 18, 2006)

:wow: :goodjob: 

Who makes the emitter and where can we get some?


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## TrueBlue (Feb 18, 2006)

A well done mod done with a Lambda quality build is always great to read. The reading is nice and simple for no-brainers like me.

The Super 3 Watt emitter debut could not have been done any better.


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## LED Zeppelin (Feb 18, 2006)

NICE Kevin!

Not just two thumbs, but compared to your modding skills, I am all thumbs!


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## Lunarmodule (Feb 18, 2006)

*WHAAAAAAAAT ?!?!?!?!?!?
kinda LED izzat 
*

Where, oh where on the good Earth did the emitter come from? This is nothing less than a complete BOMBSHELL, 160 lumens from 700mA, phenominal!! Ever so mysterious the lack of credit to the manufacturer, color me slackjawed dumbfounded stupified gulletcrushed hornswaggled and needlenosed. I simply must have more information about the heart of the engine, its really exciting to see something beyond the usual Luxeon fare regardless of how clever the application. Pleasantly shocked, amazed, etc. etc.....

TB, I take it this is something akin to a new product announcement, I'm oh-so-eager to find out more details.


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## DaMeatMan (Feb 18, 2006)

That's quite impressive, it would make a great area light for medium range lighting. Do you think you could post some more beamshots, perhaps some side by side beamshots other then the light saber shots you have on there already, maybe even some "real world" shot's outdoors to give us an idea of what this bad boy does.


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## CM (Feb 18, 2006)

paypal sent :nana:


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## TrueBlue (Feb 18, 2006)

This is Lambda’s toy, not mine. I haven’t been lucky enough to play with a Super 3 watt yet. For a month I’ve been drooling at my pictures.

This is Lambda’s new toy and thread. I’m sure he is enjoying his hobby. I’m glad he shared the mod with us.

Lambda- how is the tint on the Super 3 Watt?


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## CLHC (Feb 18, 2006)

HEY NOW! That Is One Incredible One D LED!


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## Nitroz (Feb 18, 2006)

Looks like the Osram Ostar LED. I like it!

Here is the link.
http://www.osram-os.com/news/news-OSTAR_Lighting.php?lan=eng&id=116


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## PhotonWrangler (Feb 18, 2006)

What a neat mod. Nice job!


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## ASP (Feb 18, 2006)

Thats is one BAAAD light......if ya do sell em put me down for one....that is a damn fine mod...


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## BatteryCharger (Feb 18, 2006)

Lunarmodule said:


> *WHAAAAAAAAT ?!?!?!?!?!?
> kinda LED izzat
> *
> 
> ...



My thoughts exactly.


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## cy (Feb 18, 2006)

if that sitting on an old style lamda heatsink

that's one large die!


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## bwaites (Feb 18, 2006)

I don't think it's the Osram:

*The six-chip versions of these high-output LEDs produce 420 lumen with a lens and 300 lumen without a lens, in each case at an operating current of 700 mA and an output of 15 W. The four-chip version produces 280 lumen with the lens and 200 lumen without the lens, in each case at an operating current of 700 mA and an output of 10 W. The OSTAR LED has such a high output thanks to its successful thin-film technology that ensures that all the light produced internally is emitted at the top. The white light colour is constant from every viewing angle and comes from colour conversion based on the chip coating method. The yellow converter is located directly on the blue chip.*

Lambda says it's a *3* die LED with power to each. The Osrams appear to be 4 die or 6 die. (It looks like Osram calls them chips). 

Either way, WOW. All of a sudden the LED's are playing in Hotwire territory, especially if the Osrams REALLY do produce 420 lumens at spec!!

I had read that we couldn't expect this kind of production for 4 more years!!!

Bill


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## Mike Painter (Feb 18, 2006)

bwaites said:


> * produce 420 lumen with a lens and 300 lumen without a lens *



I wonder how they increase lumens with a lens since lumens are a measure of *total* output?


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## IsaacHayes (Feb 18, 2006)

wow, that is impressive. that's like 3 Sbin lux1's in there. If only the LuxV's could have these chips! 
They could have a tighter beam if they had aranged the dies in a triangle arangement, but that would be harder for the bond wires, but perhaps just 2 leads then instead?

Besides the high efficiency (high lumens, and low Vf) you can contorl each die. So you could have a 50/100/160 lumen torch all in one. I'd put in 3 switches where the stock mag switch is. Like 3 slide switches. That would be cool!


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## chimo (Feb 18, 2006)

Kevin, very nice job. How's the colour tint on that emitter? Who makes that emitter? 

Paul


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## eebowler (Feb 19, 2006)

:wow: Kevin. Great work!

P.S. Email sent concerning something else. Thanks.


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## lambda (Feb 19, 2006)

CroMAGnet - It's running on one Titanium 11000mAh NiMh D cell (1.24V) in the photo. Lux reading is only 1500 Lux @ 1 Meter, not a real tight beam; think NX05 optic beam. Runtime is 3+ hours on one charged D cell. Yes, I have few more of these on the way.

Christoph - No, No, not for sale, too many hours involved...

cy - This LED is made by the same company that makes the SMJLED. Anything over 1.5V in would probably fry the LED, it's running at 1050mA already, so no D size Li-ion possible. 

aosty - Samples are all I have for now...

Lunarmodule - Yep, the competition is getting tough, even LumiLeds dropped the price of Luxeons...

DaMeatMan - It's -10F outside, my camera lens don't like that, and come to think of it, neither do I...

CM - Oh no you don't, this one is mine..

No not an Osram part, this is touted as a 3W LED, not 15W. The data sheet only gives the 160 Lumens at 700mA spec, but also says 1000mA max, but with no stated light output.

The beam from this has a blue center that fades to white light. If you remember the original white low dome Luxeon and NX05 combination, that's pretty much what the beam profile and tint looks like, but no cat urine green color; nice white like a giant Nichia LED.

It is one big LED. I had to trim the legs back just get it to clear the hole in the Mag reflector and mount properly on the heatsink. 

This light took me about eight hours total to build, but I'm happy with it and learned a few things along the way.


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## MillerMods (Feb 19, 2006)

Very nice work! What is the Vf of this LED at 700Ma? Also, what driver circuit are you using?


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## Nitroz (Feb 19, 2006)

Excellent work! Now you just need to offer this one for sale, or maybe a SMJLED type kit. Hint...hint.


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## jtice (Feb 19, 2006)

Interesting project.

Can you take a conventinal beamshot?
compared to another 5W mag?

~John


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## diggdug13 (Feb 21, 2006)

How do we get one.

Paypal standing by

doug


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## jar3ds (Feb 21, 2006)

amazing accomplishment!


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## Samuel (Feb 21, 2006)

SWEET!


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## rgbphil (Feb 21, 2006)

Very nice..looks like you might be setting a new form factor for these new high power LEDs....CR123s or lots of AA's in a carrier or stacked up vs a single D cell. Big reflector vs little lens.....any other torches with this for factor around? If not, I expect we'll be seeing more of them.
Phil


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## hizzo3 (Mar 22, 2006)

i realize this is an old thread, but curious if anyone ever found out the name of this led......i need them


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## 270winchester (Mar 22, 2006)

No kidding. How. Do. We. COnvince. Lambda. To. Make. One. Ahem, Sorry, just trying to not sound to desperate....


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## kinseykaylor (Mar 22, 2006)

That flashlight is sweet!!!! If you won't sell the whole package at least sell the LED!!!


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## bombelman (Mar 23, 2006)

me.want.LED.also....!!


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## Tritium (Mar 23, 2006)

The picture of the LED is EXACTLY the same as the one at 

http://www.wahwang.com/INDEX.htm under Power LED Series 3W

I will see what the avilability is from my contact at WahWang.

These guys also have 4 chip 5mm leds like the smjled. I have a couple of samples and they are almost identical to the smjled (lux output is 10% lower than my actual smjled)

Thurmond


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## hizzo3 (Mar 24, 2006)

Tritium said:


> The picture of the LED is EXACTLY the same as the one at
> 
> http://www.wahwang.com/INDEX.htm under Power LED Series 3W
> 
> ...



i think that may be it. please find out what u can about it. what has me going on that is the fact it is making 30-40 lumens/watt. i blows the luxeons outta the water... i wonder how well it gets rid of its heat as well as its size. 

i am looking at making some led driving lights for my motorcycle. and at 6 per light, that would mean for 36 watts of juice, i'd get 1000 lumens typ (more than my 55 watt headlight) and 1500 lumens max which would be half a hid system, prob at half the cost....

i wonder why white is the only decent color that is offered, red is 18-30 lumens .


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## NewBie (Mar 24, 2006)

More direct link for the WW-P08D4SWUA6-001B8F:

Image:
http://www.wahwang.com/images/WWP08D4.JPG

Device:
http://www.wahwang.com/product/powe..._color=White&pro_cat=Power LED Series&power=3

It appears this is a 100 to 130 lumen LED when driven at 1000mA, and most likely, this is with the die at 25C....which it isn't in real use, so the lumens drop.


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## Tritium (Mar 24, 2006)

Hopefully, I will have a few 3 watt WahWang parts for evaluation in about a month and a thousand of the 4 die 80ma 5mm parts.

Some of the 4 and 6 die Osram samples as well. oo:

Group buy will follow. I will post in the GB forum when available. 

Thurmond


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## HarryN (Mar 24, 2006)

Mike Painter said:


> I wonder how they increase lumens with a lens since lumens are a measure of *total* output?



Hi Mike, there is an interesting optics effect where the light is "generated", but can become "trapped" in the LED epi layers and substrate. If you coat the die with a material with a higher refractive index than the die / substrate, it increases the "light extraction". 

One of the ways LED makers improve their product is to encapsulate the die in increasingly higher RI resins, which, as it turns out, also cost more. The effect is surprisingly significant.


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## hizzo3 (Mar 25, 2006)

Tritium said:


> Hopefully, I will have a few 3 watt WahWang parts for evaluation in about a month and a thousand of the 4 die 80ma 5mm parts.
> 
> Some of the 4 and 6 die Osram samples as well. oo:
> 
> ...



let me know how it turns out plz.... i am very interested here


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## MillerMods (Mar 25, 2006)

I'm selling stock Fenix L1P drivers in the B/S/T forum for as little as $10 each. These would work great for similiar projects using this particular LED.


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## IsaacHayes (Mar 25, 2006)

MM: hmm yeah they would! Good idea!


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## TrueBlue (Apr 8, 2006)

*Construction Zone*

Too much to do and so little time. Japan just sent me these pictures. This is what happens when ARC mania and Katokichi get a free minute. I told them to take two minutes and keep going. I sure wasn’t going to stop them. The lantern will be much brighter and have variable brightness.

When the power fails or on a camping trip I wouldn’t mind using a safe, bright lantern like this one will turn out to be.

I know this is not the lantern area of CPF. But this lantern does use the same 160 lumen emitter as Lambda’s light.


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## chimo (Apr 8, 2006)

Pretty cool. I hope they have two for a before and after photo.


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## Krit (Apr 12, 2006)

Very COOL mod Kevin.


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## Bernhard (Jun 15, 2006)

I want one mod unit for my Osram lantern! Let me know if someone decided to sell this mod...


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