# SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670, beamshots added



## LED Zeppelin (Aug 31, 2009)

This light is a collaboration with Matt (Aircraft800) who spec'd the running gear and sourced the parts. I made the heatsink, LZ pot knob, sorted the reflector, and did the assembly.

The sink is a modified Britelumens Deluxed Mag D sink. A copper insert was made that is a slip fit into a reamed hole through the center of the sink. The rear of the sink has been trimmed to allow clearance for the SharkSinks, pot, and 1/8" for wires.






The face of the copper insert was milled with retaining tabs on 2 sides, and reliefs cut below for the underside leads. The SST-50 was reflowed onto the copper face. There is little room for error as the solder surface is the same size as the pad under the SST, and some Kapton tape was used to prevent shorting when I soldered on the leads. 










The sink was drilled for 2 set screws. The front set screw secures the back end of the copper insert. The rear set screw secures the sink assembly in the tube and is accessed by passing the wrench through the sink to the far side, much like the Mag switch assembly. The copper insert ends before the rear set screw hole so it misses the wrench. A clearance hole is drilled in the tube threads that aligns with the rear hole. Angular position of the clearance holes in the tube is arbitrary, but chosen so the LED aligns with the switch and pot.

Set screws are cup point that were filed smooth so as not to mar the surfaces and allow easy adjustment or removal.

A hole was tapped in front of the switch so the pot is as rearward as possible allowing room for head adjustment.






Here is the layout of how everything will fit into the tube:






Here's the finished tube guts:






You can see I've added another wrench hole in the tube threads so I could adjust the LED height without removing the sink.






I used a KD LOP reflector with removeable cam, and I trimmed the cam to the height where it bottoms on the sink just before the head hits the pot knob. The LED height is adjusted so that the tight focus position is achieved before the reflector/head bottoms out. The range of head adjustment from just above the pot knob to uncovering the O-ring matches the LED/reflector focus range nicely.






Here's the finished light:










This build went remarkably smoothly with little compromise. The heatsink design is very flexible and allows easy height adjustment for different reflectors/LED combinations, and easy disassembly for service or upgrades. By changing the face pattern of the copper insert it could be easily adapted to other LEDs. 

I'll post specs, measurements, and beamshots in the following days.


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## LED Zeppelin (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Here are some measurements I've taken:

*Vf of SST-50 = 3.7V @ 5A
Regulated LED current on hi = 5.2A
Cell draw on hi = 2.6A on cells that measure 11.9V
Mid-pot: LED current = 2.7A, cell draw = 1.1A*

Pot adjustment range is from very dim, maybe 10 lumens, to full output. Light runs fully regulated until the cells are depleted.

The following is a series of beamshots with similar class lights. All beamshots taken on manual settings, white balance sunshine, ISO200. Indoor all at F4, progressing from 1/8, 1/30, to 1/125 sec. Outdoor beamshots at F3.5, 3 sec.

Lux readings should not be considered absolute. Mine don't always correlate with others', or even my own for that matter.

*Beamshots in order, top to bottom:*

1) Subject light with LOP KD reflector, full-on 5.2A LED current, Lux @ 1m ~ 14K

2) Subject light backed down to mid-pot, 2.7A LED current, Lux @ 1m ~ 8K

3) Subject light w/ stock Mag reflector, full-on, Lux @ 1m > 20K (meter overload), lux @ 1.5m ~ 9.3K

4) Mac's custom P7, C bin (?), DD off 26700 Emoli cell, Lux @ 1m ~ 5.2K

5) Lambda's P7 Extreme, C bin (?), Lux @ 1m ~ 4K (note: I don't have C size NiMH cells so I am running this on 3 Eneloops in C adapters)

6) Mr. X, X bin Lux V, Lux @ 1m ~ 4.9K




































































Some things I noticed:

- The smooth stock reflector w/ the SST-50 gives a splotchy beam with discolorations and a petal-shaped spot. However, focused tight it can really throw, > 20K Lux @ 1m. Even more throw than an M6 w/ HOLA.

- The SST-50 works well with the McR45, McR38, or McR27S by simply resting the reflector on the LED. The beams are great with a tight spot.


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## mash.m (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

hi,

nice and clean work, like all your mods.

wait for the specs and beamshots 

markus


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## ^Gurthang (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Another impressive [email protected] mod, thanks for the great thread and pics, gives me more insight & ideas for my work. The pot; make? ohms? 

^G


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## 5.0Trunk (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

That is Bad A$$.... Great Job!


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## brighterisbetter (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Me likey  Great job as always LED Zep


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## olrac (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Very clean mod, can't wait for some beamshots. :thumbsup:


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## supasizefries (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Damn, this is an awfully slick set up. Can't wait to see some beam shots! :thumbsup:


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## Al Combs (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Another awesome mod. Your work is always a pleasure. I especially like the reflow of the LED on the copper slug idea, very nice.


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## Hill (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

LZ,


Another beautiful build as always. Your wiring is so damn clean and perfect. Thanks for the pics!

Hill


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## LED Zeppelin (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Thanks guys for the support and compliments.



^Gurthang said:


> Another impressive [email protected] mod, thanks for the great thread and pics, gives me more insight & ideas for my work. The pot; make? ohms?
> 
> ^G



I use this pot from Digikey.

I cut off the panel mounting tabs and trim the nylon shaft as necessary depending on the knob.

The pots are spec'd at 20K Ohms, but with a tolerance of 20% or a range of 16-24K. Most are 17-21K. If the actual resistance is too low, max output of the Sharks will decrease.

For this mod I intentionally picked a lower resistance, 18.5K, not to overdrive the SST-50 too much. As is the SST is getting about 5.2A on hi. 

I've used 2 methods for mounting the pot to the tube. The simplest is a tight clearance hole, and the pot is epoxied into the hole. With this method I use the included jam nut and washer on the underside as additional epoxy surface and support.

The deluxe method is to tap a mounting hole using an M9X0.75 tap and epoxy the threads together. I do not use the jam nut or washer in this case. Unfortunately that size tap is extremely rare. I've only been able to find it for a reasonable price occasionally on ebay. 

Both methods can be considered permanent. I've only had to remove one, which was the tapped hole method, and I ended up having to drill it out.

Here is an excerpt from another post I made sometime ago regarding wiring of multi-Sharks and dimming control:

*How to wire multiple Sharks to one dimming control:*

- Order the Sharks with the on-board pot removed, or remove the pot yourself.
- Locate the three pads under the pot. Viewing the board from the component side with the pads at lower right, you will see that the larger central wiper pad connects to the top soldering hole just to the right. There are two smaller pads under the large pad. The lower right pad connects to the lower right soldering hole, and the lower left pad does not connect to any hole.
- If using a pot, order a 20K log pot. Be sure to measure the resistance of the pot (across the outer leads). The production tolerance is wide (20%!), and you'll want to use one at least 19 kohms for max output. I cut off the panel mounting tabs with small sidecuts, and tap a 9mm X 0.75 hole in the tube of the light. In a Mag tube, this hole is 1/4" in front of the oval switch recess (not the switch hole itself). The pot threads are coated with epoxy, then threaded into the tapped hole from the inside until the housing just protrudes from the tube. The tap is very rare and hard to find; it is acceptable to drill a tight clearance hole and epoxy without threading as well. I don't use the jam nut and washer supplied with the pot, but if the clearance hole method is used, they might come in handy as additional surface for the epoxy to adhere to.
- Connect the pads of one Shark to the pot. Viewing the pot with the shaft at top and the leads facing you, connect the large wiper pad (or top right hole) to the center pot lead, the lower right pad (or lower right hole) to the left lead, and the lower left pad to the right lead. I find it just as easy to solder to the pad as to the hole. The wires do not pass any current, so I use very thin flexible wire, 30 ga or so. 
- The other Sharks are wired to the mother by connecting the large wiper pads together. Any number of Sharks can be wired together. Alternatively, all three pads of each Shark can be connected in parallel, or all connected to the pot. From my measurements, it seems that slightly more max current is delivered when connecting all the pads, 960 - 980 mA vs. connecting just the wiper pads, 900 - 920 mA. I'm not certain of the reason, but the difference is arguably negligible.
- If a Remora is used, connect the Remora to one Shark, and again wire the wiper pads together. All Sharks must have the on-board pot removed.

I'll try to take some beamshots tonight.


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## tx101 (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

WOW .... 

Beamshots please


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## Aircraft800 (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*






The pot knob matches so nice! 

Beautiful Work as always!


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## ipfreeze (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Thats a sweet setup!
Cant wait to see the beam shots.


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## darkzero (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Beautful work Dennis. I had something in mind similar to this. PM incoming. :wave:


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## jar3ds (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

wow... can't wait for beam shots!


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## AlexGT (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Led Zeppelin, is that a Photonfanatic SST emmiter? If so what is your take on the brightness and tint? How many led lumens do you think it would produce at 3.6A?

Thanks!
AlexGT


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## LED Zeppelin (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Alex, I'm not positive about the emitter. Matt provided it so he'll have to chime in.

I'm taking some beamshots and I'll take some at reduced current so you can get an idea of how it behaves.


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## toby_pra (Aug 31, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Hi LedZep! :wave:

Good to hear from you back...very very clean mod!!! 



> Alex, I'm not positive about the emitter. Matt provided it so he'll have to chime in.


 
Why you are not positive with the SST50? I have a ArcMania ME II with 
SST50, and i am really surprised becausem it has a very nice spot, no
donut and is very bright... :candle:


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 1, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*



toby_pra said:


> Why you are not positive with the SST50? I have a ArcMania ME II with
> SST50, and i am really surprised becausem it has a very nice spot, no
> donut and is very bright... :candle:



Toby,

lol, I meant that I'm not positive if the emitter came from PhotonFanatic.

I am positive about the performance, but I'll let the beamshots show. 

The spot is warmer than the spill. It doesn't do very well in a smooth reflector as you will see, but the LOP gives a nice smooth beam with uniform, bright spill. You're right, there is absolutely no donut.

It is bright and it better be at 5+ amps!


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## toby_pra (Sep 1, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Upsss i misunderstood you...:tinfoil:


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 1, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*

Beamshots and measurements added to post #2.

Toby, as you can see even dialed down to mid-pot, 2.7A, the subject light outperforms the other similar class lights I own. I didn't realize this until I completed the beamshots, but that's pretty impressive.


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## toby_pra (Sep 1, 2009)

Wow the result is awesome. I never thought this SST50 could be so bright...:huh:  

Many thanks for the nice shots!!!! 

BTW, what types of battery did you use?I have overseen this for sure...


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 1, 2009)

Toby, the light runs off 3 X 17670 AW protected (black label) cells in an FM holder, 11.1V. 

The tube is tri-bored and the holder is the same as FM's M6 holder.


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## Aircraft800 (Sep 1, 2009)

*Re: SST-50 Mag D, dual Shark Buck 3A, dimming pot, 3 X 17670*



AlexGT said:


> Led Zeppelin, is that a Photonfanatic SST emmiter? If so what is your take on the brightness and tint? How many led lumens do you think it would produce at 3.6A?
> 
> Thanks!
> AlexGT


 
I just ordered the emitter direct from Avnet. It's the PHLATLIGHT WHITE LED, 1250 LUMENS, CCT 6500K, CRI 70 Part Number SST-50-W65S-F21-GF100. $27.34 shipped. ($8.00 of that was for shipping, so buy a few to offset the cost!) The minimum quantity is 1.

They also have SST-90 in stock, that's my next project.

Look Here for the SST-50
or here for the SST-90

The flux bin wasn't available when I ordered it, I was on the standby list before it was in stock, but it is in stock now, and quick shipping.

The battery holder is the *3x17670 Rechargeable M6 Battery holder* by Fivemega. It works perfectly in a Tri-Bored Mag.

Thanks for all of the kind words! Dennis really builds a work of art in all of his projects!


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## wquiles (Sep 1, 2009)

Dennis, very nice job on the complete project, and special kudos on the nice and clever work on the copper plug heatsink :thumbsup:


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 1, 2009)

Matt, thanks for the SST info and ordering links.

Will, thank you. The copper slug design does offer flexibility and certain advantages. I wasn't sure how hot the LED would get and I was concerned about epoxy softening and losing hold. Also, not having worked with the SST the adjustablility allowed me to set up the head/tube/reflector within the limited range due to the clearance required for the drivers and pot knob. The copper slug provided the means to reflow the LED and set the LED height once the other components were in place.

A proper one-piece alum sink will likely function just as well, but for setting up a first build the flexibility eliminated the do-overs.

As you'd expect, this light generates some heat, but not as much as some of the multi-emitter mods. I've run it continuously on hi for nearly 10 minutes at which point the neck was toasty warm, but not uncomfortable. I was holding it so my hand aided in cooling. I wouldn't leave it unattended on hi for sure, but dialed down to mid-pot it should be fine.


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## tx101 (Sep 1, 2009)

*.............LED Zep* *.................*


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## spc (Sep 1, 2009)

Nice build! 
I plan to do similar with my ssr-90. 3x 3a sharkbucks in parallel. You think with 3 of these drivers the ohm rating on the pot should still be 20k?
I like the matching knob


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 1, 2009)

Steve, the pot should be 20K unless you want to decrease max current, then go for something less than 18K. 

In my experience I've been measuring about 2.8A to the LED using a Shark Buck 3A and some dimming control. Bearing in mind that the act of measuring with a DMM decreases current, the actual current with 3 parallel SB 3A will probably be close enough to the 9A spec. I'd guess you'll measure about 8A with actual current a bit more.

Typically a 20K log pot will decrease the rated current of a Shark by ~10% and a Remora ~5% versus the full output of the bare board. That's just my seat of the pants estimate from the various measurements I've taken. Keep in mind that at the upper levels of rated drive current, such differences are not noticeable in use. With a log dimming pot, there is a marked increase in brightness from 0 to mid-pot. But from mid-pot to full-on, the difference in current does not correspond proportionately to a visual increase in brightness. In fact the last 1/4 turn doesn't seem to do much but still increases current. There's a point of diminishing return as current approaches max.


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## Al Combs (Sep 1, 2009)

Can I ask how you reflowed the LED? I of course would understand if it's a trade secret kind of thing and you'd rather not say. But if it's OK, did you use a torch, a heat gun, a toaster oven or maybe just the electric stove top? Am I getting warm?

I love the beamshot of the stock Mag reflector. There's not a trace of the P7 donut. The wall shot almost looks like you can faintly see the square pattern of the LED. It's not visible at all in the outdoor shot.

I want one.lovecpf


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 1, 2009)

Al, to reflow the LED I applied a thin layer of solder paste on the sink pad, and carefully aligned the LED. I set them upright on an upside down glass jar, and used a butane jet lighter to heat the middle of the copper slug while I spun the jar. Watching the LED carefully, you can tell when the solder flows. I then cooled it with some water drops at the base of the slug.

The artifacts in the beam with the smooth reflector I think are the corners of the large die. You're right, there is no donut common with multi-die LEDs.


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## Al Combs (Sep 1, 2009)

Thanks for the info.:twothumbs


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## Aircraft800 (Sep 2, 2009)

I don't know how you did it, that's why I turned the assembly over to you! You must be quick and steady with the iron to be able to have the LED Re-flow Soldered onto the copper slug, and be able to solder your leads right next to it without the re-flow melting! That copper must wick away the heat quickly!

Great Job again!


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## Bright_Light (Sep 2, 2009)

Nice job!


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## Aircraft800 (Sep 4, 2009)

Dennis,

I received my light today. (USPS has no idea, figures) This by far is the most personal, precise, and unique flashlight I've ever owned. Everything is flawless, even the packaging was superior. Not even a Rolex is packaged this well! I wish I would have taken a few pictures!

I can't wait for the opportunity to purchase more of your work.


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 4, 2009)

Matt, glad it arrived safely.

Thanks for the overly kind words, enjoy.


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## Metatron (Sep 5, 2009)

Dennis, as always, your work is second to none, i wish the industry would follow your example concerning detail and specs. 

Matt, ur in good hands with Dennis:twothumbs


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## ThumperIII (Sep 6, 2009)

LED ZEP,
First, I am a total newb: both to this forum and to (soon to be attempted) LED light construction. I know specs and efficiencies will vary, but would you give your estimate on the total usable runtime for this flash? Would using a longer tube, with six batteries in a series/parallel pack be reasonable for better service times? Thanks

This being a first post, I'm not sure how long it will take to clear thru admin, so sorry if it is asked-answered before you view this. Thanks again. A great looking light, especially with the shared construction details.


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## AlexGT (Sep 6, 2009)

Hi Dennis and Matt!

Can you guys tell me how far inside the reflector is the base of the SST sitting at? In the pictures it looks like the base of the led is at the same height as the base of the reflector but it's probably a visual fx.

I am trying to mod a Mag FM-11 to use this led with a FM throwmaster reflector :naughty:

Thanks! 
AlexGT


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## Aircraft800 (Sep 6, 2009)

AlexGT said:


> Hi Dennis and Matt!
> 
> Can you guys tell me how far inside the reflector is the base of the SST sitting at? In the pictures it looks like the base of the led is at the same height as the base of the reflector but it's probably a visual fx.
> 
> ...


 
That's classified information, and I'll only show you IF you come to the next DFW get-together! 

Exactly right here:






Sorry about the poor photo, but you get the picture!

It actually sits up quite high in the reflector approximately 3/16" I'd bet it would have to sit up more like 1/4" in a throwmaster.


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## ^Gurthang (Sep 6, 2009)

AC800,

Is that a trit. vial I see in the pot knob??? And, "LED Zep" on the pot knob too?!?! Too Way Cool... 

^G[reen w/ envy]


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 6, 2009)

Alex, Matt is correct. The base of the LED is approx. 3/16 - 1/4" above the bottom of the reflector. I raised the LED off the heatsink a bit more than normal due to the use of the pot knob. Without the knob the head could screw down farther (cam removed), until the reflector bottomed on the sink. That additional head/reflector travel (1/8"?) would allow the LED to be lowered by the same amount and maintain the same focus.



ThumperIII said:


> LED ZEP,
> First, I am a total newb: both to this forum and to (soon to be attempted) LED light construction. I know specs and efficiencies will vary, but would you give your estimate on the total usable runtime for this flash? Would using a longer tube, with six batteries in a series/parallel pack be reasonable for better service times? Thanks
> 
> This being a first post, I'm not sure how long it will take to clear thru admin, so sorry if it is asked-answered before you view this. Thanks again. A great looking light, especially with the shared construction details.



Thumper, welcome to CPF, nice first post.

With partially discharged cells I measured 2.6 A draw from the cells by removing the tailcap and jumpering cell (-) and the tube with a multi-meter. Using 1600 mAH cells, 3 in series will give a total of 11.1V 1600 mAH. Dividing the capacity by the current draw, 1.6A/2.6AH gives a bit over 30 minutes runtime. 

The Shark Buck boards can take up to about 25V input, and require a couple volts of headroom above the Vf of the LED (3.5V @ 5A). So for regulated hi level, the cell solution should be from 6 - 25V. At 25V, current draw will be much less (power consumption will be equal plus efficiency losses), approx. 1A. So the acceptable range of cell solutions would be from 6V 3A to 25V 1A.

Keep in mind that typical protected Li-ion cells are rated for current up to 2C. These 1600 mAH cells would be good to 3.2 A, so the 2.6A draw is getting close. As the cells deplete and voltage drops, current will increase. Too much current draw will cause the over-current protection of the cells to trip and shut down the light.

I am no expert, but hopefully this gives you the basics to figure suitability of cell solutions.


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## ThumperIII (Sep 6, 2009)

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Thanks for the detailed reply. Not only did you provide a complete answer for what I asked, somehow you also figured out and answered what I should have asked. [/FONT] 
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I have been reading around the cpf site the past couple weeks trying to catch up on the tech. I've learned a lot of useful information and wrote down a bunch of formulas for determining LED/power matchups. But, with no electronics background, everytime I thought I had started to develop an understanding, the next post convinced me I was totally confused. With your explanation, something finally came together in my mind. I believe I now have started to see the LED (light, as it were). I'm sure it helped some other newb's also.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Interlude: not a highjack[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I've been interested in LED lights since my first buy, back when Wayne's XM-3 Luxeon 2AA was a hot new flash. But I just found the cpf last month - already made some purchases based on member inputs and recommendations. An update of my MX-3 will be my first project (DX parts ordered) 'cause AA primary or NiMH rechargeables are just too convenient to give up. Then I'm looking at building some type of MAG D3 based construction with these 'new fangled' LI-ion batteries. [/FONT] 
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Return to subject:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]This very detailed thread on your SST-50 build now makes something similar a feasible possibility.[/FONT]


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## ergotelis (Sep 6, 2009)

One of the most nice builds ever seen in here! Keep it up!


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## Mike Painter (Sep 6, 2009)

Run times?

How well does the knob work? Can you "flick" it from low to high easily? I ended up putting a rubber sink washer on mine and while it does not look nice the friction allows a rapid or precise change.

Great work, how much to have you build one?


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## HarryN (Sep 6, 2009)

Very nice. I was curious - do you have a rough comparison of the beam to a 2 or 3 x K2 or similar mag setup? In other words, if you drive 2 K2s at 2.5 amps each, or 3 at say 1.7 amps, would you expect similar Lux readings and beam shape?

Thanks

HarryN


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## Fulgeo (Sep 7, 2009)

LED Zep,

Really like your mod. Been eying the SST-50 for a while but have not messed with it yet. Have you gotten a chance to put an aspherical lens in front of that SST-50? The best I have been able to put together is an over driven Cree since the P7 mods just puts up a big bullseye with an aspherical lens. When I dream about the SST-50 I envision a 1200+ lumen pencil thin aspherical thrower. Either way excellent work!


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## AlexGT (Sep 7, 2009)

Fulgeo, I think Saabluster used it with his DEFT, apparently the results were good, you might wanna check his tread.


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 7, 2009)

Mike Painter said:


> Run times?
> 
> How well does the knob work? Can you "flick" it from low to high easily? I ended up putting a rubber sink washer on mine and while it does not look nice the friction allows a rapid or precise change.
> 
> Great work, how much to have you build one?



Mike, runtime on hi is about 30 - 35 minutes.

The knob works well but there is some damping to the rotary motion. It can easily be operated by the thumb from one side, but I wouldn't call it "flickable". You definitely have precise control of it though.

I don't have plans to build more at the moment. 



HarryN said:


> Very nice. I was curious - do you have a rough comparison of the beam to a 2 or 3 x K2 or similar mag setup? In other words, if you drive 2 K2s at 2.5 amps each, or 3 at say 1.7 amps, would you expect similar Lux readings and beam shape?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> HarryN



Harry, thanks. I don't have a K2 mod - the closest comparison is a Mag D quad-Q5 at 960mA per LED, w/ McR19XR reflectors. These were taken at different times of the year, with the same camera settings. Camera position and light direction are slightly different as well. SST-50 light is aimed squarely at the tree in the distance while the quad is aimed to the right further beyond.

SST-50:



Quad-Cree Q5:






Fulgeo said:


> LED Zep,
> 
> Really like your mod. Been eying the SST-50 for a while but have not messed with it yet. Have you gotten a chance to put an aspherical lens in front of that SST-50? The best I have been able to put together is an over driven Cree since the P7 mods just puts up a big bullseye with an aspherical lens. When I dream about the SST-50 I envision a 1200+ lumen pencil thin aspherical thrower. Either way excellent work!



Fulgeo, thank you. I didn't think to try it with an aspheric, but if I had an aspheric head it would have screwed right on. 

Alex, thanks for the DEFT info.


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## HarryN (Sep 8, 2009)

Hi, Thank you for the info. That pic very much shows what I was wanting to understand, and suspected from my prior work with large area emitters - a bit more flood, more challenging to get throw. But WOW, plenty of throw and certainly lights up the field.

Thanks

HarryN


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## Fulgeo (Sep 8, 2009)

AlexGT said:


> Fulgeo, I think Saabluster used it with his DEFT, apparently the results were good, you might wanna check his tread.



Hey AlexGT,

I have read that thread in the past. Saabluster ran a test with a SST-90 at 4 amps and said,

"The XR-E is still the farthest throwing option. The P7 and MC-E need some blending of the dies which reduces throw. The SST 90 can be used without any blending(diffused lens) but does not have as much surface brightness as the XR-E and therefore will not throw as far."

I was curious how the SST-50 at 5.2 amps compares. Thanks for the post thou since it reminded me to go back and catchup with that tread.

Happy Mods!


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## Aircraft800 (Sep 8, 2009)

Fulgeo said:


> Hey AlexGT,
> 
> I have read that thread in the past. Saabluster ran a test with a SST-90 at 4 amps and said,
> 
> ...


 
I'll see what I can do. I have a DEFT, and Saabluster lives close. I wish I had a 3" Mag head to install a DEFT lens, or a re-threaded DEFT Head to try it out.


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## petrev (Sep 9, 2009)

:bow:

Meisterwerk Licht


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## overdog (Sep 20, 2009)

Hello Led Zep,
I´m a total newbie and have a question about soldering - yesterday i tried to solder cable on the positive and negative underside solder pads of my SST-90 emitter but solder did not get fixed on the pads- I cleaned the pads but I could not fix the cable by soldering in any way--- :help: what did I do wrong? I used this solder Sn60Pb40...Thanks in advance for help...


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## LED Zeppelin (Sep 20, 2009)

Overdog, depending on your iron, you might not have enough heat.

I had difficulty as well until I bought a good soldering station with adjustable temp. I set it at about 675 degrees, and pre-tin the LED pads and the leads. To pre-tin the pad take a very wet tip and swipe it across the pad. A tiny bit of flux can help.

Once the pads and leads are tinned, it is much easier.

You will need a tiny vise or some means of holding the LED while you do this.

There are members who are much better at soldering and they may have better tips.


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## ThumperIII (Sep 20, 2009)

60/40 OR 63/37 solder wire alloy with a mild rosin core and 0.025 diameter should work with most electronics soldering tasks. You don't give any description of what exactly occurred with your solder or tip. so it's hard to point to what may have failed. rather than writing a long list of possible solutions -- try googling "electronics soldering techniques" or similar titles. Read a few articles. You will probably quickly see something to que you to what failed in your technique. Cleanliness, proper tinning and heat range are the normal culprits. Investment in a good heat control is a wise investment after a precision soldering pencil and a new tip.


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## Mike Painter (Sep 21, 2009)

overdog said:


> Hello Led Zep,
> I´m a total newbie and have a question about soldering - yesterday i tried to solder cable on the positive and negative underside solder pads of my SST-90 emitter but solder did not get fixed on the pads- I cleaned the pads but I could not fix the cable by soldering in any way--- :help: what did I do wrong? I used this solder Sn60Pb40...Thanks in advance for help...



In addition to the other suggestions you might want to practice, practice, practice soldering before doing it on something that could be damaged by to much heat or stop working becasue of a bad joint.

A good joint should be shiny and smooth. (A good solder joint that is...)


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## Mike Painter (Sep 21, 2009)

> "The XR-E is still the farthest throwing option. The P7 and MC-E need some blending of the dies which reduces throw. The SST 90 can be used without any blending(diffused lens) but does not have as much surface brightness as the XR-E and therefore will not throw as far."



I'm not sure what "surface brightness" has to do with it. A kerosene flame properly focused will throw for 20 miles or more with a Fresnel lens in front of it and it does not have a high surface brightness.

I suspect the problem is far more because all reflectors used are designed for a point source.


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## overdog (Sep 21, 2009)

Thank you all for those helpfull tips, I really had a problem with temperature- I used another soldering iron, less power than the one i use normaly- did not want to damage the SST-90... Today I used my good old iron and everything went good and got contact- nothing damaged and after installing everything in a Will Quiles 1,5D with DX-stock reflector I was able to see the light....Brrright!!!
Again thanks for help :thumbsup:


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## Aircraft800 (Sep 21, 2009)

overdog said:


> Thank you all for those helpfull tips, I really had a problem with temperature- I used another soldering iron, less power than the one i use normaly- did not want to damage the SST-90... Today I used my good old iron and everything went good and got contact- nothing damaged and after installing everything in a Will Quiles 1,5D with DX-stock reflector I was able to see the light....Brrright!!!
> Again thanks for help :thumbsup:


 
Where is your build thread? What are you powering it with? A Will Quiles is a great start for your recipe.


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## overdog (Sep 21, 2009)

I try to make a thread for it as soon as I will finish second project to have a comparison for myself- heres an actual picture of both projects- W.Quiles 1,5D with SSR-90, DD with Konion 1600 LiMn, (poorly)modded DX-P7 reflector with copper heatsink- Second a Uniquefire HS802 , massive throw reflector modded to fit SST-90, DD with Konion1600, "own creation plate" to fit SST-90 on copper heatsink... i´m not shure if this is against CPF rules- so please go on with Led Zeppelins wonderful build- did not want to change theme... thanks for help and patience with my bad english...





O.K., cant post pic, so wait for new thread...


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## Walterk (Apr 26, 2010)

Love that neat engineering


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## 420light (Apr 27, 2010)

Very nice. Old thread, I think I may have missed this one.


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## vestureofblood (Apr 26, 2011)

Hi LED Zeppelin,

Could you please tell me how I know which pad on a blue shark to wire to wire which leg an external trim pot too. When using 2 boards do I hook the wires from the pot to both boards, or is there some type of a slave method in play?


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## LED Zeppelin (Apr 26, 2011)

vestureofblood said:


> Hi LED Zeppelin,
> 
> Could you please tell me how I know which pad on a blue shark to wire to wire which leg an external trim pot too. When using 2 boards do I hook the wires from the pot to both boards, or is there some type of a slave method in play?



Excerpt from an old thread:

_*How to wire multiple Sharks to one dimming control:*
- Order the Sharks with the on-board pot removed, or remove the pot yourself.
- Locate the three pads under the pot. Viewing the board from the component side with the pads at lower right, you will see that the larger central wiper pad connects to the top soldering hole just to the right. There are two smaller pads under the large pad. The lower right pad connects to the lower right soldering hole, and the lower left pad does not connect to any hole.
- If using a pot, order a 20K log pot. I use these from Digikey. Be sure to measure the resistance of the pot (across the outer leads). The production tolerance is wide (20%!), and you'll want to use one at least 19 kohms for max output. I cut off the panel mounting tabs with small sidecuts, and tap a 9mm X 0.75 hole in the tube of the light. In a Mag tube, this hole is 1/4" in front of the oval switch recess (not the switch hole itself). The pot threads are coated with epoxy, then threaded into the tapped hole from the inside until the housing just protrudes from the tube. The tap is very rare and hard to find; it is acceptable to drill a tight clearance hole and epoxy without threading as well. I don't use the jam nut and washer supplied with the pot, but if the clearance hole method is used, they might come in handy as additional surface for the epoxy to adhere to.
- Connect the pads of one Shark to the pot. Viewing the pot with the shaft at top and the leads facing you, connect the large wiper pad (or top right hole) to the center pot lead, the lower right pad (or lower right hole) to the left lead, and the lower left pad to the right lead. I find it just as easy to solder to the pad as to the hole. The wires do not pass any current, so I use very thin flexible wire, 30 ga or so. 
- The other Sharks are wired to the mother by connecting the large wiper pads together. Any number of Sharks can be wired together. Alternatively, all three pads of each Shark can be connected in parallel, or all connected to the pot. From my measurements, it seems that slightly more max current is delivered when connecting all the pads, 960 - 980 mA vs. connecting just the wiper pads, 900 - 920 mA. I'm not certain of the reason, but the difference is arguably negligible.
- If a Remora is used, connect the Remora to one Shark, and again wire the wiper pads together. All Sharks must have the on-board pot removed._


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## vestureofblood (Apr 26, 2011)

Ok, thanks.

So the leads to the first board like this, and a jumper between the wiper pads for the second?





Are you using a logarithmic pot ( like an audio pot) for these rather than linear?


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## Justin Case (Apr 26, 2011)

I used Panasonic 20K logarithmic pot EVU-E3JFK4D24 (Digikey part #P3S8203) in my recent triple XP-G Blue Shark 2D Mag mod. You can find both the metric 9mmx0.75 tap and the 8.25mm tap drill bit on amazon.


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## LED Zeppelin (Apr 26, 2011)

vestureofblood said:


> Ok, thanks.
> 
> So the leads to the first board like this, and a jumper between the wiper pads for the second?
> 
> ...



You got it.

I use a log pot like the one Justin Case uses.


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## vestureofblood (Apr 29, 2011)

Guys I appreciate the help. I really excited about using this external pot. I found a 20k on the MP and the seller also happened to have an extra shark cage, so those are on their way now.

I still have one other question about this. LED Z, in post 30 you said that "the pot should be 20K unless you want to decrease max current, then go for something less than 18K."

I am confused about this. I thought when using a resistor more resistance going to provide less current? IE a 1 ohm resistor drops a little current and a 100 ohm drops a ton off. How is a pot with a lower value going to provide less current? What am I misunderstanding?


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## Justin Case (Apr 29, 2011)

The Blue Shark is both voltage and current controlled, similar to a bench power supply. The external pot acts as an adjustable resistor voltage divider for the switcher IC's voltage control loop. The value of the feedback voltage out of this control loop adjusts the output current. The current eventually maxes out at a certain limiting value for the feedback voltage and then the output current magnitude is controlled by the sense resistor.

If you use a pot with resistance smaller than 20K, then your voltage divider never reaches the limiting value for the feedback voltage and you don't max out your output current, as dictated by the sense resistor.


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## vestureofblood (Apr 29, 2011)

Ok, I think I am trying to swim in a much deeper pond than I'm used to here, but I'm still gonna have a go at it.

I understand part of what you said Justin but it seems I'm still not getting my head around a key element. 

I understand that the pot is only seeing a fraction of the current/voltage in play and that the shark is doing all the heavy regulating. I have also seen a couple vids on these pots so from what I gather the current travels from one end of the pot to the other and the wiper intercepts the current at a given point along the resistor (depending on the position of the dial) and redirects it to the driver? 

I am not faulting your explanation, I'm sure the information is there, but I still dont understand why a pot with less resistance would not allow the voltage to reach max. It still seems like that one with too much resistance would prevent the driver from reaching max current, and the one with less like say a 10K would cause low not to be low enough.


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## LED Zeppelin (Apr 29, 2011)

vestureofblood said:


> Ok, I think I am trying to swim in a much deeper pond than I'm used to here, but I'm still gonna have a go at it.
> 
> I understand part of what you said Justin but it seems I'm still not getting my head around a key element.
> 
> ...


 
The LED current does not go through the pot at all. The pot resistance is more like a reference point relative to the sense resistor. The voltage signal generated by the pot/sense resistor combination determines the Shark drive current.

I guess you can think of it as a multiplier. The Shark has a sense resistor of 20K ohms. With a 20 K log pot you have 20/20 or 100% output. Now if you have a 10K pot, you could think of it as having 10/20, or 50% output. But using a >20K pot will not give you more than 100%, you will simply reach 100% output before the pot reaches full travel, i.e., if you have a 40K pot you'd simply reach 100% at about half rotation.


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## Justin Case (Apr 29, 2011)

The Blue Shark has an internal reference voltage and the value of the feedback voltage that you get from the voltage divider dictates the current when the driver is in voltage-controlled mode. A pot with less resistance would not give you the right voltage divider for the reference voltage to reach the limiting value such that the driver goes into current controlled mode, dictated by the sense resistor. Thus, you won't reach 1A nominal drive current if you use a pot of less than 20K ohms. The 20K ohm requirement comes from a fixed resistor on the Blue Shark of 20K ohms that is part of the voltage feedback loop. If that fixed resistor were of some other value, then the pot would have to have that value to get max drive current.


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## vestureofblood (May 11, 2011)

WOW you guys thanks sooo much for your help. This light turned out fantastic! I put a pair of sharks behind 5 XMLs with the pot, and I think its one of the best UIs ever. The high is as you would expect in the thousands and a steady hand can turn the low down to like 1 single lumen. Seriously all 5 lit up on the lowest setting put out less light than my quark AA2 on moonlight.


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## LED Zeppelin (May 11, 2011)

Great job!


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## vestureofblood (Jul 11, 2011)

Hey LED Z,

Where did you get the knob for the pot on this project? Could you give a link maybe, I seem to be having a very hard time finding knobs that are short enough. All the ones I can find that fit are like 15.8mm tall.


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## LED Zeppelin (Jul 14, 2011)

I had the same difficulty finding low profile knobs. I ended up having some machined and anodized HA black. The knob has an indicator slot which accepts a trit vial if desired, and a SS set screw to hold it to the shaft. 

PM me if you want to buy a knob, I have extras. Figure $15 plus $8 if you want a trit vial as well, maybe $1.50 for shipping. It includes 2 different lengths of set screws depending on whether the screw is on the flat or round of the pot shaft.


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