# Triple P7 / Ledil Reflectors w/ Snap-on Diffuser



## Mick (Mar 24, 2009)

The light is 57 x 50 mm without the helmet clip.


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## PhotonFanatic (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi Mick,

Looking very nice! :twothumbs


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## Changchung (Mar 28, 2009)

Hi Mick, how much can you charge for a complet kit without the Leds and driver???


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## Mick (Mar 28, 2009)

This is just a hobby for me. I have no plans to produce these in any quantity. I may do a small run of complete lights if there are people interested. I may be willing to release the drawings for non commercial use. I only have a small manual lathe / mill and am not a experienced machinist so the parts take me forever to make.


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## Mick (Mar 28, 2009)

Touch Switch mounted in rear cover of caving headlight. This is a QT310 potted in a black delrin housing. No moving parts. Absolutely waterproof.
This will control the excellent hipFlex driver from TaskLED.


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## traplight (Mar 28, 2009)

You sneaky little devil  the touch switch is a mighty fine idea. Was thinking about using a magnetic switch on mine.. but you've got a better idea.

sweet


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## dom (Mar 28, 2009)

Wow -haven't heard of those type switches before.
What are their drawbacks ,if any?

I'll have to do a search on these,but can you tell us what the 3 wires hook up to?

Nice solid build there.

Cheers
Dom


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## Mick (Mar 30, 2009)

The connections are power (~3-5 vdc), ground (common), and signal (open collector, drain). You need to use the power from the driver, then the touch switch acts like a normally open push button.
There are downsides; the IC is obsolete and the replacement is 1/2 size and very difficult to build without a circuit board with solder mask. I am trying to find a better solution.
Also with a touch switch there is no tactical feedback and you don't have to even touch it to activate it. You need to place it in a recess or place where you won't brush against it unintentionally.


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## Mick (Mar 31, 2009)

Prototype circuit board before trimming and potting. The copper squares on the board are .042 inch (~1mm) with .008 inch (.2mm) gaps. The copper touch pad is 1/2 inch (12.7mm).


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## jasonck08 (Mar 31, 2009)

Nice machine work... that must have taken some time!


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## jspec (Mar 31, 2009)

All I can Say is wow!! I want one


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## dom (Apr 1, 2009)

The switch sound great for waterproof and non-mechanical security.

Does it have to always draw power like if 
you used a normal MOM switch?Did you make that circuit board?

How does it touch sense thru the plastic onto the copper?

I read a bit of the specs but is a little beyond me 


What is it's total weight?
I'm sure you'd have some buyers out there, since the guy making the Serv-Light has closed shop (i think).

You have a great driver and switch in a neat package.

Cheers
Dom


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## Mick (Apr 3, 2009)

The switch and driver will draw a small amount of power anytime the battery is connected.
The sensor uses the copper pad in an oscillator circuit. Your finger changes the frequency when it is near or touching the plastic housing. The IC looks for a change in frequency to determine a touch. It will work through plastic but not metal. There are inductive sensors that will sense through some metals.
I made the circuit with much pain for these 66 year old eyes. 
The weight includes the diffuser and there is still some machining to be done so it may be a bit lighter.


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## sosemot728 (Apr 21, 2009)

Would it be possible to release the drawings?

I would love to use this as my bike light.


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## Mick (Apr 21, 2009)

I will discuss releasing the drawings in private. You can find my email by clicking my name. Just use a descriptive note in the subject line so I won't think it is spam.


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## Tidra (Apr 22, 2009)

I did some heating test on my 3xSSC P7 bike light
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/228493 
and foud out that it is a quite a chalange,... still looking to test in real life to see results,...

Cheers,
Iztok


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## Mick (Apr 22, 2009)

Yes Iztok, There is no way a triple P7 will run over 2 amps in a small housing. The hipFlex driver has a programmable thermal cut-back that I am relying on to prevent meltdown.

Your light looks very nice!


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## nihilist37 (Jun 26, 2009)

Bump!


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## Mick (Jun 26, 2009)

A couple more pictures:




From Cavertim: Light with 18 degree reflectors, 2.4 amps.


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## Changchung (Jun 26, 2009)

It is not for sale yet???


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## Mick (Jun 26, 2009)

This is just a hobby for me. I have no plans to produce these in any quantity. I may do a small run of complete lights if there are people interested. I may be willing to release the drawings for non commercial use. I only have a small manual lathe / mill and am not a experienced machinist so the parts take me forever to make.


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## Nos (Jun 27, 2009)

nice work im impressed :tinfoil:


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## sORe-EyEz (Jun 27, 2009)

very impressive!! :thumbsup:

i wonder if flexible cables should be added to the lamp unit & attached to sheets of aluminium fixed to the sides of the helmet to improve heatsinking. :shrug:


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## dom (Jun 27, 2009)

Very nice Mick.
Well ? ---
Are you going to tell us if you and Cavertim were happy with performance/operation?

I am interested in how the switch went as well. Is it easily accessed -looks almost covered by
the mount?

Also is the rear cover the same one you
showed at the start of the thread -that one has one tapped hole?

Cheers
Dom


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## Mick (Jun 28, 2009)

Thank-you all for your generous comments.
We are going to another cave for testing in a couple hours so I will post more pictures and take the time to tell of our thoughts.
I must hurry and make a battery mount for the helmet now.


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## Changchung (Jun 28, 2009)

Hi again Mick, I know is just a hobby for you, but, if you have in mind just sell a kit, no Leds please let me know. Thanks


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## DM51 (Jun 29, 2009)

Moving this to H&M.


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## Mick (Jun 29, 2009)

These photos were taken by CaverTim using two triple P7 lights, 18 degree beam and 36 degree beam with a Nikon D200. They are one to three second exposures at about f8. Tim kept overexposing as he was not used to so much light. Notice the even lighting provided by these lights. The switch works fine but takes some practice. I works with gloves also. The single taped hole in the bottom of the rear cover is for tripod mounting. Caving with these lights is a new and awesome experence. On high they light a whole cavern, on low they will run for 16 hours. The downside is if your in a party with people wearing these lights your "night vision" will be destroyed.


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## Changchung (Jun 30, 2009)

:twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs


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## jar3ds (Jun 30, 2009)

BOOM!

lovecpf


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## Mick (Jun 30, 2009)

jar3ds said:


> BOOM!
> 
> lovecpf



This old person need a translation.


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## MikeF (Jun 30, 2009)

jar3ds said:


> BOOM!
> 
> lovecpf


 


Mick said:


> This old person need a translation.


 
It's THE BOMB!

It's the bomb - awesome!
It's a bomb - run away!!!


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## vroutzounis (Jul 31, 2009)

any news on selling it?


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## wquiles (Jul 31, 2009)

Very nice project, and nice machine work :twothumbs

Will


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## Moddoo (Jul 31, 2009)

AWESOME LIGHTS

Nice work.

It looks like daytime down there.

a photo with a lesser popular light would be a nice comparison.


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## Mick (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks All for the comments. The two lights are now in the hands of cavertim for "show off" and testing. Time will tell of the reaction of the caving community.
I am doing some redesign to allow all the parts to be done on a CNC lathe. Cavertim is the #1 tech / engineer for a local company with 30+ CNC lathes so we are looking at a run of these lights.
For a beam test with a SF light see the link in a previous post to cavertim / Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cavertim/sets/72157612843116588/
Will, I cut the cooling fins with a 55 degree insert. They come out sort of sinusoidal when the outside is rounded. I like the look better than straight cut fins. (p.s. I too run a HP15C LOL)
Check cavertim on pbase.
http://www.pbase.com/cavertim/lost_creek_cave_waterfall
http://www.pbase.com/cavertim/bsc_1
Most of these pictures were taken with just the two headlights, one 18 degree and one 36 degree beams. Tim running the camera is wearing the 36 degree light and I am hiding in the foreground with the 18 degree light. (Blue Spring Cave photos)


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## Tidra (Oct 3, 2009)

MICK
 
very nice light you build,... very good results
 
what amperage level you use for maximum settings in cave?
 
In my 3xSSC P7 bike light I use 2.8A when I am down hilling,... it gets hot but thermal protection set to 70C didn’t dim the light yet.
 
LP
Iztok


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## jar3ds (Oct 3, 2009)

Tidra said:


> MICK
> 
> very nice light you build,... very good results
> 
> ...



hipFlex? i love the fact that you can attach taskled's boards onto the led sink to control the output based on temperature ...


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## Tim (Sep 27, 2011)

Hello Mick,

I like your construction.
Can you please tell us about the electronics part?
What IC and schematic use the switch?
will you post the construction plane?
Thanks for your nice contribution.

Timóteo


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