What is the brightest LED you can get powerd by a AAA batter

Dr. KillGood · Post by **Dr. KillGood** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:05 pm

I love my little Mag Lite mini but it sucks it is so not-bright lol!

I found this thing that says how to mod a LED into it but the dude used 3 watch batteries and I hate that kind of battery so yeah! Whats the best one I can get that will work?

THON · Post by **THON** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:54 pm

One AAA? I think you can get a regular red LED 1.2V--but not at Radio Shack. And not very bright.

Felino · Post by **Felino** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:39 am

I concur, you need somthing with a drop of less than 1.5v. Not any help, you need a steap up reg!

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:06 am

The brightest single LEDs use nearly 4V. The only way you can get this much power out of a AAA sized battery is if you use an Li-Ion like this one. Then you can get a 150,000MCD 10mm led off eBay.

Keep in mind, however, that you'll need a small protection circuit and a charger. But if done right, this could be a very tiny, and very POWERFUL flashlight.

ATOMICMAN · Post by **ATOMICMAN** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:20 am

Electric Rain wrote:The brightest single LEDs use nearly 4V. The only way you can get this much power out of a AAA sized battery is if you use an Li-Ion like this one. Then you can get a 150,000MCD 10mm led off eBay.

Keep in mind, however, that you'll need a small protection circuit and a charger. But if done right, this could be a very tiny, and very POWERFUL flashlight.

and no battery life lol

look around and ask on here. plenty of experts. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:33 am

ATOMICMAN wrote:
Electric Rain wrote:The brightest single LEDs use nearly 4V. The only way you can get this much power out of a AAA sized battery is if you use an Li-Ion like this one. Then you can get a 150,000MCD 10mm led off eBay.

Keep in mind, however, that you'll need a small protection circuit and a charger. But if done right, this could be a very tiny, and very POWERFUL flashlight.
and no battery life lol

It should last for about 6 hours before needing to be recharged.

ATOMICMAN · Post by **ATOMICMAN** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:03 am

Electric Rain wrote:
ATOMICMAN wrote:
Electric Rain wrote:The brightest single LEDs use nearly 4V. The only way you can get this much power out of a AAA sized battery is if you use an Li-Ion like this one. Then you can get a 150,000MCD 10mm led off eBay.

Keep in mind, however, that you'll need a small protection circuit and a charger. But if done right, this could be a very tiny, and very POWERFUL flashlight.
and no battery life lol
It should last for about 6 hours before needing to be recharged.

more like 3 hours depending on the protection circuit you put in. led will draw something like 80-100 ma. for a light like that, it would hardly last a work day with me.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:22 pm

Alright, fine... bring a second battery... they're only AAA-sized.

Felino · Post by **Felino** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:07 pm

Or buy a few 5w lux leds, some resisters, and a car battery. Right.

ATOMICMAN · Post by **ATOMICMAN** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:18 pm

Electric Rain wrote:Alright, fine... bring a second battery... they're only AAA-sized.

deal

Dr. KillGood · Post by **Dr. KillGood** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 6:21 pm

LOL Would it be brighter then my Mag Light 2 DD battery one? It has a LED in it!

ATOMICMAN · Post by **ATOMICMAN** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:42 am

Dr. KillGood wrote:LOL Would it be brighter then my Mag Light 2 DD battery one? It has a LED in it!

depends on the led in it, the one electric rain suggested is really in the .5-1 watt range and most single led units in the larger mag lights are 3 watt solitary leds, which would be brighter but some of the cheapo conversion kits do not have powerful leds (usually the multi led units) and could be dimmer or atleast have leds that are individually less powerful.

if you are really interested in modding flashlights you should start with a 2x aa maglight or one of the other 3x c or 3x d size units as there is much more room and a larger and cheaper varity of batteries.

the k2 luxeon line of leds make for some really bright lights and low power consumption and are easy to work with.

Gamerdude · Post by **Gamerdude** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:27 pm

Time to break out those 300 lumen LEDs I have from that project a while back.

They make some really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really bright LEDs, they are relatively low current for their light rating put the driver and the bulb itself get really hot so beware. Try some Endor Stars, stick 4 of them and some optics for them and you will have one heck of a flashlight.

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:12 am

HEY WAIT

Lol dont any of you read hackaday? This was on there like a week ago:

http://www.emanator.demon.co.uk/bigclive/joule.htm

Its basically a home-made boost converter for a AA or AAA battery.

It should solve most of your problems