Cave light comparision thread

[Kiel]

Last night I was talking about a cool light comparision/ build thread I found. Thought I would post it up to share

http://www.forums.caves.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=91424

[cherokeepilot85]

That is an impressive comparison. I really like the setup of the site.

I have been personally building a prototype headlamp using an imported high wattage LED. The LED puts out a true 1000 lumen light. I have already tested the light and been extremely impressed. It blows my Petzl MYO Xp headlamp and Element K2 Flashlights out of the water. I am working on finishing a control circuit for precision dimming control and a good helmet mounting setup.

When I finish those items I want to work on an idea that I had a while ago. When you look at another mine explorer, if his/her headlamp shines in your eyes it can negatively affect your vision for upwards of twenty minutes. With the new headlamp I am making, that negative effect would be quite bad for another mine explorer who looks at me when my headlamp is aimed in his/her direction. The idea is to make it so that if another mine explorer is looking my direction and I am looking their direction, my headlamp will detect the incoming light from their headlamp and automatically dim its light output accordingly, lessening the negative light effect on their vision. This would also work when the headlamp is in close proximity to a wall, the light reflecting off the wall would be detected by the headlamp and the lamp would dim itself to an appropriate level. I have already started to make a control circuit that will use a photo-resistor (similar to what is in automatic night lights) to detect incoming light levels and control the output to the headlamp's LED light.

[Kiel]

http://www.spelemat.com/ledlampe/LedLampe_IV_en.htm

considering this swiss lamp for the money. Looks to be about 285 us

But can't get this out of my head

http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut794

[Stuart]

Awesome Kiel, can't wait to see what you decide to go with.

The idea is to make it so that if another mine explorer is looking my direction and I am looking their direction, my headlamp will detect the incoming light from their headlamp and automatically dim its light output accordingly, lessening the negative light effect on their vision.

Killer idea Craig! You will have to update us on the design progress, testing, and implementation. Something like that would be very useful for those of us with >800 lumen output. I know that before I got my newest lights from Derek I was always walking around getting blinded by Miah's setup. Now I just blind him back and we both walk into walls.

[Joanne]

Awesome Kiel, can't wait to see what you decide to go with.

The idea is to make it so that if another mine explorer is looking my direction and I am looking their direction, my headlamp will detect the incoming light from their headlamp and automatically dim its light output accordingly, lessening the negative light effect on their vision.

Killer idea Craig! You will have to update us on the design progress, testing, and implementation. Something like that would be very useful for those of us with >800 lumen output. I know that before I got my newest lights from Derek I was always walking around getting blinded by Miah's setup. Now I just blind him back and we both walk into walls.

What is your setup? Got any photos of that flame-thrower?

I'm pretty happy with my Apex Pro so far.

Joanne

[Kiel]

You won't be content with your lighting, once you see good lighting. But off the shelf good lighting in the 1000 lumen plus area I'm seeing is about 700 dollars plus. My goal is to get 1500 lumen for around 300

[Derek]

Craig what type of circuit are you using for the dimming and what type of regulation are you using?

[cherokeepilot85]

Stuart, I will keep the group updated on my progress with the Quasar PT prototype. I know exactly what you mean with the light effect on your eyes and not seeing well. When I was a pilot in training, my instructors would always stress the importance of avoiding bright white light at night. They said that one second of exposure to a bright light could leave a partial night blindness in your vision for up to 20 to 30 minutes.

Thus far the Quasar PT's main hardware consists of the LED and a focusable lens, aluminum heat sink (which will also be the main body of the headlamp, this LED dissipates some heat), helmet mounting hardware (also made of aluminum), LED control driver circuit with light sensor (light sensor is currently a photo-resistor, but the digital-analog hybrid version will use a light-to-frequency IC sensor chip), and a tethered battery pack.

I recently built a small anodizing setup that I can anodize aluminum with. With this setup the aluminum body of the headlamp can be colored a desired color, which will have the cool anodized appeal.

My goal is to make it as cheap as I can. So far it looks like the whole rig will cost under $150. It looks like it might even cost less once I have reworked the main parts of the circuitry down to IC chips.

If anyone has any other ideas that they would like in a headlamp I would love to know, I want the Quasar PT to be a great headlamp rig, one especially mine explorer friendly. A couple weeks ago I showed the current setup and explained the idea to a friend who was very impressed with the setup and recommended I patent the rig when I finish it. I am almost done with the design of the simple circuitry for the light. I will then use the concepts and principles from that circuit design to make a smaller sized, much more precise, and wider variable range of light intensity circuit, which will use a hybrid design of digital and analog components. I have already ordered some of the integrated circuit chips from Microchip and Texas Instruments and the light-to-frequency IC sensor for the second circuit prototype. I want to make the control circuit for my prototype headlamp and I also want to use the final circuit to create similar control module clones that can be integrated into someone's commercially manufactured headlamp.

[Kiel]

So just one led? What kind?

[cherokeepilot85]

Yeah it is just one LED, well I guess I should say that it is one LED module. It utilizes multiple LED elements within one package. It is made by Hebei I.T. (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., part no. 20VAL12HW6C. It comes in a rail package with a jell-o lens. Here is a link to the LED I am using: Power LEDs 20VAL12HW6C

[hispo33]

If you want to compare standard lights available on the market - this is probably one of the best place to go:

http://fonarevka.ru/indexen.html

You can use few different settings/environments, set up exposure times and see what's the difference between number of torches

[Kiel]

I found that website last week, it is pretty sweet to see the differences

[hispo33]

The idea is to make it so that if another mine explorer is looking my direction and I am looking their direction, my headlamp will detect the incoming light from their headlamp and automatically dim its light output accordingly, lessening the negative light effect on their vision. This would also work when the headlamp is in close proximity to a wall, the light reflecting off the wall would be detected by the headlamp and the lamp would dim itself to an appropriate level.

That's great idea - if you'll be able to make working prototype I would really suggest to patent it and try to sell the solution to some company. Idea is fresh, it's customer oriented, and has a great marketing potential in my opinion.

Talkin about interesting headlamps not sure if you're familiar with 'Scurion' lamps - they are bloodly expensive but recognized as one of the best headlamps you can find on a market:
http://www.scurion.ch/jm/

[Kiel]

I have looked at them for a while . About 1000 dollars form 1300 paper lumens is not that great. I'm hoping for closer to 2000 real lumens for less then 500 with a lot further throw then the scurion, they are sweet though, just don't have the distance I want. But for caving a lighting a room yes

[cherokeepilot85]

Very interesting website, I really like their setup. The headlamp you mentioned is quite impressive, in some ways it will be similar to what I am working on. I completed another prototype circuit for a 250 lumen LED which works great. It can be fully dimmed by control and one can adjust the sensitivity of the automatic light dimming. The automatic dimming can be adjusted to a very sensitive and instant dimming setting, which is very impressive. I am now working on choosing the best switch gate to use between the circuit and the large 1000 lumen LED.