Qumefox's FOR SALE thread. Hosts, lenses, etc.

[mark-in-dallas]

Done deal. Mony sent.

 

[qumefox]

Ok. I'll charge the battery and remeasure it to make sure it's still over 150 then send it out in the morning.

 

[mark-in-dallas]

Cool, thanks!

 

[mark-in-dallas]

Thought I'd post to say that I've now got my Sipik built, using DTR's NJG driver/diode combo, in 4 mode config and set at 1,350 mA. Easiest build ever, and an awesome little rig.

Here's a video I shot of it burning through a CD jewel case and popping a balloon behind it, from around 15 feet away, and lighting a match at around 10 feet.

And yeah, I'm a true amateur. No shop in my garage, no work bench, and the video was shot in my living room.

 

[qumefox]

Nice. I like happy customers. heh. I'm still not sure what to tell people for a duty cycle in these yet, I've had my AL one running at that power on for about 2 minutes before without it getting more than just 'warm'

 

[mark-in-dallas]

When it stops lazing that's the end of the duty cycle.

You're right though, great heatsinking on this host, and I'm more worried about the driver overheating than the diode.

 

[qumefox]

Your green is on the way Mark. It tested pretty much identically to the first time I measured it.

And on the sipik build I did for myself with a NJG-18, I filled up the cavity with silicon heatsink compound. (not thermal grease, but thermally conductive silicon that hardens)

 

[rocket689]

@ Mark- > great job at your build and I like your video. It was presented very well, especially safety glasses wise. :gj: +1.

@ Qume- > great idea witht the thermal silicone. I only get 40 sec before my AL gets really hot, but I have been brainstorming driver heatsinking ideas. The only downfall I see with the silicone is disassembly/repair.

 

[DTR]

I thought I might throw this info up here as well as the NJG thread and I am not positive it is correct but Kaidomain is saying that the NJG has been discontinued. I ordered 20 of them and they emailed me and said that they only had five left. So I grabbed them and asked that they notify me when they are back and they responded that the driver has been discontinued. So I have five more drop ins and that could be it.:yabbem:

 

[mark-in-dallas]

Your green is on the way Mark. It tested pretty much identically to the first time I measured it.

And on the sipik build I did for myself with a NJG-18, I filled up the cavity with silicon heatsink compound. (not thermal grease, but thermally conductive silicon that hardens)

qumefox, I got the paypal alert. Thanks for getting it out so quick! I'd of been OK waiting on it till you got me a price, lathed and were ready to send the custom focus ring though.

As you get older, I guess patience kind of comes naturally.

Great idea on the silicone as well, I was kind of thinking of something along the same lines myself.

@ Mark- > great job at your build and I like your video. It was presented very well, especially safety glasses wise. :gj: +1.

@ Qume- > great idea witht the thermal silicone. I only get 40 sec before my AL gets really hot, but I have been brainstorming driver heatsinking ideas. The only downfall I see with the silicone is disassembly/repair.

rocket, thanks! All the buld consisted of though was pushing in the diode module, tightening the set screw, pushing the driver into the ridge and screwing on the switch assembly. Oh yeah, I did have to remove the battery contact spring from the driver too. Took me all of maybe 5 minutes total, including removing the spring!

But, I will take credit for using the safety glasses. Cant go making the youngens think they don't need them.

As to the heatsinking the driver with silicone, I don't really see a downside to it, as once its set any repairs would likely only be replacements, and if your worried about harming the diode cause the driver fried, you can always place unshrinked heat shrink tubing around the wiring so the wires remian intact. And, you could coat the heatsink innards and heatshrink tubing with silicone grease for easy removal.

 

[qumefox]

What current are you running your build at in the AL host Rocket? I'm not sure what mA mine is set to. I just made sure the driver was set low then did the build and sealed it up.. since the pot is external I just ran it off the power supply set at 4.22v then turned up the pot until the output was what I wanted. Namely just a hair over 1.2W. The heatsink got hot fairly quick by itself, but with it screwed into the host the extra surface area helps a lot apparently because It doesn't get as hot as it did just as a bare heatsink.

 

[rocket689]

What current are you running your build at in the AL host Rocket? I'm not sure what mA mine is set to. I just made sure the driver was set low then did the build and sealed it up.. since the pot is external I just ran it off the power supply set at 4.22v then turned up the pot until the output was what I wanted. Namely just a hair over 1.2W. The heatsink got hot fairly quick by itself, but with it screwed into the host the extra surface area helps a lot apparently because It doesn't get as hot as it did just as a bare heatsink.

I set the NJG at ~1250ma. This gives me an output of 1190mw peak.

On thing that I have noticed with these drivers; if I use my regulated variable DC power supply at 4.2 VDC to set it, then run it on say, an 18650, the outputs are way different. With the cells, the output is considerably lower. I always use the Li-Ions that are going to be used in the host when setting the driver output.

One thought on heatsinking as well; when I heatsink the components on the board, I usually use brass that I turn out into rings with an OD of ~15.5mm X ~.188 thick. I then cut them into pieces that cover the three transistors next to the inductor on the NJG PCB. I use Arctic Silver epoxy to attach them. This seems to help a lot.

 

[qumefox]

Well, if these drivers are discontinued it's moot anyway. I have a few left but i'll keep them for myself.. since I want to build myself a complete set of sipik's in various wavelengths for myself.

I still think i'll try to design a 17mm CC boost/buck myself though.. Won't be as cheap as the njg-18's but if it's my design and my construction.. at least I won't have to worry about them vanishing on me.

 

[rocket689]

Well, if these drivers are discontinued it's moot anyway. I have a few left but i'll keep them for myself.. since I want to build myself a complete set of sipik's in various wavelengths for myself.

I still think i'll try to design a 17mm CC boost/buck myself though.. Won't be as cheap as the njg-18's but if it's my design and my construction.. at least I won't have to worry about them vanishing on me.

Cool! That would be great if you would design your own.
As I said to random person when he said he was going to design one; The more the merrier. I don't want to see another boost driver famine ever again!

 

[mark-in-dallas]

And on the sipik build I did for myself with a NJG-18, I filled up the cavity with silicon heatsink compound. (not thermal grease, but thermally conductive silicon that hardens)

I've looked all over for a curing silicone thermal copound, and have had zero luck finding anything. Can you point me toward a source and product name?

 

[qumefox]

I think I got mine from DX

$7.19 - FUJIK Silicone Thermal Glue (50ml Grease-Like) - Professional Tools

You don't really have to fill up the whole cavity with it, just make sure the topside of the driver has a fairly thick coating and you get enough in there for a decent conduction path to the heatsink walls.