There has been some issues with 8V power packs were the electronic protection circuits for the LiIon cells do not reset themselves after disconnecting to protect the cells after complete discharge. This prevents recharging.
To address this I have developed a new charging system. As well as addressing the above issue this will dispense with the rather untidy adaptor lead.
A new self contained charger has been developed which will have the capability to reset power packs where the LiIon cells have disconnected, an issue which as arisen with some but not all 8V power packs supplied.
Features:
Balance charges each parallel array alternately
Red Power On and Flashing Green = Charging/Constant Green Charged LED Display
Digital Voltmeter indicates Power Pack State
Reset Button resets protection circuits

🔗Personal-Album-128-Image-62999[linkphoto]Personal-Album-128-Image-62999[/linkphoto][/link]

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That does look more robust than the small blue charger arrangement, I've never had any problems with charging but then I've never run it very low.

That does look more robust than the small blue charger arrangement, I've never had any problems with charging but then I've never run it very low.

I dont think that you will with a 10 cell pack. You would have to run it right down to the point were the cells disconnect, and even then I would fancy that one would come back on line and 'tickle' the others .
I you want the new charger, I suppose that you will have one
😉

The new MagnumStar is shaping up by the way, your upgrade will be the test bed for it. I will get some pictures up.
I am taking it slowly and thinking everything through.

Ha, just picked up you will be at NAMHO, and I will be helping out underground, should be interesting.

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Good stuff, a new charger would be lovely :flowers:

Looking forward to seeing the re-worked lamp, rather pushed at work at the moment with little time for exploring so no great hurry. Will be in Wales on the 18/19th but have the Raptor + assorted lesser lights.

Might have a go at lamp building myself following the success of my 3 candlepower effort 🙂

MagnumStar XML Mk 5

Oh no I can hear everyone say, not yet another version.

Well the last looked good but was just too difficult to produce and when my own started playing up I thought it was a good time to go back to the drawing board.
I was never happy anyway, trying to beat the Trigon seemed impossible, and the limit on the bare emitters made the daylight mode little better.

The new model is very similar to old except that I have dumped the cast aluminium reflector unit and designed the lamp in the same way as my other models which has a track record or reliability.
LEDs are mounted on a copper plate which secures to leg of the thermal conductor, reflectors are mounted on the LEDs with a suitable adhesive and drivers go on the back so as to share the same heat sink plane as the LEDs.

The result of this is that not only can I drive the bare emitter at full power but with the extra room have actually been able to increase them to 6, with a total ‘Daylight Mode’ output of about 2760 lumens.

The emergency light sits comfortably in the centre of the reflector cluster.

The reflectors are considerably small which gives a broader beam but is more suitable for photography and video for which this lamp is designed.

The switch is the same as the old, which means that it is not free to rotate all the way round, but rotates clockwise through 2 positions to reach a third, then rotating it backwards brings 2 more main modes on line. This gives a total of 5 main settings, in addition to 3 sub modes on the first position gained by turning on and off.


I have previously described each switch position, this is the same as the previous model except full daylight mode is now 6 emitters producing 2760 lumens, full beam remains at 3200 lumens.
The effect of this for photography can be seen in the Ystrad Einion photo. Full Daylight Mode, camera on a tripod and self timer, no other lighting.

🔗Ystrad-Einion-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-63916[linkphoto]Ystrad-Einion-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-63916[/linkphoto][/link]

Here is the lamp
🔗Personal-Album-128-Image-63917[linkphoto]Personal-Album-128-Image-63917[/linkphoto][/link]

Here is another photo taken in Ystrad Einion of the catwalk. This was taken without a flash and the camera on automatic, lamp on full beam power.

🔗Ystrad-Einion-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-63919[linkphoto]Ystrad-Einion-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-63919[/linkphoto][/link]

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Roy your website seems to be out of date how much for belt mounted battery?

Roy your website seems to be out of date how much for belt mounted battery?

Hi Mike

For what?

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For the magnum star you describe above

Mike

There is no price yet for the lamp and the 10 cell belt mount power pack is bundled with it, together with the charger.
A 4 cell is not really suitable.
It will be a while yet before this lamp is available for sale.

I do the belt mount seperately for Trigons at £60, the prices are there. I also do Trigons bundled with it for £195 with the charger.

The problem with the MagnumStar is that I can see a day when it becomes like the battleship, I mean the only useful purpose now is photography and video.
Having said this the daylight mode is 3 times the Trigon, and it shows. So there is some attraction there.
I will continue to use one whenever I am carrying a camera.

I think that waterwheel picture is pretty cool, and it was 1 caplamp, 1 camera, 1 tripod.
The catwalk and a lot of other stuff I took was just snap, snap, snap with the camera hand held and no flash. The cameras built in flash would not look at the amount of light produced by the lamp on full beam, I mean a flash is only 1500th second or something like that.

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Looks good Roy :thumbup:

There is no price yet for the lamp and the 10 cell belt mount power pack is bundled with it, together with the charger.
A 4 cell is not really suitable.
It will be a while yet before this lamp is available for sale.

Ah well.

Time to save up :lol:

There is no price yet for the lamp and the 10 cell belt mount power pack is bundled with it, together with the charger.
A 4 cell is not really suitable.
It will be a while yet before this lamp is available for sale.

Ah well.

Time to save up :lol:

Its roundabouts and swings. The new lamp is not really all that difficult to produce, a bit more work than the Trigon. Issue is that there are 4 XM-Ls and 6 XP-Gs which is $71.60 US or just under £45, not counting PayPal fees, then there are drivers and other bits.
I dont expect it to be too bad though. The old one had a rather expensive ( at the time, now you cant give them away) M BIN MCE. For what they cost at the time you can now buy 2 XM-Ls and have change back!
Mr Droid you top of list and will have first chance.

I am working on an LED conversion to a diving lamp at the moment and will post up pictures and details.
It will be one hell of an improvement to what it was. I have already been along a similar route with a conversion to a Maglite head, the trick is to have 2 rounded copper 'ears' off the LED module to make a thermal contact with the aluminium body of the lamp.

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Please be advised that business will be closed from Monday 18th July 2011 to Monday 22nd August 2011.

Cornwall, NAMHO, Nenthead etc.

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Anything interesting in Cornwall planned Roy?

I saw your waterwheel pic and thought of somewhere.

I will be at you know where eating and drinking Thursday night and bringing my friend and his wife from Wheal Andrew.
I am bringing some digging tools down, I think maybe you all miss the obvious.
We talk more.

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NAMHO 2011
My lamps created quite a buzz, there were about 4 of them in use on the Monday Snailbeach trip that I saw, 2 of them were Trigons, Marine Boy’s and mine.
One comment from a Sten user, “I wish I had your lamp”. Ouch.

I have several potential orders in the pipeline from this trip.

On the Huglith trip my MagnumStar was in great demand to light up the stopes.

After the holidays I will be concentrating on increasing production of Trigons.
More later.

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I'd be grateful if you could increase the production of the MagnumStar by one.... 😉

PM on the way

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I am announcing a new thermal technology (patent pending No 1113605).

The advantages of this are:
• Lighter weight
• Lower form factor
• 40% more efficiency in heat dissipation
• Sleeker, more attractive appearance.
• Easy replacement of external components
• Suitable for mass production, at last I may satisfy demand!

The principle of the new design is that the thermal conductor screws into a threaded recess obtained by boring out and screw threading the pre existing charging keyway aperture, (unnecessary as 8V power packs are recharged separately to the lamp).
Unlike the earlier version all the additional components are aluminium with the exception of a copper plate that mounts the LEDs and drivers.

The heat conductor bridge is then secured by the helmet fixing bracket. The effect of this is a saving in weight, size, and also additional heatsinking is obtained from the wearer’s helmet. Tests on the Trigon NT have indicated that it maxes out at 75 degrees, shut in a cupboard!

🔗Personal-Album-128-Image-65707[linkphoto]Personal-Album-128-Image-65707[/linkphoto][/link]

I tested the new lamp underground up at Nenthead and had it on at full power for 2 hours running on one of my 10 cell belt mount power packs designed for the MagnumStar, and it barely got past warm. The new Trigon weighs little more than a standard Oldham.

The new model is suitable for mass production, but in the immediate future I shall be using my existing stock of ex RN lamps. Where I go to from there is uncertain, maybe purchasing new headset shells direct from Hawker, or having the lamps produced in China as a complete package I don’t like the China option however, I would certainly talk to Hawker if they were to indicate interest.

The price of the Trigon will remain unchaged at £165 for lamp, charger kit, 4 cell helmet mount power pack and fixing shock cord.

The first model to adopt the new technology is the Trigon, but an NT MagnumStar will surely follow. If I can produce a lamp with outputs of 3200 lumens of beam, and 2800 lumens of bare emitter in a package that weighs about 200 grams it will quite a lamp. Of course, with the new technology it will be quite feasible to increase output even further. It becomes frightening!
🔗Personal-Album-128-Image-65708[linkphoto]Personal-Album-128-Image-65708[/linkphoto][/link]

🔗Personal-Album-128-Image-65709[linkphoto]Personal-Album-128-Image-65709[/linkphoto][/link]

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The new lamps look great Roy and the fact that there may even be a new 'bat roaster' on the horizon is as you say Frightening!
All's well down here and there are a few very excited people eager to test your kit.
Keep up the good work.
73's
Roy

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