[neilt]

I posted this in response to a question about buying Vistalite bulbs, so it probably got missed by some who may care to read it.

I have a set of Vista lights, purchased some years ago. Recently I thought I would update them, the halogen bulbs being expensive to keep replacing. I bought a couple of the Cutter Cree XR-E 500 kits https://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut685 and set to work.

I expected to have to remove the bulb connector, but as luck would have it the star sat neatly on the internal casting webs, leaving room to tuck the puck alongside the optic holder. I just had to connect the input leads to the rear of the bulb connector in order to pick up power, leaving the switch in circuit.

I wired the pucks in buck mode so I could continue to use the original Vista battery pack, which is I think 7.2 volt. I had to cut a couple of circles of thin perspex to be glued into the front covers for protection. I haven't sealed the fronts fully, but following a wet ride home from work the other day I think that might be a good idea. Some clear silicone sealant will do.

My hybrid bike used for commuting and road rides:

External view of the lights:

With the cover removed, showing the star sitting on the internal webs and the puck alongside:

Neil

 

[96m2comp]

Neil,

Cutter states 100 lumens of a couple AA batteries. What do you think the output is with your setup?

I have a 3 lt setup myself (1 that the switch fell apart) that I have thought about trying something with. I plan on replacing the batt packs as I have the original nicad (pre-nightstick) model.

Do you have an idea how much larger the 1000 kit's driver is by chance?

Also, any beam shots by chance?

Thank you !
Chris

 

[neilt]

Neil,

Cutter states 100 lumens of a couple AA batteries. What do you think the output is with your setup?

I have a 3 lt setup myself (1 that the switch fell apart) that I have thought about trying something with. I plan on replacing the batt packs as I have the original nicad (pre-nightstick) model.

Do you have an idea how much larger the 1000 kit's driver is by chance?

Also, any beam shots by chance?

Thank you !
Chris

Chris, I would expect the output to still be 100 lumens per LED as the pucks still drive 500mA into each device. I have the 2200mAH MiMH battery pack, so this should be good for more than two hours with both lights running. On my commute home I tend to ride with one lit for the main roads which are well lit, turning on two for a couple of dark lanes close to home.

I knocked up a DIY Dinotte style helmet light using a Cree Q5, which should give around 200 lumens, and it does look somewhat like the brightness of both Vistas together.

The MicroPucks are 0.45"L x 0.3"W x 0.26"H, but the 1 Amp driver is much larger at 0.83"L x 0.83"W x 0.43"H and you wouldn't get that into the Vista light bodies. Might be worth thinking about popping it into your battery pack if it's mounted close to the lights though.

Beam shots? Certainly Sir! Not my best photography because it's just started raining and it's all but impossible to manually focus in the dark - I've become too reliant on Canon's excellent technology! The second tree is, at a rough guess, 100 feet down the garden.

100ASA, F4, 6", manual focus :bluefrown:

One beam:

and two beams:

Neil.

 

[[email protected]]

Don't throw away the case! Or if you do, throw it to me. The switch is spst on-off pin connector available through various suppliers from judco.com. the part is j-987-1(try digikey, different # there). I have a few of the older vistalite models which had a tendency to overheat at the pin base and melt and I am trying to figure out how to do a slick micro-mod of them with a cree or possibly even a p7 with a large internal heat sink (actually a pelican xenon lamp module is just right) and some external 'pin fin' sinks. There have recently come on the market some very small constant current drivers that are small enough to fit between the heat sink base and the switch module but I am not certain yet quite how the switching works to control the various modes. There is also a nomc (normally open momentarily closed) switch that is the same form factor as the on-off which might work. Let me know if your interested and maybe we can brainstorm it through.
-Scott-