High Power Torch
2016
When browsing online, I discovered that you can very cheaply buy 100W LED modules. I thought it would be cool to design a high power torch using one of the modules, so I ordered the driver, assembled a battery pack, and 3D printed a case.
Battery
During this time, I was working at a electronics retail store. We had a recycling service where customers could give us their old electronics to recycle for free. We occasionally had old laptops with removable batteries given in for recycling. I took the opportunity (with permission) to remove the cells from the battery packs to use in my own projects. I would carefully disassemble the battery packs and then test each individual cell to determine it’s condition and capacity.
For this project, I needed a 6S battery, so I assembled my own 6S2P lithium battery with the recycled cells. It is very important to be careful when assembling a battery pack since any accidental short circuit can easily cause a fire. I added a cell balancing connector to the pack so that it can be properly balance charged which is important since it uses recycled cells with varying capacities.
Assembly
I sourced an off the shelf constant current LED driver, LED lens, heatsinks and fan.
After the battery pack was assembled, I designed a case to hold all of the electronics securely in the style of an old battery powered torch. I also added a digital voltmeter display to allow monitoring of the battery level. The battery access hatch is held in with small neodymium magnets.
The torch works very well and is incredibly bright. It was a very fun project to complete, and it proved genuinely useful at least a few times.
