I bought a new LED torch (aka flashlight if you're on the western side of the Atlantic 8) ) the other day and was surprised to find it only takes 1x1.5v AA cell.....
Probably there's a step-up converter inside that increases the voltage. 1.5V is too low for a LED unless you have a red one.
Elektrix
Elektrix:
Probably there's a step-up converter inside that increases the voltage. 1.5V is too low for a LED unless you have a red one.Elektrix
Has to be....
That's what I was thinking guys, although it went thru my mind that maybe there's a new LED technology?
What is the led?
When I bought my Cyberlite Orion torch, it actually said on the packaging that it has a DC-DC converter (and it takes a single AA cell). It's amazingly bright, but you don't get any warning (i.e. it doesn't get dimmer) when the cell is about to run out.
cjdelphi:
What is the led?
Beats me!- I wasn't all that concerned in the technology... I was out of town on a 4-day stint with our national electricity utility, and guess what?.... bit of rain and out went the power, so all I was keen on was some light.
cjdelphi:
What is the led?
I dug out the packaging: it's silent in over 20 languages as to what the LED is or if there's some kind of voltage stepper upper. But wth, it works: nice and bright and has a key chain attachment thingy.
It also rang up on the till as just over 50% of the price on the shelf, so I'm considering it a bargain.
Varta 16601, by the way.
Specs claim it's a 5mm led...
Probably 20-30ma of current from the step up regulator...
You could build a booster circuit with an arduino or 555 or gate osc ... probably not going to be any where close to the runtime from the step up dc to dc regulator (hopefully)
But fun to build, 1.5v to 3-4v using a hand full of caps and diodes.