Lighting for night detecting?

[Wildcat1750 (nyjrbethelct)]

Originally Posted by PuddleJumper

Sorry, I meant to add "other" in there

Just another one of those "others" checking in...
For my 2 cents worth I detect by sound and feel at night and use the light from my Garrett Pro-Pointer to find my target in the hole.
Nick

[stangthang]

I was going out at night until we got some snow here in SW WI. I just bought two cheap LED flashlights at K-mart. One has 7 or 8 LED's, a little brighter, real small with a wrist strap, maybe was $7. The other is the kind you can wind up, no batteries, 3 large LED's, not so bright though, but NO batteries to replace, was $5. I just hold them in my hand. I go to parks and leave at 10 when the parks close. Also went early mornings in the dark before sun came up, out with the joggers and walkers. I like the idea of mounting some LED's on the detector though Neat idea. I have some spares I did not use yet. Bet I could convert an old flashlight into a battery pack, and solder in some LED's easy enough. Wrap connections with shrink tubing or that rubber electricians tape. Will add weight to the detector though. Heck, you could buy the small LED flashlight that runs on three AAA batteries, and just duck tape it to the rod of your detector.

[Wildcat1750 (nyjrbethelct)]

How about an old Railroad Lantern (battery powered) that you could set down next to the hole and it would still cast light sideways? Perhaps a red filter on it to preserve your night vision? Pilots use red flashlights in the cockpit to read maps, without compromising their ability to adjust to the view out the window.

Nick

[HEM]

Hi Boyz and Girlz

I've posted this project in the month of April (but can't find it anywhere). This light project is for ma Beach Hunter and ma Cibola
Materials needed are :
For ma Beach Hunter
Water proof hand torch (mine is a Lite X press 20 mts water proof)

1 P.V.C Tee 1 1/2"
2 Some scrap P.V.C
3 Piece of rubber band from a bicycle hose
4 A candle or gas over will do
5 Stainless steel bolt and nut
6 Scratchless paint (something like that to make it nice)
7 Drilling machine and hacksaw
8 Safety gloves and safety glasses
9 Pack of beer (when works completed)


Lets get started

Option one:
Take you P.V.C tee and heat it up with the flame ( DON'T rush or over heat it you could burn youself or ruin the work)
If you manage that right you could insert the hand torch in the P.V.C Tee to shape up everything so as it fits nicely

Option two:
Remove 3/4 of the top of the P.V.C (in the pic I had removed the whole top... too late... then had to glue an extra piece of P.V.C, it look nice) the remain piece of P.V.C will help to secure the hand torch
Cut a piece of rubber from a bicycle hose (montain bike hose are the best it will fit on the P.V.C Tee 1 1/2") the rubber band will keep the hand torch in place and prevent it to slip and fall
Drill the P.V.C Tee and slide it on your MD lower shaft, secure with bolt and nut with one the lower shaft adjustable hole.

[HEM]

Second Project
You will need
Key chain torch (Maglight or Led Lenser, but having the switch buttom at the rear is best).
1 Small piece of P.V.C pressure (It's thicker than the normal P.V.C and it doesn't matter if interior diameter is bigger than the key chain torch)
2 Nylon tie and a piece of clear aquarium air tube
3 Pieces of scrap P.V.C
4 Candle or gas oven.
5 Safety gloves and safety glasses
6 Dermel with accessories or wood fill and sand paper
7 Paint

Using your Dermel make a notch in the P.V.C
Take your nylon tie and slide a piece of clear aquarium air tube (This will provide thickness and prevent the key chain torch to come out)
Fix the nylon tie on the P.V.C
Heat a piece of P.V.C ( 1 1/2'" diameter will do) in an oval shape and slid it on the lower shaft of your MD together with the key chain torch P.V.C holster
You can glue every in place or could let it as it is.

Hope you like it

[tony48]

HEM, those projects look great and look like they will function very well.

[HEM]

Originally Posted by tony48

HEM, those projects look great and look like they will function very well.

YeP they work fine and what' nice is that you can remove your hand torch after metal detecting

[PuddleJumper]

If I was going to go that route I would do it the easy way. Thing is that I also want some light on the display.


http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=147050


http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=153482


http://www.easternlightbulbs.com/nav...6212&trng=fgle

[PuddleJumper]

Oops, that lens cap set was for the D-cell maglites but they make them for the AA flashlights as well.

[douggo]

I have built a few LED rigs over the years for effects setups for parties and bands.

I have always used the same gear with no issues:

--> 9v "smoke detector reject" batteries (lower juice but still the ease of the 9v clip),

--> 9v battery clips with leads,

--> high output LEDs - there are various sizes/colors available,

--> 'bell wire' (from phone systems),

--> various small 'project enclosures' to house the bits,

--> and 10k Ohm potentiometers, to adjust the intensity and keep from burning out the LED's.

Wire them in series or parallel depending upon your needs (though it sounds like parallel is in order here to light the coil area evenly)

TIP! Forget soldering! Use 'bell wire' and just 'wire wrap' the connections.
Due to the low impedance of the wire and the low voltages used, this is the easiest and most efficient methodology for construction. The toughest part is wire-wrapping the contacts on the pot. (but its WAY easier than trying to SOLDER them!)

Buy more LEDs than you need, as you may fry a couple in testing. Start with the pot at '0' and slowly bring up the voltage. Keep checking the LEDs for heat - if they are hot you need to back off on the juice before they fry.

The white or blue LEDs are brightest, though there are some high-intensity Red LEDs now that really crank too. Output lumens are listed on the package for ease of selection.

Remember that "mall" Radio Shacks no longer have pieces/parts for projects. You now need to go to a "strip mall" Radio Shack - THEY still carry pieces/parts!

These rigs are so cheap you could build a backup and keep it handy.

Hope this helps-

Doug

[PuddleJumper]

Good info. Now that this holiday stuff is just about done, work will get back to normal next week and I'll actually have time to get to this little project. Once all the kinks are worked out I'm going to ask one of my machinist friends to make a more permanent housing for the set up.

[tabdog]

Just get you some of those clip on
reading led light fixtures.

It will clip on any where you want it.

They have a flexable wand so you can
point tha light where it's needed.

I have one tha was powerful enough to
see tha display and tha ground at tha
same time. When I used to have a display.

I don't hunt at night any more.

Happy Huntin,

tabdog

[PuddleJumper]

I actually went over to our local dollar store today just for the fun of it and they had some clip on led lights. I ended up tearing one apart just because, but the little hearing aid style batteries were worth the cost. Just so happens that they are the same batteries that my digital caliper takes.

[searcher64]

Every circuit needs to have a load (Resistor) on it to work right.:-)

[ICE]

I use a head lamp from Lowe's and use a pin light taped to the shaft to see the coil area I use a garretts propointer. Works great and nobody messes with me I hunt next to the sheriffs and EMT office. Ice