As per my post about the dual lens config here: https://intofpv.com/t-trying-out-some-of...#pid170170

I went about attempting to add some narrow beam leds to improve my depth of view.

I had the challenge of using what I had, which was two 4V, 3W leds with a 15deg plastic lens   The ring led is rated at 12V (it has 16 discrete leds).

I need to drive a 12V (ring led) and 4V rail (the two 4v 3w leds in parallel).   This was tricky with what I had on hand.   I wanted to use another dcdc convertor (12v) I had which has an enable pin.   I like being able to turn the leds on/off via the PINIO function and a switch on the TX.   

Due to constraints on one of the dcdc boards (needed a 6V input) I couldn't get the goal config of having a "high beam" setup, lol.   

On a 3 position switch on the TX I would of liked to of pulled off the following:
ie: switch pos 0 = both leds off, switch pos 1 = ring led on, switch pos 2 = ring + high beam leds

Anyways, I couldn't do that (yet!) so I'm going with two of the same DCDC boost convertors, one set to output 12V, one set to output 8V.   This was the best I could do.  Going with the two 4V/3W leds in series to be powered by the 8V board.   



The 15deg leds are a cold white which is in contrast to the warm light from the ring leds.   I did this to be able to discern what leds are lighting up what area.   Hoping that the middle picture, longer distance to object scenario gets a better response with this setup.

The power figures are scary.  On the bench, idle the quad draws approx 450mA at 3.8W for 2S power source.  When I connect the leds this jumps up to 1.8A at 16W!   


Hopefully get to test tomorrow night.

If I remember correctly, LEDs are quite flexible on the voltage as long as you exceed the minimum forward voltage to turn them on. More critical is the amount of current that runs through and is what will end up frying the chip. Typically adding a current limiting resistor will do the trick. If you have some spare 4v LEDs, could do a bench test to see if you can drive them off your 12v BEC. There are plenty of LED resistor calculators to give you the resistance value if you don't want to do the math. Having high beams would be cool, you could flash the quad in front of you to get out of the way

https://www.digikey.com/en/resources/con...s-resistor

(17-Apr-2024, 03:18 PM)mstc Wrote: If I remember correctly, LEDs are quite flexible on the voltage as long as you exceed the minimum forward voltage to turn them on. More critical is the amount of current that runs through and is what will end up frying the chip. Typically adding a current limiting resistor will do the trick. If you have some spare 4v LEDs, could do a bench test to see if you can drive them off your 12v BEC. There are plenty of LED resistor calculators to give you the resistance value if you don't want to do the math. Having high beams would be cool, you could flash the quad in front of you to get out of the way

https://www.digikey.com/en/resources/con...s-resistor

Red and blue lights that you can flash speeding cars with from behind.

(18-Apr-2024, 02:22 AM)Pathfinder075 Wrote: Red and blue lights that you can flash speeding cars with from behind.

ROFLMAO   I wonder if the local police will like that.

so inventing a new category here, endurance fpv 



the light drizzle looks crazy as the light reflects off it.

Very cool, you have the warp speed effect!! Youtube served up your video before you posted it here, I was wondering why it was showing me all these night flight videos and that looks like a new spot so I did not make the connection it was your video. I thought they were just insects swarming your lens, but no the drizzle is much cooler.

(21-Apr-2024, 03:19 PM)ph2t Wrote: so inventing a new category here, endurance fpv 



the light drizzle looks crazy as the light reflects off it.

I wonder why the drizzle droplets did not just smear your lens. When I fly in a drizzle in the day time my camera gets smeared with water. Maybe my drizzle drops are bigger.  

I even lost video image once when a drop must have fell on the VTX/FC.

I need the Darwin Hulk.

Yeah the drizzle was very light and gets that strobe effect as I'm flying into it faster than it is dropping to the ground. I was even thinking going full cammo on this and getting some hydrophobic coating for the lens and coating the electronics in that kotking stuff.

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(17-Apr-2024, 03:18 PM)mstc Wrote: If I remember correctly, LEDs are quite flexible on the voltage as long as you exceed the minimum forward voltage to turn them on. More critical is the amount of current that runs through and is what will end up frying the chip. Typically adding a current limiting resistor will do the trick. If you have some spare 4v LEDs, could do a bench test to see if you can drive them off your 12v BEC. There are plenty of LED resistor calculators to give you the resistance value if you don't want to do the math. Having high beams would be cool, you could flash the quad in front of you to get out of the way

https://www.digikey.com/en/resources/con...s-resistor

Sorry forgot to say thankyou for this. I ended up using the calculator and got the pair of narrow beam leds to run off the same 12V DCDC convertor that powers the ring leds.