With 1 cell you operate 3V leds like xp-e2 xp-g2 xp-l xm-l2 etc .
With 2 cells you operate 6V leds like xhp50 xhp70 etc .
This isn’t a boost driver so you can’t use 1 battery to operate a 6V led . That’s why you will need 2x18350 in the flashlight , with the 2-cell operation “pin” soldered and “6V parts” soldered.
This is not a buck or boost driver, it can be set up in 2S. So, with 2 18350’s you could drive a 6 volt led with this driver. That said, PM and ask if it works well for that or not… I have not gotten my first 2 in yet, so I really have not experience with them.
Looking to buy at least two (more likely three) LD-3. What I’m trying to figure out is which amperage range to get.
They will go in Solarforce P60 quads (4x XP-L Hi), specifically one P1 (plastic body) and one P1D (aluminum body).
The LED MCPCB is soldered to the large hunk of kiriba-ru copper…
… so it sucks away heat fairly well, but the overall thermal management of the P60 format is not the best as we know. (And plastic is worse)
Trying to determine what is the highest amperage I can run reliably. I did read the info so I realize:
the CC mode can be reduced a certain amount, and
the driver can output higher currents in DD mode.
I think I’ll use the CC mode, but… maybe not?
For reference, I’m fairly responsible with my lights and not abusing them.
I am not asking “what amperage should I choose if I want to leave the light unattended on Turbo?”
Instead, I am asking “What amperage should I choose if I will always be the one handling the light, and will be quick to step it down if I think I might be overheating it?”
6A for the plastic P1 and 9A for the aluminum P1D?
9A for the plastic P1 and 12A for the aluminum P1D?
Some other recommendation?
Hmmm, I don’t know, I’m that knowledgable and responsable flashoholic too and I damaged the three 219C leds in a Reylight Ti direct drive triple because on the outside you just can not feel how hot the pill with leds get. One two-minute run on Turbo did the damage while I was not monitoring the time
It will never happen to my S41, the copper chunk gets hot to the touch almost immediately.
So IMO be very moderate in how hard you drive the leds in a flashlight with a poor thermal path to the shell, without the direct feedback to your hands sooner or later you run it too hot and stuff gets damaged.
FWIW, the plastic P1 has been operating as my work EDC for about 4 or 5 months now with 4.5A worth of stacked 7135’s, and has not had any issue. I think the heat is definitely not an issue at 4.5A the way I use it, and now I want a nicer driver and also more lumens, because… well I don’t really need to explain myself there, I think. lol
Just realized I should have posted this in the LD-3 thread that is more focused on discussion, rather than the sale thread. Sorry. I’ll ask a mod to move it if led4power would like to keep this thread uncluttered.
Uhhh, I wouldn’t go more’n 1.0A-1.5A or so in a plastic-body light.
How long can your car’s engine’s last without coolant?
I got a refitted Taskforce rubber-over-plastic light that perfectly fits a P90 (after dremelling out the molded-in reflector). I’m using an 800mA boost driver from 2 AAs, and after being on a while and quickly unscrewing the cap, the whole assembly underneath is hot. Almost too hot to handle.
Doubling that to 1.6A? Not for long.
That plastic body is a nice down-filled winter-coat for that P90. Treat it accordingly.
Hotwire bulbs love that heat, and even work marginally better if heat isn’t shed. LEDs and drivers, nah, not so much.