My Convoy L6, lighted switch, TA FET driver plus mods

answer by Simon just received, all resolved thanks.

Hey Jason

so i got Lexel driver and got eveything to work except the LED indicator.

Im using stock Convoy side switch but unsure the trace + and -

So you added a led and clear cover to see it?

The switch pcb has a common ground wire shared between led pads and the switch, so all you have to do is run power to the led through a resistor. Post #6 shows all this.

Are you using NarsilM or the older Narsil?
Only NarsilM can actually use the indicator function on the 2S drivers due to one of the mcu legs being able to switch between voltage monitoring and temperature sensing. The older Narsil could not switch and it needed 2 legs.

im confuse whether i should follow your method in this photo or the photo above :open_mouth:

It’s the same.

If you want switch light on all the time, do orange.

If you want “indicator” function, do the purple.

Regardless of which you choose, you need to do the red and blue.

Lexel just reminded me that on the 2S drivers you have to choose between the lvp or the indicator feature. I forgot about this. If you chose LVP then the indicator feature won’t work. You’ll have to wire it to driver power so it’s on all the time. Meaning the switch light will go out when the tail switch is off.

Or you did not solder 7135-s on the spring side and use their atmel pin to control indicator led and the driver works as a fet+1 two channel driver. But it need some change in the firmware too.

That kind of change is more in Lexels territory.

Hey JasonWW, just found your thead… I want to do something similar to your xhp50.2 with the smooth reflector…

How did you cut the reflector without messing up the finish?

Where did you get the screws to clamp down the emitter… (I have already stripped the heads of the one that came with my light)

Thanks!

Are you sure you want to go with the xhp50.2? It’s kind of lacking in output compared to the xhp70.2. I only tried it because it was new and the xhp70.2 had not come out yet.

Did you strip the head or the threads? You need the threads.

I took the stock screw down to my local Ace hardware and got a longer version. Then I screwed it in to see where the threads stop. Then I cut the screws to length.

For the reflector I used what I had handy. A wood router with a metal cutting bit. I put the reflector big side down and put tape over the small hole. Then precisely set the depth and carefully cut all around the edge. Afterwards I used a file to smooth it out. Total Old Lumens style! Lol

Here’s a pic of the reflector almost fully cut.


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thanks for the reply…

I chose the xhp50.2 for a little more throw over the xhp70.2.

If I can get the beam to look as good as yours I will be happy…

For those curious about the best way to remove the switch cover, a pair of snap ring pliers is your best friend. I have a set with multiple tips that can apply force in both directions. This style of plier (the blue one) can both squeeze together or squeeze apart.

They are only $4.99 at Harbor Freight Tools.

These are not super high quality, but I doubt you will use them very often. Every flashlight modder should have a set.

Hi JasonWW
I may miss something ,I will try this setup just what to know how many L/KCD for L6 with 70.2+SMO+R100 with stock driver…Thanks

Back when I was using the stock driver the 70.2 wasn’t out yet. By the time it was easy to get I had already switched to the FET driver.

So L6 with 70+SMO+R100 with stock driver and KeepPower 5200mah cells = 86,250 or 587 meters.

The KeepPower cells drew 5.7A. With Liitokala’s they drew 7A so you can get a boost right there. That might push it to 90kcd or more.

When switching to the 70.2 I would expect little to no boost in output. You would mainly get a smoother hot spot.

Bro, came across your nice thread on the L6.

So can i confirm that if i were to just use a piece of short wire instead of the R100 resistor on the driver of a stock L6 XHP 70.2 version, i’d be able to get around 7+ amps 8 amps at the tailcap with 2S high-drain cells? Current stock driver is pumping out ~ 5-5.2 amps to the XHP 70.2? (not sure how many amps at the tail would that be).
I am thinking of just using VTC6 and some 26650-> 18650 tubes, which ought to be sufficient in current delivery, just a bit lacking in the capacity.

The present Convoy L6 that i am getting direct from China is the “typical” one that people will be getting as well, that ver with spring bypass already installed and things like that.

Not sure why would i need a Convoy L6 for since i already have the BLF and Sofirn Q8s which serves all the needs very similarly, but apparently i have a present consolidation shipment from China and thus i can get it at a discouted usd 36. The host looks great, host head sinking capacity is sufficient for the weather that i get here, so i guess why not? :smiley:

Only thing is that it’s not going to be as pocket friendly as the 4 x 18650 soda cans, which are already not pocket friendly in the first place.

I’ve never tried the combo of a fully bypassed resistor stock driver with a 70.2. I tried it on a 50.2 and it drew way more than 8A. It was probably closer to 10A or 12A. This might be fine or it might eventually smoke the driver, I’m not sure. I didn’t have it in there very long or use turbo more than 20 seconds or so.

I would install the new emitter on the stock driver and see how many amps it’s pulling. Then maybe try a resistor swap.

Personally I don’t like the stock driver. It’s much nicer being able to turn the light on and off with the side switch.

I really don’t like the short and fat Q8 sized lights. There’s no easy way to carry them unless you have a a big holster that sticks way out. With the L6 I can just slip the tail-end of the light into my back pocket and carry it just fine. I carried 2 D cell Maglite like that for many many years.

I see, it was for a 50.2 and not a 70.2. I guess it might be a bit too much for the driver + 70.2 then. even if say we’d be able to do 7k lumens with the 70.2.

I’m not really electronically trained, so definitely the resistor soldering isn’t for me. I’m looking for a nice boost from 5A of the Convoy driver to maybe 9-10A at most, as per TA’s review on the 70.2 in which he already has excellent heatsinking.

Now that I have my TA Lumen Tube and Maukka calibrated test light I’ve found that my L6 it putting out about 5300 lumen @ 30s drawing 17 to 18 amps. This is with 2 different 70.2 emitters, a 6500K and a 5700K. So don’t believe the hype of really high outputs. Maybe a 5000K NW will put out a bit more? I’m sure other folks might measure my L6 with higher lumens, but it’s just a number.

The best way I know to limit output is to use the protected KeepPower 5200 or 6000 battery. I’ve got the 5200 and even with a FET driver and a 70.2 it still limits current to 10A.

Thank you, that’s a good suggesion, i just might go find some cheap 18650 or 26650s that can do 8-10A thereabouts and do the sensing resistor bypass on the stock Convoy L6 driver.

Good enough for me, i’m not expecting too much with regards to having a flat regulated output from the low $$ that i need to spend on this, as the Sofirn Q8 w spring bypass is able to do it. This is just a “backup” if you will.

The XHP35 or XP-L HI throwers with 70mm heads don’t interest me, due to the lower lumens ie somewhat pencil beam limiting practicality in real life. And another issue is that spotty beam throwers attract the attention of the police here, actually more of the attention of residents here who would call the police. :frowning: Already had that happen with my 6000-8000 lumen 3.8M cd big HID. :person_facepalming: No harm done of course, it was established that i was not pointing at planes or trying to disturb other residental or commercial dwellings from a distance, so no ticket for me. :person_facepalming:

Hmm…that’s a good idea I need to try that out man! :smiley: I used to carry my 2 x 18650 50-70mm head lights (Olight M3X, Crelant throwers, Shadow TC6, Dereelight aspherics etc) in the side pockets with the head sticking out and it wasn’t exactly doable - the swinging hands are always hitting the head.

Geez why didn’t i think of that.

After which i went the soda can lights basically the triple XM-Ls like Skyray king, “DRY” direct drive pocket rocket and got used to it. Hence the love for Q8s.
I always tail stand them, so the shotter form factor is safer to a certain degree as the top heavy tall lights are more prone to toppling when knocked and could also scratch the surfaces of some things should they fall and roll off the table etc, unless if there is serious anti-roll surfaces on the light.