[Review] 2018 Convoy L2 Sand (1 / 2 x 26650, XP-L HI) - Outdoor Beamshots Added with OSRAM White Flat 1mm^2

[bilakos10]

@Jtm94

The sense resistors should be at the base of the black wire on the driver. This thread should be of use.
HKJ shared this photo:

I ordered a bunch of 0805 0.1R SMD resistors to stack. Stacking another R025 on top seemed to push towards 5.6A and make the driver very hot so we’ll see how far I can go.

I believe I have a dozen of 0805 0.1R resistors laying around from a similar mod I had done in my L6.
I might go the same route as you until my FET driver arrives!

[bilakos10]

@Zulumoose

two little magnets which tbh I am not sure what they are used for

If you have 2x 26650 and they are flat-top, they will make contact at the springs on both ends of the tube but not with each other in the middle, that is what I used the magnets for, 3 would have been better for even contact area.

Even though I have used magnets before, it never crossed my mind that Convoy would include them to deal with certain flat top batteries

Thanks for pointing it out!

[vt2nv]

The be reason you don’t see PWM is because there’s an inductor in between the switcher transformer and LED. the inductor stores energy in a magnetic field. The inductor dumps stored energy into the circuit when the transistor is off, filtering the power sent to the emitter. PWM is still there, PWM is always there.

It doesn’t make sense (to me) that a linear regulator would be used anywhere near a flashlight. Linear regulators are less efficient and run hotter. Linear regulators are more difficult to control digitally. With a switcher, the processor drives the power mosfet directly. Lower parts count, less heat, longer battery life. What’s not to like?

Thats my $.02.

Cheers

@d_t_a

Using the “shine flashlight thru a portable fan’s blades” method, I do not detect any PWM on the Convoy L2 (I have the older Silver version) — I think this is one of the few Convoys that do not use PWM for the lower brightness modes (unlike the Convoy S2+/C8 “old firmware” which has relatively slow PWM, or the new firmware Biscotti that also uses faster PWM; or I think even the Convoy L6 uses PWM for its lower modes)

I measured only around 2.4A tailcap current on High mode for my Convoy L2 (I got the warm-white 4500K tint XP-L Hi version) — mine appears a bit low compared to yours…

[patchythepirate]

Any idea on the diameter of the tube? Wondering if the liitokala 26650s will fit.

[Xikex]

@patchythepirate

Any idea on the diameter of the tube? Wondering if the liitokala 26650s will fit.

i have liitokala 26650 5000mAh and they fit fine.

[d_t_a]

@vt2nv

The be reason you don’t see PWM is because there’s an inductor in between the switcher transformer and LED. the inductor stores energy in a magnetic field. The inductor dumps stored energy into the circuit when the transistor is off, filtering the power sent to the emitter. PWM is still there, PWM is always there.

It doesn’t make sense (to me) that a linear regulator would be used anywhere near a flashlight. Linear regulators are less efficient and run hotter. Linear regulators are more difficult to control digitally. With a switcher, the processor drives the power mosfet directly. Lower parts count, less heat, longer battery life. What’s not to like?

Thats my $.02.

Cheers

@d_t_a

Using the “shine flashlight thru a portable fan’s blades” method, I do not detect any PWM on the Convoy L2 (I have the older Silver version) — I think this is one of the few Convoys that do not use PWM for the lower brightness modes (unlike the Convoy S2+/C8 “old firmware” which has relatively slow PWM, or the new firmware Biscotti that also uses faster PWM; or I think even the Convoy L6 uses PWM for its lower modes)

I measured only around 2.4A tailcap current on High mode for my Convoy L2 (I got the warm-white 4500K tint XP-L Hi version) — mine appears a bit low compared to yours…

Thanks for the explanation!
(though I’m not sure I fully understand it…)

Anyway, so PWM is there but it’s not visible due to the inductor filtering the power sent to the emitter.
Pardon my next question, is this considered “good” or not that good?

[firedome]

Mine arrived today. Build quality of this light is great, I was extremely pleased with. The matte anodizing is very nice and itself provides quite a nice grip aside from the knurling.

[bilakos10]

@Jtm94

The sense resistors should be at the base of the black wire on the driver. This thread should be of use.
HKJ shared this photo:

I ordered a bunch of 0805 0.1R SMD resistors to stack. Stacking another R025 on top seemed to push towards 5.6A and make the driver very hot so we’ll see how far I can go.

Today I went ahead and stacked two R100 resistors on top of the R020 sense resistor.
The current was bumped to 3.5A which is quite convincing, yet nowhere near where I would like it to be

[Jtm94]

Aw that is a little low. Is that with bypassed springs also?

[bilakos10]

@Jtm94

Aw that is a little low. Is that with bypassed springs also?

Yep that’s with bypasses.
By stacking the resistors I theoretically decreased the resistance by 25% and got 20% of actual current increase.
Keep in mind that the LD25 in my L2 came with an R020 resistor by default, not with an R025 like the LD29s.

[Satan (Satan@103TFS)]

My L2 from GB 1 year ago have different driver it should be LD29 but not the same as Jtm94 any idea how to pump the current ?

[Satan (Satan@103TFS)]

Should be this one?
!!

[bilakos10]

@Satan@103TFS

Should be this one?
!!

Yep this is it.

[fred.necke]

Great review thank you. I am researching and learning for my second torch purchase. My first, Kinfire KO1B-T6, has convinced me these new-fangled LED torches are amazing.
So I’m thinking the new Convoy L2 Sand will make a more serious light and worthwhile upgrade for $36.99 plus 2 x 18650. Maybe a C8+ will be better for a beginner like me?

I do like more of a spreader and maybe I should make a white plastic diffuser for wide short range work.

[vt2nv]

@d_t_a

@vt2nv

The be reason you don’t see PWM is because there’s an inductor in between the switcher transformer and LED. the inductor stores energy in a magnetic field. The inductor dumps stored energy into the circuit when the transistor is off, filtering the power sent to the emitter. PWM is still there, PWM is always there.

It doesn’t make sense (to me) that a linear regulator would be used anywhere near a flashlight. Linear regulators are less efficient and run hotter. Linear regulators are more difficult to control digitally. With a switcher, the processor drives the power mosfet directly. Lower parts count, less heat, longer battery life. What’s not to like?

Thats my $.02.

Cheers

@d_t_a

Using the “shine flashlight thru a portable fan’s blades” method, I do not detect any PWM on the Convoy L2 (I have the older Silver version) — I think this is one of the few Convoys that do not use PWM for the lower brightness modes (unlike the Convoy S2+/C8 “old firmware” which has relatively slow PWM, or the new firmware Biscotti that also uses faster PWM; or I think even the Convoy L6 uses PWM for its lower modes)

I measured only around 2.4A tailcap current on High mode for my Convoy L2 (I got the warm-white 4500K tint XP-L Hi version) — mine appears a bit low compared to yours…

Thanks for the explanation!
(though I’m not sure I fully understand it…)

Anyway, so PWM is there but it’s not visible due to the inductor filtering the power sent to the emitter.
Pardon my next question, is this considered “good” or not that good?

An inductor is used in just about every switching regulator, and that’s a good thing. In a flashlight, the inductor is usually toriodal, it looks like a donut with wire wrapped around it. Every light in my (small-ish) collection uses an inductor to filter PWM pulses. the only lights I own that don’t use an inductor are a pair of Ultrafire XM-L zoomies I bought years ago, when I didn’t know any better.

[eas]

It makes zero sense that this has an LD-25 or any other linear driver.

How are you powering it? 1s, or 2s? A linear driver would have to burn off ~50% of total power consumption (~10W) on high when powered by two LiIon batteries in series.

Either it has an LD-29 just like all the stock L2s over the last few years, just like it says on both the Bangood and Convoy product listings, or someone made a mistake during manufacturing and QA.

[BlueSwordM]

It’s a buck driver, or a variable FET driver.

Otherwise, it would burn instantly with 2S voltages.

[angerdan]

Does the L2 sand have the same color like the S2+ sand?

[Review] Convoy S2+ (Sand Colored, XP-L HI V2) ~ Best budget EDC?

The flashlight was gracefully provided by Fasttech.com for review. As with most Convoy flashlights, their packaging is fairly simple and minimal. The original package of the light includes a pocket clip and a lanyard. [image] The pocket clip comes anodized in black color while the lanyard one of those kinds that allows the use to adjust its length. [image] The S2+ model is quite old, yet the sand-colored body is what’s new here. My crappy camera might not give an accurate presentation of…

And how many extension tubes can be sticked together to expand the size and runtime of the flashlight?

[bilakos10]

@angerdan

Does the L2 sand have the same color like the S2+ sand?
[Review] Convoy S2+ (Sand Colored, XP-L HI V2) ~ Best budget EDC?

And how many extension tubes can be sticked together to expand the size and runtime of the flashlight?

I got both lights and the L2’s color is exactly the same with the S2+ sand.
The extension tube simply screws onto the rear part of the original tube.

[Alen]

Banggood description said that New L2 came with driver LD-29 (21mm)
Now they stock with LD-25? How much mm it measure and there is space on the head bay for mount 21mm driver?