Does anybody have any review/opinion on the new(ish) Convoy 4-mode driver with thermal regulation ?
Is it legit thermal regulation, or just big dumb stepdowns when sensor goes over 55C? Does it work well ?
This is what I’ve written out for my customers so it’s easy to understand
Funtastic, I would particularly change the following:
…
For the 1st and 2nd modes, tap switch quickly 5 times to enter ramping mode adjustment. Ramping goes in increasing way and starts from the last set brightness level. If brightness was previously set at maximum ramping will start from the lowest setting. When ramping brightness is set and memorized by tapping or switching power. Ramping cycles a maximum of 3 times.
For the 3rd mode, tap switch quickly 5 times to enter a special config menu. The light will start blinking once per second, tap switch or switch power once the number of blinks matches the desired mode setting in the following list:
…
Suffice to say I like to be super explicit, 100% n00b proof. ;-)
Just came to my mind, I believe this driver could be improved. I find awkward having to double tap for 2nd ramping mode and triple tap for special. This is because this driver only has 3 modes, and I find myself setting the 3rd mode at 1% often. This awkwardness could be alleviated by cycling between 1st and 2nd modes, and double tapping for the 3rd special mode. No need for mode memory because both 1st and 2nd are fully adjustable ramping modes. All in all, less taps and easier to use.
Do you like? :CROWN:
That would be nice for general use. Most of my customers will be using this on a rifle so the current UI is perfect. Harder to switch to the wrong brightness using a pressure switch. If you release the pressure switch and quickly press again it’ll still remain in the 1st level
For the people in New Zealand that purchase from me they don’t usually know what Ramping is. This is the reason I worded the instructions that way. Tried to make it sound as simple as possible. I’ll give additional instructions after they’ve made the purchase.
Thanks for your input
Man false advertising. How can they sell this as ramping modes? I think people understand ramping modes as being in the field with your light and you can increase or decrease the intensity to a very granular level. This is not like that at all. The “ramping mode” is configuration area where you can select the brightness of a second mode (of two regular light modes!) in a configuration area that uses an automatic ramping feature you click at the brightness you want to accompany the second mode. So from this “ramping mode” you get two modes, the first one at 100, the second mode you select from a ramping configuration area, and blinkies. Got to be my worst UI flashlight and I have Haikelites and Jinhengs. I have a Utorch H09 also no mode memory and starts at 100 and you have to cycle through all the blinkies to get back to high. But at least that has like 5 regular light modes giving plenty of flexibility. This one is worse. That being said the light is very bright and has great build quality and heat management. I switched out the reflector for OP which fits my use cases better - better walking light still with great throw. I should have bought the regular mode version, this is not a ramping light by any stretch.
Use paragraphs, that’s painful to read
It’s still classed as ramping, just not the usual. You can’t get a ramping ui with a reverse tail clicky, it has to be an e-switch.
Where did you buy it?
The Convoy store on AliExpress advertise this light with a diagram to show how it functions. Might pay to purchase there or maybe you didn’t read the diagram correctly and it’s all on you buddy.
Purchase another driver and solder it in
You can configure both the first and second mode to whatever lumens you want from 25 up to 1600. Then the 3rd mode you select 100, 1 and blinkies
Look at comment #29 for my clear instructions on how to use this light
thanks Fun I used your commentary to help, very helpful. Of course a lot of instruction is needed for that UI. Never the hallmark of a good product. I did see the diagram but like most on this string it left me scratching my head a bit. If you’re a distributor I can understand not wanting to criticize Convoy I guess but…I don’t know how someone can call this a ramping light.
It’s like a ramping configurable adjustment setting but I do agree that it shouldn’t of been named that. I too was super confused until I read instructions on this thread.
For the lights I sell with that driver I just advertise as adjustable brightness firmware.
I think it is a cool feature for customization though. If I could set 5 levels that would be sweet.
Can this be modified for 2s applications? Like a zener mod on 7135 linear drivers? I want to use the 22mm version to drive a XHP70.2 with 2x26650 in a convoy l2 host. Thanks
Almax,
I agree this doesn’t seem like a ramping driver at all. When I think of ramping flashlight I think like the Astrolux FT03 and that style UI (Narsil). Not basically 2 custom brightnesses and a third that you can choose a brightness or strobe. The UI is what has held me back from getting another convoy, I’m not interested in the 4 mode or 3/5. I really like the biscotti but it is only on the C8, I think one of the M series, and a gray S2.
Edited : The M1, and M2, models with the XPL-HI led have biscotti firmware. What I have noticed is the newer models with the sst-40 led’s have the 4 mode driver.
Buy on AliExpress and ask Simon to install the driver you prefer.
The brightness still ramps up when in config mode. Just understand that it’s not possible to get proper ramping like NarsilM on a rear clicky.
I’ve had Simon add my instructions to the product description for the driver.
Is there any way to get this UI/firmware to have memory mode? I want it to come on in low mode or ramping. Someone above stated that both of the first two modes are programmable? Is that correct? Thanks in advance.
I have this driver and it’s pretty nice. It’s bonafide direct drive on high and the firmware is…interesting. Definitely not a ramping driver, but stepped brightness in the 2nd mode.
As far as programmable,as I understand, 2nd mode has memory, 1st mode I haven’t been able to tell.
There’s not a way to flash firmware to it that I can tell so you’re stuck with high to low modes. If you want a vastly I mk proved firmware, get the temperature controlled driver from Simon on Aliexpress and ask for Biscotti formware on checkout. He will flash it on and I really like it. It won’t be as powerful as prior one, but I think it makes up for it with the new firmware.
Has anyone ever tried to modified this for 2 cell series into a 6v LED? Just wondering if the zener mod principle would work on these like a nanjg/7135 driver or not? or another way to mod it for 6v leds? Speculation welcome.
interested in this mod also.might just have a go and see the results
did a quick hook up with a zener i had in hand and mod actually worked as expetected
Hi everyone, I asked this twice in my own thread but it got lost in the conversation. So I thought I might have more luck in a thread that directly relates to that driver, if I may:
I am looking for insight in difference of efficiency of drivers (preferably but not necessarily regulated and without PWM) at low lumens (say 100 - 400 lm) in an unmodded light for long bike rides.
So far the SST40 seems the most effective led in balance of throw(&spill) vs lm/watt. But a regular linear driver with SST40 at @ 250lm / ca. Vf 2.75 has an efficiency of ‘only’(?) 80%. That is, 1/2 * (2,75/4,2 + 2,75/2,9): battery till just below 3v.
Has the presently discussed regulated FET diver in two amp modes better efficiency in lower lumens than a regular linear driver (e.g. M21A [and the new C8G?])? How do either compare in lower lumens with regular FET+1 drivers (e.g. FT03)?
Elsewhere, Simon Mao claimed 95% for his 8A buck driver (L21A). Is such efficiency common with our cheaper flashlight buck drivers? If so I might do well to hold off buying until an equivalent driver would trickle down in a C8+? Could that happen?
Many thanks for you help!