What about the Luxeon V? They are available in 4000K, 5000K, 5700K and 6500K. The beam quality in an OP reflector should be great as well. I haven’t tried it in a SMO reflector yet.
My current tactical light is a Convoy M21A with OP reflector, LD-B4 driver 7 Amps, Luxeon V 5700K. No mode memory, mode sequence 100% - 16% - moon. So when I turn it on, I know it’s gonna full blast. A triple half tap and hold gives me strobe.
I would like a side switch on this project light with similar functionality to Acebeam and Olight. Otherwise I might as well stick to my reliable and powerful custom Convoy M21A.
It think you (should) know the objections against FET DD by now.
You will have to throttle the max output at max battery charge with unfortunate solutions like low drain batteries, high Vf LEDs, not optimal electrical path, PWM-ing too high currents, or simply overdriving the LED beyond preferable levels on a full battery.
This is all unnecessary with FET DD drivers, which aren’t even expensive anymore.
Even a 7135 driver works better than FET DD, in particular for modest output lights such as this project.
Don’t you prefer to have steady output levels? I know i do.
A nice buck driver on a low Vf LED may be even better, plus it makes it possible to use 2x CR123A.
These are more expensive though, but Convoy has the LD29, which could do with better mode spacing and more modes though.
I put a 4000K one in my Zanflare F1 and it really brought the F1 to life. :+1:
The low Vf of the Luxeon V makes the double click turbo of the F1 work throughout most of the battery charge, unlike with the XP-L it used to have.
The F1 has a SMO reflector, a fairly deep one, and it works great, and not a lot of tint shift.
Yes, the F1 is a bit large for a single 18650 light, but it’s a comfortable size to hold in your hand.
The only pity of the F1 is that the size could have fit a 21700.
You can’t drill out the battery tube though, because where the O-rings are the outer diameter is only 21mm.
But a 21700 would have justified the size of the F1.
BUT, as i mentioned earlier, they could have put an Omten 1288 in the side instead of the e-switch.
Plenty of room there.
But i don’t know of any decent light that comes with a reverse clicky side switch.
But i know it works just fine, because my last year’s failed scratch build had one and i modded 2 side e-switch lights into side reverse clicky lights.
This driver has a FET, but you can always program a mode group which has on highest mode only full AMC regulated level!
Then Turbo is only available through long press from lowest mode
It combines both regulated and DD into one driver, people need to differ between DD+1 and DD+n+1 driver designs
I think you and many others do not understand the advantages of DD FET drivers. It must be something about them being simple and cheap so they can’t be good. The beauty of the direct drive (PWMed to create lower modes) is that by chance of physics many leds when run at high output run at a voltage that is close to the same voltage that a li-ion produces under load. Fine-tune that by adding or lowering the resistance in the system and you have a fairly efficient super-simple circuit that is cheap and extremely robust.
You can keep going on about the disadvantages of direct drive, like that it has no constant output (btw incans never had that, it is a matter of taste, not practicality, if you like it or not) and that efficiency is bad (if measured compared to other types the difference is not impressive), but solving those disadvantages comes at a huge price: bigger pricier drivers with more components that fail earlier, can produce whine, and can never achieve the power levels for the led that a simple direct drive situation can.
In short, I never see flashlights that are nicely regulated and at the same time run at the same power level as a direct drive flashlight. For real output power I only trust direct drive, only for lower level flashlights I trust regulated circuits.
It depends on the LED Vf.
If it’s low, why not use a 3, 4, 5 or 6 Ampere FET CC driver?
With an XP-L or other high Vf LED there’s no need for current limiting.
May I put my input on these tactical lights?
I love the form factor shown. It really reminds me of Fenix PD35 and Zanflare F1 combined.
But my thoughts of tactical light really comes in 2 versions.
I like the surefire G2x Pro interface. Always on low but double tap to go high. I even got a Solarforce L2M with Nanjg 105C programmed to be the same. No memory always on low with high on double tap.
I also love the interface of Olight M18 Maverick for a dual switch operation.
Single tailcap click is a customizable brightness mode via side switch with memory that will never hit turbo. (The only place to select brightness here)
Double tap to click to achieve turbo (hitting side switch bounce back to common modes)
Triple tap to click to access strobe. (turn off to reset back to 1)
And yes get me that sweet sweet DD Fet but only on turbo. I’m even okay with timer stepdown like the BLF A6 but only on turbo.