I’m seriously thinking of buying another Tn31. Only $70 on amazon. May be another project later on to throw one of those xhp50s in it. I really like the light, it’s really well built!
^ That really is a good price.
A normal TN31 couldn't drive an XHP50. Well, unless it has the same driver as you have. Your driver may be configured in a way that it can't drive a XHP50. You can try it and see though. I won't hurt your driver. It just won't be able to light up the emitter if it can't. Do you have a 6V emitter like the MT-G2 or something? The way I tested my driver was I connected long leads to the driver and reassembled the lower part of the light. I then connected the leads to an MT-G2 in another flashlight head.
I thought all the drivers have “TN30 Series” written on them, at least I know my TN31 does. I think its the same PCB but they use different components on them. I think others already tested the ability to drive a 6v emitter and it wouldn’t work.
For what it’s worth, on the old driver like that one I wouldn’t bother with stacking resistors. Just remove them and bridge with solder. Virtually everyone who has modded those lights has done that without an issue. I did it a long time ago with my TN31 and have done probably 5 or 6 Supbeam/Acebeam K40s and besides the latest one which had the new configuration driver I am yet to blow an emitter doing this mod. But if you are concerned about something happening stacking the resistors will be safer I suppose.
I will be interested to know how you go with the XP-L emitter. I am currently modding a TN32 for myself and was considering trying a different emitter perhaps even a de-domed XP-G2 S4 but I am yet to decide.
Even the TN32 driver has TN30 on it…
The TN31 isn’t in production anymore and isn’t available from the usual sources so that is a really good price for a great light!
LSX write:
I thought all the drivers have “TN30 Series” written on them, at least I know my TN31 does. . . .
I think your right when it comes to the old TN31's. Being interested in this driver (the one used in the TN30's), I did some searching. It does appear that the old TN31 were labeled as you said. I just opened mine up and it too looks like yours. Searching also revealed that it appears the same board is used in both the old TN30 and old TN31, but they had different components on them.
tru3s1lv3r driver looks different then ours or the ones I have seen in my searches.. The sense resistors are oriented 90 degrees in a different direction for one thing. I imagine his driver can't drive 6 volt emitters, but I wouldn't assume that without testing.
That TN31 is tempting at that price. I think at that price I would still spend $43 more for a Fenix TK61. Much more driver mod friendly, holda 4 cells (can be extended to 8 or 12 cells), and much bigger (and shallower for wider spill) diameter reflector. The TN31 does have compactness in its favor though.
You’re right, his does look a little different to ours. I seem to recall seeing that driver before. I will check my TN30s when I’m home. I’m sure one of them has that revision. I wonder if they actually changed the way the driver operates or if it was just a layout tweak??
I’ve got an earlier xml2 version with the 2012 driver(components on both sides), is it safe to just jumper the sense resistor like on the XML versions?
^ Sounds like you have the same one as me. XM-L2, driver looks like LSX's above but I it has some more components on the other side of the spring (I think). Mine works fine jumped. I was glad I looked under the MCPCB though. Mine had a bump in the center of the shelf that restricted contact to the bump and the 2 MCPCB retaining screws. If I would not have fixed that, I would have had serious thermal sag and maybe rapid failure of the LED.
So, apparently bypassing the resistors with some solder provides enough current to make the led work for about 1/10th of a second before making it a fancy paperweight. Just after which, before I figured out the led was shot, I was extremely worried that the driver had gone out! Gonna just go with stacking resistors so I’ll have some known resistance values to go by.
P.S. On a positive note, I now have a nice new 32mm copper xm sized mcpcb…
I recently replaced the xml in my olight m22 with an xpl hi. I really couldnt believe the difference it made. It was pretty floody before now it reaches out pretty far. Definately my new favorate led.
YeaYea, thatkind of what I’m gong for is the distance. II am curious to see how a thrower led will perform in a thrower host. I’m really hoping for over 250k lux. I’ll have to go buy a lux meter to find out numbers for sure once the project is done.
Sorry to hear about the fried emitter. Kind of like a rite of passage. Welcome to modhood!
Guess that means your driver can deliver the juice. I couldn't get my driver to deliver as much current as I wanted it to.
Looking forward to what you come up with here. XP-L Hi in a TN-31 combined with your desire to push the limits sounds like the recipe for a potential beast.
Well, I tried bypassing the resistors again, and… burned out another XM-L2… So, I believe at this point stacking resistors is the way to go! Gonna get my ammeter involved tomorrow and find out just how many amps the driver is pushing out to the emitter. Definitely going to determining the exact current and try to avoid burning out any more LED’s! I really don’t want to burn out my XP-L and have to reflow another one to that mcpcb!
Does anyone know what the component is that sits beside those resistors? I’m wondering if it is a voltage regulator or a diode. The reason I ask is because mine let out the little gray magic smoke. Everyone knows that once you let out the magic smoke, you can’t put it back in!
Can you read what is marked on the top of the chip? I can' t make anything out. Looks like a marker may have been taken to it. Maybe try to clean with some alcohol.
It appears that the 3 pads below it are for a second identical chip, but can't tell for sure because the chip is covering a trace that I suspect connects to the top left pin pad.
I’ll try and get a better picture of it tonight. Right now, it’s expanded in the middle and obscures one of the letters. The best I can make out is AGN (something) and then 17 written vertically. I think it’s a transistor, but I can’t be sure. Maybe a pnp type? I have continuity on the middle and inner pin (on the side with two pins) , and about 1.9k ohms between the middle pin and the outer pin (on the side with two pins). Since it’s already shot, I’m gonna solder in a generic pnp type to see if the circuit works. Worst thing that can happen at this point puts me in the same boat I’m in now.
P.S. I guess I should also note that I have emailed thrunite inquiring as to whether or not I can purchase another driver from them. I doubt they will sell me a loose driver, but I figure asking is worth a shot.
Buy a Acebeam K 40 M driver.
It works in my TN 31 with MT G2.
Any idea where I can buy one? Or do I have to order it through Acebeam? And would it work with my xp-l?
Sorry with XPL it is better to use the orginal driver.
Direkt @ Acebeam
If you need the original TN 31 driver,
feel free to contakt me .
I’m gonna try the transistor on it tonight. If that doesn’t work though, I’ll contact you about that tn31 driver! I’ve also emailed Acebeam about their driver too. Thanks for the help!