Pretty sure the OP’s target is a single 26650, if we’re having issues bumping output from a single cell to 6V, how is doubling that going to be so easy?
Last time I looked at my Meteor, it’s 4 cells in there. And FAR from a 17mm driver… also criteria named in the OP’s leading statement.
XHP35 flashlight demo at Shot Show 2016: https://youtu.be/4mlQZe1J7gg?t=1m43s
Perhaps there is a yet to release 6V version under testing?
Edit:
SC600w Mk III XHP35 HI is available.
http://www.illumn.com/zebralight-sc600-mk-iii-l2-xhp35-cool-white-1300-lm-flashlight.html
On the flip side, I think it’d be great to get a nice boost driver (doesn’t have to be 17mm, but handy as so many hosts take this size), that can deliver 2A to something like an MT-G2 from a single cell.
I’d love an MT-G2 in 4000k in an EDC sized light (S2 or p60 size ideally). I want it for the tint and the beam profile in addition with good, rather than stellar lumen output. At the moment the only real option is to run 2x18350 which just gives pathetic runtimes.
An MT-G2 @ 2A is likely producing more lumens than most hot rod Nichia setups or even moderate XM-L2/XP-L setups.
Going up a size, I really like the JM35. I very much like that it is single cell. I prefer it to my SRK. A similar torch is the FourSeens MMU which runs an SST-90 from a single cell. This is one of my favourite torches. FourSevens claim “800 lumen ANSI FL1”. But it brighter than my BLF A6 on Turbo. An off the shelf driver that would make it easy to build such lights without full on bespoke customisations would be great IMO.
I’m having a go at a boost driver for 17mm driver sized lights to run off a single cell (18650 in my case). I wouldn’t know the efficiency, probably not good, but I’m only out to have better run times than two 18350 cells with about 2 to 2.5 amps to the MT-G2. I am ordering components and will make a mock-up board to see if it works before designing a driver board.
Then what you want is a F6DD with mixed-tint XPL-HIs. 1A+3B+5C. Over 3500 lumens of very pretty light and fits in a shirt pocket.
That explains where I've been the last year+... I finally found the one perfect light for just about everything. After that, the rest of the stuff around here can get a bit tedious.
I'm kinda surprised someone hasn't jumped on the F6DD thing to build them for others. It's all been figured out and perfected, it's a slick package.
I’m not familiar with the F6DD, do you have a link?
It sounds pretty cool, although I’m not quite convinced the beam profile would be the same.
I’m waiting on some parts to finish building a one cell mtg2. I made a pill for it but scrapped it and made another one. Just need to finish the tail.
I’m using this driver
Original design.
This is the new design
The reflector is really not designed for this led so I sprayed it to make it OP. There are still some minor artefacts in the beam but it’s not bad over all. I think, from memory, I get 4.5 amps draw at the tail (charged cell). I did a quick comparison with a sportac triple nichia and the beam is smoother on the sportac but to my ‘calibrated eyes’ I reckon the mtg2 puts out more light. I have a P60 (2x 18350) sized mtg2 that I should have compared with but totally didn’t think about it at the time. I’m sure I’ll get around to comparing all three.
I was going to ask the same thing :question:
Its the Roche f6 with a custom firmware driver.
Roche F6 with BLF internals. Requires a pressed-in slug and some minor lathe work to become a 3-up.
Read from the beginning to understand how it ended up where it is: Roche F6 hacking
Ta. Probably a bit too ‘custom’ for me.
I like tinkering, but my skill set puts me more at the buy some pre-made bits and assemble them, knowing they’ll already fit.
Welcome back Comfy. Missed ya….
Thanks.
Yeah I’ve seen that driver before, although the specs on it are hard to read. So I wasn’t sure how it’d actually perform. Good to hear it seems to be working ok thus far.
6A on the DQG boost driver is 6A input current, not 6A output current. That means you’ll get a whopping 2A-3A maximum output into an XHP50/70 with a fresh battery, falling quickly as the battery sags.
I’ve built some XHP50 UF1405s and IMO it is a poor emitter choice for a zoomie, unless all you want is flood. I took them outside together with my UF1405 with a dedomed XM-L2 at 5.1A and I would take the XM-L2 over the XHP50 in that light any day. No point having a huge lens like that if you don’t want throw!
Good to see you comfy. 
I agree. We don’t need super driver efficiency if it means having to use a space-inefficient, low capacity battery like two 18350s. Where’s the efficiency in that?
All we need is the ability to use a space-efficient 18650 in a single battery format with AVERAGE driver efficiency to get AVERAGE run times.
Once again, we shouldn’t have sky-high expectations and ask for super efficiency and super run times.
Just average would be good enough for now.
Looks great! How did it turn out?
Thanks for all the comments. I guess I’m having BLF post issues… I checked on this thread for a couple of days after I posted it and it showed I didn’t have any comments. Now today, (3 weeks later) I get a notice I have a new comment, then I check it out and see that there were several comments, some made the same day I posted… go figure.
No, I’m afraid I can’t boast of those skills, but I was hoping to somhow make that driver fit by maybe somehow modifying the pill… I still have relatively little experience doing flashlight mods but I’m trying new things often.
I modified a Uniquefire 1405 with a fet DD and noctigon XHP70 from Mountain Electronics and it SHINES!! It’s brighter then my car’s headlights! I figure a Uniquefire 1504 with high drain 26650 and an XHP50 properly driven would outshine the MT-G2 in the Shadow JM35, plus it would give me the zoom that the Shadow is missing.
Right now I have the 1504 running an XP-L HI with an Astrolux S1 A17DD-L and it’s a laser beam! In fact, I’ve started swapping all of my XM-L2’s with XP-L HI’s at 4000k. Nothing better than a factory De-dome.
I’ve been researching and realizing the “size as the limiting factor” aspect of a 17mm boost driver.
EDIT: B.T.W., will the DQG 26650 ever be sold again? I would like one of those.
Way back when, those “3-18V buck/boost” drivers would not boost with only one cell. They would however run a 3V LED from one cell. The boost part only started working if used with two or more cells. Have they changed them recently?
As hobbyist we can reverse engineer and shouldn’t worry about getting sued unless it’s SF. We have really nice list forming up now:
Acebeam H10 MT-G2
Fenix PD40 MT-G2
Shadow JM35 MT-G2 and XHP-50
Zebralight SC600 Mk III XHP-35
Zebralight SC63 XHP-35
Zebralight SC600Fd III XHP-50
Armytek Viking XHP-35
Olight L5 Pro led ?
Not listed is the DQG triple because it just didn’t quite get there.
What we have here is eight lights from 6 companies. Probably looking at least 6 board designs we can cross reference the %#$ out of them until BLF gets the prize. I know we want that Holy Grail the 17mm boards, but realistically only a few 18650’s can handle this. We are probably firmly in 26650-26700 battery territory so we now have about 24mm’s of area to work with. Of the lights listed I’ve got the Fenix PD40 and she is sealed up tight with glue. Vinh has already taken apart that and the Zebralight SC600 Mk III http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?415443-SC600vn-Best-18650-Light-Ever My personal short list is the Olight L5Pro, Armytek Viking, and the Zebralight SC600MkIII.
