Review: NANJG 105A 2800mA driver
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 06:10
NANJG 105A 2800mA 4-Group 6 mode Driver
Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Summary:
| Size: | 17mm |
| Voltage: | 2.6-4.5V |
| Regulation | Linear Regulator |
| Current: | 2800mA |
| Modes: | 6 in 4 groups |
| Price Paid: | $4.70 |
| From: |
1) This one was ordered early dec.2010 and seems to be a successor to the NANJG 105.
Pros:
- Well regulated and efficient driver
- Has memory
- Has a 3-level group with no nonsense and good spacing
- Has a high PWM frequency giving a steady light at low level
Cons:
- Change of group only by soldering
- Memory kicks in 2 secs after switching on (would prefer after switch off)
- Can only be used with 1 Li-Ion cell
Features / Value: ★★★★☆
Mode Groups
The groups are as follows:
default: High(100%) - Medium(35%) -Low(4%) - Fast Strobe(14Hz) - SOS(decent speed)
1. High(100%) - Medium2(20%)
2. High(100%) - Medium(35%) -Low(4%)
3. High(100%) - Medium2(20%) - Fast Strobe(14Hz)
The PWM frequency is high at 4.5kHz.
Mode switching
The NANJG 105A has stars on the bottom side to select group by connecting one of the stars to the outer ring. Select group 1, 2 or 3 by connecting star 1, 2 or 3 (counting from the right) to the outer ring or to star 4 which is connected to the ring.
There are no further groups to choose by combining stars as star 1 takes precedence over 2 and 3 and star 2 take precedence over star 3.
Mode Memory
The mode memory snaps in abour 2 seconds after a mode switch (no indication). I normally prefers memory after switch-off so I do'nt have to tap twice to shift level, but this approach normally needs three more components.
Build Quality: ★★★★★
NANJG has a fine build quality and can withstand normal soldering with a fine tipped soldering iron.
This one runs with a MCU PIC12F629 instead of the NANJG 105's ATtiny13. This has hardly any influence on quality but NANJG has managed to make it run like it has PWM although the PIC MCU does not include PWM (or am I wrong here?).
Battery Life: ★★★☆☆
Linear regulators with 7135 devices normally are well regulated and efficient. At lower battery voltages the drive becomes direct with a very little loss. The high current is hard to the battery and demands a quality type battery (low internal resistance).
Light Output: ★★★★☆
The output current 2.8A is fine to drive XM-L, P7, MC-E LED's. The high current could heat up the light too much but then it is fairly easy to remove one or two of the 7135 on the bottom side (giving 0,35A each) with a heat gun for removing old paint (use a narrow nozzle cone accessory).
The driver has no boost capability so it must be expected that the output falls at lower battery voltages where the drive becomes direct with no regulation.
The driver comes complete with a (rather thin) red and a black lead to connect to the LED.
Summary: ★★★★☆
The group no. 2 has a very usable spacing of 100% - 35% - 4% and maintain a constant output as long as the battery voltage is higher than the LEDs forward voltage, all the time with good efficiency. Then there are the possibilities to make just a 2 level light or include the normal blinking stuff with a really irritating strobe and a nicely timed SOS.
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 09:27
#2
Nice review!
Thanks for posting a review on this new driver and AK-47C that you wrote earlier. It's good to have this information available.
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 10:29
#3
fran82 wrote:
Incredible
Incredible review. Thanks for sharing this.
I will purchase it for a future XM-L light
Thanks and glad you like it. Sometimes something good comes out of an unexpected delivery from the vendors.
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 10:53
#4
Thanks for sharing your
Thanks for sharing your experience, sixty545!
I was just about to start a thread about this driver when I saw your review because I am thinking about getting one.
May I ask you (and all the other electronics experts here on BLF): On Aqualab's driverlist which I found very helpful and trustworthy in the past the Vin for this driver is listed as 3,3-6,6 V. Now I am wondering: Is it possible to run it safely with 2 x CR123A (primaries)? Is there any alternative that can handle both 1 x Li-Ion and 2 x CR123A that gives >2A and has at leat one low mode and preferably no strobe?
TIA, Huny
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 11:23
#5
Shiningbeam says its drivers
Shiningbeam says its drivers can be run on 6V, but not 7.2V. They are NANJG linear regulators too, so I think you can do it, but you will lose a lot of the efficiency because all of the extra voltage will be burned off by the linear regulators. What you are describing is more of a buck driver, but I don't know of any good cheap 3-mode ones. A buck driver would work great on 2 cells and would probably go to direct drive pretty quickly on 1 cell.
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 11:29
#6
Huny74 wrote: May I ask you
May I ask you (and all the other electronics experts here on BLF): On Aqualab's driverlist which I found very helpful and trustworthy in the past the Vin for this driver is listed as 3,3-6,6 V. Now I am wondering: Is it possible to run it safely with 2 x CR123A (primaries)? Is there any alternative that can handle both 1 x Li-Ion and 2 x CR123A that gives >2A and has at leat one low mode and preferably no strobe?
TIA, Huny
The limiting factor is the MCU (Micro Controller Unit) which is specified running from 2V to 5.5V. Add to this about 0.3V for the schottky diode that feeds the MCU (polarity protection). Then you have the range 2.3V to 5.8V for guarantied running. The absolute maximum voltage is specified to 6.5V, that becomes 6.8V battery voltage. Above that you could destroy the MCU. The low voltage is given by Vf of the LED (plus a small voltage drop, say 0.15V in the 7135's) or about 3V.
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 11:49
#7
sixty545 wrote:
... Then you
... Then you have the range 2.3V to 5.8V for guarantied running. The absolute maximum voltage is specified to 6.5V, that becomes 6.8V battery voltage...
So it is possible to run the Nanjg 105A with 2 x CR123A but not very safe/not recommended to do so over any longer period of time, if I understood correctly?
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 11:58
#8
brted wrote:
...What you are
...What you are describing is more of a buck driver, but I don't know of any good cheap 3-mode ones...
Haven't found one either. Well, with all the XM-L lights flooding the market let's hope that more different drivers will follow.
Thanks for the replies, brted & sixty545!
[note to myself: find out how to quote multiple persons in one post]
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 12:22
#9
sixty545 if you can be
sixty545 if you can be bothered to do current draw for hi med lo at tailcap that would be sweet.
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 15:43
#10
Thanks
Spendid review. 4.70$ of mine are on their way to HK.
I first considered this as it works fine with my MC-E:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220692100654#ht_2729wt_1139
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 16:55
#11
Budgeteer wrote:
sixty545 if
sixty545 if you can be bothered to do current draw for hi med lo at tailcap that would be sweet.
I will be happy to measure the current draw, but am not able to do it yet. Thanks to our dear government I could not buy a drop-in with XM-L which costs way over our import limit, so I had to make two orders of one XM-L star each at DX. That happened dec.23 and I have heard nothing from them since. I have a Skyray P60 host and reflector with pill ready to assemble my first XM-L light.
The percentage numbers in my review are from oscilloscope measurements of pulse width's.
Sat, 01/08/2011 - 17:16
#12
Huny74 wrote:
So it is
So it is possible to run the Nanjg 105A with 2 x CR123A but not very safe/not recommended to do so over any longer period of time, if I understood correctly?
I think it will be safe (but expensive) to use 2 x CR123A 3V primaries if you only look at voltages. But there will be generated lots of heat. The two extra Volts dropped in the regulator at 2.8 Amp will generate 2 x 2.8 = 5.6 Watt on top of the 10-11 Watt with a single Li-Ion cell. That must be a no-go.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 05:36
#13
Thanks for a great review. I
Thanks for a great review. I especially like being able to eliminate the irritating strobe and SOS modes.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 05:42
#14
sixty545 wrote: Budgeteer
sixty545 if you can be bothered to do current draw for hi med lo at tailcap that would be sweet.
I will be happy to measure the current draw, but am not able to do it yet. Thanks to our dear government I could not buy a drop-in with XM-L which costs way over our import limit, so I had to make two orders of one XM-L star each at DX. That happened dec.23 and I have heard nothing from them since. I have a Skyray P60 host and reflector with pill ready to assemble my first XM-L light.
The percentage numbers in my review are from oscilloscope measurements of pulse width's.
Yeasterday I got this http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=11130 XM-L from KD
I put it in a P60 with this driver http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=1845
I put 4 volts direct to the led and measured 3.4 amps on my lab power supply.
With 4 volts through the driver I measured 2.7 amps. Installed in the light I measured 2.4 amps
Very happy with the lightoutput - amazing. The led was ordered from KD the 23rd and arrived on the 8th.
KD has improved a lot lately!
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 05:53
#15
sixty545 wrote: Budgeteer
sixty545 if you can be bothered to do current draw for hi med lo at tailcap that would be sweet.
I will be happy to measure the current draw, but am not able to do it yet. Thanks to our dear government I could not buy a drop-in with XM-L which costs way over our import limit, so I had to make two orders of one XM-L star each at DX. That happened dec.23 and I have heard nothing from them since. I have a Skyray P60 host and reflector with pill ready to assemble my first XM-L light.
The percentage numbers in my review are from oscilloscope measurements of pulse width's.
At how much is your import limited to? Mine is 22€ which is 29,xx USD atm acording to google.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 05:56
#16
I think the free of duty
I think the free of duty limit is set by the EU. The UK version is £18 which is roughly the same amount. But our Post Office doesn't seem to care much about stuff from China. Up until now, I have never had any order queried or opened. And I doubt Customs here are all that bothered.
__________________
The numbers from my light tests are always to be found here.
Brted has done a good job of cleaning this up here. You can easily sort by any parameter. Good job Ted!
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 05:57
#17
Nautic wrote:
Installed in
Installed in the light I measured 2.4 amps
Looks like a good driver. Was that measured at the LED or tailcap?
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 06:03
#18
Don wrote:
I think the free
I think the free of duty limit is set by the EU. The UK version is £18 which is roughly the same amount. But our Post Office doesn't seem to care much about stuff from China. Up until now, I have never had any order queried or opened. And I doubt Customs here are all that bothered.
He is from Denmark and he has troubles getting a dropin which is roughly 17usd... that picked my interest.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 07:41
#19
The same rules here
Since the values on the packages are all incorrect, what our customs know, they check them from time to time. Sure they are unable to estimate the real value either way. But when they open one and they feel like asking for a proof, they usually charge 11 euros for the procedure, regardless if the receipt shows, it was less than 22 euros or not. When I order goods from a store, where I have to pay the shippment I don't split the orders. Usually, three out of four of them go through anyway without to get checked. So finally, when I count all together I still win.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 08:08
#20
Budgeteer wrote:
Don wrote:
I
I think the free of duty limit is set by the EU. The UK version is £18 which is roughly the same amount. But our Post Office doesn't seem to care much about stuff from China. Up until now, I have never had any order queried or opened. And I doubt Customs here are all that bothered.
He is from Denmark and he has troubles getting a dropin which is roughly 17usd... that picked my interest.
The limit is 10€ (incl postage!). Over this: 25% wat and 22 € handlingfee to postalservice for collecting this for the customs.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 08:12
#21
Budgeteer wrote:
Don wrote:
I
I think the free of duty limit is set by the EU. The UK version is £18 which is roughly the same amount. But our Post Office doesn't seem to care much about stuff from China. Up until now, I have never had any order queried or opened. And I doubt Customs here are all that bothered.
He is from Denmark and he has troubles getting a dropin which is roughly 17usd... that picked my interest.
The limit where you have to pay 25% VAT is 80 Danish Crowns and has NOT been changed in 15 years!. That limit is equal to about $13.80 but the PO add another $28 fee to do you the favour. That way an order of $14 becomes $45 
. In the Christmas razzia I got confiscated 3 lights costing around $16 each. I will not throw good money after bad ones so I just cry a little and wait for another opportunity to re-order. The PO returns the goods to HK I think.
We only have to pay toll on orders bigger than about $198 and normally this is only 6%.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 08:13
#22
Nautic wrote:
Budgeteer
I think the free of duty limit is set by the EU. The UK version is £18 which is roughly the same amount. But our Post Office doesn't seem to care much about stuff from China. Up until now, I have never had any order queried or opened. And I doubt Customs here are all that bothered.
He is from Denmark and he has troubles getting a dropin which is roughly 17usd... that picked my interest.
The limit is 10€ (incl postage!). Over this: 25% wat and 22 € handlingfee to postalservice for collecting this for the customs.
Ouch! That is low. The USA the last time I looked allowed $100.
The UK limit is also including postage, but I thought all of the EU now had the same Customs regulations.
__________________
The numbers from my light tests are always to be found here.
Brted has done a good job of cleaning this up here. You can easily sort by any parameter. Good job Ted!
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 08:23
#23
FlashPilot wrote:
Nautic
Installed in the light I measured 2.4 amps
Looks like a good driver. Was that measured at the LED or tailcap?
I measured it by connecting the possive to the +spring up through the light
and the negative to the threads at the tailcapend of the tube.
I have now tried to put the + to the +spring as last time, but now put the negative
to the spring in the tailcap and this to the threads on the tube. Now I measure 2.2 amps.
A small loss in the switch apparently.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 11:49
#24
sixty545 wrote:
In the
In the Christmas razzia I got confiscated 3 lights costing around $16 each. I will not throw good money after bad ones so I just cry a little and wait for another opportunity to re-order. The PO returns the goods to HK I think.
Træls!
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 11:54
#25
Don wrote:
Nautic
I think the free of duty limit is set by the EU. The UK version is £18 which is roughly the same amount. But our Post Office doesn't seem to care much about stuff from China. Up until now, I have never had any order queried or opened. And I doubt Customs here are all that bothered.
He is from Denmark and he has troubles getting a dropin which is roughly 17usd... that picked my interest.
The limit is 10€ (incl postage!). Over this: 25% wat and 22 € handlingfee to postalservice for collecting this for the customs.
Ouch! That is low. The USA the last time I looked allowed $100.
The UK limit is also including postage, but I thought all of the EU now had the same Customs regulations.
Here it functions this way: If the EU regulations are to the benefit of the population or customers,
its the national rules that apply. If EU rules benefits the State the national rules dont apply!!
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 12:05
#26
Nautic wrote:
sixty545
In the Christmas razzia I got confiscated 3 lights costing around $16 each. I will not throw good money after bad ones so I just cry a little and wait for another opportunity to re-order. The PO returns the goods to HK I think.
Træls!
Go-daw do!
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 12:56
#27
sixty545]</p>
<p>[quote=Nauti
In the Christmas razzia I got confiscated 3 lights costing around $16 each. I will not throw good money after bad ones so I just cry a little and wait for another opportunity to re-order. The PO returns the goods to HK I think.
For what reason?
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 13:19
#28
Budgeteer]</p>
<p>[quote=sixt
In the Christmas razzia I got confiscated 3 lights costing around $16 each. I will not throw good money after bad ones so I just cry a little and wait for another opportunity to re-order. The PO returns the goods to HK I think.
For what reason?
For what reason? -which of the statements do you mean?
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 14:27
#29
I wondered why did you get
I wondered why did you get your flashlights confiscated for?
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 14:44
#30
OK, they were not literally
OK, they were not literally taken from me, but I refused to receive them and pay the additional $32 for each $16 light. It feels like "confiscation" of my Aurora 34. Good knows if I ever can lay my hands on that model. The two others were WF-502B. I hastely bought two empty bodies, two neutral XP-G's and some reflectors and builded two better lights. The 3 x 16$ is probably lost but that's life.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 14:49
#31
We need someone to forward
We need someone to forward orders in the Channel Islands which are sort of a part of the UK and sort of not. One thing they don't do is VAT.
I believe the Canary Islands have a similar status in Spain.
But the Channel Islands count as part of the EU for Customs purposes.
__________________
The numbers from my light tests are always to be found here.
Brted has done a good job of cleaning this up here. You can easily sort by any parameter. Good job Ted!
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 15:28
#32
I'm in for the international
I'm in for the international flashlight smuggling operation. 
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 16:59
#33
Budgeteer wrote:
I'm in for
I'm in for the international flashlight smuggling operation.
Maybe you could be the european importer of lights as in Slovenia all valued under
22€ is free from import dues. Could be that its cheaper to pay you for postage to
me, rather than import direct and pay some hefty dues here.
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 23:26
#34
Nautic wrote:
FlashPilot
Installed in the light I measured 2.4 amps
Looks like a good driver. Was that measured at the LED or tailcap?
I measured it by connecting the possive to the +spring up through the light
and the negative to the threads at the tailcapend of the tube.
I have now tried to put the + to the +spring as last time, but now put the negative
to the spring in the tailcap and this to the threads on the tube. Now I measure 2.2 amps.
A small loss in the switch apparently.
Thanks for checking!
Mon, 01/10/2011 - 01:23
#35
Nautic wrote:
Budgeteer
I'm in for the international flashlight smuggling operation.
Maybe you could be the european importer of lights as in Slovenia all valued under
22€ is free from import dues. Could be that its cheaper to pay you for postage to
me, rather than import direct and pay some hefty dues here.
Ocassionally i can do. Regularly hell no. Our regulations have us make a statement that is for personal use. I'm being a tax evader if i just gift it to someone. Yep. I cannot even help paint heighbour's fence without risking to be fined.
From Slovenia to Germany 0,7Kg parcel with tracking number 12,90€ and that was with a discount, owning a business package deal with postal service... I doub't it is worth it. Also my customs are very strict for fakes, phones, and all household voltage device requiring perfect CE certification.
Mon, 01/10/2011 - 07:59
#36
Dont be nervous
Dont be nervous Budgeteer, I was only joking. I know too well the high postalprices her in EU
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 09:46
#37
Just got this driver from KD.
Just got this driver from KD. (ordered the 17th and arrived today. They get faster and faster!)
On it is printed 105C not A as shown elsewhere. Dont know of its an approvement or not.
Driving a XM-L led it draws 2.8 amps on high, 0.8 on mid and 0.1 on low.
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 09:58
#38
Does the big chip say ATMEL
Does the big chip say ATMEL on it?
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 10:12
#39
brted wrote: Does the big
Does the big chip say ATMEL on it?
There is nothing printed at all on the big microchip.
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 10:14
#40
brted wrote:
Does the big
Does the big chip say ATMEL on it?
Hi again brted
I check it again with a better light and a magnifying glass.
On it is printed:
Atmel 1017
TINT 13A
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 10:28
#41
It can be hard to see without
It can be hard to see without a magnifying lens and getting the light just right. Thanks for double checking. The ATMEL chip can be programmed with an AVR setup, but the blank chips can not.
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 10:31
#42
brted wrote:
It can be hard
It can be hard to see without a magnifying lens and getting the light just right. Thanks for double checking. The ATMEL chip can be programmed with an AVR setup, but the blank chips can not.
Yes, and my eyes are not what they where years ago!
Thanks for info. I dont program though, but Im very satied
with the modes as they are.
Does the C means something? Used to be 105A.
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 10:45
#43
I think they are using it to
I think they are using it to identify different versions of the driver. The pictures on KD show a 105 and it has 2 little resistors soldered on the bottom of the board. But the 105A picture above shows a capacitor on the bottom. So they are tweaking the design, but I'm not sure why.
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 13:55
#44
Thanks brted
I asked as I thought you maybe knew the difference between the various versions.
Mine has a single capasitor at the bottom.
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 14:15
#45
Nautic wrote:
brted
Does the big chip say ATMEL on it?
Hi again brted
I check it again with a better light and a magnifying glass.
On it is printed:
Atmel 1017
TINT 13A
Because you got the Atmel kind, I just ordered 3. The last time I ordered I got the PIC type but I have hopes that the PIC era is over now.
Thu, 01/27/2011 - 15:41
#46
Glad I can help you sixty545.
Glad I can help you sixty545. I myself are thinking of ordering a few more to
swap with some of my other drivers which dont deliver so much punch like
this one.
Sat, 01/29/2011 - 14:54
#47
so I orderd this driver for
so I orderd this driver for my xml drop-in..what about the positive contact spring? is it long enough for the p60 module to make contact? or do I solder on another spring..the contact patch isn't large enough for the tupical p60 spring..confused...
Sat, 01/29/2011 - 15:20
#48
It is possible by fiddling to
It is possible by fiddling to have the driver do this (mode 2):
Hi 2450mA (kill an amc)
Med 1200mA
low 100mA
I bet not but it does not hurt to ask right?
Sat, 01/29/2011 - 16:01
#49
pounder wrote: so I orderd
so I orderd this driver for my xml drop-in..what about the positive contact spring? is it long enough for the p60 module to make contact? or do I solder on another spring..the contact patch isn't large enough for the tupical p60 spring..confused...
I had to solder a lengh of copperwire on the end of the spring to make contakt. No big deal as you are to solder anyway.
Works fine now in all my lights.
Sat, 01/29/2011 - 18:09
#50
Do you happen to have a
Do you happen to have a picture of the mod with copper wire?? I'm just trying to grasp what was actually done..thanks
Incredible review. Thanks for sharing this.
I will purchase it for a future XM-L light
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