2250 Lumens of Nichia 90CRI Light - Convoy S2+ Shorty Build with GXB172 Boost Driver

[loneoceans]

Hey all,

Quick update! I've further improved the performance of this build - again this build was designed to be a primary test vessel for my GXB172 50W Single Cell Boost Driver.

First, I swapped out the optics. Originally this used an Orange-Peel reflector. However, for those who are familiar with Nichia 144 LEDs, you may know that the phosphor on the die appears to be fairly un-uniform. As a result, the center of the beam is typically much yellow then the outside. In order to fix this, I replaced the OP reflector with a TIR 45-degree honeycomb optic with suggestion from Texas_Ace. Thanks for the tip!

The result is a much more uniform beam and a very very pleasing tint! This really transformed the output of the light! The only downside is a slight drop in OTF lumens, but with a much better quality flood beam.

Details for different TIR optics here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/26270

Next, I also improved the tail-switch by adding in:

• My single milli-ohm FET tailswitch (GFS16)
• An additional battery-sensing LED tailcap light
• Swapped the clicky switch to a stainless steel one.

The tailcap light has the added feature of changing colours (in this case from Blue to Red) when battery voltage drops below 3V, and turns off completely when battery voltage drops below ~2.7V.

For more information about my GFS16 tailcap system, please see this thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/50404

Still working on the GXB172 but so far it's seen some improvements in both thermal regulation and overall features :)

As usual, more to come soon!

[DavidEF]

Oh wow! Nice job on this light! I’ve been following your driver threads and your new tail-switch PCB thread. Plenty of us are waiting for you to release the drivers so we can have them in our lights!

[manithree]

You just made something very close to an ideal flashlight for me. If I had it in 4500-5000K, I might think I had died and gone to heaven. Anxiously awaiting commercial release of your parts.

And I can’t help but drool over the possibility of a 21700 light almost exactly like this.

[Texas_Ace]

@manithree

You just made something very close to an ideal flashlight for me. If I had it in 4500-5000K, I might think I had died and gone to heaven. Anxiously awaiting commercial release of your parts.

And I can’t help but drool over the possibility of a 21700 light almost exactly like this.

I am going to be ordering some XHP50.2 4500k 90CRI LED’s in the near future, I expect about 6-8 weeks for them to arrive.

I might order some extras to sell if there is interest. One of these combined with this driver IS my ideal EDC until something better comes along.

[manithree]

@Texas_Ace

I am going to be ordering some XHP50.2 4500k 90CRI LED’s in the near future, I expect about 6-8 weeks for them to arrive.

I’ve never seen a high CRI Cree LED, but I would be willing to try one. Unfortunately, I don’t have the tools to reflow, so if you aren’t planning to sell that service, also, I’ll probably go with a Nichia 144 and mcpcb from virence.com.

[Texas_Ace]

@manithree

@Texas_Ace

I am going to be ordering some XHP50.2 4500k 90CRI LED’s in the near future, I expect about 6-8 weeks for them to arrive.

I’ve never seen a high CRI Cree LED, but I would be willing to try one. Unfortunately, I don’t have the tools to reflow, so if you aren’t planning to sell that service, also, I’ll probably go with a Nichia 144 and mcpcb from virence.com.

Yeah, if I sold them I could reflow them as well.

I am guessing I will order a few extras. The tests I have done with the 90CRI XHP50.2 so far have been fantastic. Great rosy tint and great output (around 4000 lumens in my testing IIRC). It is what I plan to convert a lot of my lights to including my EDC.

[BlueSwordM]

Huh really? I thought that even at high CRI levels, the tint of second gen XHP 50 and XHP 70 is still quite bad.

[vinte77]

@Texas_Ace

@manithree

You just made something very close to an ideal flashlight for me. If I had it in 4500-5000K, I might think I had died and gone to heaven. Anxiously awaiting commercial release of your parts.

And I can’t help but drool over the possibility of a 21700 light almost exactly like this.

I am going to be ordering some XHP50.2 4500k 90CRI LED’s in the near future, I expect about 6-8 weeks for them to arrive.

I might order some extras to sell if there is interest. One of these combined with this driver IS my ideal EDC until something better comes along.

I’d be interested in a couple depending on the price. I’ve only seen the 5700 90cri leds. How is the tint shift on the 4500k?

[Lightbringer]

@loneoceans

First, I swapped out the optics. Originally this used an Orange-Peel reflector. However, for those who are familiar with Nichia 144 LEDs, you may know that the phosphor on the die appears to be fairly un-uniform. As a result, the center of the beam is typically much yellow then the outside. In order to fix this, I replaced the OP reflector with a TIR 45-degree honeycomb optic.

The result is a much more uniform beam and a very very pleasing tint! This really transformed the output of the light! The only downside is a slight drop in OTF lumens, but with a much better quality flood beam.

Yes!!

I keep harping on this, but with S2+es, the quickest’n’easiest way to get rid of the usual fried-egg beam is to swap in a TIR.

Makes a so-so to yecch beam flat-out beautiful!

[xxx]

Great build :+1:

[Texas_Ace]

@BlueSwordM

Huh really? I thought that even at high CRI levels, the tint of second gen XHP 50 and XHP 70 is still quite bad.

The tint of the XHP LED’s is actually pretty good, it is just not good in a reflector but the 144 is even worse really.

The issue is the tint shift you get in a reflector causes it to look bad but that is where the TIR comes in, it smooths out the tint and mixes it so that it looks very nice.

With the right TIR the XHP50.2 90CRI looks fantastic in the little I have played with it on the bench.

[Texas_Ace]

@vinte77

@Texas_Ace

@manithree

You just made something very close to an ideal flashlight for me. If I had it in 4500-5000K, I might think I had died and gone to heaven. Anxiously awaiting commercial release of your parts.

And I can’t help but drool over the possibility of a 21700 light almost exactly like this.

I am going to be ordering some XHP50.2 4500k 90CRI LED’s in the near future, I expect about 6-8 weeks for them to arrive.

I might order some extras to sell if there is interest. One of these combined with this driver IS my ideal EDC until something better comes along.

I’d be interested in a couple depending on the price. I’ve only seen the 5700 90cri leds. How is the tint shift on the 4500k?

I have only tried 4000k and 5000k 90CRI but the tint shift seems better on the 90CRI versions as a rule.

That said it still exists, a TIR optic is needed to get rid of it completely. As said, with the right TIR it looks great.

[Texas_Ace]

@Lightbringer

@loneoceans

First, I swapped out the optics. Originally this used an Orange-Peel reflector. However, for those who are familiar with Nichia 144 LEDs, you may know that the phosphor on the die appears to be fairly un-uniform. As a result, the center of the beam is typically much yellow then the outside. In order to fix this, I replaced the OP reflector with a TIR 45-degree honeycomb optic.

The result is a much more uniform beam and a very very pleasing tint! This really transformed the output of the light! The only downside is a slight drop in OTF lumens, but with a much better quality flood beam.

Yes!!

I keep harping on this, but with S2+es, the quickest’n’easiest way to get rid of the usual fried-egg beam is to swap in a TIR.

Makes a so-so to yecch beam flat-out beautiful!

YEP! I have been pushing TIR optics for years as well but no one seems to listen.

[Lightbringer]

Testify, brother! Testify!

[beam0]

@Texas_Ace

Yeah, if I sold them I could reflow them as well.

I am guessing I will order a few extras.

I will take a couple of these reflowed please. 16mm and 20mm?

I’ve been wanting to try a good Cree High CRI, and these would be perfect if the tint is good.

I’ve been considering a Zebralight SC600w Mk IV Plus (4000K XHP50 CRI 90+)

SC600Fc Mk IV Plus 18650 XHP50 Floody 4000K High CRI Flashli

An 1800lm pocket rocket with nice tint, but a real expensive flashlight! It would be great to be able to build some lights with this type of emitter.

.

Here’s beamshots of a 4500K CRI 80+ (xhp50.2) compared to the 4000K CRI 90+ “floody” (xhp50)
(Photos posted by lusan_senna in this thread-post #33): Suggestions for a durable, 18650 carry light - #33 by lusan_senna

The high CRI light (bottom photo) is one of Zebralight’s “Floody” version lights with diffuser lens (over a OP reflector I believe)
For a modded light I guess applying DC fix over the glass would produce similar results. This may be similar to what a TIR optic does for the beam.

.

SC600w IV Plus by Cree XHP50.2 NW 4500K (2300lm)

SC600Fc IV Plus by Cree XHP50 H-CRI 4000K (1816lm)

Note:
The CRI 80+ 4500K (upper photo) has the XHP50.2
The CRI 90+ 4000K (lower photo) has the XHP50 (1st gen.)

The High CRI looks WAY nicer! And the diffused lens really spreads out the beam to see surrounding areas, and smooths it out for an even tint.

[JS93]

I know this is reviving a 2 year old thread, but thought I’d ask anyway. I’d love to build something like this and utilise loneocean’s boost driver. However I can’t find an MCPCB to suite the Nichia 144. My next best choice was the XHP 50.2 95 CRI. Im wanting to utilise a TIR lense, so I’m not to worried about the corona etc. What im curious about is, is it worth getting a 6v version of the XHP and use Loneoceans driver, or should I use the 3v version with a standard type driver? Is there any difference in output for the 3v vs 6v?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[EasyB]

The 3V xhp50.2 is only available in a small number of tints (2A is available from Mtnelectronics, 3B available from cutter, cooler tints available also), and no high cri variety, so 6V is your only choice if you are particular about the color/tint.

[nick779]

Man, id pay someone good money to build me one of these…

I wish we had more readily available nice tint high CRI lights. Granted, that floody ZL looks pretty good.

[JS93]

Thanks Easy B, I was unaware of the variations in tints etc between the 3v and 6v ones. Is there anything else that is similar to the 144 thats readily available?

[Texas_Ace]

The best high CRI tint light combo I have found at this point is a mixed tint SST-20 combo. I was lucky enough to have some FA2 tints that you can’t get anymore but it works with the other tints as well.

I use 2x 4000k 95cri mixed with a single 5000-6500k 70cri. The final tint works out pretty good as long as you get an optic that mixes them evenly. somewhere around 4500-5000k depending on the exact tints you use and while technically lower CRI then using all 95cri LED’s, it looks better to my eye as it helps move the DUV lower to get rid of the green hue these LED’s generally have.