Dr Jones is backed up - no ETA on the driver. Could maybe give it a go myself to mod the luxdrv source code I'm using now in all my Nanjg builds, just need to know where the input pins are mapped to read in the star solder pts - one of the wires from the electronic switch goes there and think the other is ground, then once you got that, "simple" matter of doing the switch toggle detection with timed deltas to control modes. Well, sounds simple... Gotta see if anyone posted on the programming of it - not sure why but seems Dr Jones maybe was the only one to do this? Must do some search'n...
Ok - finally got in the Doc's drivers yesterday, started on the upgrade last night, and finished tonight. Now this is a real nice light!!
Got his driver as 2.8A, added 2 7135's so it's at 3.5A. Using a XM-L2 U2 1A/Noctigon, sanded down pill top (fairly deep grooves), used AS5, 24 gauge LED wires trimmed to fit (min possible length). The switch wires were already a little squished - worried bare wire might be exposed - think it was from their assembly, but could not see a way to remove the switch to replace the wires, so left them as is. It was a little tricky soldering the switch wires on, but worked out pretty well - more used to soldering fine parts now. Put a nice driver spring on it, copper braided, leaving tailcap as is for now. a Pana PD fits a bit tight - may use a shorter tailcap spring, but it's working well!
First lightbox measurement was a little disappointing - in the range of 900 lumens. From P60 lights I've done at 3.5A with same emitter, I know I got better. So, checked the tailcap - no loss from the tailcap and tailcap spring. So, checked out rather bulky LED centering piece -- just too high lifted off the star, and too high of ridge. So, just used one of the standard centering pieces from RIC (IOS and FT believe sell the same ones - ones with the big flare outs). These are real low profile, much lower than the stock XP-11 centering ring. Another minor problem was I couldn't fully screw down the reflector - thinking was because of the thicker Noctigon star. So with the new low profile centering piece, and adding a 16mm 3M insulation ring (made center hole larger), I could get the reflector further screwed down, and then the bezel screws down very close to all the way now. I still am using the AR lens - a P60 size trimmed down - chips o the edge but can't notice them when assembled.
New result: in the neighborhood of 1,100 lumens. So, the centering ring made a huge difference: 900 to 1,100 lumens, increasing output by 22%. Now the beam doesn't seem as clean - there's some flower type of pattern around the center hot spot, but I bet it throws much better too now.
So as a default with the "lumodrv" from Dr. Jones, 2 simple modes: Low (25%), Hi - remembers the last mode after on for 1 sec of use. Best part: 1 click to turn OFF! It also has a real simple ramping mode to use: turn the light on by holding down the button - it starts to ramp up from a very low - release the button at the level you want - again, leave it on for more than 1 sec and it remembers that level! Next time turn it on, back to the level, click again - get back into standard lo-hi settings. Whatever mode you are in when running the light, 1 click turns it OFF!
This light is really, really nice now - great quality compact size, lots of output, etc... Oh -- 4 quick clicks gets you into strobe mode, just in case you need it quickly, it's there. Of course if you didn't know the trick of 4 clicks, you could be using the light for years never knowing it had a blinky strobe mode.
For you guys stuck with the stock driver (
), it's a wicked direct drive so very dependent on the battery you use. The replacement of the LED centering ring may work for you too, but can't be sure if the reflector will be lose or not because of the thinner stock star. It's a pretty easy mod to try though, just be sure the solder connections don't make contact with the reflector.
Total costs: $9 for the light ($12 now), $5 for the LED/star (got a good qty discount from Hank), $8.50 or so for the driver w/shipping, $1.60 for the AR lens
Grand total: about $24 for about 1,100 lumens in a small side switch, nice quality pocket light, with a great UI.
Awesome Tom! I don’t have the wherewithal to do such a mod…want mine for $8.80?
Sure - if you really don't want it, I'll take the XP-11 off your hands - pm me.
I got 1 extra Dr Jones driver - wanted to develop my own but didn't have time. If I can find time I'd do it though -having couple of minor issues with the driver, waiting on Dr Jones to get back. But the way the driver works now, it's fantastic -- a whole lot better than the stock driver. This switch on the XP-11 is pretty stiff though, but what's nice is it's completely separate from the driver. The other Small Sun's (at least one) has the switch mounted on the stock driver board, so you have to sandwich in the Nanjg - with this XP-11, it's a simpler mod to just swap drivers.
I didn't see an easy way to take off the switch - would be nice to replace it with one that is softer.
Thinking my ideal driver would be a simple 3 mode with one being moonlight level, then double-click for battery test/beacon. Same type of handling though for time detection: click ON to prior saved mode, multi clicks under 1 sec changes modes, more than 1 sec locks it in, very quick clicks is the double-click. I would want a battery low detection with gradual ramping down -- lumodrv doesn't have that now. There's very little memory space in these Tiny13A processors so you will have a trade-off of features. Probably the ramping mode would have to be sacrificed.
Mine arrived a few days ago. I’ve put in it Nanjg 105c driver with STAR Firmware and I like it 
Here are some more picture before the mode:
