One of the issues is the components and pcb being able to handle the high current. You could have 15A to 20A running through the board. Components burn up, pcb traces get fried, etc… FET’s run their high current through the driver a different way which avoids these issues. You also then need to adapt a firmware to work with it. Sometimes you have to change the driver layout to adapt to the firmware.
I’ve also heard that Lexel got NarsilM working on his boost drivers.
Oh, I just remembered the most important reason. Those companies have research departments. They can pay people a salary to sit there all day to design and test prototypes and have big budgets to buy all the parts and equipment needed.
The independent guys like Richard and Lexel are just working on these things in their spare time with zero pay while trying to operate a business. So it takes them much longer. They are getting there, though. :+1:
I think Richards boost driver can do some 5A to 6V emitters and around 2A to the 12V XHP35. Should prove interesting and especially so if/when he adapts them to a ramping firmware.
Can’t see much need for 2-3 x the power if it blows an emiteer that peaks output around 2.5A
Lexels are about 6A@6v and 3A@12v. I believe Richards will be about the same. They may be adjusted down a bit to make them more reliable.
I know on Lexels you can adjust the output with a resistor swap if you want to reduce the max output. I assume Richards will be the same.
For instance, with a xhp70.2 you might want 6A@6v, but with a 50.2, that’s too much current. So you would swap the resistor to give you maybe 4.5 to 5 amp at most.
These boost drivers will be a hit, assuming they work well. These will offer multi-emitter performance without the work of making a spacer and finding suitable reflectors. I plan to put a sliced XHP70.2 or XHP50.2 in an emisar D1S.
This makes me think of the Sofirn C8F. It’s about the same size and I think the output level and hotspot size will be about the same. Have you considered that light?
I agree, I think the C8F with dedomed XPLs would have similar performance. I did buy the host but have not built it yet since I’m still deciding on the emitters. I have a few lights in this size and output range so I’m trying to think of how to make it a bit different.
But I think the D1S is a special host. It’s very light and compact especially for its reflector size. For a short time I had my 3x3 array of XD16s in the light and and I liked it, but the XD16 array is not reliable yet. So a sliced XHPx0.2 is the next best thing.
I currently have a C8 with a XHP50.2 and a RMM FET with 2 18350’s in it. What do you suppose one of these new boost drivers would do to the output of a XHP50.2 when changing over from 18350’s to a single, high drain 18650 (30Q/VCT5) and one of these drivers?
(Obviously these aren’t out yet, so no one knows exact specs. It’s all conjecture at this point)
I did a similar C8 mod a couple months ago. I ordered the parts from Mtn of course, and I asked Richard if I should wait for his boost driver instead (he teased these on his Instagram page last year). He said the 2x18350 with fet would definitely be brighter, since the boost driver will only put out about 3.5 amps at 6 volts, which will be 8-10 amps pulled from the 18650 as the voltage sags.
But as you said, let’s wait and see. At the very least, you’ll get much longer run times, right?