I would like to gather info of the best drivers on the market for DIY applications.
This is also intended for budget dealers to give them a clue what we really want in hope they might get a clue what to stock. There are far too little delaers stocking circuit boards.
So far my expertise is related only on AK-47. And a few others i've been unable to properly identify.
I would like posts (but not limited to) in this fashion:
Primary use: 1050mA driver for CREE and other emitter types with user customizable modes and well suited for li-ion batteries (not limited to). Well suited for Q3,Q5,R2, and R5 XP-G if you don't want it drive hard.
Input voltage: 3.7V~4.2V
Modes: 2 to 5 with memory (lo-med-hi-strobe-sos)
Customizable: yes, by bridging the appropriate stars
Type: Linear current regulator
Size: 17mm diameter, fits many flashlights directly due to common size and all "standard" P60 dropins.
Other toughts: Very efficient and when the input voltage reaches near Vf of the led becomes direct drive. Constant brightness untill Vf of the led is reached.
Just got two of these - came shipped in a nice box - and shipped from the UK so arrived rather faster than i expected. For me, that's well worth the 30 cents or so more that it cost.
Have stuffed one of them and an XM-L into the infamous HS-802. I didn't get the LED perfectly centred so the throw could be better at 21000 lux at 1 metre on high. Next mod is to rip out the resistor switch so it becomes a 5-mode instead of a 10-mode.
It is only pulling 2.45A on high so there is clearly still some resistance to root out.
Im surprised you still did not try to file the damaged areas and painted them in black (i know painting aluminum isnt really a great idea). Or you like the used military look? ;)
Maybe inserting it in a lathe and cutting/filing off the the damaged areas might get you a MRV look if you can be arsed to polish the aluminium a bit after that.
I like the bronze colour. The worst scarring happened when the bench vice I was using to hold it while I applied enormous force to the glued head broke. Remarkably tough stuff that glue.
It also resisted boiling for an hour but eventually submitted to heating in an oven for half an hour and two enormous wrenches. I had to use two as I'd broken the vice.
I have thought of grinding it to bare aluminium - but I'd really need beadblasting gear to do that properly. The worst scarring is hidden by black heatshrink tubing. All you have to do to get the bronze colour is heat the light to 300oC for half an hour in an oven. Remember to remove the electronics and O rings first though.
The scarring doesn't really bother me much - I might tidy it up on a bench grinder when I'm on holiday (My one got damp and burned out its motor, but where I'm going on holiday has one.) Or I might not bother. Must get some beamshots with the thing to see how well, or otherwise, it has worked. Not quite dark enough yet, but getting there.