Lol! I was just sitting down to write that exact post!
My host should be here early next week. I’d like to get a driver and LED combo that will really make use of the 2x26650 batteries. I can weed through the various reviews and sites, but I’m sure the DIY Gurus here have some particular units that have risen to the top…
That first one is the one I was going to order myself, but as previously mentioned, it’s out of stock. So I’m going to take a look at what Kaidomain has on hand. However, according to the specs for the pill, either would have worked. Just keep within the following specs and you’ll be fine.
so, the burning question is: should a rank amateur such as myself pick this project as a first flashlight project? can you get suitable leds that are already soldered to a star to use in it? think beginner here. thanks. i would love to have a hopped up 2x26650 light on my telephone stand.
As long as you can do some simple soldering, I don’t see it as a problem. You can easily purchase an LED mounted to a star already, which I’m sure is what most will do. For example, I want my XM-L to have a warm tint, so I’m going to go with something like the 20mm version of this XML from CNQualityGoods.
At this point I’m not sure exactly which driver to go with now. I’m going to have to open this light up again and look it over more carefully. Something just doesn’t seem right with how a driver would be mounted correctly and make proper contact with the battery.
I was looking around IOS and found an example of how this Torchlite needs to be set up. Unfortunately the Torchlite has a limited type of driver that can be used in it, but this will show you what it needs to become. Now I see why this company went out of business.
i don’t understand why its a problem. isn’t there a battery contact board that you can solder into the pill in that fashion, then solder wires from that board to your driver?
edit: not saying there isn’t a problem….just trying to understand it…
Yes, I’d imagine you can use the contact board that comes with it as you both suggest. It just seems like a pain to have to deal with. I’ll decide which board I’m going to use and see how it all works out. I’ll let you all know as soon as I make some progess with it.
I was going through my parts bin and found a spare complete pill assembly that I must have acquired from Ric at CNQ back when I purchased my OEM Big Head K8 1x18650/2x18650 CREE XM-L NW T6 900-Lumens Flashlight. So I removed the brass one that came with the Torchlite and replaced it with this one below. It doesn’t screw in, more like slides in but with good contact to the hand-hold, so I have no problem with seeing how it works. Granted, at 1.60a at the tailcap, it makes this Torchlite SV-D7 very underdriven, especially being a NW tint, but again that’s just fine for now.
Here are what the components look like:
XM-L T6-3C NW Emitter
LD-29 Driver rated at 3000mA HIGH & 3 mode, High-Med-Low
All placed into the body.
Peek at the business end.
The closest comparison I have that would be fair, considering all these components are inside the Torchlite temporarily, the Small Sun ZY-T16 2 x 26650 CW tint is a very good match. It should give an indication as to how the Torchlite reflector will work.
Small Sun Zy-T16 2 x 26650 CW Tint.
Torchlite SV-D7 w/LD-29 driver rated at 3000mA HIGH mode.
mix that with the super floody mt-g2 and it might be exactly what i’m looking for
i’m wondering though - if you read 1.6A at the tail with 2x26650, then your feeding the driver nearly 12 watts - which with some driver efficiency losses, put the current to LED real close to the 3A spec they claim for LD-29.
or did you get a .8 reading and you doubled it for us, since there are two batteries?
now, as someone that likes to hot rod lights, I’d say 3A is a little under driven, but not too bad
Hi Dthrckt…The tail reading of 1.60a is the actual measurement, I didn’t double it or anything. So I’d say it’s about at spec for the LD-29 driver. It should also be noted the Small Sun tail measurement was 1.10a. Both lights were using 2 x new Trustfire TF-26650 5000mAh cells.
Also, considering the Torchlite is rated for an SST-90 emitter, the light itself, with the components I’ve installed is very underdriven as you’ve mentioned. I believe the light itself is designed to handle the head produced by a 7.5a driver.