Numbers are in... Ready?
1,302 lumens at start, 1,281 lumens at 30 secs, 94 kcd -- 2 Pana PD's from FT (no tailcap spring mods, but added a magnet on each batt neg end, and dab of solder on the pos end to get contact - tops are pretty flat)
Oh - didn't give the batts time to fully charge, though probably close.
Some issues with the lens/reflector/emitter but got a working solution. This is because of the thinner UCL/p, adding the copper disc soldered under the SinkPAD, and biggest issue: oh boy -- going from a 25mm star to a 20mm star put the wires closer and interfering with the reflector seating down on the plastic emitter alignment piece. Crappy plastic reflector extends out too far. If only I could have miraculuously recessed the wire/solder points on the SinkPAD... Sort of jury rigged a working fix, but its ugly - afraind to open here up for pics though....
I'll be re-charging 2 Pana 3100's and the Pana PD 2900's to re-test, maybe slight improvement.
Running - 1 min: room temp basically, 2 min: 82 at hottest, 3 min: 83F hottest, 4min: 85F hottest warm to the touch, 5 min: 87F ... wow! This is one cool dude at 4.2A!
Updates:
- little more on fresh batts, both Pana 3100's and Pana PD 2900's got the same exact #'s for each set: 3.92A measured at tailcap (well, 2 batts held together, common neg) - 1,339 lumens at start, 1,315 lumens at 30 secs, still 94 kcd
- made the tailcap solder wick mods as OP (relic38 did (no more magnets on batteries)
- changed the button to GITD (allen head screws were loose originally as well)