High current drivers for single XM-L2

I'm new to this so please bear with me. I have an UltraFire single 18650 cell light using this bulb. What would changing the driver do and how easy is it to change drivers?

Hi, on most lights its fairly easy to change the emitter. (Atleast when you are used to doing it). The main reason for changing out a driver can be:

- Increasing current on high

- More or less modes, with or without blinky stuff

- Better mode spacing

- Getting moonlight

- A more advanced UI, programmable, hidden modes, battery indicator etc...

- Less PWM, not visible or audible

- Better efficiency..

- Better memory

- etc...

This is not the thread for your light though. This thread focus in maxing out the XM-L2 in larger lights using two batteries. This might also require modifications to the driver circuit. Using copper mounted emitter etc.. This thread is about taking the XM-L2 to the extreme. The emitter is rated for 3Amp max, which for most is a lot. Here I am looking for drivers that can be modded to do 6A+.. J) Or generally, just getting of list of extreme output driver circuits.

Read around on some build threads, stickys and stuff. That will give you some basic knowledge. In many single emitter lights (using 17mm driver circuit), a Qlite driver circuit is a very nice and simple upgrade. Make a thread about your light if you need help modding it...

hmm.. good catch. I can not comment on the difference though. One light seems to have a large toriod and another picture uses a small one. Maybe others know more..

3A version small toroid, 5A version large???

I swapped back to an xml2 on a sinkpad. However my driver must be defective, it only has off and on, no other modes. Now when it came in the mail it was broken squashed flat. I soldered it back together used it and forgot it was supposed to be multi-mode until you just mentioned it.

Well, a single mode driver pushing 5A+ isnt the most practical driver. Did it come from FT?

Btw, when I read the part you have quoted me on. I have no intention of pushing an XP-G2 to 6A.. Only a bit more than 5 amps.. 0:)

But my STL-V6 driver might be capable of 6 amps for all I know.

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Does anyone know if the manafont TR-3T6 driver can be used with a single XM-L2 and if it can do 5++ amps if modded?

The driver came from DX

Planning a build on an M8, will see how these stack up. Thanks!

RaceR86 - sorry didn't get back here - yes, from what I understand the bigger inductors are part of the circuit design for handling more power - amps.

Damn - the more I think bout it, the more I like that LM deal for the 5 pack - I bet the 5A version is with the bigger inductor pictured on the left, while the one on the right is the 3A version... I've been paying $12+ for the IOS one, bout double the price..... ugh

Tom, did you pull the trigger on the 5-pack?

Some time back I tried to increase the output of the 5A IOS/LCK-LED/Lightmalls driver. But with my very limited testing, it did not seem like it wanted to go much beyond 5,2A (output actually got lower if I tried to increase a bit more) I decided to leave it stock. If others have tried to resistor mod these to more than 5A, please share.. :)


I have updated OP a little bit. Added the TR-3T6 driver.

No, but still got the IOS 4.5A an LCK-LED 5A. Someone or 2 did order the 5 pack. Thinking the 5A version is the big inductor, 3A small.

I just installed an IOS 4.5A Driver in a Ultrafire F10 running 2 x NCR18650A and got 2.6A (5.2A) at the tail, and 4.52A at the emitter. (XM-L2). I’m impressed. A driver that does what it says it can do.

EDIT:Additional- this is a buck driver and needs two cells to run an XML-L2. Will also run on three cells.

Awesome, that is the driver I had in my sights for my DST mod. Though I would rather have a low enough voltage to run C’s or a single 18650/26650, but that isn’t a huge issue.

OT: Does IOS get scheduled shipments, or is it just random when they restock items? Been waiting a while for my noctigon emitter to restock.

Just email Hank Wang (intloutdoor@gmail.com). He’ll let you know.

Lightmall So how about the lightmalls 17mm 5a 3 mode driver? If the specs are credible then this appears useable on a P-60… Has anyone tried this version? Also if I wired the LED’s in parallel would this driver work on a triple XPG?

Those look suspiciously like the junk left over from a failed attempt at flagrant deception by lightmalls. Of the two samples I tested with 3 x 18650 in parallel (4.20V), dedomed XM-L2 on sinkpad, 18ga wire, I get about 3.3A to the emitter. Lowest setting barley illuminated the LED so its completely useless. Mode changes requires very fast half-click button presses to get it to change. Extremely poor regulation where amps began to plummet around 4.05V.

Should work with a triple xpg if wired parallel. The driver appears to be a buck or just direct drive when the supply voltage drops below the vf of the led at 5amps. Notice what it says “Constant current output when the voltage is higher than the LED VF value”. Wouldn’t be much different if you just used direct drive, like the east 92 driver with a single 4.2v cell.
If you used a XM-L2 on a copper sink pad at 5 amps the vf would be around 3.75v. Emitter Test Results pt4: XML2, XP-E2, XP-G2, and Nichia219! (along with sinkpad tests)
If you used a Panasonic 3400mah or a sanyo 2600mah the voltage would sag below the vf of the led at 5 amps in under a minute. Then it would be basically direct drive after that point. Battery test-review 18650 comparator
A 18650 IMR wouldn’t even be able to sustain 5 amps for very long. A XM-l on copper will stay in regulation longer, maybe around 10 minutes at 5 amps, just a guess.

Thanks Flashpilot and 007. Good information. Sounds like you guys think the 92 River driver is much better and I need to shop for some batteries. Thanks again for the info and links.

I bought a few from LCK LED a while back, ordered the 5a version. They came with large torroids, went to use one on the weekend, only put out 3a @ emmitter bench testing. It had 2 r200 sense resistors, so I added 2 r100 & it showed 7.something amps briefly before the xml popped. Removed an r100, & it tested @ 5a.

So, FMC, pretend I know mostly nothing about chips and components how do I identify those little buggers and do the same thing you did? I can solder passably but the identification of the components… I fall short.

I think you got the wrong driver, was it this one being discussed.
http://www.lightmalls.com/4-2v-single-lithium-5a-3-mode-led-driver-boar-cree-xm-l-t6-u2-sst50-mce-ss-p7-5-pack
.
We are still on the topic from here correct, maybe I’am lost. :~