This is VERY important. The LED’s from the previous MR16’s must of had a Vf of around 3.7V. These newer ones seem to have a Vf of around 3.2V
I connected a bench supply to the driver from this new lamp and measured the voltage at the supply, to the star and the current flowing through the 3 LED’s in series (unmodified star). I varied the power supply voltage from 12V all the way up to 24V with no problems. In that range the voltage to the star and the current flowing through the emitters was constant. This is good news. The driver never even got warm.
Old star, voltage across the 3 emitters was around 11V. Current draw was .30A
New star was 9.5V and .30A
So this means that those emitters will probably blow up in a 3D mod. The GOOD news is that they are perfect for a 2D mod! I just checked, one emitter draws .30A with 2 D cells in series DD.
Are you referring to the Bridgelux emitters in the "old MR16" or the original emitters before the Bridgelux? I assume the latter. So what kind of vF do the Bridgelux have? Must be fit for a 3D as that's what you been running them with. (You do have them running DD with no driver or resistors at all, right?)
What I just tested was the original emitters from the original lamp, comparing those to the LED’s in the new lamp. I eventually upgraded those original LED’s to the BridgeLux. https://www.fasttech.com/products/1116609
Looks good Dchomak. The floody nature of the original optics (and the new one just reported by you) seems perfect for a UV light. Those 1w and 3w UV emitters are in the same format too.
I think the included driver is a CC driver, see my post above. So even though the HO FT LED’s (wow, 3 abbreviations in a row) have the potential to be brighter, they will be limited to .30A because of the driver. And going DD will probably blow the LED’s included in this new lamp.
Any ideas on any of the single bulb assemblies able to handle 3x liion?
I’d like to do another one of these fun little buggars, but preferrably more on the throw side; otherwise I think I’ll just order another sst50, xml2/xpg2 on copper, make a beefy copper sink, and drop in a driver for 2/3 liion at 4-6 amps… basically repeating my DST mod, which isn’t very exciting.
3 lions have 9-12V so you could simply check the original driver if it works below 12V….
I have done this with a mr16bulb from ikea for a friend, I removed the bridge rectifier to get another Volt back and it worked quite nice on a 6V PB battery…
And of course you could always use a different driver circuit, I have done this mod with a 2D Incan and a AA 1A driver, gives now continuously light…
They do make 9W versions of the MR16, it’s just that I don’t know if there are any in the new style. One of those should work straight out of the box with 3-18650
There are IR emitters also. I got a night scope for my birthday, it would be fun to try an IR Maglite with it.
Anyone measured there tailcap current?
I am asking because I have over 2A with two D cells and a 1A boost driver. What does the stock switch say with such a current?
As I now have learned a mag will be upgradeable too I will build a dropin for a two C maglite as a gift
I have a couple 3D maglights, that I want to do this mod to.
These will be gifts, so I would like to keep them 3D,
or maybe use a dummy cell if necessary.
Direct drive would be easy, looking for a little more WOW factor.
Can someone please suggest a suitable driver, with a few modes that will work with this voltage ?