[Feeler Thread] Copper direct-connected 20mm triples and quad universal MCPCB boards

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
14

Ok, let’s return to serious side, sorry for my clownery

comfychair, first copper direct connect I’ve try was SinkPad and second Noctigon

I have some censorious remarks for both

I don’t base on somebodies pictures or judgment – it’s my own experience

All sinkpad have problems with design: very thin power paths plus no way out for solder from thermal-pad

Some noctigons (I’ve bought it from IO) have problems with gap between thermal-pad and power-pads layers and some others have a problem with positioning

Pictures above-n-below (it’s my picture and these boards was bought from IO) shown it

I’m understand baffling complexity of producing copper MCPCB

And now I’ll try to produce some better product, no more

15

Thanks for making these boards and posting here, your boards really look nice, and thanks for explaining how they will be better than Sinkpads or Noctigons. I (and others) have not found a significant lack of performance with either Sinkpads or Noctigons (it may just be ignorance ;-) ), but I guess that if you measure well you could see a benefit from the thermal pad and connecting pads being exactly level.

I'm not a large-scale consumer, but I'm in for three triple boards and two quad boards, if only for the very elegant design :-)

16

Well, triples almost ready

17

They look great.

Feels a bit like klingon styling. :bigsmile:
The copper klingon triple. :beer:

18

Nice, I'm still in for a few :-)

19

I'm not entirely sure how I'd use it yet, but I'm in for a few too.

20

Interesting.
Able to supply with chosen led already mounted and tested to work ?

21

I actually have a few of the Carclo quads so this is interesting. They are even more floody than triples however. Khatod makes a 20mm quad that has deeper optics but the peg footprint doesn’t match the Carclo quad(pegs closer to edge on Khatod). To work with both optics the peg holes would need to be elongated radially.
-Edit
My bad, those are 25.4mm optics but I believe the led footprint is the same as on the 20mm Carclo, the extra 5.4 mm allows for the deeper optics. Still, a board that works for both would be nice. Probably too late though.

22

I’m in for a couple of parallel triples and a couple of quads

23

Any updates, particularly on the quad version?

24

Guys, sorry for delay

First batch was moved to trash (It’s happened sometime, yep)

Second batch of triples is ready and I’m sending it to participators right now

After that I’ll count the rest and offer it here

Quads must be ready this week

Hope update the thread soon

25

wow, that is a lot of boards . What was wrong with the first batch I wonder?

(still in for a few triple and quad boards :-) )

26

One US guy ordered 750 pieces )

As usual – some gap between thermal-pad and board layer. They offer big discount for it, but I was unbending and force them to re-make it

27

Triples? Quads? Why would I want them? What would I do with them? Ive not even reflowed a single led let alone 3 or 4.

But Ill take a one of each if these are pure copper.

28

I love your attitude! Does it make sense? No. Better get at least two. Awesome.

29

I’m a little bit confused… What is wrong with the Noctigons on both pictures?
Is there a chance you’re also doing singles with maybe 16mm diameter?

I’m also in for some, it just depends on the price.
:bigsmile:

30

SchwarzeWolke some N-ns have a gap, another have a little drift with soldering mask, and third pretty good

I can’t going to produce some singles because Sinkpad did

31

Here is how those boards with the depression/gap thermal pad perform.
Note: Ambient temperature is slightly higher on the Noctigon XM20 testing, which should give Sinkpad a leg up! Solder alloy is identical in all tests.
What is not mentioned here is that none of the 3XP have a depression/gap at all on the thermal pad, in the single batch we did so far for those.
Important is that not all boards have that depression for the thermal pad is only a certain batch, again the one in the test is one of those, mistakes happen and flaws appear, we are not claiming flawless here.
In this case of the thermal-pad depression/gap boards batch, there is no thermal issue due to the slight depression as the seller implies as the test shows it.

32

that is a nice test Hank! It indicates how well the direct bond to copper of the thermal pad actually performs. I am sure that a gap filled with solder does have some influence on those temperatures, but doubt that the influence will be more than 1 or a few degC.

Still, for the hardcore snobs, even if you proof that the difference is negligible, no gap will always be more desirable than a gap

33

It’s a very sexy design. Will there be a solder paste stencil or .brd file available for getting them made and what do you use for jumpers?