An update to the current readings: The first time I measured the highest mode was with my clamp meter on Panasonic BD’s at 4.1v, and I got 5.5amps. I just remeasured with the same meter on fully-charged Samsung 30Q’s, and got a max of 4amps. So something happened.
1. The driver is very inconsistent (unlikely)
2. I somehow mis-read the meter the first time (still pretty unlikely)
3. When I opened it up, re-wired, and shaved the LED, I messed something up (probable)
I just thought I would post this now in case other people start getting 4amp readings instead of 5.5amps.
Then I took the driver out and simply dropped a blob of solder on some empty pads, bypassing the stock sense resistors, and remeasured with the same cells:
Now these are tail numbers on a buck driver, so the emitter isn’t seeing exactly that, but I would guess the emitter is probably getting about 8amps.
If you do this you will want to use top-rated batteries because the buck driver will pull even more as the cells go down. I’m also going to pot the driver because I am sure it is going to get very very hot in there.
Could you take some pictures of the mods you did? I’m hopefully going to get this light and would like to be able to do these mods. Maybe some before and after pictures as well if possible. Thanks!
Yes, please take pictures of the mods, I have a ton of things to learn and pictures always help
Also, any chance you could make some before / after beamshots? With such a big increase of amp draw, turbo should show some difference… Although I suppose it will hard to know what’s from this mod and what’s from the shave.
Well I already potted the driver, so I can’t really get good pictures if it anymore, but I can maybe draw a picture of what to do, it’s very simple.
I only have the original beamshots I took of the stock light. I can take the modded light to the same place and do a new beamshot, but we don’t have snow anymore so that will skew it.
Sorry, before/after stuff didn’t cross my mind because I don’t normally do beamshots at all.
What and how did you pot driver? Did you heat sink the FETs? Glop some thermal epoxy on? Inquiring minds need to know, how the pro’s heat sink buck driver’s?
Whatever you think of my modding ability, I am the opposite of a pro at potting, mostly because I almost never do it. The only other times I’ve ever done it was for long-term physical durability, not heat.
I just know that buck drivers get very hot at high amperages, and I know that almost anything is better at moving heat than air. So I stuffed it full of Duct Seal. It’s probably terrible for this application, but still better than nothing.
is there a way to mod this light in a slightly less aggressive manner? I mean no blobbing all the resistors together creating a huge hot rod but to exchange them for higher output but still descent battery time? Mine is on the way and I am already thinking of tuning it.
Thanks!
Try using the light first. Even in stock form it is very very bright. I would have also liked to de-tune it a bit from where I have it now, but I didn’t have any low value resistors.
Ramping up for my first two reviews
The S50 and S70
Pics on the details done but too rainy for beam shots
The S50 lit up a nice part of the field next to us will try S70 after dark, can’t wait!
The S50 has a pill that is very easy to remove since there is no side switch.
If someone does not want a (second) side switch the S50 is easier to mod.
Is there a FET driver that will fit in the S70? Looks to me like they’re all too small and you’d need to make up some kind of contact board with the existing driver.