MK-R max current draw?

I was thinking about doing an MKR mod since they can be had for ~$4.4 on AE (in packs of 5). Does anyone know or have an educated guess about the maximum current of the 6V version, including Vf? I couldn’t find any emitter tests on this particular LED.

Official is 2.5A with a 6.35 forward voltage.

It is weird that the mkr saw so little interest and yet the xhp 50/70 seem to be the uber-lumens goto!

Hats off to you bikerdude for going your own way :slight_smile:

Sorry I cant contribute very much to this thread, but I’ve had more than a few ales…

Bikedude, I only know that the TN36 drives its MK-R at 3.5A each and the NW TN36 makes 7000+ OTF with 3 of them. I'm sure it could be driven harder but no clue just how much more.

Thanks.

My take on the MK-R performance is likely that of an XHP50 in a sub J2 bin. I’d guess they could take serious amps, maybe more than the XHP-50 since there’s a larger thermal path. My guess is it’s in the 8-10A range with lumens around 3800-4000 (bin dependent).

Could have been because quad die design is worse than a single die in terms of throw and optical performance, and the MT-G2 exists too if it's not throw we're looking for. Also, the MK-R has a reputation for very ugly tints while the MT-G2 tints are... maybe loved by flashlight modders?

The XHP 50 and 70 have crossed a certain threshold where this type of emitter becomes popular again. There were quads before any of the LEDs I mentioned and they seem to have been more popular than the MK-R ever became. Still, they were expensive and sort of became obsolete or at least lost their edge when the XM-L was introduced.

I realize there is manufacturing reasons and physical reasons as well as to why this may not be done pn XHP50/70, but I wonder what would be the result of coating the center portion of chip with a raised yellow phosphor hump before implanting the dome. If they could somehow stimulate the center with light, the primary negative effects of quads would be somewhat reduced. Maybe add an XP-E2 in the very center. :bigsmile:

The MK-R might be a pretty good flashlight emitter. I was just relating the reasons I think why it never became very popular as far as I know. It's been on sale for cheaper than comparable emitters, and the unimpressive tint has never really been an obstacle in other lights. Cool white XM-Ls are not that pretty either. Just a random event like a well-timed recommendation from a respected member on any of the popular flashlight boards could have easily sparked huge interest in the MK-R... in an alternative universe. I think in the one we live in this never took place.

I like flashlights with a more pleasant color spectrum, but this does not mean discriminating against my ugly or even pretty toxic tinted lights. They're staying unless chosen as upgrade candidates or given away... a fate that any of my lights could face one day. I was considering an MK-R build earlier this year and it's still not out of question.