Nice! The prices are higher than I’d like, but about where expectations were set. I’ll not be using them as often as I’d like, but I can already think of a few lights I’d use them for, like either driving the XP-L HI in my L2 harder, or replacing it with an XHP35 HI.

I’ll probably not be using one to build an S2+ with a shorty tube and a XHP70.2 or an XHP35 HI though, not anytime soon.

My 17mm TA drivers for my C8Fs came in and I built my first light— I finally have a rifle light with a complete FET tail switch (also from Lexel) working tonight! Project started on Jan 5th… final product (working in the hand today March 12th) after a lot of research and time.

Thanks (again and again) to Lexel for his killer toys AND his patience with my many questions. I also thank those who contributed your time and ideas to help create what are the worlds most amazing lights!

I showed the C8F to my wife’s dad and uncle and they already want one. Anyone who sees these amazing little lights at night immediately get excited and curious. They are great toys (for adults) but to me they are a tool I will be using to hunt pigs at night— and I now have a request for four more. might be buying some Fofirn C8s or maybe a few KDLitker C 8.2s

BLF rocks!!!

ps. final pics WILL come after I finish the custom wire to my gun handle switch project.

I expected only Bistro HD initially, having a Narsil option is nice.

Not sure if this is the right place to ask…but I want the boost driver in my UT02. And I want the light to stay rechargeable.
What are the options?
Is it possible to use the stock charging module or should I order some other and try to fit it in?

Lexel wrote:

New Boost drivers:

Order with those boards made today
1S or 2S Input
6V 5-7A or 12V 2.5-3A output

Great drivers Lexel

Need more info about Boost drivers…

Can this driver boost current from 1S and 2S (both) or is it 1S or 2S only? This is interesting for flashlights that have 1S and 2S battery tubes (like Jaxman X1 and Convoy L6).
Is it side switch, tail switch (or both) capable?
What is the height of boost driver?

thanks

I think those boost drivers deserve their own thread. Great job!

Agro wrote:

Not sure if this is the right place to ask…but I want the boost driver in my UT02. And I want the light to stay rechargeable. What are the options? Is it possible to use the stock charging module or should I order some other and try to fit it in?

im with you.

want the rechargeable option with ramping mode

What about TN42 when modded to CFT-90?What are the specs?
I wait when some guy get the first BLF-GT mod with the CFT-90,be sure that the mod is troublefree, see some beamshots etc, so as to follow,but in the meantime I ask about the TN42 as well.

Any updates on my big CFT90 driver?

What’s the highest output you can get on the 17mm boost drivers at 12V?

nice work. Very curious about the new boost drivers.

Lexel wrote:

Bad news for the 1 cell boost drivers someone bought all 300 available chips from Mouser and new stock will be delivered in June
no other distributor has avalable stock right now

Lexel wrote:

Bad news for the 1 cell boost drivers someone bought all 300 available chips from Mouser and new stock will be delivered in June no other distributor has avalable stock right now

Which chips?

Grrrrrrrrr!

The MP3429 is in stock, Lexel, and will work just fine (my driver uses that). 

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Monolithic-Power-Systems-MPS/MP3429GL-P?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtitjHzVIkrqZzDzZChF5ZskUpugSdTH%252bSvPnOIcBEajg%3d%3d

How's your driver coming along?

Lexel wrote:

MP3429 works for XHP35, but for 6V XHP70.2 I want 7A Output

Well it's working fine on my desk  (albeit driving XHP50s at 6.5A instead).

It will happen and be done right in any case… and I’ll wait impatiently

Lexel, how many amps do you expect the final driver to allow through for the XHP35 and XHP50 then?

Lexel, you had troubles sourcing MP3431. MP3431GL-P is available at mouser. MP3431GL-Z is not. Is -Z needed or did they restock?

Agro wrote:

Lexel, you had troubles sourcing MP3431. MP3431GL-P is available at mouser. MP3431GL-Z is not. Is -Z needed or did they restock?

They were both out of stock a while back, but yes it just got back in stock. There's no reason to use the more expensive 3431 though unless you are actively using the ILIM pin, as opposed to the cheaper and otherwise identical 3429, which has always been in stock.

How about a DD board (boosted to the MAX) for an XHP 70.2 (21mm) FOR A GUN— No UI needed? Possible?

I asked Lexel, waiting to hear back. I built the Sofin 20.8mm C8 kit last week and though about this idea after seeing what Lexel’s TA Bistro board could feed the SST-40 I mounted— (8 amps) And with Lexel’s tail FET switch (capable of 20 amps), it could manage the on/off.

Could this future driver (that needs about 5 minutes run time on a VERY high drain 18650) be made as you are working on this other boost driver? Could this “magic” driver exist?

Stirring the pot

Zappaman wrote:

How about a DD board (boosted to the MAX) for an XHP 70.2 (21mm) FOR A GUN-- No UI needed? Possible? I asked Lexel, waiting to hear back. I built the Sofin 20.8mm C8 kit last week and though about this idea after seeing what Lexel's TA Bistro board could feed the SST-40 I mounted-- (8 amps) And with Lexel's tail FET switch (capable of 20 amps), it could manage the on/off. Could this future driver (that needs about 5 minutes run time on a VERY high drain 18650) be made as you are working on this other boost driver? Could this "magic" driver exist? Stirring the pot })

So you'd like a single cell 12A 7.5V boost driver in 21mm form factor with a single mode? Your battery will need to supply 30A or so, you'll need more than a just a standard host (contact resistances will be too high), and the thermal dissipation would require a very large (or actively cooled) host as well... which may negate the desire to use a single cell in the first place. 

Wait… before I get the kabosh — here me out.

This light won’t run MORE than about really, maybe 20 seconds at a time (just long enough to do the Gridwald X-mas light show— Version 1.)

SO… given the Sofirn can be wired in 16g (with by-passes on rear and direct connect to the top of the front spring), and maybe use a serious MCPCB… CAN this “magic” driver be made???

OK, OK…

Being more realistic… given Lexel’s FET handles 20amps— what would be a DOABLE config for a DD board and (whatever) LED?

Again… NO UI needed and the light would be on a gun that lights up for (usually) enough time to get a shot or two off. So 20 seconds would allow for many shots in a field of pigs and that would be about the time needed for FULL POWER!

Maybe I wait for the final driver here, but thought if there was something in a hot-rodded (20A max) smaller C8 that would work for this specific application (on a gun), that I’d toss the idea out there. I’m SURE there are a few of us hunting types around BLF that would like to have something like this too.

Zappaman wrote:

OK, OK... Being more realistic... given Lexel's FET handles 20amps-- what would be a DOABLE config for a DD board and (whatever) LED? Again... NO UI needed and the light would be on a gun that lights up for (usually) enough time to get a shot or two off. So 20 seconds would allow for many shots in a field of pigs and that would be about the time needed for FULL POWER! Maybe I wait for the final driver here, but thought if there was something in a hot-rodded (20A max) smaller C8 that would work for this specific application (on a gun), that I'd toss the idea out there. I'm SURE there are a few of us hunting types around BLF that would like to have something like this too.

Does it need to be a single cell? It seems to me that if you'd only like 20 seconds to a min at full blast, it'll be easier to use two good quality shorter cells in series to drive the XHP50 or so in direct drive configuration. The resulting driver will be far simpler, easier to make, and you will get a very decent output. 

I made a drop-in replacement FET Tailswitch with 1mR ON resistance which requires no battery replacement and works very well for my GXB172 driver builds ^_^. (http://budgetlightforum.com/node/59550). The resultant switch is the same size as the regular one so no additional shims or adjustments are needed. 

This combined with say two 18350s, a high quality build and an XHP50B should hopefully give the output you want (especially since this time we'll only need to draw about ~12+A from the batteries instead of 20A), or even more for XHP70.

Such a driver should be extremely easy to make too  (far more than the switching drivers), and there would be absolutely no reason why you couldn't have all the fun firmware features you want as well ^_^.