Suggest a simple 1.5V AA driver

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

I never thought I'd do any modding so please excuse the silly thread.

Something has broken in my TG06 and I probably need a replacement driver. I don't have any 14500 so I only need it to work around the 0.8–1.5V range. It has to be 16-17mm in diameter and have more than one mode, but none of them blinky. I looked on fasttech, dx etc.but many of the single AA were unavailable/discontinued.

I did find the LD30 on Simon's store https://www.aliexpress.com/item/LD30-flashlight-driver-circuit-board-CR123-version/32255534881.html

but I'd like to pay a bit less than $4 because the whole flashlight itself is not expensive either.

Are there any cheaper suggestions that also fit my requirements?

2

Hmmmm… Even my single-mode Nanjg 110 is out of stock at Mtn… This is worrisome…

I can’t find any of the low-voltage drivers that I use for my muggle-friendly flashlight mods…

:cry:

3

I used this in my tg06.

http://www.kaidomain.com/p/S025419.CF-FX-2AA-16mm-0_9V-3V-3-Mode-Boost-Driver-Circuit-Board

It uses pwm, but has good mode spacing.

4

I would be very interested if there’s a driver that could squeeze more than 1A out of 1xAA battery…preferably 15mm.

5

This one???

http://www.kaidomain.com/p/S025059.CF-17mm-0_9V-3_3V-4-Groups-2-to-5-Mode-Boost-Driver-Circuit-Board

(not 15mm though)
:zipper_mouth_face:

6

We’ve all been wanting one of those.

:slight_smile:

400ma to the led is fine I’ve found. With an xpe2 r4 3c the tg06 is a lovely flashlight.

7

Thank you for input. I'm not sensitive to pwm at all and will probably choose one of the inexpensive drivers they sell at KD. I'll keep you all updated.

8

I use the DX 25505 (single mode,17mm but it can be sanded abuot 15.5mm) in my AA.

9

I’ve used a few of those. The drive current is a misprint. I measured about 550ma to the LED off a fresh alkaline AA cell. Currently have one in a TG06. Seems to run fine on a 14500 as well. I believe it pulled 2.8A on high with a 14500

10

Any chance of retesting with an Eneloop rather than an alky?
Pretty hard to believe it could push nearly 2A to the LED from 1.5V but on the other hand, 550mA seems a bit low.

11

His test seems accurate. The manufacturer listing drive currents from a benchtop power supply is dirty marketing. No cell is able to supply the wattage that a desktop power supply can and the numbers are grossly inflated as a result.

12

That makes sense. Clearly not much use in looking at those figures for use with 1 x AA cell.
On the other hand, a good quality NiMH (such as an eneloop) will be able to supply more current than an alkaline. It would be interesting to know just how much more.

I made a P60 dropin with this discontinued DX 7880 driver: http://www.dx.com/p/3w-5w-20-mode-regulated-circuit-board-for-flashlights-7880#.V-vWqpN97jA
It pulled just over 4A at the tailcap from a single eneloop. Unfortunately, I don’t have any alkalines to test this with for a comparison.

13

I hope people knew I was being facetious…. :zipper_mouth_face: :blush:

14

Hi 1.5V : 1950mA

Med 1.5V : 579mA

Lo 1.5V : 146mA

The readings here will be input current to the driver, not current to the led.

15

I ordered one of those. I am thinking I could file it down to 15 mm. for a Romisen RC-A6. The inductor looks better than that of the 15 mm. driver.

That would be nice for NiMH AA cells, but it would require at least a 2 A draw if not more and an alkaline cell would drop below a volt and on down in very few minutes at that current. See Battery test-review 18650 comparator.

16

Harleyquin has done up an oshpark board you can steal the parts from a nanjg102 and use with an Attiny 13A mcu for whatever modes you want. Still limited to ~1A Max though. Edit, might have been nanjg 110