For a dollar or something Richard will flash the custom modes you want for the driver. I usually go with that. You get up to 6.
Strobe can be used for letting cars know your there while changing a tire. It works good on raccoons and running wildlife off your porch. Also if for some reason your lost in the woods or have a injury search and rescue can find you easier with w strobe light. It has its uses but for most people it doesn’t
A fet driver in a c8 will make a huge difference in the output and it can take the heat usually. It can handle around 5 amps continuous. If you don’t like defined hotspots look into the convoy m1 Richard has them. You can get them as a host or finished light. I bought one from dbcustom makes 1800 lumens.
I was just pulling your leg about the strobe…my wife hates it when I turn it on.
One thing I don’t like about Mountain Electronics is that they have no phone service….that drive me nuts being old school and all.
So, just write him and tell him that I want to replace the stock driver with one of his Fets….what UIs does he flash? Do I need to change the diode in the C8
I have Richard’s driver in my l6. Running ramping firmware and high bin 70.2. I love that light. I recommend the driver highly. Tail unlock it and the eswitch does the rest. My only gripe is that 18ga doesn’t fit, so you’ll have to run 20 from the emitter to the +.
His 17mm fet drivers for the c8 are awesome as well. I run the ramping in my c8f and blf or bistro in my c8 and s2+ lights. There’s a ramping too, for clicky-only, and I have one, just not installed yet. It’s called crescendo.
for emitters, I’ve run the shaved sst40 and the xpl hi in my c8s, both are great. Sst is more blue, but also more powerful.
Here’s the driver you need. And you can get the d4 firmware for 35 cents more. It’s in the drop down menu. You only need to change the emitter if your not happy with it. The stock emitter it runs like 8 9ish amps I believe. Which will make plenty of heat. The 70.2 will pull upwards of 15 amps I believe with massive heat and very low run times. The driver swap alone bumps it up a couple thousand lumens if o remember correctly
I left my l6 stock for now. I plan on doing a emitter swap to a 5000k emitter and probably do a fet driver swap with it. I hadn’t so far because I need the run time when I need it on turbo. And 3500 4000 lumen range is enough for what I need it for. And it gets hot but with very calloused work hands I can still hold it by the end of the tube. So it may just get a 70.2 upgrade and keep it running around the 5 amps it is now
Good work Speed4goal, that should fix Andrew up pretty nicely.
I always get a kick out of the waitress when they bring the plate to the table, careful, it’s hot…. they’re holding it in their bare hand and warning me how hot it is after all the times I’ve held wires soldering them to the driver, grabbed parts off the lathe after cutting on em for hours, soldering copper pills to their new copper MCPCB’s, I deal with stuff all the time that’s hotter than the chef’s oven even goes! lol (and yes, sometimes I grab something a bit prematurely and only then realize it’s still 500-750º! Yikes!)
Richards only ramping firmware is RampingIOS, sometimes called the D4 UI. It’s a more basic version of Narsil.
If you want actual NarsilM you’ll want to order drivers from Lexel in Germany. He does a much wider selection of drivers and sizes for common lights.
I use NarsilM (from Lexel) in my 2 work lights in my signature. RampingIOS is a reduced version of NarsilM. It has no mode set option like switching to low, med, high, etc… It’s ramping only.
I personally don’t work on outside lights.
Lexel does mod the MF01 and has the special tools to open it, but shipping might be expensive.
So refreshing to see something new made to look so effortless.
Add a mirror finish lens for the tighter 70.2 and the beam tightens up, throw increases. Simple drop in exchange. Simon has them available on his Aliexpress site.
Wow, you guys do remarkable work…really impressive all the different mods/tweaks.
One thing is clear….heat vs lumens. At some point, you just can’t dissipate the heat. There is a laser diode I use for which the best heat sink I want does not exist in stock….a radial type with fins. If one could make a flashlight with exposed fins that could dissipate more heat one could pack more lumens into the light.
Then, of course, there is runtime….depends upon the end user’s application.
I have not even received the stock light yet….happens to be a clear one….first non-black anodized light I will own.
All of you have given me quite a lot to think about. I really appreciate all the input.
