I’ve got a blue Convoy S2+ and i have changed its driver and led once some years ago and now i feel she needs a new upgrade. I’ve got a blue led switch coming in for it, but im also looking at changing the driver and led as well. Im deciding between an SST-40 and the new 3 volt XHP-50. I will more than likely be using an LD-A4 driver for the XHP-50 if i choose it, but for the SST-40 im not sure. So im asking for opinions, SST-40 and whatever driver gets the best recommendation or the XHP-50 with the LD-A4 driver, or if there is a better driver for it. Go ahead and throw any suggestions as well, im willing to entertain almost anything. I will really appreciate the comments.
I built two S2+ last week:
- TA driver with triple 219b (very nice/wde beam, high CRI)
- Convoy driver 8*AMC with single Lumileds V2 5K (creamy white beam, more narrow)
A 3V XHP50.2 would be my next build.
If I had the LD driver I would have tested it as well, but never had access to them so far.
XHP50.2 looks like shit and gets unreasonably hot on max instantly in hosts like that and isn’t much brighter (to the eye) than some other options.
the L4P drivers are nice for just about any led in my opinion. it’s nice to have the same UI too. my favorite 18650 edc is a Lumintop Prince (ever so slightly smaller than an S2) with an S2 pill and reflector (sanded down to fit) with a LD-A4 and Luxeon V at 8 amps putting out about 2400 lumen.
SST-40 is a little too green on low in my opinion, the Luxeon V 4000k is really nice albeit a tad warm, i think L4P will have 5700k Luxeon V soon if you’re more into neutral/cool white.
If you really want to choose between the SST-40 and XHP50.2, i’d go with the SST-40 with the 9A driver set at around 8A
The Convoy S11 and the S2+ provides almost exactly the same brightness, except the S11 has a bigger hotspot.
Also, the S11 has a strange hotspot with SMO reflectors. As I tried with the S2+ reflector too, and get the same result as with the S11SMO, I expect, it has to do something with the XHP50.
So, if someone want such conversion, maybe (haven’t tried it … yet 
) dedome will be necessary.
Also, it is worth to mention, that the S11 gets hot fast even though it has bigger body than the S2+, so I am not sure if it worth the conversion.
Also, check out this video , where AdventureSportsFlashlight mod a C8+ with the XHP50.2
I just put a 3v XHP50.2 in my C8 and freaking love it. To me, the hotspot and spill look great in the OP reflector. The SMO reflector gives you a doughnut looking hot spot.
Last night I was thinking it would be fun to put the 3v XHP50.2 in my C2+. It already has a FET and XML2 in it, so it would be a direct swap. I bet it’ll get warm pretty darn quick, but that’s what modes are for 
I have one in a Convoy L2, it doesn’t have a donut spot, the spot itself is pretty clean but the spill is horribly yellow.
Good for a searchlight-but-not-really-a-thrower type of thing (still boasts close to 250kcd by eye). for EDC the yellow would bother me too much.
@BlackDragon, would you like an upgrade in color quality and throw?
SST40 probably should be left around 7A max. You could go with Luxeon V if you want ;), then you can use a FET driver without fear.
One thanks for all the comments, two im after a considerable lumun bump over the XML2 4c thats in it. The one thing i have against the XHP50 is that its a cool white and i prefer warmer tints 5k and under. I believe i saw a 5k SST40 somewhere, if so id lean more that way.
Put diffusion film (dc fix sand) on an XHP50.2 and it’l probably get warmer by mixing the yellow spill 
I’m not sure where you can get 5000k SST-40’s in small quantities.
As for the lumen bump, here’s the output for an SST-40 6500k and Luxeon V 4000k
Yeah, Luxeon V from Led4Power.com is available in 4000K. Kaidomain has it in 5000K and 6500K. At high power, it is slightly brighter than SST-40, and it won't die past 9 Amps if you abuse it (so, acceptable with FET).
That said, it WILL draw a crapton of current with a FET because its Vf is so low.
The luxeon seems like a home run. Good color temp and power output, and goes like a Timex…
I should actually reconsider my previous comments. Per some posts in djozz's Luxeon V test thread (starts around page 5 I think), some of the Luxeon Vs have been dying. Led4Power said he's only seen it in the first/earliest batch and not in any more recent batches, and I personally haven't had issues in my D4, but this is something to consider.
So I was doing some digging and ran across the Luxeon MZ 5700k. Any thoughts, or opinions on it? Might turn the S2+ into a hot potato….
The beam will have artifacts with a reflector, you’ll probably want to use a TIR.
No clue how easy centering it or picking a driver will be.
Just curious, what’s the cause of the artifacts with a reflector for the Luxeon MZ?
Because it has multiple separate dies.
I have an s2+ with a xhp50.2 (3v, 5250k iirc) and man it’ll get untouchably hot on turbo, but it’s by far my favorite edc light. I too wish it was 3000k, but all pocket-rockets seem to be cw, and this isn’t all that cold white honestly.
Using an orange peel reflector (with a still domed emitter) I see no major artifacts (no dreaded cross), and no green tint at low levels which in my experience happens unless you win the lottery with the sst emitters
100% ignites paper, cigars, and dark clothing and fairly fast! And I have found it to be fairly efficient (it is a quad after all) if I keep it out of turbo. I use the light all day with no switch failure yet (it will happen one day, maybe)
But I love showing non believers what a little flashlight can do)
For how cheap the hosts are, make one s2+ a xhp50, and make another a luxeon mz, and another an sst40. Keep the one(s) you like, sell what you don’t.
I have gone as far as making a xhp50.2 triple and it makes so much heat so fast, my Jerry rigged bond wires on the pcb pop… so yeah, heats your enemy here… But have fun! 
Just mentioning…
Convoy S2+ with SST40 is already available in Convoy’s store several weeks ago.
The Convoy S21A (Convoy S2+ with 21700 body tube) also comes in SST40 LED only (for now). Not sure if XHP50.2 is a possible option in the future.
Going higher up in the straight-cylindrical-body tube style would be the Convoy S11 (which takes a 26650 battery), and now has 2 LED options: SST40 and XHP50.2.
I would also like to see the Luxeon LED which has been mentioned to have high output too and possibly nicer tint than SST40 (on low brightness modes).