I’d like to know how long it runs on the 20% level.
I have found multiple runtime graphs on high around 700 but not 20%
Most convoy lights runs for about 7 - 9 hours on the 10% mode. Therefor about 4 hours would make sense.
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With what driver
Normally with a buck driver. Convoy have amazing drivers, and my S21E with an XHP50.3 HI R9050 in 4000K can hold about 600-700 lumens for almost 3 hours! it uses a 21700 battery and has a 6V 3amp boost driver.
I’m trying to learn a bit about drivers, so correct me if I’m wrong: the S21 with XHP50.3 would have to have a buck driver due to the amperage of the diode correct?
The XHP50 comes in different voltages. My S21E has a 6V XHP50.3. Any LED that needs a higher voltage than what the battery supplies needs a boost driver. A boost driver “boosts” the voltage, you can say. A boost driver is extremly efficient, but are bigger, more complex, and cost more. They also don’t have as high of an output compared to a similar sized FET driver (or a similar direct drive driver). Boost drivers also struggle to output low amounts of power.
I also think you are mixing amps with volts. An LED doesn’t have an “amperage requirement”, but needs a certian voltage. LEDs that need 3V can be used with an FET or buck driver. Those drivers need to recive higher voltages from the battery that what the LED needs. A battery typicaly outputs 3 - 4.2 volts.
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Understood! What is the point of the buck driver versus a boost?
Boost makes higher voltage, buck makes lower voltage.
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I’m still wanting to know btw
Expect about 4 to 5 hours on 20%.
This post has a 35% runtime graph. Multiply by 35/20?
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/review-convoy-s21d-21700-quad-led-clicky/217930
I got a Convoy s21d 4000k tint, last night with Vapcell F56 5600 mah cell, I just did a runtime test.
I got 3 hr 15 minutes on the 20% mode, which I think should be around 500 lumens.
I’m disappointed and confused.
I thought this light was capable of 4 hours with a typical 5000 mah cell, so I expected it to do around 4hr 15 minutes with a 5600 mah cell.
What happened?
Did I get less runtime cause the 4000 tint? Would the 5700k get more runtime?
Something wrong with the battery?
Btw, the light did not turn off completely but it started blinking at 3hr15min
Btw , just as I finished typing the previous post, I just tried doing a retest on the 35% mode , the light got so hot in less than 10 minutes I couldn’t hold the thing even at the very back.
I used some rags to shut the light off, and pull the battery out , the battery was hot as hell.
If this is supposed to normal operation for this light I’m very disappointed.
I mostly went with this light over the Acebeam e75 cause this light comes in many different LEDs and tir angles.
Interestingly enough, I also got a M21e with a sft40 3000k.
I did a test on high, not turbo, the light got between warm and hot but never scolding hot, im assuming high mode must be between 700-1000, it was still relatively comfortable to hold.
I got 1hr 41 min using the Molicell p45b 4500 mah cell, before the light started flashing.
If this is normal operation for s21d I’m never buying tiny lights ever again.
I’m willing to carry more weight in order to get 700-1000 sustained lumens for more than an hour without the light getting too hot to hold…
Edit…I redid the test on the M21e sft40 3000k using the Vapcell F56 5600 mah cell and I got 1 hr 52 min this time, for those who are curious.
Truth is, 519A is just not very efficient, compared to things like Cree XHP70.2/ 70.3 HI. If you bought it with 219B or SST20 LEDs it will be even worse.
Models like M21F / M21H with XHP70.3 HI R70 could easily sustain 1000 lm output for more than an hour.
The reason why your M21E doesn’t get too hot, apart from bigger thermal mass, is because Convoy’s e-switch drivers have better thermal management than their tail switch drivers, hence will reduce output when it heats up. I suspect the tail switch drivers don’t even have thermal management functional.
Additional interesting thing I found was, that the 20% mode, my guess around 500 lumens did not get super hot. It stayed slightly more than warm but handleable.
And yet the 35% mode was scolding hot.
Technically it’s supposed to be around 1000 lumens at that mode but according to the zeroair website, it’s actually around 700.
I’m quite surprised that at 500 it’s only warm at 700 its
scolding hot.
My next lights will probably be Zebralight sc700 and Acebeam e75 tough.
20% vs 35% is 1.75x power consumption, which is a lot. When a host gets overwhelming heat output the temperature just keeps raising until it reaches a new equilibrium.
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Slight update on the runtime
I just finished doing the 10% mode, 519a 4000k tint using Vapcell F56 5600 mah capacity battery, fresh off the charger
I got 6 hr 23 minutes
Just for anyone whos thinking about getting this specific tint/ battery combo
Another update
After running a test on a 100% mode I noticed that the tint changed .
I decided to take the bezel and tir off and as it turns out, and as soon as I did several domes fell off the LEDs.
Not only that but this thing looks like it barely has any thermal paste underneath the board.
On top of the fact I can’t believe that the only thing holding the PCB down, is the tir itself.
Stupid design.
This this is a piece of garbage.
I’m annoyed , but not super angry, only cause of the cheap price.
I’m writing this, primarily as a warning to someone whos thinking about getting one. Don’t expect great quality from this.
This thing is a hair better quality than the lights from big box stores.
Its not worth shipping back.
From now on m sticking with acebeam and weltool
Edit again
Since the tints were now different on the two lights, instead shipping this back to China, I decided to remove the bezels from both lights (I ordered two s21d in 4000k tint) and ended up removing all the domes on both lights with my finger nail.
That fixed the tint issue of different tints. They lookpretty decent now.
That doesn’t change the fact that this thing is very shoddy quality.
That being said, interestingly enough, my m21e I also ordered is considerably better quality.
The PCB has more thermal paste and is held down with two screws instead of just the pressure from the tir lens.
Also I’ve done multiple tests on both high and turbo and the sft40 3000k seems fine. I know this one comes with no dome straight from the factory, but the tint seems fine so far.