I've been looking around for a proper driver to run either a Nichia 219 or an XP-G2 with a single 4.2v Li-Ion.
So Far this one has caught my eye.
http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-133/3-dsh-Mode-Regulated-Circuit-Board/Detail
It says NANJG on it.
Does the battery positive just make contact with the circuit board, or does it
depend on fit?
If fit needed to be adjusted, would you then just solder a spring or small
pill to the
driver.
Any better drivers I should be looking at?
How many modes do you want and how much current? There are tons of those drivers in every configuration imaginable.
Sorry, that’s why I need help. Three modes, no blinkies. As far as current, I’m not that advanced. I just want to drive the LEDs to their optimal performance without under powering them or pushing them past their comfort zone. A little extra, maybe, if it doesn’t mean I can only run on high for a couple minutes.
Ok, so 1.4 amps is probably a good setting for you. Here a three mode one is that will work well.
If you want to push it a little bit harder than this one will do that. (Still in the comfort range)
With the above one you need to connect the third star from the left to the outside ring with a blob of solder to set it to 3 modes.
Thanks Scaru. I think the one from FastTech is what I was looking for. I new they were okay up to 2.0A, so I’ve been searching for something around 1.8A.
1.75 is perfect.
I can vouch for the IS 1.4A driver. Low, med, high, no blinkies, and low voltage warning blinks and kicks to low mode. Since the Nichia has a higher Vf it will not have full output for as long as the XP-G2.
Explain please.
I don't know about driving a Nichia 219 at 1.75A. It's doubtful that you'll see any difference in output versus 1.4A. It's already pretty hard to see a difference in output between 1.05A and 1.4A.
Regarding the Nanjg 101-AK (1.4A), Fasttech has them too here. You can turn them into 3-modes by bridging the legs of the MCU as shown in the photo on Illumination Supply.
Well he’ll. If FT has them both, I would be smart to order some of each.
Hmmm. Maybe I don’t understand about bridging the legs. I understand how to bridge stars though. The photo doesn’t tell me much.
That is exactly the driver I have for my Ultrafire C8 running an XR-E. Just delivered yesterday (just under 2 weeks) and installed with the exact setting Scaru mentioned. I love it. So far, I haven’t given it any torture tests like tailstanding it on high for 2 hours, but for the use it’s gotten so far it’s great. I may keep it on for maybe 15 minutes while I’ve got the dog out. It’s actually brighter than I expected and for any indoor use I tend to keep it on a lower setting.
I know your specs are a little different, but I thought I’d put in my two bits.
IS has them with the legs already bridged.
In the photo, the third and fourth legs of the MCU are bridged with solder. Doing that turns it from 5 modes into 3. If you get a 101-AK from FT, the legs will not be bridged, and you'll have to do it yourself.
The reason that the 1.4A one from Shiningbeam caught my eye was, when I checked out the XP-G Neutral P-Rocket, I saw it was driven on high at 1.4A with three modes and figured it must use the same driver. I have one of those, and it is bright as hell, and throws to beat the band.
Truth. 1.4A is marginally brighter than 1A, and efficiency goes down the crapper to boot. Plus, 219’s Vf is 0.17V lower at 1A, providing increased length of regulated runtime with a linear driver and 1 lithium-ion cell. See this bountiful Nichia 219 testing thread on CPF. Personally, I reckon 900mA to 1.1A is about the sweet spot as far as output versus overall performance goes for the Nichia 219.
I think the 101-AK sold by Shiningbeam and the 101-AK sold by Illumination Supply are pretty much the same. Both appear to be 5-mode drivers that have been turned into 3-modes by bridging the 3rd and 4th legs of the MCU. You can see the solder bridge in both photos - IS and SB.
I agree with that. I think the 1.5A max rating of the 219 makes it tempting to compare it to the XPG, but the Cree emitter that it most resembles in terms of voltage and efficiency characteristics is the XPE. 219/XPE Vf ranges, efficacy, and efficiency characteristics are closer to each other than they are to the XPG. And both of them have a sweet spot around 1A and don't do too well when pushed harder.
Comparing it to non-Cree emitters, I think the performance of the 219 most closely resembles that of the Rebel ES. I don't have any testing data to back this up, but based on personal experience of how they look and behave, they seem the closest to me.
Thanks, I see the bridging now.
Thanks for sticking by me guys. I’ve been waiting for three weeks for the parts for my first build, so I’m already planning ahead on my next ones.
I have a Crelant 7G1 with a burned out driver that will be my second attempt coming in the mail. It’ll run on a14500, but I need to decide on Nichia 219 or XPG2 3D, and a new driver.
IMR or standard Li-ion?
I have both.
