Build up a single cell direct drive light…
Anyone have the N-Light HB60?
I just repaired my MT-G2 modded Shadow TC300, and I found that it runs very nicely on two A123's, link.
First the bad news, the driver is next mode memory.
The good, it works on one cell and pulls about double the current with one cell. With partially charged (4.13v) unprotected King Kong (1 cell):
Low .23 - .25
Med .89 - .90
High 1.76 –1.77
Fully charged (4.2v) 18650 Sony 2200mA laptop pull in average shape (1 cell):
Low .21
Med .70
High 1.60
With 2 18650 laptop cells:
Low .14
Med .42
High .80
Tint is high neutral. No hint of any color. Just pure white. Light is pretty bright. Haven’t tried to compare to a C8. May try tonight, but I’m betting the driver is a no go for you.
That’s true of LiFePO4. When it comes to the discharge curve, LiFePO4 is alot more like NiMH than other types of Li-Ion batteries. With a low voltage cutoff of around 2.8V, you will be using pretty much the entire capacity of the battery.
That tc300 sounds nice.
Too bad about the mode memory on that meritline one.
A123 lifepo4 [unprotected] 18650s are near identical length & width as the Panasonic NCR18650A unprotected cells Ric recommends for the DQG Tiny18650. They fit fine and the light functions normally, except high loses some juice. Low and medium do not change spacing noticeably, but medium to high is an almost imperceptible increase.
What some may see as a benefit to this lower power high is the light does not get nearly as hot as fast. I left mine on high with a fresh A123 for about 10 minutes and it got warm, but not hot like it does on li-ions. No surprise really, but worth stating. Some expressed concerns of heat with this light… If you are one of them, you might should try A123 lifepo4s.
As always, the contact when tightening the head is crucial. If you just barely tighten the head to “on” output will be slightly dim. It needs to be snugged down fully for full power. This same behavior can occur with other cells. It just seems a little more apparent on lifepo4s, perhaps because they are a little dimmer to start out with? Not sure.
Still thinking about a 1x18650/2x18650 XML thrower as well. The N-Light HB60 is pretty tempting, but I can’t find squat for reviews or info on it.
