Hoop's Copper pill + S2+ host-  Help me pick the "best" led/driver combo please!

mountainair26 · 2019-09-27T19:39:28.000Z

I have a convoy S2+ that has been through many mods and still ticking. I just love the form factor and the metal switch cover on the back. I was able to get one of Hoop’s copper pills for a single emitter a while back before they sold out, and, boy are they a thing of beauty.

If you had this to work with, which available emitter is the “best” choice for this host with a smooth reflector? My intended use is around the house, as a bike headlight, sometimes with a diffuser cap, sometimes as a glove-box light in the car, and pretty much all around utility light. So I want the driver to have modes from a reasonable low-level/almost moonlight, all the way to some kind of a hidden turbo, not so much for the “wow” factor, but just incase I need an enourmous amount of light for a brief 15-20 seconds as necessary. Throw is more important than flood, but I realize we’re talking about a tiny S2+ reflector here.

The S2+ is obviously small and doesn’t have any fins to speak of, so I’m not under any illusions that the copper pill, as pretty and perfectly made as it is, is going to allow me to direct drive a 3v XHP50.2 or sst40 in there or anything. Nonetheless, the 3v XHP50.2 does sound tempting in this light to me, I am just not sure which driver to match it with in this situation. I’ll be running 3500mah high drain 18650’s, but I know that pushing that led in this host is going to create heat issues quickly, so if I were to use it here, It would have to be with the right driver. I’m drawn by the really low vf and really high output, but I don’t know of a driver that properly capitalizes on that in a 17mm format. What are the pros/cons of the 50.2 3v here, and what’s a better led choice for my application if there is one?

There are a ton of S2+ options out there, lots of incredible mods on the forum I’m looking at, in fact, so many that I can’t choose which direction to go in. What are your opinions on the perfect match of led and driver that covers most of the uses I mentioned above? Thanks for your thoughts, experiences, and opinions.

I’ll probably solder the noctigon to the pill for the best thermal path, and possibly fill in the pill above the driver with either more copper or thermal potting of some kind. Hoop’s copper pill is just so gorgeous that I want to turn my S2+ into the best it can be, but also something that works reliably and efficiently too given that it is, after all, a thing aluminum tube light. I’m assuming a boost driver and XHP35 HI aren’t much of an upgrade over using a linear driver an xp-l hi in this situation, but I don’t know. That’s why I’d really appreciate your input.

I have a CW Xp-l HI in it currently that is “just ok” with a simple 7135-based linear driver, I think I put 5 or 6 chips on there, can’t remember. It’s way better than 99% of what I could buy at a local store for around the same price, but that’s not what I’m after. What are some suggestions to make this more than another S2+ with an xp-l hi in it? How much more room to skirt the thermal limits do I have from the new copper pill over the original brass, if any at all? Many thanks for the suggestions

dmsoule · 2019-09-27T22:52:01.000Z

I’d go with the 3v xhp 50.2 direct drive. You still can’t run it for more than a couple minutes but at least you won’t burn it out as quickly as the stock pill. Yes, I tried an xhp35 with a boost driver from Mtn Electronics, and found little difference from the xpl-hi.

chops728 · 2019-09-27T23:42:40.000Z

I put a XHP 50.2 in a S2+ with a boost driver / Hoop pill — kind of a disappointment—not much better than a Triple XPL HI — Nice artifact free beam — I was hoping for more throw