So basically as the title says. Is led4power’s LD-1 driver too much for a Nichia 219B on a V2 Noctigon (IOS)?
I saw some test results for the Nichia which indicated it basically peaks in output around 4A. I am not sure if the LD-1 will actually hit 5A driving it? I know my XinTD C8 with an XM-L2 T4 5B1 emitter and LD-1 driver doesn’t quite get there.
If it’s too much I will just go back to a 3A Qlite but it would be nice give it a push.
So you hope to get 4A instead of 3A? That is 37% more power to gain 9% more output, (even less, considering that a flashlight does not cool as well as my test set-up), with the led right at the point of decreasing output because of overheating.
Hmm sounds like going with the qlite will be better when you put it that way.
I run a couple of 219’s on Noctigons with the Qlite. They pull 2.99amps tailcap. Got one in a Convoy S4 and the other in an M2. They are quite nice, but seem to heat up more and quicker than an XM-L2 or XP-G2 at the same current.
Not sure pushing them harder in hosts like these would be of any help. Maybe in a bigger host. I also have a p60 219 from Int’l outdoor. Supposed to be 2.28 amps. My DMM reads 2.32-2.38amps tailcap. It isn’t quite as bright I’ll admit, but not massively far off and doesn’t produce anything like the heat. You can leave it on for ages and it’s holdable. The M2 gets toasty very quickly.
I’ll build an M1 with 2,6A LD25 and 219b on copper soon, we’ll see how that turns out.
I do have one T12 from intl (oem S3) with 219b, it draws 2,1A and gets pretty warm but not hot. I guess that is pretty much the sweet spot for that led. I doubt that more A would give more than a tiny amount of extra light.
'I guess'....'I doubt'....
It is all measured and put into a nice graph for you, what is this guessing all about???
sry wanted to point out that I don’t commit to a fixed Amp value, as in a couple 100mA more ore less will be best depending on the light and its cooling capacity, the battery and especially the use case.
btw thanks a lot for your intense testing!
Cool down for fs and let everyone have their opinion. He doesen´t say he knows Mr. Expert 
If I may have a opinion (please) for this led in a small/med light (Convoy S3) the sweet spot is slightly over 2A on 16mm Noctigon regarding heat. Do the math!
I clicked away from this thread several times but I've got to say something here. Djozz doesn't need to cool down for fs for a couple reasons. First, Djozz wasn't "hot" to begin with. What he said was clearly tongue in cheek and not meant as a sharp comment. I don't know why but it seem like folks are just looking for something to be offended about these days.
The second reason is that Djozz is one of the "anchors" of this forum and contributes a heck of a lot more than 90% of the members here and deserves some respect for that. A lot of respect when it comes to it. Members that give freely of their time for the greater good are rare and are also a disappearing breed. I know I've benefited immensely from the work of Djozz and for that reason I'm willing to cut him some slack if he gets tetchy, if he ever does, because he didn't.
I was just a tiny bit annoyed, the comment was meant more friendly than it was interpreted. I do not need to cool down ;-)
My comment was meant partly tongue and cheek, and a little bit serious. I have the impression that some people read these tests as giving a rough idea of what happens with an emitter, but then there is the real world starting when the led is mounted into a flashlight, and that real world may well be very different from what I tested. They may not realise that my 'lab'tests are as real world as inside a flashlight, but there is just a difference in cooling, and there's light losses from reflectors and lenses. But these differences are very consistent and the performance of a led inside a flashlight can be readily predicted from the bench-tests.
I know that and he has my full respect for all of his knowledge and work. I have read them hundred of times and get a lot of info from there. It was not the issue here
The LD-1 uses a 1206 size sense resistor to set the current. Changing that resistor value will change the maximum output current. “R = 50mV/I, so 3A is 17 mohms and 4A is 13 mohms. Stock 5A is 10 mohms. One of the easier mods to do to a driver.
I have a LD-1 here, was thinking of putting it in a F13 or S2 or ZeusRay or X6, but after reading about the heat it can generate, I realized I probably ought to be putting the LD-1 into a bigger flashlight (more thermal mass). But still budget … any suggestions welcome.
I’ve played around with using copper oil gaskets to fit 17mm drivers into bigger openings, so size isn’t a limit.
Got one UniqueFire 1504 host coming, how’d that be? I know zoomies are less able to convey heat away …
