You mean LD-1? LD-2 didn't have ramping.
This version of LD-3 is clicky switch only (so there isn't ramping UI of-course) and I don't see what LD-1 or LD-2 had that LD-3 doesn't have when we talk about clicky switch?
Your suggestions are welcome, so if you have more ideas except ramping for e-switch firmware, feel free to post it.
Is it XHP35 ready m8 ? Can you tune a 2.5amps XHP35 version since i`ve found out that 3amps are kinda high for XHP35
You can use 3A version for that, and set current between 2.0A and 3.0A (0.125A steps) in configuration settings.
Could I make a few little requests/suggestions for a future e-switch version?
I have 2 main EDC lights, both e-switch only, both using LD2 drivers. One is an XPL-HI triple (at 12A), The other is a 6V XHP70 (at 9A). Both of these lights work brilliantly (pun intended), and I appreciate the work you have put in to make such fantastic drivers.
However, there are a few main issues that I have found with the UI:
1. It (XHP70 at 9A) has, on two occasions, turned on by itself in my pocket. The first time, it was in low, so it just wasted battery life, no harm done. The second time, it was in turbo, and didn’t thermal throttle until it had already burned the inside of my coat pocket and roasted the VTC5s.
Of course this is always a risk for e-switch lights, but it would be very nice to have some form of electronic lock-out (maybe a certain number or timing of button presses).
2. Both lights use UI2 (mode step ramp). This UI is better than the other 2 for me, as the ‘hold to ramp through modes’ is my favorite mode change method, and the ‘hold from off = moonlight’ is essential for me to use any light as an EDC.
Unfortunately, the ramping interface has (for me at least) a very significant flaw: the ramp direction cannot be switched quickly, and a quick press followed by another press and hold is counted as a double click, which goes to moon or turbo.
I may not have worded that well, so I think an example I have everyday will be clearer:
I long press - turns on the light in moon.
I press and hold - light goes up to low, which I use for a few seconds.
I decide I need more light than low, so I press and hold - light goes down to moon, so;
I have to release and re-press and hold - light goes back up through low to medium.
If I try to do a quick press before it gets to moon (to change the direction), and then press and hold again, this is registered as a double-click, which puts it into turbo, which I then have to press and hold to get out of.
I would suggest removing the double-click feature, and making it so that a quick press followed by press and hold carries on ramping in the original direction. I.e; if I’ve just gone from low to medium, a quick press, release, and then press and hold should ramp up to turbo (for example).
3. I love your decision to set medium at 20% of the max current, as it corresponds to approximately 33% of the max LED output, which, to human perception, appears approximately 50% of the max brightness.
That mode spacing works very well, especially considering the battery usage efficiency of that method. It is honestly the best mode spacing ratio I have ever seen or used. However, the next mode down is not 20% x 20% = 4, but rather it is 2. I’ve noticed this as low appearing too large a jump down from medium. This also means that with only 3 regulated modes, that low is too far from moon (in my case low= 300lm, moon= 0.5lm).
I would suggest using that 20% ratio universally between 4 or 5 regulated modes, with moon and DD being optional settings like in LD-3.
i.e: moon-0.2–0.8–4–20–100%/DD
Those are my humble suggestions. I don’t expect you to use your time and energy to implement anything just because I asked; I am saying if I could rewrite any LD-2 UI code, those are the only changes I’d ever want to make (oh and maybe triple-fast-click for strobe or battery monitor or something).
If you do make any changes similar to the above for the next e-switch version, you can at least put me down for 2 
.
Would silicone cubes or potting with thermal adhesive be required if using this with a single XP-L HI or XM-L2?
If my calculations are correct, there would be 2 - 2.6W of dissipation from a fully charged battery (4 - 4.2V).
Edit: I’ve just realised that it’ll be higher…I’ve only calculated the dissipation up to 3A and I’d want to use the 6A driver, probably set to 4A. :person_facepalming:
So…follow up question, would potting the back of the driver with silicone thermal adhesive before installing be sufficient?
From LD-2 thread (same is correct for LD-3):
|
Thermal resistance[oC/W] |
Max. continuous dissipation[W] |
Bare driver |
45 |
~1W |
Driver+alu-pill |
22 |
~2W |
Driver+alu-pill+silicone cubes |
16 |
~3W |
For you case,worst case dissipation at 4A for XP-L would be ~(4.1V-3.5V)*4A=2.4W, so it will be just fine with silicone cubes,no need for anything better (this is for high drain battery and pretty low Vf=3.5V at 4A,most top bin LEDs have higher Vf at those currents).
What is important, that numbers from table are calculated for worst case scenario, when flashlight is already hot (60C)! This means driver can handle almost two times more power dissipation when flashlight is at 20C,for example about 5.3Watts for third case. So in real world you could probably use driver for your setup even without silicone cubes,since battery voltage would drop by ~0.2V or more while flashlight reaches 60C temp.
But,I usually put silicone cubes in every pill,they are very chep and they keep driver cooler,which reduces mosfet resistance,so you could get a little bit higher currents in high/DD mode while flashlight is still not too hot.
Can this power XPG2 from 2x26650 @ 5.5A or 6A?
Not if you mean 2x26650 in series,LD-3 is linear type of driver.
I just read the tittle now so i am guessing led4power that you lift? What kind of vitamin s? Decca Stana Dianabol Anavar? Some casual HGH?” 
Hello,
I´d like to mod a BTU Shocker with three MT-G2 LEDs in parallel configuration.
I think each MT-G2 should be driven with maximum 4A in current regulated mode and “a bit more” in DD-Mode, so I would like to use a LD-3 with 12A.
Is it possible to use 3S Battery configuration or will this kill the LD-3?
cooling the LD-3 is possible with copper-plates and heat-conductive paste or Thermal Conduction Silicone Rubber Cubes.
I know, that in lower output modes, the driver have to burn more power than in higher output modes because of lower Vf and lower Voltagedrop at springs etc. and lower Voltagedrop at Batteries.
Should I use only 2S?
Thanks
Markus
Hi Markus,
are you talking about 9V version of MT-G2, or 6V? If you have 6V version,2S battery is the option,and if you have 9V version - 3S.
3xMT-G2 is high power setup,so mosfet cooling must be good.But I have an idea how to solve that easily - I can send you Mosfet mounted on old LD-M2 board with connection diagram,this should be the easiest way to cool mosfet (and there should be plenty of space in BTU for pcb mounting).
Hi,
thanks.
My MT-G2s are 6V Version.
With 2S I´ve 6V to 8,4V, even less.
so in high current-mode, Vf is 6,5V I think. Input voltage is high enough.
I didn´t unterstand you :innocent:
If you send me Mosfet on old LD-M2 board, I´ve only Mosfet with DD with one maximum output-mode???
If it´s possible, so I would use different output-modes for this flashlight.
Thanks.
EDIT:
Or does you mean, you send me LD-3 and Mosfet on extra PCB for better cooling???
That's correct, LD-3 driver with extra mosfet on MCPCB.
Hi, rather than hijacking djozz’s review thread anymore, I thought I’d ask my questions here…
As mentioned in the other thread, I’m seeing a flicker when changing modes (it’s particularly apparently when changing lower modes, possibly just because I’m not being blinded by them!). I’ve tried a different switch and various ways of directly connecting the body and the battery, and it’s still flickering, so I don’t think it’s the switch.
One other thing I’ve noticed is that the click to change the mode has to be very quick, much quicker than the H17F and BLF X6 drivers I’m using in other lights. Is this normal?
I’m just trying to figure out if I’ve fried any component(s) and if it’s worth stripping down to try and fix, or if it is just different and I need to get used to it.
A quick (and slightly out of focus) video: - YouTube
My other lights change mode at the initial click speed I’m showing here.
There is a possibility of some kind of damage after soldering,or short between components,so it will be good to check that first(you could send me few pictures of driver top/bottom in PM).
Mode change timing of LD-x is such that you can't change mode if you do full press (turn off and on),I think that's "natural" way - typical half press (0.1~0.3 sec) would change mode,anything else is interpreted as turn off.
Thanks, I’ll get it taken apart and send photos.
So the mode change is a little quicker than my other lights, I’ll get used to that as I’ll planning on using this as my EDC 
I would like to run 2 XHP70 LEDs 6V PCB 5Amax
can 1 LD-3 driver 12A version handel two XHP70 or should I use two 6A driver?
Which input voltage is recommended? 2S or better 3S or 4S?
Hi,answered to your message in PM. 2S is for XHP-70s in parallel.
welcome 0skill!
i hope you will share some pictures of your project ;)
Hello, I have a question.
I recently installed an LD-3 into a p60 triple. It was working fine, super bright and then I went to bed.
The next day it would only go into moonlight mode or something of that sort.
It’s very dim, and has a slow (1 second) soft start. I cannot get it to switch modes, and I can’t get it to enter programming mode.
Please help.