I think it’s pretty clear what this thread is about. You can say what driver you want (linear, buck, buck-boost, current requirements, diameter, input voltage range, maybe desired IC, etc…). I’m sure there are some good ideas out there that just need someone to develop a driver. I can try to build driver boards as well, but I can’t program them. Just tell what your driver of your dreams would be, but please stay realistic. Now let’s see what you have in mind.
This is a good idea. If we can get next gen firmware running on the latest MCU’s (the 1617 looks the most promising but not sure if they are able to be programmed yet) then we can have a few universal hardware and firmware options that should be able to cover almost everything.
Of course, when someone finds a very good IC that would work great with a driver, just post the datasheet. And if there is some interest, I can make a post briefly talking about different possibilities to “convert” regular buck drivers into LED drivers.
4x18650 series boost driver to power a XHP70.2 at 6000+ lumens with configurable brightness and number of modes from 1 to 7, ramp up, down, easy access to turbo and firefly, hidden SOS and blinkies, e-switch compatible with a find me led under the rubber button
OK
A driver with:
6V input (2S)
Output two independent 10A channels (controlled by own switch)
Fan connector that recieves power based on either or both output cmchannels (so when the two are at max, fan runs at max)
1. Buck-boost-FET, 1s/2s in 1s/2s out. On fresh battery, it’s a buck. On less fresh buck-boost, at the end boost. For max power, FET. Near optimal efficiency and optimal peak output.
2. High power, very efficient 3V in 6V/12V out boost. Actually moderately-high power (like GXB17) would be superb too if it got first-class firmware.
For e-switch lights, firmware will probably be relatively simple. I’ve been making a UI toolkit which abstracts out the hardware details, so pretty much any UI should be able to run on pretty much any hardware. When there’s new hardware, patch the toolkit to add support, and then every compatible UI should work with little or no changes.
Or that’s the idea, at least. So far I’ve only actually tried it on the D4 and Q8 drivers.
It should be roughly the same as the xhp70 tests with a bit lower Vf.
At 6V it should need around 10A to reach 6000 lumens. Pretty normal for an XHP70 in a flashlight. Some are driving the .2 versions to almost 20A.
As a general rule we like to drive each die of an LED to 5A and as high as 10A. Less then this is not in great demand on BLF but there are cases where people would want this.
1. 1S Buck-Boost Driver for 2.8-4V LEDs which does up to 5A, but it configurable down to 3A. Controlled by eswitch with many low modes (like Zebralight), overtemp and overdischarge protection. Maybe also a version for clicky switches.
2. Buck driver with 7-8A for 3-4V LEDs and 2S-3s input. Should have all the usual features.
3. 30-50A Buck driver for 3-4V LEDs with flashlight compatible form (round, diameter not more than 50mm). Battery input should be 3-4S (with very low internal resistance). Must have overheating protection for driver and also LED. Must also have additional, small buck circuit for much lower modes. I know this one is rather difficult, but as long as it stays under 100$ and is actually useable it would be great. It would be used with Luminus CBT-140 and CFT-90 LEDs.
4. Boost Driver for 6V or 12V (preferably 6V) with 30W output, lots of low modes, eswitch, and all the other usual features.
As a Buck-Boost, one option would be the TPS63027 usable, maybe up to 2A for UV LEDs.
The more you step down voltage, the less efficient the driver is. So a 2S config for 3-4V LEDs would be better, or 4S with 2 3-4V LEDs in series or one 6V LED.
