Im wondering if anyone can steer me towards a host that will fit This 35mm 3-up optic.
I know it will fit perfectly in the IOS T10 and T10B, but with the optic up front it leaves way too much empty space between the optic and the bottom of the pill. Extending a heat sink that will span the length of the deep head and connect with the body for heat dispersal will just be too much overkill and weight.
I’ll be running three XP-G2 2B with a semi coppering of the thermal path on the aluminum board. This will be my first 3-up (series), and I’m not really sure of the driver I’m going to use, but I’m leaning towards two cells. I’m not sure if a one cell set up would work.
Anyway, if you have any suggestion, I’ll study them. Not too deep of a head would be perfect, and driver space is always appreciated.
I’ve had the host Gords1001 used in mind, but a 3 X 18650 host just seems a little much for my XP-G2 triple. I do think I’ll need 2 X 18650 to properly drive them though. I’m not that familiar with what exactly is required to run three XPG2s in series.
I tried two 18500s in the T10. It would fit with the emitter board on 1/8 copper sink and a single board. But nowhere for the heat to go except through the driver and batteries.
With two cells you will need a boost driver for 3 LEDs in series like the maxflex from Taskled or a cheaper one from China. With 3 cells you can use a buck driver which are more robust as well as being easy to find.
35mm doesn’t seem to be a very common size for flashlights even though it’s mr11. I happen to be partial to smaller form factors and the cute3 is the smallest triple that can still produce anything like a decent spot. I like the 20 mm triple but it’s a flooder, period.
Hmmm. This is looking more complicated than I though. I bought the three-up for a couple of dollars just to give it a try, but if I’m going to need three cells and a host that’ll take one of those bigger buck drivers, its all starting to sound like a waste of time for what it is. Probably easier and cheaper to buy a Warrior with a proper reflector and swap LEDs.
How would this 3-up run with one 18650 on direct drive? What kind of current would I be getting to each emitter?
I’ve used this driver with a Luxeon 3up from ledsupply.com, but the Luxeon emitters are spec’ed for 1000 mA, and this driver only really does 1000mA output with 2xLi-ion batteries (I use 2x18350 or 2x16340s in a UF S5 host).
I’ve been following your other thread, and know about that driver. I’d like to drive these XP-G2s a little harder. I plan to mount the aluminum PCB onto a slug of copper, and then drill three small holes through each thermal pad and drive a copper pin through each one into the copper slug. It’s a thermal transfer experiment. Sounds good on paper, but who knows. Being an optic, I don’t expect a super thrower or anything so I don’t want to get into any major sized build with it.
the cnqg host is good BUT your going to need a pill making/machining for most builds due to the optic height.
I do have a tube host in mind that may work IF the diameter is right and you can wire the board for parallel, thwn you could run the three emitters off a 4.5a nanjg and king kong at 1.5a/emitter. I’ll have a measure of it tonight.
Somebody else did that with a triple last winter with success. The hard part is getting the copper pins filed to just the right height. You might try tinning all the pads, it helps stabilize the pcb while your filing it down. I ground it close with a dremel and filed the rest. That was on a 10mm pcb.
Works best if you don't file the top of the pins after installing, file the top face flat before pressing it into the board and set it in flush, then leave the excess length sticking out the bottom. Much less to damage if you do the filing on the bottom.
edit: XPG2 center pad is so small and the copper wire has to be equally small so you could likely use a good pair of flush cutters instead of a file.
I plan to file the end of the copper pin as flat as possible, then drive them through the PCB and copper slug from the top with a plastic capped mallet, then cut off the excess from the underside.
You shouldn't have to hammer or press in the pins, finger tight is fine. Then squash them with pliers so the copper expands like a hot rivet. Much more secure like that, depending on a press fit probably wouldn't work as the copper & aluminum are so soft. A tight fit when you start will probably be loose once it's in.