Hi guys, it’s been a while. My last post was in 2015, good lord!
Anyway, I got the flashlight bug again and this time I wanted something unique and old school looking in a small package for hunting trips. Wide spill for walking through thick bush and an exposed tail switch for use with gloves on.
Great little torch, but I bought it as a host. The user interface is not to my liking, there’s no last mode memory and it always starts in moonlight. Not to mention turbo is accessed by double tapping while in moonlight mode. It takes practice to do it, and impossible with gloves on.
Anyway, I want to throw out the driver and the LED (SFH55 LED 6500k) and install something with the following:
High CRI
Capable of producing 2000lm or more
5000k
Floody (at least more than the SFH55 LED)
Regulated, constant current driver
Guys, I’m new to all this and I don’t really know what to choose. I’ve changed an LED and driver before, but I have no idea where to go for the requirements I’ve listed above.
Here’s a video of me breaking down the torch for closer inspection:
I’d really appreciate your ideas and pearls of wisdom. Thank you!
If you want 5000k, high CRI, AND constant current, your choices are somewhat limited.
In 3v, you would need a multi-519A setup, and if you want constant current (not FET), there aren’t too any options - Firefly E07x Pro/E12R, or Acebeam E75, or a Hanklight with boost driver, or Lumintop FW3X modded with 519A. I think Hank can sell you the drivers without the light, not sure. I think some people buy the FW3X just to salvage the constant current Lume1 driver in it. Other than 519A or 719A, I don’t really know of any bright 3v high CRI LEDs in 5000k… there is SST20 4000k high CRI, there is SFN55/SFH55/SFP55 3000k (90 CRI), SFT-40 3000k (95 CRI), etc.
In 6v, which for single cell requires a constant current boost driver by default, there is the XHP70.3 HI or HD, which can be had in high CRI. There are a reasonable number of options that don’t come with high CRI XHP70.3 out of the box, so you have to mod them in. If you want it made to order, ready to go, Convoy sells them with XHP70.3 HI 5000k high CRI in a few different light options (reflector, TIR, big, small, tail switch, e-switch, etc.). If you really want to mod the driver into original Mateminco host, Convoy also sells the drivers without host in a variety of sizes. Convoy also sells a variety of cool hosts by themselves.
The GT-FC40 is another LED that can fit the bill (5000k and high CRI), but the 12v driver requirement makes it hard to find drivers. Convoy builds are the most practical there.
Since you want to keep the light using the same host, I can only really think of 1 way of doing this well.
For starters, measure the diameter of the driver using some calipers. This tells us what driver can fit.
Assuming it is a good size, you could get an XHP70.3HI from Convoy and the matching diameter driver (6v boost driver) to swap into the light.
You’ll also possibly need a centering gasket of the right size and a new MCPCB. It isn’t too clear if the light is actually using a 7070 SFN55 or a 11x10 SFH55. It’d help if you could post a closeup photo.
EDIT: just watched the video, looks like the driver is 17mm, you could use Convoy’s 6V 4A “XHP50” driver for approximately 2500-3000lm, or alternatively if you can get the driver pocket enlarged by a machinist it would work even better to have the 6V 8A 22mm driver and get over 4k lumens in the 100% mode.
Thank you for that informative reply elemental.
If I want a more floody beam, would the XHP70.2 or 70.3 be better do you think?
Inside the head there is a recess that the stock 17mm driver sits in, but above that it’s bang on 22mm. My only worry is a 22mm driver sitting farther out taking up too much room, making the battery struggle to fit. Mind you, an unprotected 18650 seems to have a lot of room inside. If I remove the body/handle I can push the battery back into the tailcap spring by almost 10mm
I’ll definitely be taking a look into Convoy’s drivers. I think the 4A driver may just be the ticket. I can imagine the heat build-up would be something with 8A pushing 4k lumens in such a small light. Would be cool though!
Stay away from the XHP70.2 if you can, it is infamous for bad tint shift. The XHP70.3 reduces the tint shift a lot. The XHP70.3 comes both with dome (HD, more flood) and without dome (HI, more throw), so if you really want flood, the XHP70.3 HD would be strictly superior to the XHP70.2.
The brass retaining ring appears to be making contact with components on the driver, or at least very nearly!
Is this a problem or do I need to machine a little off the brass ring to avoid contact?
Hi guys, it’s been a few weeks now and I’ve managed to get everything together and built.
However, I’ve encountered a bizarre problem that I think is best explained in this short video:
I’ve even switched to Convoy’s group 8, which tops out at 50%. Same issue, which leads me to believe it’s not overheating. But that’s just an uneducated guess.
Has anybody seen this before or know what’s going on?
