I think that there will be Noctigon boards eventually, but probably not for a few months.
If the traces in the MCPCB are too thin to carry the desired amps in the 6V config, wouldn’t there be huge advantages to running in the 12V config for the same desired total watts? ie: assuming the same power, doesnt higher voltage/lower amps travel much better through the same copper than lower voltage/higher amps? Its just for the sake of discussion, and I understand the sinkpad might have additional choke points.
Also, could a standard MCPCB (MK-R or XM-L) be modified by properly cutting the traces to put the emitter into serial config for 12V? Im not sure if the thermal pad not being electrically isolated while in the 12V config would prevent that.
That jumper looks silly on the sinkpad. I think we need a dedicated 12V MCPCB to prevent reflector clearance and other shorting hazards from botching up our builds.
It’s not silly, but looking at the datasheet would answer your question. You can modify a standard MCPCB but not to make it look like Cree’s recommended 12v footprint. Instead you’d have to use an airwire from one corner of the emitter to the other corner of the emitter. It may not be obvious how big this hurdle is until you draw out the 4 LED chips on a piece of paper, complete with the two sequential connections, and then attempt to draw the wiring in for 12v. Isolating the thermal pad requires either an airwire or a big jumper (like 1206 size).
Yes, 12v would result in less resistive losses.
EDIT: to clarify, the thermal pad is always electrically isolated unless you connect it to something. Cree recommends that you connect the thermal pad in between the two strings of 2 chips for the 12v config. It’s a convenient way to route electricity from one corner of the LED to the other. Please take a look at Page 26 of the datasheet to see what I mean.
Thanks Wight. Ive actually been staring at that darn schematic for over a week now and wondered if the std mount could be modified. Gah! Lets hope Noctigon comes up with separate dedicated versions for 6V and 12V.
You’re welcome. The most practical way to use the 12v configuration commercially is to use a non-DTP PCB like what Cree shows. I just can’t see anyone pulling a rabbit out of the hat to produce a great 12v DTP board for enthusiasts. Modifying an XM-L Noctigon with two lengthwise cuts and an airwire is the most practical thing for enthusiasts who want DTP 12v XHP50’s I think. For XHP70 there may not be an ideal DTP 12v high current solution, SinkPAD’s product will be as good as it gets.
It’s not that bad for 12v! Enthusiasts have been using those thin traces to run XM-L and XM-L2 emitters for years, this is only a bit worse due to the trace length. For 6v I think sticking with the MK-R boards is probably in order though.
@RMM - sorry to fill your post with nonsense. PM me and I can delete with no hard feelings…
@wight - You’re right, those thin traces have held up well for the short lengths they must travel while surviving many 4 volt high amp ranges.
Alright, so here’s some FP math for you: 
My thoughts about the XHP70 were in regards to the efficiencies realized at the higher voltages. I had conjured an extension tube for a BTU Shocker without a cell carrier. Basically cutting the existing BTU battery tube in half and inserting another longer tube inside the ID of the BTU battery tube to lengthen it. After head and tail mods, you could stack as many 18650’s as you wished (only limited to the length of the tube mod and a suitable buck driver). I was considering a 4S3P tube config and a 12A 7135 based driver. So, 3 x 12V XHP70 in parallel driven at 4A each. Extrapolating from Crees data sheet (amps for 6V/2 = 12V version) djozz graphs net 4750 lumens @8A, 7.5ish volts (that should net 14,250 lumens total for 3 emitters. Pushing through the CN11770_IRIS with 90% optical efficiency nets 12,825 lumens OTF.
A 50 cal ammo can would actually make a far more suitable host since the shape would more easily accommodate cell fitment and active cooling. Oh hell, now we might as well just consider a 400W HID and go for some serious lumens and throw and not have to worry about heat sinking and complex circuitry. I think I’ll just go boating , drink beer and steer… before insanity sets in.
If you glue the mcpcb with Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive, wouldn’t that break electrical continuity between the ground and positive, allowing the 12V circuit to be used mounted like we normally mount and given that the pad is now “hot”?
I have an X6 with the XHP70 under a Minnie-M and it pulls 7.45A for 4426 lumens out the front, so that correlates pretty well with djozz’s figures if that helps any in figuring the output. 6V, of course.
But you also have to consider that it’s not a throwy beam profile by any stretch of the imagination. What it DOES do is spread light evenly across a wide area with no rings or artifacts. Having used 3 of em now, I’ve seen an odd hue to each one. Not really greenish, but headed that way. That shows up in the beamshots pretty well but you really don’t notice it by eye until you turn on another light.
Cree has 6V variants that are designed for the MK-R. No fancy business with airwires or resistors. Then they have the dedicated XHP boards. How do I know this? I’m looking at em! :bigsmile:
Are you going to get any in the 420-460nm ?
Can I preorder this beast of a light!?
Damn, and I just received my 8500 lumen tn36 vn last night, to get dethroned by another coke can light in less than a week!
Getting more copper triple spacers?
Not for the S2/S6. The new S2s are a different design now, but I will be getting copper spacers in the future for the newer lights. For 'sane' drive levels (6A) the aluminum is just as good. The copper does offer a small advantage for some of the crazy direct drive triple XP-Ls though.
I didn’t know they changed the S2. Pill a different depth?
I liked the copper due to being able to solder to the pill.
The new S2 no longer has a removable pill. Same as the S3. It is an integral shelf.
do the KK 26700 cells fit in an xtar vp2?
Any plans to get 1A or 2A XP-L’s?
I will be getting some of the cooler XP-Ls as they become available. I'm not sure yet what the exact tint bins will be.
Alright you got me I had to order the XinTD, it just looks like such a nice light I couldn't wait for the xpg2. You can go ahead and restock on the XinTD xpg2's any day now and I'll still buy one of those as well! Had to get another p60 drop in too, the other one I got was so much nicer than the one I've been using, pulls way more amps, ect... Quality stuff man keep it comming! 
Fingers crossed for fast shipping!
I just tested your light and it will go out tomorrow morning. Thanks!
DrJones has an awesome new firmware he's writing for me. He's a smart guy and has implemented a couple of features into the driver that I didn't think would be possible.