The most recent listing has slightly different specs: http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=2123
As I mentioned, the early one I got didn't do anything different with the 'stars' bridged, it now has descriptions of what the stars do. Should be just a firmware change, the hardware is the same.
Group 1: 5modes by default (High/Mid/Low/Strobe/SOS) (no stars bridged)
Group 2: 5% 30% 100%
Group 3: 100% 30% Flash
Group 4: 100% 50%
Short-circuit two stars to change Group.
Before my time, but my understanding is that there was a light called Dry that had a driver that went into direct drive in the highest mode. When this driver became available separately, it became a very popular driver for mods. I'd like to know why this new "version" was called "Dry". It's so different in so many ways. Is there a new Dry light that uses this driver?
“DRY” is a name for this case, however the driver is not really physically dry or wet.
There was a flashlight called “DRY” back in few years ago, and Ric from CNQ has even organized a group buy for DRY in early 2012 in BLF and I bought one from there too (also the first GB I participated in BLF ). During that time there were not a lot of powerful multi-emitter flashlight and DRY was one of the highest lumens output LED flashlight available, putting out around 2500 OTF lumens was pretty impressive back then. The flashlight has good heatsinking (integrated) and the main point of this driver is allowing high current draw at turbo mode, it was claimed as direct-drive by the seller but it was actually still current regulated tested by somebody here.
And then there were several variations of this driver which I couldn’t remember the details. This year Ric has released the updated version of DRY flashlight, which is using this new larger diameter DRY driver. The older DRY driver was about 26mm (or a bit off), and the newer one is 32mm. According to CNQ website it seems that Ric has stopped selling the DRY driver separately, but the DRY flashlight is still available, though I’m not sure how is the quality and the driver inside.
To my understanding I think what comfychair trying to say is:
1. This driver accepts 2 cells in series - Correct
2. This driver can power 3 series XM-L2 - Correct
3. This driver can power 3 series XM-L2 with 2 cells in series - NO IT CAN’T (input voltage < required output voltage in this case, and a boost driver is needed for this job)
I think I remember reading that an updated version of the DRY was in the works? Apparently the new host will fit this new driver, hence the name.
These drivers are still available. This is the second revision of this new style - first version, discontinued now: http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1349 ; current version with updated firmware: http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=2123
Old version DRY empty host still listed here, though only 3 left: http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1177 I do not think this new driver will fit the 1st gen DRY host, though.