Yes, I assume there are variances in the LED's, maybe though these are worse than most? I thought CREE's were binned pretty good.
I'm not familiar with Simon's 8A driver but the only right way to do these high amps (8-9A) with these LED's is buck/boost, and that's probably expensive. If his driver doesn't do boost, then the circuit resistance matters big time. You need to do everything right - spring bypasses, decent size LED wires, decent cell. I assume his driver probably has more internal resistance than a FET+1, so all those make a difference. Basically, you need higher amp capability in order for his driver to regulate or buck down.
The 40T is good but still you need to address the rest of it.
Btw, in the past when I used to buy drivers, we were always buying 4 amp, 5 amp, 6 amp rated drivers relatively cheap, and I could never get the rated amps out of them, ever... It's not surprising. 2-3 amps is easily do-able, above that, it's not easy.
Here's what Simon's HX looks like mounted in the SD Mini with the MCPCB trimmed, 22 AWG wires. The opening was more like 19 mm, and clearance had to made for the switch PCB wires
Hi Tom!
You take these longer awg26 wires to limit the amps?
So it would be a risk for the LED cause of the FET driver?
It should be an easy mod otherwise, or?
Yes - longer smaller gauge wires to reduce amps with the stock FET+1 driver. With the GT Mini I used a 35E and an older 30Q. 30Q did a little better, about 9 amps, while the 35E did about 8.6 amps. I've found max output is about 9 amps, but of course, output and amps will drop as the battery drains.
My GT Mini already has spring bypasses so I left them in. I specially like to leave the tail spring bypass in because my amp readings on the clamp meter with the tail cap off better reflect true running amps. If there was a poor tail spring, running amps will typically be lower then what I measure.
I've found the Boost HX performance to be quite good. Lumens at 30 secs is in the 1300's, at start lumens in the 1400's. Seems lower than what the tests indicated but still, good output for this type of LED, comparable to a XPL HI in a FET+1, but the XPL HI is at lower amps. The stock XPL HI did around 145 kcd.
Yeah - I went straight to the Boost HX. It matches well to FET based drivers, as Funtastic said. You still have to be careful though with measuring the amps and adding some resistance. Seems like the Boost HX's Vf is a little lower than the SST-40, though I believe 9 amps is about the max ideal for both.
Yeah understood about the FET drivers, I was thinking in terms of the reflector and suitability to the Osrams. Can’t find the post now but I think Zozz tested the CSLPM1 and only got a negligible increase in throw.
Edit: my D80v2 with SST40 just starts turning blue on turbo, don’t think it’s pulling that many amps though
I’ve put one into a Nitecore NEW P30 today. I’m getting a good 20% less lux than it had with the stock LED. Granted I didn’t change the driver and the LED may get driven too hard, but honestly I don’t think so. The NEW P30 claims to produce some 1000 lumens from its XP-L HI. Also it doesn’t even get warm on turbo with the Boost HX.
Also, the two Boost HX I got from Convoy were quite a surprise. I ordered them mounted on an MCPCB, and they arrived with solder and residue all over it, including on the LED and the back of the MCPCB. If I hadn’t ordered from the official Convoy store I would be 100% sure I’d received a fake.
So yeah, not a great start for me. I think I’ll stick with the 3030 Osrams.
