Post your LD-2 modded flashlights

[3Tronics]

Another LD-2 build, Convoy X3 de domed XML2, moonlight enabled, a must have light for everyone!

!!

[seasam]

Finished my Convoy M1 non-pill edition with XM-L2 U4. Used 22 gauge pre-soldered wire and qlite spring with no bypass but a 22 gauge bypass in the tailcap. It’s a tight fit with 22 gauge and 30 gauge in through the stock M1 holes in the head. Everything went pretty well but in retrospect I probably wouldn’t put the NTC on bare copper as it appears in the picture, in case of a short. Fortunately I dislodged the ntc during initial soldering and it now sits on top of thermal adhesive rather than bare copper.

The thermal throttling does actually work at about 150F with a series of rapid blinks followed by a step down. One thing I noticed about this configuration is that the MCPCB transfers heat too efficiently to the host. With all the talk about good thermal interfacing and heat transfer/dissipation I find that in this case the whole flashlight gets too hot to hold before it hits the 150F step off. Maybe the pill configuration would be better at keeping heat in the head, but then again maybe it would overheat quicker. I have no way to test this idea. Just a thought.

But back to the driver, everything is working well and this seems to be a very nice option for us. I will say that I don’t recommend installing this driver as your first attempt into flashlight modification/soldering.

Thanks again led4power for this driver

[Bribo]

I was wondering if this would be possible or if the driver would get to hot due to the voltage difference between the battery and the LED.

[Rufusbduck]

@Bribo

I was wondering if this would be possible or if the driver would get to hot due to the voltage difference between the battery and the LED.

Not a good fit for just that reason. 2s(with appropriate mods)for a 6V led is fine or 2p to a 3V led.

[itsonlyme]

Bump, thought there would be more info here given the group buy that was done. Let’s see what you did with yours.

[3Tronics]

@itsonlyme

Bump, thought there would be more info here given the group buy that was done. Let’s see what you did with yours.

Build Thread: Triple XHP50 Monster (done)

As the title says, here’s the build thread for my triple XHP50 light, will update with pics as I go on The host is a SkyRay 3xT6 (looks like a niwalker 750n1 clone but with triple reflector.) really nice quality, not matte anodising but not that shiny stuff either, and the threads are smooth. its heavy, good mass in the head, and the body looks hefty. http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1720 ![image]! I am using: 3 XHP50 (not XHP70 due to heat) N2 E3 5500K copper MCP…

[hank]

the whole flashlight gets too hot to hold before it hits the 150F step off

Yup. Needs cooling fins. Something like this that I mentioned here long ago:

[ohaya]

Hi,

This may sound like a kind of stupid question, but can someone post a CLEAR pic showing where the + and - emitter leads go to on the LD-2 driver?

Thanks,
Jim

[Rufusbduck]

You’re right, it does. Led- is connected to the big drain tab of the FET so it goes to the hole closest. Led+ connects to the spring pad on the bottom and is isolated on the top. Very clear pictures in the info thread op.

[itsonlyme]

LD-2 : 6Amps pwm-less linear driver - info and FAQ thread

[image] LD-2 [image] Parasitic resistance of common drivers Important note! Driver comes with both solder jumpers unsoldered(driver's bottom side,1cell or 2 cell operation),so user must solder one of them (1S or 2S,never both at the same time) for proper operation. More under 2S (2x) Li-ion cell operation for “6V” LEDs" section. Useful links: LD-2 prototypes testing by djozz and HKJ(great reviews as usual,thanks guys): https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/33245 https://budgetlightforum.c…

[ohaya]

Thanks! That “info” thread was not working for awhile.

Jim

[itsonlyme]

I built a Solarforce M9 last night with a Xhp70.
Tail readings are

Ncr18650B high 5.91
Efest IMR 30A high 7.80
Sony VTC4 7.91

Stock dmm leads and stock springs

4500 lumens in or around going by Djozz tests.

[Lotus_Darkrose]

Breathed new life into my SpiderFire P7 light (C2 host).

—-LD-2 driver with moonlight at 6A
—-High gauge silicon wire to LEDs
—–3x Cree XP-L V6 2C (not de-domed) on 32mm Noctigon board
—3x 15.8mm X 8.8mm OP reflectors (http://www.kaidomain.com/Product/Details.S023420) Some dremeling was required (seen in 3rd photo)
—-AR coated lens
—-Omten switch
—-Spring bypass at driver and switch with high-gauge wire

The heatsink is made up of several stacked copper discs, and the 32mm Noctigon board all very tightly pressed together with Arctic Alumina thermal paste, making lots of direct contact with the body of the light. Should hold up great. From what I can tell, heat is transferring just fine when using on high.

And of course, some photos!

Thanks for looking

[MRsDNF]

Nice mod. Its good to see new life brought back into the old dog. With the tiny reflectors is the beam pattern floody?

[Lotus_Darkrose]

Thanks! It’s hard to tell inside my apartment exactly how floody it is. I’ll take some pictures out back along the nearby bike trail tonight.

Update: Here’s some beamshots!

Moonlight:

Low:

Medium:

High:

Vs EagleEye X6 with de-domed XM-L at 2.8A (eventually will modify driver lol)

[eebowler]

I would have posted a moded blf X6 but tonight while measuring tailcap current, there was a slip (-ve lead on battery may have slipped and touched the +ve lead on body) and a little spark, and the light died. Amusingly, it went in stages. First, moonlight alone worked. After trying a couple minutes hoping the modes would come back, I took off the light. 5 mins later when I put it back on, nothing. Opened it up, battery was warm. Now it’s shorting. lol. Wouldn’t get a chance to check out the circuit till tomorrow evening. Nothing smelt burnt though. ;(

[Rufusbduck]

Just finished two BLF EE X6’s with spring mods, stock emitters. Had to trim the button on one tail cap cover to reduce switch sensitivity. Both measured ~ 5. 5A with new LG HE4 cells. Very thick, short wires but no guarantees on my set up. Medium is comparable to high on the stock BLF edition. Also modded is a 502 B that had some body work done to accommodate 2 x 18650 cells for an XHP 50. Baked ano, copper fins and pill that screws to reflector and fins, solder wick switch spring. Thanks for the tip on the NTC short. I’ll post current draw later this week.

[M4D_M4X]

that light looks fantastic!

[cajampa]

@Rufusbduck

Just finished two BLF EE X6’s with spring mods, stock emitters. Had to trim the button on one tail cap cover to reduce switch sensitivity. Both measured ~ 5. 5A with new LG HE4 cells. Very thick, short wires but no guarantees on my set up. Medium is comparable to high on the stock BLF edition. Also modded is a 502 B that had some body work done to accommodate 2 x 18650 cells for an XHP 50. Baked ano, copper fins and pill that screws to reflector and fins, solder wick switch spring. Thanks for the tip on the NTC short. I’ll post current draw later this week.

Wow, that looks great i love the wooden tube grip part of it

[Rufusbduck]

Thanks guys, I like how it’s turned out too, especially how the figure in the cherry matches the baked ano.

@eebowler

I would have posted a moded blf X6 but tonight while measuring tailcap current, there was a slip (-ve lead on battery may have slipped and touched the +ve lead on body) and a little spark, and the light died. Amusingly, it went in stages. First, moonlight alone worked. After trying a couple minutes hoping the modes would come back, I took off the light. 5 mins later when I put it back on, nothing. Opened it up, battery was warm. Now it’s shorting. lol. Wouldn’t get a chance to check out the circuit till tomorrow evening. Nothing smelt burnt though. ;(

Might not be the driver but the led or protected cell over current trip. Look for black spots at the bond wires or try a different cell.