Hi all,
I recently purchased this flashlight and when i insert fully charged 18650 batteries and turn it on, the LEDs only flashes.
Can anybody diagnose the problem and suggest how i can repair the flashlight?
Also, would appreciate if you could tell me which model are the LED chips and LED driver used.
Thanks!!
Looks like a Buck driver, older XM-L led’s. You may try cleaning the retaining rings with alcohol, making sure the switch retaining ring is good and tight and also make sure the driver retainer ring is tightened down good.
Well, the LB on the Stars probably indicates Lattice Bright emitters which are XML clones. There’s quite a lot of excess adhesive and -a buck driver might not have enough voltage overhead to run three emitters in parallel(most need 1V or more). Maybe try it with 2 cr123’s first since they’re readily available and cheap and if that fixes it get 2 18350’s. edit I need to read better, what he said. Make sure the driver is getting the correct voltage from those cells.
It looks like ground is established by the big spring pressing the driver into the stepped pocket so make sure the plated edge of the driver and the lip it rests on are both clean. This connection could be improved with a ring connector under the reflector screw+ wire soldered to the edge of the driver. Problem might actually be with the solder connection of the big spring, that’s hard to see.
haha I never even saw the LB until you said something
Could you take another picture showing the driver from the spring side? Could be a cold joint on the spring.
You could be tripping the protection on your cells if its trying to pull too much current or if it has a short.
Hey guys thanks for the feedback. tried cleaning the terminals and checked for possible short circuit. still with same problems.
In any case i need to change the driver, it is an opportunity to upgrade. Any suggestion for emitter and driver upgrades? links will be appreciated.
Some pics of the current driver.
Do you mean the emitters just flash the once or keep flashing ?
It”s not just in strobe/blinky mode is it ?
It simply flashes once when i press on the power button.
Ah sorry please ignore me.
The solder on the spring looks ok but not so good where it joins to the board. It rolls under there indicating a possible cold joint (solder not wetted to the board). Behavior sounds like low voltage shutdown which could be that or some other high resistance block. How are the cells loaded? How many? Do they all insert in the same direction or does one go in reversed?
There are 2 18650 cells, both loaded in the same direction facing forward.
Hey guys, i also noticed that when i turn it on leave it for a while, the driver becomes quite hot.
Is it possible that the driver is damaged somehow? what kind of driver should i replace it with?
Those LEDs look like CREE XM-L clones (Lattice Bright). Can another member please confirm?
EDIT: NVM saw other comments saying they are in fact LB.
You’ll need some kind of buck driver, either one that fits directly or using the original board stripped of components as a contact board. Look for one with 8.4V input and up to 9A output.
The driver is 26mm and i am having a hard time time finding one. if anyone has a link on fasttech or aliexpress, please share. thanks!
EDIT: found this, but it is only 2.21A max output.
Will i need something more with those Lattice Bright emitters? or will 2.21A be enough?
How about this one? - it has an output voltage of 6V, is that ok?
Found another one but the output is 2.5A
anyone?
Patience, somebody’s around most of the time but not always looking. 6V output is for either 2 LEDs in series or a 6 V led like the mtg, xhp50/70. The last driver might only work 2 cells to 2 LEDs or 3 cells to 3 LEDs. I suggested a buck driver since you have 2 cells in series to 3 LEDs in parallel. They could be rewired in series but then you’d need a boost driver instead and those are even thinner on the ground over 2A. Keep looking and posting links to possibilities. I don’t have time to look for you myself right now but maybe tomorrow I can scrounge some more time.
Buck= battery voltage above led voltage
Boost = battery voltage below sum of led voltages if in series
Linear = battery voltage just above led voltage and excess wasted as heat.
Thanks a lot mate!