Thanks for providing the detailed test data on these boost drivers. I would really like to find a 1-2AA driver that can do better efficiency than these; 50-55%.
Hope the next one does better….
My favorite 2AA right now is Sandwich Shoppe BB Nexgen. Single mode, expensive, but efficient at 80-90%. Swapping sense resistor configs the drive current up to 1A. It won’t run on single AA though.
Thanks Slim Pickens. Yeah I knew they were single mode and said it tongue in cheek. I seriously am in the poo if the memory on them doesn't work. Cheers.
Light humor! Jeeze, I can be just a tad slow on the uptake :party:
Just a quick update. In testing this driver in an identical flashlight as the IOS 3 mode driver with memory, the last link in the first post, this driver running a NiMH rechargeable and XP-G LED and the other a LiFePO4 and XP-G2 LED, this driver LED combination had a slight but noticeable better light output. I was impressed to say the least.
Slim Pickens. Light humour. I like it.
Hi MRsDNF, thanks very much! Sticky’d. Sorry I didn’t make it frontpage too, the layout is just fine for a review, but it doesn’t blend with the frontpage layout very well.
Yes, but it has Mode Memory! It remembers to stay ON… 
I moved this here to ask a question on this topic.
Has anyone managed to Reverse-Engineer one of these to discover which is ‘that’ Resistor? Wouldn’t it be salvageable if the reset were eliminated?
Or has the IC been identified (I am looking!!)? It seems the datasheets provide the schematics for a lot of these “proprietary” circuits… Except for the IC programming (e.g. hiding blinky modes)… I have that skill, so I’d LOVE to have a go at this one.
Would you tell us more about your testing methodology and equipment. It would be nice to know the accuracy of the tools and stuff like, if you if you go in series to measure current at the same time for the input and output? Leads length and AWG?
A big thanks if you can offer good details.
Here's a link to said resistor mod on the Jacob A60 to remove its "next mode memory" issue. This has been done on quite a few lights. I'm not sure which post has the best details explaining it. viffer750 is the king of these mods!
-Garry
If someone knew how to mod this with same mode memory it would be a great AA only driver.
This driver has the same problem.
All I want is a good 1+A (If, not tailcap!) 1*AA driver for an XM-L.
Mine has a Microchip PIC12F683 snuggled under the Toroid. Just found the datasheet Working on the stupid memory…
PIC programming isn’t hard, connecting to the chip is…
If anyone has a reference schematic…? The “bleed resistor” gags me, but I’ll try it, leakage current bedamned.
BTW, the driver you linked uses some CAB1T, for which I can’t dig up a datasheet yet.
That being quite different, I’m going to focus on this one for now.
One stable at a time, Hercules, one stable at a time…
1) Can I use this driver with AA alkaline battery? Or a I have to by Ni-MH AA accumulator?
2) Is this possible to disable “strobe” and “SOS”?
Hi and welcome Maks4er. I would recommend a good Ni-MH battery with this driver as the high current drain would possibly cause the battery to leak. The strobe and sos are separate modes which can be activated by the below method which is copied from the first post. I'm not sure what you mean by Ni-MH accumulator.
Good AA NiMH battery is recommended
Running 5 seconds on Low mode the light will flash, then you can change group by turning off and on.
Group I: 100%-50%-5%
Group II: 100%-50%-5%-Strobe-SOS
I did not like this driver because of of the next mode memory which means that when you turn the flashlight of in say medium the next time you turn it on it will be in low mode. I prefer drivers that turn on in the mode that you turn it of on which is called same mode memory. Good luck on your search.
Sorry for my English, I mean Ni-MH battery)
Thanks for help and explanations.
@ MRsDNF
From my limited electronic understanding, all next mode memory drivers have a capacitor that stores energy to keep that memory working. As soon as you discharge that capacitor, the memory is wiped off and the light will restart any time in high (if that's the first mode programmed, of course)
I see on your driver there are more than one capacitor, but a simple test should not be harmful.
Switch light on, switch off. Now short for a moment the terminals of one of the capacitors (I used the tips of the tweezers), then switch the light on again. If you did discharge the right capacitor, the light will start with the first mode. If the capacitor was not the right one, it will still next mode. There should be no harm in doing this, as discharging a capacitor in a non-powered circuit should not harm anything at all. Experts correct me if I'm wrong.
When you have found the guilty capacitor, then just solder a resistor across it. Try with 1Mohm first, and see if a lower value is needed. The lower the value, the shorter the memory-wiping time.
Thanks Rockspider. I assume the capacitors are the bits with the yellowy brownish stripe?
Yes the capacitors are usually a yellowish-brownish kind of colour, all the body of the capacitor is the same color, no stripes, no easily visible numbers (although some has very fine printings that can be seen with magnifying and good light)
I am
EDIT
using”4/3 A” NiMh cells— that’s the “18650” size more or less.
these, which I ended up getting several of: Tenergy 4/3A 17670 Size 3800mAh NIMH Rechargeable Battery - Tenergy
so I can convert my older 18650 li-ion lights to use these 1.2v drivers, and give the lights away.
Probably along with some connector wire with alligator clamps and magnets so my friends can get these big NiMH cells to charge by connecting them to their AA-size chargers.
Hank do the drivers you have some sort of mode memory? They work out at $5.50 Aussie dollars each which isn't to bad.
I have a few of these to try but haven't got around to it yet. They are slightly different to previous versions I've had which I was happy with.
Just need a driver now that will cover voltages from .9 volt up to 4.2 volts, still. 
The ones I have are marked LD20 and for only 1xAA (they work, really bright, with 2xAA but I didn’t dare keep one powered up for more than a few seconds).
I’m not sure I understand how they’re supposed to behave. The first batch I had claimed 20 modes, and I never got them to do anything except high, fast-flicker, and low — always starting on high, with no memory. That batch went off to friends months ago.
Haven’t got the newest bunch going here yet (tried the first one in a P60 and now getting intermittent flakiness, got to clean something up or find a better host.
(the big copper coil makes these too big to fit into the ZeusRay driver space, until I find some extension rings for that — first time I’ve thought I should’ve gotten a hollow pill!)
The ones you link, LD30, are interesting, I’ll get a few of those to try.
I see LCK-LED also has the LD30: lck-led.com - Informationen zum Thema lck led.
I cant help you Hank as I dont have these drivers. I'd suggest to get the lights switches sorted and then see how you go. If they are no different it sounds like it would may be in the programming how sensitive they would be to switch presses.