I have an old light host that I put a XHP50.3 3v in and it’s no brighter than the old XML I took out. I suspect its the no-name budget driver in there. I’d like to replace the driver, but instead of a battery contact spring on the backside it’s got a switch. Yes, this host uses a battery pack. Total length of the host is 50mm. If needs be I can put a switch on the battery pack so that is not necessarily a deal breaker. I’ve spent several hours trying to figure out what the best driver for this emitter would be and my head is about to explode.
I’m using a 3.7v 2cell battery pack to get the extended runtimes so I would like to keep this system, at least voltage-wise, the same as a single cell 18650 light. If I’m using a battery pack shell that allows for removal and independent charging of the cells in it, do I still need to worry about load balancing for discharge, or can I just wire it up without protection? The old battery pack was sealed, and was charged through the cable so it has a pcb between the cables and the cells.
I looked at that one- listed for the SST40 @ 6amps. It seems a goodish fit, but obviously there’s no switch on it, and 6amps is the high limit listed for the 3v xhp50.3. I don’t know if that will lead to problems.
I’d like it to be brighter than the old XML I pulled out of this light at least. I thought I’d be getting a brighter emitter with better efficiency, but I’m starting to think I should have just either gone 6v or grabbed a 519a.
The host is small, but does have good thermal paths- the emitter is mounted directly to a solid divider so the whole host is basically one big pill. 18650 for scale.
Batteries connected in parallel don’t need balancing neither during charging nor discharging. Parallel packs are self-balancing.
But beware when putting cells in such pack you should use batteries with equal voltage (I would say 0.1V difference at most).
UPD:
That probably was a BMS. If so then the old driver likely to have no low voltage protection (because this function was performed by BMS) and can drain the battery empty.
If you are going to use the old driver or a new one with no LVP, then you should use 1S BMS in your new pack shell.
With that small of a host, even at 1A it’s going to get warm.
I’d probably recommend the 3A driver and run it at 35% and use 100% as Turbo when you need it.
