Just researched Crelant a bit more. So far, they seem like the best bet because of the infinite dimming.
The CRELANT V11A would have been pretty perfect had it had the 1-100% dimming, but it doesn’t seem to.
With my newfound lingo I should rename the thread:
Looking for small torch which can be muled and dims from 1-100%
Ultrafire MCU-C7s will tailstand, do candle mode, and takes a 16mm MCPCB so XPG/XPG2 is no problem. The pill does come set up for a small driver (I think 15mm?) but a standard 17mm driver can be soldered onto the rear face of the brass adapter ring. This one is using a neutral (5000K) XPG2, 4-mode 8x7135 driver with moon/low/mid/high, runs on 16340.
The reflector is loose inside the bezel when removed but it can be retained by a little silicone sealant to stop it getting lost.
Hi Comfychair,
Great option as well. I like that they are so small. I am beginning to think I could carry two. One in my hand when shooting (handheld was the idea the whole time) and then I could put another out of the frame for fill… At least, I am thinking I really do need at least one of these. Maybe on its own, maybe with a bigger light or maybe with a twin:-)
In reg. to the driver (8 * 7135), I am a bit surprised, but reckon it’s OK to run XP-Gs that high, but prolly just not very efficient?
Also, can I ask if you have a link or name of that driver with four modes?
Here: http://intl-outdoor.com/qlite-reva-71358-multiple-modes-circuit-board-304a-p-710.html
:)
Got it, tx!
And actually, I just went through most of your earlier threads as that clip had me puzzled…:-).
Just curious, but did you do a write up on modding this light?
D.
Trustfire T2 fits your requirements and many of the chinese webshops carry them.
My review: Review: Trustfire T2 (XP-G R5, 5-mode)
No, I didn't give the MCU-C7s its own thread, but I do have some pictures of the process.
Exploded view, shows old & new driver, old/new LED, the removable brass ring the driver mounts to (can't solder to aluminum):
I tinned both the brass ring and the ground ring on the new driver, held them in place with clips, then went round and round with the iron until they were fully seated:
Finished and filed down smooth:
Pill assembled & tested:
The pocket clip came from here: http://www.fasttech.com/products/1281100
Use the clip as a template and mark the screw locations, drill, tap for M2 screw thread... threading the tailcap is easier than using the included nuts, the inside surface where the nuts would seat is angled and would need to be machined flat, tapping is less trouble in the end. (if you get the sizing just right with the drilled hole, you can thread the holes with the screws (with some carnuba wax on the threads to prevent galling) without needing a M2 tap)
Runtime isn't great but that's the 16340's fault. Still, this much light for 20-25 minutes on high mode isn't bad considering how small the thing is.
Hd2011
Have you tried a diffuser?
another vote for the t2, you can fit a nanjg ak47 aand use cimfys guide on tapping the pill to retain the mcpcb.
it also has a tripod thread on the tailcap so you could mount and direct it as required. fasttech has a good price on it and also do a good xpower holster which fits perfectly and has made this my go too home edc, I would suggest getting a dr jones programmed driver for a huge selection of modes and whilst I run mine at 1.7a (1 stacked chip) currently, I intend to fit a copper mounted high cri xp-g2 and an 8*7135 dr jones programmed driver for a moon to high set up. It’ll take any 18650 I have tried from a keeppower 3400 to the fat sanyo protected 2900 cells i like from fasttech.
I like this thread:-)
And I like the fact that the T2 has a 1/4 thread as I do sometimes stand or hang my small video light from a gorillapod just like gords. I didn’t think I could get this in a flashlight tho.
For now, I’ll go with the T2 and perhaps either an MCU-C7s or a Crelant. The latter is by far the most expensive though and biggest if I want it with the 1-100% dimmer.
Speaking of dimmers, I might just have found a 7135x8 driver which has a setting for 100, 50, 30, 5, 1% output, so I ordered some of those. I might be in luck!
Am I correct in understanding that I can just unsolder as many of the 7135s as I want to to get to my desired output? And would you think that the modes would still be the same percentage wise?
For the 1% setting for example, that's 1% spread across 8 chips, so 3.5mA from each for a total output of 28mA. Reduce the number of chips and that falls by 3.5mA each one you take off, at some point it will be too low to light the LED on the lowest modes. But those very low lows are really dim, probably too dim to be useful for photography. A standard 'low' mode, with the light in candle mode, is still much less light than a candle flame.
For that Qlite driver I linked earlier, that one is the second revision with a low-low of 20mA, the first version had a 5mA low-low and they had a lot of cases where it wasn't enough to light the LED. 20mA is still awfully low, I'd consider that the minimum below which you are probably going to have issues.
2.8A won't fry anything, it'll just shorten battery life if you run it on high all the time. I'd recommend not removing chips and using lower modes when you don't need max brightness. And the full output will still be there at the touch of a button if you need it. If you've crippled the driver by removing chips and find yourself in a situation where you need more light, you're pretty screwed. :)
Got it, it all makes sense. Thanks. Parts pretty much all ordered now. Leaving on a work trip but will be back in a few days and start tinkering then.
for the t2, your driver must be one sided, , you cannot have anything on the contact side of the board. hence why I suggested an ak47 nanjg driver, reprogrammed and add chips as desired.
Oops, well… I’ll have to look for an AK47 out here then. I am a bit pressed for time on the first use for these lights. The Doc has to wait.
D.
mine gives a nice low standard so yoy should be good. intloutdoor sells the drivers if that helps
Hmm, the more I look at it, the more it looks like an AK47 is kinda like the 105c with 3 x 7135… Am I right? The board is the same size. But the 105s with four and less 7135s are one-sided only or am I mistaken?
I have a few of those one-sided 105s coming in as well (3x7135 and 4x7135), so wouldn’t that be OK?
I can’t really picture where the space limitations are before I have the T2 in my hands, but it seems like there is space enough on the top side of the board to piggyback 7135s - just not on the underside, right?
thats correct, I used a 4 x 7135 and added one more chip for 1.7a
Perhaps a stupid question but does it matter on which of the original 7135s you piggyback onto?
Just wondering if the CPU sees the 7135s as one entity of if it addresses them individually as if it’s the latter, then perhaps the modes will be messed up.
Sipik SK68 may fit your needs, too.