Sold/Expired FS: Microprocessor controlled drivers

[vetkaw63]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

RV7,
My driver arrived today As I told you in my PM my goal was to beat my Fenix P2D using NiMH. Mission accomplished:thumbsup: Details as follows:

Host: dead Fenix L1Dce
Emitter: Cree Q5 (WG tint is pretty good, very neutral)
Reflector: McR-19xr

P2D numbers (also using McR-19xr)
Lux: 1,851
Light box: 2,000

RV7/Q5/light numbers
Lux: 2,340
Light box: 2,250
To be fair the numbers dropped to 2,020 and 2,100 respectively after about 10 minutes but NiMH still beats primary lithium. Amazing.

Thanks for the great driver:thumbsup:

WOW, what was the run time?
Thanks,
Mike

 

[Essexman]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

When used with a size C or D NiMH or Alk, this driver will most probably feed more than 1A to the LED too. So bye bye Li Ion, hello super bright 1xC/D NiMH Mag!

Would it be possible to make a 3 or 4 emitter mag C or D using one of your drivers per emitter?
:twothumbsThat would be great.

 

[StefanFS]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

I just put one of these drivers in my Eastward YJ U2 style from DX. For this one I'm using the Sanyo 4100 mAh 4/3A NiMH cell. The cell has the same dimensions as my AW 18650. 18 mm in diameter and 67 mm in height. It fits in my Vanson Speedy Box charger!
With this driver on one 1.2 Volt NiMH cell my light outperforms its former self, when it was on 18650 LiIon. It throws 4800 Lux at one metre, on 18650 LiIon it threw 4700 Lux. It still has an CREE P4 led. That means the led get more than 1A with a bigger NiMH cell.
Stefan

 

[davenlei]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Damn! I lost track of this thread and now you are all sold out!! I need to go sulk....

:hairpull:

 

[StefanFS]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

I just tested another work in progress. Lumapower F1 1AA. This has an SSC P4 USVOI in it and before the new driver it threw 850 Lux @ one metre. Now, with this driver in it it throws 2200 Lux @ one metre.

RV7, I hope you really make more of these, and in many different sizes since they seem to work in so many different size/type lights.
Stefan

 

[RV7]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Thanks for sharing your creativity, excitement and numbers!:thanks:

Congratulations to discEDC!:thumbsup:

Stefan, you're the man! :twothumbs I'll try to provide the improved AA drivers asap. Yes bigger batteries have smaller internal resistance and thus can provide higher voltage under load.

Essexman, driving 3 emitters with only one C or D may be a little too harsh on the battery?

btw TB, did you go to work today?

 

[nanotech17]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Damn! I lost track of this thread and now you are all sold out!! I need to go sulk....

:hairpull:

me too...........:mecry:
i need at least 4x14.8x9.5mm with strobe that runs on 1xAA nimh

 

[TranquillityBase]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

*

 

[TranquillityBase]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Won't be long, I hope...:green:

 

[koala]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Hey TB,

care you share how you drew those perfectly round circles?

 

[TranquillityBase]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Love the driver, but I still need a NiMH cell that isn't old and tired...Larryk, where are you?

 

[RV7]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Nice work TB! Is the all shiny pill custom made? The driver fits perfectly.

I must admit I don't recognize the host. It looks well made and got very nice threads.

 

[TranquillityBase]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Nice work TB! Is the all shiny pill custom made? The driver fits perfectly.

I must admit I don't recognize the host. It looks well made and got very nice threads.

Thanks RV7...

Yes, the heatsink, and the host are custom made...The larger diameter board works perfectly for this design.

 

[RV7]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

 

[TranquillityBase]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Maybe I'll try a Cree Q2 next...

 

[Norm]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

That's a beautifully little light TB. I'd love to own something as pretty as that.
Norm

 

[larryk]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Sure koala...I chucked the heatsink back in the lathe, held the marker firmly against the tool post, turned the lathe on, and advanced the carridge feed until the marker just touched the part. The lines make centering the LED, much easier...

Here's a completed 1AA light...RV7 driver, Seoul USVOI (From Photonfanatic) McR20S reflector, and a McClicky switch...Yep, same poop, different day, as far as the light body is concerned, but I had a few solid reasons for choosing this design. One, the head and the switch housing were already completed. Two, I wanted a McR20S light to use for direct comparison with the last light I built. And reason number three, lack of glass and o-rings for a smaller diameter light:shakehead.

Love the driver, but I still need a NiMH cell that isn't old and tired...Larryk, where are you?

I'm right here TB. If you want to try a AA Enloop let me know. I also have some AA E2 Lithium batteries if you want to be the first to push the limits of the driver. OK, forget the E2's and just sell me the light and I'll try them.

 

[Luminescent]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Hi RV7,

I have a couple of questions if you don't mind sharing some of the details of your single AA NiMH design.

If you would prefer to keep your design's details to yourself that's fine, but I'd love to compare notes because I have also been tinkering around trying to come up with a high output driver that will have reasonable efficiency with only 0.8 to 1.5 volts of drive.

In PSpice, I can get about 75 percent efficiency with 1.2 volts of input and about 1.4 amps of output current with a reasonably simple all N-Channel MOSFET synchronous rectifier boost converter setup using modern low RDSon devices.

My circuit uses discreet low cost devices with no fancy 'gate-drivers' etc, and does have a fairly low parts count, but I am wondering if perhaps there may be an even simpler way to do the synchronous rectification now that P-Channel devices have improved to have RDSon specs that are also in the low milliohm range (I created the all N-Channel boost circuit a few years ago when P-Channel RDSon specs were really poor).

What kind of MOSFETS are you using, and does your boost driver have synchronous rectification or just a Schottky Diode?

With some MPU's able to source or sink 100ma, I would suppose that good Gate Drive should be possible directly from the Microcontroller itself if bootstrapping is used, but this raises questions of how to insure reliable startup at 0.8 volts or less, since this is below the gate threshold of even today's Super-MOSFET devices.

What kind of MPU are you using and does it guarantee startup and operation at 0.8v or is it also bootstarapped from the LED voltage (with some kind of startup oscillator to drive the boost converter until the bootstrap voltage kicks in)?

Just curious how you solved these issues.

 

[TranquillityBase]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Larryk and I did some light meter testing last night, and the RV7 1AA light is the only light in my arsenal that gained in brightness as the head warmed up. We tested that particular light with a Energizer 2500 NiMH, Sanyo 2000 NiMH eneloop, Energizer E2 Lithium, and a standard alkaline cell...The eneloop was the clear winner, with the E2 Lithium a close second.

I don't know why it gains in brightness, but I like itoo:...we probably watched the meter numbers for a good five minutes, and it was still climbing...After the head was fully warmed-up, we quicky switched cells to see the difference between the four test cells.

 

[ledaholic]

Re: Microprocessor controlled drivers

Hey TB,
What's it gonna take to talk you out of that light?