Questions on Upgrading a Hollis LED15

AlabamaExile

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
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I recently purchased a used HollisLED15 and was very disappointed in the light output from it, so Idecided to upgrade the LED emitter to a Cree XM-L2.
The emitter I purchased is thefollowing one, which is supposed to be capable of putting out 1150lumens at 3 amps of current:

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1609/10003889/1570603-cree-xm-l2-t6-0d-10w-1150lm-6500-7000k-led


The battery pack in the light consistsof 6 18650 cells. According to the manufacturer's specifications,the battery produces 11.1 volts and has 5 amp hours of power. The18650 batteries put out 3.7 volts each, so I presume that the cellsmust be wired in 3S2P configuration to produce 11.1 volts.

Since the LED uses much less voltagethan provided by the battery pack, I determined that I need a buckdriver to reduce the voltage to something usable by the LED. Iwanted to get one that could supply at least 3amps so the emitterwould be a bright as possible, so I ended up going with this one:
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1612/10001998/1143104-2-3-lithium-5-mode-3a-led-flashlight-driver

I then machined an aluminum "pill"to hold the LED star board and the driver on my lathe and solderedeverything up. The new emitter works fine. However, the light isnot drawing as much current as I anticipated. The driver has threemodes. The lowest mode draws .05 amps, the middle mode draws .34amps, and the highest mode draws 1.07 amps.
According to the manufacturer's data,the driver and LED are capable of running at 3amps. I am not surethat I really want to run the light that high due to the heat that itwill generate and the fact that the battery pack only holds 5 amp hours. However, I don't understand why the light is not drawing 3 amps fromthe battery pack. Is there something I am missing here? Is there asetting that must be changed on the driver, or is it possible thatthe battery pack is somehow limiting the current that can be drawn? I know these questions must seem very basic to most of you, but I ama total neophyte at this and thought I would ask if anyone could helpme. All comments are appreciated.
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Messages
889
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US
- get direct cables from battery pack

- connect in series full filled battery pack , A-meter ( on right range for 3A or more ), resistor 4 ohm / 28W cca (P=I**2 * R)

- what you get

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on head side .....get some (true) power supply or car battery and measure current in series on all modes ( direct wiring on battery contacts )
 
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