SPORTAC® P60 drop-ins ©2014 Eagtac™ LLC

[Lighthearted1]

I saw this post and tried something similar. I have a used up cr123 that is at 2.8V and so I dropped it in my L2P and also a spacer dummy cell. It looks like about 3 lumens out the front on mine. This is a nice way to have a low mode . I can get all the energy out of the cr123 this way, nothing wasted. This is my new night light! I might get 4-5 nights off each cell, maybe more. Thanks Chris.

Some day I will try it at 3.25V with a new cell just to see if it is brighter.

I tried a fresh cr123. It is like a medium mode, maybe 75 lumens. However, after a few on - off tests with maybe 45 seconds total burn time the battery is down to 3.00V already. It is a Titanium Innovations cell.
The voltage drain is too fast to be useful. I look forward to seeing the duration on the 2 eneloops.
I think there will be a big declining brightness curve.


The heat isn't uncomfortable on 18650 cell through the 1.5 hour test i gave it.
I hope my extension tube order arrives soon, but it might be a while because of the Chinese New Year.
I will give an update on the 2 18650 brightness and heat when it comes in.

 

[kyhunter1]

It's now 6:23 pm. Output seems to be steady around 3-5 lumens. That's almost 4 hours. I will let it burn as long as it has useable output.

I just fired up my XML2 neutral single Sportac with 2 x eneloop black label 2400 mah AA's. ~ 5 lumens. 2:25 pm start time. End time: TBD. I will keep you all updated on how it does.

 

[RI Chevy]

It sounds like it is in direct drive due to the low voltage. Interesting test.

 

[kyhunter1]

If it is direct drive, it should run many hours. Their is a slight noticeable decline in output now. 2-3 lumens. 6 hours 20 min in.

It sounds like it is in direct drive due to the low voltage. Interesting test.

 

[Mr. Tone]

I highly doubt we will see this, but I would love a 4 mode triple drop-in. One that would have a true moonlight mode of less than .1 lumens. Basically like the 4 mode drivers that are already out there, except for current controlled instead of PWM. I would bet that Eagletac will probably produce 3 mode drop-ins at some point. However, since Eagletac does not produce any true moonlight modes in any of their regular lineup of lights I doubt we will see it now. I can dream, though, right?

 

[Lighthearted1]

I highly doubt we will see this, but I would love a 4 mode triple drop-in. One that would have a true moonlight mode of less than .1 lumens. Basically like the 4 mode drivers that are already out there, except for current controlled instead of PWM. I would bet that Eagletac will probably produce 3 mode drop-ins at some point. However, since Eagletac does not produce any true moonlight modes in any of their regular lineup of lights I doubt we will see it now. I can dream, though, right?

Ease up on that poor horse!

I think we have to carry our L10 219 B10 with this one to get our lower modes.... :thumbsup:

 

[Z-Tab]

I've ordered a Nichia triple and an XP-G2 triple. If they can be run on 2xAA, that's a lot more useful to me than if they had more complex circuitry and had an extra couple of modes. I have plenty of multi-mode lights. For $35, I am totally happy with a drop-in that gives me useful output no matter what batteries I feed it.

 

[kyhunter1]

9 hours 20 min in to the AA nimh runtime test with the XML2 NW single module. No change since my last post, still running around 3 lumens. Going to bed soon so this will be the last update tonight.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

9 hours 20 min in to the AA nimh runtime test with the XML2 NW single module. No change since my last post, still running around 3 lumens. Going to bed soon so this will be the last update tonight.

Anyone have a makeshift setup that allows AA's to be used in a double 18650 body?

Using lower voltage like this shouldn't hurt the dropin, right?

 

[kyhunter1]

It's about 19 hours in now and output is still steady around 3 lumens. Not bad at all. So far, Im really liking this driver.


Put a extender on a 9P, then use a delrin sleeve for the AA's from Oveready, then add a single cell charging spacer and you will have it. Low voltage will not harm the module.

Anyone have a makeshift setup that allows AA's to be used in a double 18650 body?

Using lower voltage like this shouldn't hurt the dropin, right?

 

[RI Chevy]

:thumbsup:

 

[tobrien]

I'm surprised the module isn't draining the 2x AA eneloops too fast, but I'm not an electrical engineer, so I guess a minimum voltage needs to be obtained before it can start pulling a ton of Amps?

 

[kyhunter1]

Update: ~ 23 hours now. Output is ~ 2-3 lumens.

It's behavior is typical of buck circuit drivers. When the battery voltage is below the forward voltage (VF) of the led, the driver goes direct drive til the battery is depleted. The module can run many hours at low output. It cannot pull the max amperage unless the batteries voltage is above the VF and the module is running in regulation. The nimh's are giving all they amps or mah they are capable of, thus the low output. EDIT: (the led is giving all the output it can at the low voltage the batteries are providing). To me, this driver seems to be very similar to the driver malkoff uses in the m61 modules in behavior.

I'm surprised the module isn't draining the 2x AA eneloops too fast, but I'm not an electrical engineer, so I guess a minimum voltage needs to be obtained before it can start pulling a ton of Amps?

 

[cland72]

Thanks KYhunter. very good to know.

 

[DAN92]

kyhunter, very interesting, thank you for all that information.

 

[RI Chevy]

Update: ~ 23 hours now. Output is ~ 2-3 lumens.

It's behavior is typical of buck circuit drivers. When the battery voltage is below the forward voltage (VF) of the led, the driver goes direct drive til the battery is depleted. The module can run many hours at low output. It cannot pull the max amperage unless the batteries voltage is above the VF and the module is running in regulation. The nimh's are giving all they amps or mah they are capable of, thus the low output. To me, this driver seems to be very similar to the driver malkoff uses in the m61 modules in behavior.

Thank you for doing this for us!

 

[kyhunter1]

You all are welcome.

 

[tobrien]

It's behavior is typical of buck circuit drivers. When the battery voltage is below the forward voltage (VF) of the led, the driver goes direct drive til the battery is depleted. The module can run many hours at low output. It cannot pull the max amperage unless the batteries voltage is above the VF and the module is running in regulation. The nimh's are giving all they amps or mah they are capable of, thus the low output. To me, this driver seems to be very similar to the driver malkoff uses in the m61 modules in behavior.

gotcha, thanks man!

 

[Bimmerboy]

The nimh's are giving all they amps or mah they are capable of, thus the low output.

Just want to make one correction to an otherwise good answer.

It isn't that the batteries are giving all the current they're capable of, but rather it's all the LED is capable of flowing at the provided voltage.

That woulda' driven me nuts all night... lol. Thanks for the testing!

 

[Bimmerboy]

The nimh's are giving all they amps or mah they are capable of, thus the low output.

Just want to make one correction to an otherwise good answer.

It isn't that the batteries are giving all the current they're capable of, but rather it's all the LED is capable of flowing at the provided voltage.

That woulda' driven me nuts all night... lol. Thanks for the testing!