MillerMod 2.1 watt single cell driver using a 1.5V Energizer L91 lithium cell.

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MillerMods

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I designed a driver for the Fenix that will drive the Lux at 550 mA @ 3.25 volts from a NIMH AA cell. That's right, 1.7+ watts to the Lux. This is almost double the power the stock circuit drives the Lux at. The MM driver draws 1.8+ amps from the cell giving the Fenix a runtime of over an hour with a super bright output. The driver is about 80% efficient. This is very good considering the low voltage of a single NIMH or Lithium 1.5V cell. The driver is well over designed to handle the extra power and will give a lifetime of reliable service.
 
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onthebeam

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Re: Hello, It's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

Sounds very good. I'm sure many would trade the extra runtime to get 75% of the runtime with more brightness.

Do you now have a working prototype?

Why don't you share beamshots of the stock Fenix compared with your mod. . .

Looking forward to your two-stage version of this idea.
 

MillerMods

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Re: Hello, It's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

I have it on a prototype board driving a Lux III. I have leaded components tacked to it, with 3 inductors, and it looks like a mess, but it works. Now it's a matter of ordering the right parts (smaller and one inductor) before it will actually fit in the Fenix. As you can tell by my recent posts, I have been coming up with new circuits very quickly. The reason is because I haven't refined but one of the most recent one's which is the 3 watt li-ion driver (direct drive then boosts). It makes it possible for me to share my findings before I try to produce a bunch of them. If there is enough interest, I will share photo's and send one out for one of the well know CPF members to do third party testing. I should also add, that if anyone has a request for some mod they would like to see for the Fenix, let me know.
 

nemul

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

HarryN said:
AA Li enhanced alkalines ?
Lithium enhanced alkalines... what's that?
 

greenLED

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

Your circuits sound very interesting, MillerMods! I look forward to seeing the assembled circuits and testing done on these. People are always in need for small drivers, and there isn't a lot being done by people (at least publicly) lately in that area (IMO).
 

peekay331

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

if you made some for sale, i'd buy one. i edc my fenix (w/nimh) and wouldn't mind having more brightness for slightly less runtime. a ballpark price?
 

nemul

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

Lithium/Iron Disulfide
 

MillerMods

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

I just want to reiderate that the runtime will most likely be around 1 hour with a 2500mAh NIMH cell, unless it is being run at the lower (1 watt level), which would yield about 75% of the original runtime of a stock Fenix. You may have got that, but I just want to be clear.
 

HarryN

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

The link did not work for some reason, but yes, it is the energizer AA Li primary cells. Run about 1.6 volts - there is a thread by silverfox on the discharge curve in the electronics section
 

MillerMods

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

It will work O.K. with lithium primaries.
 
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nemul

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

:thumbsup:
 

MillerMods

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

I will probably sell these circuits for $25.00 or less depending on peoples interest.
 
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Lunarmodule

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

MillerMods,

Sounds like some great ideas there. I would definitely be interested, especially in an evolved version of a Lux III driver with LiIon power. I'm a sucker for rechargeable LiIon and the performance they can deliver. Running a Lux III w/ Lion in that small package would be intersting, but I also like your original proposal for the high current drive to the Lux I w/ 2500mah NIMH. Thumbs up!
 

BentHeadTX

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

Miller,
Now if you could make a pill with those new Luxeon K2 LEDs coming out... maybe a SWAH for 80 lumens at 1.7 watts... yeah, make me a few of those! Once you get the electronics perfected, maybe those K2s will be more obtainable. Sign me up for at least two of those.
 

Lunarmodule

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

Hello MillerMods,

I'm chomping at the bit here for your high output NiMH driver. I'd like to see in the Fenix the same potential WOW factor that I experieced when I first saw a U-bin Orb Raw (LiIon DD), which dropped my jaw on the ground HARD. Seems like there's s ton of killer mod ideas for this platform, and thats whats drawing my interest rather than the stock lights performance.

Someone even suggested an incan version (WA 1274 bulb) which could make 400+ lumens with the right power solution. Metal reflector already, eh? Glass lens? Make a ceramic bi-pin socket and go DD to a LiIon battery and *whammo* UltraFenix. I used to be a diehard LED guy (and still am) until incan kind of won me over. Now I just want the best of all worlds.

I'll volunteer to evaluate the high output NiMH driver or flat out just buy one when you have it ready. Paypal on standby.

Good Job!
 

MillerMods

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

I finally got some time to take a photo and upload it. Here are 2 Fenix L1P's. The Fenix on the right is using the circuit I designed in the first photo and left in the second. Both are running on fully charged NIMH cells. These shots are with the L1P's about 8 feet from the wall. This mod. really shines (pun intended) when it comes to throw; it makes the Fenix really reach out with it's beam! I am still looking for the right person here on CPF to do comparision testing perhaps, Lunarmodule???.

I'm sure most understand this, but for those that are confused, the reason these photo's are so underexposed is to show the true brightness difference.



Here, I went and took a better one. Oops! My mod is on the left in this one.



O.K., so once the third party review is done, or if you trust me, who is the first taker on one of these circuits? It will be awhile before I work on perfecting the dual battery circuit, so this is what I will make available in the very near future. I believe once this circuit gets some publicity, it will generate much interest. I love this mod, it's really nice to just have a AA to worry about and have such a powerful little light.
 
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HEY HEY ITS HENDO

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

....... Sounds great !!! :wow: Yes i would certainly trade runtime for more light ..... count me in :grin2:
......... HENDO
 

Somy Nex

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Re: Hello, it's me again, now with a 1.7 watt Fenix driver.

Maybe you could also see if Doug (www.flashlightreviews.com) and/or Craig (ledmuseum.com) could do a review for you if you sent in units to them. I think i mentioned in another post i'm all spent out until the new year, but at $25, I would probably pop in for one come that time :)
 
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