Madmax Good News/Bad News (Sandwich Shop)

Guys,

Some pending orders are being held up for Madmax Q3 upgrades. We were short of Madmax modules and this is being fullfilled by two CMs.

Good news: We have a new shipment of Madmax Modules. Also, if you consider this good news is that I changed the inductor and the new modules pump out more juice and quite a bit more I might add.

Bad news: This is really not a sane idea. The LED current with a good fresh set of Alkaline are now reaching 700-800mA of drive current from a set of 2 AA cells. This is insanely bright with a Q3 and is awesome. But, I cannot and will not sanction this as a continous duty flashlight at this time.

Of course that doesn't stop you from using it in any way you desire.

So, what I'd like to hear is suggestions or comments. I was hoping to re-open the store this friday, but, I still haven't shipped all the pending orders. For those of you who are still waiting. I appologize for this.

The gears are already in place to make another 300 converter boards in Canada with this new inductor. That plus the local build puts me in around 500 of the new hot Madmax.

I'm thinking of listing this as a new item and keep it separate on the store. This will differentiate it from the old one.

Well, OK, let the slurry start... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif
Wayne

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif ooooooooooooh!!!! A brighter MadMax!!!!Gotta get me one! Can I order now?

I think listing them as a separate item is probably a good idea. That way you can include a warning about running them too long and avoid blowing out a bunch of luxeons. I bet plenty of CPF'ers will want them despite the risks (no shortage of brighter at any cost folks here), but this way they can make an informed decision about what to order.

For people who are waiting, you could let them switch to the hot model if they would prefer it. I am sure at least some of them would switch and this would help ease the congestion.

Pat

PS - Still loving my BadBoys (including an original hand-built BadBoy Yellow that is still one of my most used lights). Excellent work Wayne. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[ QUOTE ]
dat2zip said:
I changed the inductor and the new modules pump out more juice and quite a bit more I might add.

The LED current with a good fresh set of Alkaline are now reaching 700-800mA of drive current from a set of 2 AA cells. This is insanely bright with a Q3 and is awesome.

[/ QUOTE ]

Very nice! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif FYI, the LGI runs 1500mA with a fresh set of AA batteries. I'm not at all worried about 800mA /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

I'll be ordering the new version as well! Note that I don't love my current MadMaxes ... but one that's even brighter?! It's almost like you're forcing me to buy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

John

What? I just told that my order has been shipped. It does not matter, however, that no madmax was in my order /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif . Can i order it now? Is the price going to be the same? Is it only applicable to the q3 binned luxeon?

I'm patient... I have an MM-Q3L on order, and it'd be icing on the cake if it was brighter than it was meant to be...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I might have to rename the new module to Burning light. It might go into spontaneous combustion or good to take to the Burning man event... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Wayne, it sounds like concurrently with your decision to up the inductor value you also may have gotten a reel on MAX1674s with switch current limits approaching the datasheet upper limit of 1.2A. I sure do like that MAX1674/5/6 series of IC's. Great specs!

[ QUOTE ]
dat2zip said:
Guys,
Good news: We have a new shipment of Madmax Modules. Also, if you consider this good news is that I changed the inductor and the new modules pump out more juice and quite a bit more I might add.

Wayne


[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Wayne,

Will these boards have or be available with a variable resistor. In other words will we be able to "Throttle" them down? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

N162E,

Yes, these still have the trim pot on them and they can be turned (very carefully) to lower the output.

As for long term plans, I'm rolling the board so that the trim pot can be loaded/not loaded. This would go back to some of the originals where it came wide open and no adjustment was available. Since, I believe the majority of users never touch the pot this would make the assembly easier and the we could fill the innards completely with epoxy.

The new site gives me this flexibility to add subtract new products easily. So, I would imagine that in the near future a new version that would be the wide open version.

Wayne, what happens if you run the board with no load? Is there any chance of a board rev sometime that can withstand having the load removed? The idea is to make a PWM-dimmable light by using a mosfet on the output. Better yet, do you think it's feasible to do a PWM-enabled board that lets you directly gate the on-board switcher on and off? Thanks.

[ QUOTE ]
paulr said:
Wayne, what happens if you run the board with no load? Is there any chance of a board rev sometime that can withstand having the load removed? The idea is to make a PWM-dimmable light by using a mosfet on the output. Better yet, do you think it's feasible to do a PWM-enabled board that lets you directly gate the on-board switcher on and off? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]
The MadMax MIGHT be able to withstand a no-load condition, as the regulator would completely shut down when the voltage went too high. I'd have to look at the datasheet of the IC. (Depending on how it handles regulation, it can either handle no-load or it never will without changing the IC)

The BadBoys are current regulators, and hence will continue upping their voltage to obtain the desired current. If the output is open, this results in the voltage constantly going up until something gives out. Putting a Zener diode on the output could protect against this - The Zener would turn on past a certain voltage. But this would increase board costs and requite a redesign.

Note: The BadBoy can be adjusted externally with some slight circuit modifications. I really can't say more since that would reveal too much about the BB design, which I know Wayne doesn't want. But if enough people requested it, Wayne might bring that control line out to a solder pad or something. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

paulr,

The Madmax is wired as a voltage regulator and with no load will goto the output voltage as set by the trim pot (~5V). This IC with a Luxeon is running non-regulated since it can never get to 5V. It's puts out the maximum it can deliver which is now well over 1/2A to the Luxeon. I guess this is why many people opt for Madmax over the constant current regulation of Badboy since it has a better "WOW" effect.

Pin 5 is the *shutdown (low true input). It's wired to Vout on the board which enables the IC.

You should be able to PWM this pin directly and achieve good results as long as your PWM frequency is in the 2KHz to 20KHz range. Remember that it takes time for the converter to ramp up to full output as this will affect your PWM equation if you want a linear relationship to Pulse width to light output ratio.

The IC is is SMD and it should not be too difficult to lift pin 5 and add a wire to it.

Shutdown pin input requirements.
Vil = 0.2 * Vout
Vih = 0.8 * Vout

Wayne

oh wayne...why couldn't you have done this a month ago? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
oh well /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

does this apply to boards and sandwhiches?

how will this affect runtime?

Runtime? More light (WOW Factor) = less runtime.

This would apply to converter boards as well as modules.

Unless, one were to turn the trim pot and adjust it for less output. The current batch has a more robust trim pot with a metal top instead of plastic. Adjustment is still the same and still just as finicky.

Wayne, thanks very much for that info about the shutdown pin. Now I can do a Luxeon mod for a Photon 3 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif. Well actually I better put the Photon 3 on a scope first to check the PWM frequency. But I think it should be ok, because people say when you wave the Photon 3 through the air in its dimmed modes, you can notice it flickering. Or else I may end up making my own PWM circuit.

Is there a version of the Madmax that can run a 5W?

paulr,

Madmax2...

Seriously, no. Only the Badboy (and other MFG conveters) series can drive a 5W and only in certain battery configurations.

There is a new IC from National that looks promising. The LM2731. I won't have time to work with it for quite some time.

dat2zip,

I vote for running them wide open, fill the inside with epoxy, room for as much heat sink as possible (I assume the epoxy can be a heat sink).

You always have the BB400's for people that want them.

Filling the inside with epoxy, when wide open, means that I won't have to wonder if it set to be wide open.

Out of curiosity, What is the effiency of the new improved MM?