5*Cree led driver options

Building my first dive light with a mag lite and a 5*Cree deal extreme drop in.


I have installed the led but would like to update the driver as I have read on this forum that it is not taking full advantage of the led's capacity..

I found a post on here some time ago about how to modify the driver but that looked a little complicated so I was going to purchase and install a taskled driver.

My question is... which driver from taskled to I need ??? I believe I understand that each led is driven by 3.4v (?) which would be a total of 17volts but since I am using a 7.4v li-ion 2s pack I would need a "boost" driver and not a "buck" driver (if only powering a single led )????
Also, is there a driver from taskled that doesnt have multimode capability, as I dont think I would need that for this application?

Eric

Hi Eric

Welcome to CPF.

As you probably suspect boost drivers are less common than buck.

For five LEDs and 2s battery pack you would need maxFlex6 if you ok with 1.2A max current. HBFlex would give you more current but it may have a trouble working with 2 Li-Ions, you would probably need at least 3 to be safe.

You are getting whole microprocessor based programming modes with it but this is a good thing. Seems like you did your homework so you know these are very good drivers.
It will give you battery protection (you can set warning voltages), thermal protection and multiple modes. In typical mode for flashlight you have two modes, one that turns on when you press switch, and second when you hold switch for second or two while light is on.
First one is "low" mode, second is max for chosen current table (you can program on of available current tables when you setup your light). I wrote low in quotas because it can be set to the same current as max and in effect you light always turns on on max.
You change this "low" mode by holding a switch while turning light on instead if short press. It will cycle thru all 5 available levels (for given current table) and stay on one that was set when you release switch.

I like these drivers. They all (flex drivers) have the same interface, so when you get one you can try it and you will see if you like it.

Arek

Hi Eric,

Welcome to CPF.

The taskled drivers IMO are some of the best on the market. I love the firmware George uses. There is no way I know of to get only a single mode using the maxflex3 but it does have an option for 2 mode.

Something you need to know ( if you dont already) is these drivers need a momentary type switch hook up. They are also a fairly complex manual to read for programing. Its pretty easy after you have done it, but if your not familiar with this type of programing the first one can be a little slow going.

Another alternative that would give an increase in the output over a factory drive is the blue shark. This driver can run 5 leds @ 1A, its a single mode and no momentary switch is needed.
http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_49_61&products_id=1136

I have used the flex drivers in boost and buck from Taskled and work great for that. 2 LiIon (7.4 volts) is plenty of juice.

Depends, for HBFlex George specifies 7V as minimum input voltage. Tech page says that it may work with 6.5V but is not guaranted. 2 LiIon will go lower when close to discharged and under load. For MaxFlex, yes, it is plenty

350xfire said:

I have used the flex drivers in boost and buck from Taskled and work great for that. 2 LiIon (7.4 volts) is plenty of juice.

Click to expand...

arek98 said:

Depends, for HBFlex George specifies 7V as minimum input voltage. Tech page says that it may work with 6.5V but is not guaranted. 2 LiIon will go lower when close to discharged and under load. For MaxFlex, yes, it is plenty

Click to expand...

I see, good point!

Looks like it may be the blue shark that I am going to try. The gentleman from Taskled is out of town until November and I was looking to finish this light in short order.

I have learned alot from reading this forum and scubaboard and thankfully have found tlslights.com for most of my parts (thansk Hector!).

But alas in my hurry to compelte I somehow blew the stock driver last night, I was just looking to upgrade because I read that it was a good idea but not the drop in is a paper weight without a new driver.

I was grinding on the dropin and got it too hot, I guess, and the inductor came loose on the driver.
I pried off the driver, found the loose inductor and successfully,or so I thought, soldered it back.
The light worked for another test or two and then last night I tried to test it after getting the head completely ready for install and nothing...:thinking:
When I touch the battery terminals to the springs, I see a slight spark and then nothing and the copper base of the driver gets insanely hot in a second or two???

SO back to the drawing board....
The only bright spot in my story is I was waiting so long for DealExtreme to send me the light I bought a Cree MC-E from tlslights.com and will be putting that in in the mean time.... And since the driver unscrews from the reflector, I cant mess that one up....

Eric

I have a couple of HBFlex drivers in stock. I would be glad to sell you one for cost plus shipping if you really want one.

A Maxflex works for me...
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?320316-1200Lumen-Maglite-Upgrade&highlight=klem

maxflex looks cool and smaller too!

Well here is the finished product. Using the Cree MC-E and not the 5*cree yet. I tested the battery (5800mah lipo) and got 4 hrs and 45 minutes before the battery dropped to 6.8v per the battery saver I installed under the lid. It has a led, which is useless for me and beeps at 6.8v or below which I can hear fairly well thru the canister.

Used 2.5" PVC for the canister and painted it black but found pretty quickly that I was scuffing the paint with the pipe clamps so I covered the bulk of the canister with heat shrink tubing.. Not much in the looks department but it looks better than the pvc showing thru the paint scuffs..

I have only pressure tested the light and canister down to a whopping 24' as of yet, that is the deepest quarry in the area so the real test will be next weeks trial by fire.

Paint on PVC simply chips off...

So...

don't paint... stain http://makeprojects.com/Project/Stain+PVC+Any+Color+You+Like/296/1#.UIA7RsXR6CY

ehutte said:

Looks like it may be the blue shark that I am going to try. The gentleman from Taskled is out of town until November and I was looking to finish this light in short order.

I have learned alot from reading this forum and scubaboard and thankfully have found tlslights.com for most of my parts (thansk Hector!).

But alas in my hurry to compelte I somehow blew the stock driver last night, I was just looking to upgrade because I read that it was a good idea but not the drop in is a paper weight without a new driver.

I was grinding on the dropin and got it too hot, I guess, and the inductor came loose on the driver.
I pried off the driver, found the loose inductor and successfully,or so I thought, soldered it back.
The light worked for another test or two and then last night I tried to test it after getting the head completely ready for install and nothing...:thinking:
When I touch the battery terminals to the springs, I see a slight spark and then nothing and the copper base of the driver gets insanely hot in a second or two???
Eric

Click to expand...

sparks at the battery are usually a sign of short circuit so you are basically connecting the + to the - without anything in between. maybe you've put too much solder on it and connect components that should not be connected.