Using the XPE-2 in a McGizmo creation -- even in the Ti PD-S !?

I've been looking at the XPE-2 recent LED by CREE. On paper it looks pretty good, with decent luminous flux, thermal, and color characteristics. In fact you can get most color variations from high CRI to neutral white to cool white. The cool white doesn't even sacrifice all that much in lumens.

But what is getting me even more excited is that the XPE-2 might be a very good thrower, of course no contest with the XM-L where throw is concerned, but probably also beating the XPG-2.

Now, when I look at flashlight offerings these days, the XPE-2 seems mostly absent. My best guess as to why this is: everyone and their brother is busy putting out huge-lumen monsters using the XML of XML-variations, and the XPE-2 is not designed for that (according to specs it maxes out at 1.0 A).

So one question for the knowledgeable posters here, am I missing something regarding the XPE-2?

My second thought was whether I might be able to use this XPE-2 in an Ti PD-S.

The Ti PD-S was, and is, a pretty good thrower for its size. So I got excited thinking how much stronger a thrower it might be with an XPE-2 replacing the original (SSC, I think) LED. Even the original converter might work, in fact as best I can tell from the XPE-2 specs, forward voltage at 525 mA (the high of the Ti PD-S converter) is around 3.0 V, pretty close to the 123A primary battery feeding the LED.

What I don't know is whether the reflector of the Ti PD-S would match the needs of the XPE-2, and how easy it would be to do the conversion/mod.

So any knowledgeable replies would be most appreciated!

The XPE2 should do well in a Haiku.

Well I've got neutral XM-Ls in my Ti PD and Al PD. I've got another PD on the way & I was wondering what to drop in it, potentially it was going to get a Nichia 219. I get my PD mods done my DatiLED, I'll run it by him when I get my new (old) PD.

Benchiew said:

The XPE2 should do well in a Haiku.

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I don't have a Haiku, do you know what are the throw (lux) measurements of the Haiku?

I don't have empirical figures to prove that. But from observation from another custom light that sports a triple xpe2 and another xpg2, you can visibly tell the xpe2 is hitting distances further than xpg2. Both have similar drive levels and similar converters.

I am eager to get an xpe2 into a Haiku. But Don is unlikely to do that in his offerings.

Well, not sure what Don will consider adding to his offerings, but I was more thinking of a simple mod to replace one LED with another in an existing flashlight.

Thanks for the info. by the way, it seems that your observations agree with my idea here!

The XP-E2 would throw *better* than an XM-L. Parabolic reflectors can only perfectly focus light coming from the focal point; a wider emitter by definition emits more of its total flux further away from the focal point. The only question is whether you can get the same total flux from the smaller emitter, though at the power level McGizmo lights run at, that shouldn't be much of a challenge.

I managed to buy a XPG 3S LE and got Derek swapped a warm 4500k XPE2 for me. It resides in a Haiku now. Just beautiful beam with a well defined hotspot. Surely out throws the original xpg.

Benchiew said:

I managed to buy a XPG 3S LE and got Derek swapped a warm 4500k XPE2 for me. It resides in a Haiku now. Just beautiful beam with a well defined hotspot. Surely out throws the original xpg.

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Bro, How is the beam profile? Is it better/smoother than the original XP-G?

jumpstat said:

Bro, How is the beam profile? Is it better/smoother than the original XP-G?

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It is very smooth transition from spot to spill. It has a smaller but more intense spot.

What reflector would be the best to suit the XPE2 in the Haiku?