ARGH! @#$%!? Warning to all users attempting to drive the MN61 with 3x17670s

[Illum]

If your planning to do the M6R using 3x17670s I'd suggest either going to bi-pin or drain your cells for a bit.

I received my FM holder today [w00t!], popped in the cells, removed my beloved MN21, installed the MN61 and the holder...
made this funny little sound, like a pebble thrown into the rim of a rolling tire.
On close inspection the filaments broken, with one side melted into a little tungsten ball

hmm, maybe its just that lamp that was prone to go, lets try another.
Ante up another $35, double checked everything, lamp, battery, Tail spring resistance, sunglasses. Ready, go....

The games hasn't started and I already lost $65 on side bets
@#$%!?:shrug:

 

[cqbdude]

If your planning to do the M6R using 3x17670s I'd suggest either going to bi-pin or drain your cells for a bit.

I received my FM holder today [w00t!], popped in the cells, removed my beloved MN21, installed the MN61 and the holder...
made this funny little sound, like a pebble thrown into the rim of a rolling tire.
On close inspection the filaments broken, with one side melted into a little tungsten ball

hmm, maybe its just that lamp that was prone to go, lets try another.
Ante up another $35, double checked everything, lamp, battery, Tail spring resistance, sunglasses. Ready, go....

The games hasn't started and I already lost $70 on side bets
@#$%!?:shrug:

Wow..I havent had a problem with mine...

Did you check the voltage with all the batteries in the holder?

Or you need to buy your MN61's somewhere else..those are expensive..
Going to Led doesnt give you the same beam...

Sorry you are blowing your lamps...

 

[kavvika]

Jesus, $70 on two lamps!? Pop another and that'll be how much I paid for my turnkey first-run FM700L.

 

[eebowler]

I don't even know what a MN61 lamp is and still Sorry to hear this Illum.

 

[IcantC]

Hmmm that is weird, I have popped in the batteries fresh off the charger with no pop...

I am sure you did this, but to doublecheck you wiped the bulb and did not touch with fingers?

I also have no spring resistance or mods done, stock M6.

Also FWIW I am using AW 17670 and charge them until charger goes green and then I remove.

 

[Illum]

MN61s are ultra-high output lamps originally made for the M4 devastator

well, one I bought for $35 online, the other was $30 shipped from user Comet
$65, but thats still a tad expensive....I've heard of new lamps in the packages instaflashing even in their intended lights and since both lamps was NIB I thought, hey... :sigh:, I should've checked the cells first...or at least drained them for a bit in the L4
one of the 3 cells were charged yesterday night, the other two were in L4s, charge state unknown.

IcantC, the lamps were wiped with Kleenex prior to them being inserted. I remembered seeing a thread where an MN type lamp inherently exploded in the turbohead and I've been somewhat paranoid since then

My M6 is stock...a MagnumLight, not sure if theres a difference in resistance from the design. I'll have to ask ttrans97 about it, he has both and old and new versions

I'm also using AW17670s. two old cells [top is white around the center contact, later versions are black] one new. the two old ones have seen maybe 10 cycles from my old night job. the new cell was kept as a spare, been through maybe 3 cycles.:candle:

heres a shot of the "ball"


cqbdude, where I pray thee tell, can I get lamps for under $30? :bow:

edit: has anyone tried using the LF-HO-M4A with the 17670s yet?

 

[IcantC]

Hmm hope one of the experts can chime on on this.

Yes please share the cheap source for bulbs

 

[cqbdude]

I hope you get your M6 with the MN61 dialed in...this is by far my favorite combo..

I have purchased MN61s here in the cpf marketplace for around 23.00 even lower at times..

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=175773

 

[Illum]

well, I did post a WTB and I didn't want to appear too cheap-oriented, so I agreed at $30/lamp

$23 is definitely a deal, but as for now I'll be on the lookout for an MN60 before I gather up enough courage [and dollars] for another trial

 

[mdocod]

The MN61 is a 9V bulb designed to last ~30 hours at ~9V, and you are nailing it with around 11V. It's already a hard driven (short life) bulb in the grand scheme of things at 9V. Every calculation I can do to estimate bulb life at 11V for the bulb suggests that it SHOULD insta-flash, but for whatever reason, for some people, it does not... So you might say that your experience is what *should* happen, the fact that many people successfully run this configuration is, IMO, sort of a fluke.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Man, you poor guy. Made me twitch just reading your first post. Hell, I am paranoid about running the MN60 with three fully charged 17500 LiIon's, and have been dropping the voltage to around 4.1 volts each before they enter my light. I am not using an M6. Maybe you have unusually "low" resistance in your M6 setup.

Bill

 

[cnjl3]

I totally agree with the post below.
The "only" bulbs I use in my M6 is the stock MN21 MN20 and JS recommended MN15. I almost bought the 3X17670 holder to use with
the MN61 but in the end I thought that with 3 li-ion cells either at 10.8v or 11.1v it would be safer to run that much voltage with some regulation like say with a Willie Hunt LVR.

The MN61 is a 9V bulb designed to last ~30 hours at ~9V, and you are nailing it with around 11V. It's already a hard driven (short life) bulb in the grand scheme of things at 9V. Every calculation I can do to estimate bulb life at 11V for the bulb suggests that it SHOULD insta-flash, but for whatever reason, for some people, it does not... So you might say that your experience is what *should* happen, the fact that many people successfully run this configuration is, IMO, sort of a fluke.

 

[IcantC]

I guess you can always purchase the Lumensfactory bulb instead? Should be a safer route to go?

 

[Patriot]

Sorry that this didn't work for you but maybe your light has less resistance somewhere? Honestly I'm not sure if I'm going to try it now. I might just stick with the LF lamp now. That's a bummer....:shrug:


mdocod, isn't the voltage to an MN61 on primaries around 10V (2.5V x 4) ?

What does primary voltage drop to under load?

 

[mdocod]

Patriot36
CR123s drop closer to 2.25V under the 2.5A load

I think the HO-M6R is probably the simplest alternative.

 

[JetskiMark]

My condolences on your loss. I feel your pain.

I guess mine is a fluke. I take my AW cells off of my Cellpro 4s charger and insert them into the holder and I measure about 12.53V at the jack. I put it in my stock M6 with an MN61 and turn it on and off (a lot) with no problems. I put ProGold on every contact and spring too.

I really want to run an 1185 in mine. I hope that we can all get the bi-pin adapters when FM does his next run.

Regards,
Mark

 

[knightrider]

This scares me a little also. About to get my 3x17670 holder and batteries and bulb together. Was thinking about the MN61 but I think the LF M6 bulb will be the way I go instead.

One thing I always do with my rechargeables is let them rest for 1-2 hours after recharging. Not sure if it's really necessary, but I feel that hot off the charger might be dangerous. This is just something I do with my rechargeable SF/Leef incan setups.

Sorry about your 2 bulbs going That would also tick me off.

 

[Illum]

The MN61 is a 9V bulb designed to last ~30 hours at ~9V, and you are nailing it with around 11V. It's already a hard driven (short life) bulb in the grand scheme of things at 9V. Every calculation I can do to estimate bulb life at 11V for the bulb suggests that it SHOULD insta-flash, but for whatever reason, for some people, it does not... So you might say that your experience is what *should* happen, the fact that many people successfully run this configuration is, IMO, sort of a fluke.

someone warned me about this over chat...maybe I should've taken notes

the MN60 sounds "okay"
would you happen to know what the MN60's design voltage is?

IcantC, yeah I'm planning to go that route. I'll eat the $65 for now. and order the LF-HO-M6R lamp sometime later. I'm building two hotwires at the same time, since both my FM 6AA-to-2D adapter and FM 3x17670 holder came in the same pkg:twothumbs
planning the mag85 route with a mag3D, but thats another matter

I really want to run an 1185 in mine. I hope that we can all get the bi-pin adapters when FM does his next run

you should start an interest thread as well :thumbsup:

One thing I always do with my rechargeables is let them rest for 1-2 hours after recharging. Not sure if it's really necessary, but I feel that hot off the charger might be dangerous. This is just something I do with my rechargeable SF/Leef incan setups.
Sorry about your 2 bulbs going That would also tick me off.

the "letting them rest a bit" part is meant for NIMHs, li-ion/17670s can retain their "off the charger voltage" for weeks before discharging

not really ticked off, just...everything up to the installation has gone so smoothly. Research was done, in addition to reassurance by members who've used the same setup...it came more as a surprise

who here has a MN61 lamp that works and remembers when you bought it?
the feeling of the "new batch/version of lamps" is still rolling around in my head:shrug:

 

[adamlau]

...the lamps were wiped with Kleenex prior to them being inserted...

You probably smeared the existing layer of oil, or added oil to the lamp by wiping it with tissue paper. The safest and most conservative route is to hit the bulb with 99.99% pure anhydrous isopropyl alcohol with static free swabs two, or three times, allowing the bulb to air dry each time in a relatively oil and particulate free area (swabbing in the kitchen while the wife is frying up some fish is not what you want to do). Two new MN61 lamps, swabbed as described above off six new AW 17670 cells charged to 4.18V hot off the charger (HOTC) in two M6 hosts have not been an issue as of yet. YMMV, I go the route which has led me to success i.e. a judicious swabbing of the lamp with 99.99% pure anhydrous isopropyl alcohol with static free swabs.

 

[Illum]

You probably smeared the existing layer of oil, or added oil to the lamp by wiping it with tissue paper. The safest and most conservative route is to hit the bulb with 99.99% pure anhydrous isopropyl alcohol with static free swabs two, or three times, allowing the bulb to air dry each time in a relatively oil and particulate free area (swabbing in the kitchen while the wife is frying up some fish is not what you want to do). Two new MN61 lamps, swabbed as described above off six new AW 17670 cells charged to 4.18V hot off the charger (HOTC) in two M6 hosts have not been an issue as of yet. YMMV, I go the route which has led me to success i.e. a judicious swabbing of the lamp with 99.99% pure anhydrous isopropyl alcohol with static free swabs.

I don't see how that could have aided to the burning of the lamps.
well, maybe my word use was wrong. both filaments broke, but the glass envelopes remained intact:tinfoil: