Different emitters in Sundrop XR-U (beam artifacts)

[Spooons]

Does anyone have experience with non-stock light engines, specifically in the Sundrop XR-U? Mainly concerned with the resulting shape of the beam when using different emitters, or small emitter arrays.

Does having a small 4 emitter array terribly affect the beam? Specifically considering e17a, e21a, or optisolis in this configuration.

Are there any modern, round, high cri options that aren't limited in drive current?

Thank you!

 

[desert.snake]

If they are physically placed there, without short circuit anything, then they will work. The difference will be in the different edge effects of the beam. Only direct experiment will show.

This is clearly visible in the original thread:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/sundrop-xr-u.239966/

Interestingly, a single-chip XRE and Seoul gave more artifacts at the edges of the beam than a 4-crystal MCE.

I think everything will be fine.

 

[carrot]

This is my Sundrop (non XR-U) with the quad E21a. Suffice to say it did not stay with this engine.

 

[F89]

That's terrible. I'm happy with the single E21a LE in my XRU.

 

[Spooons]

This is my Sundrop (non XR-U) with the quad E21a. Suffice to say it did not stay with this engine.

View attachment 24847

Dang that sucks. Did you end up keeping that for another light?

That's terrible. I'm happy with the single E21a LE in my XRU.

Do you get a fair amount of square in the beam with that setup? That's probably what I'll end up with if nothing else.


Thanks for all the replies.

 

[F89]

The beam is round. Perhaps there's a little bit of square to it but I can't really perceive that so I'm calling it round, unlike the 119V for example which has an element of square.
There's still a brighter outer ring with a bit of the "tobacco ring" at the perimeter but the E21a (in single format) works really well.
I used the sm573 R9080, I highly recommend this combination with the XR-U.

 

[F89]

 

[Spooons]

View attachment 24874
View attachment 24875

Oh wow, thats perfect! Thank you so much for those beamshots. Don't think there's much you can do about that outer edge coloration, but I don't mind it at all.

Mind if I ask what driver you have in there?

 

[F89]

These (phone) pics are unedited and only size reduced so take the colour balance etc for what it is. The quality of light is excellent. Clean whites with realistic and pleasing colours.
Both pics taken on high (300mA) using an AA LE.

 

[F89]

Here's a bonus pic. XR-U 5700K (on low, 15mA) with Sapphire 5600K.

 

[Spooons]

Here's a bonus pic. XR-U 5700K with Sapphire 5700K.
View attachment 24876

Super clean. Can't wait to see this in a warm cct

Was it modded or did you send the emitter in for Don to do the build?

 

[F89]

I modded an MCPCB to fit.

 

[Spooons]

I modded an MCPCB to fit.

Awesome. How's the brightness compared to the stock emitter?

 

[F89]

I couldn't give you a good answer to that as I never took any measurements nor have done any side by side comparison.
What I can tell you is that the 119V is rated B10, 100-110 lumens, and the E21a I used is rated D240 (from memory) which is 125-135 lumens. Both ranges @350mA. So on paper at least, the E21a should be brighter.
Either way I'm sure if they both hit their spec that there's (quite a bit) less than those figures actually making it out the front.

 

[Spooons]

I couldn't give you a good answer to that as I never took any measurements nor have done any side by side comparison.
What I can tell you is that the 119V is rated B10, 100-110 lumens, and the E21a I used is rated D240 (from memory) which is 125-135 lumens. Both ranges @350mA. So on paper at least, the E21a should be brighter.
Either way I'm sure if they both hit their spec that there's (quite a bit) less than those figures actually making it out the front.

Fair enough. Seems like it would be practically the same. The driver I'll end up with is AA/14500, but I'm thinking the AA output would be about the same as stock.

 

[F89]

If you're planning on using a 14500 (4.2V) then you'd be better off using the Hive LE (programmable up to 1.2A). The AA can take a wide voltage range (even 4.2V) but will only ever put out 300mA on high, so it's better used with single AA rechargeable or lithium primary.
I EDC a Haiku AA 119V so the 300mA max isn't a problem for me.

 

[Spooons]

If you're planning on using a 14500 (4.2V) then you'd be better off using the Hive LE (programmable up to 1.2A). The AA can take a wide voltage range (even 4.2V) but will only ever put out 300mA on high, so it's better used with single AA rechargeable or lithium primary.
I EDC a Haiku AA 119V so the 300mA max isn't a problem for me.

Oh yeah I'm aware of that. The le is going to be a custom one built by datiLED using a driver that takes both batteries. When using the AA it should be very close to the output of the standard AA converter.

 

[F89]

Nice. Post some pics when it's done.

 

[Spooons]

Nice. Post some pics when it's done.

Will do