Direct Drive P7 maglite battery configuration?

[spankone]

because of its out put the P7 seems to be very popular, and in a direct drive config it sems a great first mod, but after lots of searching I've found it hard to pin down whats the best battery config

Is it possible to list the most common DD battery options for the P7 led in a mag host, and expexted output and battery life for I and J bins

for example

2D host= 2 D ni-mhs cells at Bla bla lumens bla bla run time
2d host= 3 C cell ni-mhs etc etc

3D host and so on

I think this could be a great noob guide reference, and helps to remove the confusion and potential weak point of a driver etc

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=208822



I know its alot of work but I'm sure it would be considered most helpfull

 

[LEDninja]

There isn't much you can do when DD a P7 in a Mag.

Some MC-Es have a low enough Vf that they will smoke under DD conditions but I have not seen any post of that happening with the P7. I still recommend J bin with its higher Vf for DD though.

2D NiMH batteries do not have enough voltage to drive a P7. Elektrolumens have built a 18650 P7 torch in a 2C Mag with a plastic tube and a metal spacer. I guess you can also do that with a 2D.

2D can be converted into a 3C with a plastic tube.

3D/3C is probably the best configuration. I got 2.8A (max spec) with freshly charged batteries.
That is 740 LED lumens C bin; 800 LED lumens D bin.
Allowing for the awful Mag optics absorbing 1/3 of the light: 480 OTF lumens C bin; 520 OTF lumens D bin.
If you replace the plastic stock Mag lens with a UCL glass lens with AR coating you get 10% improvement or 520 OTF lumens C bin; 570 OTF lumens D bin.
My 3C P7 do not seem to dim much in actual use.
I was alternating between my Mag, EDC-P7 and minimak 14500 during the CPF GTA hike in High Park so I do not have an exact continuous runtime.

Runtime is dependent on the batteries used. Also most batteries are rated at much less current than a P7 so are probably around 10% less than the official rating.
AFAIK Energizer 2500 mAH C/D just have one of their 2500 mAH AA inside. The Energizer AA is quite wimpy in current output and not suitable for driving a P7.
Ray-O-Vac 2900 will produce 2.8A. Estimated just under 1 hour.
4500 mAH C estimated just under 1-1/2 hour.
6000 mAH C I suspect are just 4500 mAH rated using "smaller chinese mAH".
10000 mAH D estimated about 3 hour.
12000 mAH D I suspect are just 10000 mAH rated using "smaller chinese mAH".

 

[spankone]

thank you