Home made triple P60s

[netprince]

I think that is what I'm running into, I used three XP-Es on one triple, with one cell I'm barely getting 3.25 amps, if I use two LiFePo 3.0 v cells I can pull 4.35, but have about ten minutes of run time. Looks like the e2e is getting bored for 18mm cells.

Did you remove the reverse polarity protection diode from the driver? That should get you a little more voltage and therefore current. Just have to remember to never put the batteries in backwards.

 

[Lolaralph]

Did you remove the reverse polarity protection diode from the driver? That should get you a little more voltage and therefore current. Just have to remember to never put the batteries in backwards.

Could you describe where it's located, I'm hoping it's on the voltage input side as my triples are all assembled and I have no access to the other side, thanks for all the excellent information by the way

 

[netprince]

I got my drivers from illumination supply. On mine the diode is right next to the +LED wire. I had to remove the diode, and then jump the solder points with the wire. (you can see it in his picture of the 2.8a driver)

I read about it here in the forum somewhere, might try searching for more info.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

17670 cells are generally no-name cells. I think AW finds the best ones he can and gives them his seal of approval, but 18650 is much easier to find quality cells.

Sanyo used to make 16mm cells, but I think they are kind of old and may not even be capable of a 5A draw.

http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Common18650comparator.php < nifty comparator put together by CPF's favorite datalogger, HKJ.

 

[Erzengel]

I think that is what I'm running into, I used three XP-Es on one triple, with one cell I'm barely getting 3.25 amps, if I use two LiFePo 3.0 v cells I can pull 4.35, but have about ten minutes of run time. Looks like the e2e is getting bored for 18mm cells.

The XP-E has a Vf of ca. 3.5V at a current of1A. This means You need about 3.65V to keep the light in regulation if You're using the popular 7135 linear regulator. Only IMR cells can keep the necessary voltage at a current of 5A for a few minutes. Xp-Gs or Nichia 219s will perform much better.

 

[netprince]

You can see some 219 Vf info here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?348171-Nichia-219-lumen-sphere-testing

I built a triple 219 and was suprised it wasn't a lower Vf. My triple XPG2 on the other hand, very nice.

 

[Itinifni]

To the OP,
i'm curious, does a single cell provide enough power to go to 5.0+ amps, I've made a few triples for e series lights and was considering having them bored to accept 18650 cells but wasn't sure they would power these triples to over 4 amps, thanks

My protected 18650s (AW) won't provide 5.0A though they're supposed to be capable of up to 5.9A. I've been told it is due to the type of driver I'm using.
I use AW IMR cells which have no problem at all.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

The XP-E has a Vf of ca. 3.5V at a current of1A. This means You need about 3.65V to keep the light in regulation if You're using the popular 7135 linear regulator. Only IMR cells can keep the necessary voltage at a current of 5A for a few minutes. Xp-Gs or Nichia 219s will perform much better.

Battery tech is changing. Right now, a panasonic NCR18650B, the 3400mAh one, will hold its voltage above 3.65V just about as long as an AW 1600mAh IMR when discharged at 5A. Both will stay in regulation, the IMR's will generally supply ~.1V more than the pana.

Check out the link above in my previous post, and play around with it. IMRs of lower capacity hold their voltage better, so for high performance cells, compare those with lower capacities against the cell in question.

 

[DellSuperman]

Hi, great build of those triples!
Btw, how did you put the 3/4" copper rod over the heatsink?
You mentioned that both are 3/4" thick right?
It is after the portion that you drill a hole through the heatsink.
Thank you.

 

[SteveoMiami]

How did you attach the optic to the star? Also I have a long copper rod that is 5/8" is there a way I could use this?

 

[DellSuperman]

I used the same optics but the beam that i got is pretty triangular in shape. Any ideas why?

The optics is sitting on the MCPCB & all my emitters are seated nice & flat on the MCPCB as well..

Btw, i couldn't find any copper or brass rod so I ended up using the stock P60 reflector as my base. Filled the reflector & pill with as much solder as it possibly can hold & sit the 20mm star with optics on it.

It works well, brighter than my 3mA XM-L2 at 5m, just that the beam seem a lil weird.
Oh, its hot too!

JonK

Sent from my Awesome phone from somewhere in the mountains

 

[Toaster79]

My 2 cents

Top: helmet light using 3xXPE, 10507, MaxFlex @ 1300ma
Middle: Standard P60 with MCE. Reflector used to be OP, but decided to polish it myself (turned out great)
Bottom: Tripple P60 with 3p 219 and 1400mA driver with three additional 7135 running at 2570mA

The tripple is a press fit for a Solarforce L2P, all the parts of the module are interchangeable.

 

[DellSuperman]

Wow, nice triple you've got there.
Whats the housing?

** My first DIY triple

Left is my work light, L2N XM-L 1.4mA
Middle, Surefire C2 Triple XP-G2 4.2mA
Right, my current EDC Surefire G2 Malkoff M61 WL

JonK

Sent from my Awesome phone from somewhere in the mountains

 

[DellSuperman]

I managed to make a triple XG-G2 using a normal P60 reflector & pill.
Here are my steps...

1) Fill reflector with solder & file the top so that 20mm star can sit nicely on it.
The optic when seated is level with the top of reflector.
Drill a hole through the middle for the wires.
Fujik thermal compound added between the solder cone & the reflector to hold it in place & also remove any air holes.

2) Fill up pill with solder as well, to increase thermal mass as much as possible.
Driver side || Emitter side

*Note, because the star is a parallel setup, so only 2 wires are required.
Both wires go into 1 of the hold in the pill so that I can still screw the pill on the reflector.

3) Driver of choice: 8 + 4 * 7135, total 4.2mA
I applied a small amount of Fujik in between the 2 chips to help hold them better.
Added a bare copper wire around the pill to improve thermal pathway to the body.

4) Applied Fujik thermal compound (because i dont have AA) before sitting the star & optic.

Beam shot:
I am not sure why the beam turns out to be triangular in shape.
This is taken from a phone, so pardon the image quality.

I used a DC power supply to run it at 100% & it took less than 2 mins before the current starts dropping from the 4.2mA.
I guess the thermal mass of solder is just not the same as copper/brass.

I am in the process of getting brass/copper as the base of my next triple.

 

[netprince]

I used the same optics but the beam that i got is pretty triangular in shape. Any ideas why?

I noticed this on my build, I'm not sure why it does that either?

 

[DellSuperman]

I noticed this on my build, I'm not sure why it does that either?

I have a beam shot in a post, is it the same with yours?

- JonK

 

[Itinifni]

What your seeing is the spill from three emitters off-center in a single reflector. All of my triples show the same beam patern. It's most noticable on a white wall with the first two I made, I left the plating on the reflector alone on those. With the Nichia I used steel wool to strip the chrome off leaving a brass (or nickle) finish, the patern is less noticable. On the XP-G2 I painted the reflector red, the patern is almost non-existant. I think if it were painted flat black you wouldn't see it at all.

If it were a quad I bet you would get a square spill patern.

 

[MosesM]

Itinifni is probably right, it's the reflector that's messing with the optic, 'cause i've never seen that shape of beam on my triple optics which are just sitting on top of the star and not surrounded by a reflector. Hope that makes sense?

 

[DellSuperman]

But i have sanded the glossy surface off the reflector, leaving only the bare metal finish.

Anyways, i think i can live with that.
Anything more than 5m, the mysterious triangular beam isn't visible anymore. Haha..

- JonK

 

[Toaster79]

Wow, nice triple you've got there.
Whats the housing?

Made both tripples myself. Turned on a lathe.