M60 and IMR cells...

[foxtrot29]

Anyone do any testing with the Malkoff M60 and the IMR cells?

I'm guessing there isn't any advantage to using two IMR (CR123 size) as opposed to two AW Black label (CR123 size) cells?

I know the M60 has a low current draw using primaries (750mah?), but as I understand the current draw goes up with the AW blacks...

Any insight?

 

[Yoda4561]

You should probably stick to the protected cells. The M60 will regulate down to 1.9v per cell, lower in a 3 cell light. That's low enough to cause permanent cell damage before dimming is noticed. I use them with my M60 because I didn't want to start off with the less-robust lithium cobalts until I got better aquainted with LiIon's in general, if you can keep track of the runtime then they're perfectly fine. They ARE great for running the M60MCE in a 2 cell body however.

**Edit: Current draw goes DOWN with 2 litihum ion cells in the M60, no ifs ands or buts about it. The M30 increases current draw as voltage increases. When I measured my m60 prior to selling it, using 2 and 3 primary cells, as well as 2x IMR 16340's, current draw went down as voltage went up, and total power draw remained around 4.8-5 watts.

 

[foxtrot29]

You should probably stick to the protected cells. The M60 will regulate down to 1.9v per cell, lower in a 3 cell light. That's low enough to cause permanent cell damage before dimming is noticed. I use them with my M60 because I didn't want to start off with the less-robust lithium cobalts until I got better aquainted with LiIon's in general, if you can keep track of the runtime then they're perfectly fine. They ARE great for running the M60MCE in a 2 cell body however.

**Edit: Current draw goes DOWN with 2 litihum ion cells in the M60, no ifs ands or buts about it. The M30 increases current draw as voltage increases. When I measured my m60 prior to selling it, using 2 and 3 primary cells, as well as 2x IMR 16340's, current draw went down as voltage went up, and total power draw remained around 4.8-5 watts.

Really? (regarding current draw going down!)... So the M60 will have more current draw with a single 17670 than it would with two 16340's?? That doesn't seem right, but I don't have a multimeter.... Time to buy one I think.

 

[StarHalo]

That doesn't seem right, but I don't have a multimeter.... Time to buy one I think.

Cen-Tech 7 Function Digital Multimeter, $2.49: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ct...899&zmam=33951326&zmas=12&zmac=112&zmap=90899

 

[foxtrot29]

Cen-Tech 7 Function Digital Multimeter, $2.49: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ct...899&zmam=33951326&zmas=12&zmac=112&zmap=90899

Nice and cheap, but I don't think they will ship to Canada.

 

[Yoda4561]

Really? (regarding current draw going down!)... So the M60 will have more current draw with a single 17670 than it would with two 16340's?? That doesn't seem right, but I don't have a multimeter.... Time to buy one I think.

That's right, but my measurements seem to be less than would be expected. You would think a single cell would need to deliver double the current, but it only delivers around 30 percent more. My M60wlf for example pulls .23 amps on 2 16340's, and .33 amps on a 17670. This may be due to the driver being more efficient so close to the LED's VF, or it may be because under load the voltage just barely drops under the circuit regulation and runs in direct drive. It's probably the former, since most direct drive lights actually overdrive the LED on a fresh battery, mine is still outputting at the expected level.