Rectangular Driver boards or 12mm round???

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magudaman

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I am currently trying to design a flashlight that will be in a rectangular form factor but am finding off the shelf drivers are all round 17mm disks. This is currently my widest part and is forcing me to go to a larger flashlight. Does anyone make either a less 12mm diameter disks or retangular driver that is only 12mm or less wide. My internal length due to battery is 40mm.

Thanks for the help!
 
magudaman said:
I am currently trying to design a flashlight that will be in a rectangular form factor but am finding off the shelf drivers are all round 17mm disks. This is currently my widest part and is forcing me to go to a larger flashlight. Does anyone make either a less 12mm diameter disks or retangular driver that is only 12mm or less wide. My internal length due to battery is 40mm.

Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
What voltage in, out, and current are you looking for?
 
Arg! sorry, I meant to put that in the post above. It will be powered by a single lithium cell running at 3.7v nominal 4.2v max 2.8v min and I was hoping to find a 3 mode driver running a peak of 750ma to 1100ma driving a cree variant so around 3.7v output. Even if I needed to use two very small boards it would work too. My internal dimensions of the cavity for the driver board are 42mm x 13mm x 7mm
 
magudaman said:
Arg! sorry, I meant to put that in the post above. It will be powered by a single lithium cell running at 3.7v nominal 4.2v max 2.8v min and I was hoping to find a 3 mode driver running a peak of 750ma to 1100ma driving a cree variant so around 3.7v output. Even if I needed to use two very small boards it would work too. My internal dimensions of the cavity for the driver board are 42mm x 13mm x 7mm
Click to expand...

I don't have a particular answer for you, but I'll show you how to find one.

The LED Vf is right in the middle of that voltage range. If you can accept dimming towards the end of battery life (kinder on the battery and the user) then try here:

click

Narrow options down, it may take some reading to pick. Apparently you can't link to a search page.


This one might work. A resistor and some other basic components are needed to set output current, and it's about 3 mm long. The datasheet is your friend.
 
A microboost or flexdrive laser driver. They are very small, and produce a much smoother output than most LED drivers. I'm running a microboost at 4.5v 1.2A.
 
AnAppleSnail said:
I don't have a particular answer for you, but I'll show you how to find one.

The LED Vf is right in the middle of that voltage range. If you can accept dimming towards the end of battery life (kinder on the battery and the user) then try here:

click

Narrow options down, it may take some reading to pick. Apparently you can't link to a search page.


This one might work. A resistor and some other basic components are needed to set output current, and it's about 3 mm long. The datasheet is your friend.
Click to expand...

Well I did realize I could build one but that was a bit more than I was hoping to bite off, thanks for the suggestions though. I am looking for more of a turn key kind of setup.

A microboost or flexdrive laser driver. They are very small, and produce a much smoother output than most LED drivers. I'm running a microboost at 4.5v 1.2A.
Click to expand...

Hey those are very cool!!!! Three mode might be a bit tricky since different current ranges require solder jumpers but that may be the route I end up taking. Looks like you could run 3 LEDs on the micro-boost from a single lipo :devil: Darn expensive though! GOOD FIND!
 
magudaman said:
Hey those are very cool!!!! Three mode might be a bit tricky since different current ranges require solder jumpers but that may be the route I end up taking. Looks like you could run 3 LEDs on the micro-boost from a single lipo :devil: Darn expensive though! GOOD FIND!
Click to expand...

Yep, they're great. Soldering jumpers isn't all that tricky if you have a steady hand. Note that the 1200mA setting isn't listed in the manual, but it's there. And yes, they are expensive, but they deliver a very steady output with very little fluctuation and are very efficient. I believe the flexdrive is something like 90-95% efficient.
 
wyager said:
Yep, they're great. Soldering jumpers isn't all that tricky if you have a steady hand. Note that the 1200mA setting isn't listed in the manual, but it's there. And yes, they are expensive, but they deliver a very steady output with very little fluctuation and are very efficient. I believe the flexdrive is something like 90-95% efficient.
Click to expand...


I wasn't so worried about soldering jumpers it was more that I would like if the light could be 3 mode say 100% 35% 5%. That is what would be very tricky. Never the less I think I will pick one up. It is really the perfect size!
 
Last edited:
magudaman said:
I wasn't so worried about soldering jumpers it was more that I would like if the light could be 3 mode say 100% 35% 5%. That is what would be very tricky. Never the less I think I will pick one up.
Click to expand...

Yeah, if you wanted multimode you would have to use the PWM function on the microboost, but that requires an external PWM generator (AKA a microcontroller). So while it's possible it's not probable.
 
Well bummer went to place the order and the flex drive is out of stock and it seems the guys who sells them is working on version 6 and no longer selling the one listed on the site :sigh:
 
Well the boost doesn't exactly work for my application...it will only output a lowest voltage of what ever my battery input voltage is. So for the first 25 seconds it will drive the led at 4.1v when it shouldn't have over 3.7v. If I dial the current down to say 700ma it won't be able to drop it to 3.5v to get that current level. The site you sent has the Microflex but out of stock. ARG!
 
magudaman said:
Well the boost doesn't exactly work for my application...it will only output a lowest voltage of what ever my battery input voltage is. So for the first 25 seconds it will drive the led at 4.1v when it shouldn't have over 3.7v. If I dial the current down to say 700ma it won't be able to drop it to 3.5v to get that current level. The site you sent has the Microflex but out of stock. ARG!
Click to expand...

Put up a WTB thread in the laserpointerforums B/S/T section. You'll probably find one within a day.
 
magudaman said:
I think I am SOL, it looks like it is a desired item at the moment guy is offering up to $50 for one!:

http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/wtb-flexdrive-54674.html
Click to expand...

LOL, nevermind then! He stopped making the V5s at a really bad time, people can't get enough current with these new 445nm diodes. If you can wait for his next one, it will probably give at least 2A @5V, which might be better for you. These new laser diodes work properly at up to 2.3A, so he's probably shooting as high as he can without melting the driver.
 
Well I want to get this project started so I think I'm going to start off with a dimension engineering lvboost. It not a constant current driver but is voltage based :-/ when i get it I will pull the 25 turn pot off and it should only be about 10.5mm x 18mm x 4mm
 
Ok well I talked with Andrew over at Nautilus Integration who actually manufactures the Flexdrive and he said that laser surplus should have them in stock next week. Guess v6 will come when it comes then.
 
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