Solarforce L2 drop in x2 unknown

[zone 69]

Well i picked up a solarforce L2 and it came with two dropins that i cant identify. one maybe a LC-1 Cree R2 1 Mode .8-4.2V as theres some green stuff left behind.

Here you go Bullzeyebill. It is a used L2 but I did not buy it from Candle Power Forums.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Turn the modules around so we can see the LED's. You buy it from a CPF'er?

Bill

 

[qwertyydude]

The one on the right looks like an older style module. I used to buy modules back when the P4 was state of the art and they had the finer threads and two metal press fit construction. The smaller brass pill is probably the newer one. Also some time ago Cree switched to the EZ900 die, so likely if it's a real R2 it'll be EZ900, the way to tell is look at the die, if there's a thin copper colored frame around the die it is EZ900 and more likely to be R2. The newer design is superior with a more direct heat path and a deeper reflector.

 

[zone 69]

Well I just found out the one on the right (FIRST PIC) has 5 modes. Three levels of light a strode and S.O.S witch I dont realy know how to control.
I know little to nothing about the CREE LED dropins and I like to know if they could handle running on two 18650 or three 123 batteries without killing them.

Thin copper colored frame around the die? I dont know what you mean? you cant see it in the pic's?

Any recommendations on a rechargeable safe brand of the two types of batteries mentioned above.

 

[M@elstrom]

Any recommendations on a rechargeable safe brand of the two types of batteries mentioned above.

AW branded Li-Ion cells are considered premium and can be purchased directly from AW himself in his CPF market place thread HERE :thumbsup:


Alternatively... I've had good results with the "black label" Trustfire 18650's available anywhere from DealExtreme to eBay ;)

 

[zone 69]

Well thank you all for your help helping me with my mystery modules.

I think I narrowed it down on witch CREE LED modules I have.

LC-1 (R2m, 5 modes, 4.2V-8.4V)
and
LC-1 (R2, single mode, 3V-18V)

Now the LC-1 (R2m, 5 modes, 4.2V-8.4V) the max power I can run with this one is 8.4v correct and the other maxs out at 18v if I understand it right.

I dont need hours of run time Im after high lumens in strobe and for both LED modules.

So for the R2m 5 mode module I was thinking two rechargeable18650's 3.6V and for the R2 single mode module three rechargeable R123 3.7V batteries.
I will be useing the Infamous DSD charger.

And again I dont wish to damage/kill anything.

 

[qwertyydude]

On closer inspection of the front view I notice they're both very old style yellowback ez1000 xr-e's I doubt very much they're R2 modules as those are a recent bin and I haven't seen yellow back led's in at least a couple years. At most I'd say you have Q3 bin led's, likely they're plain old P4 bins. If you want more light I think your best bet is to upgrade to a new module. They're plenty cheap and then you know exactly what you have and what they're capable of plus you might be happier with a different tint led.

 

[zone 69]

I found a date in the tail switch, 2007.

I also was playing with my L2 useing two Soshine RCR123 650mAh 3v batteries to power it.

The 1 mode module seems to be plenty bright for my needs useing the soshines. But when I install the 5 mode module it dose not to seem to work correctly the light is bright at first but the modes wont work until the light dims a little then I can see the modes working but not very well then soon after the batteries seem to die and the light go's out then I drop my 1 mode module back in then its fine and working again.

I also see now that I need a tailcap rubber button thing as the one I have has a little 2mm split in it.
So I was thinking now is I mite go with useing my 1 mode and buying a tailcap with 2 mode ON/OFF strobe function.
And will power it with two 18650's 3.7v rechargeable batteries.

 

[qwertyydude]

2007 is old relative to the recent fast paced advancement of led development. I'm pretty sure you've got only P4 bin leds. I've had problems with multimode circuit boards before they seem to always give me trouble. My single mode circuit boards have never failed me.

 

[zone 69]

Thank you qwertyydude for your INFO on indenifing my old dropins.
I was trying to look up and find some stats on the CREE P4's with little results other then there around 84 lumens.

I dont know if this has been done before or if it's even wise to do.
I have taped two AA's together and used it in my Solarforce L2.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

P4 is not a flux designation. A Seoul P4 with a U2 bin would be the flux designation. U2 is a fairly high powered Seoul P4 and there are a few V flux binned P4's out there. Some of the earlier P4's used an S or T flux bin, and the Hi CRI Seoul's use the lower flux designations.

Bill

 

[qwertyydude]

The Cree xr-e does have a P4 bin, that's what zone 69's led's are most likely since his led's are yellow back Cree xr-e led's which haven't been in production for a good long while. At least I haven't seen them in any modern lights even going budget walmart shopping.

On the Cree datasheet there are designations down to the M2 bin, it goes alphabetically but with a numerical 2-5 designation after the letter to further separate fluxes. So there is a P2, P3, P4 bins before the more modern Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 bins. The recent R bin has now been opened with the R2 xr-e but that's where the xr-e seems to have topped out. With the xp-g you're now hitting R4 and R5. Next bin logically would be the S2, can't wait for those babies.

Now the SSC led's model is named the P4 and uses straight letter bin designations J-Y. I'm guessing the majority of the ones produced lie in the S,T,U bins are the most popular for large purchasers and they probably demand tighter binning so they have segregated their led's to less than 10 lumens variance with the 1 and 2 designations. I bet as the manufacturing for the led results high flux bins being more available they'll split the V bin into V1 and V2.

These led's are not made to bins they mass manufacture them and then sort them later, some are brighter than others and some have different tints. I'm sure they could aim for say a cool tint and get a good amount right but the rest just end up going to a different bin after testing for their brightness. Or you could have a complete outlier like a cool, dim led when you were aiming for warm and bright. But binning is binning just make 'em and hope for the best. Just feel lucky we're still not in the Luxeon lottery like back in the day.

 

[zone 69]

Whoo, Im really new a few days now trying to read and learn the termanology. So if you can dumb it down please I may be able to know what your talking about.

bin ?
fluxes ?
seoul ?
tints ?
flood ?
throw ?
spill ?
drivers ?
VF ?

And the list go's on and its just my best guess as to what all the trems mean.
Useing the two AA's work's and is very bright but what you are saying it will burn out the LED correct?

 

[Bullzeyebill]

qwertyydude, yes you are correct re Cree binning, and I was only thinking of Seoul P4 binning. Also, having had early Solarforce drop-in modules, I should have been thinking Cree. I stand corrected.

Bill

 

[qwertyydude]

2 AA batteries barely provides enough voltage to run these led's you'd need 3 to run them minimum. Of course with alkalines it's possible to run direct drive with good heatsinking, many cheap budget 3 AAA lights do just that or at most just include a resistor. So you're fine running 2 AA but unless your light has a low voltage specific driver you're not going to get much light for very long before the led refuses to light at all even if your 2 AA's still have some power left.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

zone69, go to The Welcome Mat for info re your questions.

Bill

 

[zone 69]

zone69, go to The Welcome Mat for info re your questions.

Bill

Wow thank you, I must of glased over and missed that one, I think Im getting a good grasp of it now. I love the term, ''Magic Smoke''

Im still confused about the VF and how it relates to my piticler emitters and batteries im useing.

Now soon onto new batteries to run my SF L2.