To Regulate or Not Regulate (Poll)

[3rd_shift]

Regulated; with disposable, occasional use batteries. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Unregulated; with lithium or heavy use rechargeable nimh or nicad. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
I have rechargeable nimhs and the light output from most of my flashlights (incandescant and led) stays nearly the same throughout the battery discharge. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif
When the batteries really have very little left to give, then most any of my led flashlights with them start to fade, but slow enough for me to go get some more batteries from the charger.
My trilight3 with rechargeable Nexcell 8.5AH nimhs stays much the same for 3+ hours @ 2.6 Amperes throughout before going dim. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[lightnix]

Not sure of the difference between "full" and "semi" regulated (can somebody fill me in on this please ?), so have voted for "fully regulated". I far prefer to have a "full level" torch for as long as possible, rather than a light which gradually fades away. Surely as the efficiency of regulation circuits improves, so will the battey life.

 

[gadget_lover]

I think that semi regulated is like the arc flashlights (aa, aaa and ls) that dim slightly over time, then nose dive into avery dim mode. The fully regulated is like the pelican Sabrelight, UK 4AA eLED or the Surefire Aviator which provide the same amount of light until the batteries are mostly used up.

As I understand it, two popular ways to get a fully regulated light is with a buck converter and too many batteries (4.5 to 9 volts to drive a load that only needs 3.7 volts) or a boost converter that is constant current. Personally, I like the wizard buck+boost which will handle from 12 volts down to 1.6 with the same output.

You get fewer hours of runtime from fully regulated (they draw more current from the batteries as the voltage drops) but the light output is consistant. A semi regulated may provide longer run time, but the light may become insufficient quicker as the battery drains.

Daniel

 

[Spacemarine]

This is a very good post from Peter about different types of regulation:

Why is the Arc-AAA partially regulated instead of fully regulated?

 

[Ocelot]

Fully regulated, with selectable brightness levels (>=3 levels or continuously adjustable).

Scott

 

[Lux Luthor]

[ QUOTE ]
3rd_shift said:
Regulated; with disposable, occasional use batteries. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Unregulated; with lithium or heavy use rechargeable nimh or nicad. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
I have rechargeable nimhs and the light output from most of my flashlights (incandescant and led) stays nearly the same throughout the battery discharge. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif
When the batteries really have very little left to give, then most any of my led flashlights with them start to fade, but slow enough for me to go get some more batteries from the charger.
My trilight3 with rechargeable Nexcell 8.5AH nimhs stays much the same for 3+ hours @ 2.6 Amperes throughout before going dim. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You beat me to it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Regulated for disposable, nonregulated for NiMH. Since I usually use NiMH I'm voting nonregulated. So now you know who the two heretics are. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[BentHeadTX]

Fully regulated is my vote. If not available, semi-regulated works fine. I don't like LED flashlights that have no regulation/semi-regulation becuase I tend to pitch the batteries when they are half dead.

 

[RonM]

[ QUOTE ]
lithium batteries have a nicer discharge curve than alkalines, but the output curve is nowhere near that of a fully or even partially regulated light

[/ QUOTE ]
I may be putting a bit too much faith in the flat discharge curve of lithiums. It's just that I find the drop off from alkalines to be SO BAD that an unregulated lithium is pretty darn nice. Of course nothing beats fully regulated, but that does add cost and complexity. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[chamenos]

ronm, i agree...i was amazed when i got my first lithium powered light (a surefire 6P), but after i got my arc LS i couldn't bring myself to use unregulated lights unless necessary /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Burnt_Retinas]

For me - FULL. I like some moonlight to find those spare batteries, but you'll find you get this even with most, if not all, fully regulated circuits. If it's a boost then it'll flash and if designed right the flash rate will be so fast you don't notice the flashing but it will be substantially dimmer i.e. an apparent moonlight mode. If a buck, then you'll get your moonlight by inherent circuit topology. Up to the time of needing to change the battery I expect to see the same light output each time I turn my flashlight on.

Chris

 

[TORCH_BOY]

I have some regulated flashlights, The advantage is that I can use virtually any type of battery carbon zinc, nicads, and even partially flat ones. Disadvantage not as efficient.

I also have some unregulated flashlights, the advantage is
that they are kept simple easier to modify, are more efficient due to no extra electrical losses.
Disadvantage is brightness reduces as battery weakens.

 

[idleprocess]

It's difficult to get voltage conversion efficiencies in excess of the 85-90% you typically see in LED drivers - be they boost or buck.

It's possible to design power supplies for higher efficiencies, but those take a long time to design & develop, and have to be tuned for narrow applications & power supplies.

 

[Kram]

Wow! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif Interesting results, so far. I thought I was in the minority that preferred regulated output, based on a lot of the discussion here.

Thanks for posting this!

Mark

 

[357]

Very interesting results...

88% prefer some kind of regulation (79% prefer full regulation, 9% partial regulation).

 

[absoLite]

I'd prefer full regulation (with several brightness levels), so one can be sure to have the same light output regardless of the battery being used or fresh.
I think that even fully regulated lights don't go out suddenly, thus leaving enough time for a battery change.

 

[Burnt_Retinas]

How do those that have voted get to follow the results without having to re-vote and thereby corrupt the results?