which flashlights have the most efficient drivers?

[raggie33]

i know zebra is on the list but can you post others?

 

[CelticCross74]

I am going to go off which lights have the highest voltage drivers. Eagtac and Armytek produce lights with very impressive voltage range. Eagtac love running most of their lights up to 9 or even 12 volts. Same thing with Armytek. Voltage range is wide and impressive. This allows for the use of most modern lithium ion rechargeable cells. I am sure more will chime in.

 

[bykfixer]

A few years back PK told me he had hired an engineer from a famous flashlight company because he had designed the most efficient drivers of that time. That was around 2016 so it's likely to have changed by now.

So at that time PK was building flashlights with the most efficient drivers. It's back when his little PR-1 light could hold a steady 360 lumens until the battery could no longer hold out while the competition built lights much brighter for 22 seconds then settled down to much less than 360.

 

[CelticCross74]

I will throw out another. That would be the new M*g full sizers running XML2 LEDs. The driver is simple and reliable. Not sure about what voltage range they have but for me it has been more than good enough. These new Gen M*gs have far better than average run times. They also are designed to run best off of regular cheap alkaline cells. I have 5 of them now.

 

[parang]

Good thread idea. I always want longer run times and low output. Just no use for a hot rod.

 

[idleprocess]

The old-school CMG Reactor 2xAA had about the most efficient design possible: direct drive, delivering 100% of drive current to the emitter. Of course, one was advised to use alkaline cells since internal cell resistance was a key control mechanism and it was hardly bright even for it's era given how significantly the LED was underdriven.