2c tri mod help

Wassup guys can you help me build my 2c TRI flashlight. I'm new at this and excited to build one.. I'm thinking about running the 2 lithium battery 2x18500 or 2x18650. Which one would fit better with my 2c being uncut? I've heard 2x18500 works well but I never tried it. I was also planning on wiring the luxIII star bin TX1J in parallel with 20mm ims reflector on a tri sink …What do think about me running the shark converter board??? Pls. let me know what else parts I need and if u had any other ideas for this project.

Parts list

2c maglite stock uncut

Shark converter

Tri star c sink

20mm ims reflector

White luxIII star bin TX1J

Welcome cdog,

2x18500s should fit - some protected cells might be a bit longer so you may have to trip the tailcap spring a bit so that you don't put too much pressure on the cells.

2x18650s would extend into the tailcap so you'll have to remove the stock spring, remove the anodizing on the inside of the tailcap and a slip something in there to provide electical contact between the base of the cell and the tailcap. Some CPFers use a minimag tailcap spring with the larger end partially uncoiled. A little more work, but you will be rewarded with longer runtimes.

The shark converter will work fine but the lux stars should be wired in series, not parallel. Other than that, you could also try using an external potentiometer with the shark so that you can have variable output.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

correct me if i'm wrong but if he wires his LED's in series they'll be getting way over 1amp... he needs to use parallel to spread out that current...

i'd look into the http://www.taskled.com/d2dim.html

The shark is a boost converter, so he has to ensure that the source voltage is below the Vf of the load.

Two freshly charged LiIons is approx. 8.4V. If the LEDs are in parallel, the voltage of the output load will be the Vf of a single LED which can be as low as 3.27V when driven at spec. Wiring them in series increases that to at least 9.81V (3x3.27).

He can wire them in parallel but he should not be using the shark converter in that scenario. IIRC, the D2DIM is a PWM dimmer and not a buck converter - he has to match his input voltage reasonably close to his output. He would need a large resistor to take drop the current to a reasonable level. A better match for 2 LiIons and the D2DIm would be 4 Luxes with 2 series pairs wired in parallel with each other.

Drop me a PM if you want your spring bore cut to drop the spring deeper into the tailcap. (I know you said "uncut," but c'mon, nobody will notice.) ;-)

PhotonAddict said:

The shark is a boost converter, so he has to ensure that the source voltage is below the Vf of the load.

Two freshly charged LiIons is approx. 8.4V. If the LEDs are in parallel, the voltage of the output load will be the Vf of a single LED which can be as low as 3.27V when driven at spec. Wiring them in series increases that to at least 9.81V (3x3.27).

He can wire them in parallel but he should not be using the shark converter in that scenario. IIRC, the D2DIM is a PWM dimmer and not a buck converter - he has to match his input voltage reasonably close to his output. He would need a large resistor to take drop the current to a reasonable level. A better match for 2 LiIons and the D2DIm would be 4 Luxes with 2 series pairs wired in parallel with each other.

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oh my bad... i thought the shark was a buck

Thanks for your help guys..once i put everything together i will post some pics.

PhotonAddict said:

Other than that, you could also try using an external potentiometer with the shark so that you can have variable output.

Click to expand...

Where's a good place to mount the pot?

Usually between the switch and the head of the Mag. I've only done it on a 2D mag with a fatman driver though - there isn't much room on a 2C mag so you might have to search a bit for a small enough pot. I'd be interested in knowing if anyone has found a suitable one.

btw: georges is planning to release a fatflex driver which is a boost driver with an interface similar to his nFlex so that would be a good solution for a light with such tight tolerances. I sorta prefer a separate brightness control where possible though. It should be out soon but there is no definite ETA on that.

Galiphrey said:

Where's a good place to mount the pot?

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