Anyone wanna be a hero? Test L0D CE on 10440 Li-Ions...

I want to get the most out of my L0D CE when it comes in...

I know the L0D CE input voltage is3.3V

Can anyone say for sure that using 3.7v Li-Ions will damage it? Or is pretty much everyone just saying "they're not sure about it".

Is there anyone willing to take the risk by testing this for the rest of the poor people like me who can't afford to ruin theres?

It's been done several times, there already a few threads about it, basically it's stupendously bright (140 lumens!) but gets hot very quickly, measured current draw is around 1.2A, probably not too healthy for the LED. I'd treat it as an exhibition-only configuration. See VTVincent's thread in the reviews section for tons of beamshots and so forth.

Mod close this thread?

those threads only talk about how bright it is.

they still dont answer the question of weather or not it will for sure ruin the light!

For burst application it'll work fine other wise you'll kill the led. USL style.

65535 said:

For burst application it'll work fine other wise you'll kill the led. USL style.

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What is USL Style (hey I'm from Irvine )

65535 said:

For burst application it'll work fine other wise you'll kill the led. USL style.

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Exactly, read the last 4 paragraphs of this review of the L1T. I realize it's a different light, but the same concept.

I'm going to use LiIon 10440/14550 cells in my L0D CE/L1D CE only for "show", or for "short bursts".

Also, even though Fenix recommends Lithium cells for some of their lights, I highly doubt they're referring to 3.6/3.7V cells, but most likely lithium primary cells.

Why is it ok then to run 4.2 volt 123 in P1d CE, which is in direct drive? I think the answer is that I have read on high it is only running roughly at .75 amps? If so, why is amps lower than the 10440 in LOD?

Of course regardless, there is also less mass for heat dispersion in LOD. It sounds like even if it was safe to drive the LOD that high that you wouldn't be able to hold it very long anyway.

USL style was me refering to the ability of the USL modded maglight to burn objects (mainly newspaper and marshmellows) within a few inches to the point where they combust, although LED's don't run at the temp Incans do so heat is catastrophic. USL's operated for more than 30 seconds can potentially meltdown. As for the P1D-CE in high it is controlling the power to the led and at a lower voltage mainly the Vf of the LED when you crank up the voltage the current (almost more importantly the heat) will rise alarmingly quickly, most devices require more current as you increase voltage. If you had a firm grasp on the light you should produce enough thermal mass and heatsinking to remove enough heat to keep it holdable, but it will tax the cells and after a long enough time it will burn you. (good handwarmer) so only load up 10440's for showing off or if you plan on only using the light for short periods of time <30 seconds at a time with a duty cycle of about 1 use every 1.5 minutes or something slow like that. if you need more light buy a bigger light.

Basically when Fenix says it's ok to use 3.6 volt batteries in these lights I don't think it's based on sound engineering judgement or calculation. It means that someone at the factory tried it and the light didn't explode in the first 3 seconds.

USL refers (IMO) to the way the USL was designed for "exhibition runtime" and lumens. Exhibition means the light was intended for show, not as a practical or useful light or as one safe to handle by uninformed users, so it only has to produce maximum firepower for short bursts and if it starts fires that's considered a good thing.

Since so many people seem to want to use 3.6v batteries in these lights I think it would be best if Fenix engineered them seriously, using a buck/boost converter like the HDS lights.

paulr said:

Since so many people seem to want to use 3.6v batteries in these lights I think it would be best if Fenix engineered them seriously, using a buck/boost converter like the HDS lights.

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But with the short-very-very-short runtime of the li-ions, those using them are only using them for the SUPER SUPER BRIGHT for a short time usage anyways

if they made it so it outputs the same on nimh or liion, it would be useless to use the liion in my opinion

What about running the 10440's on medium and low, with the option of a quick burst on high once in a while. Would this be bad for the Lod Ce?

haven't you been reading?

With a cell voltage of over 3.3 volts the regulation and level circuit drops out and DD's the LED straight from the cell so it is one level until it drops into regulation (usually you worry about dropping out)

65535 said:

haven't you been reading?

With a cell voltage of over 3.3 volts the regulation and level circuit drops out and DD's the LED straight from the cell so it is one level until it drops into regulation (usually you worry about dropping out)

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My LOD and LOD CE have all levels available with Li Ion cells. Both are extremely bright on high - but get hot very quickly. On the first setting (medium) or second setting (low) they don't get hot and are brighter than with alkaline or lithium primary cells

Anch

paulr said:

Basically when Fenix says it's ok to use 3.6 volt batteries in these lights I don't think it's based on sound engineering judgement or calculation. It means that someone at the factory tried it and the light didn't explode in the first 3 seconds.

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I guess that's why the P1D CE runs so well in regulation on high with the RCR123?

Thanks anch ! That's the answer I was hoping for. And yes I've been reading, reading alot actually?!

I must have been thinking of a different light at the time iono for some reason I though it was said above the reading was a joke woulda been better this way

It might be ok for low and medium, with increased power. High I'd worry about the circuit and everything overheating if used longer than for show.

I've been running mine on medium and low all the time with no problems yet!? Have done a few, will more than a few bursts on high also with no problems yet. I try to resist using high, but it's not easy cuz it's so darn bright.

I have a couple of LOD-CE's. Once I tried it on 3.7v LiR's, I dont think I could ever go back. All the brightness setting work great, the output is excellent. It does get warm when left on 'Hi', but it's not a big deal. I left one on high and set it down for light while I was working for around 5mins, and it felt hot, but didn't feel hot enough to worry about anything. This was in a cooled datacenter with lots of 70deg airflow, perhaps in warmer enviroment it would become a problem.

To give you an idea when I compare them, the low setting on the unit with LiR seems to be about the same intensity as the high setting with a NiMH AAA cell.

The low and medium settings work perfectly with no real temperature raises noticed on the light, but huge light output increases vs NiMH.

I often here people who haven't actually tried it themselves saying that the unit gets too hot in a few seconds etc. I know everyone has a different line they draw between warm and hot, and hot and danger, as these are all value based words. After useing it for a couple weeks on LiR's, I place it at the HOT term, but not the danger term. The more an objects temperature rises vs the enviroment around it, the better ability that object has to transfer energy away from it and into its enviroment. If you reach this thermal equilibrium at a temperature below a damage point for the battery, LED, or electronics, why should it be a concern?