Fenix P1D: damage due to RCR123s?

Yes, I know the low-settings are lost when putting in an RCR123 battery. But, even the brightest setting seems brighter than normal, which could mean the LED is being driven beyond spec.
After a while, the WHOLE(!) light warms up, not just the head!

My question is: could this be a possible danger to the LED and/or the electronics? Or is it normal that the whole light warms up?

Thanks,


Timmo.

LEDs create heat as they run, the whole light heating up means that the heat is transferring to the body tube instead of just the head.

I don't think it is a problem since many people have used their P1D with a RCR123 and I don't remember reading about any LED burning out problems(and remember that the P1D is one of the first current gen Cree XR-E lights to come out).

I agree. My experiece over the last 2+ years has been good.

325addict, with a 3.7 volt RCR123, you are basically running all the modes on Max (Turbo) mode, or possibly direct driving the LED. The Fenix P1D manual says:

"Max Mode should be used sparingly. Due to its high power-consumption, an excessive amount of heat may build up. Under high ambient temperatures, please do not use the Max Mode for more than 10 minutes continuously, doing so my harm the battery and the flashlight"

That being said, I don't think you have too much to worry about. Running your LED hot will probably shorten it's life, but it's got like 50000 hours of life, which is plenty even if it is shorten.

Can't you use 3V RCR123's instead?

deusexaethera said:

Can't you use 3V RCR123's instead?

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Those have a lot less capacity than 3.7V RCR123's, and some of them are actually 3.7V's with a resistor which means even less capacity and a possibly dangerous situation if the resistor fails or gets too hot.

Fine, respond with a good answer. Be that way.

deusexaethera said:

Fine, respond with a good answer. Be that way.

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LOL!!!!

I have always wanted a P1D but the fact that it loses modes when running on 3.6v RCR123s has put me off as all i own are 3.6 v RCR123s as i dont want to have too many chargers lying around.

Glad to see that its safe to run using 3.6v RCRs though.

hyperloop said:

LOL!!!!

I have always wanted a P1D but the fact that it loses modes when running on 3.6v RCR123s has put me off as all i own are 3.6 v RCR123s as i dont want to have too many chargers lying around.

Glad to see that its safe to run using 3.6v RCRs though.

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Or you could buy a pack of CR123's...

...it's a very nice little flashlight. In fact, I'd be willing to bet you can't beat its brightness:size:cost ratio anywhere.

I might be wrong but I think that beyond 3,2 v, the P1D switch to direct drive. If you use a freshly charged R123, you might overdrive the led since the cell is around 4,2v and generaly, the VF of the XRE led is around 3,5v.

It could if you use it for longer than a couple of minutes...

It really is a shame most flashlights don't have buck/boost drivers, to account for people who decide to play with theirs. From what I can tell, buck circuits are much simpler and smaller than boost circuits are; it wouldn't take much doing to include them in smaller, single-cell lights.

deusexaethera said:

It really is a shame most flashlights don't have buck/boost drivers, to account for people who decide to play with theirs. From what I can tell, buck circuits are much simpler and smaller than boost circuits are; it wouldn't take much doing to include them in smaller, single-cell lights.

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It's relatively easy to design a light that has a good buck circuit, or a good boost circuit, but it's much more difficult, expensive, and somewhat less efficient to design a light that does BOTH well, especially with the user interface most of us desire.