Mr. Bulk-Thoughts on regulated vs DD NOW?

Charlie,

Someone once asked you if you used a regulation circuit in your light, and you said:

"No. This is the Baddest Boy there is -- Direct Drive."

Now you have been a part of a custom creation (The McModule), where the light is not Direct Drive, but uses regulation.

I am curious as to your thoughts are about regulation vs DD now?

As you know, I VERY MUCH treasure My MR. BULK custom made lights, as well as my Micro Illuminator, and my McLux, and your (up to the McModulite) have all been DD, wereas my Micro Illuminator, and McLux are regulated.

Hey, I think I am answering my own question, as the design paramaters of the McLux and MI are very small form factor, whereas yours are larger, because they use more batteries.

Anyway, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts!

Yes, thank you kindly. And my answer is -- Cut off!

( /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Huh?

LOL,,, what kind of responce was that? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

I like using a converter myself. I HATE lights that dim over time. Cuz I find myself changing the batts before they are really dead. With regulation, you have a flatter brightness over time.

LOl
Charlie's answer is as simple as that. Dunno what he means by that, but he certainly love to say it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I think he is in a transition state
I also like regulated output, but (i am sure you already know that) regulated output make some of your battery's juice go to waste.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I am all regulation now, but have to admit that those LGIs on 3 AAAs do a VERY good and cheap job round the house, too. but what jtice says is unfortunately true ... we alway want the best performance of a light every time, and you only get this with regulation, juice wasted or not.
bernhard

Actually I was on my way out the door for work when I spied it, thus the quick post. Bruce, in all his classiness, e-mailed me first as a heads up to watch for the post. (hey Bruce don't I still owe ya $35? okay, my answer that follows is hereby costin' ya $35 as a -- consultation fee!)

Seriously, my answer is -- it depends. Where I am, and what I am using the light for. On duty if I have to get far out enough somewhere away from my car, I like DD because the batteries dim over time. If it starts going and I get into a scuffle or firefight or whatever, there is still enough bright light to compoete the task at hand.

Regulation is nice in smaller lights because it provides the capability to produce good output with less battery. In other words the steadiness of output is not at issue here, at least not for me. If your eyes can sense the slow initial dimming characteristics of most DD lights, you need to rent yourself out as a human light meter.

So there it is, I like small and bright, so reg'd lights give me that. Good for EDC or dress occasions. But far away from my car, or on a long walk, or in some other situation during which I do not have ready access to fresh batteries, along with unknown-condition batteries already in the light I happen to have -- give me a big, brawny DD every time!

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

i completely agree charlie.

i prefer dd, because of the extra brightness, but there are some times when regulation is required. like when you're running a 1watter from a 123 battery.
if it can be avoided, i'd rather not use electronics though, due to extra cost, and reduced brightness.

I have always preferred carrying a regulated flashlight, whether it's LED or inc. When one of them starts to get a little dimmer because the batteries have discharged a little, I feel cheated. Maybe a therapist is a better answer to this problem, but for now, I'll just favor my regulated A2, L4, and Arcs. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Paul

Horses for courses /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I tend to agree with what Charlie said about this. I tend to carry the lights the same way now that I think about it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

*edit*
I am celebrating!!! I am officially a half-star general. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Agree with the agreeing comments. As for LEDmodMan:

"Half-star general"?

I don't get it...

500 posts, Mr. B.

Dan

I figured regulated and unregulated have their own purposes. It's awesome when something like a Micro-Illuminator, as small as it is and on a single AAA cell, can outbright and outshine something at least twice its size and requireing more batteries. That's the wonder of regulation. But there are times where extended runtime is desirable, even if that runtime dims over its time span. The argument of wanting a light to suck up as much juice left in a cell as possible comes to mind. These situations can call for direct drive, and thus, you have reasons to get ALL of them...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Falcon,
I prefer regulated although I have DD with the 5W and Mini-LGI that I use at work. The next three lights I will have (and I will be done, really...no more lights!) they will be regulated. I ran my 5D 5W Cyan for two weeks so show the crew at work the wonders of DD LEDs... Like you say, a good reason to get all of them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Yeah, "Buy'em BOTH!!!" (UN-official CPF motto)

I've been perplexed, though, by the wonders of Li-Ions, as they're at 3.7V or so... So speaking of, if a BB converter is made to lift current ideally from 3.0V, but can do so from 1.6V, it would be interesting if the light would then fall "into" regulation if it was used with a 3.7V Li-Ion, and the cell drops to, or below 3.0V... Obviously, it's in direct drive at 3.7V for a BB converter, but when it falls to below 3.0, you can have it regulated...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

Buy 'em all!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif (if the wallet can handle it)

[ QUOTE ]
FalconFX said:
I've been perplexed, though, by the wonders of Li-Ions, as they're at 3.7V or so... So speaking of, if a BB converter is made to lift current ideally from 3.0V, but can do so from 1.6V, it would be interesting if the light would then fall "into" regulation if it was used with a 3.7V Li-Ion, and the cell drops to, or below 3.0V... Obviously, it's in direct drive at 3.7V for a BB converter, but when it falls to below 3.0, you can have it regulated...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, I've been thinking about the exact same thing for a few days. I wonder if the output of direct drive at around 3.1 volts will be brighter than the output when it "falls" into regulation. If it is and it works well, you really could get the best of both direct drive and regulated output.

Thanks Charlie, it sounds like an interesting discussion!

Here is an interesting observation. I love my LGI's! I notice that, after 5-10 hours, that there is still plenty of light left in the lgi, but it is noticely dimmer. This is when the fanitic in me takes over, and throws away nearly new batteries, batteries that most other folks would still use.

HOWEVER, using the SN and SNII, the difference is FAR LESS noticeable. It seems that my lithiums (Mostly new SureFires, but I have tried others) seem to give "about" max power for almost the entire life of the battery.

THEN, the light seems to dim noticably.

I have noticed this also, with the Brinkmann Legend LX. It seems to go from almost full brightness, to almost dead, in a very short time period. The drop light output is much more pronounced with the LX, but it still seems to occour very quickly, and very late in the battery life.

It is almost as if Lithiums do not need regulation.