Has anybody tried to replace their circuit for the KL4? Does anybody know offhand what the milliamp setting is on the stock circuit board from surefire? I am wondering if it would not be possible to make the KL4 brighter my choosing another circuit to replace the stock circuit.
New circuit for KL4?
- Thread starter Bushman
- Start date
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Tried?
Heck, I've punched holes in quite a few perfectly good KL4 PCB's! I think driving the LED at a higher current level than it is will give you more thermal grief than luminous output if you have it on for more than a few moments.
Hopefully CM will be getting a feel for possible tweaking of the existing circuit itself. If it is a "typical" boost circuit, it may be that it can be used as is and power a Luxeon III on a single 123 or one of the Li-Ion cells.
The KL4 reflector is very friendly to the single die of the 1W and no doubt the III as well. I should know more later today, I hope. Since I am ignorant of the existing driver, I will be putting a DB1000 in its place.
- Don
Heck, I've punched holes in quite a few perfectly good KL4 PCB's! I think driving the LED at a higher current level than it is will give you more thermal grief than luminous output if you have it on for more than a few moments.
Hopefully CM will be getting a feel for possible tweaking of the existing circuit itself. If it is a "typical" boost circuit, it may be that it can be used as is and power a Luxeon III on a single 123 or one of the Li-Ion cells.
The KL4 reflector is very friendly to the single die of the 1W and no doubt the III as well. I should know more later today, I hope. Since I am ignorant of the existing driver, I will be putting a DB1000 in its place.
- Don
kj
Enlightened
I'm also interested in the KL4 mod with the III. Don, do you mean you are going to put DB1000 + III into KL4 today? That would be great if you can share your result (and steps to mod the KL4 possibly).
Or please sell that modded KL4 at Modders B/S/T /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Or please sell that modded KL4 at Modders B/S/T /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
ufokillerz
Enlightened
the DB1000+III+KL4 would be one mean throwing machine.
Don,
Got your package. I'll be studying it tonight to see how easy it would be if it is feasible.
Guys,
What Don meant was to use the stock circuit to drive a 1W LED. If I can get it to work, it will buck down from 2x123 or boost up from 1x123. Don't know if it will run regulated off 1x123 at those drive levels though. It could be a while since I'm working on other things at the same time and priorities tend to change depending on urgency. Stay tuned.
CM
Got your package. I'll be studying it tonight to see how easy it would be if it is feasible.
Guys,
What Don meant was to use the stock circuit to drive a 1W LED. If I can get it to work, it will buck down from 2x123 or boost up from 1x123. Don't know if it will run regulated off 1x123 at those drive levels though. It could be a while since I'm working on other things at the same time and priorities tend to change depending on urgency. Stay tuned.
CM
Darell
Flashaholic
I'm tuned and titillated.
Talk about thread hijack! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif That is OK however, I appreciate the answer that has been given, unfortunately I cannot afford another KL4 for a 1 W with firefly that is on the way.
Hijack? Who us? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Sorry! I guess in payment, the III's didn't make it in today's mail. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
we'll take this to a new thread when there is something to talk about.
- Don
Sorry! I guess in payment, the III's didn't make it in today's mail. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
we'll take this to a new thread when there is something to talk about.
- Don
tylerdurden
Flashlight Enthusiast
How does the L4 reflector compare to the PM6 reflector with 1-watt luxeons (or luxeon III's)? I've seen comparisons of the two with 5-watt luxeons, but never for 1-watt.
The PM6 is tighter and brighter in center beam due to the larger diameter reflector. I anticipate the III's behaving as bright 1W's. So far I only have one III (R rank) in a McLux-PR and driven at 1 amp it is almost identical to a 1W S rank I have in a PM6 driven at 700 mA. The III is maybe 5% higher in lux. I am to be getting some S rank III's and I expect them, when driven at 1 amp to be the brightest (lux wise) LED's I will have seen so far.
This is more information that I know Bushman was dying to know when he started this thread; NOT.
- Don
This is more information that I know Bushman was dying to know when he started this thread; NOT.
- Don
[ QUOTE ]
tylerdurden said:
How does the L4 reflector compare to the PM6 reflector with 1-watt luxeons (or luxeon III's)? I've seen comparisons of the two with 5-watt luxeons, but never for 1-watt.
[/ QUOTE ]
I haven't had the time to take the pictures, but at 175 ft the McL4 with BB600 R2H 1W has a "hot spot" approximately 14 ft across with sidespill out to about 50 ft while my Fireplug McLux PR with the same BB600 Driver and a 1W R2H has a hot spot about 10 ft across with a sidespill radius of around 70 ft. I am using a 16ft x 20ft Overhead Door with struts and supports that are roughly 3ft x 4ft to determine the hot spot sizing. The PR reflector is definitely the champ over the L4 reflector but the McL4 / E1e is a little more pocketable than the McLux with the PR reflector. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
tylerdurden said:
How does the L4 reflector compare to the PM6 reflector with 1-watt luxeons (or luxeon III's)? I've seen comparisons of the two with 5-watt luxeons, but never for 1-watt.
[/ QUOTE ]
I haven't had the time to take the pictures, but at 175 ft the McL4 with BB600 R2H 1W has a "hot spot" approximately 14 ft across with sidespill out to about 50 ft while my Fireplug McLux PR with the same BB600 Driver and a 1W R2H has a hot spot about 10 ft across with a sidespill radius of around 70 ft. I am using a 16ft x 20ft Overhead Door with struts and supports that are roughly 3ft x 4ft to determine the hot spot sizing. The PR reflector is definitely the champ over the L4 reflector but the McL4 / E1e is a little more pocketable than the McLux with the PR reflector. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Bushman,
Didn't mean to hijack your thread. I have a board donated by Don that I'm picking apart and I can tell you what the mA bias is to the LED on that board later when I do some measurements. I don't know how much the bias will vary from board to board but don't expect to be more than 5%.
I absolutely agree with Don about driving the 5W harder than factory setting. I feel it gets hot enough as it is and I would definitely not want to see the runtime suffer in addition. I think if you're looking for a brighter 5W, the L5 may be the ticket due to larger mass, that is if it's driven slightly harder (but shorter runtime as well). Don't know that for sure until they get released. Your only other option I think is to find a *good* X flux 5W and swap out the stock LED on the KL4. That will give you some incremental increase in brightness but it will not be that dramatic IMO. LED's have come a long way but they also have much more potential than what we've actually seen so far.
CM
Didn't mean to hijack your thread. I have a board donated by Don that I'm picking apart and I can tell you what the mA bias is to the LED on that board later when I do some measurements. I don't know how much the bias will vary from board to board but don't expect to be more than 5%.
I absolutely agree with Don about driving the 5W harder than factory setting. I feel it gets hot enough as it is and I would definitely not want to see the runtime suffer in addition. I think if you're looking for a brighter 5W, the L5 may be the ticket due to larger mass, that is if it's driven slightly harder (but shorter runtime as well). Don't know that for sure until they get released. Your only other option I think is to find a *good* X flux 5W and swap out the stock LED on the KL4. That will give you some incremental increase in brightness but it will not be that dramatic IMO. LED's have come a long way but they also have much more potential than what we've actually seen so far.
CM
Beretta1526
Flashlight Enthusiast
Wow. Maybe I need to take the McLux PR over to the tower for my walk tonight... mine is on a DownBoy 700.
Bushman,
Real time updated information /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif The LED in the KL4 is biased at 660mA. I biased my McLux PR BB at 667mA. Coincidence? Hmmm, great minds think alike?
Current was measured across a 10 ohm resistor which I think is a valid way to measure current. 6.6V across the resistor. So LED is moderately underbiased. Mr Bulk reported in the past that this number was revealed to him by "Da Man hisself" and I just confirmed it with a measurement.
CM
Real time updated information /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif The LED in the KL4 is biased at 660mA. I biased my McLux PR BB at 667mA. Coincidence? Hmmm, great minds think alike?
Current was measured across a 10 ohm resistor which I think is a valid way to measure current. 6.6V across the resistor. So LED is moderately underbiased. Mr Bulk reported in the past that this number was revealed to him by "Da Man hisself" and I just confirmed it with a measurement.
CM
kj
Enlightened
Sorry, bushman. I apologize. Anyway, the inside of the KL4 circuit is also interesting. CM, thank you for your investigation. Please keep us update.
I can boost the KL4 5W LED to 887 mA with just one resistor. That's probably over 6W /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif This KL4 really belongs to Don. He's just allowing to take certain liberties with it. What do you think Don? Also should we be starting our own thread instead of "hijacking" Bushman's?
CM
CM
jhanko
Enlightened
[ QUOTE ]
CM said:
I can boost the KL4 5W LED to 887 mA with just one resistor.
CM
[/ QUOTE ]
...And what resistor and value would that be? Thanks,
Jeff
CM said:
I can boost the KL4 5W LED to 887 mA with just one resistor.
CM
[/ QUOTE ]
...And what resistor and value would that be? Thanks,
Jeff
