Driving KL6 @12v?

I saw references of this a few times.

Has anyone actually driven this puppy and measured output/runtime?

KL6 + M4 body should be a hoot. Or is it?

Re: Driving KL6 @12v? *DELETED*

Post deleted by CM

Foot being removed from mouth /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Well I have no idea of run time due to an attention span defficiency but the Kl6 is fine on the M4 to the best of my knowledge. I asked PK about the KL6 and he said that 4x123 was OK.

I just tested a KL6 I have by measuring the current when the amp meter probes completed the circuit between the rear battery and the battery tube at the tail (tail switch removed).

On the M3, the current drawn was 690 mA. On the M4, the current drawn was 548 mA.

EDIT: I might, in good conscience, add a cautionary note here! A while ago, I played with a KL6 powered off of a bench power supply. After accidentally shorting the two springs while the KL6 was lit up, the PCB was ruined somehow! From that point on, the LED was in DD. This wasn't a fluke as my pal Roger did the same thing to his KL6. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif Fortunately a DB1000 and Lux III were easy to install and I could say that I meant to do that! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Guess nobody's really tried it yet.

Any guesses on the benefit? I doubt it would be THAT much brighter but maybe a longer runtime say 3 hours?

Just pondering. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

DOH!, I'm thinking KL5 and boost. I'm gonna have to delete my previous post and attempt to extract the foot that is lodged deep in my mouth /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I still cant get KL4/5/6 straight in my head. Heaven forbid when they KL7 and KL8 comes out. I'm gonna have to create a crib sheet to help me keep them sorted.

CM

[ QUOTE ]
Lithead said:
Guess nobody's really tried it yet.

Any guesses on the benefit? I doubt it would be THAT much brighter but maybe a longer runtime say 3 hours?

Just pondering. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Lithead,

I have tried it to be sure! It works fine! Since it's a buck driver, the brightnes shouldn't be any diferent than on the M3 but as you state, the run time would be improved. What I haven't tried is marking the time and then letting the light go through a set of batteries.

Don, have you looked at the circuit and identified the buck driver? It's probably labled LTxx and is most likely a sot-23-6 package. I'd like to determine whether the controller may have an upper limit on the voltage input. If the upper limit is pretty high, you can run it off more cells (think baseball bat) and get a much longer runtime.

CM

CM,

It's all greek to me! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I believe that the upper limit is somewhere around 14V as I recall from speaking with PK. He said that the driver was NOT intended for typical 12V applications (automotive) where the Vin could easily exceed 14 V. I am clueless on just what the limiting factor or component might be.

The KL6 on a M4 has a nice balance and feel to it, IMHO. Carrying it with thumb on switch would probably get old but gripped amidships feels just right.

Thanks Don, I have one on the way to mod, I just couldn't wait. Taking stuff apart is like, you know, Christmas /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

CM,

You will love how easily the KL6 reveals its secrets!

Is that a tease?

Not really - the screws are significantly easier to access [and I guess unscrew] in the KL6 compared to the KL5 which required an Aluminium ring to be removed first - This is not the easiest thing to do according to what I've read here (likely written by Don!)

Al

Al,

Let me put it this way. I wouldn't be comfortable hanging from a hard hat "super glued" to an I-beam like some old commercials if I recall correctly. On the other hand, I would consider whatever bonding agent is used in the KL5 to be worthy of consideration! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

CM,

Three philips screws and the secrets are revealed! I would *assume* that a changed sense resistor and swapped 5W for LuxIII will yield a long and cool running light with impressive beam reach and density. And if that is too easy, you can always just get silly for extra credit:

Don,

That's impressive, but it might be easier (and sillier) to just turn out an E2M:


There may be some balance issues, though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drool.gif

Tyler,

An E2M certainly would have been less time consuming! The "Little Fat Boy" though is reasonably comfortable in hand and I think a bit more ergonomic. Instead of using the stock clickie retaining nut/ cap, I should have machined my own switch housing with an increased OD and flair. It could have provided a guard as well as a bit more length so I could have used the stock LED heat sink, PCB housing and contact springs. Then again, I could have left well enough alone! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I would like to revisit this again sometime with a single 18650 Li-Ion cell based power pak.