BB750 or MM+ for LuxIII on 1x123?

I was going to post this in the Shoppe's forum, but I figured it was relevent here. (and more people would probably see it)

So, if I were going to drive a LuxIII off of 1x123 which would be better? A BB750 or a MM+? I'm looking for brightest output for the most time.

I've read the Just how much power from a single 123 cell? post. So, based on that, it looks like the BB750 would be only doing like 600mA or less when driving a LuxIII. So how would the MM+ fare?

To further confuse me I found a thread in the Shoppe forum about LuxIII sandwiches where Wayne says:

[ QUOTE ]
The MM+ will not drive 800mA with NiMH. Since the battery voltage is lower the output is correspondingly lower.

Under these conditions the BB750 will actually outperform the Madmax+. If you use a single 123 or the L91s you might get the MM+ to outshine or outdrive the BB750.

[/ QUOTE ]
Then, later in that same thread...

[ QUOTE ]
Those of you who will be driving from 2AA or a single 123 will get more light out of a BB750 if you are interested.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay, now I'm thoroughly confused. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

So, which do you guys prefer and why?

Thanks!

drumbgod,

You have asked a good question here and I too would like to hear the answer! I woulld like to point out though that one statement of your desire involves mutually exclusive conditions: " I'm looking for brightest output for the most time." You simply CAN NOT have your cake and eat it too!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Don is right about your requirements being mutually exclusive. If you were to define the "most light" as the higher integrated product of (flux)X(time), a perfectly reasonable definition even though it may not be what you are interested in, then I would expect the MM+ to be the better performer. The MM lite, if and when it is available, would do even better.

Yes! I want cake, some to eat and some to have as well! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
lol. I guess I should have worded that statement a bit better... (the brightness thing, not the cake)

What I meant was, between the BB750 and the MM+, I would like to know which one would provide longest period of near maximum brightness. Did that make sense?

(All numbers in the next part of my post are bogus, imaginary, and for the sake of argument. They are merely for demonstration of what I mean and in no way reflect the actual performance of anything in any way /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

In other words:
Lets say the MM+ started at 1000 lux, then over 1 minute, dropped to 600 lux. Then dropped from 600 to 200 over the next 10 minutes.
Now, lets say the BB750 started at 650 lux and stayed there for 8 minutes. Then, over the next minute dropped from 650 to 200 lux.

Based on these (bogus) run times, I would prefer the BB750. Yes the MM+ was brighter for about a minute but the BB750 was "brightest for the most time". See what I mean? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

So, has anyone played with both? What is the runtime like on the MM+ -vs- BB750? Since the BB750 is better(?) regulated, I would expect an initial, more even, relatively bright run time followed by a quick drop off. (but shorter overall than the MM+ since it's less efficient) For the MM+ I would expect a bright short begining run time with a slow drop off. (lasting a little longer overall then the BB750) Yes? No? Maybe?

Based on the info gathered in the first thread I mentioned above, we know that, for whatever reason, the BBs don't perform quite as expected. Do the MM+s?

So the real question is, "How do they really perform relative to each other when driving a LuxIII off of 1x123?"

Hmm... time for some /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sleepy.gif

hmm, dude,
like what others said, you posed a really good question.
Personally, i would like to use BB750 for my application. Why? because the BB would run the lux3 at its rated current where it shine most, at most of the time (does that make sense? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif) MM+ would start driving at 800 mAh and gradually decreasing from there. The exact time it will run the lux3 below 700 mA, i bet no body knows. But IF we can be certain that the BB will run the lux3 at 750 mA in most of batt's life, then BB is the way to go.

But then again, judging from the thread you provided above, it does not seem like BB able to drive 750 afterall. If that was the case, then perhaps MM+ would be better

really dude, it is up to the application and your preference.

AHH, i know the answer /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

to make you more confused, how about building each yourself? you will know then which one is better /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
shiftd said:
AHH, i know the answer /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

to make you more confused, how about building each yourself? you will know then which one is better /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Heh heh. In a world where all of my disposable income could be spent on flashlights, I would do exactly that. But, unfortunately, that is not a world I currently live in. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Maybe I should approch this question in a different way?
Perhapse one thread called "Tell me about your BB750 + LuxIII runtime" and then a second one for the MM+. Then try to average out the reports and compare the two in a third post? Oh well, hopefully someone with better equipment (and more time and money /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif) will do a proper comparison of both...

drumgod,

I think your solution would be if someone were to take a BB750 and MM+ on a bench and hook them, one at a time to the same well heat sinked Luxeon and each to its own fresh battery. One would then measure the current to the LED over time. As Doug S. has suggested, one could then pick an appropriate run time from the graphs of each and compute the area from 0 minutes to the stop time for both cases. The one with the highest current-time might be your choice. Iff Ihad a MM+ and the time, I would do this test myself. I don't so I won't.

Note: I am assuming that the higher current will equate to higher luminous output. This may not be the case if thermal issues come into play.

Madmax every time. I have this superstitious belief that a badboy out of reg is very inefficient. From the thread you mentioned, 600mA seems to be the most from 1x123. Added, the mm is more efficient, and it has a decently flat output. I have no clue how much an MM+ might put out, I bet a fresh cod its more than 600mA. Have a look in the review forum for roy's runtime graphs if you haven't done so.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif
I am glad to hear that I am not the only superstitious one here. Ail I think we are thinking along the same lines. Monday I'll be sending off my MM+ for a transplant from a TVOK to a TWOK because my little brother makes fun of my soldering. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif I dont have both but I am real interested to seeing how the graph charts might spell it out.
:fingerscrossed: