Using micropuck drivers with modern LEDs

Mags

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Hey guys, I have some old micropucks in 350ma and 500ma that Id like to turn into mini mag drop ins using 10mm pcb mounted Cree xhp50s or xml2s, but I'm bit of a noob when it comes to led voltages. If I get either of those LEDs in 3v, would a single AA power the LED safely with no issue? I know that these micropucks were used with 3v luxeon LEDs back in the day on 2aa or even 1aa with no issue, Im just not seeing any mentions of these being used with LEDs after 2010.
 

Lynx_Arc

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Hey guys, I have some old micropucks in 350ma and 500ma that Id like to turn into mini mag drop ins using 10mm pcb mounted Cree xhp50s or xml2s, but I'm bit of a noob when it comes to led voltages. If I get either of those LEDs in 3v, would a single AA power the LED safely with no issue? I know that these micropucks were used with 3v luxeon LEDs back in the day on 2aa or even 1aa with no issue, Im just not seeing any mentions of these being used with LEDs after 2010.
I'm not overly familiar with those drivers although I do remember seeing them a decade ago online somewhere. If a driver is rated at 350ma off 3V most likely it will be half that or less off 1.5v or about 175ma. The same goes with 500ma dropping to about half.
I don't think at those drive levels you are going to get huge lumen output from any LEDs perhaps 75-150 lumens.
I'm thinking you may be better served to invest in a newer driver that has higher drive levels.
 

Mags

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I'm not overly familiar with those drivers although I do remember seeing them a decade ago online somewhere. If a driver is rated at 350ma off 3V most likely it will be half that or less off 1.5v or about 175ma. The same goes with 500ma dropping to about half.
I don't think at those drive levels you are going to get huge lumen output from any LEDs perhaps 75-150 lumens.
I'm thinking you may be better served to invest in a newer driver that has higher drive levels.

Thanks for bringing that up, i was actually going to use pairs of these drivers to a single emitter (these things are tiny but 2 will fit in a minimag tube if I grind away some of the potting)
 

Lynx_Arc

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Thanks for bringing that up, i was actually going to use pairs of these drivers to a single emitter (these things are tiny but 2 will fit in a minimag tube if I grind away some of the potting)
That may work, but it is possible that you may be able to find a newer driver that is a lot more efficient as I believe at that time many components were not available that are today. I did the modding thing in the past due to lack of choices in lights but now there are a lot of cheap lights I keep buying them and have retired almost all my incans only a 6v lantern remains the rest have LED dropins.
 
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