A weird experience with a Luxeon III...

I switched out a Luxeon III UX1L into a KL4 while keeping the original Surefire converter. It light up nicely with 2x123 batteries, but wouldn't power up at all with 1 Pila 168s. I switched out the converter board to a Wiz2 (750mA) in order not to kill the LED, same Lux III UX1L left in place. It would light up with 2x123 as expected, but not with 1 Pila 168s. I remember using the UX1L with that same converter board in another KL4 and 1 Pila 168s and it lit up fine a few days ago. Is it possible that powering the UX1L with the original Surefire converter may have been altered somehow to where it no longer lights up with anything less than 2x123s?

Could it be that the 168's only push 3.7v?

Yep, you're right. It's even weirder because I have the exact same setup (UX1L powered by a Wiz2, 750mA) in my own KL4 and it lights up fine with 1 Pila 168s.

The wizard should power that LED just fine from the pila cell,
i guess there is a contact problem somewhhere.

pyro said:

The wizard should power that LED just fine from the pila cell,
i guess there is a contact problem somewhhere.

Click to expand...

That's what I thought, but without changing anything, I can pop in 2x123s and it lights up just fine. If I pop the Pila back in, no light. I transfered the KL4 to an Aleph 2x123 hoping that it was just the Vital Gear FB2 and some contact issue, but still no go. That same UX1L lit up with the same Wiz2 just a few days ago.

I have problems with some of my PILAs making contact with the positive nipple to the heads ... could be a simple contact problem of the PILA?
bernie

P.S.: isn't driving the LuxIII on 2x123 with the stock driver a bit kamikaze?

Kiessling said:

I have problems with some of my PILAs making contact with the positive nipple to the heads ... could be a simple contact problem of the PILA?
bernie

P.S.: isn't driving the LuxIII on 2x123 with the stock driver a bit kamikaze?

Click to expand...

Hmmmm... Come to think of it, I don't know why I didn't see it last night. I I'll ask my brother to try bridging the gap between the positive contact of the Pila and the KL4. BTW, I did burn out two Luxeon IIIs while running them with the original Surefire converter in my own KL4. That's what made me decide to finally try my hand at modding.

I've had a similiar issue at the begining of my modding days. If you push too much current and overheat the LED then it won't work at a lower current and it's life is very short and miserable after that. Hopefully it is a simple problem and not the precursor to the magic smoke being released. Best wishes!


:mecry:

I hope so, too, Zapper.

Looks like it was a non-issue. My brother reported that he tried his own Pila 168S and the setup worked.