3*18650 batteries in series, boost driver for both channels
That’s interesting. 3S batteries and 4S emitters?
That’s interesting. 3S batteries and 4S emitters?
4S wouldn’t be enough for low modes, 2.5V×4=10V, while 3S cell would be 12.8V fully charged, so with boost the only viable configuration would be 8S. I wonder if it’s an error since he said it was a dual buck driver on BLF.
Buck would make the most sense.
2A per LEDs. Less than expected, either 2x 16A3V (8P) or 2x 8A6V (2S4P) configuration, about 50W per channel.
Edit: nevermind about the configuration, the page says boost, Hank said buck on BLF a while back, maybe a confusion or a change during development.
Ooh this driver creates some interesting possibilities…!
I see a 3*18650
tanning lampUV mule in the near future…😂😂
Maybe if I can work up a decent spacer!
I’m still disappointed Hank decided to checkerboard the LED channels instead of making separate frosted/clear channels possible.
For channel mixing (e.g. CCT shift), it’s actually kinda nice. For channel switching, though, you’re absolutely right. It’d be nice if it were at least an option.
Disappointing to those that go for flood-throw combos to try and make a Zoomie with no moving parts. Happiness for those that were disappointed that the dual-channel DT8 only did checkerboard in E21 form though.
It depends on what you use dual-channel for
That seems like a very poor design choice.
Edit: DC-fix it is I guess!
No RGB switch is a bit of a bummer. Still gonna get one, though.
Interesting. I was hoping this would be a better and brighter D18. But it seems like less output and more functionality.
Not brighter at startup, but being fully regulated makes up for it a bit. You have the D18 at ~14,000 lumens with SST-20 5000k/6500k and the M44 with 9520 lumens. That’s a noticeable but not massive difference in perceived brightness, and once the batteries get down to ~3.8v (which happens faster on the D18) the M44 will still do 9520 lumens, or very close to it, while the D18 drops to ~9000 lumens and will continue to drop as the battery drains. The M44 would beat the D18 even more with the batteries at ~3.6v.
Additionally, the M44 will likely sustain higher brightness long term due to the more efficient driver that handles heat better. The D18 sustains ~1800 lumens, and the M44 will likely sustain over 2000, perhaps ~2400. But both lights are so small I wouldn’t expect more than that due to thermal limitations. Also the M44 will have ~20% better battery life.
Still, I’m with you. It would be nice if he kept the D18 in production, so you have the more ‘functional’ M44 option and the more ‘hot rod’ D18 option.
Yeah I fully agree with everything you’ve said. It’d definitely a neat light. But I see Hanklights as the hotrod brand, so I’m all for the blistering heat and lousy runtime if it means I get 20,000 lumens for a few seconds. Having both available would’ve been nice.
It would be interesting to see if someone could mod a driver into an M44 that would make use of the cells and emitters but give it the more hotrod feel. Not sure if that’s even possible.
That’s a chonky boi.
Kinda weak. 2 amps per led means 32 amps in total at 3 volts =96w in a tripple cell light. A single molicell can provide 148w at 3.7v.
So, question from someone who haven’t been following flashlight news recently… Is it just an upgraded D18 with two channels?
Kind of I guess?
Its basically two DT8 strapped together, with default boost drivers.
I hope he brings a mad single channel version with something stupid like an 80A-Driver or something. 16 W2 at full bore would be an amazing sight!
