Help!! need 5A and 9A driver for sst-50/90 (lesser current but parallel-able is ok)

Didnt noticed there was a flashlight section here on LPF, but now that i know, I need some help...

been trying to power a sst-50 LED and I also ordered a sst-90, so i will need to power that too... unfortunately after some extensive searching, there arent many drivers that are proven reliable and can handle such high currents... a 5 Amp buck driver isnt my biggest concern although some pointers on good ones will help. I mainly need to know where or how I can go about getting a driver that can push 8 or 9 amps into the sst-90 thats on the way...the host i have planned will be a 3D maglight, with proper heatsinking + 3 32600 5000mA batteries as power source.

any links or tips appreciated!!

DX has some SST-50/90 drivers that should work:

$8.90 - 12V SST-90 5-Mode Memory Circuit Board for Flashlights - Flashlight Parts and Tools

$6.90 - 8.4V SST-50 5-Mode Memory Circuit Board for Flashlights - Flashlight Parts and Tools

those drivers look fine, but in the DX forum someone stated that those get ridiculously hot, and looking at the shape and set-up its very hard to heatsink the driver...i was hoping i wouldnt have to go that route...

I'm doing a similar build using an SST-90 as well!

There are more drivers available for sale on CPF by members: DIWdiver and der witchel.

and there is this: Emerson Network Power - LDO10C Series WebSheet

I'm planning to direct drive mines with resistance mods.

how are you planning to direct drive it? i know those led's have a forward voltage of 3.6 and can run as high as 3.9.... i was going to direct drive it with 3 D size NIMH's since under drain the batteries will fall to about 1.25V (at 8A Current draw) which will equal 3.75V which is ok for the LED. what do you think?

Yes, I'm pretty sure that will work. I will be running off 3 D cell NiMh batteries as well.

However, resistance becomes a big factor when you want to get at least 8-9A out of those cells. The stock tail cap spring introduces a lot of resistance (about 100 milioohms or more) and the wires itself will factor into it and the switch as well.

3 D cells without resistance mods you can run about 3-4A off those cells.

I'll be using:
- 20 gauge silver plated copper teflon wire to lower resistance in the wires.
- Mod the tailcap with a 12 gauge copper wire or you can use a copper solder braid to lower the resistance.
- Mod the stock switch. Either replace it or use copper to mod it.

This can easily pull 8-9A with 3 D NiMh cells. 4 D cells and you will overdrive (close to 12A) it and it will crap out and turn blue.

hmmm looks like i need to do alot of reading...and just when i got the whole laser hobby down....the flashlight hobby is creeping up on me. I will definitely PM more about those resistance mods when all my parts come in.

steviedezie said:

those drivers look fine, but in the DX forum someone stated that those get ridiculously hot, and looking at the shape and set-up its very hard to heatsink the driver...i was hoping i wouldnt have to go that route...

Click to expand...

You can modify it for the cooling problem ..... take away the coil, solder it on the other side of the PCB, then rebuild the connections from the 2 PCBs with minimum 1mm section wires ..... this make it more long, but also left you with the top free for place an aluminium plate or heatsink (with a hole or slot for the capacitor) glued on the mosfets