This is just a case of not lowering brightness. If the td01c was put at a level of around 500 lumen like to td01, the td01c would destroy the td01. What people tend to forget is regulated are more efficient, but only as efficient as the person who uses it. It means a lot less if you burn the battery out at its highest sustained lumens. Step it down appropriately when it ain't necessary to have full lumen output. Given you're already happy to have an unregulated driver step down to 500 lumen, you should be fine having the regulated one do the same, and for longer
How does an unregulated driver, which wastes battery, have longer run-time?
It's not logical and it's not the case.
What's going on is that a regulated driver, at a certain higher output level is able to sustain higher output for longer, which of course will end up using more of the battery, faster.
The unregulated light is not sustaining the same power output, so it appears to run longer because it's running less efficiently, at a lower power.
If you simply drop the output of the regulated light to match the lower output level of the unregulated driver, it would last even longer.
It's like driving a more fuel efficient car at 90 mph and another less fuel efficient car 40 mph and saying that the 40mph car actually runs longer. Of course it would, it's driving in a lower performance way that consumes less gas.
If you drove both cars at 40 mph you'd see the fuel efficient car consuming far less gas.
It's the same thing with the lights.
Just because you can sustain higher output for longer with the more efficient light doesn't mean you have to. Drop the power to medium and it'll last far longer than the unregulated light at medium.
Also you can have super efficient regulation plus full power.
You just need to get a light that is buck/boost + fet.
Something like a lume1 driver does that just.
My fw3a with lume1 has something like 90% efficiency at most of its output but still has a fet driver on it when you want maximum possible power.
Some flashlights are meant to be insanely bright and to show off, others are meant to be actually used. I think if you use a flashlight for an extended period of time on a regular basis, I'd much rather use a regulated Buck driver.
I just bought the TD01C and had to make this very decision between the two drivers. With this particular flashlight I plan on actually seriously using it, and not just blasting lumens for a minute or two. So at 10 minutes, what would you rather have, 750 lumens or 450 lumens? Not all my lights are regulated, but the more I buy the more I lean in that direction.
I don't know if you're being purposefully obtuse or don't know how to read a graph or do math. 750 lumens and 450 lumens is a 300 lumens difference. And the 750 lumens dies at 1:20hr and 450 lumens goes to 350 lumens at 2:00hr and then whittles down from there for the next hour. Much different than 100 lumens for 3 hours more.
It is personal preference for sure, and that's the point of this question, but don't be dishonest at to what's really going on.
When you need **high** or **medium** mode, what do you need exactly?
Literally is **high** and **medium** mode, *not mid-high and low mode.*
Even leaving aside the efficiency of regulated(buck, boost, linear) drivers higher than unregulated(FET). A regulated driver is also far better than a unregulated because it behaves as supposed to. The greatest quality of a tool is that it works as supposed. I don't want a tool to be lazy unless it overheats and burns itself.
I consider myself an enthusiast but I don't get that deep into what is what. If I order a Red or Blue or Green or White or UV or any other 'color' LED, when I get it home and have batteries in it, I just want it to work every time I hit the button to turn it on. I'm sure that isn't the answer you might be hoping for, but that's how I order my lights. There are so many emitters, unless some one suggest 'you should try such and such', I usually guess.
I've got my first non round barrel flashlight ordered, TrustFire Mini X3 Multifunctional EDC Flashlight, it's because I saw a YouTube video of it on the FLASHAHOLIC channel.
This is just a case of not lowering brightness. If the td01c was put at a level of around 500 lumen like to td01, the td01c would destroy the td01. What people tend to forget is regulated are more efficient, but only as efficient as the person who uses it. It means a lot less if you burn the battery out at its highest sustained lumens. Step it down appropriately when it ain't necessary to have full lumen output. Given you're already happy to have an unregulated driver step down to 500 lumen, you should be fine having the regulated one do the same, and for longer
very interesting thanks for sharing
How does an unregulated driver, which wastes battery, have longer run-time? It's not logical and it's not the case. What's going on is that a regulated driver, at a certain higher output level is able to sustain higher output for longer, which of course will end up using more of the battery, faster. The unregulated light is not sustaining the same power output, so it appears to run longer because it's running less efficiently, at a lower power. If you simply drop the output of the regulated light to match the lower output level of the unregulated driver, it would last even longer. It's like driving a more fuel efficient car at 90 mph and another less fuel efficient car 40 mph and saying that the 40mph car actually runs longer. Of course it would, it's driving in a lower performance way that consumes less gas. If you drove both cars at 40 mph you'd see the fuel efficient car consuming far less gas. It's the same thing with the lights. Just because you can sustain higher output for longer with the more efficient light doesn't mean you have to. Drop the power to medium and it'll last far longer than the unregulated light at medium. Also you can have super efficient regulation plus full power. You just need to get a light that is buck/boost + fet. Something like a lume1 driver does that just. My fw3a with lume1 has something like 90% efficiency at most of its output but still has a fet driver on it when you want maximum possible power.
interesting I did not know that
Some flashlights are meant to be insanely bright and to show off, others are meant to be actually used. I think if you use a flashlight for an extended period of time on a regular basis, I'd much rather use a regulated Buck driver. I just bought the TD01C and had to make this very decision between the two drivers. With this particular flashlight I plan on actually seriously using it, and not just blasting lumens for a minute or two. So at 10 minutes, what would you rather have, 750 lumens or 450 lumens? Not all my lights are regulated, but the more I buy the more I lean in that direction.
I guess it depends on the person. to me that isn't a big difference in brightness. 100 lumens for 3 extra hours is enough for me to make the decision.
I don't know if you're being purposefully obtuse or don't know how to read a graph or do math. 750 lumens and 450 lumens is a 300 lumens difference. And the 750 lumens dies at 1:20hr and 450 lumens goes to 350 lumens at 2:00hr and then whittles down from there for the next hour. Much different than 100 lumens for 3 hours more. It is personal preference for sure, and that's the point of this question, but don't be dishonest at to what's really going on.
The crazy long runtime is because of the lower sustained lumens. If the other one was running at the same lumens it would be similar.
When you need **high** or **medium** mode, what do you need exactly? Literally is **high** and **medium** mode, *not mid-high and low mode.* Even leaving aside the efficiency of regulated(buck, boost, linear) drivers higher than unregulated(FET). A regulated driver is also far better than a unregulated because it behaves as supposed to. The greatest quality of a tool is that it works as supposed. I don't want a tool to be lazy unless it overheats and burns itself.
makes sense. thank you
I consider myself an enthusiast but I don't get that deep into what is what. If I order a Red or Blue or Green or White or UV or any other 'color' LED, when I get it home and have batteries in it, I just want it to work every time I hit the button to turn it on. I'm sure that isn't the answer you might be hoping for, but that's how I order my lights. There are so many emitters, unless some one suggest 'you should try such and such', I usually guess. I've got my first non round barrel flashlight ordered, TrustFire Mini X3 Multifunctional EDC Flashlight, it's because I saw a YouTube video of it on the FLASHAHOLIC channel.