Overdriving

[Harry]

I've been searching for hours and cant find the answer to this, 'p4' is too short for the search function.

I have a royal blue p4 and a PCL1.4, what is the maximum current I can run through this LED without cooking it?

[Skottsaber]

I don't know about the royal blue, but the blues can take the max a PC can give (1.5A) and they run fine. You could try that, but I don't know if you're going to blow your LED or not. For a good overdrive with a bit of safety, try 1200 or 1300 ma.

(Disclaimer: Again, I don't have a clue if this is going to blow your LED or not, these are my best estimates, overdrive your LED at your own risk )

[Harry]

Thanks mate, I'll give that a go.

One more question before I solder everything up, I have an esd wrist strap but i'm not sure what the other end needs to go to. I searched on google and everything said clip to the pc case, but i'm not working on a pc and only have laptops. What can I hook it up to?

[Azmaria Dei]

you can hook it to any ground point.

as for your P4 Royal Blue, i recommend starting at 1100, with the LED in the saber with the heatsink in the blade holder and secured with another MHS part at least. run it for a few minutes and see if it gets hot fast. if not, go up another 100mA and repeat.

[Sunrider]

The datasheet is where one should look for this info. It says the vf is about 3.7 at 1000ma. That is on the high side. If you cool it well you should be able to push it to 1200ma but I would not go over that myself.

[Harry]

I've got it running at 1300 now, it seems ok. When my spare LEDs arrive I'll push it a bit harder, its very bright at 1300 though.

[cooky069]

been running my p4 green at the full 1.5 amps on my cf for a few weeks now and wouldnt say its any brighter than at 1.3 just seems to throw out more light making the blade fuller . im using a tcss transwhite blade and 8.7 degree optics

[Darth Scorn]

Is possible to run a p4 red or a lux 3 red orange at 1.5A?

[Ben Elion]

Is possible to run a p4 red or a lux 3 red orange at 1.5A?

Afaik the newer red P4 blows quite fast, when you push it too far.

Specs say typ. 350 to 800 mA max., so I wouldn´t drive it higher than 1000mA.
But even this could be too much.

[beggarsoutpost]

Afaik the newer red P4 blows quite fast, when you push it too far.

Specs say typ. 350 to 800 mA max., so I wouldn´t drive it higher than 1000mA.
But even this could be too much.

I run everything at 1.5mA including P4 reds... Burn it till it pops... if it can't take it buy another one or buy two to start.... I've only lost one P4 red at 1.5 and that was on a CF playing Nova's Ancient Saber... I think it was because of how dramatic the LED settings are on that font...