Dive Rite RX2/Slimline technical info

[Danseur]

All,

I've got a few RX2 drivers in my DR Slimline lights. I'm working on some battery mojo. Does anyone know the specs on the driver? Especially the voltage requirements?

Also, is there an upgrade path on these that makes sense? Different driver etc, or call it a day and use it until it no longer suits?

Did DR change the can before the new one (HP50) that uses the 18650 individual cells? Can that new system be retrofitted?

Thanks!!

Justin

 

[Marie13]

Dive Rite has a section on their website for retired products. You could try checking there for the manual.

 

[tbone1004]

@Danseur stock battery was a 10s NiMH pack rated at 12v nominal which is 15v full and 10v dead. Driver automatically kicks it down at 11.2v to 50% output, and to 25% at 10.2v per the manual
The new batteries from Dive Rite are 4s LiPo, however 3s LiPo will be guaranteed to work. They'll kick down to 50% a bit earlier in their discharge curve, but given the capacity improvements you won't really care.
You can also just get a new NiMH pack from Battery Space, just make sure it physically fits. I believe they have one for the Slimline cans in there already
BatterySpace.com/AA Portable Power Corp. Tel: 510-525-2328

As far as upgrade paths. Your best bet IMO is to talk with @Bobby and see if he is still doing head upgrades and go to the LD13 internals. These are going to be much higher quality and better performing than what Dive Rite will be able to fit in there.
The cans can certainly be retrofitted, that's as simple as swapping the head over to the new canister, but you are still left with a <800 lumen light and the cost of doing it is likely prohibitive.

 

[Danseur]

I got some answers from Lamar himself. (Thanks!!) I hope this helps somebody down the road. I edited for brevity and formatting:


I can tell you the RX2 was designed to run on a 12 v NiMH battery pack. If you use a 11.1 volt pack it will work but the automatic step downs will be off a bit since they work off voltage.

(Next is responding to using a 14.4v pack)

16 volts is pushing it, a 12v pack can be about 15 volts after a charge, a 14.4 may get up to 18 volts and this may harm it over time. It won’t overdrive the module because we have a voltage regulator in it. It’s about what the voltage regulator can handle.

(And to upgrading the light)

We don’t have an upgrade path for anything older than the RX10 than came after that.