hipFlex Product Information

TASKLED - Smart LED drivers

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hipFlex (Hardware specifications/features):

hipFlex V1.1A released (June 26 2009) fully firmware compatible with V1.1 (Mar 1 2009 release)
Microcontroller based constant current buck regulator.
Ships configured for 1000mA current limit.
User menu reconfigurable to 1000mA/1400mA/2000mA, 2400mA or 2800mA at any time.
Current limit set in firmware.
User programmable low voltage warning.
Ships with UI-uni firmware (see below).
Non-volatile storage of brightness level.
Draws <0.1mA when in 'sleep mode' (electronic off).
High efficiency (> 90% when driving 3 or more Seoul P7 or Cree MC-E 4P configured LEDs at 2.8A).
Very low headroom requirement (Vin - Vout) of 0.5V at 2.8A drive.
Can drive up to 22V of series connected LEDs (from minimum input = (output voltage + 0.5V)).
Input operates from 7V to 24V. Being a buck converter, input voltage must be greater than output voltage - see the hipFlex technical section (manual) for specific information. 5 li-ion cells MAX.
Protected against reverse polarity connection (low loss FET), output open circuit and output short circuit.
Board is 1.4" in diameter, 0.35" thick (inductor is the high point). Components only on one side, bottom side is for attachment to a heatsink.
Software, UI-uni Firmware:

The new UI-uni firmware unifies the previous UIF, UIP and UIB2 firmware into a single release. This has the advantage of providing the user with a choice of 3 of the most popular TaskLED UI's in a single product. The user can configure via the menu system which of the UI's is active at any time. UIF and UIP also inherit the temperature sensing capability of UIB2 along with the new 3 level voltage monitoring capability.
- Unification of UIF/UIP firmware with the UIB2 firmware.
- 3 user configurable voltage trip points to set independent Medium, Low warning levels and Cutoff.
- If an optional 3mm or 5mm status LED is connected, the user can configure the status LED to warn when the voltage reaches Medium (status LED lights constant) or Low (status LED flashes).
- Temperature monitoring of driver board. If closely coupled with the light's body, it can be user configured to force the current output to reduce. Optional trip points of 50, 60, 70, 80, 90C or off.
- UIB2: Bike optimized, Choice of 2 level (duomode) or 5 level (multimode) operating modes.
- UIF: 8 level dimming, fixed lighting use optimized..
- UIP: 5 level dimming, flashlight use optimized. .
- User selectable optional Force level (the level that the light will always turn back on).
- Optional superlock that requires multiple clicks to turn the light on - prevents friends turning your light on accidentally.
- UIB2: User selectable Strobe mode or Constant mode for day/dusk or night use.
- Refer to the hipFlex technical section for the downloadable PDF manual.

Picture of the top side of the hipFlex V1.1 PCB. The hole on the top right side (above R7) is available to 'duct' wiring to the other side of the board when mounted in a tight fitting housing. The hole is non-plated and therefore electrically isolated.

hipFlex V1.0 specifications.

*** V1.0 hipFlex drivers have a 16V (4 x li-ion) input voltage limit -if you have purchased a hipFlex and you need to run it at higher input voltage, please return it for a replacement with V1.1 and V1.1A hipFlex drivers, available 1st week of March.
Microcontroller based constant current buck regulator.
Ships configured for 1000mA current limit.
User menu reconfigurable to 1000mA/1400mA/2000mA, 2400mA or 2800mA at any time.
Current limit set in firmware.
User programmable low voltage warning.
Ships with UI-uni firmware (see below).
Non-volatile storage of brightness level.
Draws <0.1mA when in 'sleep mode' (electronic off).
High efficiency (> 90% when driving 3 or more Seoul P7 or Cree MC-E 4P configured LEDs at 2.8A).
Very low headroom requirement (Vin - Vout) of 0.5V at 2.8A drive.
Can drive up to 15V of series connected LEDs (from minimum input = (output voltage + 0.5V)).
Input operates from 7V to 16V. Being a buck converter, input voltage must be greater than output voltage - see the hipFlex technical section (manual) for specific information.
Protected against reverse polarity connection (low loss FET), output open circuit and output short circuit.
Board is 1.4" in diameter, 0.35" thick (inductor is the high point). Components only on one side, bottom side is for attachment to a heatsink.

Top picture of the hipFlex V1.0.