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Celebrating the independent kiwi spirit of invention.

Original list by Ian Mander started 1 February 2008. Added to this site (Aqualab) 26 November 2008. Database released 27 May 2009.

Driver List
Database code 25 January 2010
Footnotes 1 November 2009

• Step-up drivers
• Low voltage step-down drivers

• Mains drivers
• User interface & PWM drivers

• Drivers not yet added
26 October 2009
• Links
28 January 2010

Why use a driver?
16 November 2009

Driver types overview
22 May 2009

All LED drivers

Video Foundry/Aqualab does not sell any of these drivers. Links are provided to resellers.

Jump to: Footnotes | AMC7135 notes | PT4105 notes

142 drivers found. Listed by driver name.

Driver Name

Recent updates

 Price (US$) Driver Type Vin min-max
(DC except where noted)		 Number of LEDs
min-max		 Battery Suitability Efficiency
min-max		 Max Output Current Number of Modes Size
(diameter except where noted)		 Notes
from
to
shipping incl
from
to
AC
   
from
to
const. current 		   

1 W LED Driver LE-LL208

 $1.41
+ shipping		 Buck driver 5-24 V
7-15 V suggested		 1-4   73% 285 mA
constant current		 1 24 mm x 24 mm Actual output current may vary from 240 mA to 310 mA.

1-10x 1 W LED driver

 $14.95
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 90-260 V
AC		 1-10 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   330 mA
constant current		 1 96 mm x 28 mm x 17 mm Output voltage 2-39 V, recommended less than 35 V. Short circuit protected.

1-2x AA Boost Driver, 5 mode (2 steady)

 $3.00
 Boost driver 1-3 V
 1 1-2x AA,
1x 123A		 63-68% 700 mA 5 16 mm two boards in double layer Boost board. Output voltage and current not constant, almost 700 mA output with two fresh AAs, almost 300 mA from one fresh AA. Modes are high, low, and three different flashing options! No mode memory.
 
Tip: Remove controller board to use as single mode driver.

1-3x 3 Watt Dimmable Constant Current LED Driver

 $9.95
+ shipping		 Buck driver 10-24 V
AC or DC		 1-3 >3x Li-ion, 12 V car battery   800 mA
constant current		 1 35 mm x 31 mm diameter Dimmable with trim adjustment 30-800 mA.

1-6x 3/5 W LED driver

 $19.95
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 90-260 V
AC		 1-6     660 mA
constant current		 1 96 mm x 28 mm x 17 mm Output voltage 2-24 V. Short circuit protected.

1.5 V, 300 mA Boost Driver

 $8.51
for 5 		Boost driver 1.5-1.5 V
 1 1-2x AA 40-80% 300 mA 1 15 mm ~300 mA output with one AA, ~530 mA with two. Accurate testing has been difficult because of the high switching frequency of the board.

100-240 V AC 700 mA LED Driver

 $11.00
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 1-2 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   700 mA
constant current		 1 40 mm x 40 mm x 20 mm Maximum output power 6 W.

1x 1 W LED driver B350B12D1-1

 $5.95
+ shipping		 Buck driver 12-12 V
 1     350 mA
constant current		 1 23 mm x 19 mm x 14 mm

1x 3 W LED driver B700B12D3-1

 $5.95
+ shipping		 Buck driver 12-12 V
 1     700 mA
constant current		 1 23 mm x 19 mm x 14 mm

1x 5 W LED driver B700B12D5-1

 $5.95
+ shipping		 Buck driver 12-12 V
 1     700 mA
constant current		 1 23 mm x 19 mm x 14 mm

1x AA, 3 W Boost Driver, 20 mode

 $3.96
 Boost driver 0.8-1.7 V
 1 1x AA   800 mA 20 17 mm single layer, old version was 16 mm Boost driver, 20 modes in three groups. Output voltage and current not constant, 1.0 V in gives ~300 mA out, 1.4 V in gives ~700 mA out. Run on two fresh NiMH it outputs 1.8 A and gets very hot - not advised. I believe this is identical in operation to the AAA driver except for physical size.

1x AA, 500 mA Boost Driver, 5 mode (3 steady)

 $3.50
(sold out and/or discontinued)		 Boost driver 0.9-1.5 V
 1 1x alkaline or NiMH 65-80% 500 mA 5 17 mm two boards in double layer ~500 mA output, current not constant. Spec claims 5 modes; high 100%, mid 35%, low 10%, strobe, SOS. However one reviewer claims 16 modes, and with the steady modes in the opposite order.

1x AAA, 3 W Boost Driver, 20 mode

 $4.50
(sold out and/or discontinued)		 Boost driver 0.8-1.7 V
 1 1x AAA   800 mA 20 10 mm two boards in double layer Boost boards; output voltage and current not constant. Gets really hot when used with two AA cells. I believe this is identical in operation to the AA driver but is narrower and taller than that one.

1x AMC7135

 $16.88
for 20 		Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 330 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm Linear regulator. See extra AMC7135 notes below.

2x 1 W LED driver B350B12D1-2

 $6.49
+ shipping		 Buck driver 12-12 V
 2     350 mA
constant current		 1 23 mm x 19 mm x 14 mm

2x AMC7135

 $20.18
for 20 		Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 670 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm Linear regulator. See extra AMC7135 notes below.

3 W Buck, 5 mode

 $3.45
(sold out and/or discontinued)		 Buck driver 3.6-8.4 V
 1 3-6x NiMH,
1-2x Li-ion		   1000 mA 5 17 mm two boards in double layer Buck driver using PWM for modes, although what exactly the modes are seems to vary - high, low, slow strobe, fast strobe, and either SOS or beacon (1 flash every 8 or 10 seconds). High is 700-1000 mA depending on input voltage. Apparently based on PT4105 chip - see separate notes below - and may be able to cope with higher input voltage.

3 W LED driver LE-LL209

 $2.89
+ shipping		 Buck driver 6-15 V
 1-4   78% 700 mA
constant current		 1 24 mm x 24 mm Actual output current may vary from 650 mA to 710 mA.

3 W PWM Step-down, 5 mode

 $2.38
 Step-down (non-buck) driver 3.6-3.6 V
 1 3x NiMH,
1x Li-ion		   1000 mA 5 16 mm Unknown regulation method; no inductor so assumed to be PWM with output smoothing using a capacitor. 5 modes, 3 of which are flashing. Will not run from 1x AA as claimed.
 
Tip: This board may possibly operate as a straight-forward PWM driver if the capacitor is removed.

3.6-9 V, 800 mA Regulated IC Circuit Board

 $5.25
for 2 + shipping (sold out and/or discontinued)		 Buck driver 3.6-9 V
 1     800 mA 1 16 mm This driver has vanished from the retailer's web site.
 
Buck driver. Unknown driver chip.

3x 1 W LED driver B350B12D1-3

 $6.95
+ shipping		 Step-down (non-buck) driver 12-12 V
 3     350 mA
constant current		 1 23 mm x 19 mm x 14 mm Output voltage range is so tight it can't be used to drive three red or amber LEDs.

3x 3 W LED driver B700B12D3-3

 $7.95
+ shipping		 Buck driver 12-12 V
 3     700 mA
constant current		 1 23 mm x 19 mm x 14 mm Output voltage range is so tight it can't be used to drive three red or amber LEDs.

3x AMC7135 (TR-0026)

 $2.36
 Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 15 mm Linear regulator, apparently a three AMC7135 board but identification marks on the chips have been removed for the photo. What appears to be a polarity protection diode might actually be a capacitor. If it is a diode, note that the claimed input voltage doesn't allow for this diode; the more likely correct figures are listed in this Driver List table. See extra AMC7135 notes below.
 
Claims to provide different current outputs (0.7-1 A) to different Cree efficacy bins. I think NOT.

3x AMC7135, 19 mode

 $4.99
 Linear regulator 2.7-6 V
 1   50-97% 1000 mA
constant current		 19 17 mm Linear regulator using three AMC7135 chips and a PWM mode controller. Buyer beware, pictures are of a standard 3x AMC7135 board with no modes. See extra AMC7135 notes below.

3x AMC7135, 2 mode

 $3.98
 Linear regulator 3.5-6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion 		50-97% 1000 mA
constant current		 2 17 mm Linear regulator board using PWM for modes; high 1,000 mA, low 150 mA. Mode memory. Also available in a five pack. Also available in a 20 pack, but with the low mode just 50 mA.

3x AMC7135

 $16.58
for 10, also available in 20 pack 		Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm Linear regulator. This board comes with one AMC7135 connected and the other two just needing small solder bridges - very useful for using a switch instead of the solder bridges to change from 1/3 amp to 2/3 amp or 1 amp. Also available as a 20 pack. See extra AMC7135 notes below.

3x AMC7135, 16 mode

 $3.60
 Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 1000 mA
constant current		 16 17 mm Linear regulator using three AMB7135 chips and a PWM mode controller; includes a group with three well-spaced modes and no flash or strobe! The latest boards have an empty space all ready for a 4th AMC7135. See extra AMC7135 notes below.
 
Tip 3: Methods for wiring this board in parallel with another AMC7135 board are described here, with lots of colourful diagrams.
 
Tip 4: Modes can be disabled by following the instructions in this thread.

3x AMC7135, 19 mode (NANJG 15)

 $4.50
+ shipping		 Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 1000 mA
constant current		 19 17 mm Formerly 2 mode. Linear regulator board using PWM for modes, has a group with high/medium/low without flash or strobe. Low mode 120 mA. Note that the claimed input voltage doesn't allow for the polarity protection diode, which is indicated by the mention that it operates best over 3.5 V; the more likely correct figures are listed in this Driver List table. See extra AMC7135 notes below.

3x AMC7135, 20 mode

 $3.95
 Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 1000 mA
constant current		 20 17 mm Linear regulator using three AMC7135 chips and a PWM mode controller. See extra AMC7135 notes below.

3x AMC7135, 3 mode

 $4.99
 Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 1000 mA
constant current		 3 17 mm Linear regulator using PWM for modes - low, medium, high according to gunga, not the other way around. Is not 1.2 A output as claimed, but you might get 1.1 A. See extra AMC7135 notes below.

3x AMC7135, 5 mode

 $3.19
 Linear regulator 3.3-4.5 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 1000 mA
constant current		 5 17 mm Linear regulator using three AMC7135 chips and a PWM mode controller. 5 modes with memory; high 100%, medium 35%, low 20%, strobe, SOS. Unknown why maximum voltage is specified at only 4.5 V instead of 6.6 V. See extra AMC7135 notes below.

3~8.4 V, 5 W driver for Cree, 3-mode

 $2.94
 Buck driver 3-8.4 V
 1 1-2x Li-ion   1200 mA 3 17 mm two boards in double layer Three modes with memory; claimed high 1,200±100 mA, low 100±10 mA, fast strobe 650±50 mA. Output current may vary by battery voltage.
 
Claims to provide different current outputs (1-1.2 A) to different Cree efficacy bins. I think NOT.

3~8.4 V, 5 W driver for Cree, 5-mode

 $2.99
 Buck driver 3-8.4 V
 1 1-2x Li-ion   1200 mA 5 17 mm two boards in double layer Unknown regulation method, assumed to be buck because of input voltage range. Presumably uses PWM for modes. Spec claims 5 modes, with memory; high 1200±100 mA, mid 550±50 mA, low 100±10 mA, fast strobe 650±50 mA, SOS 1,200±100 mA. However, one user has posted that with 4x AA NiMH the steady modes were high 700 mA, medium 300 mA, low 60 mA.
 
Claims to provide different current outputs (1-1.2 A) to different Cree efficacy bins. I think NOT.

404 Waterproof LED Driver

 $22.00
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 110-250 V
AC		 3-10 115 V or 230 V AC mains power 46-89% 350 mA
constant current		 1 180 mm (?) x 27 mm x 26 mm Output voltage 10-32 V, maximum output power 11.2 W. Specs state maximum input 220 V AC but label more sensibly states 250 V AC. IP66 dust/water resistance.

4x AMC7135 (TR-025)

 $2.19
 Linear regulator 2.7-6 V
(no polarity protection diode - see notes 		1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 1330 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm Apparently a four AMC7135 linear current regulator but identifying marks have very roughly been removed for photos. Appears to not have a polarity protection diode, and soldering appears very rough. See extra AMC7135 notes below.
 
Claims to provide different current outputs (1-1.2 A) to different Cree efficacy bins. I think NOT.

4x AMC7135

 $17.50
for 10, also available in 20 pack and 5 pack 		Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1 3x NiMH,
4x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		 50-97% 1330 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm Linear regulator. Also available as a 20 pack (backordered) or a 5 pack (from KD). See extra AMC7135 notes below.

5 mode board

 $5.95
+ shipping (sold out and/or discontinued)		 Boost driver and buck driver 4-15 V
 1     1000 mA 5 17 mm This driver has vanished from the retailer's web site.
 
Claims to be a boost/buck driver, implying it can handle multiple LEDs, but no information is provided about that. 5 modes - high (1000 mA), medium (300 mA), low (100 mA), strobe, SOS. Mode memory.

700 mA, 2.5 W

 $10.66
for 5 		Boost driver 3-3 V
 1     700 mA 1 15 mm Boost driver using Zetec C300 control chip. 100~700 mA output, dependent on input voltage. Test data discussion (in which someone points out the test data is wrong).
 
As of August 2008 there seems to be a new (third) version which may have different components and may not cope with anything over 3.0 V.

8x AMC7135

 $9.36
+ shipping		 Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1   50-97% 2800 mA
constant current		 3 17 mm with components on both sides Limited availability from a CPF member. Also pictured in this post (requested from DealExtreme) and this post. Multimode board with four AMC7135 linear regulators on each side and a PWM mode controller; three or five modes; low 130 mA, medium 930 mA, high 2,800 mA claimed. See extra AMC7135 notes below.
 
While waiting for this board to be available you could try making your own version.

A9 Buck Current Regulated 3.0V~8.4V 1.3A Flashlight PCB

 $3.88
 Buck driver 3-8.4 V
 1     1300 mA 1 17 mm There are an awful lot of components on that board for a single mode buck driver. Incomplete/inadequate specifications listed - unknown current regulation, unknown if the driver will step up the voltage if it's too low. Buyer beware!

ACG D series LED drivers

 $9.95
+ shipping		 Buck driver 9-40 V
DC, 8-30 V AC (except 1.4 A version)		 1-4   91% 1400 mA
constant current		 1 42 mm x 32 mm x 12 mm Incomplete specifications on manufacturer's and retailer's web sites (incompetent manufacturer?); output voltage/LED quantities unknown. However, by using the wizard on the manufacturer's site it appears they'll do 1-4 LEDs. The claimed maximum 91% efficiency is very good, if true, especially since the drivers (except the 1,400 mA) have a rectifier built in. Even if maximum efficiency is up there however, it's probably not representative of typical efficiency, especially since they all claim the same (except for the 500 mA version which claims 92%) - unlikely across the current output range. Soft start. PWM dimming with 0-10 V input or potentiometer. Available in versions with outputs of 350, 500, 700, 1,000 and 1,400 mA.

Assembled Blue Shark with Remora UI

 $55.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver 2.7-25 V
 1-5     980 mA
constant current		 4 19 mm Multimode boost regulator. Maximum input current 4 A. Available in two flavours - three mode Plain (low, medium, high) and four mode Special (with SOS).

Assembled Shark Buck with Remora UI

 $59.00
+ shipping		 Buck driver 5-15 V
 1     3000 mA
constant current		 4 19 mm Multimode high current buck driver. Available in two flavours - three mode Plain (low, medium, high) and four mode Special (with SOS).

Assembled Shark with Remora UI

 $50.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver 2.7-20 V
 1-5     980 mA
constant current		 4 19 mm two boards in double layer Multimode boost regulator. Maximum input current 4 A. Available in two flavours - three mode Plain (low, medium, high) and four mode Special (with SOS).

AX2002 Multi-level Buck

 $10.40
+ shipping		 Buck driver 3.6-23 V
 1-6   80-90% 1000 mA
constant current		 3 17 mm Limited availability from a CPF member. Three modes; high=1 A, medium=200 mA, low=30 mA. Has memory. 0.25 V headroom (the amount input voltage must be above output voltage).

Badboy

 $13.00
for all except $16.50 for 750 mA and 1 A versions + shipping		 Boost driver 1.6-6 V
 1-2   85-89% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 14 mm Boost regulator. Vin must be less than Vout. Maximum Iin 1.5 A. Constant current output, board available as a "blank" (add set resistor), or preset to 300 mA, 400 mA, 500 mA, 750 mA, or 1000 mA. Must always have a load connected.

BB Nexgen

 $15.00
- $16 + shipping		 Boost driver 2-6 V
 1   80-91% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 14 mm Boost regulator, but apparently needs to be started with Vin between 3.4 V and Vf to start the full current regulation mode, otherwise it starts in safe mode, which is 1.5 A maximum input current. Constant current output, maximum 1 A. Board available as a "blank" (add set resistor), or preset to 400 mA, 500 mA, 750 mA and 1000 mA. Must always have a load connected.

bFlex v2b

 $30.00
+ shipping		 Buck driver 4-25 V
 1-7     1000 mA
constant current		 8 25 mm Buck regulator. Constant current out 350-1000 mA (user reconfigurable) at up to 24 V, uController UI. Thermal and polarity protection included.

Blue Shark

 $25.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver 2.7-25 V
 1-5 "Great for use in Mag C & D and fixed lighting applications."   980 mA
constant current		 1 19 mm Boost regulator. Maximum input current 4 A, still efficient >3 A. Regulates on voltage or current, output current adjustable from 50-980 mA (or greater by changing set resistor, although that would remove load protection) at maximum 32 V. Includes copper heatsink; improved thermal performance and higher output voltage over standard Shark.

BoostPuck

 $29.99
+ shipping		 Boost driver 5-28 V
 4-12   85-97% 350 mA
constant current		 1 21 mm x 21 mm x 11 mm Maximum output voltage 48 V. Input voltage must be at least 3 V lower than output voltage. Dimmable with external potentiometer (0-100%) and on board trim adjustment (75-125%). 7 pin SIP interface for PCB mounting; wiring harness optional extra. Output has short circuit protection (15 seconds) and open circuit protection.
 
There is a version without the on-board trim adjustment for a little lower cost (the page is wrong where it claims it does have it).

Buck Driver 4-pack (v2)

 $6.97
for 4 		Buck driver 3.8-16 V
 1-4 4+ NiMH,
2+ Li-ion		 81-90% 910 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm New version using AX2002, now constant current output, slightly larger diameter. Overhead is ~0.52 V. Test data and discussion here.
 
Old version: 16 mm diameter. Buck regulator using Zetex C310, 800-1000 mA output on high dependant on input voltage, although a hack for lower output is explained here. Medium and low appear reasonably constant current regulated. Test data graph.

BuckPuck

 $13.99
to $20.99 + shipping		 Buck driver 5-32 V
(half available models are for DC, half for AC)		 1-6   86-95% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 20 mm x 20 mm x 11 mm Available in many different forms, each with four versions with outputs of 350, 500, 700 or 1,000 mA. Half the forms are designed for low voltage AC, half for DC. Some forms have a built in trim adjustment for 40-110% output, some allow for an external trim adjustment. External connections vary - some forms have the wires built in, while most have from pins (4-7 of them) for PCB mounting. Wiring harnesses are also available, with and without potentiometer for trim adjustment. An additional capacitor across the input may be needed to smooth input power, as described here.
 
This retailer has an ordering page which makes some sense of the plethora of varieties, but the retailer is not recommended by Aqualab because of a bad web site, poor customer service communication, and the lack of likelihood of having items in stock. Anyway, this retailer (wired) has better prices. Good luck sorting out all the varieties.

BuckToot

 $9.99
+ shipping		 Buck driver 5-28 V
 1-6   71-94% 350 mA
constant current		 1 19 mm x 10 mm diameter Input voltage must be at least 2 V higher than output voltage. Output has short circuit protection (15 seconds) and open circuit protection. Efficiency is greater the more LEDs it's driving.

CC1W, CC5W

 $15.00
(350 mA)
$18 (700 mA or 1 A) + shipping		 Buck driver 4-30 V
 1     1000 mA
constant current		 1 25 mm x 20.3 mm Buck regulator. 2 models to choose from - constant current out 350 mA or 700/1000 mA, both at up to 16 V. Headroom 1 V or 1.3 V for the two versions.

CCHIPO v1.2

 $45.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver 4-30 V
 2-13   84-92% 2000 mA
constant current		 1 63 mm x 48 mm Boost regulator. Vin must be less than Vout. Maximum 5 A input. User adjustable constant current output up to 2 A or 48 V (45 W max). Optional external adjustment. Open circuit protected, but if doing so, LED(s) must not be connected until output has discharged from 48 V.

Cree MC-E / Seoul P7 driver 1 mode

 $4.70
 Buck driver 6-8.4 V
 1 6x NiMH,
2x Li-ion		 85% 2200 mA 1 25 mm Buck regulator, driver chip number obscured/removed. Claimed constant current output at 2.8A but some buyers have reported the output is not well regulated, and several others have reported much lower than the rated output current (hence the 2200 mA figure used in this table). Buyer beware!

Cree MC-E / Seoul P7 driver 5 mode

 $5.70
 Buck driver 8.4-8.4 V
 1   85% 2000 mA 5 25 mm two boards in double layer Buck regulator using PWM for modes. Claimed constant current output at 2.8A but some buyers have reported the output is not well regulated, and several others have reported much lower than the rated output current. Buyer beware! Modes high, medium, low, SOS, strobe. Double layer board; the 1 mode version plus a mode controller.

D2DIM

 $20.00
+ shipping (sold out and/or discontinued)		 Unspecified driver type 2.7-24 V
(v1.0 max 16 V, v1.1 max 24 V)		 0 N/A   3400 mA 8 22 mm PWM dimming only. This board does no current limiting but can be used in conjunction with other drivers that do. PWM frequency ~800 Hz. Maximum throughput current 3.4-4.5 A depending on temperature.

D2Flex v2

 $21.00
+ shipping		 Unspecified driver type 2.7-24 V
 0 N/A   6000 mA 8 21 mm PWM dimming only. The number of modes varies and can be altered. This board does no current limiting but can be used in conjunction with other drivers that do. PWM frequency ~800 Hz. Maximum throughput current 6 A (version 1 was 3.4-4.5 A depending on temperature). Reverse polarity and output open circuit protected.

Fatman

 $22.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver 2.7-12 V
 1-4   80-96% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 20 mm Boost regulator. Vin must be less than Vout. User adjustable constant current at 3-16 V, up to 1000 mA. Optional external adjustment. Must always have a load connected.

FLuPIC v2.2

 $40.00
 Unspecified driver type 0-0 V
 0       5   There's a user guide for the many modes here but not actual specifications, and its maker on CPF doesn't link to its specs (or the latest firmware version) in his tagline. Go figure.

GD

 $18.00
- $20 + shipping		 Boost driver and buck driver 1.8-5.4 V
 1   85-93% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 14 mm Buck/boost regulator. Constant current output, board available as a "blank" (add one or two SMT set resistors), or preset to 500 mA, 750 mA, or 1000 mA. Maximum output voltage 5.4 V. Must always have a load connected.

GDuP

 $48.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver and buck driver 1.8-5.4 V
 1 2-3x alkaline,
1x Li-ion		   700 mA
constant current		 3 14 mm Three modes at 10 mA, 180 mA and 700 mA. Mode memory.

hipCC

 $24.00
+ shipping		 Buck driver 4.5-25 V
 1-5   77-97% 2800 mA
constant current		 1 28 mm Buck regulator. Constant current output 2.8 A. Headroom 0.5 V. Thermal protection, polarity protection. Single mode but can be driven using a separate PWM driver.

hipFlex

 $35.00
+ shipping		 Buck driver 4.5-24 V
 1-6   73-95% 2800 mA
constant current		 1 36 mm Buck regulator, can drive up to 22 V of series connected LEDs. Constant current output user reconfigurable at any time to 1.0/1.4/2.0/2.4/2.8 A. Headroom 0.5 V @ 2.8 A. Thermal protection, polarity protection.

Hyperboost v1.0

 $40.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver 8-50 V
 3-23   88-92% 1300 mA
constant current		 1 36 mm Boost driver, input voltage must be less than output voltage. Maximum output 80 V. Adjustable output current limit. Input current less than 5 A for optimal performance. Has open circuit and reverse polarity protection. (Note that if turned on while open circuit, output will rise to 80 V - shock hazard.)

Joule Thief

 $0.00
Make your own from scrap - fun! 		Boost driver 0.3-1.5 V
 1 Use with single alkaline only, not NiMH 30-75%   1   For driving a single 5mm LED from an alkaline AA or AAA. Do not use with NiMH - the Joule Thief will suck it dry and leave it gasping or permanently dead. There's a handy instruction video on YouTube.
 
Some changes to the basic circuit can increase efficiency and stablise output. (Love the ASCII diagrams - they're cool!)
 
FWIW an open circuit Joule Thief can output over 50 volts, so they can be used for all sorts of things, like charging other batteries.

Kennan 2 variants

 $3.43
(sold out and/or discontinued)		 Buck driver 5-18 V
 1-3   60% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 20 mm Buck regulator based on PT4105 chip. Constant current output. Off the shelf it's set to 1000 mA (even though that's out of spec for the regulator chip below 9 V in) but this can be changed by using a different set resistor (original is soldered surface mount). Input voltage needs to be 1-3 V above output, but the new components will shut the board down under 6.2V (2x Li-ion?). This thread discusses the control features of this new version. Efficiency perhaps as low as 60% thanks to running it out of spec and it also runs quite hot because of it. In summary, more versatile but not as useful.

Kennan 3

 $3.99
 Buck driver 3.6-23 V
 1-3 4+ NiMH,
1+ Li-ion,
12 V car battery,
whatever		 80-92% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm Buck regulator based on AX2002 chip. Constant current output, off the shelf set to 1 amp. Efficiency figures from AX2002 datasheet, but "AX2002" test results I've seen that may be of this board indicates 78-87% for a single LED below 1.4 A, sagging to 65% at 2.4 A.
 
Note: In italianboy's review he claims that 1 amp is outside the driver chip's limits. This is not true as the AX2002 can actually cope with 2.5 amps, although it will get very hot over 2 amps, meaning without heatsinking the thermal protection will probably turn it off after just a few minutes. Also, the other components on the Kennan 3 board may not be too happy at 2+ amps.

Kennan aka NANJG 07

 $3.10
(sold out and/or discontinued)		 Buck driver 5-18 V
 1-3   79-91% 750 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm Buck regulator based on PT4105 chip. Constant current output. Off the shelf it's set to 750 mA, but this can be changed by using a different set resistor (original is soldered surface mount). Input voltage needs to be 1-3 V above output. Can output 1 A with more than 9 V in, but at an efficiency cost.

L-mini II

 $10.75
+ shipping		 Boost driver and buck driver 2.8-5.5 V
 1 1x Li-ion   1000 mA
constant current		 3 17 mm two boards in double layer Three mode, low (80 mA), medium (350 mA), high (1000 mA). Built-in voltage protection, will turn off at 2.8 V. Polarity protection.

Lightech 10 W (350 mA)

 $26.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-265 V
 1-8 115 V or 230 V AC mains power 80% 350 mA
constant current		 1 86 mm x 35 mm x 27 mm (ali case); 100 mm x 40 mm x 28 mm (plastic case) Output voltage 2.3-28 V. "Electronic internal resettable short circuit protection. Thermal protection and overload regulation." "Waterproof potting."

Lightech 18 W (700 mA)

 $34.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 85-277 V
AC		 3-7 115 V or 230 V AC mains power 80% 700 mA
constant current		 1 133 mm x 40 mm x 31 mm Output voltage 10-24 V. "Electronic internal resettable short circuit protection. Thermal protection and overload regulation." "Waterproof potting".

Lightech 36 W (700 mA)

 $63.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-265 V
AC		 4-17 115 V or 230 V AC mains power 82% 700 mA 1 133 mm x 40 mm x 31 mm Output current 650-750 mA, output voltage 12-58 V. "Electronic internal resettable short circuit protection. Thermal protection and overload regulation." "Waterproof potting".

Lightech 4 W (350 mA)

 $14.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 1-5 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 45 mm x 45 mm x 25 mm Output voltage 2-14 V. "Electronic internal resettable short circuit protection. Thermal protection and overload regulation." IP67 dust/water resistance.

Ludde (USB car supply)

 $2.58
(up from $2.53) 		Buck driver 10-14.5 V
(approx)		 0 12 V car battery   1000 mA 1 100 mm long Buck regulator, not specifically a LED driver. Designed to plug into a car lighter socket to provide a USB socket. Constant voltage output 5.5 V (not actually within USB spec, which is maximum 5.25 V). Can do somewhere around 700-1000 mA before dropping out of regulation. Cute little red LED to show it's working.
 
Tip: Does not charge iPods but there is a work-around using a couple of resistors to apply a mid-voltage to the two data pins.

Madmax Lite

 $8.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver 0.8-4.5 V
 1   76-88% 200 mA
constant current		 1 14 mm Boost regulator. Unknown output regulation. Maximum power output ~0.75 W.

Madmax Plus

 $8.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver 0.8-5 V
 1   76-88% 700 mA
constant current		 1 14 mm Boost regulator. Unknown output regulation. Maximum power output ~1.5 W (Plus).

MagTech L03U-350 3 Watt Mains Driver

 $13.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 95-250 V
 1-4 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 40 mm x 40 mm x 22 mm Alternative versions mentioned on the datasheet are for outputs of either 700 or 1,000 mA, single LED.

MagTech LA1012-24 12 Watt Mains Driver

 $24.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 1-8 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   500 mA
constant current		 1 85 mm x 35 mm x 23 mm Maximum output voltage 24 V (12 W). IP66 dust/water resistance. The datasheet is poked.

MagTech LP1025-24 25 Watt Mains Driver

 $39.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-277 V
AC		 4-8 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   1040 mA
constant current		 1 80 mm x 62 mm x 25 mm Output voltage 12-24 V. IP54 or IP66 dust/water resistance (apparently for indoor and outdoor versions, although there's no indication of how they are distinguished when ordering). Alternative versions mentioned on the datasheet have outputs of 700 mA (18-36 V) or 2,080 mA (8-12 V).

MagTech LP1090-24-170 96 Watt Mains Driver

 $99.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 90-264 V
AC		 4-8 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   4000 mA
constant current		 1 170 mm x 64 mm x 38 mm Output voltage 12-24 V. IP64 dust/water resistance.

Mains Driver, 1 W - 3 W

 $9.03
 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 1-3 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 41 mm x 41 mm x 20 mm Enclosed in white box, presumed transformer with buck regulator. Constant current out 350 mA @ 3-12 V.

Mains Driver, 1x 1 W

 $3.09
(down from $3.32) 		Mains buck driver 85-265 V
AC		 1 115 V or 230 V AC mains power 25% 350 mA
constant current		 1 22 mm x 15 mm x 14 mm Transformer with buck regulator. Constant current out 320-350 mA. Reported to not be very efficient (not normally a major problem for mains power). These are called GU10 drivers but do not themselves have the bayonet pins of the GU10 connector. Efficiency figure from a review.

Mains Driver, 1x 3 W

 $3.10
(down from $3.32) 		Mains buck driver 85-265 V
AC		 1 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 23 mm x 15 mm x 15 mm Transformer with buck regulator. Constant current out 650-700 mA. Reported to not be very efficient (not normally a major problem for mains power). These are called GU10 drivers but do not themselves have the bayonet pins of the GU10 connector.

Mains Driver, 1x 5W (or 7 W?)

 $7.48
(down from $7.99) 		Mains buck driver 110-240 V
AC		 1 115 V or 230 V AC mains power 85% 1080 mA
constant current		 1 30 mm x 15 mm x 15 mm Transformer with buck regulator. Claimed 2 A constant current output @ 3.5-3.8 V (ie, 7-7.6 W), although one buyer claims it's only 1.2 A output (~4.2 W), and another says a mere 1.08 A, making it overpriced compared to the other single LED drivers. Either way it's well short of the claimed output. Buyer beware!

Mains Driver, 3 W - 6 W

 $10.85
 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 1-3 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   700 mA
constant current		 1 45 mm x 40 mm x 20 mm Enclosed in white box, presumed transformer with buck regulator. Constant current out 700 mA @ 3-12 V.

Mains Driver, 3x 1 W

 $3.32
 Mains buck driver 85-265 V
AC		 3 115 V or 230 V AC mains power 43-75% 320 mA
constant current		 1 23 mm x 17 mm x 17 mm Transformer with buck regulator. Called a GU10 driver but does not itself have the bayonet pins of the GU10 connector. Constant current out 320 mA @ approx. 9-10 V. Efficiency figures from reviews.

Mains Driver, 5-7x 1 W

 $5.99
 Mains buck driver 85-265 V
AC		 5-7 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   320 mA
constant current		 1 42 mm x 42 mm x 14 mm Transformer with buck regulator. Constant current out 320 mA @ 16-26 V.

Mains Driver, 9-12x 1 W

 $8.23
 Mains buck driver 85-265 V
AC		 9-12 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   320 mA
constant current		 1 45 mm x 45 mm x 29 mm Transformer with buck regulator. Constant current out 320 mA @ 27-42 V.

Mains Driver, KEGAO 3x 1 W

 $6.56
 Mains buck driver 110-240 V
AC		 2-3 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 55 mm x 27 mm x 20 mm Enclosed in white box - claimed water and dust resistant. Presumed to be a transformer with buck regulator. Claimed 350 mA (title says 320 mA) constant current output @ 0.5-10 V.

Mains Power Supply for 1-3x 1 W LEDs

 $11.00
(approx)
€7.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 1-3 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 36 mm x 26 mm x 22 mm Presumably a transformer and buck driver. Output constant current at 0.5-10 V DC. Overload protection, short circuit protection. IP65 housing.

Mains Power Supply for 10-18x 1 W LEDs

 $18.00
(approx)
€12.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 10-18 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 127 mm x 40 mm x 23 mm Presumably a transformer and buck driver. Output constant current at 30-72 V DC. Overload protection, short circuit protection.

Mains Power Supply for 1x 3 W LEDs

 $11.00
(approx)
€7.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 1 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   700 mA
constant current		 1 36 mm x 26 mm x 22 mm Presumably a transformer and buck driver. Output constant current at 0.5-4 V DC. Overload protection, short circuit protection. IP65 housing.

Mains Power Supply for 3-4x 3 W LEDs

 $14.00
(approx)
€9.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 3-4 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   700 mA
constant current		 1 110 mm x 40 mm x 23 mm Presumably a transformer and buck driver. Output constant current at 9-16 V DC. Overload protection, short circuit protection.

Mains Power Supply for 5-8x 3 W LEDs

 $18.00
(approx)
€12.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 5-8 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   700 mA
constant current		 1 36 mm x 26 mm x 22 mm Presumably a transformer and buck driver. Output constant current at 15-36 V DC. Overload protection, short circuit protection.

Mains Power Supply for 6-10x 1 W LEDs

 $14.00
(approx)
€9.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 100-240 V
AC		 6-10 115 V or 230 V AC mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 110 mm x 40 mm x 23 mm Presumably a transformer and buck driver. Output constant current at 18-36 V DC. Overload protection, short circuit protection.

MaxFlex v5

 $35.00
+ shipping (backordered)		 Boost driver 2.5-20 V
 1-7   83-93% 1200 mA
constant current		 8 23 mm Boost regulator. Vin must be less than Vout. User configurable constant current, 350-1200 mA at up to 24 V. uController UI, status LED. Open circuit protected, polarity protected.
 
Shark vs MaxFlex forum thread.

MC-E/P7 driver

 $6.95
 Linear regulator 3.3-6.6 V
(for 0.6 V lower Vin see Tip 1 in the notes below)		 1   50-97% 2500 mA
constant current		 3 17 mm with components on both sides Multimode board with four AMC7135 linear regulators on each side and a PWM mode controller. 3 modes with memory; low 140 mA, medium 1,000 mA, high 2,500 mA. Claimed input voltage of 2.8-6.0 V doesn't allow for the polarity protection diode; the more likely correct figures are listed in this Driver List table.

MC-E/P7 driver, 5 mode

 $7.99
 Buck driver 5.5-12 V
 1     3000 mA 5 19 mm Uses PWM for 5 modes; low (10%), medium (50%), high (100%), fast strobe, SOS. If driving a Cree MC-E its four dice must be parallel connected. Also available as a 5 pack.
 
This driver gets a bad review here.

MicroPuck

 $9.99
+ shipping		 Boost driver and buck driver 0.8-3 V
as boost; 4.0-8.0 V as buck		 1-2   62-89% 500 mA 1 12 mm x 8 mm x 7 mm Can be used as either a buck, or boost, or buck/boost driver - see the Application Notes for connection diagrams and other info. Not a constant current output; they claim this is a design feature to mimic the light dropoff of an incandescent bulb. I'm not convinced. Maximum 8 V output. Can be used in parallel. Efficiency as a boost driver claimed 70-82% (measured at 64-78% in a test with an XP-G here), as a buck driver 82-89%; as a buck/boost driver 62-72%.
 
Available in three versions with nominal outputs of 350, 400 (error in window title bar) and 500 mA.

Mini Constant Current Power Supply with rectifier,
9 versions 20-100 mA

 $2.80
(approx)
€1.99 (actual) + shipping		 Linear regulator 6.5-38 V
DC, 4.5-26 V AC		 1-10   7-45% 100 mA
constant current		 1 16 mm x 7.5 mm x 3 mm Linear regulator based on a LM317 voltage regulator chip, with a rectifier so it can cope with AC (and can be connected either way with DC). Available in nine versions providing 10 mA, 20 mA, 30 mA, 40 mA, 50 mA, 60 mA, 70 mA, 80 mA and 100 mA. Supply voltage needs to be at least 3.8 V higher than total LED Vf and not more than 38, 27, 18, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8 or 7 V higher respectively for the different versions. Efficiency figures are given for a single LED but could theoretically be as high as 90% for a string.

Mini Constant Current Power Supply,
9 versions 10-100 mA

 $2.80
(approx)
€1.99 (actual) + shipping		 Linear regulator 5.2-37 V
 1-10   7-52% 100 mA
constant current		 1 16 mm x 7.5 mm x 3 mm Linear regulator based on a LM317 voltage regulator chip, available in nine versions providing 10 mA, 20 mA, 30 mA, 40 mA, 50 mA, 60 mA, 70 mA, 80 mA and 100 mA. Supply voltage needs to be at least 2.5 V higher than total LED Vf and not more than 37, 27, 18, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8 or 7 V higher respectively for the different versions. Efficiency figures are given for a single LED but it could theoretically be as high as 93% for a string.

Mini FLu-PIC

 $25.00
+ shipping		 Unspecified driver type 0-0 V
 0     600 mA 1 11 mm As with the FLu-PIC, specs aren't given. It does claim to have multiple modes, though: Hi/Burst (450-600 mA), User Set, Low, Off, Brightness Set (for user set level) between 1-10 levels.

MR16-base driver: 1x 1 W (v2)

 $2.39
(down from $2.53) 		Buck driver 8-25 V
DC (from max rating for output capacitor); claimed 12-40 V for board is wrong as PT4115 is 30 V max		 1-8 2-4x Li-ion,
12 V car battery		 80-92% 350 mA
constant current		 1 18 mm x 14 mm x 11 mm (31 mm x 18 mm x 11 mm including prongs and output terminals) Buck regulator based on PT4115 or EQB8L chip. They're not quite equivalent as the PT4115 will turn off under 8 V and the EQB8L will still work under 4 V (voltages not including the rectifier on this driver). Constant current out 320-370 mA; there's no difference between the two 1 W versions except maybe the set resistor. Built-in rectifier, normally four Schottky SS14 diodes.
 
There are MR16 sockets available for them - round (17 mm diameter) and rectangular (28 mm x 17 mm).
 
Tip: If using DC you wouldn't need the rectifier so you could short that out for an estimated 97% efficiency, but it will still work with it left intact.

MR16-base driver: 1x 3 W (v2)

 $2.40
(down from $2.53) 		Buck driver 8-25 V
DC (from max rating for output capacitor); claimed 12-40 V for board is wrong as PT4115 is 30 V max		 1-8 2-4x Li-ion,
12 V car battery		 55-97% 700 mA
constant current		 1 18 mm x 14 mm x 11 mm (31 mm x 18 mm x 11 mm including prongs and output terminals) Buck regulator based on PT4115 or EQB8L chip. They're not quite equivalent as the PT4115 will turn off under 8 V and the EQB8L will work under 4 V (voltages not including the rectifier on this driver). Constant current out 650-700 mA (not 320-350 mA as stated*). Built-in rectifier, normally four Schottky SS14 diodes.
 
The PT4115 version is quite good with one and quite good or excellent when driving two or more. For automotive use (~12V) the EQB8L version of this 3 W driver is not very efficient when driving only one LED, but quite good with two (84%). There are a couple reports of this version emitting RF noise causing interference with car radios and remote locking, but most users haven't found any interference.

There are MR16 sockets available for them - round (17 mm diameter) and rectangular (28 mm x 17 mm).
 
Tip: If using DC and sure of polarity you wouldn't need the rectifier so you could short that out for an extra 4-6% efficiency gain, but it will still work with it left intact.

*This still hasn't been corrected, even after changing the claimed input voltage range.

MR16-base driver: 3x 1 W (v2)

 $2.39
(down from $2.53) 		Buck driver 8-25 V
DC (from max rating for output capacitor); claimed 12-16 V AC for board		 1-4 2-4x Li-ion,
12 V car battery		   350 mA
constant current		 1 18 mm x 14 mm x 11 mm (31 mm x 18 mm x 11 mm including prongs and output terminals) Buck regulator based on PT4115 or EQB8L chip. They're not quite equivalent as the PT4115 will turn off under 8 V and the EQB8L will still work under 4 V (voltages not including the rectifier on this driver). Constant current out 320-370 mA; there's no difference between the two 1 W versions except maybe the set resistor, but efficiency is unknown when running a 3 LED configuration. Built-in rectifier, normally four Schottky SS14 diodes.
 
There are MR16 sockets available for them - round (17 mm diameter) and rectangular (28 mm x 17 mm).
 
Tip: If using DC you wouldn't need the rectifier so you could short that out for a few percent efficiency gain, but it will still work with it left intact.

MR16-base drivers:
1x 1 W,
3x 1 W,
1x 3 W

 $2.53
(sold out and/or discontinued)		 Buck driver 5-18 V
DC for driver chip, claimed 12-16 V AC for board		 1-4 4-12x NiMH,
5-12x alkaline,
2-4x Li-ion,
12 V car battery		   350 mA
constant current		 1 18 mm x 14 mm x 14 mm Buck regulator based on the discontinued PT4105 chip - see separate notes below. Constant current out 320-350 mA for 1 W versions, 650-700 mA for 3W version (not 320-350 mA as stated).
 
These drivers have their own bridge rectifier using low-voltage Schottky diodes, so they can handle (low voltage) AC or DC input. While these drivers are claimed to handle 12-16 V AC, the PT4105 is only specified to handle up to 18 V input, so allowing for perhaps 0.3V drop on each of two Schottky diodes being used at any time in the rectifier, anything over about 13.5 Vrms AC would be outside the PT4105 spec.
 
Tip: If using DC you wouldn't need the rectifier so you could short that out, but it will still work (slightly less efficiently) with it left intact.

MultiLine PWM Dimmer

 $21.00
(approx)
€14.90 (actual) + shipping		 Unspecified driver type 7-30 V
 0 N/A   10 A 1 138 mm x 16 mm x 20 mm (or 40 mm with knob) PWM dimming only. Scroll bar design with a PWM frequency of 450 Hz giving 0-100% control of constant current or voltage supply - ie, needs to be used with a regulator. Short circuit protected.

MultiLine PWM Dimmer, 3 channel

 $63.00
(approx)
€44.50 (actual) + shipping		 Unspecified driver type 7-30 V
 0 N/A   10 A 1 138 mm x 52 mm x 20 mm (or 40 mm with knob) PWM dimming only. Scroll bar design with a PWM frequency of 450 Hz giving 0-100% control of constant current or voltage supply - ie, needs to be used with a regulator. Short circuit protected.

NANJG 18

 $4.26
(sold out and/or discontinued) (backordered)		 Boost driver 0.8-7 V
 1 1-2x NiMH 60-91% 1000 mA 19 17 mm Former version NANJG 16 (NJG-016).
 
19 mode boost driver. User-adjustable output voltage (not current) ~2 V up to 7.4 V. Output voltage must be greater than input voltage. Note that it's not a constant current or constant voltage driver. Capable of ~700 mA output from a single AA NiMH cell, or ~1000 mA from two. Efficiency in the 60-70% range if output is much over 1 W (running the board on 1x AA), and pushing 90% at ~1 W - amazing for an inexpensive boost driver. It is possible to disable the modes (so many strobes and SOSes!).

NANJG 20

 $6.46
for 3 		Boost driver 0.8-3.3 V
(1.5-4.2 V old version)		 1   41-86% 970 mA 1 17 mm (not 16 mm) Boost driver (uses 2106F regulator chip). Reliable test data is hard to find and is complicated by people using different wiring methods. Some results are here and here but in the latter test, as pointed out, the output voltage dipping while the output current still climbs does seem a bit hard to believe. Discussion thread here.
 
Tip 1: It seems that modifying the set resistor to give a lower output current (max 500 mA) is a good idea.
 
Tip 2: Different wiring methods may give different efficiency figures.

NANJG 28

 $5.50
 Boost driver and linear regulator 0.9-4.5 V
 1 1-3x AA (2x AA ideal),
1x Li-ion		 63-83% 1000 mA
constant current		 5 17 mm Boost driver using PIC12F629 regulator chip, apparently with AMC7135 linear regulator for dropping small excess voltage as well. 5 modes: High (1,000 mA), mid (350 mA), low (50 mA), strobe (1,000 mA), SOS (1,000 mA). Testing here and here shows that above 2.4 V input the output current is surprisingly regulated. Average efficiency 70%.

nFlex

 $30.00
+ shipping (sold out and/or discontinued)		 Buck driver 4-30 V
 1   85% 1000 mA
constant current		 8 28 mm x 20.3 mm Buck regulator. Constant current out 1000 mA (user reconfigurable, 350 mA default) at up to 25 V, uController UI.

Power Supply (adjustable) for 1-10x 1 W LEDs

 $35.00
(approx)
€24.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 95-260 V
 1-10 115 or 230 V mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 101 mm x 42 mm x 20 mm Output can be adjusted using a potentiometer (not included).

Power Supply (adjustable) for 1-16x 1 W LEDs

 $42.00
(approx)
€29.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 230-240 V
 1-16 230 V mains power   350 mA
constant current		 1 110 mm x 52 mm x 24 mm Two output channels, each 30 V, 10 W maximum. Output can be adjusted using a potentiometer (not included). IP20 housing.

Power Supply (adjustable) for 1-3x 3 W LEDs

 $35.00
(approx)
€24.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 95-260 V
 1-3 115 or 230 V mains power   700 mA
constant current		 1 101 mm x 42 mm x 20 mm Output can be adjusted using a potentiometer (not included).

Power Supply flexible for 350/700mA LEDs, 20W

 $35.00
(approx)
€24.90 (actual) + shipping		 Mains buck driver 220-240 V
 1-8 230 V AC mains power   700 mA
constant current		 2 111 mm x 56 mm x 25 mm Can be switched to provide 350 mA or 700 mA constant current output, or various constant voltages from 4 V (5 W) to 24 V (20 W). IP20 housing.

PowerLine Constant Current Power Supply,
6 versions 350 mA - 2.8 A

 $21.00
(approx)
€14.90 (actual) + shipping		 Linear regulator 7-30 V
(actual permitted V over total LED Vf varies)		 1-8   46-96% 2800 mA
constant current		 1 63 mm x 21 mm x 33 mm Linear regulator with a heatsink, available in six versions providing 350 mA, 700 mA, 1000 mA, 1.4 A, 2.0 A and 2.8 A. Large input voltage range (the minimum input voltage of 1 V is assumed) but input voltage must be at least 1 volt above output voltage and a maximum of 22, 13, 9, 7, 6 or 4 V above output voltage for the respective versions. The mention of PWM is believed to mean this driver can be used with a separate PWM driver, not that this driver uses PWM. Has thermal protection and output short circuit protection.
 
Also available in SLIM versions which lack the heatsink and so have tighter input voltage tolerances.

PowerLine SLIM Constant Current Power Supply,
8 versions 180 mA - 2.8 A

 $18.00
(approx)
€12.90 (actual) + shipping		 Linear regulator 1-30 V
(actual permitted V over total LED Vf varies)		 1-8   63-96% 2800 mA
constant current		 1 50 mm x 7 mm x 15 mm Linear regulator, available in eight versions providing 180 mA, 350 mA, 500 mA, 700 mA, 1000 mA, 1.4 A, 2.0 A and 2.8 A. Large input voltage range (the minimum input voltage of 1 V is assumed) but input voltage must be at least 1 volt above output voltage and a maximum of 10, 10, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2.5 or 2 V above output voltage for the respective versions. The mention of PWM is believed to mean this driver can be used with a separate PWM driver, not that this driver uses PWM. Has thermal protection and output short circuit protection.
 
Also available in non-SLIM versions which have a heatsink, allowing better heat dissipation and wider input voltage tolerance.

PowerPuck

 $17.99
+ shipping		 Buck driver 5-32 V
 1-6   86-95% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 38 mm diameter (flanges 64 mm long) x 13 mm height Input voltage must be at least 2 V higher than output voltage. Output has short circuit protection (15 seconds) and open circuit protection. Versions available with outputs of 350, 700 or 1,000 mA.

PWM 5 mode driver

 $3.99
 Unspecified driver type 3.2-4.5 V
 1 1x Li-ion   3500 mA 1 17 mm Vague specifications given but apparently PWM dimming only in which case this board does no current limiting but can be used in conjunction with other drivers that do. Modes high 100%, mid 45%, low 10%, strobe, SOS.

QuadPuck

 $159.99
+ shipping		 Buck driver 8-32 V
 1-72     4400 mA
constant current		 1 110 mm x 64 mm x 25 (or 17) mm Four channel driver (using four BuckPucks) with independent dimming (140-1100 mA) on each channel. Dimming controller (eg, PC) sold separately. PCB length 102 mm but two connectors hang over the end.

Remora

 $9.00
+ shipping		 User interface board 2.7-20 V
 0 N/A     4 19 mm across; roughly half of a round Shark sized board User interface board for the various Shark drivers - not usable by itself. Available in two flavours - three mode Plain (low, medium, high) and four mode Special (with SOS).

Seoul P7 3-mode UI Driver board

 $12.25
+ shipping		 Buck driver 5.5-12 V
 1 2x Li-ion 76-83% 3000 mA 3 17 mm double sided board Buck driver using PWM for modes. Three modes; low (5%), medium (35%) and high (100%), includes mode memory. Not constant current - output changes with input voltage - but is claimed to push a SSC P7 "very hard" and thus needs good heatsinking. Thermal protection may have been removed in the latest version.
 
Also available here for a little less but it's hard taking that site seriously when so many random colours and sizes of text is used to describe the board, with missing graphics liberally distributed as well. Constant current out claimed to be high 2.8 A, medium 1.38 A, low 0.25 A, but note that KD's runtime figures don't stack up, and their specs show some confusion about whether high is 2.8 A or 3.0 A. Also, there are two versions (with 3 and 5 modes) which look identical and either might be sent to fill an order. StefanFS here says it gets really hot with 8 AA cells, while CM here calculates over 2 W of heat dissipated in high mode - toasty. The KD driver gets a bad review here.

Seoul P7 5-mode UI Driver board

 $5.99
+ shipping (sold out and/or discontinued)		 Buck driver 3.2-4.5 V
 1 1x Li-ion   3000 mA 5 17 mm This driver has vanished from the retailer's web site.

Buck driver using PWM for modes. Modes are high (100%), medium (45%), low (10%), strobe, SOS. Includes mode memory. Maximum output current 3 A on a fresh Li-ion, dropping to 2.2 A.

Shark

 $20.00
+ shipping		 Boost driver 2.7-20 V
 1-5 "Great for use in Mag C & D." 77-93% 980 mA
constant current		 1 19 mm Boost regulator, although Wayne says "The Shark has a hard time at voltages below ~4V". Vin must be less than Vout, and should be >1/3 Vout (preferably >1/2 Vout). Maximum input current 4 A, efficient up to 2 A. Regulates on voltage or current, output current adjustable from 50-980 mA (or greater by changing set resistor, although that would remove load protection) at maximum 26 V. Open circuit protected. Some questions are answered in this forum thread.
 
Shark vs MaxFlex forum thread.

Shark Buck

 $27.00
+ shipping		 Buck driver 5-15 V
 1   75-78% 3000 mA
constant current		 1 19 mm Three versions available (different set resistors), with output current set to 1 A, 2 A and 3 A. More information in this thread. (I can't see any explanation for why the graph has results 2% higher than the table.)

SOB

 $18.00
- $20 + shipping		 Buck driver 3-16 V
 1   75-85% 1000 mA
constant current		 1 14 mm Buck regulator. Constant current output, board available as a "blank" (add one or two SMT set resistors), or preset to 400 mA, 500 mA, 750 mA, 917 mA, or 1000 mA. DD when Vin less than Vf. Has thermal protection.

SSC P7 Buck Converter

 $38.00
(approx)
€25 (actual) + shipping		 Buck driver 4.2-20 V
 1     2800 mA 6 25 mm x 11 mm high Available directly from a CPF member. There is a single mode version (€20), a 4-mode version (100%, 70%, 25%, 3%) and a 6 mode version (as 4 mode plus Fade in/out, Strobe). Sadly the specs are not all in one place, but it appears it may be able to cope with more than one LED, has a mode memory, and has a typical efficiency of about 85%.

TR-0021B (3-18 V, 5 W driver for Cree)

 $1.99
 Buck driver 3-18 V
 1-4   80-95% 1100 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm Unknown regulator chip - identifying marks removed in photos. Suspected by some to be MC34063A (not an obvious choice by any means as the chip isn't pushed as an LED driver and the claimed similarity to a certain reference design doesn't exist), YB1682 (has a different reference design), PT4105 (unlikely because production of that chip was terminated before this board was listed), PT4115 (unlikely because of reported working voltage range) or AX2002 (perhaps most likely; the board appears to be the reference design except for choice of some components, and my chip has part of an A still showing).
 
Claims to provide different current outputs (1-1.2 A) to different Cree efficacy bins. I think NOT. Tests show a constant 1.10 A, which is very close to the theoretical 1.13 A of an AX2002 with a 0.22 ohm set resistor. When multiple drivers are used in parallel the efficiency apparently drops, probably because one driver is doing most of the work. Hence, these drivers should probably not be run in parallel.
 
Tip: Maximum efficiency is achieved when running multiple LEDs from one driver with just a few excess volts (eg, 4 LEDs, 5 Li-ion).

TR-0022b (3~8.4 V, 5 W driver for Cree), 3-mode

 $2.75
 Buck driver 3-8.4 V
 1 1-2x Li-ion   800 mA 3 17 mm two boards in double layer Unknown regulation method, assumed to be buck because of input voltage range. Three modes; claimed high 800±50 mA, low 200±20 mA, fast strobe claimed 400±50 mA. Output current may vary by battery voltage.
 
Claims to provide different current outputs (1-1.2 A) to different Cree efficacy bins. I think NOT.

TR-0022B (3~8.4 V, 5 W driver for Cree), 5-mode

 $2.85
 Buck driver 3-8.4 V
 1 1-2x Li-ion   1200 mA
constant current		 5 17 mm two boards in double layer Unknown regulation method, assumed to be buck because of input voltage range. 5 modes, high 1200±100 mA, mid 550±50 mA, low 100±10 mA, fast strobe 650±50 mA, SOS 1200±100 mA.
 
Claims to provide different current outputs (1-1.2 A) to different Cree efficacy bins. I think NOT.

TR-0032: 1.5~4.2 V, 3 W driver for Cree

 $2.19
 Boost driver 0.9-3.2 V
(claimed 1.5-4.2 V)		 1 NOT suited for 3x NiMH or Li-ion 47-89% 360 mA
constant current		 1 17 mm Claimed variable output current depending on input voltage, 600 mA (with 1.5 Vin) to 1.2 A (with 4.2 Vin), which makes me wonder what on Earth they mean by "Fully regulated circuit design"; those figures obviously aren't. However, testing by Hilarion showed perfectly stable current output from 1.2-3.2 V (very nice, although only 360 mA), and suggests the regulator chip is PAM2801 or PAM2803.
 
As pointed out in this thread there are no components to buck voltage as implied, so it would actually be direct drive when Vin is greater than Vf of your LED.

TR-0037 (5~12 V, 9 W driver for 3x Cree), 3-mode

 $3.54
 Boost driver 5-10.5 V
(5-12 V claimed, but might be dangerous for driver & LEDs)		 1-3 4-7x NiMH
2x Li-ion		   800 mA
constant current		 3 20 mm two boards in double layer The specs given for this driver imply that it'll output 10.8 V with anything from 5 V to 12 V input. This seems very doubtful at this price point - it would mean it was boost/buck. It's very likely boost only, and goes direct drive when the input voltage is greater than the output voltage; the output current is said to rise rapidly and it gets very hot.
 
5 modes - high 800±50 mA, low 200±20 mA, fast strobe 400±40 mA. However one reviewer has claimed the modes are high 900 mA, low 600 mA, strobe 600 mA. Mode memory switches to the next mode whenever turned on again. Apparently has a battery protection function which disables high mode when battery cannot supply enough current. Input current may be as high as 4 A at 5 V.

Tip: The driver board is the top board (17 mm diameter, with the inductor on it) and can be separated from the lower board if only one mode is wanted. It has set resistor(s) on its underside.

TR-5055 (5~8.4 V, 15 W driver for 5x Cree), 5-mode with memory

 $3.99
 Boost driver 5-8.4 V
 2-5 4-8x NiMH,
2x Li-ion		 82% 800 mA
constant current		 5 26 mm diameter x 13 mm height Apparently a boost board for up to 5 LEDs in series (so would be ideal for a well-heatsinked MC-E with the dice in series). Has a lovely big-looking inductor. 5 modes, with memory - high 800±20 mA, mid 450±20 mA, low 210±10 mA, fast strobe 400±20 mA, SOS 800±20 mA.

Wonder-cuits

 $8.00
+ shipping		 Buck driver 3.3-6 V
 1 1x Li-ion   2000 mA 1 17 mm Discussion here claims it does no current limiting other than PWM. Output current can be adjusted to one of 500 mA, 1 A, 1.5 A, 2 A by soldering/unsoldering four parallel set resistors. Specs claim it is "Most efficient when the LED's Vf is similiar to Input Voltage." I wonder who came up with the weirdo name.

Xitanium 12 W

 $27.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 108-132 V
AC		 1-8 115 V AC mains power 80% 350 mA
constant current		 1 132 mm x 30 mm x 22 mm Output voltage 2.6-32.8 V, maximum output power 12.0 W.

Xitanium 17 W

 $27.99
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 108-132 V
AC		 3-6 115 V AC mains power 80% 700 mA
constant current		 1 132 mm x 30 mm x 22 mm Output voltage 7.8-24.6 V, maximum output power 17.2 W.

Xitanium 25 W dimmable

 $84.65
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 108-132 V
AC		 3-6 115 V AC mains power 80% 1050 mA
constant current		 1 83 mm x 77 mm x 34 mm Output voltage 7.8-24.6 V, maximum output power 25.5 W.
 
A non-dimmable version with this output is also available, as is a 230 V AC dimming version.

Xitanium 40 W

 $58.42
+ shipping		 Mains buck driver 108-132 V
AC		 3-6 115 V AC mains power   1750 mA
constant current		 1 85 mm x 77 mm x 34 mm Output voltage 7.8-24.6 V, maximum output power 40 W.

Zetex C310 Buck Driver, 8 mode

 $7.35
for two pack (sold out and/or discontinued)		 Buck driver 3.7-8.4 V
 1 3-6x NiMH, 1-2x Li-ion   1000 mA 8 20 mm Buck regulator based on Zetex C310 chip and PWM for modes. Output 800-1000 mA on high. Modes 100%, 50%, 30%, 20%, 10%, SOS, strobe, fade in & out (one of very few to have that). With 4x NiMH cells the ability to select modes is lost about when the cells need to be recharged. No reverse polarity protection.

Notes

Footnotes

  • Video Foundry/Aqualab does not sell any of these drivers. Links are provided to resellers.
  • Drivers listed at those resellers as "Backordered" etc for more than a month are deemed to be discontinued (although I'm happy to later be proven wrong).
  • All prices in US$. All driver boards from DealExtreme include shipping.
  • Information is unfortunately not guaranteed to be correct. any corrections.
  • However, please don't bother sending me an email to tell me about your company's LED products. It will be treated as spam. I really don't like spam, and SpamCop is busy enough as it is without having to process your email as well.
  • Recommended drivers highlighted in green.
  • Drivers no longer available (sold out or backordered) are highlighted in grey.
  • Recommended drivers no longer available are highlighted in a darker green.
  • Don't connect drivers that have capacitors across their outputs to LEDs while the driver is powered. An explanation why not.

Notes on AMC7135 linear regulator (click to expand/contract)

The AMC7135 (datasheet) is is a linear regulator, which means it acts like a variable resistor changing its value to try to keep the current constant. Like a resistor, any dropped voltage is burnt off as heat. Boards include a polarity protection diode and can easily be PWM-driven for lower modes. The boards typically have two of the four chip positions enabled and need small solder bridges to get the other two working. The solder bridges are the yellow dots in this picture by PaulH (see CPF thread).

Vin must be at least 0.12 V above Vf of LED to stay in regulation; drops out of regulation quite gracefully, not suddenly. The graph in the AMC7135 datasheet (Jan 2006) has the 0.1 and 1 volt vertical lines missing. Each AMC7135 provides constant current, about 1/3 amp (actually 320-380 mA depending on particular version; I've assumed 330-335 mA for above listings). Boards come with one to four AMC7135s, and single mode up to 20 mode. Boards can be paralleled to give greater output. Very efficient when input voltage close to output voltage but not particularly good when input voltage is higher and/or LED Vf is low; average efficiency for 3x NiMH or 1x Li-ion can be well over 90% with the right Vf LED. Test results and discussion for 3 and 4 chip boards.

Since the AMC7135 just burns off excess input volts as heat, the more volts fed into them the hotter they'll get. One guy claimed that his got so hot they slid right off the board (ie, >183-190°C melting range of 60/40 solder). The AMC7135 has built-in thermal protection (which will cause dropouts or a flickering effect if it gets too hot) but the multi-mode control chips used on the multi-mode boards are much less rugged. (And here.)

Tip 1: To get reliable operation at low voltages, especially with only one AMC7135 chip being used, you may need to short out or remove the polarity protection diode(s). This is because the AMC7135 in series with a polarity protection diode needs a minimum 2.7 V + 0.6 V (silicon diode) = 3.3 V to stay in regulation. The Vf of LEDs at 330-350 mA can easily be quite a bit lower than 3.3 V so will not be running in regulation.

Tip 2: If input voltage is too high you may be able to use another LED in series with the board to drop the voltage. (The set current is <1 mA so both LEDs will get practically identical current. Diagrams and much discussion of use with multiple Seoul P7s and multi-mode boards.) More than one extra LED appears to be not a good idea for use with the lower modes of multi-mode boards since the Vf of the extra LEDs decreases too much at the low current to protect the driver from the battery voltage. Flashing modes appear unsuited to this technique.

AMC7135-based P7 driver options are discussed here, or an inexpensive multimode AMC7135 driver for a Seoul P7 here.

Notes on PT4105 and alternative driver chips (click to expand/contract)

Production of the PT4105 (datasheet) driver IC (as used in the Kennan and MR16 base drivers described above) has been terminated. They don't even have a publicly displayed link to the datasheet any more, which is the weirdest part of it. This from Micro Bridge:

The PT4105 which the manufacture has already officially stopped producing,and the subsequent instead item is the PT4115,AX2002 and FP6101 Also,The PT4115,AX2002 and FP6101 has superior performance over ,wider input range and more current than the PT4105.

Ignoring the punctuation and spacing, while I look forward to the PT4115 (datasheet) being available in low cost LED drivers (by its numbering the apparent successor to the PT4105), I note that it needs an input of at least 8 V (and has under voltage lock out at 6.8 V), so isn't quite as suited to low voltage torches as the PT4105 is. It will, however, have its uses for 2x Li-ion torches. It has a maximum output current of 1.2 A.

However... the AX2002 (datasheet) from AXElite looks extremely interesting. It will accept a minimum 3.6 V input and has a maximum switched current of 2.5 A! It includes a PWM control circuit, thermal protection (140°C), over current protection, and short circuit protection. Its efficiency is good too, with an output of 2 A @ 5 V it's an impressive 91% efficient (with 12 V input). Driving a Cree XR-E at 1 amp will give an efficiency of about 87-88% (with 12 V input).

What's more, the AX2002 also has a big brother, the AX2003 (datasheet), which has a maximum switched current specification of 4 amps - easily enough to drive a Seoul P7, or a Cree MC-E with the dice in parallel. The spec sheets could do with a few more graphs showing how constant output current is, etc.


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