Powerful Long-Lasting Flashlight ?

http://illuminationsupply.com/mc18b-brushed-finish-p-79.html
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This is my next light. I lost my HDS somewhere hopefully around the house.

(from site)
battery single 18650 lithium-ion (4.2V)
Cree MCE led (Flux bin "M")(Tint Bin "WG" 5700K)
MCE output ~500 lumens OTF
driver 2.8A CC (2.8V-6V input)
driver UI 3 mode (100%=2.8A,30%=1A,5%=.14A)
run time (est.) High = 90min, Med = 250min, Low = 1800min
reflector Ledil Boom MC-S (Spot)(Angle = FWHM 10°)
window (lens) 98% UCL glass (2 side AR coated)
thermal pad Bergquist Bond-Ply 100 thermal tape
clicky switch McClicky "forward" click switch (it's famous!)
switch boot Molded silicone (orange, black, glow green)
wire Mil-spec silver plated 24 AWG, teflon coated
solder Silver Solder (RoHS compliant)
body material 6061-T6 aluminum
Coating Electroless Nickel (Hardness: 48-50 Rc)
Driver mount C101 Oxy-free electronic copper (H02)
o-rings Buna-N (Nitrile) 70 Durometer (Shore A)
threads Body-to-head (1x28) body-to-tail (7/8x28)
lubricant StClaire Nano-Oil (10 Wt.)
dimensions 1.2" x 5.75" (body dia. is 1")
depth rating 300 feet for 5 hours (tested!)
 
I've got a 3D Maglite LED and it is a great light. I switched out the LED module it comes with with one from a multi mode 2AA mini Mag LED. This gives the same brightness on high, but also low, strobe and SOS. I believe it should run for multiple days on low. Buy both lights for about $50 or less, and you'll have a nice single mode 2AA LED, and an awesome multi-mode 3D LED. Takes about 10 minutes to switch out the LEDs with little skill.

I also recently got a Kobalt light from Lowes and it's 500 lumens on high using 3XCR123 for a 2.5 hours. It also has a low mode, but I'm unsure on the runtime with it. It is a solid feeling light, seems quality, large head, "very bright and plenty of throw" for about $70. After I test it for a bit, I expect it will become my new bedside light.
 
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I live on a somewhat isolated farm surrounded by woodlands and there aint much ambient light. I needed a light that is small, has good throw, multiple brightness levels along with a super duper bright. Would be used for walking the pups, checking the animals in the corral and the fields, spotting coyotes, bears, the occasional poacher, and be able to blind a possible two legged prowler. I chose the Fenix TK35 w/ four brightness levels and it has exceeded my expectations. I use the low mostly, as it is adequate for the mundane stuff and close up work, and doesn't affect night vision too much. High is super bright, and is good for doing the last check around property before bedtime. It penetrates quite a way into the woods, too.
 
LED Lenser P14. Use it for 'coon huntin at night and has a 100 hr battery life on 4 AA's. Easily goes 150yrds and has an adjustable feature to go from flood-spot instantly. No dark spots, just a clean whitish/bluish light
 
rprocter said:
I really need a 'good' flashlight. I've had lots of different ones but never found one that does what i need.
There is no artificial light at night where i live. Sometimes i'm out at night because there's a bear in the orchard, or i want to see 150 yards down into my field. So i need a powerful light that does not drop off quickly and one that lasts at least 1-2 hours at full strength. I have one of the big rechargeable 2 million candlepower spotlights and it can illuminate the field 150-200 yds. away, but it only lasts for about 3 minutes.
The LED ones i have tried, which were fairly expensive and claimed to "light up the night like daylight" all have a very fast drop-off as distance increases. The "daylight" is for about 5 feet; rather useless unless you're looking for something on the ground right where you are.
On ebay i see various flashlights in the $200-$300 range but i have no idea how much better these are than the $50-$90 ones i have tried and found lacking.
Can anyone offer recommendations from personal experience ?
thanks, it would be a big help.
roland
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I'd suggest checking out the Candle Powder Forums for a more specialized recommendation. I'm not entirely sure how far away 200 yards is, though I suspect it's a bit further than the time I lit up the ground below me from 23 floors up with my handheld Surefire custom with an SST-50 emitter. The runtime is definitely less than 2 hours, maybe 30 minutes. Not bad for about 1000 lumens on a single 18650 cell though.

I'd recommend something like this:
http://www.lambdalights.com/varapower.html

It's essentially a modified Maglite using an SST-90 emitter, a deep reflector, an NiMH cells. I don't know what the runtime will be like, but I doubt anything can run at "full power" for 2 hours. I suspect in your case, what you really need is something that throws far, has a neutral to warm tint(useful for picking a bear out of the grass), 500 OTF lumens, and can run for 2 hours at that level. I recommend the Varapower because you can adjust the power with a knob. The large body means a large capacity with the D size NiMH cells, and the deep reflector should focus the beam well.

I know some people like to recommend the XPE or XPG emitter for the throw, but I feel a properly focused reflector or optic can make up for that. Having used an XPE in the past, I feel it would only be an advantage when paired with a huge optic and you plan to run the thing for hours at a time while looking at your target with binoculars. Other than that, I found that a more powerful emitter like the SST-90 can simply force enough power out to make up for the poor distance(though you lose runtime for it). It's just that I don't have the eyes of a hawk, and the weak tunnel-like beam(like using a laser as a searchlight) simply fades into the ambient lighting around. It might be different in a place with no ambient light(I live in a city, so I wouldn't know about that).

It's just that if the concern is a bear within 50 yards of you, you might appreciate having some flood for your immediate surroundings.
 
Noctis, thanks for posting. As your post implies, "light" itself is complex and modern flashlights seem even more so. In an earlier post on page 2 i gave the 2 flashlights i chose, a 1200 lumen LED and a 3500 lumen HID. I've used the LED and find it works well outside for both close and far range. The HID is still on it's way to me.
Outside where there is no artificial light at night, as on my property, seems more difficult to illuminate than a built up area with well defined surfaces of buildings, etc. The bush in particular seems to swallow up light and require more lumens and maybe a specific type of light beam. I really don't understand the dynamics but the LED light i bought does work well out to at least about 300 yards.
roland
 
I have the Inova X1 AA and X2 AA. They are metal construction, and the AA batteries are cheaper, and easier to get. If you are going to store them long-term then just put Lithium batteries in them. I contacted Inova about getting my X1 repaired, because I dropped it on concrete floors too many times. I was willing to pay to get it repaired because it was my fault, but they sent me a brand new replacement at no charge!

My original Streamlight Jr. is AA powered too. They are up to revision 3, last time I checked. Had to make my own pouch for it though, because the one they sell is for the non-LED version, and it is 1 inch too short to cover the lens. The Streamlight has a replaceable push-button end cap. The Inovas are screwed-in/un-screwed to activate, but there is a sort of push-button at the end. The Inova can turn on in your pocket if you don't un-screw it far enough.
 
rprocter said:
Noctis, thanks for posting. As your post implies, "light" itself is complex and modern flashlights seem even more so. In an earlier post on page 2 i gave the 2 flashlights i chose, a 1200 lumen LED and a 3500 lumen HID. I've used the LED and find it works well outside for both close and far range. The HID is still on it's way to me.
Outside where there is no artificial light at night, as on my property, seems more difficult to illuminate than a built up area with well defined surfaces of buildings, etc. The bush in particular seems to swallow up light and require more lumens and maybe a specific type of light beam. I really don't understand the dynamics but the LED light i bought does work well out to at least about 300 yards.
roland
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Hmm, could you use that LED light some more and chime in on how it runs after a couple of weeks? I've read your post on page 2 and I've always been suspicious of those no-name eBay brand products, mostly because I can't even find a review of said products on the respective gadget forums. While the seller is in the US, I have this suspicion that his products are from China. As well remember the old saying, "you get what you pay for". I just feel skeptical that $50 can get you a 1200 lumen flashlight. I'm more skeptical because it uses a very vague description of a "Q5 emitter", which might be a reference to the CREE XP-E emitter in the Q5 bin, and those really aren't capable of giving even 200 lumens per emitter. I paid $70 for a small flashlight that runs on 2 AA cells and gives about 280 lumens on max.

I don't want to water your enthusiasm, but I suspect my hand-size custom Surefire 6P gives off more light with a single 18650 cell. I also hope you didn't get the blue 18650 cells, as those are unprotected and can be more prone to exploding when overheated, overdischarged, or overcharged. I'd also imagine overheating is a very real possibility if that light isn't heatsinked properly.

Again, the specs you stated is very high performance, and you just don't get that without paying the price.


If your current LED light runs just fine in the coming weeks, great.

If not, I would point you over to this:
http://www.batteryjunction.com/lumapower-signature-lx-st03.html

Not quite top tier, but a good entry level light for what you're looking for(but that huge reflector is what you want). Figure are a bit overblown(as you'll find is the case with the majority of people selling flashlights). Runtime would be closer to 2 hours rather than 3, and output would be about 400 lumens and some change. Still, a proper reflector can overcome a difference in power output, and that one has a single large reflector while yours has 5 small ones.

One thing to note about the runtime:
To my knowledge, no light is capable of running at full power for longer than 30 minutes without running into serious heat issues, which will decrease the light emitted as it gets hotter, can damage the LED(a sudden change in color is a warning sign to shut your light off), or damage the battery. You can probably get around the runtime issue with a spare battery, though heat will still be an issue unless you invest in a custom made copper heatsink(which the Varapower offers as an option if you ask for it).
 
Thanks Noctis. Don't worry about my "enthusiasm" because it's directed at learning as much as i can so your post is very helpful.
Total price with batteries, etc. was close to $120. The 3 18650 3v LI-ion batteries are blue & gray and are also labelled "Monster".
I'm sure the parts all come from China and i don't think the "no name" makes a difference. He is doing exactly what the name brands are doing: sourcing the parts from specific manufacturers in China, light from one, machined body from another, etc. and screwing them together, basically.
I always believed "you get what you pay for" up until i was well into my knife collecting obsession. With modern production knives that is absolutely not true. Some of the least expensive are the best, but it has taken me many years and the price of a nice house to find the best ones. I'm sure the same could be done for flashlights too.
I will get back in a few weeks with the "Light Report".
roland
 
rprocter said:
Thanks Noctis. Don't worry about my "enthusiasm" because it's directed at learning as much as i can so your post is very helpful.
Total price with batteries, etc. was close to $120. The 3 18650 3v LI-ion batteries are blue & gray and are also labelled "Monster".
I'm sure the parts all come from China and i don't think the "no name" makes a difference. He is doing exactly what the name brands are doing: sourcing the parts from specific manufacturers in China, light from one, machined body from another, etc. and screwing them together, basically.
I always believed "you get what you pay for" up until i was well into my knife collecting obsession. With modern production knives that is absolutely not true. Some of the least expensive are the best, but it has taken me many years and the price of a nice house to find the best ones. I'm sure the same could be done for flashlights too.
I will get back in a few weeks with the "Light Report".
roland
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Yes, there are some useful flashlights with good value at low prices. I believe the Fenix brand is good for that. Frankly I'm eyeing a certain penlight in titanium for $65 that runs on 2 AAAs(to me, that is a killer deal). Still, it depends on how high you set the bar too. As well as brand names. Spyderco makes some cheap and good knives from China, but of course Spyderco is a known and trusted name, and will always be better than some generic no-name kitchen knife you bought in a grocery store with a Made in China stamp and the standard "stainless steel" stamp. Would you buy a knife if you didn't know what the steel was?

Relatively speaking, you can't ask for a knife with S110V steel for $5. The knife maker is selling their product to make a profit, and that's really the bottom line of it all.
 
"Would you buy a knife if you didn't know what the steel was?"
Yes, i do it all the time. Check out SanRenMu knives. Some of the Spyderco's, Kershaw's, etc. (lots of known brands) are actually SRM knives. Designed and made in China and then sold either with their own markings or that of a well known USA company. I have no idea what the steel is.
I have about 30 of them. My first, a model 710 is so good, i had to sell both my big and small Sebenzas after using the SRM 710 for about a month. It became embarrassing to own a $500 Sebbie when a less than $20 knife was doing everything i asked it to and now has stood up perfectly for 3 years.
This is the knife that ushered in the realization that there is no direct connection between price and quality. That is marketers' myth that they want everyone to believe.
Buy one SRM 710 and you will become a convert to the "price doesn't tell you dick" crowd, opposite corner to the "you gets what you pays for" crowd.
roland
 
mossyhorn said:
Check out Streamlight. I had a Streamlight Scorpion with me about a year ago that survived a fall from a railroad bridge into icy waters. I had devastating injuries and that light saved my life. I used the 3 tap signal as a distress call. I was out of sight and ear shot for anything else to work. I still have it and use it today.
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Holy Smokes. I'd like to hear the rest of the story . . .
 
rprocter said:
"Would you buy a knife if you didn't know what the steel was?"
Yes, i do it all the time. Check out SanRenMu knives. Some of the Spyderco's, Kershaw's, etc. (lots of known brands) are actually SRM knives. Designed and made in China and then sold either with their own markings or that of a well known USA company. I have no idea what the steel is.
I have about 30 of them. My first, a model 710 is so good, i had to sell both my big and small Sebenzas after using the SRM 710 for about a month. It became embarrassing to own a $500 Sebbie when a less than $20 knife was doing everything i asked it to and now has stood up perfectly for 3 years.
This is the knife that ushered in the realization that there is no direct connection between price and quality. That is marketers' myth that they want everyone to believe.
Buy one SRM 710 and you will become a convert to the "price doesn't tell you dick" crowd, opposite corner to the "you gets what you pays for" crowd.
roland
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The SRM 710 uses 8Cr13MoV, a steel commonly seen in Chinese models. Quite frankly, that steel doesn't do well enough for the kind of abuse I put my knives through. Certainly not enough for even occasional cardboard cutting. Works fine as a fruit knife though, assuming you wipe it dry and clean.

There is a connection between price and quality. It's just that, like everything else, it follows the law of diminishing returns. A $3500 Rolex doesn't tell time better than a $500 watch. The materials are likely the same and any improvement in fit and finish is likely to be microscopically subtle. Same with cars, houses, computers, and just about everything else with a price tag. The ultimate question is whether you can appreciate it or not.

Price alone doesn't tell everything if the MacIntosh is any example. A $1500 iMac runs faster and better with no virus or adware issues compared to a $4000 laptop running on Windows XP.
 
I don't agree with your assessment of SRM's steel. I've cut cardboard, wood, old poly rope, etc. with my 710 and the blade is still functionally sharp. Could do with a light honing now, or later, it still cuts without undue pressure needed.
roland
 
My HID flashlight arrived with metal case, battery, charger and straps but with absolutely no markings, stickers or paperwork. No instuctions or "Precautions" either.
How do i know what i got for my $220 ? This one does not show on the store's website.
I called the store in Florida and the salesman said they all go out like this and "it's a flashlight, what do you need instructions for ?"
Has anyone else bought a big HID flashlight that came with zero branding and no papers ?
thanks, roland
 
I'm reasonably certain that a HID flashlight wouldn't need instructions as it should just be a simple on/off operation without the complicated mode changes and programming that normally comes on an LED with a driver. Just the usual common sense precautions(don't look into it, don't point it at someone's face, don't point it at incoming traffic and/or low flying aircraft, don't point it at anything flammable, don't leave it on unattended).

Turn it on and see if it impresses:thumbup:. Even better if you have pictures.
 
Thanks Noctis. I appreciate the reassurance. Couple of questions regarding the H.I.D. : is it necessary to disconnect the battery from charger soon after green light shows it's charged ? or can it be left on as a 'float' ? (like a car battery charger).
And once charged, if unused, how long will it hold the charge ? Does the charge dissipate over time ?
I've read of these HID batteries exploding and of flashlights over-heating so i had expected some 'instructions' as to how best to avoid these occurences.

"Monster" "1200 Lumens" LED Flashlight, 11 1/4" & 4 1/2" "Bullet" LB for comparison:

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oct2010002-1.jpg


Al. case with H.I.D. flashlight:

oct2010003-2.jpg


oct2010004-2.jpg


"3500 Lumen"? H.I.D. Flashlight, 15 1/4":

oct2010005-2.jpg


The "Lights":

oct2010006-2.jpg


I'm away from my rural property at present so i have not had a chance to try out the H.I.D. where there is no light pollution.
roland
 
In general you want to pull the lithium cells as soon as they're charged. Some recommend never charging them when you're not around, though that might not be possible with some chargers that might take the better part of a day to charge the cells.

I believe the HID should follow much the same rules as an LED. If you find the light is heating up to the point where it's painful to hold onto, turn it off. I'm not as clear on avoiding an exploding battery, especially with an HID. In general, I think only outlet powered lights are capable of running continuously as with battery powered lights, the problem will be the heat making its way down to the battery. So arbitrarily speaking, maybe 15 minutes continuously.

You'd have to ask the folks over at Candle Power Forums for more details as I never got into HID lights.
 
Noctis3880 said:
I'm reasonably certain that a HID flashlight wouldn't need instructions as it should just be a simple on/off operation without the complicated mode changes and programming that normally comes on an LED with a driver. Just the usual common sense precautions(don't look into it, don't point it at someone's face, don't point it at incoming traffic and/or low flying aircraft, don't point it at anything flammable, don't leave it on unattended).
Click to expand...

Well, there is the hot restrike issue to consider on most inexpensive HID lights. Probably should be a word or two included on that.
 
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