What lights do you have?

Tmack said:

Yikes! OK so we're testing runtime too right?

You name the time Mr. Busy.

Mtg2 pffttt!

My 3 xml2 will eat your chubby little mtg2 haha.

My btu shockervn cam back too. That thing is crazy. And I can't find an area to stretch my tk61vn legs.
We will have to find a good spot for testing, and use a good camera.

At the little laser meet, the best part was photographing my lights

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Hmm, battle of the lights? Count me in :eg:

In the heavyweight category: RC40vn, X60vn, FF4, Eye40vn, BTUShockervn. Conservatively, about 30,000 lumens.

Middle weight: 2xTK75vn, X40vn, Mvn, 2xS6330vn, SX25L3vn, EA8mtg2Vn, Apex 5t6, Solarstorm 5xNichia 219, Supfire M6, 2 SRKs.

In the distance category: xSearcherVN, TK61vn, K40vn, TN31vn, Xvn.

In the lightweight category: TX25C2, SC600w II, SC52, Nitecore SRT7vn, SRT5, SRT3, SC52w, Jetbeam RRT01vn, Sunwayman v11rvn, Nitecore EA8.

Have more, but can't remember what. Guess I should sell those I can't remember.

The X60vn is the brightest, the RRT01vn has the lowest low, not really sure which has the better throw the TK61vn, or the Xsearcher, although the TK61vn would be my choice between the two for overall use.

Ah show offs lol I don't really own any name brand lights besides solarforces which I made the drop ins for, supfire m6, and the FF4.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

mhemling33 said:

Ah show offs lol I don't really own any name brand lights besides solarforces which I made the drop ins for, supfire m6, and the FF4.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

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Apparently, this isn't the thread for showing what lights you have, it's for bragging about how many Vin lights you have. Not saying Vin doesn't do nice work, but you guys are scaring the rest of the folks off. Erns doesn't say anything, but I would be pissed if my thread just has two people having a peeing race (lol @ bobs burgers) over whose light creates higher lux. Highest lux doesn't mean best. Highest lumens doesn't mean best. Neither does "best tint" mean best. But to look at something objectively and see the merits of all things provides the best comparisons and discussions.

I do wish erns would post a bit more about the lights he buys, or maybe I just can't find 'em 'cause I"m lazy.

And mhemling, technically solarforce started as a surefire knockoff. supfire is another ___fire brand. Firefoxes are neat, though.

So, you're gonna mention that you made the drop-in, and not tell us what you put in it?

Right now, my old skool beater Solarforce L2 has an XR-E Q3 bin, 5A tint, with a perfectly focused smooth reflector. Perfect round spot, squarish corona, textbook. A ray trace program couldn't make better! (ok, went too far with that one)

My beater Surefire 6P currently rocking the Nichia 219A from illumination supply: Nichia NVSL219AT-H1 4500K, 92 CRI, B10 Bin - Bare [NVSL219AT-H1 Bare] - $5.00 : Illumination Supply, Quality Flashlights and More!
Sitting behind an orange peel reflector.

None of mine are Vin lights, but if I had a Vin light, I wouldn't use it like I use these. These are my favorites Vin light would be for fancy dress occasions ;-)

Those are the lights I own. So those are the lights I talk about............ Cute little rant though

As a flashlight enthusiast... all lights have their purpose. "Best" is completely subjective, if there is no specific criteria by which you are judging. Lux, lumens, cri, etc, are such criteria.

VN lights are actually budget, compared to a lot of the custom lights out there. Just check out the CPF Marketplace, and what some of the HDS, McGizmo, and Surefire lights sell for.

This thread is about what lights you have, and most of the recent lights I have, are modded. I'm not sorry if anyone is offended by that.

As for our "peeing race" (@cry baby). A few guys joking about who's lights are better, when we know we'll probably never actually make anything of it, would piss you off( if this was your thread) ?
Lol wow. Someone takes this a bit too seriously.

You like modest lights. You feel the need to make that clear often huh? But No one is busting YOUR balls for it.

So the next time someone post they bought a brand name laser, or a collection built strictly by one laser builder, WATCH OUT. BS- Hanahan is gunning for you.
God forbid it you joke around and say one is stronger than another Ahhhhhh! "your having a peeing race!,"(@ refined flashlight/laser owner)

BShanahan14rulz said:

And mhemling, technically solarforce started as a surefire knockoff. supfire is another ___fire brand. Firefoxes are neat, though.

So, you're gonna mention that you made the drop-in, and not tell us what you put in it?

Right now, my old skool beater Solarforce L2 has an XR-E Q3 bin, 5A tint, with a perfectly focused smooth reflector. Perfect round spot, squarish corona, textbook. A ray trace program couldn't make better! (ok, went too far with that one)

My beater Surefire 6P currently rocking the Nichia 219A from illumination supply: Nichia NVSL219AT-H1 4500K, 92 CRI, B10 Bin - Bare [NVSL219AT-H1 Bare] - $5.00 : Illumination Supply, Quality Flashlights and More!
Sitting behind an orange peel reflector.

None of mine are Vin lights, but if I had a Vin light, I wouldn't use it like I use these. These are my favorites Vin light would be for fancy dress occasions ;-)

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The reason I didn't mention it is because I have a bunch of different solarforce lights and pills Even if they are a copy I think they are well built lights.... I feel no reason look elsewhere.

Solarforce P1d w/ De-domed CREE XM-L2 T4 7A3 80+ CRI LED on Noctigon 16mm MCPCB, orange peel reflector, QLITE Driver (hi/med/low) 3.5A @ tailcap

Solarforce L2D w/ De-domed CREE XM-L2 U2 1D LED on Noctigon 16mm MCPCB, Orange peel reflector, QLITE Driver (hi/med/low) 3A @ tailcap

Solarforce P1 w/ CREE XM-L2 U2 1A LED on Noctigon 16mm MCPCB, Orange peel reflector, QLITE Driver (hi/low) 2.8A @ tailcap

Solarforce L2m (weapon light) w/ CREE XM-L2 U2 1A LED on Noctigon 16mm MCPCB, Orange peel reflector, QLITE Driver (hi/Strobe) 3A @ tailcap

Solarforce L2P w/ CREE XM-L2 U2 1A LED on Noctigon 16mm MCPCB, Orange peel reflector, QLITE Driver (hi/med/low) 3.3A @ tailcap

I really like the new L2D but you need to beef up the switch. You can't go wrong with the L2P, L2D, or P1d.

I have yet to use a nichia LED I will have to make a build using one. I have heard there color is great though.

@Tmack & InfinitusEquitas I was just joking about you guys showing off... it doesn't bother me. Vin makes great lights which would be nice to own, but I get more enjoyment trying to build/mod something myself even if it doesn't preform as well. That is why I am excited to compare what I made against this Vin legend you speak of lol

Oh no I was having fun comparing with you. I can't wait to really see how they stack up. My Mx25l3vn might get a whopping. I'm nowhere near 10a lol

It's "BS" I have a problem with

I don't feel that the thread turned into a peeing contest. Anyone can look at my sig and tell that I don't have a light even worth mentioning (well possibly apart from the Mag Lite) but I received no stick for it.

It's actually quite surprising to me but pissing contests seem virtually non existent on this forum and possibly even in the laser/light community as a whole. No one seems to care whether you have a £15 532 with no IR filter or a roomful of Argons. It's quite refreshing compared to some hobbies I've had. (don't even get me started on "gamers". :crackup

Wow, that's quite a collection! I think I would like to make a copper star'd high current drop-in sometime. Perhaps my next project, if I find enough parts :yh:

Vin used to (maybe still does?) fill the P60 brass pill with solder to increase the thermal mass of the pill, which can help short term temperature performance. That, coupled with copper star, overdriven XP-E, and ahorton aspheric will be my next project. (again, I.S. has amazing price on ahorton aspheric, and I've been meaning to buy a decent aspheric for a few projects, where I only have frosted/textured 3" aspherics at my disposal, unless I gut my corolla :tsk: )

I had a few XM-L drop-ins, didn't like the large hotspot. Curious if you could compare the size of the hotspot of a domed vs dedomed xm-l, as your eye sees it? Is your dedomed XM-L hotspot drastically smaller, like, 1/4th or 1/2 the diameter?

I might grab a mcclicky for the L2, if I can be sure that it is easy enough to throw in there. less than $10 at illuminationsupply :san:
Are you familiar with forward clicky? Do any of the new solarforce lights you have contain a forward clicky that you think is pretty decent-feeling?

Thanks for the link to the C10 GB. I have a knockoff ultrafire (uitrafire) C something that looks similar, but has a plastic reflector. Still out-throws all my P60 lights, but just wish it were alu :-/ I put a dedomed XP-E in it. The bigger the difference in size between the optic diameter vs the LED diameter, the better it will throw. Just like our lasers!


@InfinitusEquitas: You're right, I was being overly sensitive, this isn't even my thread, and you were just talking about lights you own. Just because I am having a bad morning should not excuse me from posting something that I have no right to post. Back to regularly scheduled programming ;-)

I don't add solder I do use thermal silicone cubes above the driver. The P60 should have either aluminum or copper foil wrapped tightly around it making an extremely tight fit when pushed into the light, this allows the light to help with heatsinking. This is really needed when pushing higher currents.

I actually bought 6 of the ahortons and already have one in an another L2m. What I did is take a 18650 spacer and cut it to the right height then sat the lens of it. Then added and extension spring to the bottom for the positive contact. It works and beats paying $15+ for a spacer. I grabbed 6 because of the great price, but I am up in the air about them. I guess it is a presonal preference but maybe i'll warm up to it.

De-doming does help with hotspot and it lowers the color temperature. It isn't a huge difference but it's enough that I do it lol

Almost all of my solarforces are forward clickies :thinking: the only one that isn't is the L2D because it is a side clicky.

FWIW, I finally found the light I got, it's an XL-49. the seller said 45mm head diameter, just like the C8, but at much less price. Now I know, the reflector in the XL-49 is plastic, whereas the C8 appears to have an aluminum reflector.

Do you use the razor method or the petrol method on your LEDs? I tried only petrol method, and it worked so well I didn't even bother with the razor method. My day job does not allow me to do any precise work until the weekends when I can afford to go without coffee. :yabbmad:

It's amazing the difference between foil and no foil. With foil, the head heats up right when you turn on a light on high! I've found that I can get even more foil stuffed in there if I smooth out the foil before I roll it.

I never understood the hype of flashlights, but after seeing some of these pics......I totally understand now. Whats insane to me is that a tiny LED can make that much light...

I never got it either. Wow a maglite on steroids how good could it be right.
Then I thought maybe I'll build a little one to carry around. Then the btu shocker caught my eye. 3000lm monster.
Then I joined cpf and really saw what they could do.
Some illuminate entire fields, some throw a mile. I had to see what the fuss was about. Now I'm so happy I did.

crazyspaz said:

I never understood the hype of flashlights, but after seeing some of these pics......I totally understand now. Whats insane to me is that a tiny LED can make that much light...

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I totally agree. After seeing the thin beam of a 532, you drool at the sight of one of these fat blinding white flashlight beams.

ok flashlight guru's. question time???

I have forever wondered how lights are measured. everything used to be candlepower now it's lumens. I have one of them big dumb 10,000,000 candlepower spotlights and wondered were it stands in the new world of lumens. Is it possible to compare the lights is there a equation to this light output mystery? If my question is dumb than say it is and provide no answer because there isn't one. Thanks