New EDC builds

Hey guys! I’m planning out my new builds that I am itching to do, especially after doing up my first Big Dawg FET Driven L6-XHP70.2 light. (Would kill to find a quad 26650 tube fer that! lol)
But now I’m going into the other direction, and thanks to my FET driven triple sst-20 Convoy S12, I’m leaning away from Cree and that awful green halo/tint I get off of my S21A and the like (Wonder if someone can tell me why I get that at low output settings?)

Anyhow, I’m thinking of building a set of S2s, not the Pluses. (All the parts I’d like would be from MTNElectronics or Kaidomain)
I read that ya can get pretty good throw from the S2 SMO Reflector, so I was thinking of the Osram LED, but I’m having a time finding a decent driver that can put out 3 to 4 amps, whatever the limit is for that LED may be.
The other, I’m debating on a single SST20 4000K or a Samsung LH351 4000K, how would these two compare to each other? As for the driver for these, same as the Osram above

Wish I could find an Deep/Long SMO reflector for the S21A! lol
Still my fave host that fits great in my hands :wink:

If anyone could help with these questions, THANK YOU!

The beam on my S21A and a 4000K LH351D is awesome! I run it with a Mtn Electronics Crescendo firmware driver. It actually throws very well but I wondered about a smooth reflector myself.

An SST40 6500K in this light is quite impressive. I think the SST20 is fine but like something that can be driven harder as a single. I actually have a spare LH351D 5000K and a 6A Convoy driver so I ordered another S21A host from Richard.

I've been tracking inventory and mods for this last year. Here's my mod list:

L2, DD, 20mm cntct board, 6V XH-P50 NW
C8+, Mtn FET 17mm, LH351D 5000K
S2+ (-5A SST40), TexAven 17mm, LH351D
S21A, Crescendo 20mm, LH351D 4000K
L2 w/6A 20mm SST40 driver, XP-L HI, copper spacer, lanyard attachment
C8+ OP, DD XHP-50
Ultrafire dimming with SST20 4000K
Remove LH351D, replace w/219C & 20mm 6A regulated in KLTrust Nichia 219C
Install KLT LH351D in tan SMO, new pill
Xintd w/BLF A6 17mm, leave XM-L2, bypass tail switch.
Black/grey S2+ 18350, 60° TIR, Biscotti, w/SST20 3000K
SP32A w/SST40 5000K
S21A host w/TexAven 17mm & LH351D 4000K, EagleTac clip
SK Zoomie Nichia 5000k, C2 driver
Ultrafire C2 w/5A 17mm & XM-L2
SP32A w/LH351D
S2+ desert, SMO, 5A 17mm, XP-L HI
Nichia 219C 2700K with gray S6
S2+ 18350, 60° TIR, Biscotti, SST20 4000K

Oooo!
I’m actually thinking of a DeDomed SST40 in the L21A with my fave FET driver from Richard…. :wink:

Something to consider with the Convoy 6A SST40 Driver and the LH351 hehe
Just don’t like the Thermal Throttle function… but I read somewhere that the Thermistor can be removed with no problem.
I think I found something on Kaidomain when it comes to reflectors… Just no information on the stock OP reflector in the S21A. (Diameter and Length)

So far I built:
S21A, XHP50.2 6V, Kaidomain 20mm 6V Boost
M21A, XHP50.2 3V, MTNElectronics FET
S12 modded with the MTN FET (current fave EDC atm)
S21A, XPL2-HD, MTN FET
L6, XHP70.2, MTN FET (This one feels like a bit of a letdown, it feels like it has TONS of throw…)

Yeah… the bug to build got me now :stuck_out_tongue:

The deeper reflector of the S2 will narrow and intensify the spill but not have any truly noticeable effect on throw.

SMO vs OP reflector has shown single percentage point changes in throw in every test done. The beam from textured reflectors is much nicer, especially with emitters like the SST-40 and LH351D that can and almost certainly will have tint shift across the beam.

Well… crap… Scratch the LH351 then. It is that greenish tint shift that drives me insane with the Cree’s that I currently have.
So for actual throw, it typically falls to the LED itself.

Richard measured an S21A reflector at 11.55mm. I was asking him about building a triple with LH351Ds.

You are all high power with that nice collection! I have a few 50s including a NW that I transferred to my L2... wow! What a beam... with a doughnut hole for aiming :)

Why ya think I’m going in the OTHER direction now? hehe
All these high power lights are not fitting my needs right now, hence why I’m loving the S12 with the SST-20s

well… took the plunge and ordered up a few S2 hosts with the SMO, some Osram throwers…
And from Kai, some SST20 4000K singles…

Very nice! I just might order some Osram LEDs, for the first time.

The 351Ds are only bad in a smooth reflector, and even then some seem to interact better with them when I’ve don’t swaps (it’s due to height I’m sure). You can also dedome them which increases throw, drops CCT 500-1000K and lowers duv. Seems to clear up the tint shift too in my experience.

Reflector width has the most impact on throw, it just has to be deep enough for the shape to be parabolic.

Nice! Have fun with that! :wink:

Hmmm… Maybe for my next thrower build, I’ll be leaning toward the C8/M21 host, those I know have fairly deep and wide reflectors.
Dedoming… I’m still fairly new to the Build/Mod scene for lights, so I’m very leery of doing that hehe
Think the L21A with a dedomed SST40 would work out pretty well as a thrower or should I look at some other 3V led?

4 LEDs, S21A host, 5-6 amps

Throwier to floodier, 100' to tree (55' to shrub in foreground), not so great phone camera using night time setting.

XP-L HI 5000-5200K

Nichia 219c 5000K

LH351D 5000K

SST40 5000K

Outside, in this light, the XP-L HI is exciting and the SST40 has thrilling output. Inside, the Nichia 219c is preferred. Some of my S21As have a red tint to the AR coating while the others have purple tint and I actually like it.

Excellent comparison. Yeah the Nichia can’t perform that well outdoors as it doesn’t flood well enough nor does it throw. We all know XPL throws and only does that well. Samsung seems to be the most hybrid of throw and flood out of the first 3. But dang, that 5000K SST40 is at least 6-800 lumens brighter than the Samsung. It’s so bright that it warms up the 5000K. I think I’d be okay with extra punch of the lumens than to be picky with the tint.

Photos don’t really reproduce what your eyes (adapted to the dark) will see with either though. I have compared LH351D and SST-40 in similar lights side-by-side or after emitter swaps and really didn’t mind or notice the lost output at all, while the far better light quality was immediately apparent.

For a larger thrower or big-lumen light I can definitely see how SST-40 shines though.

I think these shots by Lux-Perpetua are actually a great representation of the SST-40 and LH351D installed in effectively the same flashlight:

Bottom one is Samsung?

^ Yep.

I’d have to say that I def prefer the Samsung tint. Are they both 5000K?