The SkyRay is a nice p60 host, and for $19 this is a nice buy with an XM-L in it. Too bad it is a 5-mode, but still one of the best buys I've seen for a complete XM-L for under $20. Not sure what kind of pull at the tailcap, I'm guessing about 2A.
I have a couple of those. My DMM is garbage but the dropin seems as bright as the UF three mode. I’ll have to test output this weekend. The tailswitch is funky on one. Agenthex( i think)posted somewhere that he didn’t like it because of the non soldered connection points in the tailswitch. I think he is right about that. I think Be Seen knows more about these tailswitches than anyone. It is a nice host though and I would buy more. The memory of the dropin kicks in after five seconds off which is longer than I like. Great deal for $20
I'm thinking that for a non-flashaholic, if he bought the SkyRay for $19 after having a classic Maglite, he would think this thing is the bargain of the century.
That’s really true. It is amazing how fast the prices have fallen in the last couple of months. Remember when the XML first came out? Now a nice host with an XML for $19 and a triple XML for $52. I want a six XML for $30.
Hi bro,
I tested the so-called OTF light output of a P60. Unfortunately it seems that even with aluminum foil PLUS heatsink compound, the light drop due to heat is woefully highly. Or maybe I did not wrap tightly enough. But can't be, I used a lot of foil, and its tight enough so that the drop in once "screwed in" it does not pop up. You can't push it in, the foil just bunches up as it does not get tucked into the internal surfaces. For a P4-Q5 or XPG at 1A, perhaps its ok. But not for a nearly 3A XM-L.
Eg, I just measured a Yezl M7X which is basically a P60 kind of reflector/driver, but its integrated to the host. After 1 minute, the "powerful" 2.8-2.9A at tail UF XM-L drop in gives me about 17-18 lux reflected light. The Yezl M7X at only 2.5-2.6A gives me well over 30 lux (it was 32). But the thing is, the Yezl M7X has a massive head and by hand you can feel it to be about 3-4X heavier, its probably about 4-8X thicker than the L2T. Host - air interface thermal transfer is effective only at higher temperature gradients (eg host is at 35 deg C and ambient is 0 deg C) or there is airflow.
I know there would be a drop for P60, but did not expect it to be so much. It could be a combination of emitter to heatsink/P60 body interface, as well as P60 body to host interface.
You have to be precise w/ the foil. I cut to the exact right width to wrap around once, and fold it until it's just the right thickness to keep the drop-in in place when press-fit. Even then, it will drop in performance like 2100 said, because the you're only wrapping around the reflector, and the pill->reflector interface is just a few thread touching a few places. Frankly p60's aren't very good for led's, even if you're crazy enough hobbyist to do this right. I really can't think of a worse way to heatsink emitters.
The tail on these skyrays stock is pretty crap. I haven't tried the DX tail switches I got but they seem like the right thing to put in if using an xml in it. OTOH, these p60's (and most xml's in general) are DD, so some loss through heating up the bits in there probably help the emitter from dying.
Me too. At this point I'd pay that for the drop in.
Battery tech is going to have to catch up before a 6 Xml is in my plans. Using 18650s to power that thing would make a nice pipebomb but certainly not something I want to carry around close to my person. When/if they come out with a cell that is portable and can deliver 20A, the 6 x Xml might become a reality. Of course it will need a solid copper finned body weighing 50lbs to dissipate heat. Maybe with a battery capable of delivering 25A we can add some fans to it.