Helmet mounted single cell wide throwing light suggestions?

I'm thinking to try building a custom single cell wide throwing light for helmet mounted use while biking. Notice I say "wide throwing" so not a pencil beam, nor a lot of flood (the handlebar mounted light will take care of that). The light also has to be fairly small and lightweight.

My first thought was to build a Convoy M1 with an XP-G2. I'm also planning to use 4.35v cells to overcome the high vF issue of the XP-G2. (I'm only planning to drive it at 3A max.)

Any thoughts or suggestions? Is there a better suited combination?

-Garry

Looks like a good one to go with…and pretty beefy and plenty of heatsinking

Can’t go wrong with a Convoy either

Question, you said wide throwing…then why go with a XP-G2, those make great thin beam way out there throwers, if you want wider why not go ahead and go with XM-L2 and regular 4.2vdc Li Ions? Beamshots from the below review show a nice wide thick hotspot

Hmmm I am curious about this, personally I have tried the M1/M2 with XM-L2 and I like them, but I find the hotspot a little distracting and I prefer a convoy S2+ for even illumination. However, this is for skating and only one light at a time: in your case with the handlebar flooder it could work.

I’m not sure if this would suit your needs. L2m with and XM-L (could be an XM-L2 in a newer build) with a Carlco Elliptical TIR.

I use it on my handlebar along with various reflectored lights.

This photo is of a light with a ripple lens but the Carlco provides a similar beam profile.

Thanks for the responses.

I chose an XP-G2 over the XM-L2 in order to get more throw due to the bar light already giving me flood. I have been wondering if I should consider a triple XP-G2, but guess that couldn't be done (easily) in the Convoy M1. It would also cut down on runtime. I don't want a "distracting hotspot, but assumed the XP-G2's would be wide enough not to be distracting. I also thought the XP-G2 would help to get "throw" out of the M1's relatively small reflector.

Thanks Itinifni for the beamshot. I actually have a bunch of Carclo optics on hand and believe I have both of those. I've not got around to trying them though. I don't think those optics are what I want to use for "throw", but I have wondered if I should do a build with TIR's (perhaps a 10 degree or "narrow spot" type). So are there correct size optics that fit an M1? I see Ouchyfoot had one for an MT-G2. I doubt it would be an easy build though getting the fit right. Any other good hosts that fit the 26.5mm Carclo optics? I don't really want to downsize to 20mm optics due to heatsinking.

-Garry

I think that you should try the M1 with XM-L2 before, the XP-G2 maybe overkill. I find M1 and M2 with XM-L2 on the edge of being too throwy for biking. It depends of the terrain and the speed, as I said they are close to being distracting for my taste. If I could adapt optics to smooth and widen the beam slightly I’d be very happy.

Triple m1 isn't too hard, I had to cut a s4 pill to use the top half as a centering adapter and the bottom half was used as a contact spacer from the battery tube to the pill since the pill sits up 1/8" higher with the triple parts. I just tore down the m1 triple to put the parts in my s6, but it was definitely a floodier light being in the m1, not as much throw either. (Not that the triple carclo optics provide much throw anyway.) I don't need the host anymore or the 2 halves of the s4 pill so if you want to try it I'll sell it to you.

I also chopped the m1 reflector in half and sanded/filed till it is a perfect fit around the aluminum spacer to help the top half stay centered. I thought it would also help throw more light but didn't seem to help a whole lot.

Thanks for that feedback Iker! I may just try each emitter and compare them to see what I like.

Nice unique build zoom zoom! I'll pass on the offer since it doesn't seem like a throwy option.

Anyone know of any beamshots showing an M1 with an XP-G2? Comparison with an XM-L2 M1 would be awesome!

-Garry

I’m guessing the host is the top picture, best host i’ve seen on here, more builds like that please :wink:

Ok, closest beamshot comparison I can come up with are in "C8" lights with older generation LEDs and the XP-G is only driven at 1.4A:

Mouseover: Mouse Out Palight XP-G 1.4A, Mouse Over KD C8 @ +/- 3A:

Hmm . . . perhaps I don't really need to push the XP-G2 to 3amps. I would likely use medium mode (or just a "low" if I chose to only go with a 2 mode driver) most of the time and high as a "Turbo" but I can't see needing an XP-G2 at 3A on a bike! +/- 2A should be sufficient and give me better runtimes. Maybe that's my advantage with going with the XP-G2, getting the throw I want with less current.

-Garry

I’m a pretty big fan of the smooth spots from ledil optics. The ledil Veronica is 26mm dia x 12 mm.

Well I just finished building up two Convoy M1 lights. One is an XM-L2 T6 4C @ 3.0A and the other is an XP-G2 R4 5A2 @ 2.2A both flashed with guppydrv and both on noctigons. Really nice hosts, but I don't like the matte finish (looks painted). The XP-G2 was a real pain to try to center the reflector! I also kept having trouble with it shorting even though I used plenty of kapton tape. The XM-L2 was a breeze.

No beamshots or lux measurements yet. Will post those another time.

-Garry

In the meantime, here's a pic of the brothers side by side:

The XP-G2 is slightly off center due to no centering ring and the reflector spinning around as I tighten. I could glue the original XM-L ring to the pcb, but I'm not sure I'm keeping that LED in there yet.

I have both drivers flashed with guppydrv and gave them a test run last night (indoors only). Boy you have to be really quick to enter programming mode! I thought at first I had defective drivers! I tried the two mode (15%-100%) and I am afraid that 15% is a tad too low. I think I'd really want about 30% & 100% for levels (simple two mode - no memory, always starts in low). I'm really tempted to pickup the supplies to start flashing my own drivers.

-Garry

Finally got the opportunity to get some beamshots of these two Convoy M1s. As previous post states, these are set to two mode 15% & 100%.

XM-L2 T6 4C @ (3.04A) on High:

XM-L2 T6 4C @ on Low:

XP-G2 R4 5A2 @ (2.2A) on High:

XP-G2 R4 5A2 @ on Low:

On my simulated wooded trail:

XM-L2 T6 4C @ (3.04A) on High:

XM-L2 T6 4C @ on Low:

XP-G2 R4 5A2 @ (2.2A) on High:

XP-G2 R4 5A2 @ on Low:

XM-L2 T6 4C @ (3.04A) on High:

XM-L2 T6 4C @ on Low:

XP-G2 R4 5A2 @ (2.2A) on High:

XP-G2 R4 5A2 @ on Low:

Few Mouseovers, each light on High, XM-L2 mouse out, XP-G2 mouse over:

So it's like I thought, there isn't a huge difference between the XM-L2 @ 3A vs. the XP-G2 @ 2.2A (yes, there still is some difference). I'm surprised the XM-L2 seems to out throw the XP-G2, though the XM-L2 needs to be driven harder to do so. Also consider that the XP-G2 is driven @ 0.8A less current, so more runtime. I'm very pleased with both beam patterns. The XP-G2's tint is a bit too rosy for my taste though. The 4C of the XM-L2 also came out warmer than I expected (I usually prefer a 5B1 tint) and is about perfect I think.

-Garry

Seems like the Armytek Wizard Pro is pretty much what you are after. It throws but has a fairly wide beam.

Wow…Great shots…I actually like the XML T4 better. Not too warm nor too cold :slight_smile: And I actually prefer floodier lights to throwers though!

My typical set up for mtb is a multi emitter mounted under the bars w/remote thumb switch and a single helmet mounted led for look around the corner viewing and longer distance. Usually both are lo/med for uphill ascents(low for less technical, med for more rocks/ruts) and med/high depending on speed/need. Helmet remote is mounted on shoulder strap of hydro pack. I definitely prefer the smooth beam of multi optics over multi reflectors. The single isn’t a thrower, more in the 10-15 degree range that heats up the center of my tunnel ’o light. J) This is really the only time I use or want maximum output for any extended period so turbo step down is not an option I would put on a bike light. I’m old enough that moon is not enough for the bar mounted light but do want it on the helmet(for finding my beer). If I want to ride by moonlight I use the real thing. :slight_smile: RMM’s new buck options are to me an ideal pairing of higher voltage remote packs with lower transmission currents.

FYI, a 25mm quad Khatod will fit an M1 host with shimming and give a nice medium to flood beam depending on choice of optic. The 35mm version would retro any mr11 halogen set up like Niterider or Vistalight.

I use a NiteCore HC50 on my bike helmet. Works great!

Good mix of throw and flood. Especially when combined with a more throwy flash light on the handle bar.

A Crelant CH4 could provide beam shape and ease of mounting (due to form factor) you are looking for