I’m looking for a cheaper red spotlight or handheld looking for something under $50 at least 500 lumens I’m new to all this but I’d be willing to mod a cheap flashlight if I have too I’m comfortable with electronics and soldieringwant it for coyote hunting so I’d like it to reach out far and light up the area
I don’t think you will find any red emitter that can be pushed like that. The XP-E2 red emitter can be pushed to around 2.2amps (maybe a little more). Combine that with with a large reflector and you will have something.
The Maxtoch 2x red beam is a good example. A little lesser is putting one in a C8. I built a C8 with an XP-E2 using a stock C8, 8*7135 driver. It reaches out pretty far. I think the driver runs a little over 2.8amps, so not sure how long the emitter will last being over driven.
Do you think it be better to use a white light with a red filter?
Nitecore has snug fitting filters that fit their 1 inch diameter lights tightly due to a groove they machine into the heads. I’ve run their red filter on my EC21 and EC23 with pretty great results. Their filter also works well on my Fenix PD35 since it has the same groove on the head. Only the EC21 + filter will be under $50 but the lumens are in the ballpark (just under 500 I think). The EC23 is 1800 lumens max but can obviously be set lower but you’ve gotta catch that one on sale to make your budget. The Fenix is great but over budget.
Good luck
Sean
Jesus! That poor E2 must be glowing red from incandescence!! :o
I try to go easy on E2s, even white. Not more’n 1.4A or so.
I may be overly cautious, but… 
Most white emitters have so little red content that the answer is usually a quite safe “no”.
I currently have this mounted to my rifle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06W2MQLR2/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_IMDmAbRCVTKM1 but I need a spotlight and it has to be Red for or at least filtered for coyotes I’m new to all this flashlight stuff but I pick up pretty easy so I’m glad to learn
It does not get all the way to 500 lumens, but looking at the Brinyte B158 is a Zoomy that has a red LED option. Mhanlen posted a review of it a while ago One cool thing about this light is that by ordering spare bits for it, you can have one body with a few different driver and LED options. There is a brass pill assembly that threads in which holds a driver and the LED.
There have been previous listings for a remote switch for it as well if you are looking to mount it on a firearm.
I don’t need to mount it I have a mounted one I need one for scanning fields and woodline
Spend the extra 30 bucks and get the Maxtoch 2x red beam. Skip those extra couple beers at the bar and you got it! But what ever you do, buy some quality batteries, not those crap batteries on Amazon. http://liionwholesale.com is right in your neighborhood
[quote=RobertB]
Spend the extra 30 bucks and get the Maxtoch 2x red beam. Skip those extra couple beers at the bar and you got it!
Lol
With the flashlight I currently have can input any amps into it? Sorry I’m new to this but the batteries that cam with it seem very cheap
If you need red, you need Red. But if you can use Green the emitter is more efficient and we see Green more efficiently so net net is it looks much brighter.
You don’t get ever close to 500 lumens with a single red XP-E2
I would go with a Sofirn C8F, you need a triple to get to 500 Lumens
Get a low drain protected battery like Panasonic 18650B this should get about 1.2A per emitter
3xXP-E2 Orange red should give you about 600 OTF Lumens then
A 1000 lumens CW LED with red filter has only about 50-100 lumens red depending if its deep red or red-orange
Nobody listened to me before, maybe they’ll listen to both of us this time… 