Measuring some of my lights with my light meter:

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

I finally was able to spend some time measuring the output from some of my flashlights with the light meter I purchased several months ago. I've tested the output from a few of my better-performing flashlights, and am posting the results here.

All tests were completed using the following light meter:

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/2-1-lcd-portable-3-mode-digital-illuminance-light-meter-100000lux-1lux-1-x-6f22-67180

Each light was checked three times and allowed to rest between tests. Measurement was made at 20' and re-adjusted to reflect standard lux value @ 1 meter. Values listed below are the average of the three values. All tests were made using freshly charged cells with the exception of the RC-G2 which was powered by a single fresh alkaline cell and the Maglite which is powered by 3x Li-SOCl2 @ 3.6v each.

Lights tested:

  1. Romisen RC-G2 with unknown XR-E emitter
  2. 501b with XR-E R2 drop-in
  3. 502b with MF 3-mode XML drop-in
  4. Trustfire TR-1200 with 5x Q5 XR-E emitters
  5. 501a with aspheric lens, blacked-out reflector, and XR-E R2 emitter
  6. Modded 3D Maglite with aspheric mod

Results (lux @ 1 meter)

  1. 3,390
  2. 8,410
  3. 8,930
  4. 25,800
  5. 26,300
  6. 74,000

Observations:

I'm slightly disappointed with my trusty WF-501b w/R2 emitter, I was expecting it to perform slightly better in throw. The asperic mods really do work; the XR-E R2 in the P60 host with the 28mm DX optic (from an earlier good batch) has nearly 3x the spot intensity of the reflector-based lamp using either the XR-E or XM-L emitters. And my Mag-Mod is a throw-monster!

Question:

My VERY short list has the STL-V2/FF-V6 at the top of the list; how would this light's intensity compare to either the TR-1200 or the Mag Mod? If anyone can comment, I would really like to know!

<edit>Hmmmm.... another post here list 48k lux for the V2 so my mag-mod should beat it for throw, but the V2 would still have a much more useable beam than the needle-beam of the mag-mod.

2

Yeah you are right, the STL-V2 is around there. But I am not sure, your meter could be over-reading quite a bit. Why don't you buy it and confirm with us. :)

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/3961

If your meter is really over-reading, then your TR-1200 is not the first batch, the ones which are driven the hardest. But I am not sure, because i don't own any of the lights you have listed.

3

Aside from the aspheric, what other mods have you done to your mag?

4

Are 1) and 5) being driven the same?

5

Can you measure the current on the tr-1200? It would be good with thick leads.

6

My TR-1200 is the newer DX SKU.57380, originally $35 (price I payed), and now $34.50. IIRC, tailcap current running from 2x 18650 cells is ~2A. It seems to me that the earlier/brighter TR-1200s were reported to be driven around this level (FlashPilot, feel free to chime in here). I'll double-check my tailcap current and confirm the results here when I get home this evening.

<edited to add>I notice that my TR-1200 reading is pretty close to the lower TR-1200 values from the other linked page... Just to add, I'm running my TR-1200 in the 3x 18650 configuration for this test.

7

No, the RC-G2 is a factory original light from FocalPrice running from a single alkaline AA cell. The aspheric-modded 501a is using driver sku.25505 from DX and running a Trustfire-Flame 16340 cell.

8

The mag has a cheaply-built (but bulky) heat-sink with an XR-E R2 driven by DX sku.26110 and powered by three 3.6v Li-SOCL2 D-sized primaries. I have a source where I am able to obtain a limited number of these cells in a used, but very good charge state, at no cost. These are normally about ~$25 each and work very well for high-powered 3x D-Cell mag mods.

9

Nice tests ty

I putted that lux meter from DD on my chart time ago... but removed at end.

looks cheap and more reliable of unbranded stuffs here more info

10

Sorry, I meant 2) and 5). Is the current going to the emitter then same in these two. That looks like too much of a difference for the aspheric to make.

11

This is more spam by the way Mr. Admin. Maybe this user can go poof as well.

12

The WF-501b is driven using sku.6190 from DX (3x 7135 driver) and has an OP reflector. The 7135 driver delivers ~1A to the emitter while the sku.25505 from the WF-501a/aspheric lamp has a DX-stated output of 1.2A @ 4.2V. It may be overdriving the LED somewhat; I haven't checked tailcap current on this light yet...

13

Okay, I have some tailcap current measurements here:

My TR-1200: With two cells reading a combined voltage of 8.35V, tailcap current was 1.5A; resulting in ~12.5W. 12.5/5 = 2.5W/emitter without taking driver losses and DMM lead resistance into account. Somewhat underdriven, but not extremely so.

My WF-501a/aspheric: From a Trustfire Flame 16340 reading 4.13V, Tailcap current read 1.74A, resulting in 7.2W. Unless the driver is REALLY inefficient, I'm going to say that's overdriving this XR-E by a bit. I'll keep it this way since it really seems to work well and it will be used for brief intervals only; no long runtimes with this light...