What is your favorite emittor to use in a C8?

I have been thinking about building one. But my XPG3s get around 1700-1800 lumen. What driver did you chose?

It was a 17mm FET driver with zener mod. When it was built, the XP-G3 hadn’t come out yet. But, IIRC, a hard run XHP-50 can approach ~3000 lumens. I don’t have a way of measuring output, so I don’t know what that particular build actually did.

None of the above for me as well. Dedomed XPG2 is in mine.

Bob

XM-L2 U3 3D Color temperature: 4750-5000K :smiley:

Dedomed XM-L2 U4 1A

My 2 shell queens are a DDed XPG2 one that does 200k cds and DDed XPL V6 1D doing 155k cds, i also use a XPG2 based one( arround 200k cds too) on my .223 rifle

I just made a dedomed XPG2 (new style) C8 for my dad. A bit bigger hotspot than the old XPG2 and 167Kcd at 30s with stock lens.

DD xpg2 100%
A properly modified one can have great tint, around 1200 lumens, and around 150kcd.

Why would you choose any other emitter? The only category xpg2 loses here is lumens, but it’s hardly noticeable with 1700 and 1200.

But yea, for those that want flood and crazy lumens, then huge difference compared to a xhp to a xpg

Well there is always some compromise between output and throw when choosing emitters. It’s just a matter of what your priority is.

Top binned dedomed XPL can really throw a lot, as evidenced by mitko’s result above. So you get a larger hotspot (more lumens downrange) with almost as much beam intensity.

Some measurements of mine, to approximately illustrate the output difference:
old production style XPG2 S4 2B dedomed in C8 with stock lens: ~911 lumens OTF. This light does 185Kcd @30s.

dedomed XPL V6 1A in EE X6: 1692 lumens OTF. This light does 94Kcd @30s.

why not an XHP-35 for more throw ?

I’m sure this would be a popular choice, but it is a 12V emitter and there are not really any suitable drivers for it in the C8.

Also, it would not give more throw than a dedomed XPG2 or XPL.

Has a much bigger die (the yellow bit) surface.

I would have said dedomed Xp-G2, but I will not give 20+bux for a good led. So, now XP-L HI.

This

Does any one have the Kcd numbers for a C8 with a XPL-HI running direct drive? I would be expecting maybe 140-150kcd?

With XPL HI V2 3B, I measured mine to be around 107Kcd. With dedomed high bin XPL I have seen others measure 140-150Kcd.

Sweet thanks! That number sounds low do you think it could be the tint? Are you using AR lens?

That number is with stock lens. I think it is about right. What makes you think it is low?

Don’t laff. but my favorite emitter for a C8 is an XP-E2, or those “bead” type LEDs. Small chips, wonderfully small and tight hotspot, lots of throw even when not nearly as high-strung as the usual 3A setups. 1A-1.4A is plenty for some decent throw, without stressing out anything much, and giving multiple hours of runtime.

And in that config, you can get all sorts of colors from IR through VIS into UV.

To me, the C8 is meant to throw. I never considered it a general-purpose light at all. Even an XM-L2 puts out a way bigger hotspot, and you’d have to ramp the amps accordingly to get the same throw, despite a few times the lumens coming out the front.

About the only thing I can see coming close would be a dedomed XP-G# driven harder. Probably get the lux, but at half the runtime or less.

Just played around with my new L2, and that’s a great thrower, but it’s not quite pocketable, if you know what I mean. All my P60s aren’t as throwy as the C8 and are more general-purpose. Floody lights and those with OP reflectors are only really good close-in, no matter how bright.

Nah, a C8’s what I want to use to see at a distance, without carrying a club like an L2 or L6. So yeah, I’ll go for runtime with a nice teeny XP-E2.

(Hey, I said don’t laff…)

Well, I’m not laffin atcha! XP-E2 really is great for throw! I have one de-domed in a MAGlite, and it shoots like a laser beam!