I have no idea what dimensions it actually will end up being, they haven’t sourced a reflector yet.
Also I’m pretty sure they will be buying a bulk order from some place that already premakes reflectors, not ordering a custom electroformed reflector from optiforms/phoenix because that will likely cost as much as the flashlight itself.
But those equations are a great way of figuring out the shape based on just height and width, which is all that some places tell you in the specs of a reflector.
Also good for designing a decent reflector for your flashlight if you can afford to get a custom one made It does look pretty similar to a C8 in proportion though, maybe a bit shallower.
I do take into account what you all say though.
But maybe i should have waited until it’s kind of finished.
It’s ‘knurling’ apparently. (i always thought it was knurdling).
No, it doesn’t look wimpy, but the head as is now looks a bit easy to dent.
It will be a challenge to get some features on there with my means, but it will both add some strength and prevent rolling.
It looks western in design. European / American.
Purposeful, cool and not too noisy.
…at least, that’s the idea.
Shallower to keep the base wide, i.e. more distance between LED and refl. surface.
Indeed, the depth doesn’t add to much, it is why most reflectors are proportioned the same.
(but that’s probably all said already).
Yes I know that was indoors but I have to think about using it with ambient temps in the 30c range so personally I would like as much finning as practical.
note:- that is practical not possible
XHP-35 can’t take much over 3A, if it even takes that. Small spikes will blow it up in that range. Most of us who’ve pushed them have learned to cringe when we hit Turbo at 3A or so. You’ll never see 5A in an XHP-35. But they do tend to run at a Vf around 13.7V when in the 2.8-3A range.
Cooling fins beyond what are now shown are a must. If run time with 8 cells is even considered, cooling fins to accommodate it must also be considered. Think of it like a 1/4 mile dragster. You spend a lot on the engine, are you gonna put street tires on the back to save weight or are you going to use top end racing slicks to hook it up? If this big light can’t run cool, there’s no point in the 8 cells.
Simon might be ok with an L6 look on a large scale, I do not know. But I would assume Thrunite will take great offense if this GT has a TN42 appearance.
I’m trying to put fins also on the part between head and tube, (which can be made of one piece) but it’s a ghastly job with my means…
I call it quits for today…
Well, they all have a knurled tube, a head and some fins around where the LED is located.
I don’t think a conical shaped head is patented either.
But none the less, okay, let’s not make it a lookalike.
So heat is the topic of the day?
Why would this be used in any situation where it’ll be static, on turbo, for the entire duration of the cells? Moving it around a little even while walking will cool it off significantly.
And if it needs to be used while static - turn it down to a lower mode……
I like the clean design Jerommel presented. I REALLY like it.
It looks……vaguely familiar.
Clean, uncluttered, purposeful, nice.
Not finished but a solid basic proposal.
A bit more cooling fins would not hurt but for my taste the rest of the head can stay smooth.
Having said that, something to prevent roll would probably not be a bad idea either, but I personally wouldn’t need it.
A sling I would like very much and the head design proposed already has the attachment.
So, we are now in the “heat management and final design” stage?
It’s getting better and better, so Mr. Miller (who apparently lives in France but can write surprisingly good dutch….) pls put me up for two lights instead of just one.
I know just the guy to give one of these beauties as a birthday present. :sunglasses:
I did not like that last render from jerommel at all… IMHO
The last flashlight I intend to buy is a Convoy m1 from Charles Wiggins, and maybe I have a “crush” on fins, but in my head it has that “powerful” outside look! But I belive even that flashlight gets hot some times…
And if we have in mind what Simon found out from his test with the L6 = very very very hot……hello we DO need fins.
You all know that light in any form builds heat, even hid.
So Dale has a good point, you don’t put Street tires on your dragster car….
And the jerommel design looks to be easy to dent, as mention above.
I hope we stick to 5ar’s design in a way…and that we build it better than it has to be, with that chosen led configuration.
In Jerommels’ last design, the head is of a TN42 is shown.
This light has a reflector diameter of 90mm, the BLG GIFGA will have a 120mm reflector.
The TN42 uses a XHP35 HI that gets around 2,15A.
The BLF GIGA will get around 2,5A (I hope). Above that, the gain in lumens is marginal but the increase in heat development is considerable.
Due to the much larger reflector and head, the BLF GIGA will have much more mass and surface area and thus will be able to absorb and dissipate more heat.
A few fins around the electronic switch (and so very close to the led) would do, I think.
Bear in mind that using this light outside (remember, search & rescue) means movement which will provide additional cooling as well.
It would be up to the mathematicians in this forum to calculate heat generation, heat transfer, absorption by mass and dissipation at certain temperatures, but do we really need to go that far?
Just a tought: if the BLG GIGA will be well over 1Mcd at turbo, it could have a high setting at which it would still produce around 650Kcd, the same as the TN42 on turbo, so at “just” 2,15A.
I’m sure that the BLF GIGA will be able to handle heat generated at 2,15A for a long, long time. Probably until the cells are depleted.
Most of the flashlights look alike. But some are horrid looking, some are fine. They might have a problem if you make a CLONE, but this is a completely different light that has nothing in common with them. It is like comparing the S41 short, with Skyray king. Yes they are both tube lights… Yes they look similar… But that is it.
My opinion is that TN42 appearance is not suitable for the diameter of 120mm reflector.
It's all well and good on paper but should take care of the production process and the things that can be easily implemented without the production costs increase.
Jerommel: You have to pay attention on proportions: 120mm diameter reflectors, place for a shoulder strap to attach on head, PCB driver size 46mm, driver need at least 10mm of height clearance to the bottom of the shelf, tripod mount .... on tn42 there is no place for the tripod mount if I'm not mistaken (if someone can confirm if I'm right.)
When these above requirements realize I believe that will drastically change the shape of tn42.
Not that easy to pack all the requirements and that looks to be as tn42 or another flashlight
If the overall appearance of a certain size flashlights looks great that does not mean that if you reduce or enlarge the design that he look great as well as the original size. Imagine that C8 increase the reflector at 70mm silly silly silly.
If we decide to design too similar tn42 we will have a problem with finding a company willing to produce clones.
BTW, is it possible to get a cross section shot of your GT render? (it cut in half?).
A blend between the 2 deigns could be just what we need. Personally I LOVE the 5AR design, with a few minor revisions, like the changes miller posted above.
Possibly the area by the switch/tripod mount could be reduced a little to make pressing the button a bit easier while gripping the light and a few fins added at the base of the head to improve cooling. Then make the rest of the head smooth (remove the anti-roll cutouts and fins since that is apparently what people want).
I personally MUCH prefer the overall shape of the GT vs the TN42.
It does look pretty similar to a C8 in proportion though, maybe a bit shallower.
