Long throw 18650 powered budget light

No such thing as a free lunch mate. Long throw comes from big reflectors or lenses that catch and collimate the maximum amount of light the emitter produces.

The KL52 / B158 isn’t a big light by any means and with the likes of the XP-L Hi in it, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything to out throw it. with a smaller head.

Which one do you suggest to buy, prices are for both the same around 18 usd?

Sofirn C8T

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Sofirn-C8T-Tactical-LED-Flashlight-18650-Powerful-Cree-XPL-HI-High-Power-Flash-light-Portable-Torch/2933049_32836696177.html?spm=2114.12010608.0.0.78ca9ff4n0FRFz

or

Astrolux C8 XP-L HI

Or maybe something else for around 20 usd?

Sofirn C8T, because people push the Astrolux as if the C8T doesn’t exist.

Main differences, from what I can tell is that the Sofirn has the springs bypassed from the factory, while the Astrolux has a driver with more modes/features, but steps down from Turbo prematurely.

Modded lights vs unmodded are completely different arenas.
For great basic narrow beam thrower— I like my old $16 Jacob A60’s just fine.
Not exactly hot rods in the league of what you are doing….

Also HD2010 still a great stock contender - but body tube is kinda wide…

The sofirn c8t has a 3min stepdown as well - I chose the c8.2 as it has no stepdown

Doesn’t the Astrolux C8 have a 45s step-down, or have they fixed that in more recent production.

Yep! Why I have one on my gun. The driver squeals a bit, but it puts out a LOT of light for it’s size and in my tests it holds turbo mode as long as the battery has the juice to keep it there. The throw WILL surprise you too.

However… IF one is wanting to build a C8 light for a gun (my need), they might look at the C8F host kit from Sofirn (for a very good price/performance project). Here is a post with great info! (- Dale is da’man!)

I have two C8F Sofirn hosts on order and SIX XP-L2 LEDs ready to be flowed and de-domed to make a matching pair of these lights. I’m also using Lexel’s Narsil drivers (AND his FET tail switch board too… of course!). So these will replace my C8.2 on my hunting gun as soon as I get the parts in and a few days to build them all up.

I could have gone the XPL HI route easier (no de-doming), but I’m going to see how it runs doing it this way (the hard way… like always :disappointed: ). AND YES (Long Throw)… I know there are longer throwers out there— but you’re going to pay for them and they get big FAST too! In any case, I’ll get about as much output from a C8 as I can while keeping cost down from any retail version. I’m looking forward to posting pics very soon on the weapon light discussion.

One thing I like better with the Astrolux is it has knurling on the tube. But if you’re using it for rifle mounted I guess that wouldn’t matter.
On the other hand I prefer the simple UI of the Sofirn.

[quote=Throw me in to darkness]

No (again), it works fine. I’d show you a view through my scope (with the C8.2 light at 200 yards) if I could- you’d THEN see what I see. But I can’t put you behind my gun (which you see is REAL and EXISTS).

DID I EVER say there were not longer throw options? no. What I said then is exactly the same NOW:

— that FOR a SMALL light, this one C8.2 stands out for the C8 form factor and hits WAY out there for my rig (the way I tested it).

Please notice… the C8F is ALSO not a “big thrower” (but it requires building & SaltWater asked for a thrower he could buy for a good price that worked for his needs, I simply offered him something smaller than most LONG, HEAVY throwers… that cost $30 shipped!). And finally… I QUALIFIED my answer to him- in the form of a well described and clear OPINION.

The C8.2 WORKS for me… and Lexels TAIL switch is AWESOME- that WAS my post!

NOTHING changing here much with the C8F either- same basic (small light) used for a combination of: good pig hunting field-of-view, ENOUGH throw, and in a small (lightweight) form factor that WILL KILL PIGS (on my gun) nicely.

Does anyone have contact with Sofirn? Can we request an xpl hi model? With those led and a more simple UI (l/m/h) and no step down this would be my ideal hunting torch

I know they did reply to a couple of questions I asked them (on AliExpress), but you’d have to maybe have an account set-up to communicate with them… not sure there.

IF they would make one, I think it WOULD SELL! (because I tried to find something JUST like it last month!) Also there have been a few asking about a good single mode light (that isn’t 2 lbs and $150) for their guns here. The driver really doesn’t need to be a specialized “boost” driver as using the three XPL HI LEDs, they will draw 12 - 15 amps if direct driven. So a perfect fit for a better 18650 battery (and something like Lexel’s Narsil driver would really be cool- that’s what I’m using in my C8F kits - along with his FET tail board, of course).

If someone does ask Sofirn, let us know what they say! :smiley:

The C8A has an XP-L2, but it’s a HD, not HI.

Almost 1800 lemons.

The C8T has an XP-L HI, but it’s “only” 1300 lemons, so not quite as lemony, but a smaller hotspot for more throw.

I looked around, but still don’t know and as I’m lazy tonight I’ll just ask: IS there an XP-L2 in a “HI” out there?

Close :

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sofirn-New-C8-Tactical-Cree-XPL2-LED-Flashlight-18650-Powerful-Flashlight-Portable-Torch-light-Two-Groups/32829685476.html

Dunno offhand. Should be easy to mod if you really really really need the L3 instead of the L2.

The chip in the XP-L is the same as in the XM-L2.

The chip in the XP-L2 would be the same as in the XM-L3 if there were such a thing.

Thanks for the info Lbringer... I am quickly confused by LED speeds and feeds. I don't think I'll NEED to de-dome my XP-L2s but I like to tweak so maybe I'll de-dome one set, and leave the other "as-is" (as I have TWO C8F Sofirn host kits coming).

C’mon, you two, get a room…

Forgot specifix, but if they’re the flip-chip variety, don’t. You’ll just end up pulling off lots of phosphor coating and turning ’em blue.

Just checked, and yeah, they’re flip-chips.

Slice ’em, but don’t dedome ’em.

Oh… ok, I have some sharp razors. I’ll have to read up on the “Slicing: best methods” post (when I find it). Thanks bro :+1: