New Solarforce P1 - Is Available!

[Kokopelli]

The most used light for me is a 1Amp XPE R2 in a 502b host. I'm living a comeback on XPE and XRE Emitters. A 1.5 Amp driven XML is more than enough for me, multimode the better. There are times you look for power, one day you get it and realize that you don't need that that much. Believe or not, I'm building 2xAmc, 700mA single mode p60 modules for simpler action and better battery life. I'm sure these will be good hosts for those.

[sixfink]

@Kokopelli

I’m living a comeback on XPE and XRE Emitters.

I think I totally understand you.

Although I have converted a lot of torches to the XM-L emitter (T6 and U2), I just love my XR-E R2 emitters and dropins.

[weiser]

@Vectrex

Ah Cristopher Walken fan.... eh? ;-) The inner part is out of alu and the outer part out of glorified plastic. So at first heat distribution is done by the alu, but at some point the heat contained has to go somewhere, normally that would be air and through movement and convection the heat transport is better than the medium air alone. The "plastic" walls in the heat and you have an additional material layer to cross with worse heat transportation coefficient. The ventilation grooves in the main body are supposed to help, but they are still inferior to a completely bare knurled aluminum surface on other lights.

I do get the heat dissipation thing, but then it also doesn't have to be a pocket rocket. However, I was already wondering if the plastic layer would almost act as an insulator, which isn't good. And c'mon now, is it really "glorified plastic?" It's heavily used in the construction industry and is heralded for its strength to weight ratio. We could also say polycarbonate is glorified plastic but it helps keep rappers safe in their armored cars haha

[Foy]

sixfink -

I'm with you, man. The surface brightness of an XR-E makes it a knock-out thrower. It'll never win the lumens war but the WC/R2 will be around for a long time and is the brightest torch most non-flashaholics ever need.

XR-EloverFoy

[dthrckt]

blaze orange, please

[cabfrank]

what dthrckt said. there is blaze orange, and then there is every other color, doesn't matter anymore.

[T.H.Cone]

Although I prefer earth tones when given the choice, I too wouldn't mind an orange option. Let us hope someone is listening.

[Confusius]

I'd have to buy an orange one! Please, dear Solarforce lurker, tell your boss!

[dthrckt]

I'd already own this if it took 18650s

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-XPG-Hunter-Series-Flashlights/1221859.uts

actually, this one is better, imo, but again, not going to start using primaries...

http://www.opticsale.com/streamlight-packmate-led-flashlight-with-lithium-batteries-51058-22561-prd1.html

[T.H.Cone]

@Confusius

I'd have to buy an orange one! Please, dear Solarforce lurker, tell your boss!

Confusius say, "Tell your boss". A very old proverb, no doubt.

[soytnly]

@Confusius

I'd have to buy an orange one! Please, dear Solarforce lurker, tell your boss!

Here's an orange-ish light, xml zoom and takes 18650's...it's cheap anyway

http://www.tmart.com/CREE-XMLT6-6W-900-Lumen-3-Mode-Focus-LED-Flashlight-with-Compass_p139073.html

[Vectrex]

@weiser701

I do get the heat dissipation thing, but then it also doesn't have to be a pocket rocket. However, I was already wondering if the plastic layer would almost act as an insulator, which isn't good. And c'mon now, is it really "glorified plastic?" It's heavily used in the construction industry and is heralded for its strength to weight ratio. We could also say polycarbonate is glorified plastic but it helps keep rappers safe in their armored cars haha

I was talking about the thermal attributes when referring to GFRP as "glorified plastic". Of course it is a nice durable material and good for holding a light in winter without gloves, because it insulates well, but I don't want my flashlight head covered with that stuff. Jetbeam has shown us how it can be done and used similar materials in a superior way on the PA40. Aluminum head and carbon fiber body... that's a design that gets my vote. Covering the head in an insulator and the "cooling grooves" on the body that will be blocked by a hand? Come on Solarforce ... I know that you can do better.

[dthrckt]

@soytnly

@Confusius

I'd have to buy an orange one! Please, dear Solarforce lurker, tell your boss!

Here's an orange-ish light, xml zoom and takes 18650's...it's cheap anyway

http://www.tmart.com/CREE-XMLT6-6W-900-Lumen-3-Mode-Focus-LED-Flashlight-with-Compass_p139073.html

i've almost bought that so many times - but each time I held off because I'd probably just pull that orange rubber thing off to put on a better light and the rest would end up in a drawer

[hank]

I'm ready for one with fins that pop out when the head gets warm, ray-gun-like.

Or a tiny water reservoir that vents through a steam whistle, maybe.

[cabfrank]

a few times. very good price, but i can't even imagine what a P.O.S. it must be.

[weiser]

@Vectrex

I was talking about the thermal attributes when referring to GFRP as "glorified plastic". Of course it is a nice durable material and good for holding a light in winter without gloves, because it insulates well, but I don't want my flashlight head covered with that stuff. Jetbeam has shown us how it can be done and used similar materials in a superior way on the PA40. Aluminum head and carbon fiber body... that's a design that gets my vote. Covering the head in an insulator and the "cooling grooves" on the body that will be blocked by a hand? Come on Solarforce ... I know that you can do better.

Well put. I'm not familiar enough with the Surefire G2. Is this design essentially copying that or did Surefire do something better that Solarforce isn't catching on to? Or was the G2 Nitrolon a flop?

[CheapThrills]

I agree the heatsinking might be a problem.

Yet again, if this is aimed for those low-output dropins, it is acceptable.

But... Where are those low-output ones readily available on the shelf?? Vast majority of P6+ XM-L dropins are driven at near or over 3A at high.

Well, there´s always the SF´s own dropin selection at 1,7A. I wonder how will it handle the plastic insulation.

If this comes out at right price, I´m sure I will find it out.

Going to take a trip to flashlight store with timer with me, to check readings from integrating sphere.

[Vectrex]

@weiser701

Well put. I'm not familiar enough with the Surefire G2. Is this design essentially copying that or did Surefire do something better that Solarforce isn't catching on to? Or was the G2 Nitrolon a flop?

It's a perfectly suitable host for an incandescent dropin, which are still widely used in Surefire-land and often bundled with a G2. On incan dropins the fast heat build up is actually wanted, as the inert gases like Xenon can only do their job at protecting the filament at high temperatures. The whole P60 lineup were originally designed for incans. I think it is time for Solarforce and others to leave the path that Surefire has taken and to give the end-consumer a new screw-in based light engine carrier especially designed for high power LEDs. I think most of the private end-consumers are more interested in a new form factor, that would allow legobility and highly efficient heat dissipation at the same time. Solarforce would be a prime candidate for introducing such a new style of lights at a competitive price. They certainly have the knowledge and machining capabilities. Surefires main target are the military and police forces that may have a different demand.

[Don]

@Vectrex

@weiser701

Well put. I'm not familiar enough with the Surefire G2. Is this design essentially copying that or did Surefire do something better that Solarforce isn't catching on to? Or was the G2 Nitrolon a flop?

It's a perfectly suitable host for an incandescent dropin, which are still widely used in Surefire-land and often bundled with a G2. On incan dropins the fast heat build up is actually wanted, as the inert gases like Xenon can only do their job at protecting the filament at high temperatures. The whole P60 lineup where originally designed for incans. I think it is time for Solarforce and others to leave the path that Surefire has taken and to give the end-consumer a new screw-in based light engine carrier especially designed for high power LEDs. I think most of the private end-consumers are more interested in a new form factor, that would allow legobility and highly efficient heat dissipation at the same time. Solarforce would be a prime candidate for introducing such a new style of lights at a competitive price. They certainly have the knowledge and machining capabilities. Surefires main target are the military and police forces that may have a different demand.

Well said! Wish I'd said it first. The P60 is about keeping heat in. With LEDs you want to let heat out.

[weiser]

Thanks for the very informative and in-depth explanation! I never really thought about the origin of the P60 being incan, which is very true and makes a lot of sense considering the design. Now I'm really curious how this new marriage of metal and plastic will pan out. Maybe I'll just stick with the all metal designs since I always want the option of high output.

I agree, we need a P60-type form factor for the powerful LED's of today. I still want Solarforce to make the C8 size head a popular lego addition to the P60 family. All we're doing is making a bigger reflector since we're using the same battery and thus same battery tube size.