FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

Interested!

Just to give an idea how much better the LH351D is compared to an XP-G3 in a clear TIR with regard to tint shift.

Nude Gnus is Good Gnus?

and Kapton tape in lieu of spacers

Aircraft
Kapton-insulated electrical wiring has been widely used in civil and military aircraft because it is lighter than other insulators and has good insulating and temperature characteristics. However, Kapton insulation ages poorly: an FAA study shows degradation in under 100 hours in a hot, humid environment, or in the presence of seawater. It was found to have very poor resistance to mechanical wear, mainly abrasion within cable harnesses due to aircraft movement. Many aircraft models have had to undergo extensive rewiring modifications—sometimes completely replacing all the Kapton-insulated wiring—because of short circuits caused by the faulty insulation. Kapton-wire degradation and chafing due to vibration and heat has been implicated in multiple crashes of both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft, with loss of life.

Spacecraft
The descent stage of the Apollo Lunar Module, and the bottom of the ascent stage surrounding the ascent engine, were covered in blankets of aluminized Kapton foil to provide thermal insulation. During the return journey from the Moon, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong commented that during the launch of the Lunar Module ascent stage, he could see “Kapton and other parts on the LM staging scattering all around the area for great distances.” [7]
According to a NASA internal report, space shuttle “wires were coated with an insulator known as Kapton that tended to break down over time, causing short circuits and, potentially, fires.

well done, thats what prototypes are for

knurling in the waistline would feel legendary… :wink:

I like the second one better, smooth center reduced section looks clean.

+1… Agreed. :+1: The longer front taper looks better too IMO. YMMV…. :wink:

good cause thats the FW3A, this thread is about.

the top light is a Titanium HDS Ra Clicky that sold a couple of years ago for $650, over 15x the cost of the FW3A.

HDS uses CR123/16340 cells, that have about 1/5 the capacity of the 18350 in the FW3A, which is also over 15x brighter than the HDS Ra Clicky

as you can read below, the HDS and the FW3A are about the same size:

I think you missed the point. Those people were saying they prefer the smooth Center section over a knurled center section. It didn’t have anything to do with the model of light.

Good Taste! :slight_smile: :+1:

Ah so that’s good then :stuck_out_tongue:

:+1:

My main concern with the LH351D is that it’s so floody. It would make the FW3A even more floody than a D4-219, and not useful at all for distance. My favorite option is XP-L HI, because it performs very well in general and gets closest to the beam type of an average EDC-style light.

  • FW3A LH351D: ~2 cd / lm? (Agro estimates ~1.5)
  • D4 219c: 3.2 cd / lm
  • D4 XP-G2: 4.1 cd / lm
  • D4 XP-L HI: 4.7 cd / lm
  • FW3A XP-L HI: ~4.5 cd / lm?
  • Common EDC lights: 5 to 10 cd / lm

And, as was hashed out at length in another thread, CRI is not always the top priority. I’m also not sure if Lumintop can actually get the LH351D. The poll determines what we ask Lumintop for, not necessarily what they’ll agree to.

Nichia 219c makes a nice beam, but it’s so hot… it might need 28-gauge wires or something to avoid damaging itself on turbo.

Would the Luxeon V or the SST-20/40 fit into the FW3A and if so, how would these LEDs compare to the XP-L Hi?

Amen my friend, you too! :+1:

I’ve heard it said, ’brilliant minds think alike’……. :smiley: . :smiley: . :beer:

:open_mouth: . :person_facepalming: . :open_mouth: …. My gosh, $650!!!

HDS sure thought a lot of that light…… :person_facepalming:

I really like xp-l HI also. They have great performance and efficiency. They have a nice clean beam when behind a carclo optic unlike the non HI variety. I expecially like something on or below the black body line like a 5A1 tint.

I think you might be right
I should have been less presumptuous

here is what I had in mind
I was responding to comments about the size of the FW3A being similar to the HDS. I think that is a very valid comparison not only in terms of dimensions, and also in terms of some of the head and tail proportions, knurling, and use of tapers to create the waistline.

I think a Titanium FW3T would be immensely popular. It prompted my search for the Titanium HDS image. The Ti Ra is an HDS Legacy Model… hence I was punning that it would add a “Legendary” feel to use a knurled waistline, that nobody wants… :slight_smile:

(The Legend of HDS, The Light That Gets You Home)

speaking of knurling on the FW3A, I think the tail should be knurled more fully, not leave the smooth part before the switch so wide. I want to feel knurling near the edge, so I can tell the difference between the smooth head and a coarse tail, by feel, in the dark, upside down, or standing on my head…

The Ti Ra that went for $650 2 years ago, was one of 75 made in 2009, I dont know the original cost. I believe the max lumens was 170, not sure if they were High CRI

How awesome would it be to get a Ti FW3 in 2019, at budgetforum prices, And in High CRI?:wink:

Which brings me to, the XP-G3 and other LED options being considered for the FW3A

Im a maukka groupie, whatever he says is good, I generally follow

even though he does not approve of the XP-G3, I bought a light with that LED, twice. Both times I hate the Green Rainbow Tint. I really do not recommend that LED. I buy the lights for other reasons, despite the LED. It would be one of the Last LEDs I would consider, as a High CRI snob.

We just witnessed Clemence pull a bunch of sw45 9080 out of Nichias final stock… I wonder if someone could piggyback an order for the FW3T run?

I mean really, a Titanium FW3T with an sw45 9080, how bad could that be? Its no Legacy HDS but, better than a poke with a sharp stick, no?

I agree with TK.

My vote is for XPL HI for the FW3A. Preferably in a nice neutral tint like 5D.

I wouldn’t be against Lumintop making different versions for people with other tastes though. Perhaps an XPG2 version for those who want the cheapest possible light. And maybe a 219C version for high-CRI fans.

I’m not impressed with the LH351D. Way too floody.

XPL HI for me as well. Is there an official poll?

I’m a big fan of LH351D.
I think it would be a superb choice for those of us who want pure flooders.
For more general-purpose uses - it just doesn’t look like a good option in optic this small.
If this light is to be produced with one LED option - I recommend against LH351D.

Shaving the LED would largely fix that, at the cost of reduced efficiency (but still quite good). The light would definitely still be a flooder, but useful to more people.
And mass-shaving LEDs doesn’t seem to be a costly operation. Shaved LH351D should cost less than stock XP-L HI.

+1 :+1: It does indeed look like the XPL HI is the best all around choice looking at the chart TK listed. (see link below)

.
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http://toykeeper.net/torches/fw3a/emitter-poll.html

FW3A Emitter Type

Please put your forum username in the “email” box. If there is a tie, it may be broken by removing anonymous votes.
……………………………Price Lumens Throwiness CRI Beam Heat

……….Cree XP-L HI $36 3300………… …… 70+… xx
………….Cree XP-G3 $30 3000………… ………… 70+……… xxxx
………….Cree XP-G2 $30 2200………… ……… 70+……. xx
…………Nichia 219c $30 2600………… ………… 90+…… xxxxx
Samsung LH351D $30 3000?……… …………. 90+*…… xxx

(x = )

For price and heat, lower values are better. For everything else, higher values are better.

Throwiness is a rough measure of candelas per lumen. It’s the overall beam shape. Even the throwiest option is not a thrower, because compact triples are floody by nature.

“Beam” is the overall beam quality, like smoothness and color consistency.

More peppers makes thermal management harder, reduces the sustainable brightness after step-down, and increases risk of damaging the emitters on turbo.

Worst part about each:
XP-L HI: Costs more.
XP-G3: Strongest “Cree Rainbow” effect: angle-based tint shift, green around hotspot.
XP-G2: Lowest output. Old.
219c: Most heat, lowest sustainable output, highest chance of damaging itself on turbo.
LH351D: Super floody. May be a bit green at low levels.

Values only indicate approximate performance in a Carclo 10511 optic using a FET for direct drive on 1x18650. These have not been directly tested in the FW3A host, so this data is more of an educated guess than a measurement.

Votes will be counting with the Schulze Condorcet method.
……….
…………

@TK……
Is this something we are supposed to be voting on or has that already taken place??

I just looked that up, 5D is just below 4000K?
I suspect most people would consider that quite warm, to me it would look muddy orange, 4C is too warm for me, 3D just about perfect.
Mood lighting has its place, but this is an EDC light, built for practical function.
I know there will be differing opinions and perceptions, but if I am not mistaken several polls and discussions have shown 5000 is around the middle of what the BLF majority want in an EDC. A6 neutral and Q8 are both around that mark I believe, and look great.

I’m worried that the Samsungs will make this an indoor light only, and not the EDC we are hoping for.
I’d pay the extra $6 for more throw.