Flashlight Host and Uncommon Budget Flashlights

I finally managed to twist’n’pull hard enough to get the pill out of the “Thorfire” CT01s. Will see if I can’t scare up a moderate-current driver and nicer LED to replace the hateful little ones inside the light now.

Hardware-wise, it doesn’t look too bad, but the evil blue/purple beam and craptastic driver definitely need purging.

Will see what I got in “inventory” that I can stick in there…

A-ha! #1 has a tailcap driver with a momentary. That’s how there’s a battery indicator in the boot.
The driver looks similar to the on the Ultrafire zoomie has, with a few minor differences. In the head there’s a 50 ohm resistor to the body, but 220 work too.
The thermal path in the head is bad. The LED sits on a pill that’s sandwiched between reflector and body, otherwise freely slides in the head with ~0.2mm clearance to the walls.
I managed to press it in with some copper shim stock, it should be a lot better now.
I need to wrap my head around the driver, maybe there’s a way to get something like Anduril running in this thing.
The XM-L2 clone went out, a 5000k 90+ LH351D went in.

Driver:

  1. has fewer surprises. I does have a LED shelf, ~3mm thick, it’s press-fit and not as bad as I thought.
    Quite long (129mm), the reflector is pretty deep (22mm dia x 20mm).
    The USB tailcap is a stacked construction and probably uses a 4056 charging controller. I have to do measurements yet, I expect charge termination voltage to be a bit on the low side due to the diode solution.
    This one got a 4000k 85CRI LH351C instead of the angry blue XM-L clone.

Next-mode memory and strobe+SOS, of course. :person_facepalming: Otherwise this would be quite okay for under 4 dollars.

TC:

Driver (with the diodes + fuse that allow TC charging):

Kaidomain seems to have them as well, and with an SST-40 option…

Must… resist…

Well, now that I have a couple XHP50.2 3V LED's on order from Cutter, one is definitely going into the IRA. 16 amps in this light? No problem at all...

What’s up with the lens? Frosted outside except for a small roughly-hexagonal part in the middle? Weeeeird.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Good-Quality-DanceLite-C8z-CREE-XM-L2-U3-5-Mode-Focus-Zoomable-LED-Flashlight-Torch-1x18650/32792598751.html

Electric zoomie:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/WholeSale-50sets-lot-Authentic-imported-t6-led-Flashlight-Charger-18650-power-zoom-auto-focus-ultra-long/32252976059.html

Hum…I guess I wouldn’t rely on that :stuck_out_tongue:
Still, it is a different thing to see!

Maybe it gets rid of the artifacts at the outer edge of the beam you typically see with zoomies?

Wonder if a wavien collar would fit, or if it’s even any good to begin with

Most likely it is just the reflection of the bezel.

I checked that. It shows up in 2 different pictures from different angles. It definitely looks frosted.

See below.

Hmmm, hang on. This kinda looks like the same picture, just rotated 75°. I bet it is just the really deep bezel shroud making a reflection. Notice the 6 points of the bezel and the 6 sides on the lens? I bet it’s not frosted.

They also have a re-branded Nightwatch IRA w/ 50.2 and no SS bezel:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2600Lm-DanceLite-DF8-Self-Denfense-CREE-XHP50-2-18W-Powerful-LED-Flashlight-Lamp/264235622566

And some type of larger driver heatsink fin reflector C8 design, looks like kiriba-ru’s heatsink head but w/ reflector, using those uncoated Nightwatch springs:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DanceLite-C12-CREE-XP-L-Hi-V3-AMC7135×12-4200mA-2-Group-3-5-Mode-LED-Flashlight/264235622592

For some reason, your link did not work.

Here is a fixed link:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DanceLite-C12-CREE-XP-L-Hi-V3-AMC7135x12-4200mA-2-Group-3-5-Mode-LED-Flashlight/264235622592

Keep in mind Ebay links are only good for maybe 3 months then go dead. Typically.

More digging, presumably this listing means it’s the same lens as UniqueFire UF-1505,UF-T20 - so nothing ground breaking here I suppose.

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/1PC-NEW-37-8mm-x-17-4mm-Transparent-Clear-Focus-Convex-Lens-Optical-Glass-For-UniqueFire/613721_32836423622.html

A 348-like light with a lens?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/High-Power-White-LED-Flashlight-Portable-Flash-Light-Small-Penlight-Mini-Torch-Lamp-Little-Pocket-Lights/32935039418.html

I’m not sure, at the wall it looks like a round spot but the beam itself seems to have spill. Other beamshots clearly show lights with lenses. But 1 clearly shows another light and the others don’t show the light at all.

Too bad the tail switch spoils the look.

JKK70

I have this flashlight! For some month. with xhp70.2 in neutral white and OP reflector.

Anyone seen zoomie host in Sofirn SF30A style but made for 18650 bat only?

I need to find suitable host with smaller glass lenses, 1x18650 tube,anodized threads…
Sofirn SF30A would do but body is to wide for 25,4mm WE adjustable mount :frowning: