Review: POPPAS W-878 Flood-To-Throw From Manafont

Tint is a typical cool white T6, I would say around 1A. After my daughter is in bed I'll do a 1m measure.

benckie, have you managed to do 1m beam measurement? Pictures would be fine too ;-) Thanks!

Last night I was able to get some measurements and some quick beamshots. I measured the flood size at 10 feet away to be 11.5 feet wide and the throw to be 13 inches wide. Really impressive flood! Much wider than any lights I currently have. Here are the quick rough beamshots. These are with my King Kong INR26650 and on high mode. The shed is about 150 to 200 feet away. (Same location I take many other beamshots.)

Photo fairly well focused, but branch hanging in the way (notice the shed is faintly seen):

Same shot, but with branch moved (and slightly out of focus):

Zoomed for throw:

-Garry

Nice, photos seems to tell me this is what i need to use it as flood light!

Benckie,

1)Do u think this light can be switched on at high all the way till battery dead?
*things like >>is the heat desipating good? read that led scare heat, afraid it spoil on 1st time if i buy & gunned it on high long hours - will be using it like home light, the only time it will be shut down is when battery are flat & need changing - bout 8 hours run at a go>> maybe 3 hours on high, 5 hours low)

2)The medium mode is it like 50% brightness like other lights? (Think is safer for xml when using it as home light? also maybe 3 hours on high, 5 hours low)

3) Do u think this POPPAS W-878 is the best bang floody light for every buck/cents? Is there other lights capable of same/better flood with floodyness/intensity cheaper that you know of? (Cos have to get 4-6 piece Frown)

Sorry for my english sentence structure, seems weired.

Reason for using 8 hours run on this is because i cannot bear to part with money to buy real floodlight or generator for electricity.

Thanks.

EDITED: Not running it every day 8 hour, is about twice or thrice every week - 8 hours run that is, rest of the time will be OFF.

Not sure how to answer this one.

It is good at dissipating heat, but there is no cooling fins so i would not use it on high till the battery runs flat, generally with most high powered lights you need active cooling like walking or moving around, i use fans to do this for my if i do run time test's or i go for long walks at night.

To run it on high for 8 hours you would need 4 to 7 batteries for each light and to get the Maxim run time like that you would need to spend around $13 usd on each battery then need a charger to suit if you don't have one and i don't think many XML torches could do that at all.

I think 3 hours on high and 5 hours on low is to much for most XML lights you would need a pile of batteries and you run the risk of cooking the led or driver, to replace the driver is under $5 usd and to replace the led is under $9 usd and then you need equipment for the repair.

Medium mode is around 60 to 50 % at a guess as i have not measured it, maybe others can chime in here.

I think the POPPAS W-878 has huge flood and is good for the price i payed, every one Ive showed it to has been impressed by it.

There is other lights, there is 2 that i have personally used that can run from 2 to 3 hours on high or run 8 + hours on medium or low and still give out good light to light up a room, but they cost $35 to $55 usd each and they both need 3 x 18650 batteries each to do this and they would need electric fans to blow air on them to help keep cool or be run in very very cold temptress, like a refrigerator or ice box not like Singapore, i could buy a generator cheaper here then i could buy 4 to 6 torches, batteries, chargers and run them 2 or 3 times a week.

Maybe make a post on in the forum asking for suggestions, i know there are lights are there that can run for days on low mode but will not put out much light or heat and use cheaper batteries but i have no experience with them, so i have no idea.

If i was you i would be looking at lanterns, big candles, gas or kero lights or a generator as using XML LEDs to do this job is going to cost to much and not give you what you need.

I wish you all the best with your lighting issues i hope it works out.

Thanks for ur valueble insight.

This is hard for me...decent big lantern are quite expensive over my side (rechargeble 8 Ds inside, florensent tube, coming USD$ 200/-).-[i rather forgo the lantern & get HID torch, haha] **generator size [bringing in & out of country is a hassle-dunno will there be thief if i leave the generator at the house with flimsy door], kero lights are just like 1 candle. Real commercial floodlights running 24v/36v cost slightly over usd$1k to reach me..

I read many reviews of "flood to throw torch" but your photos say a thousands words, am very much impressed with Poppas w878 too.Tongue Out

Poppas w878 seems to be the cheapest way for me, but having to use so many battery also dun seems any bang for buck.
Also do not know can it handle car battery 12v like tf-3t6, hmmmmmm......how should i wire them? LOL

May i know if the "head & body" (do not know the exact term) O-ring is sufficent for watertight/submissible?

Dennis i have an idea ill post it in your orginal thread asking about this subject.

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/8324#comment-177107

Here is what i did with my POPPAS W-878. I used my gift box, holster, charger and a protected trustfire 26650 battery From my Trustfire A8 kit and made a nice gift set for my old man.

Sorry crap pictures.

My old man now uses it every day for for and he is really happy with it.

good review
bare lens diameter and thickness please
thanks

Ive gifted mine, so maybe garry can let you know.

Sorry, I just now saw this (I was away last week). I'll try to get back with this info.

-Garry

Ok, apparently the lens is glued into the bezel and I didn’t want to force it out, so I did the best I could. It’s 29.0mm across (inside of bezel to inside of bezel really) and about 10mm in thickness (the front of the bezel gets in the way to measure to the lens, but 10mm is going to be darn close.

Hope that helps.
-Garry

THANKS GARY, JUST THE INFO I NEEDED

My A123 battery is tight and got stuck.Found it easy to remove since body is splitable behind the head.

Lennart

I’ve got the ultrafire clone of the POPPAS 878:

It must have a different driver as I’ve had the following tailcap readings, off of a King King unprotected 26650:

At 4.2V 2.69A
At 3.9V 2.25A
At 3.6V 1.6A

Current reduces as the voltage lowers. It’s very bright with a fully charged battery. I’m pretty happy with it, and the zoomy head seems pretty stiff and hasn’t yet automatically zoomed on me when nightriding on the mountain bike. It also makes a great emergency replacement room light if you blow a bulb.

I took my poppas apart and did have closer look what it have been eating. Unscrewing the pill was kind of hard… It was so tight that i thought there is some clue in threads, so i even warmed the head little bit ( there was no clue ). After a little struggle ( and many scratches later :wink: ) I did get that pill unscrewed. Leather clow and long head pincers was the key.

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There is reason for this. It does not only feel like that, it really scrathes metal against metal. When you unscrew pill you can take head of and there is place for o-ring in body. Apparently torch builders thought that metal ring is better than rubber o-ring (???). So I recommend to change that. After changing sliding head is sooo smooth ;). Here’s picture with stock metal one on table and blue o-ring but as replacement on body. You can even but thicker o-ring if you want adjusting to be more stiffer. Sure that o-ring can’t take as much stress as metal ring and maybe some harder plastic ring would be best option. But I think that quality and tight o-ring with grease on it will last as long as light it self.

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Garry already told about one missing o-ring, but here’s picture of that. I have put blue ring on there so you can see that place better.

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Tail-cap reading from my light on high is 2.74A with TF flame 26650. It’s also steady now ( pushing battery does not increase amperes ) ’cause I welded cord in drivers spring.

Interesting. So does the head remain stiff (stay in place) now even with the o-ring? That's what I want - the head not sliding by accident.

-Garry

When I do few snappy hammer motions the head did slide about 1-2mm. Even it is much better now it still could be little stiffer to avoid all accidents.

I try to remember today to pick thicker o-ring from work and try with that. I’m sure then it will be pretty stiff.

I changed o-ring to little thicker (about 19x2mm). 19mm o-ring needed some stretchning ’cause that heads diameter is 30mm (bigger diameter rings that I had was too thick). But it snaped nicely in its place.
Now that head is stiff. It won’t move by accident, I’m pretty sure about that. I “hammered” with flashlight few times hard and that head remained same place where I left it.
This is how it should have worked in first place. :slight_smile:

Ordered/shipped on 11/12, any day now hopefully. Was looking for a light to use a single 26650, and the flood on this one sounds nice. Looks like it need some TLC - when I get it, I'll be studying this thread carefully - thanks for all the info!!

I would be interested in upgrading to a KD V2 3.04A driver, maybe add 1-2 380's to it (3.4A-3.8A). It looks like an aluminum pill however - wonder if there's a brass ring to solder to. If it's solid aluminum, it's a pain but I'm experienced with the cheap stuff!