A couple questions about lights and p60 drop ins

My first purchase was the $2.99 ones. I took pictures with the old lens and new lens at a 4-second exposure and couldn't tell much of a difference. However, based on your measurements, I still believe there is an improvement. Next time I bought the cheaper ones. Even if there is a difference, what are the odds that KD would keep them straight? Both had the same plastic film covers over them.

Okay guys your going way over my head. let me start by saying i have never modded a light befor i used to just buy them and leave them alone.

But now that im getting more into them im want to learn but i dont know where to start. So is there any good write ups or videos on how to do all of this?

what is the driver?

how do i measure the amps coming out?

also what are some of the better out of the box drop ins?

Most of this is pretty simple. If my videos weren't terrible I'd make one. If you want crazy bright, the highest output on short of very expensive custom ones, is the Manafont XM-L T6 dropin.

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/ultrafire-cree-t6-3mode-memory-led-dropin-module-42v-max-p-5178

The plain glass lenses that come with the hosts tend not to be all that great, the coated ones reduce losses and are a cheap upgrade at 2-3 dollars. Comparing a new one of these to an old (and probably dirty) plain glass lens made an enormous difference. Just giving the lens (Actually its only function is to keep things off the LED and make the light water resistant, it is actually more of a "window" than a "lens") a good clean (Take it out and wash it in hot water with whatever you use to wash dishes) will let more light through. Swapping the glass is usually just a matter of unscrewing the bezel and popping it out to clean it. Here are the numbers for a coated lens against an (admittedly dirty) plain glass one. The "Lens" numbers are with coated glass. My throwiest light is an XR-E Q5 with an enormous reflector (65mm deep, 45mm wide at the top) which has a throw value nearly 100% better than this XM-L module. You'd probably need a wider and deeper reflector to get the crazy throw out of an XM-L

Light Battery
Ultrafire XM-L T6 P60 dropin High 18650
Ultrafire XM-L T6 P60 dropin High Lens 18650
Ultrafire XM-L T6 P60 dropin Low 18650
Ultrafire XM-L T6 P60 dropin Low Lens 18650
Ultrafire XM-L T6 P60 dropin Med 18650
Ultrafire XM-L T6 P60 dropin Med Lens 18650

You can't go far wrong with any of the Solarforce dropins.

With the constraints of size, and that most reflectors are designed round the Cree XR-E, the XR-E series of LEDs still tend to throw farther. If you look at my 40 metre beamshots, ignore the edges and take a look at the target branch you can see that lights with a sixth of the sheer output of the XM-L (or a tenth of the Varapower) can still light up the target. Next time I'm looking for a 50-100 metre target. The actual are of the LED that is emitting light is very much larger in the XM-L than with the XR-E. Some XP-E modules throw very well too, though my memory can't recall any more at the moment.

Here is a chunk of my light measurements spreadsheet. The two best throwers (neither of them are P60) both use XR-E Q5 (or it might be R2 - there is no way of telling without lab-grade equipment). the Manafont dropin above is by far the best-throwing P60 module just by virtue of its enormous output.

Light Battery
Solarforce L2m DX R5 dropin High 2 18650
Solarforce L2m Solarforce HV R5 dropin 2 18650
Lumapower MRV SE Low 18650
EastwardYJ J06 Medium 18650
Solarforce L2i R2 low voltage dropin 18650
Ultrafire XM-L T6 P60 dropin High 18650
Ultrafire XM-L T6 P60 dropin High Lens 18650
Varapower prototype 4C NiMH
EastwardYJ J06 High 18650
Lumahunter MRV SE High 18650
RQ Spear Clone High 18650

okay im learning some thing so far. a couple more questions.

how do i figure out what leds are/do what. like the diffrence between the XM-L and the XR-E im mean to me its just letters. i dont understand what they mean.

Also what is the driver is it part of the drop in?

You may find the Flashlight Wiki http://flashlight-wiki.com/ (link also at top left of BLF pages) Really useful for most of your questions.

Also will the solarforce 320 lumen XPG work with 1 18650 battery? because it says 4v-18v and 1 18650 is only 3.7v.

sorry for the dumb questions guys

1c3man,

I was in the same boat you were in about 4 months ago....Up until then, the brightest torch I owned was a 15yr old streamlight and I couldn't tell a pill from a pie-hole. So, here's some advice, and what I did:

Start going through some of the old threads, especially if it's one with a technical discussion and just read them (there's quite a few posts and pictures going over drop-ins and drivers here). Granted, you may not understand much of the jargon BUT at least you'll be exposed to it. As with any new subject or hobby, be it particle physics or popsicles, answering your particular questions without a good baseline reference won't get you far.

Think of the information like puzzle pieces. It's hard to put the puzzle together without a picture, but it's even harder to do when you haven't even seen all the pieces yet.

Yea, I know...my analogy stinks, but hey it's waaay past my bedtime.

If that sounds like too much work, then here's the short answer based off of your original question:

Buy this for your L2.

http://budgetlightforum.cz.cc/node/505

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0ApkFM37n_QnRdDU5MDNzOURjYllmZHI4M3JYMUVwM0E&hl=en&authkey=CIOSsoMI#gid=1

http://www.dealextreme.com/forums/Forums.dx/Forum.-209~threadid.530221

http://www.forolinternas.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=996&p=10295#p10294 you might need bing/or google translator or learn spanish

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?188772-pictorial-review-of-LEDs/page2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law

http://img85.imageshack.us/f/flux.jpg/ . >> arrows right and left to toggle between pages

http://fonarevka.ru/ blows my mind everytime I go here i spend hours.. I hope I'm getting a virus or lossing my credit card info because it's totally worth it .Amazing fun data base .. play with stuff on the right and on bottom right ..flasoholics dream

http://www.cree.com/products/pdf/XLamp7090XR-E_B&L.pdf

http://www.gearcarrot.com/guides/lights/?p=toc

http://flashlight-wiki.com/

Listed in order of output at maximum power, least bright to most bright:

Luxeon Rebel 040-bin (84+ lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Luxeon Rebel 050-bin (105+ lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Luxeon Rebel 060-bin (126+ lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
SSC P4 S1-bin (127-141 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
SSC P4 S2-bin (141-165 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Luxeon Rebel 070-bin (147+ lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
SSC P4 T1-bin (165-188 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Luxeon Rebel 080-bin (168+ lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Cree XRE/XPE P4-bin (177-192 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
SSC P4 T2-bin (188-214 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Luxeon Rebel 090-bin (189+ lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Cree XRE/XPE Q2-bin (192-207 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Cree XRE/XPE Q3-bin (207-220 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Luxeon Rebel 100-bin (210+ lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
SSC P4 U1-bin (214-235 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Cree XRE/XPE Q4-bin (220-233 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Luxeon Rebel ES (225+ lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Luxeon Rebel 110-bin (231+ lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)*
Cree XRE/XPE Q5-bin (233-251 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
SSC P4 U2-bin (235-256 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Cree XRE/XPE R2-bin (251-268 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
SSC P4 U3-bin (256-280 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)*
Cree XRE/XPE R3-bin (268-286 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)
Cree XRE/XPE R4-bin (286-306 lm @ 1A, ~3.5W)*
Cree XPG R2-bin (380-406 lm @ 1.5A, ~5W)
Cree XPG R3-bin (406-433 lm @ 1.5A, ~5W)
Cree XPG R4-bin (433-463 lm @ 1.5A, ~5W)
SSC P7 A-bin (440-570 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)
Cree XPG R5-bin (463-493 lm @ 1.5A, ~5W)
Cree MCE H-bin (490-560 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)
Cree XPG S2-bin (493-520 lm @ 1.5A, ~5W)
Cree XPG S3-bin (520-547 lm @ 1.5A, ~5W)*
Cree MCE J-bin (560-648 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)
SSC P7 B-bin (570-700 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)
Luminus SST-50 F-bin (635-823 lm @ 5A, ~18W)
Cree MCE K-bin (648-753 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)
SSC P7 C-bin (700-800 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)
Cree MCE M-bin (753-858 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)
SSC P7 D-bin (800-900 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)
Luminus SST-50 G-bin (823-999 lm @ 5A, ~18W)
Cree XM-L T5-Bin (845-910 lm @ 3.0A, ~10W)
Cree MCE N-bin (858-962 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)
SSC P7 E-bin (900-1100 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)*
Cree XM-L T6-Bin (910-975 lm @ 3.0A, ~10W)
Cree MCE P-bin (962-1085 lm @ 2.8A, ~10W)*
Cree XM-L U2-Bin (975-1040 lm @ 3.0A, ~10W)*
Luminus SST-50 H-bin (999-1175 lm @ 5A, ~18W)
Cree XM-L U3-Bin (1040-1105 lm @ 3.0A, ~10W)*
Luminus SST-50 J-bin (1175-1410 lm @ 5A, ~18W)
Luminus SST-50 K-bin (1410-1645 lm @ 5A, ~18W)*
Luminus SST-90 K-bin (1410-1645 lm @ 9A, ~34W)
Luminus SST-90 L-bin (1645-1998 lm @ 9A, ~34W)
Luminus SST-90 M-bin (1998-2350 lm @ 9A, ~34W)
Luminus SST-90 N-bin (2350-2820 lm @ 9A, ~34W)
Luminus SST-90 P-bin (2820-3408 lm @ 9A, ~34W)*

Red = <60 lpw min.
Orange = 60-75 lpw min.
Green = 75-90 lpw min.
Blue = >90 lpw min.

*(not yet available)
[EDIT: colorized according to approx. lpw]

if you know that .. you'll be wise like don ... there is a test in 3 weeks

I certainly don't know all that - I just know where to find it when I need to.

Thanks for posting this list. It helps big time. I'm going to print it out and keep it handy.

"And in swoops Boaz to take all the fun out of the Easter Egg hunt..."

1C3Man, Boaz just hooked you up. That's a lot of excellent information to go over, and now it's all in one neat spot.

Nice work!

WOW. thats the stuff i was hoping to find thanks alot.

It's a gift.....

some got it .. some don't

I don't. Frown

That's because you keep gifting it away :P

LOL

lpw min = uh, lumens per watt, minimum? So blue are the most efficient/longest running (in terms of battery life)?

Here's a noob with a (probably) already asked/answered question:

How many amps do you suppose my stock L2P or L2 is pulling with the 3-mode Ultra Fire XM-L from Manafont with a Solarforce 2400 mAh 18650? Are they seriously at or near 900 lumens? I was thinking they were closer to a real world 400 to 600 range.

veryusefullistboazFoy

[Pedantic stuff alert]

Apologies for the attack of pedantry about to emerge.

The yellow stuff is the phosphor which is actually coated on the die which emits blue light. The phosphor turns the blue light into a range of frequencies leading to us seeing white light.

The junction is the bit that emits the blue light. Since the phosphor coating is about ten nanometres from the die, this is an ultra-pedantic point. In practice what you see is the yellow bit which is the bit which gets hot.

But that's enough pedantry for one day.

[/Pedantic stuff alert]

Actually, I reckon this is an excellent summary.

Thank you.

Foy