OMG when will they release those new fenix lights? That TK70 looks like a BEAST. The other ones look more realistic and very interesting! Anyone know where I can find info on release etc.?
After playing with these QTC pills, I must say I really want the variable output in my lights. I like 18650 lights for runtime, so I'd say my light would be variable output, 18650, XM-L driven at 3a on high and then I could select the brightness I want. I really like dust/waterproofness in my lights, as well as HAIII.
Heck, I could probably figure out a way to fab up a light like this. I think I may work on a mini-match mod like this. I have the xm-l, the driver, the QTC...but I'll run it on 2 AA.
My ideal flashlight would have the following features:
Runs on AA or protected AW14500 batteries
Small - ideally similiar in size to the Jetbeam PA-01. But if necessary could be a bit larger. Clean cylinders are preferred. I don't like having a wider head.
Infinitely variable brightness selector ring - same interface as that used on the Sunwayman V10a... but smaller.
Able to produce at least 250 lumens on 14500. On max power, the light should be able to run for at least 30 minutes on 14500 without overheating.
Full regulation
Can tailstand
Fairly stiff reverse clicky switch. Similar to that of the jetbeam PA01. Stiff enough it probably won't turn on accidentally.
zoomable aspheric lense. Either a push-pull, or maybe some kind of ring control so as you turn a zoom selector ring the lens focuses. It would be cool to have a light with 2 control rings next to eachother: one for brightness and one for zoom.
Full knurling - I liked the knurling on the jeatbeam PA01 or Nitecore EZAA. Something similar to that.
Nah, a good build quality light (Fenix, Nitecore... but not big) with 3 programmable modes & memory, good linear driver with good regulation, 1x14500 or 186500 (not both in the same light I mean, or 14500/AA or 18650), tailstand, 1x XPG or XML. Nothing special :p (well, perhaps interchangable lenses or simply FTT light)
I'm not a fan of FTT lights but that's just me. I took 20 years to tolerate zoom lenses on cameras and am still a bit dubious about them - 30 years ago I made a (poor) living from selling cameras and lenses.
I'm not a fan of too-stiff switches but I can see where you are coming from - my lights tend to live on my belt so accidental activation of lights is less of an issue.
Not sure that two different rings would be all that usable for me.
But we are all different and it is always interesting to hear what other folks want - there are often things I'd not thought of.
I tend to go through phases where I want different types of lights. Right now I like the idea of a flood-to-throw pocket light. But before that I was looking at small-sized AA/14500 reflector lights and before that I was looking at AAA reflector lights.
Best pocket-sized reflector light I tried was the zebralight SC51. Small and short. Good heat-sinking, bright for its size. Runs on both AA and 14500. No knurling (but easily fixed with some grip tape). Excellent UI that allowed all modes to be instantly accessed with 1 button:
press button briefly - max power
press and hold for 0.5 seconds - minimum power
double-click button from off position - medium power.
Biggest things I didn't like about it were no zoom, so its throw wasn't very good, lack of knurling, and the mount for the clip protrudes when not using the clip. Electronic side-switch is easily depressed, but accidental activation can be prevented with tailcap lockout.
I want a 50mm ashpheric (preferably zoom) with an xml that has the same or smaller hotspot than a XR-E. Maybe this could be achived with a collimating lens directly over the emitter?
Yup.
The SC51 is bright on a regular AA, but runs considerably brighter on a 14500. It’s almost as bright as a Quark mini-AA on 14500.
No heat problems at all on 14500 and all modes function normally. I’ve tried both Ultrafire protected 14500 and AW protected 14500. Both work fine.
The only issue is that the positive battery contact at the end of the pill is a circuitboard with a few raised chips. For flat-top 14500s I would sometimes have trouble achieving battery contact. When this happened I’d pull out the 14500, rotate it slightly and stick it back in. Usually takes no more than a couple tries to get it to work properly and no battery magnet was required.
Like side by side parralel or electrically parallel? Electrically parallel is a bad idea, unbalenced cells could go *poof* and plus, buck circuits are more efficient.
When you have two Li-ion in parallel, the one with higher voltage starts charging the other. Add discharge into the equation, and you have *poof*. I don't know of a torch that uses parallel Li-ion cells, besides hotwires that CPFers have built balancing chargers for.
While there may have been horror stories on CPF about parallel setups I would blame 99% of those on user error or more to the point incompitent people doing things they bloody shouldn't!
With 3P cells at 3A each cell is only supplying 1A, less than 0.5C. Obviously you want to use three of the same type of cell and to charge them on a decent charger.
The diffrence in voltage will be so small as to be negligible.
On the other hand you could just use LiFePo4's.
***
One of my li-poly powered R/C planes pulls +40A from a 3s2p 5600mah battery pack is yet to explode, it's been charged 2-3 times a week for 4years.
It was standard practice to use cells in parallel in the early years of li-poly as single cells couldn't supply the required current, you no longer need to unless you have an unusual setup or are making something massively overpowerd. li-poly batteries have improved leeps and bounds ahead of the cylindrical li-ions used in flashlights - with discharge limits as high as a constant 45C.
I were also sceptical on using Li-Ions in parallel but then I found an HP laptop battery pack and it was 3s2p factory standard. So I guess nothing happens if both batteries start their lives at the same time.