BLF Designed Budget Thrower GB Question

Tom was getting near 250 kcd with xml2-u2, so should be possible to get closer to 300 kcd if you were willing to go xpg2 or xpe2 for a super thrower

I think what we all want is a single 18650 stl-v6. Do we just need to design it in CAD?

Shouldnt be too hard, but seems like the manufacturer is the problem?

Chris

“I think what we all want is a single 18650 stl-v6. Do we just need to design it in CAD?”

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“All” of us?

Sure, I would like to have one of those too, but I also want a BLF - BIG-HEAD THROWER!

Not so Big that you would never use it… Maybe something around 70-90mm Head diameter, using 3 cells in series?

Yes - I think that you would have to design a “stl-v6”in CAD. - Please clue us in :slight_smile:

Thanks,
-Chuck

EDIT: You said: “Tom was getting near 250 kcd with xml2-u2, so should be possible to get closer to 300 kcd if you were willing to go xpg2 or xpe2 for a super thrower”

XP-E? - Very true, but that is just the sort of thing that is done, just for fun. - Very small Hot Spot, so better figure in the cost of the Binoculars you are going to need to see anything:) Not a very satisfying beam profile. - Great stuff in a P60 size though, I would imagine.

A larger emitter, “XP-L HI” will do the same thing, with a much larger, more useable Hot Spot

The XP-L Hi or XM-L2 will not do the same thing, they do not have anywhere close to the surface brightness of a XP-E2 at 2.5A, and so will throw considerably less. A XP-G2 comes closer already but will still not equal the XP-E2. If you manage to get the XP-G2 at its maximum brightness (which is not possible with a single Li-ion cell) then it has almost the surface brightness of the XP-E2. The XM-L2 and XP-L will blow their bond wires before the maximum die brightness is reached.

That’s true :frowning:
I’d like a compact flashlight, but IMHO is useless if you can drive it only a few minutes at high and than the battery go “off work”…

I vote for single cell 26650. I believe its a good trade-off between performance, runtime & size. It also does not give the out of proportion look by putting a huge head on a 18650 tube size e.g. the Eagle Tac Turbo heads - it really just looks funny. Well, my opinion that is…

Should the preference be multi cell, I definitely prefer parallel please 3 or 4 x 18650. This allows for linear DD drivers on the common thrower type 3V LEDs (XM-L / XP-L / XP-G). Buck drivers are ‘complex’, expensive & has possible heat issues when driven hard. Parallel cells are obviously also good for voltage sag compared to single cell setups, but, my preference still is single cell.

Only reason I would go for multiple cells in series is to run XHP-35, that is 4 x 18650, direct driven.

I just want to clarify. Are you saying that XP-E2 at 2.5 amps will throw further in a big thrower head than any of the XP or XM leds @ max amps in single cell setup?

“The XP-L Hi or XM-L2 will not do the same thing, they do not have anywhere close to the surface brightness of a XP-E2 at 2.5A, and so will throw considerably less.”

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Correct! - Why did I not see this coming?

We are of course going to drive the XML size die at far More than 2.5A, and even if the surface brightness does not match the XP-E2 (that’s a given - it will not), is the beam from the XP-E2 really useful to you, or can you just say that you did throw it that far?

A Laser will throw even further, but even if it were NW/CW CCT, how satisfying would the beam profile be for you?

I for one, want to see something besides just a little spot lit up. - A XP-E2 in a 70mm reflector will be a Pencil Beam, not satisfying to most people.

Thanks for your reply,
-Chuck

I agree a pencil beam is not practical, but, its still interesting - I was not aware that a XP-E2 will out throw e.g. a XP-L V6. And, for that matter, to rephrase, I was not aware that a dedomed XP-E2 at 2.5 amps will out throw a XP-L Hi V3 at max single cell amps… hard to believe :slight_smile:

Hi
Yes 250 kcd is ok with xml2, my HD2010 also is in ~250 kcd but never try a xpg2 or xpe…

My best compact thrower now is a small sun ZY-T13 head single 18650 with xml2 is in 265kcd :slight_smile:

Now I’m finishing a mod with one Small sun ZY-T08, buck driver, xpg2 s4 at 5.5A we’ll see what the result :~

I have a BLF X6 with dedomed XP-E2 running at about 2A. It’s one of my favorite lights, because it really throws and is small enough for me to call it pocketable. Maybe my Yezl Y3 with XP-L HI running at 5A (LD-1) reaches a little further, but it’s not what I call a pocket-thrower. That beeing said, if you carry these throwy type of lights you’ll always want to bring a floody type of light along. For me this X6 with XP-E2 dedomed and a X6 triple XP-L or triple Nichia is just about the perfect combo. And these X6’s are simply beautiful lights if you ask me.

I’m with Chuck in a big head, multiple 18650 cell thrower.

I think there are two tracks here… those that want the pocket thrower, single cell light; and those like Chuck and I who want a pre-modded Courui D01 style light with a huge reflector and multiple cells.

We, my friends, seem to be at an impasse.

I was thinking about it last night, and I don’t mind what it is, I will still buy it.

Addict.

j/k :bigsmile:

New Convoy L2 has 60mm reflector, nice Convoy quality, and Convoy stuff is usually available in host form.

We just need someone who would be willing to use the BLF FET driver and XP-L HI to assemble a Group Buy for us.

So then there is need for two BLF throwers, as far apart as something called 'thrower' can be :-) , so that not a lame compromise is achieved but two extreme performing lights in their own class.

I would love a factory modded Courui D01 and the small pocketable one as discussed on the other thread as well. I have a c8 that scratches the single cell itch but nothing like the big head throwers.

Let me know about the final design and the price when you guys are done… LOL!

If we want high numbers on a buy it has to be at the cheaper end of the market like the Courui D01. I am sure the Convoy L2 is excellent but you will lose at least 100 buyers because of the extra cash. If you look at the history of group buys the budget ones often massively outsell the mid range models. Personally I buy anything that you guys organize that is under $10, almost everything that is under $20 dollars. Once it gets past $25 I start to lose interest rapidly. I do after all have plenty of quality lights already. I doubt I would ever spend over $30 and at that end of the market its retail main branded equivalent would have to be selling for close to $100.

Well, there is already a “C8” and a “mini C8” and krono is currently running the X6-SE v2 group buy, where they are introducing a “mini X6” version, and calling it a K6. So, in the same vein, it might be cool to do a Courui D01 (fully modded) and a “mini D01” that is identical in design, but runs on 3P 14500 or 10440 cells, and is that much smaller in size (including the reflector). I know to some people it might sound lame to run 3P 10440, but in order to make the light scale to size, you need shorter cells, and even a single 18500 is less powerful than 3P 10440 high current cells such as Efest Purple. If we make it 3P 14500, then people could use a single 26500 in it if they wanted to.

I don’t want any series-cell lights for a couple reasons. One: series is more dangerous than parallel. Perfect, or at least near perfect cell matching is a must. Two: Buck drivers are less efficient than linear drivers. Three: Buck drivers usually are not capable of max amps, unless you get a much larger and/or more expensive buck driver.

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YES! - Two is always better than one, and then we can pick and choose:-)

Thank you, djozz!
-Chuck