I very much like the sound of a 5*XM-L. But I personally don't own any 26650 batteries and I don't really want to add new battery types to my collection. Would it be possible to add some sort of adapter to use 2x18650, which is my preferred configuration for these monster lights?
A few other points for the overall design that it would be good to keep in mind:
Crenelated bezels such as those found in the Skyray and Trustfire 3*XM-L models look very ugly to most people's eyes and don't provide much functionality. A bezel like this looks much better:
A body with different angles and sections and knurling styles such as in the Skyrays and Trustfire 3*XM-L models also looks bad aesthetically to most eyes. Simple knurling of the entire body from the tailcap all the way up to the heatsink looks much cleaner and nicer.
Please make sure the switch is recessed enough for it to tailstand
Please give it a useful low mode that lets it run for several days.
Turbo mode would also be nice. :)
Thanks for the development of this! Hope it goes well.
2 x 18650 wouldn't do justice to 5 XM-L LED's. Just not enough power to drive them, not close to what I think you're expecting. No real point to that, unless you want a not-extremely-bright, but very expensive and large, flashlight.
Just 1 XM-L can challenge a single 18650 quite well on its own. Good rule of thumb, with well-driven XM-L's anyway is: 1 18650 battery per emitter. Using 26650 could possibly mitigate/reduce the number of cells needed since they are larger and can produce more current safely, but an even bigger cell would do that better, like D size (32600/32650), but few want that battery option.. however it makes sense.
Regarding the 3-LED model:
The numbers for the 2-cell model of the 3-LED version being discussed here worry me a little bit. I calculated only about 16 watts used on High from the numbers given, anyone correct me? A well-driven XM-L in many single 18650 flashlights will be fed about 10-12 watts. If ~16 watts is true, that's less than 50% or less more watts. Might be a safety feature for the use of the 2-cell model, or maybe a heat management compromise. Safer to drive a single cell hard, than 2 cells. So, I would be interested in seeing if the 3-cell model feeds more energy. From what I've seen though, it might not, if it bucks all voltage down to the same level. And, 3 18650 cells is a fairly long flashlight. 26650 would be better a better options if the designers planned to drive the LED's hard. IMO, people are going to have to accept the reality that multi XM-L or extremely high-energy flashlights are going to need bigger cells. Techies on CPF have known this a long time, often using "D" sized cells, even lithium ones. Now those can deliver a lot of energy. And, with the wide head a 5-LED light would have, it might make sense ergonomically, but might not be appealing to some due to that.
Looking forward to numbers on the 3-cell/3-LED model....
Is this 3 battery version barell (tube) in several pieces so you can either run on two or three batteries? Does it looks like this one with 1 extension:
YouWantLED, please get us the electrical current information for the 3-battery model? How many amps on each mode? Please also give us the voltage? (I assume there is a buck circuit in the 3-battery version, like you mentioned on the 2-battery version.)
Actually, that Quasar 8 is not a bad deal on their site. The included batteries suck but you get a C8 size XM-L flashlight, two 18650 batteries and a two bay charger for $23. The Quasar 9 is a triple XM-L/3 x 18650 light (looks just like the BLF version) that comes with 3 batteries and a two bay charger for $48.44.
So, the BLF deal was $41.50 without batteries and charger . . . their regular price is just $7 more for 3 batteries and a charger?
