Thrower suggestions needed for long range light using 18650 budget priced.

Edit update 2-28-2012

I now own 4 different 18650 lights.

1. My favorite light is the one I bought that is under $10. I am not saying it is the best... it is just my favorite due to cost and torch with great brightness. Shocks everyone when I tell them I bought for $7 on an ebay bid with free shipping. Am having trouble find more for under $10.

5w 5 Watt CREE LED 300 Lm Torch Lamp K5 Flashlight

- I have bought 3 of these and sold at cost 2 to a friend. value vs dollar is great! Looking to buy more.

- I can use my recycled laptop batteries in this without any earth magnets and the batteries last for ever.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5w-5-Watt-CREE-LED-300-Lm-Torch-Lamp-K5-Flashlight-/160748553662?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item256d5c45be&autorefresh=true#ht_4194wt_812

reviews at amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004L7D8SY/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B004T7VRUM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=19CXZPAGF18EBXTP8WHQ

edit update 5/6/2012 on light above.

I have 4 of these and for price are great. sold 2 and kept 2.

On one of these the battery top is being pushed in by the heavy springs. flickers on and off sometimes. but still works and for the light vs price is great.

2nd one I have the metal threads stripped on the body. repaired with plumbers tape and rear stays on. I did not crossthread because rear still fits on other flashlights.

friend I sold other 2 at cost and gave him batteries has same problem with top being pushed in but he doesnt care either. for the light vs price gotta love it.

2. Olight m20 is my workhorse dependable gun light.

3. UniqueFire HS-801 CREE R2 18650 LED Flashlight Torch

This is my long distance light and it works great. Long distance value vs dollar. super tight beam for the money.

4. Super Tactics CREE LED 400 Lm Flashlight Torch Lamp New

I fixed this light from cycling all the time by putting earth magnets on both top and bottom. No more problems.

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I am new to this forum but I spend a significant amount of time on other forums answering questions with detail so I appreciate your time reading and thinking about this!

Am new to lights and hope I am using the correct terminology.

Requirements:

- 'thrower' needed as specialty light to be able to see long range into wooded areas. 200 yards + would be great.

- have discovered the wonders of free 18650s in laptop batteries. I have basically an unlimited supply of dead laptop batteries.

- am only buying this because I can make so many batteries but I want light to be cheap and have a 'laser beam' light to shine long distances. doesnt matter if battery dies, i have spares and take them with me.

- another user on different forum said he has 3 uniquefire hs 802s and recommended them. 2 work, 1 died but he doesnt care because they are so cheap. He is using for same thing I am using for.

- they have many models but here is one http://www.dealextreme.com/p/uniquefire-hs-802-cree-r2-wc-2-mode-230-lumen-led-flashlight-1-18650-2-cr123a-16538

- have been researching this forum and i think 801s and 802 are basically same? I want flashlight to be able to take 'unknown reliability' batteries but I think I am wishing for this.

- Summary: am only buying because I have a ton of batteries and have a specialty need. Want to used 'unknown' batteries I recycle.

Currently have:

- Olight m20 warrior (my first flashlight like this) and the guys I run with are shocked by it. bought about a year ago and it gets used a bunch and hard. Never a problem. Was another recommendation from another user on forums I hang on on. I bought a smooth reflector to help project light but have heard that throwers have super focused 'light sabre beam' long range.

- this light disperses the light and does not penetrate wooded areas. (I hope I am using correct terminology).

- per research, I bought trustfire protected rechargeables and trustfire recharger. Lasts long time and I run with 2 surefire cr123s as backup to primary light.

- I will not use the pulled laptop batteries on my olight. Dont want something bad to happen to it.

- Again, I use this Olight heavily (it doesnt sit in a bag for long) and am happy.

18650 laptop batteries:

- I pull and lightly dremel the solders off.

- 1000 grit sandpaper to make sure no solder left

- use www.corrosionx.com on top and bottom to pull out anything left and corrosionx was made for aircraft electrical connections to stop rust and still conduct power.

- I do not overcharge or leave to charge overnite. I keep charging 18650s on counter and as soon as light turns green i pull out.

Again, I appreciate your time.

Edit update: want to keep the same size as the uniquefire 802 or 801 and under $30. I apologize for not putting that in my requirements.

Am also buying to see if all these old laptop batteries will really work and for how long. Dont want to mess up my olight with them.

I found this review on uniquefire 801

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/1187

Fandyfire STL-V6

See threads in here

Yes, I second that, the FandyFire STL-V6 is one of the best budget throwers.

The one I will recommend is the Trustfire TR-1200 5X Q5 light. Mine easily throws a beam 300+yds.

Here's a shot down my street. About 120yds to those cars on the right. That street sign past the cars on the right is probably around 200yds or so. No problem at all for this light.

Doctor Jones forced me to click the link and then get an STL-V6.....I tried to resist.

I already have an X9 driven at 2.8A.

At least I'm not on CPF....it would have been $900.

There is a Surefire that looks like the X9 and it's not even XM-L, and it costs almost $900

I don’t see how you can go wrong with the HS-802. If you don’t want even that amount of spill then you need an aspheric in a light with a larger head.

I am thinking about going with the 801 802. is within budget and size.

I didnt know what aspheric was so I looked it up and learned something...

Steve, thanks for the info. I added to my wishlist on deal extreme. Is over my budget.

And I have been on candlepowerforums looking up stuff... if you dont buy a $900 flashlight you arent in the club.. I dont think I phrased this right but you probably understand it. when i saw budgetlightforum I said this is the place to post.

I am in Texas, too and will IM you and you will understand that I use my lights. They dont sit on the shelf.

Hmm, seems I've read here that the newer versions of the TR-1200 are poorly driven. Do you think I could get a good one from Manafont? They sell the body and head separately.

I appreciate your time and effort. I did not write my requirements correctly...

Edit update: want to keep the same size as the uniquefire 802 or 801 and under $30. I apologize for not putting that in my requirements.

I am ok with a larger light and weight but need to keep same size for what I can do with it.

Thanks for your help. Added to my dealextreme wishlist. Is too large for my needs or would buy one like this since I have sooo many batteries to run thru it.

Welcome to the hobby!

You definitely want to stay with single cell lights when using cells that are unprotected and of various brands/capacities/"states of decay".

I recently got a Trustfire USA168 (from Manafont) and the "R2 pill for the HS-801" and I'm getting lux readings that damn near up to the level of my Fandyfire STL-V6 (same as the Skyray STL-V2), albeit a much smaller hotspot. Not bad for $28. :)

You should have a look on the Solarforce Skyline 1, laser-like throw, quality above budget

http://www.internationaltradingcompany.net/product_detail.php?t=LF&s=26&id=123

48mm front bezel....and you got pretty near to the STL-V6. Yes that's about right. The Solarforce Masterpiece Pro-1 (57mm bezel) is slightly above the STL-V6.

I get around 44k from the Fandy and almost 40k from the USA168. Now that’s at unreasonable currents for an XR-E (1.8A)and no regulation, so its not exactly an even comparison. Both measurements taken 15 seconds after turn-on.

I'd like a MPP-1 but I already have a bunch of throwers I never use. I'm a flood guy... these things are just toys I use to see how big of numbers I can get. :)

Thats what I thought after reading about the 2 or 3 18650s in the longer flashlights. stay single cell... but that is what i wanted to buy anyway so it works out.

looked at r2 pill for hs801 what is that?

I don't know about the newer ones. Budgetworks off ebay sells some good ones. That's where I bought my last one I believe for my son. He loves it. But I have bought 3 of them off of ebay from different sellers and all have been about the same. These lights throw a lot better than people would think. A matter of fact if they made the reflector surrounding each led deeper it would only throw farther. That's what they did with the Fenix TK70. And it will come very close I would say to the Olight SR90. Now it may not beat it, but for less than half the price, the TK70 is bad to the bone for throw. I plan on getting one soon. Maybe even for Christmas if I'm good.

sb56637,

I took this one one day last week I believe off the deck from the back of my house. This is my neighbors shed. It's about 85yds away. Even my bright Keygos KE-5 won't light it up this well. This light really is a great thower. Probably one of my best right now. But I have a Olight SR51 coming this week hopefully and a Thru-Nite Catapult V3 as well. I guess I'll be able to find out how the Trustfire TR-1200 compares to some real throwers.