I’ve done a bit of research on making a 26650 light based on a reflector design and using a side e-switch. There are inherent obstacles to overcome.
If you use a xhp50 or 70 then you either need 26350 cells (which are not common and only 4,000mah worth of energy) or you use a boost driver (which greatly limits your power and UI choices).
Or you go with 3 or 4 single emitters in a reflector with a regular driver, but these light designs are rare
At that diameter, I think an optic makes more sense for a triple or quad. It gives you an easy way to change the beam shape, to some extent. I think there’s room for a 26650 light which could also take 21700 with a centering sleeve (ie. good springs on both ends).
But to be honest, I think a single emitter with boost driver and somewhat lower power would also be useful. It’s not like a light that size can dissipate a lot of heat anyway. It would be a nice change to have a light designed for maximum sustained output instead of burn-your-fingers-in-30-seconds turbo mode. Turbo is fun but we already have it in many forms.
Does anyone know if everything is okay with The Miller? Just busy life stuff, I hope.
Some post’s on Facebook makes it seem that he is OK, but it does seem odd that he dropped of the BLF world completely. AT first it made sense that he just needed to step back for a few days, but it is very surprising to me that he would not have just taken a quick peak at the GT thread and see the concern by so many and just make a post or two. I am sure he will be back when he is ready.
Someone might need to take the lead on the new projects thread just to move things forward. It will have to be someone who who knows the technical side to get a good start and then the process side to get it manufactured. I am sure that others familiar with past projects will do a great job.
Does anyone know if everything is okay with The Miller? Just busy life stuff, I hope.
Some post’s on Facebook makes it seem that he is OK, but it does seem odd that he dropped of the BLF world completely. AT first it made sense that he just needed to step back for a few days, but it is very surprising to me that he would not have just taken a quick peak at the GT thread and see the concern by so many and just make a post or two. I am sure he will be back when he is ready.
Someone might need to take the lead on the new projects thread just to move things forward. It will have to be someone who who knows the technical side to get a good start and then the process side to get it manufactured. I am sure that others familiar with past projects will do a great job.
Excellent question cabfrank….. it appears no one knows.
The last known Miller sighting I am aware of was back on 5 December…. discussed HERE in the GT Thread. It appears he was alive & well then.
It does seem very uncharacteristic of the Miller, who was so involved; to just vanish without a word. Oh well…. stuff happens I guess.
It made things a bit difficult for TA & others at a critical time in the GT Group Buy….. But they overcame & things went very smoothly. They all did a stellar job!!!
As WaylonJennings mentioned….. someone with the familarity with projects & knowhow will probably step in and things will just move right on along.
—
You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him up to a heavy load./"Bear" Bryant
.................................. "Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast" ...................................
I’ve done a bit of research on making a 26650 light based on a reflector design and using a side e-switch. There are inherent obstacles to overcome.
If you use a xhp50 or 70 then you either need 26350 cells (which are not common and only 4,000mah worth of energy) or you use a boost driver (which greatly limits your power and UI choices).
Or you go with 3 or 4 single emitters in a reflector with a regular driver, but these light designs are rare
At that diameter, I think an optic makes more sense for a triple or quad. It gives you an easy way to change the beam shape, to some extent. I think there’s room for a 26650 light which could also take 21700 with a centering sleeve (ie. good springs on both ends).
But to be honest, I think a single emitter with boost driver and somewhat lower power would also be useful. It’s not like a light that size can dissipate a lot of heat anyway. It would be a nice change to have a light designed for maximum sustained output instead of burn-your-fingers-in-30-seconds turbo mode. Turbo is fun but we already have it in many forms.
Those already exist. I’ve got a DQG Tiny 7x xpg2. It does 2500 lumen and is pretty awesome, but I don’t like tir lenses. I’ve retired mine as it’s not very good for walking around at night.
—
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Is the problem finding the proper sized three or four emitter reflector? How would the U21 work as a host? I have always thought that the U21 would be a good host for a high output emitter because it is such a heavy build and should be able to handle the heat better than some of the thin walled light weight lights like the Olight and Acebeam.
What I would really like is a pocketable dedicated thrower and a pocketable general use 26650 light like we are talking about.
Yes, these small diameter multiemmiter reflectors are only found on a few lights and I have no idea if they can be made to fit a different body. Obviously the emitter shelf would need to be raised if you put it in a body that used a single emitter. This means a custom machined spacer which I why I was hoping for a host that already came with a small multi emitter reflector.
I felt the U21 was a bit too big as far as head diameter. If that size is okay by you, then there are existing lights that can be used as hosts. Check out the Shadow SL-3.
I would be just fine with a smaller host as long as it could handle the heat of three emitters. The little DQG 26650 seems to heat up pretty quickly due to it’s small size. I like the small size of my SD26 and EC60, but I do not know how they would handle a triple emitter set up.
FWIW the Aspire cells have been discontinued so building a light specifically around their capacity is probably a non-starter.
Going back a few posts, the ZL UI may not be at the very cutting edge any longer but it is far from a ‘poor’ UI.
I am shocked to hear that the Aspire cells have been discontinued. They are so much better than the next best 18350 cell out there. I was hoping that they would start making a 16340.
Wow, that was 5 years ago. You can’t even buy it anymore, I assume. Flashlight technology moves fast. I think it’s time for another 26650 light.
We could take the A8 and install a TA driver running NarsilM, add a side switch and maybe make the head a little bigger to fit a triple reflector with xpl emitters. Like a 26650 version of the Sofirn C8F. IDK, but I like those kind of lights.
—
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Wow, that was 5 years ago. You can’t even buy it anymore, I assume. Flashlight technology moves fast. I think it’s time for another 26650 light.
We could take the A8 and install a TA driver running NarsilM, add a side switch and maybe make the head a little bigger to fit a triple reflector with xpl emitters. Like a 26650 version of the Sofirn C8F. IDK, but I like those kind of lights.
I think a triple w/xpl emitters in a 26650 should be the next project.
I can’t remember who asked… but the inquiry to Sofirn about a 26650 C8F has been submitted to Tracy.
I recently received a PM from Tracy on something, I will also present my interest bout this form to her.
I think a triple w/xpl emitters in a 26650 should be the next project.
Why not a quad? Better efficiency at the same lumen output.
More emitters makes the reflector smaller. Maybe 4 would work well? Sofirn already has a small triple reflector and Cutter carries a triple 5050 mcpcb that fits it. Triple 3535 mcpcb should also already exist. I don’t think I’ve seen a quad reflector light with a head under 44mm *which is C8 size).
—
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
I can’t remember who asked… but the inquiry to Sofirn about a 26650 C8F has been submitted to Tracy.
I recently received a PM from Tracy on something, I will also present my interest bout this form to her.
I asked about that. No one currently makes a light like that so it would be unique. (Triple or quad reflector light with smallish 44mm or less size head, side switch and 26650 body) I think the closest was the Shadow SL-3, but it had a 64mm head which made it kind of bulky.
I photoshopped my Convoy C8 head with my Supfire 26650 body to see what the proportions looked like.
44mm head seems to not be too bulky.
—
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
I just received a UT02 and I really like the dimensions. Button area could be smaller OD IMO. That would bring it closer to the C8F in 26650 form. Just strange that so much throw is in a package only a couple MM longer than the C8F. UT02 is a neat light, I like it.
More emitters makes the reflector smaller. Maybe 4 would work well? Sofirn already has a small triple reflector and Cutter carries a triple 5050 mcpcb that fits it. Triple 3535 mcpcb should also already exist. I don’t think I’ve seen a quad reflector light with a head under 44mm *which is C8 size).
If you want throw then you would use a single LED.
Triples and quads are mostly TIR.
There is not much diameter difference between 3 and 4.
More emitters makes the reflector smaller. Maybe 4 would work well? Sofirn already has a small triple reflector and Cutter carries a triple 5050 mcpcb that fits it. Triple 3535 mcpcb should also already exist. I don’t think I’ve seen a quad reflector light with a head under 44mm *which is C8 size).
If you want throw then you would use a single LED.
Triples and quads are mostly TIR.
There is not much diameter difference between 3 and 4.
I don’t care about throw.
We are only talking about a reflector based light, not tir.
—
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
You can still use a TIR flashlight for longer distances…
There is nothing that magically stops the beam past a few meters that says “NO YOUCANTUSETHISFLASHLIGHTTHISFAR”
(hint: flashlights have more than 1 brightness mode)
.
The point is a TIR will be smaller and more compact than a reflector.
There is also little difference between a triple and a quad in terms of the individual optic diameter, so it is a better choice to go with 4 if it fits (which it will, in something that is 26650 size) because the efficiency increases the lower you run LEDs.
So 4 LEDs making 2000 (or whatever) lumens will be more efficient than 3 LEDs making 2000 lumens.
That means longer run time. Which is again one of the main reasons to use 26650.
We are only talking about a reflector based light, not tir.
Then there is no reason to use a reflector instead of TIR…
A TIR will be more compact and give a nicer beam profile for up close use.
Wrong. First of all, tir style triples/quads using a 26650 body with side switch already exist, so there is no point in making another one.
Second, reflector based lights give off good spill lighting unlike tir. You get a great beam pattern with both spill and distance. This is proven in the C8F. It’s great for walking at night or general purposes. It’s also proven with my Supfire which has an xhp70 in a small OP reflector. It’s also proven in my DQG Tiny 7x xpg2 which makes a nice hotspot, but has very weak spill requiring me to wave it around as I walk.
—
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Wrong. First of all, tir style triples/quads using a 26650 body with side switch already exist, so there is no point in making another one.
1) Soda can lights like the BLF Q8 already exited. 18650 lights like the BLF A6 already existed.
The point was to make a better and cheaper one. Not to make some revolutionary strange thing never seen before.
JasonWW wrote:
Second, reflector based lights give off good spill lighting unlike tir. You get a great beam pattern with both spill and distance.
2) Who told you that TIRs make bad spill?? Have you ever used one?
The benefit of a TIR over a reflector is that you get a more gradual transition between spill and spot unlike reflectors which have everything the same brightness and then a blinding sharp spot in the middle.
This is better for up-close use.
You also don’t get a flower shaped spill like you do with multi-reflector flashlights.
3) Maybe instead of being rude and just saying “WRONG” you can spend some time doing research on different types of optics.
Which of those TIR pics are triple or quads? Those were the discussion and should be compared to the last Flower pic of the multi emitter reflector light.
And I still say… There is also no use for 3500 lumens up close.
FWIW the Aspire cells have been discontinued so building a light specifically around their capacity is probably a non-starter.
Going back a few posts, the ZL UI may not be at the very cutting edge any longer but it is far from a ‘poor’ UI.
But to be honest, I think a single emitter with boost driver and somewhat lower power would also be useful. It’s not like a light that size can dissipate a lot of heat anyway. It would be a nice change to have a light designed for maximum sustained output instead of burn-your-fingers-in-30-seconds turbo mode. Turbo is fun but we already have it in many forms.
Does anyone know if everything is okay with The Miller? Just busy life stuff, I hope.
Some post’s on Facebook makes it seem that he is OK, but it does seem odd that he dropped of the BLF world completely. AT first it made sense that he just needed to step back for a few days, but it is very surprising to me that he would not have just taken a quick peak at the GT thread and see the concern by so many and just make a post or two. I am sure he will be back when he is ready.
Someone might need to take the lead on the new projects thread just to move things forward. It will have to be someone who who knows the technical side to get a good start and then the process side to get it manufactured. I am sure that others familiar with past projects will do a great job.
The last known Miller sighting I am aware of was back on 5 December…. discussed HERE in the GT Thread. It appears he was alive & well then.
It does seem very uncharacteristic of the Miller, who was so involved; to just vanish without a word. Oh well…. stuff happens I guess.
It made things a bit difficult for TA & others at a critical time in the GT Group Buy….. But they overcame & things went very smoothly.
They all did a stellar job!!!
As WaylonJennings mentioned….. someone with the familarity with projects & knowhow will probably step in and things will just move right on along.
You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him up to a heavy load./"Bear" Bryant
.................................. "Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast" ...................................
Texas Lumens Flashlights / M4D M4X Deals : sign up - save $$$$
Rudeness Level _ mΩ _ {width:70%} _ LightWiki _ LED Tint Chart
Xlamp size chart _ BatteryU _ Flashaholic? Need Professional Help??? TheOriginal _ TAB _ LightSearch _ BatterySearch _ 14500's _ DiCal
As long as he is fine, that is all I am concerned about. He has done great things, and I hope all is well.
/\_/\_/\ …
Well as of 5 December it ‘appears’ he was.
I guess if he had wanted anyone, on BLF at least; to know anything more…. he would have told someone something.
You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him up to a heavy load./"Bear" Bryant
.................................. "Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast" ...................................
Texas Lumens Flashlights / M4D M4X Deals : sign up - save $$$$
Rudeness Level _ mΩ _ {width:70%} _ LightWiki _ LED Tint Chart
Xlamp size chart _ BatteryU _ Flashaholic? Need Professional Help??? TheOriginal _ TAB _ LightSearch _ BatterySearch _ 14500's _ DiCal
Those already exist. I’ve got a DQG Tiny 7x xpg2. It does 2500 lumen and is pretty awesome, but I don’t like tir lenses. I’ve retired mine as it’s not very good for walking around at night.
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Click this to go to signature links. I'm still around, just not reading many new threads.
Yes, these small diameter multiemmiter reflectors are only found on a few lights and I have no idea if they can be made to fit a different body. Obviously the emitter shelf would need to be raised if you put it in a body that used a single emitter. This means a custom machined spacer which I why I was hoping for a host that already came with a small multi emitter reflector.
I felt the U21 was a bit too big as far as head diameter. If that size is okay by you, then there are existing lights that can be used as hosts. Check out the Shadow SL-3.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.fasttech.com/p/amp/1359103
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Click this to go to signature links. I'm still around, just not reading many new threads.
I would be just fine with a smaller host as long as it could handle the heat of three emitters. The little DQG 26650 seems to heat up pretty quickly due to it’s small size. I like the small size of my SD26 and EC60, but I do not know how they would handle a triple emitter set up.
I am shocked to hear that the Aspire cells have been discontinued. They are so much better than the next best 18350 cell out there. I was hoping that they would start making a 16340.
Um, yes. Short memories!
If your refering to the cometa zoomie fiasco, that light doesn’t count. We mean a reflector type light.
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Click this to go to signature links. I'm still around, just not reading many new threads.
The A8! The Cometa came well after and isn’t BLF, that’s another forum CPF or something similar.
Nothing compared to the new BLF projects but it all starts somewhere. Can’t believe no one else remembers it. I still use mine occasionally.
Here’s a link….
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/17666
Wow, that was 5 years ago. You can’t even buy it anymore, I assume. Flashlight technology moves fast. I think it’s time for another 26650 light.
We could take the A8 and install a TA driver running NarsilM, add a side switch and maybe make the head a little bigger to fit a triple reflector with xpl emitters. Like a 26650 version of the Sofirn C8F. IDK, but I like those kind of lights.
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Click this to go to signature links. I'm still around, just not reading many new threads.
I think a triple w/xpl emitters in a 26650 should be the next project.
Why not a quad? Better efficiency at the same lumen output.
The OPTOFIRE - 4.63Mcd aspheric LED flashlight The SYNIOSBEAM - 10Mcd recoil LED flashlight List of the farthest throwing flashlights
I can’t remember who asked… but the inquiry to Sofirn about a 26650 C8F has been submitted to Tracy.
I recently received a PM from Tracy on something, I will also present my interest bout this form to her.
View BLF with NO Commercials Here!
More emitters makes the reflector smaller. Maybe 4 would work well? Sofirn already has a small triple reflector and Cutter carries a triple 5050 mcpcb that fits it. Triple 3535 mcpcb should also already exist. I don’t think I’ve seen a quad reflector light with a head under 44mm *which is C8 size).
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Click this to go to signature links. I'm still around, just not reading many new threads.
I asked about that. No one currently makes a light like that so it would be unique. (Triple or quad reflector light with smallish 44mm or less size head, side switch and 26650 body) I think the closest was the Shadow SL-3, but it had a 64mm head which made it kind of bulky.
I photoshopped my Convoy C8 head with my Supfire 26650 body to see what the proportions looked like.
44mm head seems to not be too bulky.
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Click this to go to signature links. I'm still around, just not reading many new threads.
I would like to see a 26650 C8F and have asked.
I just received a UT02 and I really like the dimensions. Button area could be smaller OD IMO. That would bring it closer to the C8F in 26650 form. Just strange that so much throw is in a package only a couple MM longer than the C8F. UT02 is a neat light, I like it.
View BLF with NO Commercials Here!
If you want throw then you would use a single LED.
Triples and quads are mostly TIR.
There is not much diameter difference between 3 and 4.
The OPTOFIRE - 4.63Mcd aspheric LED flashlight The SYNIOSBEAM - 10Mcd recoil LED flashlight List of the farthest throwing flashlights
I don’t care about throw.
We are only talking about a reflector based light, not tir.
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Click this to go to signature links. I'm still around, just not reading many new threads.
Then there is no reason to use a reflector instead of TIR…
A TIR will be more compact and give a nicer beam profile for up close use.
The OPTOFIRE - 4.63Mcd aspheric LED flashlight The SYNIOSBEAM - 10Mcd recoil LED flashlight List of the farthest throwing flashlights
There is also no use for 3500 lumens up close.
View BLF with NO Commercials Here!
You can still use a TIR flashlight for longer distances…
There is nothing that magically stops the beam past a few meters that says “NO YOU CANT USE THIS FLASHLIGHT THIS FAR”
(hint: flashlights have more than 1 brightness mode)
.
The point is a TIR will be smaller and more compact than a reflector.
There is also little difference between a triple and a quad in terms of the individual optic diameter, so it is a better choice to go with 4 if it fits (which it will, in something that is 26650 size) because the efficiency increases the lower you run LEDs.
So 4 LEDs making 2000 (or whatever) lumens will be more efficient than 3 LEDs making 2000 lumens.
That means longer run time. Which is again one of the main reasons to use 26650.
The OPTOFIRE - 4.63Mcd aspheric LED flashlight The SYNIOSBEAM - 10Mcd recoil LED flashlight List of the farthest throwing flashlights
Wrong. First of all, tir style triples/quads using a 26650 body with side switch already exist, so there is no point in making another one.
Second, reflector based lights give off good spill lighting unlike tir. You get a great beam pattern with both spill and distance. This is proven in the C8F. It’s great for walking at night or general purposes. It’s also proven with my Supfire which has an xhp70 in a small OP reflector. It’s also proven in my DQG Tiny 7x xpg2 which makes a nice hotspot, but has very weak spill requiring me to wave it around as I walk.
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Click this to go to signature links. I'm still around, just not reading many new threads.
Obviously. You use the 3500 to see far distances, then drop it back down to a lesser output for walking around, etc…
Texas Ace Lumen Tube and JoshK Sphere calibrated with Maukka lights
Click this to go to signature links. I'm still around, just not reading many new threads.
1) Soda can lights like the BLF Q8 already exited. 18650 lights like the BLF A6 already existed.
The point was to make a better and cheaper one. Not to make some revolutionary strange thing never seen before.
2) Who told you that TIRs make bad spill?? Have you ever used one?
The benefit of a TIR over a reflector is that you get a more gradual transition between spill and spot unlike reflectors which have everything the same brightness and then a blinding sharp spot in the middle.
This is better for up-close use.
You also don’t get a flower shaped spill like you do with multi-reflector flashlights.
3) Maybe instead of being rude and just saying “WRONG” you can spend some time doing research on different types of optics.
The OPTOFIRE - 4.63Mcd aspheric LED flashlight The SYNIOSBEAM - 10Mcd recoil LED flashlight List of the farthest throwing flashlights
Which of those TIR pics are triple or quads? Those were the discussion and should be compared to the last Flower pic of the multi emitter reflector light.
And I still say… There is also no use for 3500 lumens up close.
View BLF with NO Commercials Here!
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