So...
Recently I had hinted at a light in the works that i had been holding out for, saving up for, and selling some lights for. Well, it arrived yesterday! I wont make this long, and I'll hold back no info - TomE & I had come to an agreement for him to put together a BLF GT that he had, in 3 volt... you can see where i am going with this?
an SFT40 LED!
Yes! Thats right, i am dubbing it the BLF GT40.
I Don't Know if it is humanly possible for me to express how excited i have been about this project! Not only did Mr. TomE graciously offer to setup a GT, a light that i have wanted for a couple years since i saw Matt Smith's videos on it back in 2019. BUT, he had offered to install one of my absolute favorite throwing LED's in it.
The reason why this is such a big deal to me is that not only did it require him to work his electrode wranglin' magic to get the amperage right in a 3volt converted BLF GT as to not blow the emitter, but he also spent time adjusting and focusing the reflector for what i would consider a perfect beam. This is incredible. There has been work done to this light that would have either taken me months to complete or i would not even be able to do.
Needless to say i am very grateful, and i dont mean to make this into a praising session, but he did great work. I could not be happier.
I am making a video to show this thing off and some specifics, because i dont think my meager typing will suffice, but nonetheless, here are some details:
BLF GT
-converted 12v light to 3v (i think)
-sft40 led
-Anduril 2
-Extended LED lead wires to lessen output amperage
-Running (8) BAK 3050mah 6.1amp 18650's
-*CDR ~ 10.6amps running (8) batteries charged 4.19v (running it at Max Amps, not completely on purpose though)
-* Output = 2390 lumen @ start, 2290 Lumen @ 30seconds !
-*Throw = 1803 kcd @ 5 meters (2686 meters !)
*Means TomE measured this
So, that is all i have for now, anyone who owns a GT knows what these things look like, but im excited right now since receiving this yesterday so here are some pics.
BEFORE you beat me up, i dont have any beam shots yet! I wanted to get this thread going, and i havent been able to drive anywhere worthwhile to take photos. My normal beam shot spot, where the "furthest trees are 300m away", yea, that does nothing for this light. it looks like Daylight at 300m. i have places to shoot the beam shots i just need to get there. they are coming!
Packaged really nicely!
GT to go with the mini
My only big lights! this one is King now.
I mean, the hotspot is really well centered!
Look how small in that huge reflector
the beam @ 6 feet, dont mind the shoes
BAK 3050mah 6.1amp 18650's
Its home for now 
the only place it'll fit
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
Pretty darn cool.
um ya. I mean i guess for many here this is not World Shattering News, but for me.. well its pretty damn EPIC.
Then again, beam shots would be a great addition here. I will get them added asap, and remove the boring bedroom pictures when i do LOL.
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
I think you should have spent the money on new shoes .
I really like that flashlight
Well, if you are going to call it the GT40, you might want to consider repainting it in Gulf livery instead of basic black. Excellent work there!
This space for let.
those shoes were made for walking, and thats just what they do.
And, id go to work barefoot before spending the money on shoes instead of this light lol
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
https://fundrazr.com/osturaband
No affiliation, just a fan.
lol, ok. I thought that reference sounded familiar! Nice.
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
Don’t listen to him. My shoes look like gaping (old) alligators.
But I don’t care as long as they keep my feet dry and warm.
You are a flashaholic if you are forced to come out of the closet, to make room for more flashlights.
Ironically, the most expensive shoes don’t keep your feet warm or dry.
Nice I like it!
The Journal of Alternative Facts TM
"It is critical that there is a credible academic source for the growing and important discipline of alternative facts. This field of study will just keep winning, and we knew that all the best people would want to be on board. There is a real risk in the world today that people might be getting their information about science from actual scientists"
You are going to have to move out west to use it.
Can’t wait for the beam shots.
This looks like a winner~!
Is it a bit of a pencil beam? How does the SFT40 throw compare to the XHP35.HI that GTs originally came with?
I think that lux reading was made from 10 meters, btw. 1.8Mcd
https://fundrazr.com/osturaband
No affiliation, just a fan.
this is the light i was eluding to!
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
ill have to check his notes to me again.
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
I have a GT with a black flat and it is awsome to.
Robert
Nice ..
There is only one direction left to point it ....Up !
It needs like 45 layers of dc-fix
καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν
Dc-fix diffuser film >… http://budgetlightforum.com/node/42208
Nice, I figured it wouldnt take long for someone to do this
Would have saved time had this LED been around when the GT was made
i don't have the original xhp35 HI version, but I have to imagine this is similar but throws further.. I think? It lights things up in the foreground too. It's amazing lol, I'll how it in beamshots, been raining for 2 nights here now of course.
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
I thought I was the only one to put DC Fix on a thrower.
5 meters, indoors, using a Extech LT45. This is how I've been doing all my throw measurements, least I'm consistent with my self
The original BLF GT that I measured at 5m did 857 kcd, but I have a note that the best # I measured at 5 m was 957 kcd.
I measure throw from 7 meters normally, but have the option for 12.5 meters. My original GT did not measure more than a few percent different for those two distances (can’t remember the exact numbers). So I expect that 5 meter will get close enough numbers too.
link to djozz tests
I used the driver from the BLF GT90 conversion kit and the biggest 5050 MCPCB I could find:
Took the original XHP35-HI centering piece and opened up the hole:
Tested amps using the long leads I did for reducing voltage/amps:
Pushing the limits:
Thanks for adding that Tom!
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
Okay.. I was thrown off here by the format Artie used. 1803kcd or 1.8Mcd back calculated from 5m. The way I read it I thought there was a units typo and it was 1803lux @ x meters, which obviously would have to be ten for 2686m of throw. Sorry gents, carry on.
https://fundrazr.com/osturaband
No affiliation, just a fan.
yeah that was my bad I noticed after you commented. I wrote it weirdly, should have put 1.8mcd
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
This is a great project that I would be excited to see, if the pictures were visible! I can't see any of the photos today.
That's not a terrible thing, most of them are pretty lame. What is the beam shots are posted it will be more interesting
edit, Tom's pictures are nice because they show the inside of the light, My pictures mostly show the inside of my house. Lol
[FLF] Five Light Friday https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78749
Check out some of my new lights (picture heavy) and quick first impressions of them here: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/77180
My Sft40 beamshots / comparison thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/node/78100
The BLF GT with SFT40 (2300lm, 2700m+ @ 30 seconds!)
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/79561
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