any flashlights with more throw then a hd2010 for less then 50 bucks?

http://www.tmart.com/FandyFire-STL-V6-CREE-XM-LT6-2-Group-975-Lumen-White-LED-Flashlight-Torch-2x18650-3x16340-3x123A_p192127.html

Go nuts!

964 otf lumens of throw can be yours! :stuck_out_tongue:

I was thinking stl-v6 too it’s the forgotten thrower.

Just a heads up I read through a whole thread on the Fandyfire stl-v6 (comparable to the skyray stl-v2)

Some get stuck with a 5 mode single group instead of the listed 2group, and some also have plastic instead of metal reflector. (These were from wall buys and FASTTECH, no idea what tmart has)

MonkeyMan77, do you own HD2010? If yes, is yours direct drive? If yes, its quite hard to beat for less than 50$ unless you want a "pencilbeam thrower" or let someone mod your HD2010 or a similar light.

ZY-T08, STLV6 etc etc all have pretty similar reflector size (normally same width) as the HD2010. That basically means that the light with the highest emitter amps wins assuming similar emitter. Those lights often/normally have around 2 - 3A to the emitter.

If you want maximum throw, dedomed emitter is the way to go.

Let someone mod your HD2010 (if you have one) or buy a ZYT08 and let someone mod it..

Example (some prices could be slightly off):

ZYT08 22,85$ (from WB)

XM-L2 U2 A1 on Noctigon and dedomed 6,5$

AR lens from fancyflashlights: 2,5$

Total: 31,85$ without driver and misc.

Some driver options:

1- Basically free, stock driver but resistor modded

2 - Qlite with several extra 7135s, say 5$

3- SST90 or TR-3T6 driver combined with batteries in series mod and preferably resistor mod for up towards 7A to the emitter (around 6$)

If someone is going to build you a light and ship it to you, then you probably have to pay 50$++ or more depending on the mod and how cheap they do the job. But then you could end up with a light that would crush basically everything.. :)

my hd 2010 pulls like 5 amps at tail switch. which seems like its high

You definitely have the East-092 direct drive driver there. I've seen higher amps - all depends on the cell. Sounds like you got a relatively low resistance cell. Stock throw #'s on a HD2010 vary somewhat. Best I've seen is about 55 kcd, in that area, but that's with the LED focused and maybe 4+ amps - usually have to tighten the pill, then back it out 1/2 to 1 turn. So the pill is loose, then tighten the bezel, pressing the reflector tight down. May need some treatment on the pill threads to help conductivity.

If you are strictly looking to stay with a stock light, then the STL-V6 and SS ZY-T08 are not better than the HD2010, specially the T08 with it's 2A output. Only way to beat the HD2010 in pure throw under $50 is a Jacob A60 or ZY-C10-S, C10 just barely, while a "good" A60 gets 60's-80's in kcd. This says nothing about the beam pattern, but you didn't request anything special about the beam pattern or lumens in your OP.

A few lights we are talking about with throw #'s here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/18214. Highlights:

UltraFire HD2010 5+A: 52 kcd

Small Sun T08: 37 kcd

Jacob A60: 72 kcd (but with AR lens, but I've seen higher #'s posted that are 100% stock with the EZ900 XR-E emitter)

would it still be the East-092 direct drive driver if it has low and medium and sos? and is East-092 direct drive driver a good thing? if so ill order more

Ooops - edited more info above. Yes - East-092 driver has 5 modes. Yes, it's a good thing, but have to watch the amps. 5+ amps is in the danger zone (I think???) for longer runtimes, more than 2-3 minutes, on the stock XML on aluminum. A copper star would benefit with that setup greatly to siphon the heat away from the emitter. Dunno what cell you are using, but something like a protected Panasonic or Samsung based cell is probably a better deal for it's lower amps.

For example. one time I has a C8 with a direct drive driver and stock XML T6 aluminum star, using a low resistance cell, 5+ maybe 6A. Turned it on maybe a minute, then noticed the bezel was loose, so tightened it -- bamm -- lights out. The LED soldering became softened/loose and twisted on the star's mount, shorting it out. I also got a light in to repair that had the same twisted LED, so this is what high amps can do when it's on stock aluminum stars.

i use the trustfire 26650 runs for like 2 hours before the light goes down to 50 percent.seems like a good cell for the money but im still new to this so maybe its bad

2 hours is really long - there must be significant drop in amps along the way, because the TF 26550 does 4000 mAh, so that means 1 hour of runtime at 4 amps. I got a few TF 26650's - they seem good to me, and just couldn't spend the big $$$ on high qual protected 26650's. I got unprotected KK's I use, but in a stock HD2010, amps get up there.

i was wrong it was 1 hour 30 minutes to half brightnesss

I’ve had Small sun C10s (2), Jacob A60s (2) and several SkyrayStl-v2s (aka Maxtoch SN6X-2), and in stock form side-by-side the Skyray was the best thrower, and a much more usable light - alot more light on target down range. Jacob A60 and C10 excellent wee lights with A60 comfortably beating the C10 side-by-side for throw. C10 perhaps more useful with its pencil beam plus zoom out capability.

Having said that, there can be significant variation in performance from cheapies like the A60 etc - its one of my favourite lights as is the C10. But for a sub-$50 stock thrower the Skyray’s beam is way more usable - beam width plus distance. A60 very narrow pencil beam with a little spill. The C10 has zoom capability but when opened up, as is to be expected it has nothing like the power and output of the Skyray.

Having owned a number of all three I’d take the Skyray - but they are all excellent lights for the money.

Tom E does a fantastic job on the HD2010 mod. I had him mod my HD2010 recently, and have been extremely pleased with the results. Maybe we can get him to explain the mod, and the results that he was able to measure afterward :wink: . I would not hesitate to have him do another if I were to lose mine.

Jim

Mine has next-mode memory, it always turns on into the next mode, I bought two from Aurabuy, both are the same.
Both have Jacob A60 written on them just like in sellers listing, both have XR-E.

Yes - I'd agree, but on pure measurement on the meter, I'm not sure. The big difference in C10's and A60's is which emitter you get: an EZ900 or EZ1000, and I think some were shipped with R2's and not Q5's. I did a lot of experimentation with XR-E's on the A60's. Also, earlier on the A60's had a lot of QC issues with paper shims under the star, no thermal grease etc. which kills output. Yes - the budget world has QC and consistency issues... . The SkyRay is a nice light, but not much better in throw, if at all, than a HD 2010 - the HD2010 is so popular for a good reason, but also the SkyRay being a 2 cell light is sort of in a different league - better runtime for sure on good cells.

With respect, gotta call a foul to those who say the HD2010 is about as good as STL-V2(6). I’ve had 3 of them - the first, despite a glitch, very well driven (4.5 amps +) - and even it wouldn’t quite rival the STL-V2. Even the lesser Uniquefire 3900 would noticeably outclass my best 2010. Just sayin.

Yep the HD2010s from memory rate somewhere around 40-42k on average - which is good. I recall side-by-side tests where they did not match the Skyray’s extra throw. The Skyray/Maxtochs are 48-52k with alot longer 2 batt runtime. I would take the skyray every time, but as a single battery unit the HD2010 is a neat little unit. The first maxtoch SN6X-2 (reviewed by old4570) was the same as the skyray stl-V2 at 48-52k, then they developed it last year to 57-64k, and now the new one is 69-72k.

But… it’s very true that its hard to generalise about cheaper lights like A60s as the quality/output can vary so much - anywhere between 35 and 70k or so for the A60. (I’d wonder about those 70k readings - my A60s sat around the average at 50-51k). Even with C8s though - mine have measured from 12k to 30.5k depending on supplier.

Tom E - If you were not 10,000 miles away I’d like to give you a new maxtoch SN6X-2S (stock 69-72). Favourite hunting light in NZ - sells by the hundred here. Be great to see it after you did some work on it. 300k?

Yes - looked at the maxtoch SN6X-2S from the listing and it does look very good, seems to be a quality light, good heat sinking from the looks. Just de-doming an XM-L2 U2 1A could be up to 150 kcd or little more. Reflector, based on dimensions, may be same or slightly bigger than the standard HD2010/T08/T13/etc. reflector. A lot depends on what it's driven at and whether resistor modding is do-able or driver upgrade. The mod'ed T13's I've gotten 155 kcd from, T08's and HD2010's 200-210 kcd. The 2 cells in series lights are a different ballgame for modding - resistor mods or high performance drivers is the key to high output.

Things lacking, maybe:

- would like to see an SS bezel on this unit - step-up in quality, functionality and looks

- AR lens is not mentioned, so probably doesn't have it (not sure if a standard size will fit it)

Edit: Ooops see the previous threads on this light - about 3A to the LED which is pretty good, and see you de-domed them with good results, up to 180 kcd, cool!!

This Maxtoch (SN6X-2X) has a bigger bezel and more supposed throw than the SN6X-2S:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/MAXTOCH-SN6X-2X-Limited-Version-of-SN6X-2S-CREE-XM-L2-XML2-Hunting-LED-Flashlight-Upgrade/1104700531.html

Wow so many choices its hard to pick one… thankz for all the help everyone ill post here which one i decide on .i really like my hd 2010 but the more a light throws the better for me