I am back building lights after taking a break for a coupe of years and I am impressed to say the least with all the new LED options. I am tasked with building a Single mode C8 with a pressure switch and I am trying to make the ultimate thrower. I have a couple of Convoy C8 hosts to experiment as well a a couple of QLITE 3.04 17mm drivers. Now for the part I am not sure about the LED. I am looking at three in particular and if there are other options please let me know.
Option 1 Samsung LH351D 5000K 90+ CRI on 20mm
Option 2 Cree XHP50.2 3V - K2 1C on 20mm
Option 3 CREE XP-L HI V2 3A LED on Noctigon 20mm
I old go to was a XM-L2 U4 dedomed.
Will any of the new LED options out perform my old go to in a single mode C8.
My old go to for batteries was always the Panasonic 3200 but I am considering the Sony US18650VTC6
Well, I’m not selling them (yet). But the Osram led with Convoy’s 8A “ramping” driver on a C8+ is what I’m currently testing for RIFLES (and AR15 platforms). I’ve got many posts out there (search “FET remote switch”) regarding this latest light. The throw was measured at over 1000m by Funtastic, and it will get you out to 600 with a good scope. It is insane compared to any other C8 before it.
The C8+ is 1” in diameter tube and can easily be mounted to an AR using basic scope rings. Long rifle mounting is more tricky though
I’ve built about 6 gun lights using the FET tail switch which “switches” the current AT THE TAIL without current losses ( due to running down and back the THIN wires in any remote/pressure switch). So the remote switch is JUST signaling the FET which can handle about 30A. Lexel makes these… but has been off the forum a while.
Still… if for an AR, one can mount this C8+ In front of the forearm where the thumb is handy to trigger it using the clicky switch- so no FET (remote switch) is needed. And the driver comes out of the box configured for GUN use… always 100% ON.
I have Convoy’s newest price sheet and I do not see the 8 amp ramping driver. Where is it listed at. How much do the FET tail switch usually cost sounds like I should pick up several.
Samsung and XHP50 are much bigger emitters so you won’t build an ultimate thrower with them. HP-L HI will throw much further at similar brightness compared to your XM-L2 before de-doming.
You may try to experiment with Osram emitters, they’ll put out less lumens but incredible throw.
Think of low voltage like your car battery cables… THICK. I have never measured the loss (and pressure switches come in 50 different configs/wire sizes too), but I’d guess even with say 16g wire… that there is at least a 25% (or more) drop in current due to wire resistance. What that calculates to in output in any given light is probably hard to measure without building it and testing it. But I know it’s significant and Convoy’s pressure switch has the THICKEST of all pressure switches I’ve tested (and often rebuilt) so far.
Thing is: with the FET I’m going for some very long range (600 yard plus) and FEW need that! So for shorter range, you can still use a standard remote switch and get out far enough to shoot maybe a few hundred yards with the SAME Osram in these new lights. * BTW: Convoy HAS matching color, remote switches for S2+ and C8+’s (in black and metallic blue/grey colors anyway), but not the S21B (at this time).
I have an S2+ in an SST40 with the new ramping driver that I ordered for AR15 use. I ALSO have some SST20’s in the S2+ lights coming. Both of those lights can get out there enough for 150 yard night hunting- the SST20 probably longer yet. For pig hunters in Texas and Oklahoma- this light will work on pig hunts in thicker country too (shots aren’t as long).
But for serious coyote hunters who shoot them with $1500 scopes (in moon light), the C8+ (and L21A) with the Osram is what they are gonna’ want to have now that it’s legal here in KS (and a lot of the midwest US too).
The C8+ in this hot-rod config isn’t warrantied by Simon (for good reason) and he keeps it “off menu” (so far) because of that. The C8+ and S21B with these Osram emitters are NOT good hand-held lights due to HEAT. And when used on a gun, you shouldn’t run them more than 2 minutes at a time also. There is no thermal management so you melt your light if you don’t heed the limits of the design.
Lexel has supplied my FET PCBs in the past (like around $6-$7 with shipping for a few send from Germany in flat envelope). But he’s been off-line a while and so not sure where to send you elsewhere. I am becoming concerned as I ordered some FETs last month from him (on my usual PM with him) and he has not replied. I sure hope he’s ok.
I’ve a KW CSLPM1 in a Convoy M21A (21700 C8+) with the SST40 12 group 6A driver. It does heat up, but there is thermal management on the 6A driver.
In front of me now is a M21A with Cree XHP50.2 3v, M21A with Osram KW CSLPM1 and Sofirn C8G with a Luminus SST40. The spot from the Osram is by far the best. SST40 is respectable. The XHP50.2 spot is over twice the size of the Osram.
I have gotten all of my osram leds (on 16 or 20mm mcpcb’s) from Simon. White nm1, CULPM1 And also the colors (blue, green nm1, green pm1, and blue). They are all perfect, as expected from him
