BLF 14500 Project? (Mini BLF A6?)

nick779 · 2018-11-29T18:53:54.000Z

Ive been looking for a while now for what I would consider the perfect “smaller” EDC style light and seeing how the FW3A is nearing production I wanted to bring this up as an idea. The FW3A is a near “perfect” 18650 EDC, but we dont have anything smaller or lower profile.

I have not found yet a light that:

Deep carry clip
14500 powered
AL 6061 or 7075
20mm or less bezel
Simple knurling
Decent sized thermal shelf or copper pill
FET+1 with thermal regulation (Defined mode sets, moon, and battcheck)
Single emitter (XP-L HI, 219C, LH351D or similar) with OP reflector
Reverse clicky

Ive seen a handful of people talking about wanting something like this, but a thread to discuss might be worthwhile to gauge interest.

HONDARIDER · 2018-11-29T19:19:32.000Z

Maybe you would be interested in a Jetbeam SF-AA01. It’s close to what you are looking for.

Lexel · 2018-11-29T19:29:34.000Z

BLF X5?

www.banggood.com

BLF X5 XPL-HI 1400LM EDC LED Taschenlampe 14500

Nur US$32.23, kaufen Sie den besten BLF X5 XPL-HI 1400LM EDC LED Taschenlampe 14500 Online-Shop zum Großhandelspreis.

Lumintop Tool AA

thijsco19 · 2018-11-29T19:30:17.000Z

Sounds like you want a tube like light?
Something like the lumintop tool AA

nick779 · 2018-11-29T19:35:31.000Z

The Tool AA is good, but it doesnt have a deep carry clip. I do not want a “turbohead” style light

TBH I guess a better Tool AA/Ultratac A1 is what I want. All it needs is a decent deep carry clip and a different driver and were pretty much there.

Jerommel · 2018-11-29T19:36:07.000Z

I thought the tool AA has rather low output, maybe not even able to handle 14500.

MascaratumB · 2018-11-29T19:40:35.000Z

Jerommel:

I thought the tool AA has rather low output, maybe not even able to handle 14500.

I don’t know about the Tool AA V2.0, but the 1st version hanged the 14500 well, except for the heat! It is too thin, the pill is aluminium and so it gets hot very easily.

To nick, if you mod, I would suggest modding a flashlight like the Convoy T2, the Jaxman E3 or the Sofirn SF14! All easily moddable and all take 17mm drivers!

Jerommel · 2018-11-29T19:42:05.000Z

It’s a pity the Solarstorm C01 has such a sucky driver.
Otherwise it would be a marvellous little light.
You could even fit a triple in there.

HONDARIDER · 2018-11-29T19:44:43.000Z

The SF-AA01 puts out 1000 lumen I believe with a single 14500.

Sivy · 2018-11-29T19:48:44.000Z

Make one?

I had the same the same desire a while back and did this……

Sofirn SF10 $7.51 (Sofirn ,Aliexpress)
BLF A6 Driver $6.24 (Bangood)
Convoy clip $1.69 (Bangood)
XPL hi 16mm MCPB $5.85 (Kaidomain)
Total $21.29

Turned out very nice , It doesn’t get as many lumens as the A6, because of 14500 battery , heat stuff ,and I haven’t bypassed springs etc , but it is still good for its size , maybe 1000 lumens and a nice beam pattern.

Particularly like the XPL Hi , in this kind of reflector , nice spot with an even spill , Also throws better than an XPL A6 ,with a narrower beam, in the SF10 host.

Lexel · 2018-11-29T19:49:46.000Z

driver replacement for 3.7V only operation is no problem with one of my drivers

Bistro HD OTSM is the way to go

nick779 · 2018-11-29T20:01:40.000Z

Sivy:

Make one?

I had the same the same desire a while back and did this……

Sofirn SF10 $7.51 (Sofirn ,Aliexpress)
BLF A6 Driver $6.24 (Bangood)
Convoy clip $1.69 (Bangood)
XPL hi 16mm MCPB $5.85 (Kaidomain)
Total $21.29

Turned out very nice , It doesn’t get as many lumens as the A6, because of 14500 battery , heat stuff ,and I haven’t bypassed springs etc , but it is still good for its size , maybe 1000 lumens and a nice beam pattern.

Particularly like the XPL Hi , in this kind of reflector , nice spot with an even spill , Also throws better than an XPL A6 ,with a narrower beam, in the SF10 host.

I wac actually looking at modding an SF10, I didnt know if there was a ton of interest for something more mass produced. So far its not looking that way.

hank · 2018-11-29T20:14:59.000Z

Solarforce used to sell a deep carry clip that fit just fine under the bezel of the BLF X5 light, so it sits in a pocket with just the lens showing.
But, alas, Solarforce quit selling it.

This guy was promising but he disappeared

Candle Power Flashlight Forum

Sold/Expired - Copperhead Deep Carry Clip

Hi All, I am evolving the Copperhead into a light that will actually pry the Quarks out of my pocket. One of the things that I demand is a deep-carry clip. I have been working on this design for a while and carrying this rough prototype around, and...

Something about good clips seems to be dangerous, they make people and products disappear

MascaratumB · 2018-11-29T20:41:56.000Z

nick779:

Sivy:

Make one?

I had the same the same desire a while back and did this……

Sofirn SF10 $7.51 (Sofirn ,Aliexpress)
BLF A6 Driver $6.24 (Bangood)
Convoy clip $1.69 (Bangood)
XPL hi 16mm MCPB $5.85 (Kaidomain)
Total $21.29

Turned out very nice , It doesn’t get as many lumens as the A6, because of 14500 battery , heat stuff ,and I haven’t bypassed springs etc , but it is still good for its size , maybe 1000 lumens and a nice beam pattern.

Particularly like the XPL Hi , in this kind of reflector , nice spot with an even spill , Also throws better than an XPL A6 ,with a narrower beam, in the SF10 host.

I was actually looking at modding an SF10, I didnt know if there was a ton of interest for something more mass produced. So far its not looking that way.

I use the SF10 with a BLF X5/6 Driver and Efest IMR battery and it handles heat better than the Tool AA and eventually better than the SF14 (V1.0)! The thicker body is quite nice to push it harder on output

nick779 · 2018-11-29T22:45:53.000Z

MascaratumB:

nick779:

Sivy:

Make one?

I had the same the same desire a while back and did this……

Sofirn SF10 $7.51 (Sofirn ,Aliexpress)
BLF A6 Driver $6.24 (Bangood)
Convoy clip $1.69 (Bangood)
XPL hi 16mm MCPB $5.85 (Kaidomain)
Total $21.29

Turned out very nice , It doesn’t get as many lumens as the A6, because of 14500 battery , heat stuff ,and I haven’t bypassed springs etc , but it is still good for its size , maybe 1000 lumens and a nice beam pattern.

Particularly like the XPL Hi , in this kind of reflector , nice spot with an even spill , Also throws better than an XPL A6 ,with a narrower beam, in the SF10 host.

I was actually looking at modding an SF10, I didnt know if there was a ton of interest for something more mass produced. So far its not looking that way.

I use the SF10 with a BLF X5/6 Driver and Efest IMR battery and it handles heat better than the Tool AA and eventually better than the SF14 (V1.0)! The thicker body is quite nice to push it harder on output

Thats interesting to hear. I was reading a few other 14500 build threads and a few noted that even using a standard AA it was a really tight fit on the SF10. Id like to take a whack at modding a T10 2014 but considering I can only get them from overseas that would be a lengthy process if I messed up. Currently reading about the SF14

Dutcheee · 2018-11-30T08:58:11.000Z

I still enjoy my Tool AA mod with rechargeable Nitecore 14500 every day.

I don’t know why there is no such light on the market, but I would buy something similar if a BLF project would emerge.
I almost lost it a couple of times. Would be great to have one off the shelf to replace it.

Only thing I might change nowadays is switch to another LED. XP-L2 U6 90 cri for instance or Luxeon. And it would be perfect if it could accept regular AA’s as a backup.