Questions for you experts if i may? .... I currently use a pair of solarforce L2's with R2 drop ins, powered by Cr123 rechargeables. Happy'ish, but keep seeing reviews on how much better XM-L's are [much brighter beam, more throw etc] compare to the R2.
So .... ordered a pair of XM-L drop ins [not yet arrived] but looking on here it seems most people dont rate them in P60 type flashlights? Have i wasted my time?
Just in case i'm looking to buy a C8, tell me, are all C8 flashlights basically the same?
The one i'm thinking about is a Fandyfire C8 [SKU 90605 on DX] as this is only one i can find that will also run on a pair CR123's. As i have 10 of these along with 2 chargers, i dont really want to change over to the single 3.7 v battery setup [keeping it all compatible with my L2's]
Anyone familier with this version? I assume it will 'knock spots' off the L2's simply owing to the bigger reflector ....
r2 is good but properly driven xml will destroy it.
check the amps at the tailcap to get a good idea how hard you are driving them. mine runs at 1.5A and i am happy , cant even imagine at 3A , nor do i want that in a P60.
it all depends on the driver input voltage and the battery - myself i defiantly prefer 18650's but still have 2 rcr123s and they are good if you ever need to use primaries.
just keep an eye on the voltages
sry i dont have any C8s BTW
also dont worry about gentle here this is a friendly forum , post links and say whatever you like - i think our only rule is rudeness is unacceptable.
matter of fact i had some batteries putting out only 700 mA got some new ones that are capable of 1.5A and that was a tremendous difference.
my concern with the voltage is a driver that accepts up to 8V for 2 rcr123s may be much dimmer with 1 18650 , more importantly the dropins accept your rcr123s higher voltage
for instance the MF xml dropin is 4.2 V max , wouldnt work for 2 rcr123s... not for long anyway
I have a Lumapower MRV clone which is a lot like a C8. The bigger reflector is great with the XM-L and the XM-L cranks out a lot of light. It will be really impressive compared to the R2 you have now. You will get more throw with the C8 than a drop-in, but not necessarily any more output from the LED. Most people around here have a few XM-L drop-ins, with the Ultrafire 3-mode from Manafont being very popular. They are great, but in terms of throw distance, your R2 can actually compete with a XM-L drop-in, though the R2 will have a tiny beam and the XM-L will have a big one.
I don't have the Fandyfire C8, so I can't comment on its output, but it all depends on the driver it uses and the current the driver delivers to the LED. Generally different brands are going to use different drivers. But a lot of the drivers are essentially direct drive on High, so the output can be pretty similar.
To keep it noob-friendly. The XM-L emitter can be driven twice as hard (3A vs. 1.5A current ) as the XP-G and 3 times as the XR-E (your R2 is an XR-E; 3A vs. 1A) within their specifications. But you have to heatsink the light properly to reach the full potential of the XM-L. The P60-style dropins of the Solarforce L2 lights don't have the proper heat transfer for that to run the light for a longer time on full power. There is too much air between the dropin and the walls of the flashlight. Screw-in dropins like the C8's have, are better for that. I have a C8 with an XR-E emitter here and I have ordered an KD C8 with an XM-L also. But they are both designed for 1-cell (18650) battery. The 1x18650 battery format is far better than the 2x123 (16340) format, because the total stored energy is much higher. Also keep in mind that not every XM-L is driven at full power, that depends heavily on the internal electronics (driver) of the flashlight/dropin.
By design, when used with similar size/type head, XMLs are more floody (wider beam) and brighter and R2s throw better (more focused beam with big range).
So in your P60 hosts, an R2 will illuminate a car better at 50 meters (and leave the rest of the area in front of you almost dark) while an XML will light everything in front of you but the car at 50 meters will not be very well lit...
Welcome! As mentioned, in a similar sized reflector (P60) the XR-E R2 will throw further than a XM-L. The XM-L will have more output but will not throw further. Put it in a C8 and it will throw well but in a C8 a XRE-R2 will throw even further. There’s more to life than throw however
So ... in buying the xml drop ins... my plan of being brighter light over a longer distance is basically flawed then ... dam £20 wasted.
Looks like i will need to invest in a bigger headed lamp [and poss single batteries/charger] ... someone mentioned a 980? being better than a C8 ? Expand please if you would?
Just buy the KD C8 and you'll never regret it. Even if you decide down the road that you want something else as well. But quite frankly, at only $18 now, the KD C8 is one of the best flashlights out there (if not the best) for the budget light range.
I don't think I'd want an XML in a p60... At least, if it were going to be driven at what it's rated for.
right, xml drop ins arrived today, swapped out one of the L2's and just back from a comparison.
WOW! Certainly far brighter, gives out a much greater flood too. Alas no better for throw owing to so much flood. TBH the R2 doesnt throw further, just 'appears' to, owing to having a much tighter hotspot. but for throw the xml is no improvement, though they have made it a more versatile lamp, so happy for now.
So on to next question [sorry] .............. would a R5 drop in give a significant improvement [brighter hotspot and better throw] than a R2? Or would i be wasting more cash lol?
I like that light and use it every day to spot animals during my walk, but with relatively short bursts (15-20sec mostly, which suits me fine), as the emitter is driven quite far above specs and the reflector is plastic.
It's a 18650 flashlight, though, but those batteries are probably your fate too.
Nothing is going to give a brighter hotspot (and thus throw) than a XR-E R2 in the same size reflector. Find a light using a XR-E R2 with a larger diameter reflector and you will get more throw. Put in an aspheric lens and you will get even more throw.
£20 wasted.
