Looking for a bike helmet light….the Nitecore EC1 (on RCR123) is the perfect size but not quite strong enough, the EA4 is Perfect for brightness and throw, but too heavy. The Convoy S5 is the lightest of the ones in question and has a flat area which would help with mounting. I’ll be getting the 2.8A version in cool white for max lumens, and because it matches the tint of my bike light.
Is there another light I need to consider?
Thanks in advance!
I love BLF!!
S4 is the best thrower, S2/5/6 all have the same reflector but it's slightly shallower than the one in the S4. S3 has a little 11mm deep reflector, I guess you already know that which is why it's not in the list. :)
Comfy, is it a huge difference in throw or pretty subtle? And do the holes aid in cooling? I’m thinking heat won’t be much of an issue with the wind blowing on it…also, I don’t run it for more than 5 minutes at a time (usually much less). Thanks!
The throw shouldn’t be a huge difference since they all use XMLs. The reflectors are pretty small so you’re going to get under 10kcd from all of them anyway.
There’s one S4 with an XP-G but it’s only 1.4A. Wouldn’t that technically throw better than the XM-Ls?
Of the Convoy models I only have a S4, but the S2/5/6 reflectors are available separate (here), and I have a few of those (1 in a Mag XL50 w/XPG2, another in a heavily hacked/modded TR-801 w/de-domed XML2 that originally had a reflector with dimensions similar to the S3).
The S4 with a de-domed XPG2 2B, Sinkpad, 3A Nlite-flashed 105C throws just as well as a P60 with a smooth XML reflector using identical components as the S4. There's very little difference in the S4 reflector and the others, inside measurements I took while they were all still apart of the inside dimensions (FT only lists the outside numbers which is mostly irrelevant):
S4: 17.4mm wide, 18.3mm deep
S2/5/6: 19mm wide, 18.3mm deep
Assuming the numbers I stuck in the 'misc junk' txt file are accurate, I was wrong about the S4 being deeper... same depth, slight difference in the front width. They both throw a ton better than you'd think a little pocket tube light could ever do.
I have several of these little pocket lights on order, hoping to build them with my usual tricks and see if anybody here wants 'em. Also a few CR123/16340 versions. Still need to check with DrJones to see if he's OK with using his Nlite code on these, though.
I started with an S4 on my helmet and M2’s on the bars. I built all with a warm tint and drawing 2.8A for maximum effect. Now I sometimes will go with the M2’s on my helmet and a C8 on the bars depending on the circumstances. The S4 remains one of my favourite hosts, I even put tritium vials in the reflector fins in one of them, accentuates the cutouts nicely and makes it easy to find at night.
Yep, smaller emitter increases efficiency of reflector. This is why XRE throw harder than XPG, XPG more than XML, XML more than SST90, etc.
Ooh sounds nice, any mods with the S2 host? I would be interested in purchasing one depending on emitter.
I have the S6, it’s definitely a very spilly light with an XML and not much of a thrower. My sk68 outthrows it, but on the other hand the sk68 doesn’t have much usable spill for biking. I’d probably use the s6 for biking over something like the sk68 though because of the much more usable beam pattern. I prefer a light with more spill that throwing though- at least for biking. The S6 would throw enough for what I need. Of course I can’t compare it to the other ones in the convoy though because the s6 is the only one I own out of the convoy line.
Don't wanna derail this thread too much, I'll post all the details when I have them (ordered but not shipped yet, so probably another 10-14 days). I'll be building them as if they were for me, which means de-domed XML2 T6/U2 & XPG2 R5 2B with 3A drivers. See here for a TR-801 hack job, includes moving all the driver components to the other side of the board to fit the 70mm long cells which only a crazy person would ever attempt: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/19076#comment-406650
Is there another lightweight thrower out there to consider? Could my EC1 be modded to be much brighter without it getting super-hot? It gets pretty hot already when keeping it on Turbo for quite a while. The EC2 isn’t brighter than the EC1 according to Selfbuilt.
“Super-lightweight throwers for $40, Alex.”
8)
Jacob A60
My S4 is at 3.5A, XM-L2 U2 on copper -- does just over 1,000 lumens, but dunno the throw # offhand - have to check @home. But in reality, It's not gonna hold the high output for very long, so probably not a good setup for biking...
If you like the EA4 so much as being the perfect beam but it’s just too large and heavy, the EC25 is just about the same light but in a smaller and lighter package. Output, beam and throw is almost the same as EA4 but just uses one 18650. Very compact light with lots of output.
I think it would be too big/heavy to wear on me haid!
Come on comfy, the S3 is a flooder not a compact thrower 
. Best suited to the bars with a thrower on the helmet, what’s your preferred combination?
I prefer the S3 or dedicated bike light as my flooder, and the JM07 as my thrower, although I could understand how many people would find the JM07 a little top heavy for the helmet, although I normally just stick it on the bars.
Hmmm….I’ll look into that!
Tom, I’ll bet that would make a great ‘head-warmer’ for the winter!