E1320's AA

[hyde]

take your time. dont have it become a drag for you.

i daresay anyone reading this site has enough lights to hold them until you have the time and inclination.

[Misfire]

I’d LOVE one of these AA custom jobs running NiMH with a Nichia 219 in it. 0:)

[likeaboss]

I think the F20 is cheaper on DX and I also think the star is 14mm, not 16.

[garrybunk]

@likeaboss

I think the F20 is cheaper on DX and I also think the star is 14mm, not 16.

I was avoiding buying from DX and I can file down the 16mm star to fit.

-Garry

[ntg]

I’m interested. I can tell I need to educate myself. A nicha 219? Is it a different brand of LED? I.E. not CREE?

[garrybunk]

@ntg

I’m interested. I can tell I need to educate myself. A nicha 219? Is it a different brand of LED? I.E. not CREE?

Yes, another brand. The nichia 219 (available at Illumination Supply) is touted as a great "high CRI" LED (i.e. very good at accurately rendering colors). See thread here. I think someone posted an outstanding color rending photo between the nichia and other Cree tints.

-Garry

[garrybunk]

Found it! Here's that nice CRI shot from ma_sha1.

-Garry

[ntg]

Thanks, Garry.

[Boaz]

@hyde

take your time. dont have it become a drag for you. i daresay anyone reading this site has enough lights to hold them until you have the time and inclination.

+1....

until he said something about having enough lights ...I believe that to be heresy ...

[garrybunk]

@E1320

@garrybunk

@likeaboss

Why dont anyone just do this? Still has the 5-mode blinkies, but its cheap and safely driven, as well as able to run on both AA and 14500. “Trustfire F20 = XM-L T5 mod”:Trustfire F20 = XM-L T5 mod

Thanks for that link. I've ordered the F20 and a U2 1A just now to go ahead with this. (Both shipping within the US too.)

-Garry

I hope you didn’t get the F-20 from T-mart. I ordered F-20 from T-mart when OLD4570 posted the mod thread and they sent me a single mode direct drive F-20 so I sent it back and they sent me another single mode F-20 so I sent it back and gave up on the whole idea until CNQ offered the bare host.

Well I received my Trustfire F20 yesterday. It's a 5 mode! AND it has the "good" 14500 compatible driver! (Tested and verified.) The driver actually has very nicely spaced modes. The strobe is actually one of the best I've seen. It's a "medium" speed flash rather than the heart-attack super fast flash.

On AA NiMh (Energizer 2300mAh LSD @ 1.35v) it pulls:
High: 2.40A (settling down from about 2.55A)
Med: 1.16A
Low: 0.26A
(100%-50%-10% spacing)

I didn't test current draw with the 14500, but the light was way brighter! (The tailcap is AWFUL, and once it's back on you don't want to take it off again! I remove the head and change the battery from the front end.) This will make a nice pocket rocket with my XM-L U2 emitter swap!

Looking at the head of the light, it appears that I need to unscrew the pill out the back end of the head since I don't any way for the bezel to unscrew. Anyone confirm this?

-Garry

[ezarc]

2.4 amps from a AA? That sounds impressive.

[garrybunk]

Yeah I was surprised! Remember, this is a boost circuit, so that's not 2.4A to the XM-L. When I do the emitter swap I might measure the current to the LED.

-Garry

[E1320]

@garrybunk

@E1320

@garrybunk

@likeaboss

Why dont anyone just do this? Still has the 5-mode blinkies, but its cheap and safely driven, as well as able to run on both AA and 14500. https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/1541

Thanks for that link. I’ve ordered the F20 and a U2 1A just now to go ahead with this. (Both shipping within the US too.)

-Garry

I hope you didn’t get the F-20 from T-mart. I ordered F-20 from T-mart when OLD4570 posted the mod thread and they sent me a single mode direct drive F-20 so I sent it back and they sent me another single mode F-20 so I sent it back and gave up on the whole idea until CNQ offered the bare host.

Well I received my Trustfire F20 yesterday. It’s a 5 mode! AND it has the “good” 14500 compatible driver! (Tested and verified.) The driver actually has very nicely spaced modes. The strobe is actually one of the best I’ve seen. It’s a “medium” speed flash rather than the heart-attack super fast flash.

On AA NiMh (Energizer 2300mAh LSD @ 1.35v) it pulls:
High: 2.40A (settling down from about 2.55A)
Med: 1.16A
Low: 0.26A
(100–50–10% spacing)

I didn’t test current draw with the 14500, but the light was way brighter! (The tailcap is AWFUL, and once it’s back on you don’t want to take it off again! I remove the head and change the battery from the front end.) This will make a nice pocket rocket with my XM-L U2 emitter swap!

Looking at the head of the light, it appears that I need to unscrew the pill out the back end of the head since I don’t any way for the bezel to unscrew. Anyone confirm this?

-Garry

I am really glad you got the right one and I am even happier T-Mart is getting there sh!t together.

[ezarc]

@garrybunk

Yeah I was surprised! Remember, this is a boost circuit, so that’s not 2.4A to the XM-L. When I do the emitter swap I might measure the current to the LED.

-Garry

Ah I see, usually I see XM-L P60s draw about the same as that.

I was thinking if it can draw that much from the AA battery, then why are we still stuck with mostly 130-150 lumen AAs.

[garrybunk]

@ezarc

Ah I see, usually I see XM-L P60s draw about the same as that. I was thinking if it can draw that much from the AA battery, then why are we still stuck with mostly 130-150 lumen AAs.

Yeah, well this light is rather pathetic on a AA (as stock at least), but boy does it shine (pun intended) on a 14500!

-Garry

[Old-Lumens]

@E1320

Thanks guys. I can only imagine what my girl is going to say seeing me wearing my headlamp and respirator while soldering, she freaks out about the headlamp as it is calling me a super geek. I will look into getting a smoke sucker for now or wait until she is sleeping to solder like I usually do.

First, dress up in her underclothes and add a bra hat. After that, your headlamp and respirator will seem normal.

Got to psych 'em out, to get 'em to yield.

[texaspyro]

@Old-Lumens

First, dress up in her underclothes and add a bra hat. After that, your headlamp and respirator will seem normal.

But that’s his normal attire

[ezarc]

I haven’t forgotten about this

[jacktheclipper]

I would sell the one Erik made me , it's time that someone else gets to enjoy this beauty. It has a five mode driver that goes from moonlight to 3.55 amps and has an XML T6 3C emitter . Due to the current draw it requires an 14500 LMR cell . It's in great condition .

$30 shipped (US) . $30 + shipping for international .

PM me if interested .

[E1320]

I have one I EDC also, it’s great for walking the dog. Mines a 1A tint U2 with a 2.8amp max powered by an Efest IMR 14500. My brother took my Nichia 219 one but I do have 5 more empty shells to build if I can get the trembling in my hands under control long enough to solder the pills together. I have to admit mines holding up a lot better than I thought it would considering the amount of use it has and the small switch. They really belt out a lot of light, easily equal to the UF-2100s I built.