If you got a good A60 that does in the 80's and the K40 stock does about 90 kcd, there's not much difference, so it may be deceiving comparing the upward beam patterns. Also the A60 is usually a very cool white, so it may deceptively look brighter than what it really is in a beam pattern.
I've done that a lot - pointing lights to the stars, it can work to compare, but on some lights that I know are different throws, it's hard to tell. The A60 has that tight beam, making it look better.
Yes the A60 has a tighter and cooler beam hence its looks deceptively better in the star pointer method. The dedomed K40, though warmer has a beam pattern just slightly bigger than that of the A60’s and their perceived throw in the star pointer method is about the same.
I think its time to get me a light meter. Is the one sold by FastFech good enough?
guys, is it possible to mod this jacob A60 Nanjg driver at 2.45A (or 2.8A). while using the stock LED?
as for thermal paste, what are the better options?
Sure, not much, if any, benefit in output but better options with modes. I use AS5.
what would be a better mod for this light… Besides direct Drive… 
After lots of experimentation and testing, my best mod (and others) for this light is an XP-E2 running on a copper star, somewhere around 2A to as high as 2.8A. Optionally, you can de-dome the XP-E2 and double the kcd. As a stock light goes, this light does pretty well, so the gain from modding isn't significant unless you de-dome of course. Think my A60's with domed XP-E2's came out to about 135 kcd. De-domed will reduce the width of the beam of course, which is already narrow stock, narrower still with an XP-E2, so, de-domed XP-E2 is very narrow but has applications for gun mount and other uses where yo want minimum spill.
I use this driver with adding piggybacked 7135's but there are other options...
I like a de-domed XML or XPG2 in them. Run with a nanjg style driver of your taste.
If driven at about 4,8A the XML gives you about 75 kCd and with XPG2 you get somewhere around 100 kCd.
A note on the XPG2: You have to grind the bottom of the reflector completely off and raise the XPG2 up and nearly into the reflector to get good focus. I had one that consistently measured 120 kCd but I sold that one to a friend and never was able to get that good numbers again.
Fortunately I can't really see the difference between 100 and 120 kCd so it is sort of a theoretical bummer :-)
looking at Link , the XML peaks at its lumens at around 4.2A~4.4A then starts to drop down the scale. for the XP-G R5, it peaks at 2.0~2.2A. maybe the XP-G2 is different?
the highest nanjg is only driving @ 2.8A. any other driver options to drive it 4.2~4.4A? or do i smell some DIY PCB ahead? :bigsmile:
Your looking at 2 year old data 
It’s common to drive xml2 over 6 amps, and it works well too
Chris
really. so for the same emitter (XML old vs XML new), they’ve made upgrades? then a re-test should be done perhaps?
or is there an upgrade from XML and XML2 only?
i wonder if i can get my hands on various tints and emitters/bins etc so i can do some test and collect more data. equipments are readily available for my disposal… :bigsmile:
Umm, you were referencing XML data, while the XM-L2 is a new generation - not the same LED, not the same specs. I got XM-L2's on copper being driven at 5A, 5.5A, and 6A and the output still scales up, no drop. Copper star is the important thing, as well as the XM-L2 U2 bin.
why copper star though? not sure bt what it means. the bin also effects the drop and output?
so if i have the XML ones, then the old data is still valid? only the XML2 ones can drive insanely high.
Go for a read in the forums mate, there’s more info than you can shake a stick at
Chris
Curious, are there any comparison pictures of Stock A60 vs XP-E2 at 2.5ish vs XP-E2 dedomed at 2.5ish?
I just got mine, finally. The throw is pretty impressive stock XP-E Q5 at 1.7A, but I think a little upgrade is in order.
If you got the EZ900 LED, smaller dye, better throw. Not many guys have done de-domed XP-E2's in the A60, but one guy has done a ton of them and gets 210+ kcd out of them. I got 2 stock A60's and plan on trying the new XP-E2 R4 de-domed in an A60, then I can compare head to head with my domed XP-E2 R3.
Figured I would ask before I break it, do you unscrew the pill through the bottom of the pill housing?
I’ve tried tweezers and pliers, but it is far tighter than any other flashlight I’ve disassembled.
Edit: Gave up on being nice, drenched with gun oil teflon lube, probably good for the emitter and driver right? , unscrewed like buttah.
Pretty sure I’ll have to do the same with the tailcap… what is with these threads on this thing. 
What wou unscrew from the bottom is not the pill, just the driver, this light has no pill (I think you figured out)
Mine were easy to unscrew, just my unscrewing scissors and standard torque, and my threads are pretty well finished
Yep, a nice little retaining ring. Lubed up a bit it’s very smooth.
The tailcap on the other hand… I have no idea what they did there. It would unscrew a small amount and then get stuck so I added a couple drops of gun oil and it got past the stuck part and then the compression on the spring popped it completely out. It seems like they crossthreaded the crap out of it or it was slightly too small to begin with, mismatched threads or something, because trying to rethread the switch retaining ring is next to impossible to tighten down.
The retaining ring can actually fall past the threads just by tilting it back and forth a little (as if you were trying to get it to seat properly before tightening).
I think I need a new tailcap assembly. 
Yikes - this is a low qual host for sure. Threads have always been iffy, but I've had luck working with them - did a few A60's, but you are always at risk getting a poorly assembled one with damaged threads.
Man that was a task. After fiddling with it for far too long I was able to get it to jam back into the original spot and all is well for now. I hope that switch has a long and bountiful life because that was a pita. I’ve got callouses from spinning the tweezers so much. O.o
DANGIT! It’s not dark outside anymore |(