New and need help selecting a flashlight

LED Flashlights – General Info
12

Hi dmspit

I have recommended the Concoy C8 to you. Today I received 2 of these from FastTech. I think they are both “Fake-ish”
They both have bad focus, compared with some I already had. They are not as bright.

So, consider carefully where you may order from. I also have some UltraFire C8s and they have been less than optimal.
Do yourself a favor and head over to Simons Aliexpress site when/if you order a Convoy C8.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/330416

There you are sure of getting the real deal, can specify tints and switching modes.

13

Thank you all for all of the help. I seemed to have gotten my maglite xl50 back and working which is great because I love that light, probably because I don’t have any other experience with quality lights. As far as buying another light I was have to check out the convoy c8 and s6 along with that eagle eye x6. I’ve warmed up to the idea of 18650 batteries, they seem to be the best option as of now. Cr123a disposable batteries are readily available around me so that is also another option. I was check out Simon at alkieexpress and see if their are any deals I just can’t pass up. I feel flashlights may be my next financial downfall. Thanks again and keep the advice coming.

14

I agree with MontyPyfon about Simons Aliexpress site.

Here are links for the C8 and battery/charger from Simon Convoy Aliexpress:

You can choose the different customization for the flashlight, here’s my recomendations:

default 7135*8
XML2 T6-3B 5000-5200K
Modes customization #(2)5%low—–30%mid—–100%high (unless you want the strobe/blinker)

Flashlight in black

Flashlight in grey

Nitecore UM10 Digicharger

Samsung batteries (2pcs.)

With Simon you must take minimum of 2 batteries, I previously gave you links to Banggood shop instead of Simon because there you don’t have to take 2 batteries, to try and keep closer to your budget. It wouldn’t hurt to have the spare battery but if that puts you over budget the Convoy C8’s from Banggood have been reported to be legitimate not fakes.

I also still recommend the Eagle Eye X6 XPL-HI over the C8 (Links in my previous post) I think its a nicer light and should have longer throw.

15

Which one would have more flood? Also are there versions that take two 18650 batteries? They’re both too large for me to carry in jean pockets so I might as well have the extra run time, granted I’d probably never run it out but it never hurts.

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The Convoy L4 is a similar size and configuration to the C8, but has a different driver that can handle two 18650s in series. It comes with an extension tube, giving you a choice between size and runtime. It also has a separate mode switch, which I find to be preferable to changing modes with the power switch.

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I’m don’t know which one has more flood, I could do a comparison later but I believe they are pretty close in the flood department.

No they aren’t “front pants pocket” EDC style lights. I realize that’s not what you were asking about here (your primary uses would be for a “night stand light and to check my yard”) However the X6 is a good bit more compact than a C8, it will fit in your pants pocket for the purpose of going out to check the yard etc. and it has a nice pocket clip for that purpose. I think it’s a lot smaller in person than what it appears in the photos. The c8 does not have a pocket clip.

For the few dollars more you’ll pay over a C8, the X6 is more compact, more solidly constructed, has better heat management, and a nicer style overall. I believe you will find it has decent flood for your intended use.

C8 / X6 Size comparison (length x head diameter):

C8: 145mmx44.5mm

X6: 135mm x 40mm

Here’s a comparison photo (courtesy of unknown00101’s 2014 X6 review)

Left to Right: Sk68 - Convoy S2+ - Eagle Eye X6 - Solarforce L2 - Convoy C8

(Click the photo to go to the review, which has some beamshot comparison between the X6 and a Convoy C8)

The newer version X6 with XPL HI that I linked in my previous post will be brighter with more throw than the one in the review. (rated 1200 lumens vs 860 lumens)

There is also an X6 Neutral tint version available but it’s not the brighter XML HI.

The X6 XPL HI can also be bought at this Aliexpress store: Eagle Eye X6 CREE XP-L HI V21A 1200LM 4Modes LED Flashlight 18650
There is a thread here on BLF about it from the store owner: EAGLE EYE X6 XPL HI V21A 1200lunens LED flashlight Free shipping ＄22.13 (now $21.59)

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The XPL HI emitter ( HI= High Intensity) is a fairly recent advancement in LED design that is drawing lots of attention in the flashlight world. It’s becoming more available in production flashlights and is probably going to be the emitter of choice that will be used in the upcoming custom BLF X6 Special Edition Version 2 flashlights. BLF X6-SE v2 & X5 Group Buy

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Neither the X6 or the C8 are available in a 2-cell version. For a 2 cell light the Convoy L4 that zak.wilson recommended is a great option, its like a high quality C8 with side switch for mode changes (along with the rear switch for on/off) and the option to use either one or two batteries, seems to me like a lot more bang for your buck for around $10 more than a C8. It also can be ordered in the T6-3B neutral tint as well as other tints. Here’s some links for it:

Convoy L4 Simon Aliexpress
Convoy L4 at Banggood
Convoy L4 at GearBest
Convoy L4 Review

Here’s another one to consider for a 2 cell light, it has the batteries loaded side by side so it’s much shorter and compact to carry in your rear pants pocket or coat pocket. Its really bright with excellent throw and decent spill. It has been very popular with members here on BLF:
Small Sun ZY - T08 1000 Lumem LED Flashlight

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I’m not sure if its a good idea recommending a 2x in series light to someone so new to flashlights?

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Thanks for all the help beam0. I really appreciate it. I now need to justify why I need one or two or 8 flashlights…. How do those lights compare to a maglite xl 50 or a 3 d cell led maglite? I’m now also vastly curious as to why a light with batteries ran in side by side series is a bad idea for a newcomer.

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The short answer is they can vent or explode.

For better answers and safety info start with these threads then have a good look around BLF.

This thread has some links to another forum with more images of what can happen when things don’t go as planned.

Edit- Also a good place to start Lithium-ion Safety Concerns - Battery University

21

Let me sum up safety:

  • Use quality cells from Panasonic, Sony, LG, Sanyo or Samsung, or a rewrapped protected battery based on one of those
  • Again, use quality cells - especially not any brand with “fire” in the name (though I guess Surefire sells an 18650 now, and that’s OK)
  • Use a good charger - anything from Nitecore, Efest or Xtar should be fine
  • When using batteries in series, make sure they’re the same kind and the same level of charge
  • Stop using batteries when they’re low (in most cases, the light will get very dim and may start blinking), and recharge them within days, not weeks or months

That last bit is especially important with two in series, or they can be severely over-discharged or even reverse-charged, which will damage the battery and may cause it to vent. A quality battery venting isn’t all that dangerous or dramatic, but it does ruin the battery and could damage the device it’s in.

Does anybody know if the L4’s low-voltage warning works with two cells in series? If not, I would recommend non-experts not use it that way.

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Update: this is the driver from the Convoy L4. It does have a low-voltage warning for two cells in series at 5.8V.

23

You’re welcome, I’m glad to help!

The standard LED Maglights are not even in the same league as these. The Mag XL50 is a small pocket light with 100-200 lumens max. It is bright to the average person, however I once gifted one of those and felt bad about it because the output was so weak compared to what I’m used to in a light that size.

I assume the 3D mag you have is the standard version (168 lumens) not the ML300 (625 lumens)? Compared to the standard 168 lumen 3D mag light these lights will “completely blow it out of the water”

The 625 lumen ML300 series 3D mag appears to be quite an improvement over their previous designs, however these 18650 powered lights will easily have as much if not more output and you’re comparing a pocketable size light that pretty much fits in your hand to one that is a nearly foot long and about one pound in weight, and eats batteries that you will have to keep replacing. So based on size alone there’s no comparison.

Since your asking about the side by side configuration I assume you are interested in the Small Sun ZY-T08 that I linked. That one runs the batteries in parallel, not series. Parallel configuration is safer than series it cuts the current drain in half, it also provides the option to run a single battery at the same brightness. The ZY-T08 is said to be an excellent thrower.

Here is a link to a nice review on the Small Sun: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/12179

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With any Li-ion flashlight you should have a voltmeter/multi-meter to check battery voltages, especially for multi cell lights. Even a cheap one will do for checking battery voltages (or the free one from Harbor Freight Tools w/coupon with any purchase) For single cell lights you could get away without one if the light has a built in low voltage indication feature.

The other posts with the links provided above answer the safety concerns for a 2 cell series flashlight (batteries usually end to end) and multi battery lights.

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For the 2 cell lights consider they are larger in size, and the battery run time for the single cell lights are pretty good, especially on the lower levels. Whats nice about the X6 is its compact size, so its more portable if you decide to take it along on a walk, hike, outing or trip, instead of it being a home use only light.

Compared to a 3D mag light you will be surprised how it outputs so much better for its size. With 3 brightness levels you can lower the output when needed to conserve battery power for extend run time. Just get 2 of the Samsung 26F batteries and you can keep the spare handy if needed.

The Samsung 26F cells from where I linked reportedly are good, but here is another place to buy them that was linked in another reply as well (USA based and the owner is forum member here) Although they’re a few dollars more than the ones from the Chinese shop you can be more certain you are getting the high-quality Seiko protection circuit: http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_88&product_id=599

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Another option for checking voltage is a charger with a digital display like the Nitecore D2. If you have no other use for a multimeter, that’s a good option. It’s a pretty inexpensive charger.

25

Good point, the single bay Nitecore DM10 I linked has a digital display however I don’t believe it displays actual voltage but shows remaining battery power as a percentage, which should be sufficient to check your battery status.

The better choice would be dual bay Nitecore D2 zak recommended as it does display voltage and would also be useful if you want to charge 2 batteries simultaneously.

Here’s a reputable USA shop that sells the D2 for a low price: http://www.illumn.com/nitecore-d2-digicharger.html
Even after shipping charges the price is still lower than GearBest.

26

Wow I really need to buy one of these! I thought my maglite xl50 was crazy bright so now I’m really curious about how the x6 would compare! I have a volt meter already so I’m able to check batteries. We also have a few vaporizing shops around now so that answeres my concern about local availability if I ever needed to get them. I also heard a commercial on the radio today about a battery warehouse in my town and they said they carry nonstandard battery sizes for flashlights, so ill have to go check that too. So the eagle x6 is the next light I will hopefully buy very soon! I’ve seen the batteries you recommended, if I didn’t have a $25isj price range are there batteries you’d recommend over them? Thanks again.

27

Dude… dmspit… welcome aboard.

You’ve been given a TON of excellent info in this thread, plenty to get started and then some, so I don’t have anything to add other than I have some of the lights mentioned, and their AWEsome.

You’re in for a world of shock when you get a good quality li-ion powered light for the first time. At this point, i personally get teary eyed whenever I see someone using a pathetic 5-15 lumen incan flashlight…

related story: fire rescue crews and police showed up to my neighbors house to investigate a possible gas leak/fire hazard… only ONE out of probably 8 guys had a decent LED light. The rest were struggling to see in the dark with half dead incan lights with horrible beam profiles… I would be seriously concerned about their ability to do their job with the lights they had. I honestly got worried for them.

Also, I’d start putting cash aside to budget for your new addiction.

28

You probably won’t be using either of you Maglites anymore :wink:

Yes, the Samsung 26F battery I recommended has been reported to perform equally if not better than the higher priced Panasonic NCR18650B, so for the money the next better protected battery choice would be this one: Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA Protected 3500mAh

Highly recommended If you can afford it, it is the “top of the line” protected 18650 and will have longer runtime before needing recharged, and also provide higher amperage draw for extra output in certain lights.

29

Yes, the Samsung 26F battery I recommended has been reported to perform equally if not better than the higher priced Panasonic NCR18650B

On what metric? Certainly not total capacity - not according to HKJ’s tests:

That NCR18650GA also doesn’t appear to exceed the capacity of the old -B.

What the 26F will do is keep output stable in most regulated lights for about 5 minutes longer before it starts to trail off. The Sanyo UR18650FM is the winner in that department though.

LG MJ1 3500 mAh cells look to be pretty good, and they’re around $8 from both Illumn and Mountain Electronics. I’d go with those.

30

Also you may want to consider this:

There is currently a group buy in the works for a custom BLF Special Edition X6 (version 2). The group buy consists of a set of 2 flashlights the X6 and a “mini” version called the X5. The X5 uses a smaller size 14500 rechargeable battery. (the 14500 is basically the same size as an AA) Either of the Nitecore chargers can also charge a 14500.

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The flashlights are being custom made to BLF members preferred specifications and will have more output than a standard X6 when used with high discharge (unprotected) IMR batteries. You can still use high capacity protected batteries in them for longer runtime, then later when you are more comfortable working with Li-Ion batteries you can try the unprotected high discharge batteries for “turbocharged” output.

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You must buy the set, they will not be available separately for the group buy. You can choose your set either in the usual black aluminum, or a set with a stainless/copper X6 and an all copper X5 (for double the price).

EDIT: The price of a set in black aluminum is estimated to be around $45/set, so you can think of it as getting a custom X6 for $25 and the X5 mini version for $20, which are really great prices and would replace both of your Maglites. Also there will be some waiting involved to go this route, the flashlights are still in the pre-production prototype/testing stages and will hopefully be available for order by Christmas :wink: .

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The flashlights user interface (UI) will be more technical than a standard X6, but will allow for user configuration of preferred of mode selections.

For guaranteed availability and price you must commit to a set in the group buy thread here: BLF Kronos X6/X5 GB - Group Buy now closed.

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I don’t think the prices are firm yet.

See posted prices just above the sign-up lists.