I bought a solar force gladiator for security work and need a 3or4 cree p60 drop in.I don’t want to change the head of the body so its quick and easy sheathing.Need it to go apx 1-2 hundred yards with a wide beam.1000 lumens would be nice with a low mode of 10-20 lumens and dont need a strobe.I would like to have it 3-12 working volts for 2-3 18650s or 4 cr123 for versatility and runtime.I have looked at edc,torch lab and Vinz xp-g quad.I would like any more suggestions,other modders and I’m not sure how to get hold of Vinz.Any suggestions would be nice and I don’t care what it costs,this has to be durable.
I don’t think there is any P60 drop-in that is realistically going to reach that far out. The amount of current needed to get to 1000 lumens will also cook the emitter long before the heat can transfer out. a 10-20 lumen low is also in the realm of custom-reprogramming the driver’s processor itself. If you need to get that far out then you need to look at a more potent torch.
Thanks that’s why I am asking questions cause I don’t know the limitations.
It may be possible with a high end custom, you will need an overdriven (and probably dedomed) XM-L2 to reach that sort of distance though, multiple emitters won’t focus well enough. I would contact vinhnguyen, or vinz if you can get hold of him. But then it may well prove cheaper/better value to fulfill the same requirements with a new light altogether.
The exact distance I cover is 427 feet.
That would be 130 metres, and according to ANSI standards I believe would require only 4225cd (lux at 1 metre) to reach it. That should actually be quite possible with a P60 drop-in.
However, ANSI standards are quite generous, only requiring 0.25 lux on target (roughly equivalent to moonlight), which may not be enough to actually see anything. For a more reasonable 1 lux on target at that distance you would want almost 20kcd which would be really pushing it for a P60 sized reflector.
Yes I thought at a 142.33 yards it would be possible.What are your thoughts on the torch lab triple or vinz quad xp-g.And if you don’t mind how do I contact Vinz?
Unfortunately any triple/quad LED drop in won’t have much throw (relative to its output) as the optics for focusing the light from each emitter simply aren’t large enough in that size head. A single well-driven higher power LED would allow for better focusing and much more throw. I don’t know how to contact vinz but vinhnguyen makes some very well-driven XM-L2 drop-ins with filled pills for better heatsinking. I think one of those would probably be your best bet.
Thanks Red Forest
Had pretty good luck with a lightmalls XML2-U2. in op reaches 100 yares easily they also have the SMO with more throw and Solarfoce has just came out with a XML2 P60 drop in rated @980 lumens those to choices are economical and are great quality , but nowhere what vinze can make for you , from. What I've read.
I have an 1800 lumen quad in XP-G2 its a 150’ wall of light but almost no throw in fact throw is only a function of sear output. Best p60 dropins run on a narrower voltage range like 3-4.5 or 3-9 one or two cell Lithium-ion only. Intl-outdoors has an excellent XM-L2 running at 3 amp high 15% of that on low.
Any particular reason why the torch must be a P60? I get wanting to use a new host and all, but different torches for different tasks. Any C8 from Lightmalls would make that task much easier because a spot focus will give you more than just a useless glancing illumination in one direction. Even a cheap zoomie (like a SAIK SA-9) would be better than using a short-range P60. I love my Intl-outdoors U2, but it is useless at any mild range viewing. And there are other lights that give “quick and easy sheathing.”
Yes the reason for the p60 is because of the gladiator body,if you look up a picture of it and know that I do security you’ll see why I chose it.
I see why you made the choice to go with the Gladiator, but I’m not sure why you can’t put a larger head on it like the M3? That would pretty easily make the distance and then some that you require.
I recently bought a 3 mode XM-L2 P60 drop-in from Solarforce and wasn’t very happy with the tint or beam profile, so I reflowed an XP-G2 into it. Tightened up the beam pretty good and the Solarforce pill allows for 2 cells. So you might could use the existing drop-in if you have one that allows your 3 cells, just change the emitter for a tighter, further throw. Depending on the unit, you may also be able to tweak it for some additional output.
Also do the tweaks to aid heat-sinking…make sure you wrap the pill for maximum contact with the head and using copper would give you the most benefit possible.
I don't know of a possibility here with that host with a 3-12v requirement and long runtimes. I think a single cell running an XM-L2 U2 1A on copper running at 3.5A would probably do the trick for lumens and throw, but it's a single cell solution, and that high output could not be maintained for very long.
It's an odd host for high output and long runtime. However, if you sacrifice the runtime, you could run a single cell with that type of high end P60. Did you get it with a stock P60 that supports the full 3-4 cell voltage (12-16v)?
Were you able to ID the driver? I've considered buying one just to find out what it is...
Stick the K3 on it, awesome beam pattern, great tint and should be just about enough throw. Just sheath it head up 
You guys are very informative.The p60 that came in the gladiator is ok ,its supposed to be 820 lumen but I doubt it,my klarus xt11 blows it away.I am electrically challenged,so as far as identifying a driver or modifying one myself,not going to happen.The option of changing heads is a possibility and that k3 is definitely nice. I have bought a lot of lights in the past year and I know why this new flashlight hobby/addiction is fun.
The p60 that came with it is 4-8.4 I think ,so I run two 18650’s and it has decent runtime.
You certainly will have a hard time finding a driver that can do CR123’s as well as the 18650’s. CR123’s simply cannot handle that much current.
An M3 or K3 head with an XP-G2 or XML2 overdriven should work well.