Being fairly new to the modding hobby, I finally picked up my first P60 host in order to try out all the various LED types and tints. Since it costs hardly anything to build a P60, it is a great way to build a working library of LEDs. I bought a second host just so I could then do side by side comparisons. I also like P60s for trying out new techniques. Best to work things out on inexpensive format before trying them in a more permanent host.
I have a bunch of 501B P60’s and they work great for their intended purpose. All of mine have special LED’s (red/green/blue/365 nm/385nm/395nm/800nm/850nm940nm/etc). They are not driven to obscene levels. I would not put a 3A+ LED in a P60 light.
Most P60 host seem to have a big gap to fill between the reflector and the host. There are some silver hosts on ebay that are from Aleto. They have the smallest gap and the thickest wall I have seen so far. It also has some small fins. My experience with P60’s light though. I have only seen Citipower and Ultrafire 501 and 502’s mostly.
I'm a fan of this one:
...although I understand the newer version isn't made quite as well as the older one I have. Mine is extremely rugged; I ran over it in an asphalt parking lot and it just scuffed the finish on a couple of spots and bent the bezel ring. A drop-in fits closer so less wrapping needed. A well-wrapped pill transfers heat into the body of the host very well, with more mass and heat-sink area than your typical 50xb-type host.
Do you have a link to the Aleto? A model number/name? I've never run across that one.
-Garry
I agree with what you said, but… can you actually find a “C8 drop-in”? To be clear, what I mean by “C8 drop-in” is a drop-in that you can just put into an existing C8 (host) without modifying either the host or the drop-in.
Yea me to!
C8 "drop-in" here:
Actually, a pill with a driver/emitter pre-installed. Not a simple modular drop-in/easy-swap like a P60.
I have been using that SR5 Host for 3 years with XPG R5. wrapping the drop in with alumunium foil is a must to preserve the thermal transfer capability. I will be having one with XML T6 very soon. I’m gonna wrap it too. Hopefully the drop in can handle XML well. and this host is clone of Lumens Factory Seraph P6.
their drop in is also good one.
I would like to see more C8 "screw ins" but they likely would be the same price as a C8 light. Especially the FT Convoy. That line of lights is where things are heading to, what you want how you want it.
Ahh. Can you tell what kind of emitter that is?
Check all the regular sites for a clone of the Lumens Factory SP-6 Seraph. The body tube has cooling fins at drop-in level plus the head is beefier than the average 502 or L2 series light. KD carries a bunch of clones. I have several plus original Seraphs and all can handle 2.8-3+A drop-ins w/o excessive heat when run for 1/2+ hr on high. You will want to wrap the drop-in w/ copper or aluminum for best sinking.
Some variety of XR-E is all I know...
The host with the best cooling is this one: The "Cooly" built by fivemega http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?326040-COOLY-26650-D26-(P60)-Host-By-FiveMega
I love mine!
I misspoke when I said “host”. It’s a complete light. Here is a link the one I bought for $7.00:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/300880706203?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&\_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
I think a p60 host with sinkpad + wrap is plenty of heatsinking but I also never use a full 3A for extended periods of time.
3xAA? I think 3xAA Nimh should be ok? Since Nimh should be 1.2V, 3 x 1.2V => 3.6V =~ a Li-ion battery under load?
if your thinking of building a drop in, why no take the next step, buy a host kit and build up a light designed for an xm-l, I’ve built a few lights now that are comparable to your average 18650 p60 sized light and even they heat up pretty quick at 3.5a.
At the end of the day, shoving 10+ watts into a nice little alu tube is always going to result in a hand warmer. 
Both fasttech and cnqg have a nice range of hosts now that result in extremely nice finished lights. I would personally choose the d5 host from cnqg matched to the qlite driver you mentioned, the result would be pretty close to nirvana.
here’s the build thread if your interested
I’ve been using this as my work edc since I vuilt it and its extremely robust, showing not a mark on it yet.
thanks again for all the info and suggestions!
@gords - perhaps this is what I should have set out to do… unfortunately I had already purchased the drop-in from FT and so wanted to ‘not waste it’… perhaps i’ll leave that drop-in as is and use the driver for another build… however, if I can figure out how to remove the emitter from the XM-L2 pill that would create more options… as I am still looking for a host switching to a non-p60 host would still be an option, assuming I can scavenge the parts… perhaps after I remove the driver from below the pill I will get a better idea of how the emitter is attached…(hopefully not glued….)