RaceR86's flashlight collection (Update 23.09.2013, collection pictures)

LED Flashlights – General Info
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Great collection Torger!

I have some (85) lithium ion batteries but most of them are crap (UltraFires, TrustFires, Qang Fa, Raptor, HZS & CDR-King) and only less than half (37) are good ones (King Kong, Sanyo, Nitecore & Redilast). 6 Panasonics are on the way from WallBuys and I’ll be disposing the crap ones slowly because aside from the safety issue I’ve read here, their true capacities are usually less than half of what they’re being marked.

The ’spare parts” you gave me had gone a long long way. These have kindled my interest in flashlight modding and I have started acquiring some tools and additional spare parts also. I think I’ll also use a similar plastic box for the spare parts because I’m using Chinese flashlight boxes (cardboard) to store the small parts and they get tangled up easily.

I hope you won’t mind if I try to emulate what you’re doing. :bigsmile:

13

I have the same blue 501B, and for some strange reason, crappy heatsinking and all, it’s my number one go-to light. (with my modifications installed of course)

Maybe because it’s blue?

Maybe because it’s the one I keep in my daily bag? (probably because it’s blue and compact)

Anyway, I use it a lot and I like it.

14

Nightbird 95. My first two cells were Ultrafire batteries. One stopped working within a week for no apparent reason. The other one was not able to output much more than 2 amp at best. After that, I was done with cheap batteries. When it comes to batteries Im not that budget oriented. I like performance, batterylife and I prefer safety.

The Ultrafire batteries where the cheapest batteries I bought, yet, the most expensive. Because I had to be replace basically instantly. If Tesla can put around 7000 of Panasonic batteries in a a Model S, and put a 8 year warranty on the battery pack, then that makes me feel confident about longevity over several years too. Id like to support leading technology. Unless it comes overpriced. Considering the performance on the NCR18650 batteries, they are currently my default choice of batteries.

I have done a larger update on my post about batteries and chargers. Added more info on why I have that particular battery or charger.

Edit: Its nice to see you have gotten into modding now.. And also gotten use for some of the parts you got. They used to sit in my box of parts. :) Hope modding have made added a dimension to the flashlight hobby and made it more enjoyable! :)

Chiggerpepi, Colorful lights are cool and unique in my opinion. Most of my lights are black. My little "P60 club" looks fresh despite being mostly cheap lights. As long as you like a particular host, use it and abuse it. My army P60 is my beater light, and my most used P60 along with the L2T. I dont care if it hits the ground or anything. Its also the light with the worst threads and build quality of them all. :p Still a great light! :D For me personally that is. Technically, the host is not good. But I was my first P60 host, and my first powerful compact light, and I used it for a long time before buying any other lights.

15

Ah! So that's what your avatar pic is!

Good thread idea! I like the idea of doing one similar and posting a link in my signature line.

Those parts compartment boxes are nice but I've learned that they don't fill and organize themselves! :) I bought quite a few of them for flashlight parts, but haven't got around to using them so they sit there on my workbench alongside numerous Chinese packing envelopes.

-Garry

16

I’m satisfied with all my Sanyo lithium ions so far but I’ve not tried Panasonics yet. When my 6 Panasonics from WB group buy arrives, only then can I tell the difference. I’ll be using them for my BTU Shocker & K40. If they perform much better than Sanyos then I’ll be switching to Panasonics.

17

Yupp, just an old Mini Maglite.. :p

I would love to see your collection Garry and hear more about it. I know there is the Big Collection thread. Its nice to browse. But I like some talk and pictures too. A bit more personal talk. So I hope to see more threads dedicated to a certain persons collection.

LOL, true about the self organizing.. Im not always that good at it. At times I am living in a mess of parts ad disassembled flashlights. But I know that its usually more time saving to organize stuff. I try to organize my mess at times.. :D

I think most people are very satisfied with the Sanyo batteries. I was probably just unlucky with my set that I got from FT. And I prefer the discharge curve and capacity of the Panasonics.

18

What camera setup are you using, i am loving you pictures :)

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Thanks...

For most of my snapshots I use a Canon 550D (rebel T2i) , Canon 60mm lens, and one of my strobes, normally 580EX. I normally use that setup for all close up shots. If you have seen various mod-threads I often just take the thing I want to take a picture of and hold it in the air in front of me, or put it on top of speaker. No time is being used to setup my shots. Except that one back-lit shot in OP where I played around with 2 external strobes just for fun.

The outdoor shots of the Vintage light shown in this thread were taken with the 550D.

Winter shot of L2T, was a point a shoot (Canon S95).

Macro close up in my avatar was 5D MKIII.

My camera setup exists of S95, 550D and a bunch of quality lenses, and some flashes. I have personally owned more lenses than flashlights.. 0:) But I used to test a lot of gear..

A cheap DSLR + external flash pointed towards the roof normally gives good pictures in any indoor situation despite crap indoor lighting.

20

Ill answer your deleted post too. (lol) But you may not like my "protective answer"..

Most "premium" lights are not worth it to me, I can make my lights like I want them to be. On many (not all) premium lights you mostly pay for the brand and better anodizing IMO. The more premium they are the less mod friendly they seem to be in many cases. Most premium lights comes with emitters I would never use either. Many seems to have crappy UI and mode spacing. Im not aware of any premium lights that I would consider buying that I would find acceptable in stock form.

What is considered premium lights btw?

My Fenix E15 (which I only paid 1$ for) is supposed to be a "premium" light. I would never have paid more than 10$ for it. If I could buy another one for 7$ I would say, "thanks, but not thanks". I doubt I will buy more Fenix lights. I have two Archon lights, are they premium? Magnetic rings and such. They are my least desirable lights at the moment, but they are stock, or pretty much stock. I doubt I will buy any more Archon lights. Is a Shadow Padme a Premium light?? I have an Olight I6 and I3 incoming. I hope those are mod-friendly. Im familiar with several of the Led-Lenser models. Some would consider their lights to be premium, but they are mostly outdated too.

IMO, most premium lights have to be modded in order to get up to the level of my "budget" lights. (Im proud of my budget lights :8) )

Most of my lights have quite updated emitters, good CRI/tint, I have huge selection of tints, emitters mounted on copper MCPCB. About 50% of my lights have minimum 80 CRI. A bunch will get AR lenses. Many have UI that go far beyond many of the "premium" lights. If they don't have great UI, they usually make up for it in another way. Normally that means they will seriously outperform its main "premium" rival in terms of output. J)

I can honestly say that most premium lights are not desirable to me. No offence to premium lights. I consider most lights as a mod-host. Stock lights rarely tick my boxes no matter how "premium" they are..

As for my lights. Often when I feel one light is outperformed in some way by others and is quite useless, Ill mod it again. If Im not happy with the outcome, Ill mod it again, If I think I can improve it and feel like doing that. Ill mod it again.. Many of my lights have gotten changes lots of times, and many of them will still get more changes done to them.

Some time back, these were my favorite lights.

We cant all have the same taste.. :)

Ill take some updated shots of my whole collection once my I3 and I6 arrives.. :)

Oh.. I also ordered this.. 0:)

21

Got my 3rd Ultrafire M5 today.. 0:)

1st. Nichia 119 (ordered first time)

2nd. Stock (ordered 2nd time)

3rd. XP-E2 R3 1D (ordered 2nd time by my brother, I swapped an AAA Enelong for that light)

Unlike my first two lights, this third one had a smaller 10mm MCPCB and a aluminium centering ring that sits around the MCPCB.

After swapping to an XP-E2, I checked emitter current. About 0,22 with an Enelong. I have not checked current on my other lights.

Im not sure which tint I prefer out of the XP-E2 and stock XP-G. Non-are great.

But the XP-E2 throws better. :) Im a bit tempted to buy Efest IMR 10440.

22

Those are some nice lights and photos.

23

40 lights? Wow! I really like that military camouflage one.

24

Thanks Brad.. Recently I have gotten more and more into throwers. They have zero useful purpose for me, but they sure are fun! The better they throw the less useful they are too me, and the more fun they are too! LOL :D

My ZY-T13 have been modded several times. Im not able to push it much further than 3,75A due to limitations in the stock driver. Atleast I dont fell comfortable about it. But with a de-domed XM-L2 on copper it throws very nicely! :)

I have my "tint-thrower". The Uniquefire UF-X6S, pushing out 5 amps to an XM-L with 80+ CRI. I will swap the emitter to another NW XM-L2 with a bit more power though. Might see if I can increase the current a bit more too. 0:) This light will not have a de-domed emitter. Just lots of mid-long range throw.

I have an STL-V6. The driver is modded for 5,3A, and will put a de-domed XP-G2 in it. Throw should be sick.. I have done some work to the body with and end-mill. That way I can make room for some sort sort of copper "pill". Should be up an running in not too much time.

I currently have an XP-E2 sitting in a gasoline bath. Ill push it as hard is its useful pushing it. I will then put it in a ZY-T619 (a single cell thrower). I have modified the body with an end mill in that light too. Just need to make a little copper plate for pill. Not sure if Ill like it with that tiny emitter, but im curious to see the beam.

I used to have a de-domed XP-G2 in a C8, but I though de-domed XP-G2 in my little aspherical pocket thrower (N-LIght XT50) was way cooler, practical and pocket friendly.

Oh.. and then there is this light that I just ordered.. Ill have to see how its built and what drivers can fit. Hopefully it will make my ZY-T13 seriously obsolete. :)

Ill get around to do a thrower beam shot comparison once Im happy with my throwers.. :)

Would be cool if I could borrow a friends Led-Lenser X21R for the comparison shots..

25

Cool. Here is a two toned picture of it..

Actually, I have made the spreadsheet. I counted all of my "hosts", basically lights that I will mod and various. And im right above 50.. I should never have counted everything I have placed around for future mods.. :p

26

Updated OP. Spreadsheet is now online!

Also got my I6 today and various resistors and XM-l2s. :) Its been a real long time since I ordered emitters from FT.

Easy to swap emitter in the I6. :) Stock it uses a square MCPCB with thermal paste. I wonder if that white wire is the ground..

The I6 is one really nice light. Simplistic, but very sweet in terms of UI. Very nicely built and lovely anodizing.

I doubt I will swap out the driver due to the UI, but have anyone taken it out and tried to increase the OOmmph? :)

27

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This is a very nice thread. Wonderful pictures and interesting info. It would be cool if you could link the lights in your database to their respective build threads. What is that interesting looking behemoth behind the M5?

29

Thanks ImA4Wheelr! :)

I plan on adding links to my various mod threads. Not sure if I should put the links in this thread, or in the spreadsheet. Might be better to do in the the spreadsheet, but I dont always update my threads when I do changes to my lights, which I have a tendency to do.

This week I have done various mods and emitter swaps. XP-E2 have been the theme.

XP-E2 in M5

XP-E2 in P60 at 3A. (I know, I should have stayed with lower current but I did not bother).

XP-E2, de-domed in P60, a bit over 2 amp with a driver that did up towards 2,6A to an XM-L.

XP-E2, de-domed in ZY-T619. Head was modified with copper pill. Using 2,8A Nlite (no mode memory, and starts on high) When battery goes below 4V, current starts declining slowly to 2,5A and further down. It will get into the optimum range fairly fast..

I have done some copper pill work on my STL-V6 too.

I doubt Ill keep the XP-E2s around in those lights. Certainly not in the ZY-T619 or the P60s. I have larger plans for them. I just had to try the XP-E2 in various sized lights and see it for myself. Im not that impressed to be honest. Once I put several of them in a light, they will probably become useful, and that was my plan from the start.

In all honesty, im rarely impressed by hard driven XP-G2s either. Normally Id take XM-2s.. Hopefully my XP-G2 STL-V6 will become so impressive that ill be amazed with the XP-G2 afterall. More to come..

And no, I am not going to mod the Led Lenser X21R pictured in my previous post. The battery pack needs a health check. Lights shuts down fast, and it used to have battery issues some time back too. Its a friends light. Might have a bad cell or something..

Look how small the STl-V6 looks beside it! LOL! :D

(edit, would be cool to mod that light though)

30

I was about to ask what the hell that huge flashlight was. So that’s a Led Lenser X21R. :open_mouth:

How’s its beam? Is is a thrower or a flooder? :slight_smile:

31

Both. :)

Probably the most useful thrower I know of. Not only does it throw a long way, but the hotspot is wide, and you got no spill to limit your vision, and when its not zoomed in, its good for close up stuff too. Its like no other light that I am familiar with.

Its size and weight makes it a beast. And due to using nimh, its got no more battery capacity than a SRK type light. But its amazing what it can do with those batteries.

Its certainly not a budget light at around 580$ locally. Despite having a bit "old-technology/emitters" its very impressive. Its been the benchmark for my lights for a long time. Despite that some of my light have higher output. I would never consider buying the light, but I respect it for what it is.

You can see the adjustable beam of the X21 quite nicely in the beginning if this video. Its also side by side with TK70.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BunDr-S9q4

X21 is rated to 1000 lumen I believe, if not slightly more. TK70 is rated for 2200.

X21R is rated 1600. The number does not sound impressive, but the beam is. Its kinda like having two lights in one light. And do not think a hard driven XP-G2 or XM-L2 zoomie can be compared to it.