single LED vs multiple LEDs

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
21

a narrow beam does not need as many lumens.. less lumens means less battery power used

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in that image, notice that the 10sq meter is illuminated at 100 Lux, while the 1 square meter is illuminated at 1,000 Lux..

IF 100 Lux is sufficient, then the narrow beam could be turned down to a lower lumen level… thereby using less battery

or the opposite, if 1000 Lux is needed, the wider beam needs more lumens, and more battery power

this is why a narrower beam uses less battery than a wider beam

also why a triple LED light with a wide beam, uses battery faster than a single LED light with a narrower beam.

it takes more power to light a larger area

understand?

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22

The honeycomb finish makes the beam vaguely hexagonal, but it’s the best choice you have for wide-angle TIRs. The frosted wide angle lenses are unusable, as mentioned before, due to artifacts.

The clear lenses labeled 15 degrees or below are pretty good.

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23

Another option would be to add some DC-Fix to a non-TIR lens, such as with a T2/T3/T6. I recently added some DC-Fix #3 to an H2 due to beam issues, but it also acts similar to a TIR lens since it diffuses the beam.

Here’s more info on it in case you are interested: DC-Fix Diffusion Film ,Amber and Zircon minus green filters

And here’s my H2 mod post which show before and after beams: What did you mod today?

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24

One’s application is critical to consider.

Example: I’ve got some old-school Emisars - a D1S and a D4 with a frosted optic.

  • D1S
    • Single-LED
    • ~50mm reflector
    • Throws handily to >300m
    • Intense hotspot that positively drowns its spill light
  • D4
    • Quad-LED
    • ~10mm frosted quad-optic
    • Throws Brute-force floods to ~30m, briefly
    • Wide beam with gentle falloff to is spill

The D1S will run flat-out for long periods of time without overheating because it’s 25% of the total power going into ~1000% the thermal mass. This is necessary because it’s only useful at medium-to-long distances and thus normally runs at 50-100% power all the time.

The D4 will throttle down in ~20s when run flat-out because it’s 400% the power of the D1S with ~10% of the mass. But it only needs to illuminate to some ~3m >95% of the time so it’s normally operating at perhaps the highest regulated setting.

The D1S could switch-hit for the D4 with bolted-on diffusion of some sort - but physics is a harsh mistress and it would require similar¹ power to illuminate the same area at the same intensity. Conversely, even a narrow quad-optic won’t bring the D4 into the D1S’s throw category

¹Actually slightly more power because that single LED would need to be driven harder than the D4s quad LEDs and we’re assuming no significant losses to the additional diffusion

The TL;DR: A single LED with a big reflector or optic is the choice for throw. For flood usage a triple or quad may be a better option, specifics depending.

EDIT: Comparison photos for funsies!

Throw

~50’ / ~15m - not the best distance for comparison but it’s what was available this evening as I was walking the dogs.

D1S_throw
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D1S

D4_throw
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D4

VICTOR: D1S
At this short distance the D4 can reach the target easily enough, but at the expense of considerable foreground illumination which the camera compensates for better than the eye. At but double the distance inverse-squared markedly reduces the target illumination and it’s nearly useless. The actual intensity on target at this short distance is also lower.

Flood

~3’ / ~1m - a somewhat typical task light distance.

D1S_flood
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D1S

D4_flood
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D4

VICTOR: D4
It would be annoying to sweep a ~6" / ~150mm wide path back and forth to look for leavings with the D1S, whose intense hotspot causes the pupils to contract more than the camera’s exposure trickery suggests. Also, the D4 is easily pocketable while the D1S is at best a jacket pocket light.

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25

That’s a great suggestion if one wants a floody beam. The adhesive-backed films in particular have insanely good transmission efficiency, with losses well below 3%.

I personally prefer TIRs over reflector+diffusion because the former is still better at angular mixing, but for someone less snobbish, some diffusion film over a reflector is a great way to achieve a smooth, floody beam without introducing any mechanical/dimensional issues.

26

I will evaluate alla the options and will update this thread accordingly :slightly_smiling_face:

So far, I like the idea of modifying TIR lenses to slap them where they wouldn’t fit otherwise, maybe I’ll look into putting 3 LEDs, I saw someone in some post on here did it on an artificially stone (and broken tiles and glasses) washed red Convoy, S I think, so maybe it’s possible.

@NeutralFan, thanks, I had seen that, I think I liked the post of yours too. Trouble is that being in Spain, the postage from US would cost a bomb, and then there is the cut for the customs mafia, as they need to eat too. And easily, my $1.50 purchase would be 25€ once it reaches my door, not really worth when the flashlight itself with battery, various TIR lenses, a reverse switch for my C8 and relative button, an N52 magnet, all cost together 23.32€ including shipping.

It’s an option I will keep in mind, though, if I find some local supplier. And I like the minus green filter, for sure!

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27

I look forward to your happy results.

Convoy already offers the T5 with a 60° beaded Tir. I think it is only a matter of asking Simon for other beaded Tir angles that fit the T5.

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