In the past week or two I’ve put SST-40 emitters and BLF A6 drivers in two hosts. The first was a $8 SecurityIng host from eBay.
The second is a UltraFire F13. While I was testing it with a freshly charged Lii-50A it stopped working. Turns out the tail spring got too hot and shrank. I replaced the tail-spring, and added a 22AWG bypass and tried again. It’s bright, really bright.
So, of course, I wanted more. But what? I’m already worried I’m close to burning though the bond wires. I was flummoxed, frustrated. I consoled myself by comparing the F13 SST-40 to the 18650 SST-40 and my stock Sofirn C8A for the purposes of lighting up a neighbor’s 50’ evergreen. (The F13 is noticeably brighter than both the others).
Then it hit me: I need to build a triple, or a quad SST-40 light powered off a 26650!
But what host to use? I’ve come up with a few options, but I’m hoping for other suggestions, too.
The obvious choice is another F13. It has an integrated shelf, and it’s inexpensive. The downside is that it is a bit long, like an inch or so too long.
Another option, for a few bucks more, is the Sofirn C8F host. It is already fitted out for a triple, should easily fit a variety of drivers, including the original C8F driver, which they sell for ~$5. The problem is that it isn’t a 26650 host.
A third option is to get a Sofirn SP33. The size is right and it takes a 26650. It seems to use a DD driver with a high-current and a low current FET, so I could probably use the existing driver. The downsides are that it is ~$23, and if the T-shaped stock driver isn’t suitable, it may take extra effort and expense to fit a replacement.
So, can anyone suggest some other hosts for me to consider, something I can get for less than $20, or, even better, less than $15?
Thanks in advance!