Hey Guys, I’m new here, and new to high-end flashlights.
I understand what flood and throw is,but
What are the main major design factors that make a flooder a flooder and a thrower a thrower???
I’ve got a design idea in my head, but don’t have the technical nowhow or expertise to know if it would actually work.
I’m a MacGyver type person that looks at things and wonders,
” how can I make this better”.
Regards Xandre
So the reflector ( width and length and smoothness) is the main design factor in making a light a thrower or flooder?
There are 2.
One is optics. If optics is designed for throw - the most important parameter is its frontal area (excluding holes like at the centre of reflectors).
The other is LED. Smaller die=throwier. Domeless=throwier. Some other LED features affect throwiness as well.
Yup. Then there are other factors such as domed or de-domed LED. De-domed version will typically result in more throw.
Disclaimer: My knowledge is less than 1% of some of the experts on here.
Lenses create tight focus throw with no ring or spill (some don’t even have reflectors behind)
Reflector width/depth to increase or decrease throw
Reflector smooth/orange peel to scatter or focus the light
The led’s themselves play a major role: the dome on most leds causes a diffusion effect making the led much more floody
when optics are used the led’s themselves are what dictate most of the flood/throw
If reflector based lights, yes. But there are throwers with no reflector, they use other optics/lens instead of glass lens. Like using TIR optics or aspheric lens (common for zoom lights).
LED die size is also a main factor when making a light floody or throwy. Smaller LEDs make batter throwers, not as much “beam” to focus.
Also, a “full” flooder doesn’t need any optics or reflector at all. This is what you would call a “mule light”.
So if you had a light that was a thrower and you somehow were able to shorten the length of the reflector it would make more of a flooder.
And on the flip side if you had a flooder light and were able to lengthen the reflector it would be a better thrower?
And both having the same lens
I think that’s correct but the emitter size will restrict/enhance the desired result.
Modifying the reflector can also cause voids or ring hotspots in the beam though
I don’t know how much effect modifying the texture of the reflector can have but smoothing it would increase the beam intensity causing more focused throw and orange peeling it would decrease beam intensity causing more light scattering flood
The easiest way to modify a thrower into a flooder is through some sort of diffusion
Okay as a visual example, using a thrunite tn42. ( which I own and is a major monster thrower).
It has a very deep smooth reflector.
If I was able to shorten the reflector by let’s say 1.5”–2”
This monster thrower would now become a major flooder. would that be correct?
Okay next visual question, what if the tn42 had an orange peel reflector?
You would lose a bit of throw, but gain a better looking beam.
I think your best bet would be to diffuse the lens either partially or fully with a film or to try and texture the reflector.
I think that shortening the reflector could cause undesired affects? An example that comes to mind is with maglights that have focusing heads. The focus moves the emitter deeper or higher within the reflector but it also causes the hideous void when flooding
I’m sure others on here could confirm this, but I think that void is a result of the emitter being to deep into the reflector?
Here is an example of a very well designed optic from Olight. it’s from the S1R which has a clear lens except for the center which has a transparent (opaque) dome that causes a beautiful wide and even hotspot
Which question were you answering the shorter reflector or the orange peel reflector?
The TN42 smooth reflector vs OP reflector.
With an OP reflector, you would lose a bit of throw, but gain a better looking beam.
Instead of orange peel what if the smooth reflector was an inch and a half to 2 inch shorter?
You would get the same beam, but less throw.
Okay here’s my idea,( using the tn42 as an example) what if you had a orange peel reflector that goes in a tn42. cut 1.5” off both smooth reflector and op reflec.
Creating the same mechanism as a Zoomie for the tn42 w/ clear lense. using the op reflector in the zoomie slide.
Kind of like a collapsible camping cup.
When the head is slid in,it’s a good thrower, slid out it exposes the orange peel and creates a thrower flooder.
I hope some of you were able to visualize what I was trying to get across.