Ok. I tried looking at all the reviews, asked questions, but it eventually comes down to this question.
What is the best 2000 to 5000 lumen flashlight to get under $75?
It can be multi cell, multi LED. I like using 18650 batteries, I don’t mind it having 3 or 4 emitters.
I am too ignorant to figure out how to tell the difference from Chinese lumens vs. real lumens from the descriptions. What I do know is not to trust the advertised output.
I’m looking for compact and not too heavy, good quality light and beam throw. Cool or neutral white.
I saw the BlackShadow Terminator Quad XM-L2 on sale for $105, but that’s still too expensive for me. Maybe if it was $75, I would buy it.
There must be something out there that is under $75. Maybe under $50?
definitely TR-J18 as stock it can put out 3500+ lumens with simple resistor mod you can achieve 4000+ lumens easy
and it’s cheaper nowadays… at around $45 and you still have extra money to buy KK batteries for it
Richard says its high is 2500 lumens, that is the stock light at $38. I would add mod option #1 for an additional $10, ensuring a better, safer, light. High is reported to be around 3000 lumens with that mod….
of course you would need some good cells also.
very, very, nice light at that price I’m told, if u can wait for one.
On the Mountain Electronics Supfire M6 - 3 x XM-L2, he lists four mod option 2’s.
Pardon my LED ignorance, but what is the difference between the four types?
The mod 2’s are all priced the same.
Mod Option 2 XM-L2 U2 1A
Mod Option 2 XM-L2 T6 3C
Mod Option 2 XM-L2 T6 4C
Mod Option 2 XM-L2 T4 5B1
I often see the numbers after XM-L or XM-L2, but I don’t know what they mean. Are they codes for color? like cool white, neutral white? or are they the type of reflector used?
I often forget what range of Kelvin the 1A or 3C designation signifies but those last 2 numbers designate what range of white the emitter can be expected to emit.
The XML2 U2 1A is 6500-7000 Kelvin or very cool. 4C is a warmer hue, 3C is warmer than that and the ones with a B tend to be warmest with a higher color rendering index (CRI). But I usually don’t remember all that mumbo jumbo. I know I like 4500 Kelvin so I go to the page on that website where he sells LEDs and look up the description of the emitters and their Kelvin rating and select the one closest to 4500 Kelvin. Tastes are different and some prefer a warmer or cooler hue and RMM of mtnelectronics is just catering to our preferences. I knuckled down and bought the 2nd option with T6 3C. More than I wanted to spend as I am cheap but I know I would take forever to mod it myself and would not turn out as nice. I have always been happy with my purchases there. Good luck.
This is may put out more light, possibly a lot more, but rear clickie isn't as friendly to use, most likely has a terrible set of modes, and batteries in series isn't as safe.
There's also the Supfire L1.
It already has the output you want, but you can get 5000 lumens with a resistor mod. Maybe over 7000 lumens if you install XM-L2 U2's on direct bonded copper mcpcb's.
Even swapping those XM-L's to direct bonded copper stars will get you close to 7000 lumens.
So let's says $63 for the light, $10 for emitters, and a little time with a soldering iron.
I posted a similar question Here member 18sixfifty is working on a review for a flashlight in stock form is 7000 lumens and it is $79. I am going to wait for his review and decide between the supfire m6 and this 7000 lumen mystery light.
