flashlight

[bullets]

http://www.fenix-store.com/

Got an LD01 in transit to replace my old L0P on my keychain.

Also look at http://foursevens.com/.

Either of these should get you a good value for you dollar because they don't spend millions in advertising...

+1 on the Fenix or Foursevens!

[gjlog]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions. I have ordered several of the recommended ones on this board.
Greg

[ktech]

I'm a huge FourSevens fan, and their customer service is excellent. I broke the clip on one of my lights (through no fault of theirs) and e-mailed asking how I could order a replacement.
A couple weeks later, I had a new tailcap assembly in my mailbox, gratis.

[UnaStamus]

A couple things to think about-

First off, understand that "lumen" is a word that is subject to interpretation. There is not standardized method of measurement, so understand that there is no universal constant involved in lumen ratings for lights. My agency issues eXtreme Beam M1000 lights, that are 850lumens. I don't carry it, as I use my SureFire R1 Lawman, which is 750lumens. My SF R1 is brighter than the M1000. Part of that is due to the fact that the light produced by my SF is whiter, while the eXtreme Beam is bluish, which has a shorter wavelength. Quality companies like SureFire and Streamlight are pretty consistent with the way they measure their light output. However, other companies basically do whatever they want, and some just make up a number based on what their parts supplier tells them.

In my agency, we have FourSevens, Fenix, Streamlight and SureFire backup lights in use by officers. The SureFire lights are hands-down the best in terms of light output and quality of the light, as well as overall build construction. Streamlight is a close second. Elzetta lights are on par with that top tier. The Fenix, FourSevens and eXtreme Beam are all a lot lower quality. They work, and they're a lot better than the generic cheapies made in China, but they're not on the same level as companies like SureFire. Just because multiple people use a CREE emitter doesn't mean that the lights are the same quality or have the same output.

I push SureFire hard because they're hands-down the best in the industry. There is a premium for them, but for $100-$150, you can get a great cross-section of lights that are bombproof and have great light quality. Keep in mind that the quality of the light output is important, and it's not always about lumens/output levels. Many LEDs tend to get blue in color as they get brighter, and this actually has an adverse effect on your perception of the light quality. Top tier companies are able to keep their high output lights on the white side of the color spectrum.
Also keep in mind that LED does not penetrate well through debris, smoke, fog or precipitation in the air. Incandescent lights do that very well, but LEDs do not. This is why many SOCOM personnel and US LE SWAT personnel mount two lights on their rifles. One is usually an Incan, and one is a high-output LED.
A less expensive alternative are the Streamlights. They are about half the price of a SureFire, but still very good quality.

Now I'm going to punch a sacred cow... The other thing to note is that there is no universal "max output" level for any given situation. The concept that you can't have more than say, 200-250 lumens for indoors work is just the newest iteration of the old comments 5 years ago when people said you can't have more than 100-130 indoors. And before that, it was 60-90lumens if I remember correctly. The reality is that the max amount of light is how much ever you want and need. I run a 500 lumen SureFire X300 Ultra on my Glock 22 duty pistol and a SureFire R1 Lawman 750 lumen light for a handheld. Not too long ago, I had to go "tunnel rat" into a crawlspace of a house that was lined with sheetrock and drag out a fugitive who was hiding. Very tight, confined space and light colored walls. I used my SureFire X300 Ultra with DG Switch for lighting, because if the fought with me, I was just going to shoot him. I had no blindness issues whatsoever. He was blinded, and he flinched and quickly turned away when I lit him up in the corner of the crawlspace. While that light destroyed any night vision I adaptation I might have had, I certainly wasn't blinded. The suspect had to fight THROUGH the light, and couldn't.
I've done vehicle searches and searches of small residential rooms using my R1 Lawman when having my gun out wasn't necessary or appropriate, and it's not a blinding problem at all. White eggshell painted walls, not problem. When people say that the light will blind you, 9/10 times it's because someone points the light directly at a wall at a perpendicular angle, and then stares directly at the hotspot of the beam. Consider a flashlight like the sun, and don't stare directly at it and you'll be okay.
There is a reason why CAG, SF, SEALs, MARSOC, and several others are running SureFire P2X Fury 500lumen lights indoors, as well as outside (other very high-output lights as well). SureFire is actually in the process of upping the light output levels of their Scout line of lights due to demand for more light for CQB and open terrain cross-over.

Food for thought when you do your research. If you don't like super-bright, there's nothing wrong with that. If you do like super-bright, go nuts.

[gjlog]

Here's a quick update. I decided to buy two flashlights of similar type: 1) The Streamlight 88040 ProTAC and 2) An UltraFire WF502B CREE T6 XM-L. The UltraFire (Chinese) cost about 1/5th of the Streamlight. In terms of comparative value, one strike against the UltraFire is the battery it uses--something called an "18650", which is one I hadn't heard about before. You can't find it at Menards or other hardware/department stores. However, the brightness and usability of the lights are comparable. That does not say anything about durability or longevity. That remains to be seen.
GJ

[gunsmith]

18650 is 18 mm in diameter and 65 mm long 0= circular format.

the 26650 is the same but 26 mm in diameter...this is the size Li-ion battery used in Hybrids IIRC.

You may want to order the 18650 batteries from the same place you got the battery. T-mart.com is nice in that it's ALWAYS free shipping and you don't have to build an order to get free shipping so just ordering one small part is convenient.

AFAIK the 18650 is rechargeable only ??? 2 batts and a small charger is cheap...you will probably have to go online order to get this. No memory effect w/ Li-ions...lots more 'energy density' than NiMh or Nicad.

BTW did you find the Trustfire at T-Mart?

Here's a link http://www.tmart.com/Ultrafire-Charger- ... 39808.html

[jspace]

If you're daring or stupid, you can rip 18650 cells out of laptop batteries. I've got close to 100 from doing that, but most of them aren't very good. These cells do not have any sort of protection circuitry and can vent if mishandled. Get some AW cells and a charger.
The WF502B sucks IMO. It's really thin. If the LED portion of the light supports it (6V+), you can use 2xCR123s. I believe the Li-ion equivalent cells are 16340.

[gunsmith]

If you're daring or stupid, you can rip 18650 cells out of laptop batteries. I've got close to 100 from doing that, but most of them aren't very good. These cells do not have any sort of protection circuitry and can vent if mishandled. Get some AW cells and a charger.
The WF502B sucks IMO. It's really thin. If the LED portion of the light supports it (6V+), you can use 2xCR123s. I believe the Li-ion equivalent cells are 16340.

What's your source for the used laptop batteries....I've gotten a dozen 18650 cells from my old laptop batteries and it seems about 50% are still good. You can get the unprotected cells for about $4 new from T-Mart.

THEY SHOULD ONLY BE USED IN SINGLE CELL FLASHLIGHTS
and you won't have a problem w/ venting / overheating .

Top of the line Panasonic double protected 3100 ma 18650 cells are now available and I'll be switching to those for 4x (12v+) power packs.

[Hmac]

Here's a quick update. I decided to buy two flashlights of similar type: 1) The Streamlight 88040 ProTAC and 2) An UltraFire WF502B CREE T6 XM-L. The UltraFire (Chinese) cost about 1/5th of the Streamlight. In terms of comparative value, one strike against the UltraFire is the battery it uses--something called an "18650", which is one I hadn't heard about before. You can't find it at Menards or other hardware/department stores. However, the brightness and usability of the lights are comparable. That does not say anything about durability or longevity. That remains to be seen.
GJ

18650's and appropriate accessories are all over Amazon. They are Lithium Ion batteries such as in your laptop. Good ones won't be as susceptible to cold, will hold their charge well, and will last a long, long time.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_ ... ords=18650

[jspace]

I worked at a place that recycled a lot of old laptops. The batteries were shot, so I grabbed them. That was 3 or 4 years ago.
I haven't blown any up, but I haven't tried to.

[gunsmith]

I worked at a place that recycled a lot of old laptops. The batteries were shot, so I grabbed them. That was 3 or 4 years ago.
I haven't blown any up, but I haven't tried to.

I've been building my own monster bike light w/ LEDS and Li-Ion batts it's fun.

Planet Earth's foremost flashlight forum:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forum.php

Bike Forum sub forum on DIY lights
http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay. ... mp-Gadgets
Candle power forums sub forum on battery safety
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/for ... -batteries
This is a scary thread:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/sho ... A-exploded

[gunsmith]

Here's a quick update. I decided to buy two flashlights of similar type: 1) The Streamlight 88040 ProTAC and 2) An UltraFire WF502B CREE T6 XM-L. The UltraFire (Chinese) cost about 1/5th of the Streamlight. In terms of comparative value, one strike against the UltraFire is the battery it uses--something called an "18650", which is one I hadn't heard about before. You can't find it at Menards or other hardware/department stores. However, the brightness and usability of the lights are comparable. That does not say anything about durability or longevity. That remains to be seen.
GJ

18650's and appropriate accessories are all over Amazon. They are Lithium Ion batteries such as in your laptop. Good ones won't be as susceptible to cold, will hold their charge well, and will last a long, long time.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_ ... ords=18650

Quick note: if you use 2 Li-ion batts in a light they MUST be 'protected'...which means there is a circular circuit board on the bottom of the battery that will shut it down if it shorts (which would overheat the battery, possibly catching it on fire and releasing Hydroflouric Acid Gas.

Here's a post from a guy who sniffed just a little too much and was rushed to the ER.

WHAT I LEARNED AND MY DOCTOR SAID TO ME:

1) DO NOT DELAY a trip to the emergency room in the hospital if you have inhaled, ingested, or came into skin contact with Lithium battery venting.

2) Have someone else drive you to the hospital if possible. You could become quickly and without warning completely impaired. Oxygen and emergency treatment by qualified personel are your only chances of survival after cardiac arrest or if you are unable to breathe.

3) DO NOT ASSUME you are OK if you as much as think you´ve been exposed to battery fumes, EVEN IF the battery seems to be OK and explosions are not a requisite.

4) Keep handy antidote in the form of calcium gluconate saline solution for inhalation or in gel form for skin cuts or burns. Intravenous solutions are a possibility and must be administered by hospital personnel.

This incident was very mild compared to other cases, but I assure you fellow CPF´rs, it is very scary and dangerous. A battery can start to vent if mishandled or dropped as in my case, it does not have to explode. It happened to a name brand chinese made CR123, it does not have to be a "cheap battery", this one cost me $2.00 a piece.
Don´t ever pull the vent holes in the positive end of the battery up close to your face or nose like I very stupidly did. If you suspect a battery is venting, just toss it aside.

Hopefully somebody else will benefit from this post.

BY WHAT MECHANISM DOES HYDROFLUORIC ACID CAUSE DEATH?
Posted By: William M. Rich, MD Faculty, University Med. Center
Hydrogen fluoride is a gas which when in solution with water forms hydrofluoric acid, HF. Although a
weak acid, i.e., it is not strongly disassociated, is used toetch glass. Like it's sister, HCl acid, it reacts with
water with the release of heat and can cause burns on the skin. Hydrofluoric acid has an even more
detrimental effect that can affect many internalstructures. Fatalities have been reported from a skin
exposure to as little as 2.5% of body surface area.The weak disassociation allows it to be absorbed
through the skin as the intact molecule.
Once it penetrates the skin it slowly disassociates into the hydrogen ion and fluoride ion. The fluoride ion
affects tissue integrity and metabolism by liquefaction necrosis, decalcification and destruction of bone,
and production of insoluble salts. Loss of calcium, (hypocalcemia), results from precipitation of calcium
form the blood as CaF2. This will eventually result inloss of calcium from the bones to try to equilibrate
the decreased serum calcium. This may be a delayed fatal event. The rapid development of
hypocalcemia can be rapidly fatal because calcium is important for muscles, including cardiac muscle, to
function properly. Without calcium, many metabolic pathways breakdown.
Fluoride from any source has the same toxicity. A mass poisoning occurred at a state hospital many
years ago when a bug poison containing NaF was mistaken for powdered milk and added to scrambled
eggs. There were reported to be 47 deaths. In some regions of the country the levels of fluoride in the
water are too high and this causes mottling ofthe teeth and loss of calcium from the bones.
Inhalation of HF produces an immediate injury to the lining of the lungs with hemorrhage pulmonary
edema and death. It may take only about 5 minutes ofexposure to inhaled HF to produce death in a
couple of hours.
All in all, fluoride from whatever source can be very dangerous.

[gearguy10]

The Pink Lady Original....Oh, wait....you're looking for a FLASHlight....not a FLESHlight....my bad.

I keep a Surefire 6PX Pro Dual on the nightstand and a Surefire 6P Defender with a Malkoff device mounted on the AR.

Keep it simple (on/off) and don't go overboard on the lumen rating. As has already been stated here, too bright will work against you when you don't want it to.

[www]

Try this one http://www.armytek.com/products/flashli ... olors.html

It's a great tactical light 670 lumens, has a rugged matt body, comes with a lanyard, and it really illuminates well at good distances. I don't have much experience with all the different companies, but I like Armytek and can recommend this one.

[tntsl]

I've been into flashlights for a few years and fortunately nowadays there are lots of great, small lights available with very good output. My favorite manufacturer is Jetbeam and I'd recommend the RRT-0 or RRT-01 Raptor. If you haven't already done so, check out Candlepower Forums and their marketplace.