Forum menu
I'm wondering if it's a better option than the Petzl headtorch (140 lumens) I have to just get a Trustfire/Ultrafire/p7/r2 type jobby.
DX sound good but I'm impatient and the shipping sounds very slow.
Recommendations? 18650 batteries seem good, but I obviously don't want a huge maglite jobby on my lid.
Talk to me.
One of the ones with an XML led should do it. Although when you factor in batteries and a charger you may as well get one of the XML bastid lights that have it all for somewhere between £24-30 - although you'd need to carry the battery in your back pack / pocket.
look at that torchythebatteryboy web site for some example torches and beam patterns
[url= http://www.dealextreme.com/p/trustfire-tr-801-cree-q5-wc-230-lumen-led-flashlight-1-18650-13095 ]These[/url] are cheap n cheerful and work fine
Sorry for the hijack:
I'm also interested in a cree torch for my head and preferably running off internal batteries rather than an external pack. I've just ordered a XML from DE for the bars by the way. What are the benefit of 18650 batteries over standard rechargeable AA batteries? I see I can get cree torches from DE and Ebay that still allow the use of AA batteries meaning I don't need to get a load of different batteries and a charger as I already have AA related stuff.
dont now how to do a linky thing , but this looks vfm .
18650 batteries are 3.7v and normally between 2,000-3,000 mA and an AA battery is 1.5v and between 1,000-2,200 mA. They are bigger and have more juice. They are normally found in laptops and other portable electronic devices. Oh and Lithium Ion as well
Also sorry for the hijack but it may help the OP.
Is there a torch/head unit with a short lead to a battery pack with switch on the pack? The set up I'm thinking of is one where the weight is balanced so that the battery sits at the back of the helmet and light at the front, at the moment I use a DX torch which moves when I switch it on and off by pushing the switch on the back of the torch. Also the connections aren't great and can flicker on and off at inopportune moments. Having the switch on the back or side of the helmet would save fumbling around on the top to switch from high to low as well.
OK so am I correct in thinking that 2 of my rechargeables which are 1.5v NiMh 2800mA are still not going to be comparable to one 18650 battery. If that is the case then it may be worth just going 18650 for smaller and lighter light
OT but I have also just realised that I have a whole load of spare batteries for bb guns and I'm pretty sure they are the same thing so could make a DIY light.
OK just so I don't balls up with stuff as it' won't be going back:
[url= http://www.dealextreme.com/p/fandyfire-501b-ssc-p7-3-mode-900-lumen-white-led-flashlight-with-strap-black-1-x-18650-57985 ]Fandyfire torch[/url]
[url= http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-18650-3-7v-2600mah-lithium-batteries-2-pack-26248 ]Batteries[/url]
[url= http://www.dealextreme.com/p/18650-digital-battery-charger-3499 ]Charger[/url]
I thinks all that is right. Don't think I will need anything else as seen people just velcro strapping the light to their lid. That torch does seem gfm too especially as it say 120mins burn time and hopefully it'll work well with my XML-T6 light too.
I think for the batteries you will be better off with the SenyBor ones like these:
As torchythebatteryboy points out they actually live up to their rating whereas the Ultrafire ones do not.
He also points out that they are slightly larger than some batteries so recommends an xtar charger, or one of these
but thats only a single charger, so if you get this one
from the same seller as the batteries then you can check with him that they will fit.
For a torches I would have thought that you would be better with an XML unit. Apparently the current draw when you run these at half is very low (or it is on mine) which means that they should run at 500 lumens for a good time, esp. if you have batteries with good capacity.
can't recommend one - the one I have was a bit more expensive than DX prices.
Thanks for that. I wil go with the ebay stuff rather the DE then. I looked at the XML torches on DE and the run times were about an hour at max so that's what I was making my comparison on. I'm only after a hotspot so will have another look at torchy's site and have a re-think
Torchy gives all this advice but then only sells some of the stuff he is recommending, plus some other middle ranking stuff, it seems.
Notice the bit about protected batteries - the SenyBors he is selling atm aren't protected.
I've stuck with primaries, I've read way too many scary stories about 18650's. 😯
I use a Fenix LD20, ~180 OTF and runs on nice safe easily available AA NiMH's.
Available from lots of places, 5 modes (including a super disorientating strobe, which gives you a non-kinetic option in a tactical situation), tough, reliable. The throw is ok, but maybe the beam pattern won't suit everyone as the rings can be a bit of 'ooh, what's that' kinda distraction when going through a tunnel of trees ...
Just had the rep from Nextorch in today with a case of bling torch's... very,very tasty stuff.
The usb and programable units looked and felt superb. Lighter than the P7 but way more advanced.
Maybe too advanced?
[url= http://www.nextorch.com/en/flashlights/smart-series/myTorch-18650/ ]Nextorch[/url]
Thanks for that, I think I may well go for the P7 I listed above although I had seen this [url= http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-th-t60-ha-ii-xm-lt60-5-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-flashlight-with-strap-1-x-18650-57007 ]Ultrafire[/url] too which would complement my XML-T6 magicshine jobby. Point noted on the batteries, will look at those protected ones from the other seller and will mail him about the charger
I've read way too many scary stories about 18650
that's probably with the unprotected ones, and also people like UltraFire doing dodgy things with battery quality - see down the page
http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/batteries_21.html
One thing to look out for is that the protected cells have a wider diameter, so you need to make sure your torch can take them.
Ordered a ultrafire r5 in the end based on Torchy's review. Think it will be fine on the head working with the XML-t6 if it arrives before chrimbo!!
This is what I ordered from Dealextreme on 14th September and it should be with me by 30th September. They're "only" 510 lumen but that means they draw 1.4A which is the most efficient current for the LED. Also they are the newest and most efficient XM-L LED and judging by the video on the torch page they are plenty bright enough.
[url= http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafire-wf-501b-xm-lt6-5-mode-510-lumen-memory-white-led-flashlight-with-strap-1-18650-55241 ][b]UltraFire WF-501B XM-LT6 5-Mode 510-Lumen[/b][/url] £12
[url= http://www.dealextreme.com/p/trustfire-protected-18650-3-7v-true-2400mah-rechargeable-lithium-batteries-2-pack-20392 ][b]TrustFire Protected 18650 3.7V [i]TRUE[/i] 2400mAh Rechargeable Lithium Batteries (2-Pack)[/b][/url] £7
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18650-Lithium-Ion-Dual-Battery-Cell-Rapid-UK-Charger-/160549848417?pt=UK_ConsumerElectronics_Batteries_SM&hash=item2561844561 ][b]18650 Li-ion charger with UK plug[/b][/url] £12
The charger is a bit more expensive than the one off dealextreme but it's meant to be better/safer. Although all the bits are £31 in total it's only £12 to add extra torches and you're getting a better charger and batteries than the specific bike lights with a separate battery pack plus as you add more torches you don't have a single point of failure.
I did a DE order start of the week so left it a bit late for another order plus I wanted a head torch ASAP so I could go out in the mean time. Got a R5 from a UK seller for 15 but I would have got a XML-T6 bu they were more expensive from the UK. Charger looks good, still need to order that and some batteries
You might be better off with these for the batteries:
according to torchys testing they live up to their rating, whereas UltraFire do not.
They're "only" 510 lumen
I have an MTE XML torch - the high setting on that gives '1000' lumens but only for 25 minutes before it reverts to the 500 setting.
The 500 is plenty bright though.
Just bought Nealy's charger and TurnerGuy's battery suggestions
Cree 1000 lumen XML T6 £30 with 2 batteries
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-CREE-XML-T6-LED-FLASHLIGHT-TORCH-1000-LUMENS-UK-/260838281048?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Camping_LightsLanternsTorches&hash=item3cbb2c4f58 ]Cree 1000 lumen T6[/url]
Ordered the very same torch myself and eagerly awaiting it's arrival. Looks very well made in the pics.
Half the price of the one I bought.
I went snorkling with mine, scared the hell out of the fish 🙂
For the love of god!!!
any reason why these, which seem to have the same power as bike lights, are so much cheaper? even on dx a 900 lumin torch is £20 but 900 lumin lights are £80 or so
I have freinds who use torches as oppsed to a light set. Still have one on the bar and one on the helmet. The light set seems better than the torch despite saying that they are both the same lumens. Perhaps they are in the hotspots but the strenght outside of that isn't as good.
[quote=5lab]
any reason why these, which seem to have the same power as bike lights, are so much cheaper? even on dx a 900 lumin torch is £20 but 900 lumin lights are £80 or so
The torches from DX are cheaper because they don't come with batteries, charger and bike mount but you can get bike specific lights from DX for much less than £80. [url= http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-waterproof-xml-t6-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-82510 ]T6 Water Resistant XML-T6 3-Mode 1200-Lumen White LED Bike Light with Battery Pack Set[/url] is £32 from DX and uses the same XM-L LED as the torch I've ordered but driven harder at 1200 lumen although it's likely to be closer to 800 in reality. I was going to order this bike light but went for torches as you can make sure you're getting decent batteries and can charge them independently. The 4 x 18650 battery packs that come with the bike specific lights need waterproofing and will eventually become unbalanced which causes problems.
Also a couple of very useful articles
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/charging_lithium_ion_batteries