Incan lamp options for for Surefire M4

[yazkaz]

Yes, I am definitely not going to actually try these without a proper bi-pin adapter and I have also huge respect for high-discharge 18650. FM doesn't make them anymore and he said he probably won't again because the last run took long to sell out. Tad stopped making them, but he still has some in stock on his eBay store or if you contact him by email. He reserved both G4 (Xenon and Halong) bi-pin towers for me - unfortunately he can't ship them right now to my country because HK Post has suspended airmail to many parts of world due to the pandemic.
So if anyone wants a M4/M6 MN bi-pin adapter then grab the last ones from Tad.

According to the latest HKPost notices only Surface Mail is available for shipping to Slovak Republic, as we speak:
https://www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about_us/whats_new/notices/index_id_1016.html

It'll be slow, perhaps a month or two of wait time, but if you need those sockets then this will be your last chance... before somebody nabs them all and you end up with none. So go ahead and ask Tad to reserve them for you.

 

[Daniel_sk]

A small update on my 2x 18650 + Tad G4 bi-pin M6 build, but this applies also to M4.

Both Philips G4 bulbs work great so far, the 7387 (10W) and 7388 (20W). The 20W requires high-discharge 18650 batteries like the 3000 mAh Vapcell ones, it will not fire on first click on regular 18650 - you need to press several times to fire up the bulb. The 10W bulb works just fine on regular 18650 batteries. The 2x18650 inside an M6 is a tight fit, but it fits. So far I am happy with the outcome. Of course the 20W is brighter but at the cost of much higher power consumption, the 10W is actually quite practical in terms of output/consumption. I just hope the bulbs won't blow up and destroy the KT4 reflector, but I read stories about original SF bulbs blowing up in the M6, so the risk is always there. Overall this is a good cost effective setup and would also work with M4 if you have a bored out body for 18650 or if you have a Leef or other 2x18650 body. The battery adapter is available from altermann (CPF member) and bi-pin adapters are available from Tad - but he is running of stock.
It's nice to have a rechargeable option which basically delivers the same or higher output and runtime than the original SF MN21 bulb and it's rechargeable. Of course the disadvantage is less reliability. These G4 bulbs only last 10 hours, but are very cheap to replace. And the protected 18650 batteries are more prone to failure than primary CR123.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Do you have access to any soft start switches? I use the KL1/2 with a soft start switch. It handles KL4 lamps just fine.

 

[novice]

Thanks for this write-up of the 7387 and 7388. I ordered just a few today. I'm going to try them in my FM G4 M@g adapter; first in a 5D with 5x cheap alkaline cells (we'll see how that works), and again in a 2D ROP M@g with 2x AW IMR 26650 Li-ions. In both cases, I will be removing the head and reflector first, then taking it outside and pointing it away from myself, turning my face aside, and firing it up. I've got a few metal reflectors to play with (textured and smooth), as well as an aspheric lens (I hope Batman doesn't show up). I'm unclear on whether or not I will later buy any 7388 bulbs later; I have enough Lux_Luthor-reviewed battery-drainers, as it is.