Ti "C" pak for PD's and LunaSols

[fyrstormer]

I should've known I'd get a geeky, technical answer from a dude who's crazy enough to collect flashlights. Good grief.

 

[StrayLight]

I should've known I'd get a geeky, technical answer from a dude who's crazy enough to collect flashlights. Good grief.

Allow me to simplify it for you.

Ahem...

WORKS BETTER.

 

[fyrstormer]

Allow me to simplify it for you.

Ahem...

WORKS BETTER.

I got it, I got it...mayhaps you need to turn up the gain on the old sarcasm detector?

 

[StrayLight]

...sarcasm detector...

Wrong forum. Try looking in "Homemade, Modified & Smartass".

 

[mcmc]

So, how would the usage pattern look with this clicky pak, and an LS20/27?

- If screwed all the way down, you can momentary low, momentary high, click for high?
- Or, if backed off a bit, momentary low, click for low (is it possible to momentary high?)
- And if backed off all the way, no momentary, no click mode?

I always would confuse the clicky-paks for Haikus available on BST for ones that would fit on my LS20...now here's the real deal =D

 

[maxspeeds]

UI for the clicky paks + PD heads work like this:

Screw head down until Kilroy touches the clicky pak: use the McClicky switch for momentary low or latched low.

Screw head all the way down so that the contact ring and kilroy touches the clicky pak: use the McClicky switch for momentary high or latched high (or flood plus spot in the case of the lunasol).

 

[maxspeeds]

If you're familiar with the Surefire U2, you can imagine the interface as similiar. Use the clicky switch to latch on or use as momentary. And, use the head (akin to the selector ring on the U2) to switch levels. I think this gives the clearest explanation

 

[mcmc]

Ahh. So there's never a point at which you could get momentary low or momentary high, depending on how deep you depress the button. If I take your analogy rightly, then you can ONLY momentary or latch, to one power level (low or high), at any one position of the head? Then the U2 analogy makes sense =)

Basically it's kind of like having two different single-stage forward clicky lights, in one? A low-momentary, low-latch, or a high-momentary, high-latch?

Thanks Max!

 

[maxspeeds]

Ahh. So there's never a point at which you could get momentary low or momentary high, depending on how deep you depress the button.

Unfortunately, that's the drawback to a clicky. Unless the circuitry of the light allows you to switch levels through different clicks or combination thereof, you can only turn it on or off through it.

If I take your analogy rightly, then you can ONLY momentary or latch, to one power level (low or high), at any one position of the head? Then the U2 analogy makes sense =)

Basically it's kind of like having two different single-stage forward clicky lights, in one? A low-momentary, low-latch, or a high-momentary, high-latch?

Exactly . The switch is a single-stage clicky that only allows you to either turn the light on or off (or momentary if you don't depress it all the way) pending where you have selected the head to be in relation to the kilroy and contact ring.

Thanks Max!

No problem. A pleasure

 

[Flipside]

e-mail sent with questions about options for heads...

Thanks!

 

[McGizmo]

To avoid any further confusion, these paks are being offered to folks who already have a "PD" style head that they can use on them. I have no options available to make a complete light here.

 

[fyrstormer]

To describe the behavior of a PD head + Clicky Pak more simply:

Press Switch = on/off
Turn Head = change brightness

There is no way to "finesse" the UI to get more behaviors than that.

- - -

On a different note: Don, I think your shop should accidentally make a small run of Twisty Paks next, for those out there who want their McGizmos to be the absolute smallest they can get. Say, maybe 25 of 'em or thereabouts. :naughty:

 

[McGizmo]

The twisty pak isn't that much shorter than the PD pak. I see the real advantage to a twisty pak in reducing the number of potential ingress points of unwanted outside influences such as water. I can only focus in so many areas and my focus is elsewhere these days. I am also looking forward with the designs and the "x2 converter platform" is not in this view at present.

I am looking forward to receiving a number of parts presently on order with the machine shop and don't relish any accidents or miscommunications. I may well end up the proud owner of most of these "C" paks but I can always come up with something to do with them if need be.

 

[Barbarian]

Received my C-Pak today. Very sweet! :twothumbs

I like the idea of having a choice between the clicky pak and the regular piston drive. It is nice to pull the light of your pocket and easily have constant high with a simple one handed click.

I think the extra length of the C-Pak is perfect for the fall and winter months as I will carry mine in my jacket ready for full blast when needed. The extra length will also come in very handy when wearing gloves because that extra length will allow the head to clear a gloved hand.

For comparison sake, this C-Pak set-up is still shorter than the Surefire L1 and only about a quarter inch longer than the Ra Clicky so it can still be pocketed in your pants with relative ease. I highly recommend this Pak guys.

Thanks Don.

 

[scout24]

Arrived today, Don. Thank you! Wonderful with LS27 head, as well as the Mule. A little more to hold onto. Can't wait to give it a workout! Good point, Barbarian, great with gloves... Hadn't thought of that. :thumbsup:

 

[nfetterly]

Mine arrive today too thanks! While I love the piston drive I like the additional length of this Pak.

Hopefully your machine shop can turn out some 17670/18650 Paks!! Now that would really be SWEET !!

 

[Scottiver]

So do these still work the same as a twisty if you click the light on and then twist on - twist off? Same one handed operation possible?

 

[fyrstormer]

So do these still work the same as a twisty if you click the light on and then twist on - twist off? Same one handed operation possible?

Yes. There is no software in the PD lights, only hardware. With a PD head and a Clicky Pak, it's basically a twisty with a lockout tailswitch.

 

[Scottiver]

Interesting, thanks.

 

[McGizmo]

I am kind of surprised that someone hasn't posted an idea here. I figured I'd be proactive and mention it myself. It is an idea I had quite a while ago but since I had cleverly let all of these C paks get away from me, I wasn't in a position to give it a try. As it turned out, I never secured access to the GDuP converters from Wayne so it became moot anyway.

I built a LunaSol 20 head that used the GDuP converter for the Osram Dragon LED. This head worked on the PD pak but it was too finicky and uncontrollable in regards to cycling through the three levels on high. I think it would have been much tamer and even shown real merit had I tried it on a C pak. I don't know what even happened to that head.

I have this idea for what I would call a LunaSol Eclipse that would consist of a LunaSol 20 head on one of these C paks. I would set the drive level of the three Nichias lower than the present case for greater run time and a lower low flood. With the head tight and then cracked off just a tad, you could be certain that the clickie switch would allow you momentary or latched on of this low level flood. With the heat tight on the pak, you would be certain of momentary or latched on of both the Nichias as well as the high power LED at the previous selected level of output. You would change the output level of the center LED by short off cycles initiated by the clickie switch.

On the other hand, you could latch the clickie in the on position and then you would have a twisty head that could take you from off to low Nichia flood and then into a higher output with combined low flood and collimated light of three possible output levels; cycled through by quick twists off and then back on.

This is an idea I do plan to explore but I am also going to wait and see if the XP-G wouldn't serve better as the high power LED in the center. I think the light is doable but I am also very certain that it would be a real PITA to assemble and whether it has merit really needs to be determined......