Should I get the G&P Scorpion 35W HID Flashlight ?

I have seen this light on e-bay and it my opinion is the BEST BUY considering the price and the raw output .
I am not sure if the light releases indeed 3,500 lumens ??!, but I am assuming it's crazy bright ! The runtime is estimated for only 45 min ...
Could be some problems of reliability with this light ?
I mean a WE BOXER 24W 1,800 lumens is over 300$
and this G&P 35W 3,500 lumens is 250$

I have to confess I am newbie in the HID world, so any advise would be much appreciated !
Also, should an HID light be used untill the battery is down or you can recharge it when the battery is 50% - like the Li-Ion batteries for the LED flashlights ???

I know I saw it at a PhotonFest and I believe kabkbak7321 was the owner.
He was having some issues with it but I can't remember if he had modified it.
Nice solid construction was my impression.

I've seen another cheap HID on e-bay 135$ plus 30$ or 60$ for the shipping to US or Canada !
I ve just read a few posts here in which people said there have been some real quality issues with HIDs around 200$...bulb burn very quickly or balast problems...
You can be happy you get a 150-200$ noname HID instead of paying 300-500$ for known brands - WE, MICROFIRE, AE - but you might use that HID light for a few hrs or days hmm...I am not gonna hurry , I should still dig I guess.

Is it this light, That I have used! g&p 680

Or this One here That I have never used! g&p 771

I have built this batt pack for mine and have installed a 50watt ballist.
The problems nein166 was talking about where fron the voltage sagging under the
current of the new 50watt ballist. After placing the new batt pack inside all is well.

When I had it new and unmodded I did not have any of the problems
listed in some threads here. And it apears that the price has been lowered
qutie a bit from the $400 I paid.
At that price I would have no problen picking one up as long as your refering to the one that looks like (sortof) the surfire beast and not this one here on ebay,Witch I know nothing about.

Here are some post's about it! G&P 680
First reviewed here
Or here

And here is a post about the One I beleave you are refering to.

here But some of the posters are refering to two diff light in this thread!
read it carefully.


Know I now they listed it as not so good, But I had no regrets or breakdowns what so ever with this light. Before I modded it, I used it for lighting at work and when I was running my quad at night and it performed
perfectly for me. And with It listed at that price I would jump on it.(G&P680)

It is about the second model, the handlight 771 G&P :
http://cgi.ebay.com/G-P-35W-HID-350...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I would choose this one - 35W 3500 lumens - over another one, rated for 24W and 1400 lumens that is 50$ less expensive :
http://cgi.ebay.com/24W-XENON-HID-F...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Both lights seems to be quite identical as size.
The first one is rated to be 2.5 times brighter, but the runtime is 2 times shorter...

I was scared reading that thread about the G&P 35W 771 - the guy was finally refunded but I would preffer not to have such a situation -

If you do get it.

Could you pull the ballist out and remove the metal
casing then give use the diamiter of the ballist.

Would like to see if we can fit it in a mag light. :candle:

The G&P lights don't have a good following or reputation around here. It could prove to be a decent light but you're definitely taking a risk. Although the G&P and K3500R are no where near 3500 lumens, they are brighter than the 24/25W lights from asia and AE light. The N30 produces far more light, better color rendition and is half the price of the other lights mentioned. It's a little bit larger but to me the superior light produced outweighs this small advantage. The L35 will be a bit lighter yet and go for around $300.

Ok, maybe the K3500R doesn´t do the advertised 3500 Lumen....but it´s still far more bright than my 24 Watt Brightstar....AND an excellent EDC too! A bit "big" on the belt...but who cares Always a good way to show off when People see the Flash when switching it on "WTF is that?"...and similar reactions

Regards...

TheGreyEminence said:

Always a good way to show off when People see the Flash when switching it on "WTF is that?"...and similar reactions

Regards...

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They always get attention don't they. I think the K3500R is a much safer bet than the G&P. I haven't seen many failures since it was released...possibly only one that I can remember from the CPF community. Mine has also proven to be reliable.

Yeah! Got the money? Get the K3500R! Hugh! I have spoken!
:wave:

That's the problem...a MICROFIRE 3500 is around 500$ even with the discount from David .
While a G&P 3500W 771 is half...but as some of you said it a certain level of risk is involved.
I am not targetting an N30 as those are far too big...
I am still comparing , I had no HID before . I am assuming that once I get one,all my FENIX-LUMAPOWER-TIABLO-INOVA-JETBEAM will be candle lights

I recently bought one of theses and had to return it (which, due to a language barrier, took months) I can't comment on whether hte problem has been fixed as I haven't recieved it back yet. However, until the point at which it quit working (I believe the problem was the bulb or heat sink, but dunno, I don't mod these, I'm in LE) I was very happy with it. I used it to stop cars. It worked well at that.

radu1976 said:

That's the problem...a MICROFIRE 3500 is around 500$ even with the discount from David .
While a G&P 3500W 771 is half...but as some of you said it a certain level of risk is involved.
I am not targetting an N30 as those are far too big...

Click to expand...

I'm not sure but maybe you're thinking that the N30 is larger than it really is or thinking the K3500 is smaller than it really is. The N30 couldn't be considered "big" unless you were comparing it to a P1D....lol. Seriously though radu, the N30 is down on the small end of the HID spectrum, especially considering that it's a 30W class light. Hopefully you got to see the Shootout IV beamshots and more specifically how dismal the "expensive" K3500 performed in comparison to the $150 N30. Additionally, that was my own K3500 that was used in that test which throws better than most of the other K3500s out there due to the smoother reflector. You can bet your lunch money that the Microfire is certainly going to perform better than the G&P, if that's any indication as to what you can expect if you go that route. It would be very much worth it to save the extra money an get the Microfire if you're bent on purchasing a conventionally shaped HID flashlight.

Please don't take anything I've said as telling you what to do, I just really don't what to see you disappointed since you're being cautious with your money. I will say that I thought matthew127's testimony was another red flag though.

There is a pic to compare the size of the N30 ,POB ,and A MAG lite
in post 73 here.

And a pic of an N30 in hand here.

Not very large at all. And for the size and price I dont think you can go wrong. the L30 will be one of my next HID'S.

Patriot36 said:

I'm not sure but maybe you're thinking that the N30 is larger than it really is or thinking the K3500 is smaller than it really is. The N30 couldn't be considered "big" unless you were comparing it to a P1D....lol. Seriously though radu, the N30 is down on the small end of the HID spectrum, especially considering that it's a 30W class light. Hopefully you got to see the Shootout IV beamshots and more specifically how dismal the "expensive" K3500 performed in comparison to the $150 N30. Additionally, that was my own K3500 that was used in that test which throws better than most of the other K3500s out there due to the smoother reflector. You can bet your lunch money that the Microfire is certainly going to perform better than the G&P, if that's any indication as to what you can expect if you go that route. It would be very much worth it to save the extra money an get the Microfire if you're bent on purchasing a conventionally shaped HID flashlight.

Please don't take anything I've said as telling you what to do, I just really don't what to see you disappointed since you're being cautious with your money. I will say that I thought matthew127's testimony was another red flag though.

Click to expand...

this shootout? to me microfire looks better there

mrQQ said:

this shootout? to me microfire looks better there

Click to expand...

I see what you mean going by the outward appearance. Comparison beamshots are always a difficult thing. While most of the time a well done shoots will do a good job at revealing the main differences between lights, inevitably certain ones will appear brighter or less bright than they actually are. There are literally a dozen factors that effect this such as the light target, topography, landscape color, distance, bulb color, arc-size, reflector size, reflector reflectivity, true vs. actual wattage, camera/lens telephoto or wide, white balance, image sensor...and still others.

The K3500R does have a wider beam but it doesn't throw as far. What you're seeing in those pictures is the K3500R is illuminating the foreground more than the N30. The N30 focuses more of its light into a more narrow angle and throws much better than the K3500R. Because there is a more overall illuminated material (in the wide pics) the K3500R appears to be brighter. That was my own K3500R that is pictured in those particular shots and it puts out a respectable about of light for its size. Still, when size by side with the N30 is just doesn't compare. The difference in person and to the naked eye is fairly obvious.

yes you should get one i believe they put out a lot of light

I have the N30, and find it to be the best light I have ever owned. It is only the size of a 6 volt floating lantern flashlight but a few inches longer, and very lightweight. I EDC my N30 on a shoulder strap and it is very comfortable. It does well illuminating objects out to 1/2 of a mile away.
I don't have experience with any of the smaller HID lights being discussed here, but the N30 can't be beat at its price for its incredible performance. Battery Junction was also a pleasure to do business with.

I should post an update. I've finally recieved a replacement (which apparently had to be sent from the maunfacturer to the retailer) and it has worked like a champ, and so is resuming it's previous duty...stopping cars. Have I mentioned a light this bright is/can be used as a nonlethal weapon? It's a trade off, cost vs. a customer service dept. that speaks English as a first language. I think it took a month to explain that YES, I did know how to charge the battery, and that was not the problem. Aside from that, though, I'm very happy with it's performance.

I'd like to figure out a way to make it focusable, too, anyone have any insight on that? Ideas?