el_Pablo
Enlightened
Hello guys,
I always been looking with interest the Surefire A2 aviator, not only because of the advantage of an incandescence bulb that is regulated (only few regulated incan out here), neither because of the tailcap masterpiece, that allow you 4 differents modes + LOTC. No, i really was interested in the ability to change between 100 lumens from an incan to 30 lumens from 3 LED.
I have to say that i have been really lucky lately with Surefire old stock hunting here in Europe. I was able to find 3 NIB A2-HA-WH for almost nothing (not the 4 flats version, the newer).
I start looking what has been done on this light in CPF, this amazing database. Then wanted an Aviatrix multimodes LED ring, dead end on this project.
found Onion ring from Koala, ordered 1 ring, single mode, 2-3ma to 40ma to led, regulated, contain a led driver, so doesnt need resistor for each type of led (red, UV, blue etc...)
I was able to use my user dedicated A2 intensively during my month of army duty (militia system here in Switzerland), this light had the onion ring from Koala installed, with 3 Nichia 140° warm white led (2 die per LED, max 70ma const.) I mostly use the incan beam for vehicle check-point inspection at night, or for medium range spotter (50yard-ish), i loved how white was the beam. We where changing from one bunker to another bunker almost every 2-3 days, often coming in our section dorm (triple bunk bed...) with small groups splitted, late during night or early morning, i found that the nichia WW LED were just awesome, in comparaison with some chinese angry blue LED flashlights from my buddies. Everything seemed more soft, more contrasted. Only downside, not enought throw, 140° its a lot for 5mm LED, a real flooder.
Then i was lucky enought again to be able to receive 2 Calipsoii multimodes led ring from Canada, knowing that the sales thread was close for almost a year. (thanks again Mike!)
I order the semi finished version of it, i wanted to be able to install my own LED (snobby i know...), i found the perfect led that i wanted, Nichia released them not so long ago, they are the same as the flooder before (2 die per led, max 70ma - 26lumens) BUT this time with 35° angle and still in Warm white (2900-3300K)
im going to skip long detail on Calipsoii led rings (you can find all the information in this forum), but basically there is a micro-controller that allows you to switch between 2 led to 1, works with power pulse from the tailcap, and allows you to choose the intensity of each mode with a ramping mode.
i Wanted one ring with 2x WW nichia 35° + 1x Red from nichia too. and the other led ring with 2x WW nichia 35° + 1x Yellow/green (Calipsoii source).
Here is the unfinished multi-mode led ring, note the little SMD resistor.
here is the led ring with the 3 SMD resistor soldered and the 3 led soldered (2WW + 1Y/G)
look at the size of this SMD componant, you better not to be shaking.
Left Calipsoii multimode, center Koala onion ring (off, too bright for the picture), right Calipsoii multimode
another angle
left Koala onion ring, the rest Calipsoii multimode, first with 2 Warm white in lowest mode, next to the red on his lowest too.
Here you can see the temperature difference between the same Nichia 35°(NSDL570GS-K1 F3-6 P8-10) in cool white and the Warm white version (note that the left has 3 LED at 40ma, its the koala onion ring, on the right its the Calipsoii multimode, with 2 Warm white lit at 30ma)
the following beamshots are taken at 4 feet from a white textured wall (led on max setup):
Yellow/green, not too ringy (sand blasted, then slightly polished), i like how throwy is the beam.
Nichia RED (NSPR510GS Rp U/T), no artefact, beautiful! (note the center spot sandy texture, its my wall texture)
Nichia warm white 35°, best beam i have seen on 5mm led, and very powerful too. (on 5 led, not much color variation between them, but if you order them in cool white, you should order more samples, because color variation are more important from one led to another)
I hope this make you want to search for your old A2 aviator, in my opinion this light is a perfect all-arounder.
I did not mention that i found a Strion bi-pin kit for it, from Fivemega, in the Market place (lucky again).
The spot is more intense, and throw considerably further, but i believe that the life of the bulb will be shorter than a original SF LA. (still Strion bulb cost 9USD here, i still consider it a nice uprade)
I run all these lights on 2x 16340 IMR (550ma) from AW (35-40 min on strion bulb, 10 hours on LED)
I always been looking with interest the Surefire A2 aviator, not only because of the advantage of an incandescence bulb that is regulated (only few regulated incan out here), neither because of the tailcap masterpiece, that allow you 4 differents modes + LOTC. No, i really was interested in the ability to change between 100 lumens from an incan to 30 lumens from 3 LED.
I have to say that i have been really lucky lately with Surefire old stock hunting here in Europe. I was able to find 3 NIB A2-HA-WH for almost nothing (not the 4 flats version, the newer).
I start looking what has been done on this light in CPF, this amazing database. Then wanted an Aviatrix multimodes LED ring, dead end on this project.
found Onion ring from Koala, ordered 1 ring, single mode, 2-3ma to 40ma to led, regulated, contain a led driver, so doesnt need resistor for each type of led (red, UV, blue etc...)
I was able to use my user dedicated A2 intensively during my month of army duty (militia system here in Switzerland), this light had the onion ring from Koala installed, with 3 Nichia 140° warm white led (2 die per LED, max 70ma const.) I mostly use the incan beam for vehicle check-point inspection at night, or for medium range spotter (50yard-ish), i loved how white was the beam. We where changing from one bunker to another bunker almost every 2-3 days, often coming in our section dorm (triple bunk bed...) with small groups splitted, late during night or early morning, i found that the nichia WW LED were just awesome, in comparaison with some chinese angry blue LED flashlights from my buddies. Everything seemed more soft, more contrasted. Only downside, not enought throw, 140° its a lot for 5mm LED, a real flooder.
Then i was lucky enought again to be able to receive 2 Calipsoii multimodes led ring from Canada, knowing that the sales thread was close for almost a year. (thanks again Mike!)
I order the semi finished version of it, i wanted to be able to install my own LED (snobby i know...), i found the perfect led that i wanted, Nichia released them not so long ago, they are the same as the flooder before (2 die per led, max 70ma - 26lumens) BUT this time with 35° angle and still in Warm white (2900-3300K)
im going to skip long detail on Calipsoii led rings (you can find all the information in this forum), but basically there is a micro-controller that allows you to switch between 2 led to 1, works with power pulse from the tailcap, and allows you to choose the intensity of each mode with a ramping mode.
i Wanted one ring with 2x WW nichia 35° + 1x Red from nichia too. and the other led ring with 2x WW nichia 35° + 1x Yellow/green (Calipsoii source).
Here is the unfinished multi-mode led ring, note the little SMD resistor.
here is the led ring with the 3 SMD resistor soldered and the 3 led soldered (2WW + 1Y/G)
look at the size of this SMD componant, you better not to be shaking.
Left Calipsoii multimode, center Koala onion ring (off, too bright for the picture), right Calipsoii multimode
another angle
left Koala onion ring, the rest Calipsoii multimode, first with 2 Warm white in lowest mode, next to the red on his lowest too.
Here you can see the temperature difference between the same Nichia 35°(NSDL570GS-K1 F3-6 P8-10) in cool white and the Warm white version (note that the left has 3 LED at 40ma, its the koala onion ring, on the right its the Calipsoii multimode, with 2 Warm white lit at 30ma)
the following beamshots are taken at 4 feet from a white textured wall (led on max setup):
Yellow/green, not too ringy (sand blasted, then slightly polished), i like how throwy is the beam.
Nichia RED (NSPR510GS Rp U/T), no artefact, beautiful! (note the center spot sandy texture, its my wall texture)
Nichia warm white 35°, best beam i have seen on 5mm led, and very powerful too. (on 5 led, not much color variation between them, but if you order them in cool white, you should order more samples, because color variation are more important from one led to another)
I hope this make you want to search for your old A2 aviator, in my opinion this light is a perfect all-arounder.
I did not mention that i found a Strion bi-pin kit for it, from Fivemega, in the Market place (lucky again).
The spot is more intense, and throw considerably further, but i believe that the life of the bulb will be shorter than a original SF LA. (still Strion bulb cost 9USD here, i still consider it a nice uprade)
I run all these lights on 2x 16340 IMR (550ma) from AW (35-40 min on strion bulb, 10 hours on LED)
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