Aurora SST-50 lights: SH-39 (2x18650) vs SH-44 (1x18650)

[hugovg]

Been following the discussions for budget SST-50 torches and the Aurora SH-44 seems possibly worth a go (appears to have more mass & so heatsinking than the SSH-40) in 1x18650 config.

DX list an Aurora SH-39 2x18650 version ($73), but no one has written anything about it there or here that I can find. FYI, they quote a Digital Regulated output of 3500mA, vs 2500mA for the 1x18650 versions. It weights 12.49 oz, vs 9.88 oz for the SH-44, & 5.93 oz for the SH-40.

So on paper then (for what little that's worth!), it should have a higher output than the 1x18650 versions yes? Have (maybe) 1.5 times longer runtime, and dissipate heat as well as the SH-44 (so still insuffcient really?). I use AW 2600 18650's, so should handle the drain ok.

Any thoughts? (or blunt advice if my thinking is plain silly)
Thanks

 

[waddup]

from what i see, p7s are better value and just as bright as sst-50s because current drivers are designed for the p7 and push it hard, sst-50 gets under-driven and is not any brighter.

check beamshots.


a good p7 light can be found for $50 in the marketplace,

why risk $70 at dx/kd?

 

[Fichtenelch]

I have the SH-44 here, basically it's a good light. It has a great reflector and outthrows almost any P7 light. Not like many sst-50 lights, which pull only 2.8A, because of p7/mc-e drivers, it pulls around 4 Amps with a sanyo cell.. Build quality is really good. I dropped it from 2.5m on concrete, it fell right onto the bezel, then on the tailcap. only small nicks, nothing major. The anodize is also not bad. I don't know the SH-39, so i can only give a thumb up for the SH-44.

 

[LEDninja]

:welcome:
Most 1*18650 torches from DC/KD/ebay do not have real drivers. They are direct driven with maybe a small resistor to limit the current to 2A. (see Aurora AK-P7-4) The low and blink modes are done with PWM hence the digitally regulated claim.
The P7 have a fairly high Vf and when direct driven with 1*18650 or 3*NiMH limits the current to 2.7-2.8A.
The SST-50 has a lower Vf and can go to 4A (Fichtenelch) or 5A (see the SH-40 thread) at which point they are brighter than the P7.
The SH-39 2*18650 has too much voltage for a LED so Aurora has to put in a buck driver in addition to the PWM mode circuit. Aurora claims 3500 mA for the SH-39 and 2960 mA for the AK-P7-3 2*18650 P7. With the SST-50 a little less efficient than the P7 I suspect brightness to be similar.
4-5A unregulated for the 1*18650, 3.5A regulated for the 2*18650 means the 2*18650 won't be any brighter on power up. But a 1*18650 can't produce 4-5A for long so brightness will drop very fast and runtime ~30 minutes if you don't burn your fingers first. 2*18650 will get you past 1 hour.

The SH-39 has a bigger head than the others so should have better throw.

-

A few words of warning about safety of lithium batteries.
The safe limit for Li-ions is 2C or double the mAH of the battery. Most of us old guard prefer to play safe and stay below 1.5C. If you get a 1*18650 SST-50 that pulls 5000 mA and only have 2600 mAH battery you are very close to the danger zone. (If you do get one that pulls 5A time to upgrade your batteries to AW IMR 18650)
With 2*18650 there is the danger of a cell becoming exhausted and the cell with energy trying to charge the dead cell backwards. This will almost guarantee an explosion. (Charge often so your batteries never run down to the point they are close to exhausted)
Have a read of
Using Li-ion cells in LED flashlights safely
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=235164

 

[waddup]

i love it when people know what theyre talking about and share their knowledge freely,

thank you mr ninja :thumbsup:

 

[hugovg]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

waddup: you maybe right, quality SSR-50 lights all seems to start at $160, for very good reasons I guess. Still it's tempting to think it maybe possible to get 80% of the "real" product for 50% of the cost!

Re. lack of drive current you mention, do you think the 3A of say the Thrunite Catapault V2 is about the level where a SSC-50 light really exceeds a P7 light?

I got a bit lost tying to find P7s at the marketplace like you suggested sorry, did you mean the B/S/T or the Dealer sections (sorry, novice CPF user here). Plus I am a non-US customer.

Fichtenelch: Re your comment "it pulls around 4 Amps", and the DX spec saying "Digital Regulated 2500mA Current Output" - could the two figures be explained by 2.5A being at the LED and 4A at the battery, meaning a regulator about 60% efficient? Sounds a little low.

Mmm, but I see someone posted "Pulls 2.2 A at the battery" in the Discussion section on DX, so I'm confused! Or is his in a DD mode while yours is in a regulated mode?

How do you find runtime on high with Sanyo 18650 you mention - surely not the "1.5 hours" quoted on DX? And what cacapity cells are yours?
It's also strange DX say that the 2x18650 SH-39 has a lower 50m runtime.

So the SH-44 beam shape is good yes, having a deep, narrow, SMO reflector. I wonder how it would compare with the SH-39's shorter, wider & OP reflector.

Thanks

 

[waddup]

my experience has been that a quality light with 250 lumens is actually better then a cheap light with a *stated* 350 lumens.

absolutely the best way i can think of to enjoy the latest and greatest leds and flashlight technology is to buy a p60 host and buy any of the excellent p60 dropins that are being made all the time and for sale regularly.

mc-e, p7, sst-50 and sst-90 well made direct drive or multi mode.

it took me almost 2 years to realize thats the best way to go but im there now

many companies make a p60 host,

solarforce is the cheapest ($20) and VERY well respected as a quality host :thumbsup:


http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=217252

 

[hugovg]

Thanks LEDninja for all the info & sage advice.
So far I have only bought ET & 4sevens lights and AW cells, but thought it time for a a quick dabble on the very-budget side!

I had read the SH-40 thread/s, but got confused, as there were reports of both 4A+ (DD mode), and a limiting to 2.5A (for thermal safety). Maybe there are different versions about. If that's the case, then the 2.5A version could disapoint in output (vs P7) while the DD version would not, but as you point out, is a riskier proposition. If the customer doesnt what version they will get, that makes it all a bit of a gamble.

So you would say that we do in fact have to pay about $160 and run 2 x 18650 to get a safe and reliable SSC-50 light?
Thanks

 

[661randyg]

i have both lights, sh 40 and 44,

both exellent quality, threads perfect great reflectors. both pull over 3.5 amps with good battery


the difference, 40 has a bigger bright spot, 44 has smaller hotspot with longer throw and it has the brightest spill of any of my lights-even my catapult. the reflector is the deepest ive ever seen. it really magnifies the spill.

these new lights are worth the extra price as the quality is the best ive ever seen in china lights. cheers.

 

[hugovg]

Thanks 661randyg.
I ended up taking a punt on both a Aurora P7 and a single 18650 SST-50 but a different brand (UniqueFire), hoping that a simple 2-mode would get around poor driver quality issues that seem to abound. We shall see!
Thanks