Best Budget Lamp Upgrade for Surefire G2?
- Thread starter slagell
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Get a Deal Extreme LED for about $10 shipped. It will never burn out and it is brighter. Go on their web page and read all the comments on the do it yourself flashlight parts (drop ins)and check the "sticky" at the top of the CPF LED forum on P60 drop ins.
The P61 is 120 (true) lumens out the front. Lumens factory makes some options also. They're all high quality and I've had good luck with them. Take the lumens ratings with a grain of salt...but they will EO-6 will be brighter and whiter than the P61.
http://lumensfactory.com/products.php?cat_id=2&sub_cat_id=2
http://lumensfactory.com/products.php?cat_id=2&sub_cat_id=2
mdocod
Flashaholic
for this size class I tend to recommend going with an LED drop-in, plenty of good ones available under $35, and almost all of them will be brighter and run longer than your P60.
Icebreak
Flashlight Enthusiast
slagell -
There's a kind of zone that many of us think about and we try to figure what works best in that zone. It's the 2 cell to 3 cell zone. For intensity or sheer lux, in a 2 cell the Cree drop-ins will be impressive. To get an incandescent intensity level that is impressive it seems that a 3 cell host is needed. As has been noted in your other thread, this can get a little pricey because soon we start wanting other types of batteries to power P91s etc, then extensions or battery tubes and turbo heads and clickies and all that. But it's possible that investing in the $70.00 price range with a new or slightly used G3 and mating it with the H0-9 would be the way to go. I'd just hate to see someone invest in an upgrade for their flashlight and be displeased with the bang they got for their buck. Somebody said that a guy can go broke trying to save money.
But if you know that the H0-6 isn't going to blow you away with lux but you want to own something that has that great spectrum of an incandescent light, the H0-6 in your G2 should give you a very nice CRI and some very useful punch. Later, it might not be terrifically expensive to start feeding it rechargeables if you wish. And, as always when considering non-stock cells, check mdocod's compatibility thread in his sig line.
Good luck.
There's a kind of zone that many of us think about and we try to figure what works best in that zone. It's the 2 cell to 3 cell zone. For intensity or sheer lux, in a 2 cell the Cree drop-ins will be impressive. To get an incandescent intensity level that is impressive it seems that a 3 cell host is needed. As has been noted in your other thread, this can get a little pricey because soon we start wanting other types of batteries to power P91s etc, then extensions or battery tubes and turbo heads and clickies and all that. But it's possible that investing in the $70.00 price range with a new or slightly used G3 and mating it with the H0-9 would be the way to go. I'd just hate to see someone invest in an upgrade for their flashlight and be displeased with the bang they got for their buck. Somebody said that a guy can go broke trying to save money.
But if you know that the H0-6 isn't going to blow you away with lux but you want to own something that has that great spectrum of an incandescent light, the H0-6 in your G2 should give you a very nice CRI and some very useful punch. Later, it might not be terrifically expensive to start feeding it rechargeables if you wish. And, as always when considering non-stock cells, check mdocod's compatibility thread in his sig line.
Good luck.
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To me, 6 volt incands. are not worth it. I can't wait to get some kind of LED for my E2e. I have already converted all my other 6 volt lights to LED. You might be happy with a P61. I much prefer 9 volt P91s or 12 volt lights or my M6. I hope some of this helps. There is no single answer for this. Have fun.
TeaQue
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2006
- Messages
- 188
Would this work on a brinkman maxfire as well?
Yes, it will. The both use the same lamp assembly. Any of the BOG, Malkoff, HK-direct P-60 drop-ins will work. If you need a sampling of them, see here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=173764
I bought one for my Brinkmann off ebay for $22 shipped. It arrived in a "Solarforce" package, which appears to be the generic P-60 drop-in. They are available in several different bins if you look around. Looks great out of the package, I'm just waiting for the Maxfire to get here so I can do some comparisons.
If you go with rechargeables the amount of options goes way up.
Why, because P61 and higher have < 20 min charge time which is impractical?
I think he's referring to the fact you'll have more lamp options with rechargeables. The Lumens Factory lamps, for example, are designed specifically with rechargeables in mind. They make the HO-9, EO-9 and many others for use in 2-cell rechargeable lights. You can use 1 17670 in a 2 cell light, 2 17500's in a 3-cell light, or 2 17670's in a 4 cell light, with all kinds of bulb combinations available.
Germ
Enlightened
How about going with RCR123 rechargeables and a 3 cell bulb?
From mdocod's (what? no "I am not worthy" smiley?) Lithium-Ion page http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=161536:
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Cell configuration: 2xRCR123
Bulb Options:
LF D26 ES-9: 7W, 98 - 56 lumen in 38 minutes
LF D26 SR-9: 9W, 126 - 74 lumen in 25 minutes
LF D26 HO-9: 12W, 160 - 88 lumen in 20 minutes
SF P90: 9W, 118 - 70 lumen in 25 minutes
G&P G90: 9W, 118 - 70 lumen in 25 minutes
G&P D26 7.4V "DX 10W xenon": 9W, 118 - 70 lumen in 25 minutes
G&P D26 7.4V "DX 15W xenon": 10.5W, 136 - 80 lumen in 23 minutes
Pathfinder P90: 10W, 129 - 75 lumen in 23 minutes
WE D26 9V: 10W, 136 - 80 lumen in 23 minutes
Pila GL3 LA: 10W, 136 - 80 lumen in 23 minutes
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It looks like you could go with a Lumens Factory H0-9 for 12 watts. That should be impressive. I'd want a glass lens with that, but you could get by with short bursts I guess with the plastic lens. mdocod rates the LF E0-9 in a 2x17500 (G3 or other 3 cell light) at 15 watts and I find that an impressive step up from my SureFire G3L or Fenix P1D CE Q5. mdocod rates the P90 lamp in a 2x17500 light at 9 watts. I find that to be brighter than the G3L or P1D CE Q5, just not impressively so.
I was going to mention something like that on your other thread. I'd recommend rechargeables to someone using an incan anyway so you won't be thinking about how fast you are going through batteries.
I can understand wanting to keep the incan. Using the LF H0-9 lamp with the RCR123's in your G2 may require multiple clicks to light. That can be kind of annoying. I'm sure someone has done this. I'll do some research on that setup. Maybe someone with experience can comment.
Lighthound sells the AW protected RCR123's for $6.99 each, a DSD charger for $12.99, and the Lumens Factory H0-9 for $14.99.
I didn't mention on the other thread, but if you do get a G3, mdocod does not recommend the P91 bulb with 2x17500 rechargeables. The brightest bulb he recommends for that setup is the Lumens Factory E0-9.
From mdocod's (what? no "I am not worthy" smiley?) Lithium-Ion page http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=161536:
----------
Cell configuration: 2xRCR123
Bulb Options:
LF D26 ES-9: 7W, 98 - 56 lumen in 38 minutes
LF D26 SR-9: 9W, 126 - 74 lumen in 25 minutes
LF D26 HO-9: 12W, 160 - 88 lumen in 20 minutes
SF P90: 9W, 118 - 70 lumen in 25 minutes
G&P G90: 9W, 118 - 70 lumen in 25 minutes
G&P D26 7.4V "DX 10W xenon": 9W, 118 - 70 lumen in 25 minutes
G&P D26 7.4V "DX 15W xenon": 10.5W, 136 - 80 lumen in 23 minutes
Pathfinder P90: 10W, 129 - 75 lumen in 23 minutes
WE D26 9V: 10W, 136 - 80 lumen in 23 minutes
Pila GL3 LA: 10W, 136 - 80 lumen in 23 minutes
----------
It looks like you could go with a Lumens Factory H0-9 for 12 watts. That should be impressive. I'd want a glass lens with that, but you could get by with short bursts I guess with the plastic lens. mdocod rates the LF E0-9 in a 2x17500 (G3 or other 3 cell light) at 15 watts and I find that an impressive step up from my SureFire G3L or Fenix P1D CE Q5. mdocod rates the P90 lamp in a 2x17500 light at 9 watts. I find that to be brighter than the G3L or P1D CE Q5, just not impressively so.
I was going to mention something like that on your other thread. I'd recommend rechargeables to someone using an incan anyway so you won't be thinking about how fast you are going through batteries.
I can understand wanting to keep the incan. Using the LF H0-9 lamp with the RCR123's in your G2 may require multiple clicks to light. That can be kind of annoying. I'm sure someone has done this. I'll do some research on that setup. Maybe someone with experience can comment.
Lighthound sells the AW protected RCR123's for $6.99 each, a DSD charger for $12.99, and the Lumens Factory H0-9 for $14.99.
I didn't mention on the other thread, but if you do get a G3, mdocod does not recommend the P91 bulb with 2x17500 rechargeables. The brightest bulb he recommends for that setup is the Lumens Factory E0-9.
I'm really trying to do something with the G2 I have, so 3 cell's aren't an option now since I am not going to buy another flashlight at this time. Thus, I just need to find a really nice lamp upgrade < $35 w/ shipping. Also, I want to make sure I don't melt the Nitrolen bezel.
In the future I may get a 9 or 12 v incan
In the future I may get a 9 or 12 v incan
Germ
Enlightened
More info from mdocod's thread:
"Your P60 is a ~5V lamp that draws ~1.2Amp. it's about 6 Watts of light. The HO-9 is ~7.2V on fresh RCR123s at about 1.55Amp, or about 11Watts...it's about twice as bright. By comparison, a P61 is about 4.5V in operation by about 2.5Amps, which is also about 11W..."
So it would seem going to RCR123's and an H09 would get you nothing over just getting a P61.
Have you tried a P61 before? I thought you had from your other thread.
"Your P60 is a ~5V lamp that draws ~1.2Amp. it's about 6 Watts of light. The HO-9 is ~7.2V on fresh RCR123s at about 1.55Amp, or about 11Watts...it's about twice as bright. By comparison, a P61 is about 4.5V in operation by about 2.5Amps, which is also about 11W..."
So it would seem going to RCR123's and an H09 would get you nothing over just getting a P61.
Have you tried a P61 before? I thought you had from your other thread.
nzgunnie
Enlightened
Except you run the HO-9 on two RCR123s, which are of course rechargeable.
You run the P61 on 2xCR123s, which you throw away after 20 minutes tops.
So yes, you could say you are gaining quite a lot of $$.
mdocod
Flashaholic
yea the only thing you really gain with the RCR123>HO-9 is that you get a tighter beam profile (better throw) and rechargability, output is basically in the same ballpark.
Germ
Enlightened
Very true. I was speaking strictly from a brightness standpoint. Plus the P61 is $25 versus $15 for the HO-9.
Hey mdocod! I hope I'm quoting you and making correct comments.
Slagell, Buy a P61 or Lumens Factorys brightest P60 sized lamp. You WILL like it. I dont think either one will throw farther than a P60, because they use the same reflector, but you will have a MUCH larger, brighter hotspot, and more of a wall of spill light. You will have about 20 minutes of light, which is longer than it sounds like. A year or two from now you can chalk all this up to your learning curve. This is half the fun of being a flashaholic. You will have "been there and done that" with a P61 and you can give advice on this board to the newbies.
Have fun!
Have fun!Slagell, Buy a P61 or Lumens Factorys brightest P60 sized lamp. You WILL like it. I dont think either one will throw farther than a P60, because they use the same reflector, but you will have a MUCH larger, brighter hotspot, and more of a wall of spill light. You will have about 20 minutes of light, which is longer than it sounds like. A year or two from now you can chalk all this up to your learning curve. This is half the fun of being a flashaholic. You will have "been there and done that" with a P61 and you can give advice on this board to the newbies.
I was thinking I could alternatively modify my 2D mag-led. I hate how blue and dim the mag 2D LED is. I have rechargeable NiMh AA's. I could use a 3AA->D converter, a glass lens, and a high output lamp, right? How much would that mod cost?
Are the Lumen's Factory one's brighter than a P61?
