Coast stomps Inova

[BlueBeam22]

Hello,

I just went to Target today and brought my Coast 3.44 watt Professional Use focusing LED Lenser in to compare it to the 5.8 watt INOVA X03, which has a "try me" button on the package.

So I turned both on and shined them next to each other on a wall, and the Coast totally blew away the X03 (which is the brightest INOVA).

(I tried other X03s so I know it was not just low batteries in the one I compared to the Coast)

The Coast looked almost twice as bright and it had a much whiter beam.

I highly recommend the Coast 3.44 watt to anyone who wants a bright LED flashlight, I am amazed with it.

I got mine at Lowe's for about $50.

 

[dano]

The Target XO3's use an outdated LED.

Current Inova's are using K2 Flipchips. That XO3 was using a 3watt Luxeon. The new K2's are almost double the output as compared to the old XO3's.

How would a current T3 compare to a LED-Lenser?

 

[LED_Thrift]

Do you have any other popular lights to compare its brightness to? Does the beam develop any doughnut holes during the focusing process?
TIA

 

[Gunner12]

Did your Lenser have one of the current gen LEDs?

IIRC the Inove X03 uses the old K2, while the newer T series lights use the newer TFFC K2 LEDs, which are more efficient then the older K2s.

As for the watt rating, here it is pretty irrelevant. A Current gen LED driven at 1 watt(the LED itself could be rated up to a higher wattage) would be brighter then a last gen LED driven at the same wattage, twice or more output for the current gen LED(you probably knew that already though).

I could think of brighter lights for $50, but most are shipped from Hong Kong.

 

[lumenal]

I highly recommend the Coast 3.44 watt to anyone who wants a bright LED flashlight, I am amazed with it.

I got mine at Lowe's for about $50.

I would assume your light is model #7438, which is a very bright, entry-level LED flashlight, available at the local B&M.

Its got a Fraen, frog-eye optic.

Now if you want that same light only 2-3 times brighter, install an SSC P4 emitter.

My Flashcrazy modded #7438 with SSC P4 will blow the stock Coast completely out of the water...and a lot of other lights also...:thumbsup:

 

[Marduke]

It also very much depends on the drive current. Brightness isn't everything.

 

[BlueBeam22]

LED Thrift,

I have compared it to my 2D Maglite and my 4D Maglite and it is a lot brighter than either of them, it just doesn't throw as far. (My 4D Maglite has a hotwire mod and is brighter than the LED Lenser but with the stock bulb it's not)

I have a Brinkmann 3 watt LED flashlight and the Coast is till much brighter.

The Coast is almost as bright and powerful as my 1 million candlepower spotlight.

It develops no donut holes at all and has a perfect round beam.

 

[BlueBeam22]

I would assume your light is model #7438, which is a very bright, entry-level LED flashlight, available at the local B&M.

Its got a Fraen, frog-eye optic.

Now if you want that same light only 2-3 times brighter, install an SSC P4 emitter.

My Flashcrazy modded #7438 with SSC P4 will blow the stock Coast completely out of the water...and a lot of other lights also...:thumbsup:

Yes, it is model #7438, on the package it says "TT7438CP"

I can't imagine how bright your SSC P4 mod is, it must be as bright as a my 2mcp spotlight!

 

[BlueBeam22]

The Target XO3's use an outdated LED.

Current Inova's are using K2 Flipchips. That XO3 was using a 3watt Luxeon. The new K2's are almost double the output as compared to the old XO3's.

How would a current T3 compare to a LED-Lenser?

A current T3 might be slightly brighter than the LED Lenser, but at least the same.

 

[BlueBeam22]

Did your Lenser have one of the current gen LEDs?

IIRC the Inove X03 uses the old K2, while the newer T series lights use the newer TFFC K2 LEDs, which are more efficient then the older K2s.

As for the watt rating, here it is pretty irrelevant. A Current gen LED driven at 1 watt(the LED itself could be rated up to a higher wattage) would be brighter then a last gen LED driven at the same wattage, twice or more output for the current gen LED(you probably knew that already though).

I could think of brighter lights for $50, but most are shipped from Hong Kong.

I am not sure what gen LED module my Coast has.

The package does not state the production date, but I bought it about 5 months ago.

Do you know what it might be using? I think it must be using the current gen LED to be brighter than a "5.8 watt X03".

 

[Newuser01]

7 page thread about this light: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=141977

17 page about this light: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=157634

5 more pages of stuff here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=174532

Read up and enjoy.

I don't like 3 AAA format! Not at all. If I recall, it is s lux I.

Regards.

Here's the runtime I got for the alkaline AAA's that the light came with as well as with Duracell NiMH:

The beam on this light in the flood position is pretty poor (although it certainly does remove the center hot spot), but wow does it have a nice clean spot focus with a ton of throw! Beam profiles compared to several other popular lights below, with the Coast in the focus/spot position. The first plot is taken from the NiMH results; the second plot best compares overall beam characteristics as it normalizes output to a total of 30 lumens for each light and shows where the light directs its output - spot or flood. The coast focuses more on the center spot than the others including the SF E1L.

I calculated 70 lumens (which is the advertised value) from the NiMH batteries, 44 from the alkalines (both taken at two minutes time on a fresh battery)

I like this light not as a general purpose light (due to the tight spot / little spill), but as a backup light to pull out when throw is needed.

 

[BlueBeam22]

Newuser01,

Thanks for the links!

FlashCrazy's mod is amazing, it looks twice as bright as before in the pictures.

 

[Gunner12]

That's because it is.

I think the LED you have is either a Luxeon I or III, I don't remember the exact model but I can tell you that it's a last gen LED.

The current gen of LEDs is at least twice as efficient as the last gen ones. So for the same power, the current gen LEDs will have twice or more output then the last gen ones.

The current gen LEDs have been out for more then a year, at the the start they were about twice as efficient. Many LED lights from $15 to $1000 use them now. Some can be found in "normal" stores.

The "X million" candle power lights struggle to hit 10% of that figure.

 

[BlueBeam22]

That's because it is.

I think the LED you have is either a Luxeon I or III, I don't remember the exact model but I can tell you that it's a last gen LED.

The current gen of LEDs is at least twice as efficient as the last gen ones. So for the same power, the current gen LEDs will have twice or more output then the last gen ones.

The current gen LEDs have been out for more then a year, at the the start they were about twice as efficient. Many LED lights from $15 to $1000 use them now. Some can be found in "normal" stores.

The "X million" candle power lights struggle to hit 10% of that figure.

Might the new Coast LED Lensers be using current gen LEDS?

Some of them in the store are marked 60 lumens (the same as mine), but are much lower wattage than my LED Lenser.

 

[Newuser01]

Might the new Coast LED Lensers be using current gen LEDS?

Some of them in the store are marked 60 lumens (the same as mine), but are much lower wattage than my LED Lenser.

Ummmm... NO!

You can find inexpensive cree lamp powered lights for about 20, and 30 dollars range that will blind you!

Ex:
1. ROV sportman extreme series 2AA (about 20 bucks at Wallyworld.)
2. Lowe's, taskforce 2 C cell lights that is about 30 bucks .

Look around in this forum for long lived threads about those.

Have fun.

 

[BlueBeam22]

Ummmm... NO!

You can find inexpensive cree lamp powered lights for about 20, and 30 dollars range that will blind you!

Ex:
1. ROV sportman extreme series 2AA (about 20 bucks at Wallyworld.)
2. Lowe's, taskforce 2 C cell lights that is about 30 bucks .

Look around in this forum for long lived threads about those.

Have fun.

IIRC I did see the Lowe's Task Force 2 C LED flashlight, would this be brighter than my Coast? If so, I want to get one!

 

[Marduke]

IIRC I did see the Lowe's Task Force 2 C LED flashlight, would this be brighter than my Coast? If so, I want to get one!

The Cree version is around 150 lumens, way brighter than your Coast.

 

[Monocrom]

FlashCrazy's mod is amazing, it looks twice as bright as before in the pictures.

Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be awhile before his modded Coast lights are available again. His post count has not gone up, and the last update was on 2/29/08.

 

[BlueBeam22]

The Cree version is around 150 lumens, way brighter than your Coast.

I had no idea it was so bright!

That means it's much brighter than those $80 Surefires at Lowe's, I am going to buy one in the near future.

 

[Newuser01]

Read the thread about lowe's taskforce 2 c light, you will find a link to get 10 off coupon to use. Making the light about 20 bucks.
Deals!!

Now you can get 3 for the price you spent on the other light?

Keep one in the car, one the the house and play with the last.

How's that for the deal?

Regards.