Note: for the new Aleph parts with the Cree XR-E and Seoul P4 LEDs scroll down all the way 
Dear customer !
If you have any questions about the McLux-Aleph Light System brought to you by Mr. Don McLeish (aka McGizmo), please read through this FAQ first before contacting us in order to allow Don to build lights for you instead of just answering the same questions all over again.
This thread will be frequently updated with the newest and hottest info on McGizmo's Aleph products, so check back often!
Q: What is an Aleph?
The McLux-Aleph Series are modular parts that allow you to build your own custom light according to your wishes. You can choose from various parts, LEDs and drivers to tailor the resulting light exactly to your needs.
All parts are 100% Surefire E-Series compatible and can be freely exchanged with other E-Series compatible parts if you are so inclined.
Q: So … can you show me those parts?
Of course! Here we go.... the Aleph heads:
... the Aleph Bodies:
... Aleph-Tailcap iterations:
The bodies:
We have ...
- 1 x 123
- 1.5 x 123; also suited for 2xCR2
- 2 x 123
- 1 x CR2 flared
- 2 x CR123 flared
The heads:
The Aleph1 head:
It houses a 27mm custom reflector, the McR-27, and is similar to the well known veteran McLux-PR and McLux-PR/T heads for performance, except that the Aleph head is just better, it is the next generation after all … see below.
The Aleph2 head:
The smallest in the collection, yet certainly no looser! The custom McR-20 reflector adds new ways of photon-management to the system.
The Aleph3 head:
Biggest of the three, using whooping 38mm reflector, the custom McR-38 for maximum throwing power.
All those heads can be used with a LuxIII and a LuxV, but will need special treatment for the LuxV to provide optimum beam characteristics. This is achieved by removing the LED slightly from the focal point of the reflector to smooth out the donut hole. Please state specifically that you want a LuxV upon ordering.
The Aleph19 head:
Specifically designed for use with the Cree 7090 UV LED as a stand-alone turnkey head, you can also use other Light Engines with the McR-19 reflector for great results (see below).
The head uses the new bezel ring that the McLuxIII-PD also sports as well as a AR-coated (inside) Sapphire window. It isn't knurled.
The Aleph-Tailcap with the McE2S 2-Stage-Switch
The custom tailcap houses a 2-stage switch module that functions just like the Surefire L1/L2/A2 switch … you have access to a low and high mode via a pushbutton for momentary activation and by screwing the cap in you get first low and then high mode in constant on.
Here's how it works:
The brightness of the low-mode is chosen with a resistor in the switch assembly that kicks the driver (in the head of the light) out of regulation. The brightness depends on your choice of the resistor and the combination of LED / driver / batteries used in the light.
The McE2S switch can also be mounted in a SF Z52 or Z57 tailcap if you choose to do so.
There are some different models of the Aleph Tailcap available:
- Aleph Standard Tailcap: guarded and flared for multiple carrying options including lanyard, tab and standard tripod mount. Tailstand ability.
- Aleph Trim ("T") Tailcap: trimmed down version with just a lanyard hole, retains tailstand ability.
- Aleph Flat Top ("FT") Tailcap: smalles version without any mounting options but with a "hair-trigger" (=very sensitive) switch and tailstand ability!
- Aleph Bald ("B") Tailcap: same as "T" but with a protruding rubber switch button with the normal stroke, no tailstand. Think of this one as a 2-stage black Z52 cap.
- Aleph Standard Flat Top ("SFT") and Standard Bald ("SB"): a mix of the standard and the "FT" cap combining a "hair-trigger" switch and a nice cigar grip and tab option. The SB cap uses the standard module with the standard rubber boot and is the same apart from that. No hair-trigger here.
Should you have issues with your Tailcap, here's Don's suggestion on how to proceed that should clear the path of all but the really difficult obstacles to a working cap:
"1) Contact surfaces are contact surfaces and if there is foreign deposits on these surfaces, poor contact may result
2) If a switch is behaving with restricted movement, I first check to see that the module can move freely in and out of the battery tube. I then check to see that there is no high point or tit on the resistor PCB. Last, I ream or open up the bore of the jam nut to increase the freedom of movement of the module."
The Aleph Light Engine (LE)
The LE is the heart of an Aleph head. It houses the driver and the LED and is screwed directly in the head:
That does also mean that you can swap LEs between heads in a few seconds without any tools to obtain a maximum modularity and zillions of possible combinations .. AND you can upgrade to better technology in the years to come without having to buy a new head.
Q: What's the performance of the Heads / Reflectors?
The choice of the head / reflector will determine the beam characteristics of your Aleph.
A pic says more than a thousand words:
LE with LuxIII DB917 on 2x123
LE with BB750 LuxV on 2x123
Beam description with words:
Comparison pics:
And a comparison with some of our favourite lights:
In all those pics the camera settings are identical as is the distance to the target and the LE ... so the only relevant variable is the reflector ... direct comparisons are legit.
The LuxV produces a weaker but much bigger hotspot than the LuxIII with all reflectors and boasts a significantly brighter corona as can be witnessed in those shots above. It clearly puts out more light than a LuxIII at the same drive current, but that was to be expected, although with all that hype about the LuxIII recently, this fact has seem to be overlooked a bit. As I really like the LuxV, I'd like to set the record straight and put the LuxIII back where it belongs … second best
I was a bit perplexed that the size of the coronas was the same for the LuxIII and the LuxV, but they are only differing in brightness, not in actual spread.
So … as a rule of thumb … with the LuxV you get less throw, a bigger hotspot and a brighter flood with a somewhat compromised beam when compared to a LuxIII.
Remember … heat, energy consumption and runtimes as well as price are not discussed here
You want throw … go with the LuxIII and a 27 or 38mm reflector
You want flood / medium flood … use the LuxV if your light is able to take on the beast and put it in a 27mm reflector or for pure flood in a 20mm or 17mm … OR … use the LuxIII in a so17xa or McR-20.
You want the perfect beam … use the McR-20 or McR-38. There aren't any better beams out there.
With the McR-20 and McR-38 you get a very bright / dense corona that is still usable in low-mode (in case you have a multi-brightness light), whereas the McR-27 / PR and to a lesser extent the so17xa loose here big time. This is a very important point !!!!!
Choose your beam preference wisely.
Q: What about the McR-19
The McR-19 is a very deep and special reflector designed for the Cree7090 UV LED ...
... and produces a strong flood with a soft hotspot and a perfect beam quality:
Note that what you see here are just reflections and not the true UV output ... but you get the idea ... it smokes the Inova in power and beam quality.
The cool thing is ... this reflector is very forgiving, and as a rule of thumb ... no matter what (white) LED you stick in there ... the beam will be rather similar: a very concentrated and even flood with a more or less pronounced hotspot:
The LuxIII:
The LuxV:
The Nichia Jupiter:
As I said ... a very forgiving "concentrated flood" reflector.
Some more important comparison shots:
Q: What is the A19-XRE?
This is an Aleph19 head sporting the new Cree-XRE white LED and a modified McR-19 sold by the Sandwich Shoppe. The LE will not work properly with classic Aleph Combos trimmed for the LuxIII or K2 LED. For more infos about this one please use the Shoppe.
Q: Which driver should I choose?
This is the most difficult question of all since it will dictate the basic outfit of your Aleph as it is coupled with the possible battery configurations and possible LEDs.
Before choosing you should ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the purpose of this light? EDC or not?
- Long runtime vs. high output?
- What will the power source be?
- LuxIII or LuxV?
Once you have nailed this down, we can give you some help regarding the possible drivers for your application :
- A boost or step-up converter (driver) will boost the battery voltage to meet the requirements of the chosen LED. It will smoke when the battery voltage is higher than the Vin of the LED, so beware!
- A buck or step-down converter reduces the voltage / power form the batteries to prevent the LED from being smoked, but you need a higher battery voltage than the Vin of the LED to make this driver really work.
- A buck/boost driver is a combination of both, but for this cool feature (a multitude of possible battery combos above and below of the Vin of the LED) we pay in efficiency which is considerably lower than with the above mentioned drivers.
A word on regulation:
The best kind of regulation for a LED is constant current regulation, it will guarantee the safety of the LED and will drive it always at the same brightness level. Voltage regulation on the other hand might be slightly more efficient and can suck the battery drier, but depends on the Vin of the LED and is less flat in output than current regulation. There are some other points to consider that would explode this thread, so feel free to browse the appropriate forums for this info.
We do not recommend direct driving an Aleph light, but you might wish to do so at your own risk.
dat2zip (Wayne) is the main provider for Aleph-drivers, and he made an easy flow-chart to choose the appropriate unit based on the decisions you have taken:
In this chart there are two more recent drivers missig:
The NexGen Badboy that runs a LuxI/III on up to 3.7 volts and the
Wiz2, a buck/boost driver that drives a LuxI/III on 3-6 volts at a much higher efficiency than the regular Wizard.
Here's more details about the drivers (the creators checked this chart, but you still use it at your own risk):
With the NexGen Badboy you might encounter occansional flickering of the low-mode. The exact reason for this has yet to be discovered, but it shouldn't represent a threat to your light. Please be aware of this before ordering that driver.
Further more, when using a Li-Ion cell on a NexGen driven at 500mA or lower with a Vin of J-bin or lower, you will drive the LED in a "pseudo-direct-drive" at a higher drive current than the selectred 500 or less mA (reducing runtime) and you will approach the "safety-overhead" of the driver with a risk of blowing it. So far, no such incident has been reported with a J-bin, but we are unsure about the newer bins like H ...
Another note about the NexGen with Li-Ions: in case you want to use unprotected cells be aware that the NG does not have a protective voltage cut-off, so you might kill your battieries with this driver. The driver will be fine though . Protected cells aren't a problem of course.
Basically … to keep it simple … after choosing a LED and desired battery configuration you choose your appropriate driver AND the drive current you want.
The drive current is an indication of how much power is delivered to the LED, meaning how bright it is.
BUT … be careful!oo:
Higher current = more heat = less efficiency = shorter runtime !!!
In general the Aleph lights are well designed and will bleed away the excess heat pretty well, but there are limits to everything! So be careful and choose wisely in order to avoid damage to your precious new light. As a general rule … the smaller the head, the less heat it can take … meaning the more reasonable you need to be in your choice of drive current.
Some typical configurations:
NG400-500 / LuxIII on 1x123 or Li-Ion --> most reasonable choice for drive current, but read comment on the NG above
NG750 / LuxIII on 1x123 or up to NG1000 on 1xLi-Ion
MM / LuxIII on 1x123
BB750 / LuxV on 2x123
BB500 / LuxV on 1x123 or 2x123
DB917 / LuxIII on 2x123 or 3x123
Wiz2 520 / LuxIII on 1x123 or 2x123 or 1xLi-Ion
A note about high drive currents:
The higher you drive a LED the less efficient it will get, meaning for each increase in current the gain in light will be less and the produced heat will be more. Here's a nice chart made by Don illustrating this fact:
So choose your drive current wisely ... the optimum range for a Lux III should be between 500 and 700 mA. Anything beyond that is inefficient albeit still at spec. Of course when you have a big light (lots of batteries) with good heat dissipation those considerations are of less importance.
Q: What about those new Wiz2x2 and NGx2 drivers?
Those won't work in the Aleph lights.
Q: Do you have lumen measurements for typical Alephs?
Yes, thanx to Soundbox (Ian) we can show the performance of some Alephs measured in an Integrating Sphere (Ulbrichtkugel):
Aleph I 2x123A TXOJ 700 mA 20 Ohm = 5.78 Lumens
Aleph I 2x123A TXOJ 700 mA High = 56.7 Lumens
Aleph II 2x123A TX1J 500 mA 20 Ohm = 6.17 Lumens
Aleph II 2x123A TX1J 500 mA High = 48.7 Lumens
Aleph III 2x123A TXOJ 917 mA 20 Ohm = 5.78 Lumens
Aleph III 2x123A TXOJ 917 mA High = 67.2 Lumens
In the same test run were:
Nuwai Q-III TYOK = 25.4 Lumens
Surefire U2 High = 113 Lumens (Good tint with just a hint of green on low)
Please don't forget that those are just random samples; the Luxeon Lottery still applies!
Q: Which resistor value should I choose for my McE2S?
The higher the value, the lower the light. As everything is subjective and as there are literally zillions of different Aleph combos we cannot provide you with an easy answer. A general rule would be that the resistor should be higher with a buck and lower with a boost driver.
Good examples would include 60 ohms for a DB1000 on 2x123 or 15-22 ohms for a NG500 on 1x123, but of course it is your personal gusto.
The offered values are those and can easily be identified by the color of the screw in the switch:
K-T has made a tremendous effort to compile a huge chart of possible combos that work well, look at it here:
If you are not satisfied with your choice of the resistor … no problemo! You can order a new PCB for a few pennies and change it easily.
Some reference pics of a McE2S-30 module with different hosts:
Q: How can I order my custom Aleph?
That's easy. To avoid confusion please follow the rules of due process …
- You may order "Chez McGizmo's" following the rules in the ordering-sticky (Don is currently closed for all Aleph orders as the Aleph System is being phased out)
- The Sandwich Shoppe offers complete turnkey (TK) lights and DIY parts
- Some prime modders on CPF offer their services to build you a customized Aleph. Those are to date: Darell, Chop, tylerdurden, kj and JollyRoger. Feel free to contact either of them.
Where ever you order, rest assured that you will receive an Aleph of equal quality and craftmanship.
Q: What finishes are available?
The Aleph-System is offered in a Type III Hard Anodised finish with the color "Dark Slate Grey" only. This is almost black and does match with SF HAIII-BK well but not perfectly. The quality of this HAIII is outstanding and constant.
The only exception to this rule is a small number of parts in HA-NAT… looking like this:
... and available only in limited quantity untill out of stock.
Depending on stock you can try to get your parts in bare aluminium looking like this:
No other finishes will be available for the time being, so please do not ask.
However, Don will present small runs of custom colors in the future, and others might do so as well.
This is an example of the first hors-serie Aleph in HAII Blue with a total of 8 lights offered:
And here are some "Marble-Alephs" in limited quantity:
Please note: Hard anodize is first and foremost a functional plating and not a cosmetic plating. Grain and other irregularities will show up and tints will vary significantly from batch to batch.
Q: Can I build my own Aleph?
YES! Of course! You can buy all the necessary parts in the Sandwich Shoppe to build every Aleph combo you'd like.
Q: Are there any instructions for this?
There's Don's page: LE build instructions
And kj's … LE by kj … which are more detailed
kj has also build-instructions for the McE2S switch here .
... and tylerdurdens build-notes: tylerdurden's instructions
Have a look at the help-pages on the Sandwich Shoppe and various threads with discussions about the builds in this forum, too.
Q: What's the deal with those Tritium Markers?
Upon availability you can have Tritium Markers built in your Aleph to add some personal flavour to your new light. There are two basic possibilities: Mount them in a milled slot in the tailcap OR mount them around the LED which excludes this LE from being mounted in an Aleph2 head !
Those are not regular items and only available upon request.
Q: What are the carrying options of the Aleph?
The Aleph tailcap allows for lanyard-attachment as well as tripod-mount on standard screws AND has a hole to mount a tab to carry the light like a cell phone and/or to mount it on a wall for storage:
Of course all this changes upon choosing a non-standard tailcap; see above.
There is no clip available ... yet. Holsters need to be chosen according to your specific Aleph.
Q: Can I have my special one-of-a-kind Aleph?
No, sorry. This is a small-scale one-man-show and resources, material as well as human workforce, are severely limited. Please do not start inquiries about special lights at this time. From time to time those might be offered on special occasions though.
Q: What are the exact dimensions of those parts?
No secrets … let the info flow free:
Q: Are there any websites about the Aleph?
http://dmcleish.com/CPF … the creator's site.
http://www.obaq.tv/cpf/ … kj's wonderful site, check it out! It's worth it!
Q: Do you have some runtime info on those drivers?
Of course! In addition to the info pages on the Sandwich Shoppe there are some great sticky-threads in the reviews forum with tons of info.
… and click here: http://dmcleish.com/CPF/run-times/index.html
… to witness runtime plots by Don
Q: So … what were the advantages of this new system yet?
In addition to the well known advantage of the vast modular platform of the E-Series with an abundance of available parts and the well known McGizmo premium quality you can now have:
- additional modularity with the LE
- 2-stage lights with the output of your choice
- better front window seal
- thicker and better window (double AR-coated)
- smaller lights with better ergonomics
- more throw than ever before
- better performing custom reflectors
- a perfect medium-flood beam for a LuxI/III
- highest quality machining and anodise
- multiple built-in carrying options
- HAIII
- fully customisable configurations
- PILA-body
Q: I am still lost :help: … can you show me some classic combos?
Sure! Have a look at some classic combos including runtimes and beamshots (if available). If you are still confused about all this tech-stuff and would like a nice Aleph light nevertheless ... choose one of those and you won't be disappointed!
Aleph1 / LuxIII / NG500 / 1x123 / McE2S-15
A small yet bright light that offers very good throw and a large corona for close-up vision at a reasonable runtime without any heat problem.
The beamshot is an representation of a similar light ... the corona is too weak at this distance to be seen on the pic, the hotspot is bright and narrow.
If you want more punch with this one, you can choose a NG750 as the highest reasonable setting on 1x123 with a reduced runtime or a NG1000 when using Li-Ion cells.... with an R123 you will get the following runtime:
In this pic used with an Aleph3 head for maximum throw (look at the exceptionally high lux-readings!):
... and with 1x123 and NG750 or 1000 you will end up like this (1xCR123 cannot deliver enough juice to power the NG at 1000mA):
If your preference is runtime over peak brightness you can go for a NG400 with a LuxIII and obtain this graph:
... this time with an Aleph2 head as indicated by the lower lux readings:
So ... with the NexGen you can work with 1x123 or 1xLi-Ion and choose a drive current up to 750mA on CR123 and 1000mA on Li-Ion with the resulting runtimes shown above. Depending on your choice of reflector / head you will get different beam characteristics (see above for a description of the performance of the Aleph heads) that vary in lux-readings but not in lumens.
With the NexGen Badboy you might encounter occansional flickering of the low-mode. The exact reason for this has yet to be discovered, but it shouldn't represent a threat to your light. Please be aware of this before ordering that driver
Aleph1 / LuxIII / DB917 / 2x123 / McE2S-60
The classic 2-cell Aleph with the same beam characteristics as the light above (27mm reflector) but with more punch and / or runtime. This one is the real alround-light.
... and with the Aleph3 head for throw:
(the big one)
... gives you this runtime:
600mA and 1000mA outside:
Again ... you can swap heads for the different beam characteristics and lux-readings but with the same lumen output.
Another note on the classic Aleph / LuxIII / 2x123 and the resistor choice for the McE2S:
Aleph1 / LuxV / BB500 / 1x123 or 2x123 / McE2S-22
The classic LuxV combo on 1x123.
It won't run in regulation, but you'll get good light for about 25-30 minutes:
If you are using Li-Ions you'll get full regulation from this combo as the blue graph above illustrates for the R123 cell.
The beam is a very useful medium flood and looks like this:
vs. a stock SF L4:
This head can be used on 1x123 and 2x123. Should you want more power you definitely need 2x123 and can reasonably drive the LuxV at 750mA with this result:
and with a McE2S-30 :
Before you are tempted to ask ... neither the NexGen nor the Wiz2 will drive a LuxV, and the SDC and MadMax won't either. So if you like a LuxV you have to go with a BadBoy or a DownBoy when 3x123 or more cells are desired.
Also keep in mind that the LuxV is a power-beast and will produce significantly more heat than the LuxIII ... which means you should be very careful when using an Aleph2 head and prefer the bigger heads. A BB500 LuxV combo can run on an Aleph2 head but should be hand-cooled or used for short bursts only in order to protect your light!
The Wiz2 Driver
... is complicated to understand. It works on 2x123 and 1xLi-Ion and, when reasonable drive currents are selected, also on 1x123 quite well. You must know though that a stable low-output cannot be reached with this driver, so a different tailcap (Z52, Z57) might be an option, otherwise you are stuck with a flickernig low-mode on the McE2S.
Of course you can screw the LE in any Aleph head and as long as the battery configurations are correct you will get impressing runtime results:
on 2x123 at 520mA
on 1x123 at 520mA
on 2x123 at 1000mA:
Aleph19-UV Turnkey Unit
The new standard for UV-lighting :
In this pic it is mounted on an Aleph CR2 flanged body with a bald 2-stage tailcap running on a CR2. With the NG333 driver runtimes are pretty impressive even on the small CR2 cell, compensating the increased length of the head nicely.
Beamshots can be viewed in the appropriate section above concerning the McR-19 reflector.
This head is one hell of an addition to all SF E-Series users for powerful UV lighting without the need for a second light
It can also be used with the Nichia 365nm UV LED, but this version isn't a regular production item due to the high cost of these LEDs.
… and for the real killers:
Aleph3 / LuxV / DB1000 / 3x123 / McE2S-30
A ram of light that kills the SF L6 with ease and stomps any other productrion 5W LED light just as nicely
… on UBHII brass body
Sorry, no runtimes or beamshots at this time
A little Aleph Shootout of various lights. Pics are with fixed camera settings and directly comparable:
Aleph3 TY0J 750mA
Aleph3 LuxV 917mA
Aleph1 TW0K 1000mA
Aleph19 LuxV 400mA
Aleph2 UX1K 550mA:
Aleph1 X3T 750mA
New LEDs and drivers
As time went by, a new generation of PowerLEDs and drivers was establisghed: the Cree XR-E and the Seoul P4, both using the Cree EZ1000 die. Their implementation in the Aleph system will require caution and some modification of certain reflectors.
In case of an "official" update of the Aleph Series beyond the already mentioned Aleph19 XR offered by the Shoppe this thread will be updated again.
Aleph Mule Head
The Shoppe offers an Aleph Mule head lookng like this:
It is based on the Mule from the McLuxIII Series, and the underlying concept can be lookes up in the McLuxIII FAQ.
This head sports a super reflective material around the LED and uses standard Aleph LEs, although it works best with the Cree XR-E LED, and its use is recommended.
Aleph-McClicky Mule
This is the above-mentioned Aleph-Mule head on a new 1xCR123 power pack with integrated McClicky switch and titanium clip. The light is EN-plated aluminium. To learn more about the Mule's properties, please have a look at the McLuxIII Titanium Series FAQ.
So … if there are still some questions left feel free to post in the McGizmo forum and tap into the vast vaults of knowledge of the friendly membership there !
To close this gargantuan post, I'd like to share some words of the creator of those lights, Mr. McGizmo himself:
"There is nothing perfect or even close to perfection in these lights; starting from the design and following through with the execution and assembly. Obvious flaws or imperfections in appearance will hopefully be caught and removed from pieces used and sold. I am sorry about this and I can't and won't hold these lights to an appearance standard that would preclude this series from being offered. "
"In terms of QC, there are standards and expectations which are pretty straight forward and either the lights and parts perform as they should or they are rejected. When it comes to appearance or surface finishes and non-critical flaws, the line is not so clear. Due to poor economies of scale and the expense of components as well as time required in processing them and their assembly, these lights are expensive. Due to their price, it is easy to assume that they should have a level of finish that frankly they just don't have! "
Buggs – McGizmo Marketing Department
Credits:
Thanx to kj and miciobigio for their contributions to this fax in pictures, links and infos as well as to K-T for the resistor-chart and Soundbox for the lumen measurements.
All images used with permission from the corresponding site-owners. Should you find your pic here and would like us to remove it please shoot us a PM and we'll comply ASAP.
Dear customer
!If you have any questions about the McLux-Aleph Light System brought to you by Mr. Don McLeish (aka McGizmo), please read through this FAQ first before contacting us in order to allow Don to build lights for you instead of just answering the same questions all over again.
This thread will be frequently updated with the newest and hottest info on McGizmo's Aleph products, so check back often!
Q: What is an Aleph?
The McLux-Aleph Series are modular parts that allow you to build your own custom light according to your wishes. You can choose from various parts, LEDs and drivers to tailor the resulting light exactly to your needs.
All parts are 100% Surefire E-Series compatible and can be freely exchanged with other E-Series compatible parts if you are so inclined.
Q: So … can you show me those parts?
Of course! Here we go.... the Aleph heads:
... the Aleph Bodies:
... Aleph-Tailcap iterations:
The bodies:
We have ...
- 1 x 123
- 1.5 x 123; also suited for 2xCR2
- 2 x 123
- 1 x CR2 flared
- 2 x CR123 flared
The heads:
The Aleph1 head:
It houses a 27mm custom reflector, the McR-27, and is similar to the well known veteran McLux-PR and McLux-PR/T heads for performance, except that the Aleph head is just better, it is the next generation after all
… see below.The Aleph2 head:
The smallest in the collection, yet certainly no looser! The custom McR-20 reflector adds new ways of photon-management to the system.
The Aleph3 head:
Biggest of the three, using whooping 38mm reflector, the custom McR-38 for maximum throwing power.
All those heads can be used with a LuxIII and a LuxV, but will need special treatment for the LuxV to provide optimum beam characteristics. This is achieved by removing the LED slightly from the focal point of the reflector to smooth out the donut hole. Please state specifically that you want a LuxV upon ordering.
The Aleph19 head:
Specifically designed for use with the Cree 7090 UV LED as a stand-alone turnkey head, you can also use other Light Engines with the McR-19 reflector for great results (see below).
The head uses the new bezel ring that the McLuxIII-PD also sports as well as a AR-coated (inside) Sapphire window. It isn't knurled.
The Aleph-Tailcap with the McE2S 2-Stage-Switch
The custom tailcap houses a 2-stage switch module that functions just like the Surefire L1/L2/A2 switch … you have access to a low and high mode via a pushbutton for momentary activation and by screwing the cap in you get first low and then high mode in constant on.
Here's how it works:
The brightness of the low-mode is chosen with a resistor in the switch assembly that kicks the driver (in the head of the light) out of regulation. The brightness depends on your choice of the resistor and the combination of LED / driver / batteries used in the light.
The McE2S switch can also be mounted in a SF Z52 or Z57 tailcap if you choose to do so.
There are some different models of the Aleph Tailcap available:
- Aleph Standard Tailcap: guarded and flared for multiple carrying options including lanyard, tab and standard tripod mount. Tailstand ability.
- Aleph Trim ("T") Tailcap: trimmed down version with just a lanyard hole, retains tailstand ability.
- Aleph Flat Top ("FT") Tailcap: smalles version without any mounting options but with a "hair-trigger" (=very sensitive) switch and tailstand ability!
- Aleph Bald ("B") Tailcap: same as "T" but with a protruding rubber switch button with the normal stroke, no tailstand. Think of this one as a 2-stage black Z52 cap.
- Aleph Standard Flat Top ("SFT") and Standard Bald ("SB"): a mix of the standard and the "FT" cap combining a "hair-trigger" switch and a nice cigar grip and tab option. The SB cap uses the standard module with the standard rubber boot and is the same apart from that. No hair-trigger here.
Should you have issues with your Tailcap, here's Don's suggestion on how to proceed that should clear the path of all but the really difficult obstacles to a working cap:
"1) Contact surfaces are contact surfaces and if there is foreign deposits on these surfaces, poor contact may result
2) If a switch is behaving with restricted movement, I first check to see that the module can move freely in and out of the battery tube. I then check to see that there is no high point or tit on the resistor PCB. Last, I ream or open up the bore of the jam nut to increase the freedom of movement of the module."
The Aleph Light Engine (LE)
The LE is the heart of an Aleph head. It houses the driver and the LED and is screwed directly in the head:
That does also mean that you can swap LEs between heads in a few seconds without any tools to obtain a maximum modularity and zillions of possible combinations .. AND you can upgrade to better technology in the years to come without having to buy a new head.
Q: What's the performance of the Heads / Reflectors?
The choice of the head / reflector will determine the beam characteristics of your Aleph.
A pic says more than a thousand words:
LE with LuxIII DB917 on 2x123
LE with BB750 LuxV on 2x123
Beam description with words:
Comparison pics:
And a comparison with some of our favourite lights:
In all those pics the camera settings are identical as is the distance to the target and the LE ... so the only relevant variable is the reflector ... direct comparisons are legit.
The LuxV produces a weaker but much bigger hotspot than the LuxIII with all reflectors and boasts a significantly brighter corona as can be witnessed in those shots above. It clearly puts out more light than a LuxIII at the same drive current, but that was to be expected, although with all that hype about the LuxIII recently, this fact has seem to be overlooked a bit. As I really like the LuxV, I'd like to set the record straight and put the LuxIII back where it belongs … second best
I was a bit perplexed that the size of the coronas was the same for the LuxIII and the LuxV, but they are only differing in brightness, not in actual spread.
So … as a rule of thumb … with the LuxV you get less throw, a bigger hotspot and a brighter flood with a somewhat compromised beam when compared to a LuxIII.
Remember … heat, energy consumption and runtimes as well as price are not discussed here You want throw … go with the LuxIII and a 27 or 38mm reflector
You want flood / medium flood … use the LuxV if your light is able to take on the beast and put it in a 27mm reflector or for pure flood in a 20mm or 17mm … OR … use the LuxIII in a so17xa or McR-20.
You want the perfect beam … use the McR-20 or McR-38. There aren't any better beams out there.
With the McR-20 and McR-38 you get a very bright / dense corona that is still usable in low-mode (in case you have a multi-brightness light), whereas the McR-27 / PR and to a lesser extent the so17xa loose here big time. This is a very important point !!!!!
Choose your beam preference wisely.
Q: What about the McR-19
The McR-19 is a very deep and special reflector designed for the Cree7090 UV LED ...
... and produces a strong flood with a soft hotspot and a perfect beam quality:
Note that what you see here are just reflections and not the true UV output ... but you get the idea ... it smokes the Inova in power and beam quality.
The cool thing is ... this reflector is very forgiving, and as a rule of thumb ... no matter what (white) LED you stick in there ... the beam will be rather similar: a very concentrated and even flood with a more or less pronounced hotspot:
The LuxIII:
The LuxV:
The Nichia Jupiter:
As I said ... a very forgiving "concentrated flood" reflector.
Some more important comparison shots:
Q: What is the A19-XRE?
This is an Aleph19 head sporting the new Cree-XRE white LED and a modified McR-19 sold by the Sandwich Shoppe. The LE will not work properly with classic Aleph Combos trimmed for the LuxIII or K2 LED. For more infos about this one please use the Shoppe.
Q: Which driver should I choose?
This is the most difficult question of all since it will dictate the basic outfit of your Aleph as it is coupled with the possible battery configurations and possible LEDs.
Before choosing you should ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the purpose of this light? EDC or not?
- Long runtime vs. high output?
- What will the power source be?
- LuxIII or LuxV?
Once you have nailed this down, we can give you some help regarding the possible drivers for your application :
- A boost or step-up converter (driver) will boost the battery voltage to meet the requirements of the chosen LED. It will smoke when the battery voltage is higher than the Vin of the LED, so beware!
- A buck or step-down converter reduces the voltage / power form the batteries to prevent the LED from being smoked, but you need a higher battery voltage than the Vin of the LED to make this driver really work.
- A buck/boost driver is a combination of both, but for this cool feature (a multitude of possible battery combos above and below of the Vin of the LED) we pay in efficiency which is considerably lower than with the above mentioned drivers.
A word on regulation:
The best kind of regulation for a LED is constant current regulation, it will guarantee the safety of the LED and will drive it always at the same brightness level. Voltage regulation on the other hand might be slightly more efficient and can suck the battery drier, but depends on the Vin of the LED and is less flat in output than current regulation. There are some other points to consider that would explode this thread, so feel free to browse the appropriate forums for this info.
We do not recommend direct driving an Aleph light, but you might wish to do so at your own risk.
dat2zip (Wayne) is the main provider for Aleph-drivers, and he made an easy flow-chart to choose the appropriate unit based on the decisions you have taken:
In this chart there are two more recent drivers missig:
The NexGen Badboy that runs a LuxI/III on up to 3.7 volts and the
Wiz2, a buck/boost driver that drives a LuxI/III on 3-6 volts at a much higher efficiency than the regular Wizard.
Here's more details about the drivers (the creators checked this chart, but you still use it at your own risk):
With the NexGen Badboy you might encounter occansional flickering of the low-mode. The exact reason for this has yet to be discovered, but it shouldn't represent a threat to your light. Please be aware of this before ordering that driver.Further more, when using a Li-Ion cell on a NexGen driven at 500mA or lower with a Vin of J-bin or lower, you will drive the LED in a "pseudo-direct-drive" at a higher drive current than the selectred 500 or less mA (reducing runtime) and you will approach the "safety-overhead" of the driver with a risk of blowing it. So far, no such incident has been reported with a J-bin, but we are unsure about the newer bins like H ...
Another note about the NexGen with Li-Ions: in case you want to use unprotected cells be aware that the NG does not have a protective voltage cut-off, so you might kill your battieries with this driver. The driver will be fine though . Protected cells aren't a problem of course. Basically … to keep it simple … after choosing a LED and desired battery configuration you choose your appropriate driver AND the drive current you want.
The drive current is an indication of how much power is delivered to the LED, meaning how bright it is.
BUT … be careful!
oo:Higher current = more heat = less efficiency = shorter runtime !!!
In general the Aleph lights are well designed and will bleed away the excess heat pretty well, but there are limits to everything! So be careful and choose wisely in order to avoid damage to your precious new light. As a general rule … the smaller the head, the less heat it can take … meaning the more reasonable you need to be in your choice of drive current.
Some typical configurations:
NG400-500 / LuxIII on 1x123 or Li-Ion --> most reasonable choice for drive current, but read comment on the NG above
NG750 / LuxIII on 1x123 or up to NG1000 on 1xLi-Ion
MM / LuxIII on 1x123
BB750 / LuxV on 2x123
BB500 / LuxV on 1x123 or 2x123
DB917 / LuxIII on 2x123 or 3x123
Wiz2 520 / LuxIII on 1x123 or 2x123 or 1xLi-Ion
A note about high drive currents:
The higher you drive a LED the less efficient it will get, meaning for each increase in current the gain in light will be less and the produced heat will be more. Here's a nice chart made by Don illustrating this fact:
So choose your drive current wisely ... the optimum range for a Lux III should be between 500 and 700 mA. Anything beyond that is inefficient albeit still at spec. Of course when you have a big light (lots of batteries) with good heat dissipation those considerations are of less importance.
Q: What about those new Wiz2x2 and NGx2 drivers?
Those won't work in the Aleph lights.
Q: Do you have lumen measurements for typical Alephs?
Yes, thanx to Soundbox (Ian) we can show the performance of some Alephs measured in an Integrating Sphere (Ulbrichtkugel):
Aleph I 2x123A TXOJ 700 mA 20 Ohm = 5.78 Lumens
Aleph I 2x123A TXOJ 700 mA High = 56.7 Lumens
Aleph II 2x123A TX1J 500 mA 20 Ohm = 6.17 Lumens
Aleph II 2x123A TX1J 500 mA High = 48.7 Lumens
Aleph III 2x123A TXOJ 917 mA 20 Ohm = 5.78 Lumens
Aleph III 2x123A TXOJ 917 mA High = 67.2 Lumens
In the same test run were:
Nuwai Q-III TYOK = 25.4 Lumens
Surefire U2 High = 113 Lumens (Good tint with just a hint of green on low)
Please don't forget that those are just random samples; the Luxeon Lottery still applies!
Q: Which resistor value should I choose for my McE2S?
The higher the value, the lower the light. As everything is subjective and as there are literally zillions of different Aleph combos we cannot provide you with an easy answer. A general rule would be that the resistor should be higher with a buck and lower with a boost driver.
Good examples would include 60 ohms for a DB1000 on 2x123 or 15-22 ohms for a NG500 on 1x123, but of course it is your personal gusto.
The offered values are those and can easily be identified by the color of the screw in the switch:
K-T has made a tremendous effort to compile a huge chart of possible combos that work well, look at it here:
If you are not satisfied with your choice of the resistor … no problemo! You can order a new PCB for a few pennies and change it easily.
Some reference pics of a McE2S-30 module with different hosts:
Q: How can I order my custom Aleph?
That's easy. To avoid confusion please follow the rules of due process …
- You may order "Chez McGizmo's" following the rules in the ordering-sticky (Don is currently closed for all Aleph orders as the Aleph System is being phased out)
- The Sandwich Shoppe offers complete turnkey (TK) lights and DIY parts
- Some prime modders on CPF offer their services to build you a customized Aleph. Those are to date: Darell, Chop, tylerdurden, kj and JollyRoger. Feel free to contact either of them.
Where ever you order, rest assured that you will receive an Aleph of equal quality and craftmanship.
Q: What finishes are available?
The Aleph-System is offered in a Type III Hard Anodised finish with the color "Dark Slate Grey" only. This is almost black and does match with SF HAIII-BK well but not perfectly. The quality of this HAIII is outstanding and constant.
The only exception to this rule is a small number of parts in HA-NAT… looking like this:
... and available only in limited quantity untill out of stock.
Depending on stock you can try to get your parts in bare aluminium looking like this:
No other finishes will be available for the time being, so please do not ask.
However, Don will present small runs of custom colors in the future, and others might do so as well.
This is an example of the first hors-serie Aleph in HAII Blue with a total of 8 lights offered:
And here are some "Marble-Alephs" in limited quantity:
Please note: Hard anodize is first and foremost a functional plating and not a cosmetic plating. Grain and other irregularities will show up and tints will vary significantly from batch to batch.
Q: Can I build my own Aleph?
YES! Of course! You can buy all the necessary parts in the Sandwich Shoppe to build every Aleph combo you'd like.
Q: Are there any instructions for this?
There's Don's page: LE build instructions
And kj's … LE by kj … which are more detailed
kj has also build-instructions for the McE2S switch here .
... and tylerdurdens build-notes: tylerdurden's instructions
Have a look at the help-pages on the Sandwich Shoppe and various threads with discussions about the builds in this forum, too.
Q: What's the deal with those Tritium Markers?
Upon availability you can have Tritium Markers built in your Aleph to add some personal flavour to your new light. There are two basic possibilities: Mount them in a milled slot in the tailcap OR mount them around the LED which excludes this LE from being mounted in an Aleph2 head
!
Those are not regular items and only available upon request.
Q: What are the carrying options of the Aleph?
The Aleph tailcap allows for lanyard-attachment as well as tripod-mount on standard screws AND has a hole to mount a tab to carry the light like a cell phone and/or to mount it on a wall for storage:
Of course all this changes upon choosing a non-standard tailcap; see above.
There is no clip available ... yet. Holsters need to be chosen according to your specific Aleph.
Q: Can I have my special one-of-a-kind Aleph?
No, sorry. This is a small-scale one-man-show and resources, material as well as human workforce, are severely limited. Please do not start inquiries about special lights at this time. From time to time those might be offered on special occasions though.
Q: What are the exact dimensions of those parts?
No secrets … let the info flow free:
Q: Are there any websites about the Aleph?
http://dmcleish.com/CPF … the creator's site.
http://www.obaq.tv/cpf/ … kj's wonderful site, check it out! It's worth it!
Q: Do you have some runtime info on those drivers?
Of course! In addition to the info pages on the Sandwich Shoppe there are some great sticky-threads in the reviews forum with tons of info.
… and click here: http://dmcleish.com/CPF/run-times/index.html
… to witness runtime plots by Don
Q: So … what were the advantages of this new system yet?
In addition to the well known advantage of the vast modular platform of the E-Series with an abundance of available parts and the well known McGizmo premium quality you can now have:
- additional modularity with the LE
- 2-stage lights with the output of your choice
- better front window seal
- thicker and better window (double AR-coated)
- smaller lights with better ergonomics
- more throw than ever before
- better performing custom reflectors
- a perfect medium-flood beam for a LuxI/III
- highest quality machining and anodise
- multiple built-in carrying options
- HAIII
- fully customisable configurations
- PILA-body
Q: I am still lost :help: … can you show me some classic combos?
Sure! Have a look at some classic combos including runtimes and beamshots (if available). If you are still confused about all this tech-stuff and would like a nice Aleph light nevertheless ... choose one of those and you won't be disappointed!
Aleph1 / LuxIII / NG500 / 1x123 / McE2S-15
A small yet bright light that offers very good throw and a large corona for close-up vision at a reasonable runtime without any heat problem.
The beamshot is an representation of a similar light ... the corona is too weak at this distance to be seen on the pic, the hotspot is bright and narrow.
If you want more punch with this one, you can choose a NG750 as the highest reasonable setting on 1x123 with a reduced runtime or a NG1000 when using Li-Ion cells.... with an R123 you will get the following runtime:
In this pic used with an Aleph3 head for maximum throw (look at the exceptionally high lux-readings!):
... and with 1x123 and NG750 or 1000 you will end up like this (1xCR123 cannot deliver enough juice to power the NG at 1000mA):
If your preference is runtime over peak brightness you can go for a NG400 with a LuxIII and obtain this graph:
... this time with an Aleph2 head as indicated by the lower lux readings:
So ... with the NexGen you can work with 1x123 or 1xLi-Ion and choose a drive current up to 750mA on CR123 and 1000mA on Li-Ion with the resulting runtimes shown above. Depending on your choice of reflector / head you will get different beam characteristics (see above for a description of the performance of the Aleph heads) that vary in lux-readings but not in lumens.
With the NexGen Badboy you might encounter occansional flickering of the low-mode. The exact reason for this has yet to be discovered, but it shouldn't represent a threat to your light. Please be aware of this before ordering that driver Aleph1 / LuxIII / DB917 / 2x123 / McE2S-60
The classic 2-cell Aleph with the same beam characteristics as the light above (27mm reflector) but with more punch and / or runtime. This one is the real alround-light.
... and with the Aleph3 head for throw:
(the big one)
... gives you this runtime:
600mA and 1000mA outside:
Again ... you can swap heads for the different beam characteristics and lux-readings but with the same lumen output.
Another note on the classic Aleph / LuxIII / 2x123 and the resistor choice for the McE2S:
Aleph1 / LuxV / BB500 / 1x123 or 2x123 / McE2S-22
The classic LuxV combo on 1x123.
It won't run in regulation, but you'll get good light for about 25-30 minutes:
If you are using Li-Ions you'll get full regulation from this combo as the blue graph above illustrates for the R123 cell.
The beam is a very useful medium flood and looks like this:
vs. a stock SF L4:
This head can be used on 1x123 and 2x123. Should you want more power you definitely need 2x123 and can reasonably drive the LuxV at 750mA with this result:
and with a McE2S-30 :
Before you are tempted to ask ... neither the NexGen nor the Wiz2 will drive a LuxV, and the SDC and MadMax won't either. So if you like a LuxV you have to go with a BadBoy or a DownBoy when 3x123 or more cells are desired.
Also keep in mind that the LuxV is a power-beast and will produce significantly more heat than the LuxIII ... which means you should be very careful when using an Aleph2 head and prefer the bigger heads. A BB500 LuxV combo can run on an Aleph2 head but should be hand-cooled or used for short bursts only in order to protect your light!
The Wiz2 Driver
... is complicated to understand. It works on 2x123 and 1xLi-Ion and, when reasonable drive currents are selected, also on 1x123 quite well. You must know though that a stable low-output cannot be reached with this driver, so a different tailcap (Z52, Z57) might be an option, otherwise you are stuck with a flickernig low-mode on the McE2S.
Of course you can screw the LE in any Aleph head and as long as the battery configurations are correct you will get impressing runtime results:
on 2x123 at 520mA
on 1x123 at 520mA
on 2x123 at 1000mA:
Aleph19-UV Turnkey Unit
The new standard for UV-lighting
:
In this pic it is mounted on an Aleph CR2 flanged body with a bald 2-stage tailcap running on a CR2. With the NG333 driver runtimes are pretty impressive even on the small CR2 cell, compensating the increased length of the head nicely.
Beamshots can be viewed in the appropriate section above concerning the McR-19 reflector.
This head is one hell of an addition to all SF E-Series users for powerful UV lighting without the need for a second light
It can also be used with the Nichia 365nm UV LED, but this version isn't a regular production item due to the high cost of these LEDs.
… and for the real killers:
Aleph3 / LuxV / DB1000 / 3x123 / McE2S-30
A ram of light that kills the SF L6 with ease and stomps any other productrion 5W LED light just as nicely
… on UBHII brass body
Sorry, no runtimes or beamshots at this time
A little Aleph Shootout of various lights. Pics are with fixed camera settings and directly comparable:
Aleph3 TY0J 750mA
Aleph3 LuxV 917mA
Aleph1 TW0K 1000mA
Aleph19 LuxV 400mA
Aleph2 UX1K 550mA:
Aleph1 X3T 750mA
New LEDs and drivers
As time went by, a new generation of PowerLEDs and drivers was establisghed: the Cree XR-E and the Seoul P4, both using the Cree EZ1000 die. Their implementation in the Aleph system will require caution and some modification of certain reflectors.
In case of an "official" update of the Aleph Series beyond the already mentioned Aleph19 XR offered by the Shoppe this thread will be updated again.
Aleph Mule Head
The Shoppe offers an Aleph Mule head lookng like this:
It is based on the Mule from the McLuxIII Series, and the underlying concept can be lookes up in the McLuxIII FAQ.
This head sports a super reflective material around the LED and uses standard Aleph LEs, although it works best with the Cree XR-E LED, and its use is recommended.
Aleph-McClicky Mule
This is the above-mentioned Aleph-Mule head on a new 1xCR123 power pack with integrated McClicky switch and titanium clip. The light is EN-plated aluminium. To learn more about the Mule's properties, please have a look at the McLuxIII Titanium Series FAQ.
So … if there are still some questions left feel free to post in the McGizmo forum and tap into the vast vaults of knowledge of the friendly membership there
!To close this gargantuan post, I'd like to share some words of the creator of those lights, Mr. McGizmo himself:
"There is nothing perfect or even close to perfection in these lights; starting from the design and following through with the execution and assembly. Obvious flaws or imperfections in appearance will hopefully be caught and removed from pieces used and sold. I am sorry about this and I can't and won't hold these lights to an appearance standard that would preclude this series from being offered. "
"In terms of QC, there are standards and expectations which are pretty straight forward and either the lights and parts perform as they should or they are rejected. When it comes to appearance or surface finishes and non-critical flaws, the line is not so clear. Due to poor economies of scale and the expense of components as well as time required in processing them and their assembly, these lights are expensive. Due to their price, it is easy to assume that they should have a level of finish that frankly they just don't have! "
Buggs – McGizmo Marketing Department
Credits:
Thanx to kj and miciobigio for their contributions to this fax in pictures, links and infos as well as to K-T for the resistor-chart and Soundbox for the lumen measurements.
All images used with permission from the corresponding site-owners. Should you find your pic here and would like us to remove it please shoot us a PM and we'll comply ASAP.
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