Firefly advice needed

[paulr]

At long last, I'm getting a Firefly! It's a semi-complete unit so I need advice about building it out. It's coming with a turned-down Fraen LP optic but I'm not sure I want to use that. I'd prefer a smooth, wide, even beam, so I'm thinking of using no optic at all. Can I do that, or does the FF depend on an optic to keep the sandwich in place? I have a nice R2H waiting for it, but will a high dome Luxeon make a good pattern with no optic? Finally, what converter should I use? And does anyone know if I can use a Lambda Ill Pill instead of a dat2zip sandwich? There's some very good deals on complete pills right now, that would let me save the R2H for some other project (Keylux?). Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[cy]

Paulr,

Your semi complete will be ready to go except a sammie. Any std sandwich that fit a maglite will drop in with no mod. Firefly came with a turned down NX05. You really need optics in place. I've been trying to get a turned down fraen for sometime now.

You need to keep yours. dspeck is doing a run of fraens in 2-3 weeks. I'm running a MM+ WO R2H, It's aprox. 50% brighter than Arc4+. More throw and spill. The 4+ has a better quality and tighter beam.

I just got MM TVOK and BB500 R2H sammies to run in firefly. The MM+ R2H has the best throw/brightness. The MM TVOK is close. BB500 R2H runs the coolest, because of less output, also doubles run time.

There should be a circlip to hold sammie in place. Use Dr. Scholz corn pad for a batt cushion. Also Arc AA cushion works excellent.

Firefly deserves the R2H. You will get a large square hot spot. The beam is not very even.

Firefly is my EDC and favorite light, although Arc4+ is growing on me. I carry both.

Thanks,
CY

 

[Chop]

paulr,

For the small firefly, I'd stick with either a madmax or a BB500. Less strain on the lonely 123 with the BB500. It may not be the brightest, but it will be plenty bright.

 

[paulr]

The BB500 runs 2x longer than the MM+? Man, that MM+ must really be tearing. I think I might run with a BB500 which is a considerable overdrive to begin with. The MM+ may be aimed at a led with higher voltage bin than an R2H.

The Arc4 is getting on my nerves, not enough spill and more importantly the hot spot is so much brighter than the spill that it pulls your eye away from the spill area. At low brightness levels I like the Infinity Ultra quite a bit better, wider spill and less of a glaring hot spot. I wonder if I can somehow modify an NX05 to have more of a flood beam.

If you're really hot to get a turned down Fraen maybe I can part with the one I'm getting. Let me try it out first though. Also, if you want just one, I wonder if turning it on a lathe is really necessary, i.e. maybe you can just take a stock Fraen and whack it around the edges with some sandpaper til it fits in the Firefly.

Thanks Cy and Chop.

 

[cy]

You'll get plenty of spill from firefly's NX05. If that is your main concern, you may not like the fraen. I would be interested. Please PM. I think you need to keep it.

Thanks,
CY