Heliotek LED options ??

[DDS]

Years ago I purchased a Heliotek flashlight and have really enjoyed it as a light for my boat. It is great for spotting my dock late at night and has been used underwater too. I don't think they were very popular but I think it is a great light. I recently sent Heliotek and email asking if they had an upgraded head with a more current LED. Below is their response. I'm basically a user with limited technical knowledge that I have gained from CPF over many years. Any feedback or information that you guys might with have regards Heliotek's response would be appreciated. I'd like to forward those comments to them.
Thanks!,
Dave

"Hi Dave,

Unfortunately, at this point no one has really bettered the Cree XRE Q5 as an efficient small (effective point source) for collimated flashlights. While there are higher lumen
outputs, they require more power and are an area, not an effectively point source. If you know of an effective point source, that will give more than 120 lumens with a 350ma current, please let us know.

Thanks,
Bill"

 

[RoGuE_StreaK]

XP-E2? Not sure if there's a massive increase in output as such, but the XP-E got rid of the XR-E's metal ring and it's artifacts, and the XP-E2 put the current spreaders on the back of the die, so at least you'd get a "cleaner" source? Should have been efficiency gains along the way too, but I don't think they were earth-shatteringly huge?

 

[DDS]

RoGuE_StreaK, thank you for the reply. I will forward your response to Bill for comment. I suppose no one else in this sub forum has anything to add. I wonder if I post it in the LED fashlight forum whether I'd get more feedback. Is that against forum rules? OR can the moderators do that for me?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

after looking at the heliotek, it looks to have a crazy deep reflector. That reflector would be great for a more forward emitting LED like the XR-E, but I don't know about how that exact same reflector would do with a new, wider output LED. I'm thinking it might have a smoother, wider transition from the spot to the floody part of the beam, but that's just a guess on my part.

There are cooler color temperature versions of the XR-E that output a wee bit more light than the Q5: the XR-E R2 bin. Not a noticeable jump in brightness, though, and I think some Q5 had the smaller EZ900 rather than EZ1000.

I think RoGuE_Steak is onto something, though. Maybe Bill could see how the same reflector he uses with the XR works with the XP-E2. XP-E2 would be a little brighter, and comes in a few higher output bins higher than Q5.

XP-C might also be a viable option, but only insomuch as it is a smaller, more point-like source. Highest bin on that is a Q4 (one step dimmer than Q5), and at neutral white it's even lower.

Looks like a very nicely crafted light, btw.

 

[DDS]

bshanahan14rulz,
Thanks for the feedback!

 

[DDS]

Just received a reply from Bill on the replies above that I sent him.

"Hi again Dave.

Our paper impressions of the XP-E2 were not that great, but we will get a few and run some tests. Will let you know how it works out.

Thanks much for the input.

Bill"

 

[dudemar]

What a great thread. I'm happy to see there's still interest in the Heliotek. I still use mine, it's a beautiful light.

I was wondering the same thing, maybe there's a more powerful emitter that can be used? Hopefully the XP-E2 yields good results.