homemade p7's compared to mass produced

[forrest]

so, anybody have an opinion to the benefits/advantages of the homemade p7's and mods ( electrolumens, maglitess c, d ect..) to the mass produced ones offered at dx and kd ect... I'm really just curious as I'm doing my own upgrades and building my own also ... thanks!!

 

[Norm]

Maglite hosts are good plenty of battery, heat sink and driver options, skill level required is low to achieve a very satisfying result.
Good starting point Maglite SSC P7. How to. A sort of guide. - CandlePowerForums
Norm

 

[StefanFS]

I'm a perfectionist, that's my handicap! But if you do it carefully and methodical with good components and solid solder points, you should be able to do it as good as the pro modders or sometimes even surpass them.

 

[forrest]

question is, how much better is the handmade/modified p7's compared to the mass produced ones e.g ; aurora,mte, trustfire ect.. I know the homemade/mod ones have better battery options, is this the best reason for the homemade/mod ones ? I haven't bought any of the mass produced ones yet, just did a few p7 mods on some of my flashlights so i can't compare with the massed ones! Thanx

 

[darkzero]

I'd take a P7 mod from a reputable modder over one of those DX or KD lights any day. I don't consider those current DX or KD lights "production" lights. They basically just took an existing light & threw a P7 in them just as if any of us would have done. Build quality is very important to me when it comes to buying light & I'd turn down any light no matter how bright it is if it looked like junk to me.

 

[Gladius01]

question is, how much better is the handmade/modified p7's compared to the mass produced ones e.g ; aurora,mte, trustfire ect.. I know the homemade/mod ones have better battery options, is this the best reason for the homemade/mod ones ? I haven't bought any of the mass produced ones yet, just did a few p7 mods on some of my flashlights so i can't compare with the massed ones! Thanx

I bought two MTE SSC P7 from DX (5 mode and 2 mode), its ok for the price. The built quality is not that bad either, don't forget you pay less the $45 each and to me that is good price for what it is.

The battery doesn't rattle and seem tobe a sold light and the size of Surefire U2.

 

[LEDninja]

Various things conspire to keep the DX/Kai 5 modes running at 2.2A instead of the spec'd 2.8A. The 2 and 1 mode and modded 5 modes can run at 2.8A but then they get too hot to hold.
If you need to run the SSC-P7 full out get a BIG light with a BIG heatsink. Right now that is an Elektrolumens or a MagMod.

If you can live with the thought your light is not the brightest The DX/Kai 5 modes are quite adequate lights. My MTE 5 mode in medium is brighter overall than my Little Mini Q5 at max (focussed so it's hotspot is the same size as the P7). On tightest focus the L-mini will out throw the P7 at max.