Incan vs LED?

[chillinn]

I've been looking for LEDs that reproduce Incan for years,

Closest and best I have seen is Nichia E21A @3500K, and this in a light you should know about if you don't already: Noctigon KR4. When ordered with E21A, the FET driver is (somehow) constant current, no PWM. Driver is also regulated for constant brightness, runs ToyKeeeper's Anduril interface, customizable for momentary function, can choose light level with dimmer function or discrete modes. Since I bought two (both E21A, 3500K & 2000K) and used for extensive periods as the only light source, I would not consider purchasing any other brand of LED light again.

All other LED flashlight manufacturers should be doing what Noctigon is doing, but instead we get a lot of bad color temperatures, bad color rendition, light dimming and PWM (which gives me migraines, which is why I care, and everyone else should, too).

 

[3_gun]

I have and use both. LEDs are closing the gap but I just ordered replacement bulbs for a couple of incan Streamlights. Why choose?

 

[Megalamuffin]

I have and use both. LEDs are closing the gap but I just ordered replacement bulbs for a couple of incan Streamlights. Why choose?

It's fun to carry an incan and led at the same time.

 

[aznsx]

I too thought 'why choose?', but then questioned the whole premise of the question. Then I looked at page 1. 15 years ago. Now I know why the question seems like such an odd one to me. It was far less so 15 years ago. That said, I'm definitely not one of those seeking to replicate incandescent light with LED technology. That's not my objective. My objective is finding things which do the best job of illuminating things in the most accurate and revealing possible way, given what I need to illuminate, and what I most need to see. If that happens to be incandescent, well I've got that right here too!

 

[bykfixer]

Yup, when this thread was new AZ the LED left a whole lot on the table regarding pleasing tints and life-like color rendering. These days I'd surmize many would not even consider using a light bulb'd flashlight anymore.
Another thing back then is if you wanted 1000 lumens it had to be a light bulb'd flashlight. The LED was not available to the masses that could do that. Yet with enough electricity there were flashlights using a bulb that could.

When I first arrived here a member (user name minimoog) used to show some of his early 1900's flashlights lighting up a city block like it was daylight. But you had to study bulbs, batteries and build the light. There was just something cool about that. Something went wrong, the CPFr would fix it or improve it. With today's plug n play charger cord refuel it's a simple matter of hitting a switch and light happens.
Nuttin' wrong wit dat.

 

[idleprocess]

Another thing back then is if you wanted 1000 lumens it had to be a light bulb'd flashlight. The LED was not available to the masses that could do that.

Not in a practical formfactor. I recall seeing a few "1000 lumen" LED flashlights going on 20 years ago that arrayed hundreds of 5mm LEDs in a showerhead arrangement, unwieldy to the point one could describe them as man-portable.

With today's plug n play charger cord refuel it's a simple matter of hitting a switch and light happens.
Nuttin' wrong wit dat.

Hobbyists working within the limits of some of the newest technology on the market find limits on performance with little regard to cost. While many go down blind alleys - performance extremes, design/operational quirks, and pay little attention to costs - of little interest to the markets, others arrive at concepts that will later prove to be market successes. The markets learn of these design candidates through their own experimentation or from observation of hobbyists and determine a new local minima - within the bounds of technology, cost, performance - then produce new turnkey solutions that require neither an electronics workbench nor machine tools.

 

[Megalamuffin]

This past week at work (and continuing this week) I've been using two lights, surefire c3 with lumens factory EO9 bulb and two 17500's, and a malkoff md3/m91b with hi/low and two 18500's. The c3 has had the brunt of use and the md3 usually comes out if and when the EO9 needs a cool down or a low mode is necessary.

The EO9 is a pretty bright bulb and plenty of light for most things. The downside is that it gets really hot and shouldn't be run more than 10 minutes at a time; best used in short bursts. This hasn't been an issue. I have yet to run the batteries dead in one day even with a fair amount of use. It's really enjoyable to use, not even the best led quite matches the incan glow and there's the nostalgia. That being said I'm very glad to have LED's and not have to pick one or the other. There's room for both in my pockets.

 

[bykfixer]

I like taking my 2C Kel-Lite to night work at times and using it. It has a pair of LifePo4 18500's and a PR based Mag bulb. When people find out it's a light bulb in a 1974 flashlight they are always surprised.

One year I was using an E2D with a warm tint Tana module and folks thought that was a light bulb, but my favorite was the night a foreman said "SureFire, heck yeah" when he saw it.

 

[chillinn]

For awhile now I'm back to carrying Fivemega's E head E tail in 18350. I have two I use with beat up Elite heads and z68 TN tails, set up lo-hi, so I set one up with MN02 and one with T.customs' socket w/ A3712, and I usually carry one Surefire diffuser with them.

With Keeppower IMR18350 1200mAh, I get over 2 hours w/ the Surefire lamp and a full hour with Tad's. Generally, I only need to carry the bright one during the day and the dimmer one at night, but sometimes I haul both. But I'm pretty much a homebody and don't stray too far.

I have and previously carried, will carry again, 2 single AA Malkoff bodies set up with the same configuration using Vapcell H10 INR14500 1000mAh, but I found I was giving those cells too much attention at the expense of the IMR18350s that were't seeing as much love since the Lumintop FWAA was released. Took awhile to realize how much I hated it.

Backup is a bored E2e w/ MN02, good for nearly 6 hours, and also a LeeF 1x18650, LF tail, z46, T.customs M socket and A6010, which fires on 4.2V even though it's 6V lamp, used for the 1A draw to get 3 hours of lovely light out of an old AW IMR18650 3000mAh.

Though there is little reason for their brightness, other than to walk out on the dock and light up the far side of the creek, I keep an E2e set up with 2x (either AW IMR16340 400mAh or Vapcell T8 INR16340 850mAh), T.customs' E socket w/ A7212, and a LeeF 3x18650, KT4, G4 socket w/ (right now) WA1185 (on 3x KeepPower IMR18650 3500mAh). I suppose it is also fun to shoot them directly down at the water for the reaction from fish. I believe they all think the same thing, and I agree, "too bright!"

 

[bridgman]

If I am out in the middle of nowhere and can only have one light it is usually LED just for reliability, but it's more common for me to carry an incandescent with an LED light for backup.

That said, I did have a few old incandescent lights that did not lend themselves to hot-wiring, and I have put warm LED drop-ins into most of them. Something still seems a bit off (like margarine vs butter) but it's still better than the cold blue LED illumination that was pretty much the only option for so long. I suppose I should try some "neutral" (~4000K) LEDs before I go all in on warm...

A while back I had replaced the Malkoff 60F LED in my Surefire Z2 with an HO-9 and 2x RCR123's and have been using that as my primary light, but today the mailman brought an LF single LED warm D26 module and I'm giving that a try. Certainly a very nice beam and the colour is getting pretty decent - will see how it works outside. That's where incandescent still seems to have an edge over LED.

I figure the next step is to start building thermoelectric generators into incan flashlight heads to turn a bit more of the waste heat into power... and then back into waste heat again I guess.

EDIT - I went back to the HO-9 bulb again. It's possible that LEDs are just not yet able to reproduce the nice white light that you get from an overdriven incandescent. Guess I will have to pick up a neutral LED and try that... actually now that I think about it I have a Convoy S2+ with an XML2 T6-4C LED somewhere in the postal system.

 

[3_gun]

Last couple of LED lights I've bought were lights trying to match that from an incan. LEDs over 5k/K are just to harsh for heavy use at indoor ranges. Lowest temp I've gone to so far is 3700K but I have an itch to go lower. Kinda having your cake & eating it too.

 

[defloyd77]

Last couple of LED lights I've bought were lights trying to match that from an incan. LEDs over 5k/K are just to harsh for heavy use at indoor ranges. Lowest temp I've gone to so far is 3700K but I have an itch to go lower. Kinda having your cake & eating it too.

Well what else you gonna do with that cake😝

 

[Flashgordon1776]

I spend more time over here. I own some powerful LEDs, and they don't even come close to incans in punch power. I guess more people are interested over there because there are always more advancements, as well as many more new LED lights coming out than there are incans... incan is a slower moving crowd I suppose.

Hi I have an old-school SF tactical gun light. Thinking about converting to LED. Someone directed me to a website for Chinese gear and I don't know how to find a conversion kit on that website. Is it really even worth it? And also I have a black flip up lens cover. Is that an IR filter lens? New guy here. So many questions.

 

[bridgman]

Hi I have an old-school SF tactical gun light. Thinking about converting to LED. Someone directed me to a website for Chinese gear and I don't know how to find a conversion kit on that website. Is it really even worth it?

Do you have a model number for the light ? Agree it's not obvious what upgrade you want but if we knew the model # that would help.

My impression is that the weaponlight incandescent lamp modules need to be a bit smaller than the standard D26 for P6 etc..., but there also seem to be dissenting views about that.

 

[Flashgordon1776]

Do you have a model number for the light ? Agree it's not obvious what upgrade you want.

My impression is that the weaponlight incandescent lamp modules need to be a bit smaller than the standard D26 for P6 etc..., but there also seem to be dissenting views about that.

 

[Flashgordon1776]

Did you try taking a look at American website for drop-in modules and info.. These guys are pretty knowledgeable.. malkoffdevices.com

Unless your on partrol at night wearing night vision goggles, you can pull off that uv flip lens and shelf it.. or leave it on to look tacticool

I will check them out. Still trying to figure out what I need. It's called a drop in module? And will the IR lens work with LED module? I got the light for free so I don't know much about it. I tried looking up the model number but I think it's too old to find.

 

[xxo]

the IR filter won't work with a LED.

 

[Flashgordon1776]

the IR filter won't work with a LED.

So is there a way to improve the existing incandescent? Or just sell to a collector and get another IR light? I'm not stuck on it. But if it will do a good job at tactical distances with the filter I'm happy.

 

[xxo]

don't know if there is a brighter incan bulb for that light or not. you might be able to find someone to make you a drop-in with a IR LED, but this would make it IR only/no visible light and you wouldn't need the IR filter.

 

[Flashgordon1776]

don't know if there is a brighter incan bulb for that light or not. you might be able to find someone to make you a drop-in with a IR LED, but this would make it IR only/no visible light and you wouldn't need the IR filter.

With NV tactics in play and other people have it. you are visible to them when your light is on.