LED vs TL-3 (incan)

[Dukester]

Is there a LED out there that would equal or surpass the Streamlight TL-3 Incan in terms of throw and intensity?

Thanks...

Dave

 

[Illumination]

Couple of years ago, the answer would have been a clear no.

As a TL-3 owner, I must say, we are now far outgunned by some of the newer Leds. There are probably one cell LEDs that will out throw it.

The current general production champ is probably the Deerelight DBS, but there are many others out there.

 

[tekguy]

the supertac shits on the tl3 in brightness runtime throw and and just pure awesomeness

 

[Icebreak]

Great. LED vs incandescent on a first post using the term "incan".

 

[Dukester]

Great. LED vs incandescent on a first post using the term "incan".

Uh??? I used the term Ican in reference to the TL-3 Incan model. I believe the TL-3 also comes in a 5 watt model, or it used to.

 

[DM51]

Welcome to CPF, Dukesters.

I have just validated your second post; however for your information, threads on the subject of LED vs. incandescent lights have an unfortunate tendency to veer off into childish incivility - hence Icebreak's understandable comment.

This one will close if it goes the same route as all the others...

 

[Icebreak]

Dukesters -

I just found it to be a coincidence that a brand new member's first post was LED vs Incandescent using a much used slang term indicating some knowledge of board discussions.

Taking the question at it's own merits, I'll do my best to answer it. I don't have the TL-3 but I know of it from reading and seeing it here on CPF. A few years ago LEDs from Cree and Seoul Semi Conductor began to show stunning improvements in output and efficiency...almost shocking output. More recently we are seeing that some companies are putting much attention toward development of LEDs with better color rendition.

I went back and found RichS's thread with beamshots that will help to show what was happening in late 2006. I picked the most dramatic comparison.

...snipped to show just two shots...

Deree DBS Q5 SMO - High (As you can see this beam wanted to go another 200 yards or so... )

Streamlight TL-3 - Stock

I'd suggest sticking with high quality lights like StreamLight and Surefire. I'm partial to Malkoff Devices LED drop ins for Surefire but there are many good choices available today that will have much more intensity than the TL-3. The CRI won't be as sweet but you didn't ask about color.

I hope this was of some help.

 

[Gunner12]

Lets look at numbers,

TL-3 Incan: Around 8850 Lux at 1 meter at around 170 lumen.

Dereelight DBS, Around 11000 lux at 1 meter for the textured reflector and around 29000 lux at 1 meter for the smooth reflector, around 180-200 lumen.

So the answer is yes, there are LED lights that can out throw and out lumen the TL-3.

Be careful with incan vs LED, Surefire vs any other company threads, they can end up in really big arguements.

:welcome:

 

[Dukester]

Thanks a lot IceBreak and the rest for your replies. I used to be an active member on this board so that explains my knowledge of slang terms and had originally joined it back in Aug. 2003 and went by the name of Dukester vs Dukesters. My PC had been infected by a virus in short I went with another ISP and in doing so I had to reregister like I'm a newbie. The board has evolved nicely since back in the day with a lot more technology now available. To give you an idea when I was really active on this board the 5 watt Luxeon was the cats meow so...

 

[Icebreak]

Ah. Glad you are back Dukester. Maybe an admin could get your old account associated to your new IP.

 

[woodrow]

Leds have come a long way in the past couple of years. I remember carrying my TL-3 (incan) with 2x17500's not that long ago. I was never able to get one of the Carley bulbs that almost doubled the lights output... but it was still a great light.

 

[VF1Jskull1]

i use a tl-3, my own and work issue, for stormwater pump house inspections (sump, pit, and storage boxes) and despite having several led lights as bright or high output as tl-3 (whether it is single cell or multi cell, such as Nitecore Extreme and Fenix P3D) the tl-3 will be used most often because of the 17500 cells i've got them running on and because of the color of the incan. Also the tl-3's clip is useful for jeans pocket when climbing down flights of ladders... being able to score a pair of carley 1499 bulbs helps to brighten up the dark pits helps too. i do carry both the led lights mentioned as backups to my two tl-3's....

once a crew of 4 of us burned through 4 tl-3's providing light to perform pump gland installation on one pump. should have just used a led.....

 

[Dukester]

Ah. Glad you are back Dukester. Maybe an admin could get your old account associated to your new IP.

Thanks Icebreak, I shot a couple of emails to the administrator Sasha hoping to hear from her.