M4 mods...how to get more lumens?

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zx7dave

zx7dave

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Jan 12, 2007
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I'm trying to find out what options are out there. I have had a M6 twice..and each time sold it as I didn't like the girth. I have run the Lumens Factory 700 Lumen bulb in my M3T using AW RCR123's but I get a runtime of 4-7 minutes. So I think I am on the right track with using a longer body of the M4. What options are out there to get a 700 or higher light with at least 30 min of runtime using a bored out M4 body (18500 or 18650's). For this light I want to stay with a traditional LA not LED's. Here are the parameters I want to stay with. I want to keep the SW02, I want to keep the KT4, and I want to use a SF bored out M4 body. I am willing to entertain a A19 or similiar adapter for a longer body.
So what options are out there? I know most of the light lingo, but for custom mods please feel free to go into more detail. Thanks
 
zx7dave said:
I'm trying to find out what options are out there. I have had a M6 twice..and each time sold it as I didn't like the girth. I have run the Lumens Factory 700 Lumen bulb in my M3T using AW RCR123's but I get a runtime of 4-7 minutes. So I think I am on the right track with using a longer body of the M4. What options are out there to get a 700 or higher light with at least 30 min of runtime using a bored out M4 body (18500 or 18650's). For this light I want to stay with a traditional LA not LED's. Here are the parameters I want to stay with. I want to keep the SW02, I want to keep the KT4, and I want to use a SF bored out M4 body. I am willing to entertain a A19 or similiar adapter for a longer body.
So what options are out there? I know most of the light lingo, but for custom mods please feel free to go into more detail. Thanks
Click to expand...


If you want to run Ho-M6R, you can consider Leef 3x18650 body for M head; 18650 has 2200mah capacity, which gives ~50mins runtime.
 
cenz said:
If you want to run Ho-M6R, you can consider Leef 3x18650 body for M head; 18650 has 2200mah capacity, which gives ~50mins runtime.
Click to expand...

I run this setup and it's great! The M6 is kind of thick to hold onto securely, but the 3x18650 Leef Body is nicer/easier to hold (even though I do have larger hands anyhow). Very bright setup with a long run time. I like it better than a rechargeable M6.
 
Thanks. I have considered this. I prefer to stay with a bored M4 body if possible. I did look at this body at Lighthound..they seemed to only have it in black.
Has anyone done 3 18500's in a m4 body? Will it work? Or the use of a A19 adapter?
 
You are asking a question that has been answered hundreds of times on CPF, and the answers are well documented here. There are many posibilities and I am sure that liking incan lights that you have read this thread, http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=161536. If you have not read this thread, by all means read it now. People, of course, will want to answer your question, but you as a CPF'ers owe it to yourself to do your own research. Happy reading,

Bill
 
zx7dave said:
Thanks. I have considered this. I prefer to stay with a bored M4 body if possible. I did look at this body at Lighthound..they seemed to only have it in black.
Has anyone done 3 18500's in a m4 body? Will it work? Or the use of a A19 adapter?
Click to expand...

As I know, M4 body can support 17670 li-ion sized, it run ~35mins for Ho-m6r; and you also need two A19 adapters.
 
Bored out M4 body running on 2x18650 won't give more lumens. I have a Leef-bodied M4. When using 18650 cells, I have to run a 9volt lamp. When using CR123 cells, I swap out the Lumens Factory 9volt for an MN61 12volt lamp.

The benefit to using 2x18650 cells is the savings on the cost of batteries, but not an improvement on brightness.

3x18650 set-up could work, but you'd need two A19 extenders or the appropriate Leef body. The extra length of the barrel might be too long.
 
If you're willing to sacrifice some runtime, a pair of Emoli 18650 (or equivalent, safe chemistry LiMn cells) can be used to drive an MN21 for about 15 minutes (running around 1000 bulb lumen estimated, with reduced bulb life), or an Osram 64275 in an FM bi-pin socket for around 10 minutes, output of the 64275 is on par with an 1185 build, (around double the output of a properly driven HO-M6R, not to be confused with driving an HO-M6R on 3 RCR123s, shame on you!). Looking at luxluthors destructive incan bulb tests, and comparing that against his safe chemistry discharge tests, 1300+ bulb lumen is very realistic on this configuration.

------------

You can drive your HO-M6R on 3x18500 cells, but you need to do one of a few different things:

1. add a 1 cell extension to an M4 length body (bored for 18mm cells if that's what you decide to use), and then build a 1/2 cell dummy spacer for the light out of plastic or wood rod.

2. Use a M3T length body, and add an A14(?) extension (? = I think this is the right extension, the one that is used in the KR2 conversion kit and adds about 1.5 CR123 length to the body. ) The extension would need to be bored for use with 18500 cells. Other modifications may be necessary.

------------

A 3x18650 setup (2 bored extensions on an M4 or 3x18650 leefbody) can be used to build an 1185 build with the FM bi-pin socket adapter, but this configuration is likely to instaflash bulbs unless you limit charge voltage to ~4.1V per cell. Runtime should be well over 30 minutes though.

------------

Eric
 
There are a ton of bulbs you can run on 2x18650 if you get one of Fivemega's MN to bipin adapters. A WA1111 or Osram 64250 will give you a lot of light and decent run time.
 
Response to Bullseyebill. As I wrote my initial request for information realized that the answers were already out there somewhere. However the search engine on CPF has not improved over the years and still is almost useless. So forgive me for asking the question again.
 
Thanke to all for the info. I think I have all the info I need to make a good decision. Think I will go with 3x18650 and 2 A19 adapters. Thanks - Dave
 
It actually was bored years ago..however now I have a different problem...It appears that the A19's are only made in black...I prefer to minimize the SF lego look...
 
zx7dave said:
It actually was bored years ago..however now I have a different problem...It appears that the A19's are only made in black...I prefer to minimize the SF lego look...
Click to expand...

I know it, I hate the mix/match black and natural bodies too. One option is to add 2 natural detonator's if you can find them, but the anodization isn't a perfect match though. Plus it might look a bit weird with two grip rings so close together, and you'd still have to bore the extenders.
 
trying to use the search can be frustrating, the problem is knowing what to search FOR.

first problem is that all surefire model names are too short to work properly in the forums built in search.

The trick is to use the google search box above.

Include the model of the SureFire in question, and then try a few key words along with it to get more refined results.

"M4 rechargeable"

"M4 configuration"

"M4 options"

"M4 lumens"

"SureFire M4"
 
Thanks for all the tips. Thought I had a plan but I really don't like the black/green mix. But I have a lot of options now, thats for all the info.
 
I second the Wa1111 setup, thats what I use in mine. about 850 bulb lumens for 35-40 minutes. Works great, brighter than LF bulb options.
 
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