I have a Zebralight H30 Q5. I like the light alot due to no hotspot just a nice bright flood light. Anyone know of a mega super dooper whammy alakazam bright (ok you get the point) handheld LED flood light like the Zebralight. I am looking to light up an alleyway next to my house about 50 feet away. The alleyway is probably 50 feet long so the flood light has to be pretty bright to illuminate an alleyway 100feet long so I can identify a person if he/she is lurking in the alley. Surprisingly the Quark 123 x2 does a nice job of this. If I could find something without the hot spot and brighter than the spill of the quark, I would be getting somewhere. Suggestions needed, Thanks and Happy New Year.
Mega Flood light
- Thread starter 894tom
- Start date
Max_Power
Enlightened
These are my choices in that situation:
First choice: Malkoff MD3 Wildcat (controlled flood, 550 lumens cool white, available in 400+ lumen warm white)
Second choice: Malkoff MD3 with MCE drop-in (pure flood, cool white , available in warm white)
The MD3 fits nicely in a velcro-top ripoffs holster or the open-top nite-ize elastic one that Lowes carries for $8.
If you want a clobbering tool along with the light, then a maglite with the Malkoff maglight drop-ins is a good way to go. But maglites are no fun to carry in a holster, they are bulky.
True to CPF form, I have all 3 of these. I EDC an MD3 Wildcat in warm white, an MD2 with M30W (also warm white) and a valiant single-123 (either M60WF or a feeble Surefire P60L module.)
The 2D maglite with Malkoff P7 and 2x18650 batteries sits on my desk at home in case something goes bump in the night. 700 lumens with decent throw is handy for emulating a car headlight while looking out the window. A quality MCE emitter will be similar to the P7 in brightness with more throw cabability. Both are battery hogs, and require good heatsinking to maintain brightness after a few seconds.
Max_Power
First choice: Malkoff MD3 Wildcat (controlled flood, 550 lumens cool white, available in 400+ lumen warm white)
Second choice: Malkoff MD3 with MCE drop-in (pure flood, cool white , available in warm white)
The MD3 fits nicely in a velcro-top ripoffs holster or the open-top nite-ize elastic one that Lowes carries for $8.
If you want a clobbering tool along with the light, then a maglite with the Malkoff maglight drop-ins is a good way to go. But maglites are no fun to carry in a holster, they are bulky.
True to CPF form, I have all 3 of these. I EDC an MD3 Wildcat in warm white, an MD2 with M30W (also warm white) and a valiant single-123 (either M60WF or a feeble Surefire P60L module.)
The 2D maglite with Malkoff P7 and 2x18650 batteries sits on my desk at home in case something goes bump in the night. 700 lumens with decent throw is handy for emulating a car headlight while looking out the window. A quality MCE emitter will be similar to the P7 in brightness with more throw cabability. Both are battery hogs, and require good heatsinking to maintain brightness after a few seconds.
Max_Power
Max_Power
Enlightened
I should add that your preference for batteries and ergonomics (length and heft of the light) will make a difference too - the MD3 is great for a pair of 18500 cells, or 3 CR123A prmaries. This gives extended runtime compared to a single 18650 or 2 CR123A primaries. I like the length of a 3-cell light better than the 4-cell light (MD4 body) but if you want to stick with 18650 cells then the MD4 is perfect for 2 of them.
Max_Power
Enlightened
I believe the best solution is what I gave you already. I usually end up replacing lesser stuff with the best solution, since lesser stuff has lots of annoying issues:
Safety issues (cheap batteries that explode / vent with flame, simplistic chargers that kill / detonate batteries)
Not working reliably (DOA, flickering/shutoff/random mode changes when shaken or dropped, whine from regulator circuity)
Not living up to the specifications (not as bright as claimed, ugly tint, rapid dimming due to thermal issues, fit and finish, runtime)
Not upgradeable
If you don't mind a little lower quality, check out the MG PLI MCE, was available from shiningbeam.com, which is apparently out of stock now.
Here's a review thread:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=230841
Even cheaper: If you already have a surefire 6P, WF502, or similar host, you can get an MCE module and pop it in. It won't be as bright or as rugged as the one from Malkoff, thermal management and the tint probably won't be as nice. DealExtreme sells one for about $25, which MrGman measured to be about 380 lumens out the front, dropping to about 345 after a few minutes of warmup: http://dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.21037. You must use a 17670 or 18650 to power it, since a pair of CR123 cells will be quickly ruin it. Make sure you read the reviews on the dealextreme site for tips on getting the most out of it.
I have a couple of the DX $25 modules in SureFire 6P hosts, and they work pretty well. I'm using 17670 cells. You can use them as-is, but I wrapped a long strip of aluminum foil around the pill to improve thermal mass / bonding to the body of the light. This also ended the slight whine from the regulator board. The beam isn't ugly, but it isn't pretty either. Tint is definitely on the blue side. Battery life is poor. It has high/med/strobe modes, with no memory. I hate strobes. Probably would get more lumens from an 18650 battery (higher current) and certainly would see improved run-time. Neat toy, but wouldn't trust it for use with a firearm.
--Max_Power
Safety issues (cheap batteries that explode / vent with flame, simplistic chargers that kill / detonate batteries)
Not working reliably (DOA, flickering/shutoff/random mode changes when shaken or dropped, whine from regulator circuity)
Not living up to the specifications (not as bright as claimed, ugly tint, rapid dimming due to thermal issues, fit and finish, runtime)
Not upgradeable
If you don't mind a little lower quality, check out the MG PLI MCE, was available from shiningbeam.com, which is apparently out of stock now.
Here's a review thread:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=230841
Even cheaper: If you already have a surefire 6P, WF502, or similar host, you can get an MCE module and pop it in. It won't be as bright or as rugged as the one from Malkoff, thermal management and the tint probably won't be as nice. DealExtreme sells one for about $25, which MrGman measured to be about 380 lumens out the front, dropping to about 345 after a few minutes of warmup: http://dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.21037. You must use a 17670 or 18650 to power it, since a pair of CR123 cells will be quickly ruin it. Make sure you read the reviews on the dealextreme site for tips on getting the most out of it.
I have a couple of the DX $25 modules in SureFire 6P hosts, and they work pretty well. I'm using 17670 cells. You can use them as-is, but I wrapped a long strip of aluminum foil around the pill to improve thermal mass / bonding to the body of the light. This also ended the slight whine from the regulator board. The beam isn't ugly, but it isn't pretty either. Tint is definitely on the blue side. Battery life is poor. It has high/med/strobe modes, with no memory. I hate strobes. Probably would get more lumens from an 18650 battery (higher current) and certainly would see improved run-time. Neat toy, but wouldn't trust it for use with a firearm.
--Max_Power
Last edited:
I saw a video by Gman on Youtube. He had a p7 flashlight with 1700 lumes. Thats what Im talking about. What kind of size is that light? Cost? Its probably a $500 light the size of a 4d cell Mag. Anyway, it had incredible flood....looked like somebody turned the sun on....lol. If only it were in a handhelp package.
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Max_Power
Enlightened
Yeah, the HOST is a SureFire M6, the emitter is a triple P7 by Nailbender, if memory serves... big $$$.
You didn't mention size or price but the Wiseled has been on the cutting edge of ultimate multi-led performers more than any other brand. Their newest light is 2000 lumens. I've been very happy with my Wiseled 1500 over the past 2-3 years. It's been great!
Kubbie
Newly Enlightened
A light that is not getting heavy-duty use, to just walk out in an alley and for under a $100, (and if you are not averse to a DX light):
UF-1500 Cree SST-50 5-Mode 1250-Lumen Memory LED Flashlight (2*18650)
sku 31869
Has the OP reflector and from the beamshot looks like could serve the purpose.
Prob not the 1250 lumen max as stated, but add a couple AW IMR 18650's instead the the DX Trustfires, and I imagine the SST-50 would put out some usable light for you.
(BTW I have a number of DX lights and not a problem yet)
UF-1500 Cree SST-50 5-Mode 1250-Lumen Memory LED Flashlight (2*18650)
sku 31869
Has the OP reflector and from the beamshot looks like could serve the purpose.
Prob not the 1250 lumen max as stated, but add a couple AW IMR 18650's instead the the DX Trustfires, and I imagine the SST-50 would put out some usable light for you.
(BTW I have a number of DX lights and not a problem yet)
Mjolnir
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2008
- Messages
- 1,711
This is in the "spotlights and HID flashlights" section, but it seems like it is dealing with floodlights, not spotlights, and LED lights, not HID lights. You would probably get many more responses if this thread was moved to the LED section.
Well judging from the amount of views/responces this thread did get....Malkoff should be giving me a commission...LOL.....he sold out of his wildcat 3's after the wildcat 3 was mentioned as the baddest mfer out there.....and just before I got my money together:oops:. Wonder how long it will be before he gets more ready for sale?
I have a MD3 Wildcat. One of my favorite lights. Great size and output - for an LED, that is!
