Microfire Warrior III - few questions.

[Przemo(c)]

Hi,

I think I'm about to buy that light... . I have Fenix TK11 now and was wondering about something more powerfull. I was considering M2XC4 or Fenix TK40, and finally Howitzer light which is most powerfull of these three. But when I saw the beamshots, I finally realised that none of the LED lights can be compared to HID lights. Well, they can be compared, obviously, but who the winner is we all know.
I am concerned, however, about one thing now. The Microfire's bulb (I don't know wether there are all HID lights like this or maybe only Microfire) is reaching it's full power after several seconds. Personally I prefer short blasts - 1 or two seconds, and then light's off. My questions here are:
1. Is there a big difference in brightness between turning it on for 1 or 2 seconds and keeping it fully powered for 30 seconds or longer? (how much difference can I get in lumens?)
2. What is beter for the battery life - short blasts or longer exposures?

Thanks for your answers.

 

[The_Driver]

1. As a far as I know most HIDs have a warm-up-time between 20s and 90s. This means that the bulb starts at a relatively low brightness and then slowly gets brighter (while also possibly changing its tint).
In addition to this it is very bad for the bulb-life (for how many hours it works) if you turn it on and off very fast. It should stay on for at least a few minutes.

2. Doesn't matter since short "exposures" aren't good for the bulb.

 

[BVH]

At 1 and 2 second bursts, you definitely are not a candidate for an HID. The MF Warrior, and most HIDs will be practically useless to you. The Stanley would work in this case but you'll kill the ballast and bulb very early with 1-2 second bursts. You should run the light for a least a minute, probably 2 each time. Patriot should chime in but I'm guessing a usable amount of light from the MFW won't be achieved for at least 7 - 10 seconds.

 

[Patriot]

I'm guessing a usable amount of light from the MFW won't be achieved for at least 7 - 10 seconds.

So true. It takes 10 seconds to reach 1/3 output and is very blue at this stage...7000+K or so. Przemo, you're going to be a LED candidate all the way for this type of use...or hotwire incans.

 

[Przemo(c)]

Oh, crap...:mecry::tired: Now someone tell me, that buying a flashlight is an easy thing... I was just about to make the decision and spend that 500$, but... here we go. Hurts, I tell you... After reading all those comparisons, posts, comparing beamshots, build quality, prices, etc my only favourite one now seems to bite the dust...("Hey, quiet, I think, I heard something" / "ok, let me shine my light on it" / "did you switch it on?" / " yeah, but we'll need to wait 2 minutes untill it warms up...")
My heart is bleeding...
Ok, lets make some assumptions here. Let's say you want smth very, very similar to Microfire Warrior III (throw, lumens, spill and size), but to be ready immediatly after switched on. What would you chose?
Previously I was leaning towards M2XC4, but it has much less lumens... However, I've learnt that lumens are not all. What do you think? The price looks a bit funny comparing to Microfire, but that's not the case, I just couldn't find anything better! Oh, it hurts sooooo much... I want my new light badly, but the deeper I'm stepping into the forest, the more trees grows there, if you get the metaphore....

 

[Patriot]

Oh, crap...:mecry::tired: Now someone tell me, that buying a flashlight is an easy thing... I was just about to make the decision and spend that 500$, but... here we go. Hurts, I tell you... After reading all those comparisons, posts, comparing beamshots, build quality, prices, etc my only favourite one now seems to bite the dust...("Hey, quiet, I think, I heard something" / "ok, let me shine my light on it" / "did you switch it on?" / " yeah, but we'll need to wait 2 minutes untill it warms up...")
My heart is bleeding...

As you've hopefully seen from the videos, your "2 minute" portrayal is not an accurate representation of the Warrior III. Remember, it's producing 1/3 of full output in 10 seconds or roughly 1000 bulb lumens. There won't be any question that it's switched on Prezmo.

Ok, lets make some assumptions here. Let's say you want smth very, very similar to Microfire Warrior III (throw, lumens, spill and size), but to be ready immediatly after switched on. What would you chose?
Previously I was leaning towards M2XC4, but it has much less lumens... However, I've learnt that lumens are not all. What do you think? The price looks a bit funny comparing to Microfire, but that's not the case, I just couldn't find anything better! Oh, it hurts sooooo much... I want my new light badly, but the deeper I'm stepping into the forest, the more trees grows there, if you get the metaphore....

The only stock LED light that's going to come close to the output of the Warrior and still be a compact, reasonable size, is going to be the Wiseled 2000.

I've owned the older WiseLED 1500 version for about 3 years now and it's still one of the most impressive flashlights I own. If you're thinking of spending $500-$700, I can't think of a better, full-sized LED light to own.

 

[Przemo(c)]

Well, of course. My "2 minutes" example was deribelately exagerrated, kind of a joke... However this start up time makes Warrior III useless for me.
What about Wiseled's reputation? I must admit - I am digging through this forum for some time now, but this is the first time I've seen that manufacturer. How the reliability and build quality looks like comparing to well known Surefire, Fenix or others of the same reputation?
Sorry for making the LED thread here, please move to the right place if needed; nevertheless lumens are lumens after all
One more thing before I forget. In that Wiseled 2000 there seem to be barely any reflector at all? Or very small one. Is it only optics which does the job? Somehow I'm very suspicious to multiled lights, I dont't know, it's probably only my mind, but it makes me laugh, when I see 90 LED light in the superstore for 10$ (it's a fact). Of course, that leds are probably very low class, no optics at all, bla, bla. But still, some traces of hesitation are burned somewhere deep in my brain...
Anyway, let the logic take over, and probably it will be my next light, I suppose... At least for the time being... Thanks!

 

[petersmith6]

i have both my dipper 11 and tk30 on night bridge inspections.HID is nice for long distance but you do have warm up time and do need to run it longer than you might need to avoid damageing the bulb with short runs.the other problem is HID's are great if your behind the light,if you in down range of 1700 or 3000 odd lummins it can distract,blind and and leed to accedents(some sites have limited there use or banned them) my TK30 i find is more usable and the output can be lowerd as required.now if they made a TK30 controlerble output with the dipper nice big battery ..heaven.

oh and the other problem i found when i borrowed the Microfire Warrior III was the hopless runtim..35 to 40 mins max!!

 

[Patriot]

What about Wiseled's reputation? I must admit - I am digging through this forum for some time now, but this is the first time I've seen that manufacturer. How the reliability and build quality looks like comparing to well known Surefire, Fenix or others of the same reputation?
Sorry for making the LED thread here, please move to the right place if

The best place to get these questions answered is to begin some research on the "WiseLED Tactical." Generally, the people who own them love them. Popularity doesn't specifically mean quality, it just means that manufacturers has produced, marketed, and sold a product that appeals to a wide number of people at a reasonable price point. For example, I have no doubt that DX lights are better known and outsell Wiseled by a wide margin. Wiseled is a newer company, so it doesn't have the track record of a Surefire and doesn't have the model variation that the Fenix line has, thus fewer owners, users and posters. Fenix and Surefire don't have multi-led lights while Wiseled only focuses on their multi-led lights. Why? Capability. Single LED lights are not capable of producing the output level that multi-cree, P7 and MC-E lights are capable of.

needed; nevertheless lumens are lumens after all

Then it's worth it to due some research on the Wiseled.

One more thing before I forget. In that Wiseled 2000 there seem to be barely any reflector at all? Or very small one. Is it only optics which does the job? Somehow I'm very suspicious to multiled lights, I dont't know, it's probably only my mind, but it makes me laugh, when I see 90 LED light in the superstore for 10$ (it's a fact). Of course, that leds are probably very low class, no optics at all, bla, bla. But still, some traces of hesitation are burned somewhere deep in my brain...

There are no reflectors because it's using optics. There is a magnitude of difference between 5mm led cluster lights and multi-cree LED's Przemo. 90 5mm LED lights make us all laugh but 5-7 properly driven and heatsinked Crees have the reputation for making our jaw drop. A triple P7 or MC-E would provide about the same or slightly more output with slightly less throw, the only problem is that someone would have to build you something. These types of lights don't exist in any stock form. Microfire makes the L2000R but go look at the thing. It's a monstrosity and very inefficient with poorly driven, poorly heat sinked LEDs. To answer your previous post, the M2XC4 is a good thrower with good output but given the choice I'd take the Jetbeam M1X which duplicates and even betters the M2XC4's formula with a more simple and conventional design, at least imo. If you're interested in having good performance for under $200 either of these lights would probably serve you well if the lumen output is sufficient for your task.

 

[Przemo(c)]

Thanks for your replies, guys!

Patriot - thank you for professional answers. I really DO appreciate them. As always, I can count on you, fellas!

I will do some research now regarding Wiseled. Any doubts ant second thoughts I will post in separate thread. I think it can be useful somehow; maybe someday somebody will have a similar dilema as I have a the moment...
You wouldn't believe (sorry, you probably would... ) for so many lights I went through to get to this stage... Still looking, though...

 

[bighest]

Have you considered the led lenser X21, it big but a beast, i have the led lenser P7 has approx 160 lumens work well, then i have the fenix tk40, phenomenal torch, but if you want raw power the led lenser x21, i just got one and i have no regrets

 

[vee73]

:candle: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=256501

 

[andromeda.73]

wondered why Microfiche Warrior III has a lamp that emits a light color to 7000K °, too blue, distorts the true color perception in scenes to be lit. polarion certainly in this case return a light completely neutral.

 

[Patriot]

wondered why Microfiche Warrior III has a lamp that emits a light color to 7000K °, too blue, distorts the true color perception in scenes to be lit. polarion certainly in this case return a light completely neutral.

Probably to save money or perhaps they just though it would be popular.

 

[andromeda.73]

Probably to save money or perhaps they just though it would be popular.

Why? cheaper as the type of lamp? :huh:

 

[Przemo(c)]

One more question - probably not the last here... What is the reasonable minimum time to have the MW III switched on? 10 seconds? 15 sec? By "reasonable" I mean the time, which is not harmfull to the bulb or ballast.
You know, I'm still looking for that perfect thrower for me (with the good throw / spill rartio), and considering different options like Microfire, Surefire M6, WiseLed and so on, but mainly those three. Here we have quite good competition between HID, incan and leds. The winner can be only one for the time being, I'm just trying to justify the purchase and find some positive points for my daily use. As I've mentioned above I would need some short blasts light, however I can still accept "blasts" up to 30 seconds. Question is, will it not be harmul for my eventual MW III? I;m leaning towards this light, but need to be surem that some "abuse" like only few seconds blast is tolerable. Just need to know where the limit is...