Need Help Throwing!

[molite]

I want a great throwing light as do many of us.

I have read many threads on throw and basically a well matched bulb and reflector do the trick. LuxLuthor says it well here

From personal experience it is difficult to turn a 100+watt GY6.35 bulb into a good thrower. It is pretty much a wall of light. I am not aware of a readily available reflector that can convert these bulbs from flood to throw that can just screw onto a Mag host.

I can also confirm, as can others, the 1185 (G4 size) bulb in the FM2.5 Throw Master is awesome.

For most of us the best reflectors readily available are FM's 2.5 Throw Master and the FM3H…I am guessing the smallest most powerful bulb will produce the best throw in these reflectors.

My question:
What bulb is the best match for these reflectors for the best throw? (Better than 1185)
Another question that may have same answer is: What is the most powerful G4 bulb at any voltage?

 

[Billy Ram]

You may want to try FM's 1909 bulb in your TM2.5 head. In my limited experiance I've found the large bulbs need large reflectors to make good use out of them. I have no experiance with the m*g623 but the m*g458 does well with the FM3X head. You have to spend some time focusing and centering the bulb. "This makes a big differance" I have a m*g85 with a TM2.5 VLOP head that's quite a thrower. My m*g458 has a FM3X VLOP head that will send a few HIDs home.
Billy

 

[molite]

Thanks Billy...
I am planning on trying the the FM1909 bulb.
I am thinking at 63watts it may be the brightest G4 bulb around.

Those other bulbs you mention are the larger GY6.3 bulbs. It sounds like you are having better results than me. Is there some adapter that allows you to keep the mag focus or are you loosing that and going with a kiu socket?
So your mag458 out throws the mag85?

 

[Billy Ram]

Thanks Billy...
I am planning on trying the the FM1909 bulb.
I am thinking at 63watts it may be the brightest G4 bulb around.

Those other bulbs you mention are the larger GY6.3 bulbs. It sounds like you are having better results than me. Is there some adapter that allows you to keep the mag focus or are you loosing that and going with a kiu socket?
So your mag458 out throws the mag85?

My m*g458 has a FM socket with heatsink and I still have focusing by turning the head in and out. "Just no quick focus" It will out throw my m*g85 and it should properly tuned in with 8x the lumens.
Billy

 

[KiwiMark]

I think that the Osram 64458 bulb makes a better thrower than the 64623 bulb due to the different filament alignment. With a 3" TM head the 64458 will throw pretty well, though you are more likely to light up an entire tree at a distance rather than part of it.

The 458 can also take a lot of volts - I have one running at 20.2V regulated and another running from 5 x IMR 26500 cells. The 458 is my favourite Osram bulb!

 

[Billy Ram]

Went out this evening to let the m*gs stretch their legs.

m*g85

m*g458

The trees are 188yds away and it looks like the m*g458 out throws the m*g85 a little bit. Either light has no trouble illuminating objects 300yds away.
Iwould like to see what the FM1909 does with the TM2.5 head.
Billy

 

[bk737]

Billy Ram what socket do you use for the 458? I assume you are using AW's 26500 C cells, What kind of runtime are you getting? AWESOME shot of the 458 too! I want to do this with my 2.5 Throwmaster so any help is greatly appreciated.Thanks

 

[Billy Ram]

Billy Ram what socket do you use for the 458? I assume you are using AW's 26500 C cells, What kind of runtime are you getting? AWESOME shot of the 458 too! I want to do this with my 2.5 Throwmaster so any help is greatly appreciated.Thanks

My m*g458 has the FM socket with set screw and heatsink. "The light would have to be modified with threads to use this" I'm now running 16ea. Elite 1700 AAs and highly recommend them over Titanium 1800s. With a fresh charge the Elite 1700s will hold 10.5a. for a short while and then settle at arround 10.3a. giving arround 8-9 mins run time. The Throw Master 2.5 doesn't do as well with the m*g458 as the FM3X. Ihave them both and compaired them several times.
Billy

 

[Billy Ram]

m*g85 zoomed in

m*g458

The m*g458 lights up a lot more realestate but has some throw too.
Billy

 

[molite]

Billy,
Great shots!
Thats a lot of LIGHT!
Still a bit floody for me.
However, it does look like you could land a plane with that light.
For me, I want all of the light on the target! (no spill)
I think I will try the FM1909 with a FM2.5TM.
I would be willing to bet they are the perfect match for each other.

Does any one know if the FM1909 is highest lumen G4 bulb available?

 

[molite]

Also, the FM1909 was designed for 3xIMR's
Would that convert to 10x Nimh?
Would I need to let the pack rest?
or could I hit it right of the charger direct drive?

 

[Billy Ram]

Also, the FM1909 was designed for 3xIMR's
Would that convert to 10x Nimh?
Would I need to let the pack rest?
or could I hit it right of the charger direct drive?

3xIMRs would be closer to 9xAAs. (11.1v./10.8v.) 10xAAs=12v.
I don't believe IMRs need to rest after charging before using. They would have to rest for a long time for the voltage to drop very much.
I wouldn't mind getting my hands on a FM1909 to try out with 3xIMRs in a Throw Master 2.5 head.
Billy

 

[molite]

The 1909 is ideal @ 11.4
per LuxLuthor it poofs at 13volts.
A 10 pack of Nimh = 12 volts a bit more fresh off the charger
so I am guessing I would want it to rest it a bit.
Those FM bulbs are 16 buck a pop so I want to be sure about this.
but a 10xNimh set up should really push that 1909.

 

[Billy Ram]

The 1909 is ideal @ 11.4
per LuxLuthor it poofs at 13volts.
A 10 pack of Nimh = 12 volts a bit more fresh off the charger
so I am guessing I would want it to rest it a bit.
Those FM bulbs are 16 buck a pop so I want to be sure about this.
but a 10xNimh set up should really push that 1909.

10xAAs after cooling down a few hrs. will be arround 14.125v. so you may want to invest in a regulated or soft start switch with FM1909s being $16 a pop. Good thing about IMRs is they don't SD like ni-mhs, can be quickly charged and used right out of the charger.
Billy

 

[molite]

I sure was hoping to bypass a $oft $tart if you know what I mean.

I have a 6D with an extender...I just wanted to cram 10 subC in and go.

 

[bk737]

I am running a 1909 on 3 IMR 18650's with the 2.5 Throwmaster without a soft start. I charge the batteries up to 4.1v and fire it up and this baby Screams!! This is probably the highest output G4 bulb and is as close as your gonna get to a Plug in and Play set-up as long as you don't run a fully charged set of batteries in it. I will order IMR 26500's so i can run this set up in a 2D host and gain a little runtime over the 18650's:devil::devil:

 

[molite]

Bk,
Glad to hear that bulb screams in the FM2.5 head.
Very little spill?? All throw?
I'll have to go the 3xImr route if I decide to use the 1909.

Has any one tried this 23650 it looks pretty powerfull

The chemistry is a little bit different but it claims to be newer and better.
They should fit in a 3d host with a minor spring mod?
bonus...they are cheap too.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I am running a 1909 on 3 IMR 18650's with the 2.5 Throwmaster without a soft start. I charge the batteries up to 4.1v and fire it up and this baby Screams!! This is probably the highest output G4 bulb and is as close as your gonna get to a Plug in and Play set-up as long as you don't run a fully charged set of batteries in it. I will order IMR 26500's so i can run this set up in a 2D host and gain a little runtime over the 18650's:devil::devil:

This will double your runtime: http://www.batteryspace.com/limnnirechargeable26650cell37v4000mah10arated148wh.aspx

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Bk,
Glad to hear that bulb screams in the FM2.5 head.
Very little spill?? All throw?
I'll have to go the 3xImr route if I decide to use the 1909.

Has any one tried this 23650 it looks pretty powerfull

The chemistry is a little bit different but it claims to be newer and better.
They should fit in a 3d host with a minor spring mod?
bonus...they are cheap too.

26650 you mean... Those are bigger IMRs with a lot of capacity. Much better than AW 26500.

 

[molite]

26650 you mean... Those are bigger IMRs with a lot of capacity. Much better than AW 26500.

oops..yup 26650...oh good, so confirmed, the BS26650 is bigger badder faster better cheaper than the AW 26500.

and the FM1909 is the most powerfull G4 bulb available and is the best match for FM's big refelctors if you want all throw and no spill?