NEW Lowes Task Force 3W "CREE" 2C 150+ lumens (Part 2)

[Sigman]

Continued from here...

 

[extas]

The Voltage at the LED, 3.25V
The Amperage taken at the Battery - is 1.03A
On A DX light meter 4650 Lux (only comparable to other DX light meter results)

-ex

 

[Sgt. LED]

Are your readings for the stock TF Cree? If so no driver is needed to take full advantage of a Q5?

 

[extas]

yes it is stock. i'm not too sure if its great for a q5, as the q5 wants a higher VF ~3.7V @ 1A. i have an Elektrolumens Blaster with a 7135 1050ma DX driver and a q5. it has a VF or 3.58V @ 1A and reads 6820 Lux on my meter.

i do plan to re-do the meter readings maybe tonight.

-ex

 

[extas]

one other thing. Stock you cannot use AA - C adapters, as the + connection is a Spring with a diameter larger than the + nub on an eneloop.

I do believe that you could easily mod the spring by soldering a brass or copper rivet button on it.

this is the white star version.

it would be easy to change the driver as it all comes apart easily. the switch and the optic seem to be harder to get too. i have not been successful yet.

 

[chas9rr]

Has anyone seen these in Denver, CO? I think this would make a great christmas gift for my bro-inlaw, and me!:twothumbs The problem is I have hit about four Lowes around Denver with no luck. Any sightings on the Front Range?
Thanks
Charles

 

[tarponbill]

one other thing. Stock you cannot use AA - C adapters, as the + connection is a Spring with a diameter larger than the + nub on an eneloop.

I modded my BS with a piece of PVC pipe and a couple of Eneloops. No probelm with the guilt free lumens with this setup.

With two fresh off the charger Eneloops mine is nearly as bright, and draws about the same current as two new C cells does. Must have got a decent optic and CREE, the beam is almost perfectly round and good tint with acceptable spill. Only problem is the rear spring is malformed.

Apparently others have had different results, not sure if there are any identifying marks on mine, I can't find any -- Might just be a lot of varialtion in production models.

I might venture into mod land and try to put in a new max DX CREE, we'll see. It's a great buy for the $30.

 

[vkan]

one other thing. Stock you cannot use AA - C adapters, as the + connection is a Spring with a diameter larger than the + nub on an eneloop.

I do believe that you could easily mod the spring by soldering a brass or copper rivet button on it.
...

I use a magnet that I got from Lighthound on the + nub on a AA - C adapter configuration and it works fine. http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1689

 

[wwglen]

I just put a little wad of aluminum foil in the spring.

wwglen

 

[Tiny86]

How it the run time on these? Do the stay at full output for a while? Or do they stat to decline right away?

 

[Joshatdot]

that clear plastic is an optic, rather than a reflector, and why the light has such good throw, but limited spill.

Is there any thing to make, buy, mod your own Optic for this light?

 

[Patrick Murphy]

Task Force looks better (to me) when slightly diffused

I have the older Lowes 3W Task Force (with Luxeon) and found the beam to be too focused (spot-like) for usage on my bicycle handlebar. Apparently the new CREE version Task Force is even more spotlight-like.

To fix this, I made a diffuser. I tried a bunch of materials and settled on a clear frosted-plastic sheet protector. This particular item was a job ticket envelope from Office Depot. I'm sure there are a lot of similar thin, barely-diffusing plastic sheets that would work.

As you test different materials, be careful that the diffusion is even; sometimes a material diffuses more in one direction than another. Also, check that the light loss is minimal. Obviously, you want the material to "reposition" the existing light, not absorb it. With my material, I could not see a significant decrease in the light output.

For the Task Force, I cut a circle about 1/16" larger than the glass front. The plastic simply slips under the glass front (between the body and the glass) and will stay there. It looks factory-installed, yet does not even require opening the flashlight body!

This gives me beautiful diffusion. There is still a strong central area, but falloff is now very smooth. It is more pleasant to look at an area because there are no harsh lighting contours.

So, if you are considering either of the Task Force lights (Luxeon or CREE) but the "spottiness" of the light pattern is objectionable to you, try using inexpensive homemade diffusion.

 

[vkan]

Re: Task Force looks better (to me) when slightly diffused

I have the older Lowes 3W Task Force (with Luxeon) and found the beam to be too focused (spot-like) for usage on my bicycle handlebar. Apparently the new CREE version Task Force is even more spotlight-like.
...

For the CREE version of this light, I'd say it's about right for a bike on the road. I aim it pretty far ahead and get a lane width's worth of bright enough spot light. I kinda want to have two of them at once and light up a bit more width of the road, but I don't want to give up any of the throw that I assume a diffuser would result in.

But if I can find that material you referred to cheap enough, I'd give it a try just to see what it's like.

 

[jeober]

Re: Task Force looks better (to me) when slightly diffused

I am interested in the output and format of the TF light. But my light needs are more fill than throw. I just tried your idea using a mini mag through the frosted plastic sleeve of a wallet credit card holder that I don't use. It works wonderfully well and, judging from ambient lighting reflecting off the ceiling of a dark room, it appears to minimally impact the total light output. Thanks for the idea!

 

[Patrick Murphy]

Re: Task Force looks better (to me) when slightly diffused

For the CREE version of this light, I'd say it's about right for a bike on the road. I aim it pretty far ahead and get a lane width's worth of bright enough spot light. I kinda want to have two of them at once and light up a bit more width of the road, but I don't want to give up any of the throw that I assume a diffuser would result in.

But if I can find that material you referred to cheap enough, I'd give it a try just to see what it's like.

Fortunately, the diffusing plastic is cheap -- even if you have to buy a clear creditcard-size or letter-sized sleeve to try it. And it is simple to try. Just put it in front of the light and see what happens!

When testing on my bike I tried the Task Force 3W Luxeon, as well as a 17-LED no-name I bought in China.

• TF-3W-L: Bright white light, strong center beam with a bit of spill (before using my diffuser -- I have not yet tested it with the diffuser). Good if it was your only source. I think the CREE would be too narrow of a beam for me.
• 17LED-NN: Dimmer blue light, but very even lighting. I felt I could see more than just a pool of light down the road.

What I really liked was simply overlaying the two beams, so I could see the edges of the road (17-LED) along with a brighter central light (TF) where the bike is headed.

I think I'll used the diffused TF-3W-L on the handlebars and the 17-LED light on my helmet. This way, wherever I look, there will be some light, and when I look straight ahead, I'll have both narrow and wide-angle lighting.

Can't wait the few hours until it gets dark here, for tonight's test!

 

[vkan]

Re: Task Force looks better (to me) when slightly diffused

... I think I'll used the diffused TF-3W-L on the handlebars and the 17-LED light on my helmet. This way, wherever I look, there will be some light, and when I look straight ahead, I'll have both narrow and wide-angle lighting.

Can't wait the few hours until it gets dark here, for tonight's test!

Other than the size & heft (at least with C cells) of the Task Force light, I would think it would make a better helmet light. At least I prefer my helmet light to be a spot. I haven't seen the Luxeon Task Force light, but it may well be that the CREE version's throw is better enough that with the light pointed further down the road you end up with a larger lit area overall and the Luxeon so even if the CREE is narrower in a like-distance white wall hunt, it's wider when aimed out further on down the road.

 

[Backpacker]

Which is better, the black or white star?

Search function is broken.

I am going to try to find one these flashlights today, but which is more desirable, the black or white star?

Thanks!

 

[IdahoDoug]

White. You can see by looking down the barrel in the package. Lots of black = black, mostly white with only a tiny ring of black = white.

DougM

 

[etc]

I didn't like it vs. AAP 2C lite.

It's bigger, has sharp edges around the bezel, and laser-like beam. Not to mention more expensive.

AAP is better, especially once you mod it with a newer LED.

Plus, both offer no real advantage over Fenix 2AA Cree, which I already have.

 

[extas]

one other thing, the TF has an O-ring around the CREE Led, but i'm not actually sure why. As the Optic is plastic and can't short out the LED contacts like an aluminum Reflector.

I removed the O-ring and i think it focused better for me, the hot spot is rounder now and the rings are more centered. The beam is still not as good as a reflector but its probably one of the best beams i have seen from a low cost optic, i have had the EL 30mm, Fraen, and a Khatod.

-ex