I didn' realize there was a thread here on CPF about the ShadeSlayer-7. I'll try and answer some of your questions.
jasonsmaglites said that c cells are of no use with a head this big. I suppose that's a matter of personal preference. But if you're going to use seven SSC P4 LEDs, well, there has to be room for them. I don't see how a smaller head can be used for so many LEDs. I chose the small 17mm relfectors, and scrunched the head to a reasonably small size. Consider, it is approximately 1,280 lumens, and I measure a solid 13,000+ lux, and sometimes up to 15,000 lux at 1 meter. That's a fairly bright flashlight, and especially considering it's dimensions:
Length: 8 Inches
Head diameter: 2 3/8 "
Body diameter: 1 1/4"
Weight (without battery): 14.4 oz.
Lobo commented on D size batteries:
I can make this with D cells, no problem. It seems to me a D cell flashlight with a twisty on/off switch might not be a preferred settup. I can use a clicky switch up front, but that changes the design considerably, and makes it a lot bigger (longer.) Of course it can be done, and I may do it for myself, anyway, for longer run time.
Gladius01 mentions step down in brightness. I will do a run time brightness test to show it's brightness run time curve. But for the most part, NIMH batteries have a very good constant output, not purely flat, but not bad. It remains over 10,000 lux for over an hour, but, I'll confirm that. I use 6,000mAh C cells myself, and it seems to go for about 1.5 hours before I feel it needs a charge. I have sold a few of these. I'm not pushing hard to sell a lot of them, as they take a lot of time for me to make, and I have limited time.
Alkalines will work, but, will be less bright, and, gradual drop in brightness would be typical to this type of battery.
Basically, I wanted to make a flashlight about the same brightness as the Stunner-P4, but in a much smaller package. That is what this flashlight is. It is simple, no switch to go bad, no electronics to fail or go bad or to waste power on regulation. Fairly flat discharge rate, that is fairly flat brightness curve.
Yes, it is expensive, but there are some LED flashlights out there in this category of brightness that cost more, and some a lot more, and if you look at small HID lights, they have their weaknesses compared to LED lights.
Wayne
