Sorcha headlight from Kaidomain

[IdiotsAbound]

Does anyone have the Sorcha headlight from KaiDomain?

http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=1267

I am interested in it because it uses AA batteries (I have an abundance of AA rechargeables) and it looks like a prime candidate for a Seoul or Cree upgrade.

 

[FlashCrazy]

I have this headlamp. It's totally direct drive, so using the 2 AA option results in very dim light...about the amount of light you'd get out of a 1xAAA Fenix Luxeon light.

I swapped in a Cree star, and oh man...this thing throws! The reflector focuses the Cree to a sharply defined hotspot. There definitely enough spill for close up work, but this thing excels as a thrower. Very similar to my Ultrafire C2. This was using the 3 AAA batteries. Using the 2 AA was of course way dimmer, but useable in emergency conditions if that's the only batteries you had.

 

[IdiotsAbound]

Hmm, wonder if I could steal the boost circuit out of an Elly and put it in the Sorcha, modifying it to use a 1-AA battery with a Cree. I may go with a Seoul though as the Hasto I modded was more floodier with a Seoul than a Cree which is what I want in a headlight.

 

[jar3ds]

yeah.... i have that host.... its not very good

 

[FlashCrazy]

Yeah, if you want flood, don't go with the Cree. I like flood in a headlamp as well, but if anyone wants throw from their headlamp this one with a Cree will definitely satisfy. It's pretty close to my D-Mini, and that's no small feat!

The Elly circuit is a good idea! It won't be near as bright as direct drive, since the Elly circuit only supplies around 250 mA to the LED.

Hmm, wonder if I could steal the boost circuit out of an Elly and put it in the Sorcha, modifying it to use a 1-AA battery with a Cree. I may go with a Seoul though as the Hasto I modded was more floodier with a Seoul than a Cree which is what I want in a headlight.

 

[emitter]

Best bet is to use a lion AA 14500 and a dummy cell, or use the second bay as a spare holder. That's what I plan on doing with the 8-led headlamp from dx,sku 1298. I prefer flood in a headlamp, but throw is nice for hiking I guess.
I noticed this model is almost the same body as the RayoVac 'adventure-lite' sold at walmart etc. Anyone know if it has the ZY or the ZS led?
/\/

 

[FlashCrazy]

Mine has (had) a Zhong Sheng LED. Using a driver from an Elly was a great idea! I just got in from the garage. I removed one from an Elly and wired it up. I'm running the two AA's in parallel, giving me 4800 mAH. All said and done, it's pulling 700 mA, so that should give me a good 6+ hrs of solid output! It's still plenty bright...I like it!

 

[IdiotsAbound]

Best bet is to use a lion AA 14500 and a dummy cell, or use the second bay as a spare holder. That's what I plan on doing with the 8-led headlamp from dx,sku 1298. I prefer flood in a headlamp, but throw is nice for hiking I guess.
I noticed this model is almost the same body as the RayoVac 'adventure-lite' sold at walmart etc. Anyone know if it has the ZY or the ZS led?
/\/

I want to try and keep all my lights to commonly obtained batteries, such as AAs, especially since I have a stack of nimh AAs and some AAAs. Which is why I was looking at the Sorcha headlamp for when my daughter and I go canoeing/camping for a week up north. I will be modifying 4 of them as my daughter's godfather will be going with us with his daughter in his canoe while I have my canoe. Part of an annual Dads and Daughters Great Outdoors Tripping lol.

The spare holder idea sounds like a great idea. Use the Elly boost circuit for one AA usage (would still be as bright as an Elite from DX or Kai) and store the spare battery in the second bay.

 

[TMorita]

I have that flashlight. The plastic is very low quality and feels kinda soft, typical of cheap Chinese headlamps.

Toshi

 

[IdiotsAbound]

Best bet is to use a lion AA 14500 and a dummy cell, or use the second bay as a spare holder. That's what I plan on doing with the 8-led headlamp from dx,sku 1298. I prefer flood in a headlamp, but throw is nice for hiking I guess.
I noticed this model is almost the same body as the RayoVac 'adventure-lite' sold at walmart etc. Anyone know if it has the ZY or the ZS led?
/\/

The Sorcha I got recently had the ZS LED.

I wouldn't want throw for hiking, flood is best for that as you see more with the side spill, but I would prefer throw if I was canoeing.

On a side note, I modified mine with a Cree and got a throw monster. Seems to have a collimated lense, which explains the throw. Quite bright with the Cree with 2-AAs, but much brighter with 3-AAAs.

I'm going to order a couple more Sorchas (Sold mine to my neighbour after I modded it, he just has to have it! He bought one of my Elites too. lol) as well as some Ellies and use the circuit booster from the Ellie so I could run it on one AA and use the second battery compartment to carry a spare AA or perhaps a switch so it could be switched to the spare battery when the current ones gets weak.

I still prefer my Seoul-modded Hasto as I like flood in a headlight, but hate the AAA batteries. When I get the new Sorchas, I will modify one with a Seoul and see how that works as I still have 3 Seoul stars and 1 Cree star left lol.

 

[AvPD]

If anyone from this thread is still around, how bright is it with a Cree or Seoul running from 2xAA? (comparison to a Romisen RC-G2 would be helpful)