SSC P4 or Cree XR-E: Which is best suited to a thrower?

[KowShak]

I've been looking at the documentation for both the SSC P4 and the Cree XR-E, in particular I was looking at radiation patterns. My interpretation of the graphs is that the SSC puts less light forward and more out to the side (out to 90 degrees) than the Cree (60 degress).

To capture lots of light a thrower needs a reflector that is deep compared to its length to reflect as much of the light radiated by the emitter forwards and minimise spill. The SSC puts out more light sideways instead of forward so in theory it should make a brighter hotspot than the Cree for a given reflector assuming it puts out the same amount of light as the XR-E.

It seems generally accepted on here that a Q5 (and therefore an R2) bin XR-E will produce more light than a U bin SSC P4. So, given that the SSC P4 has an advantage in radiation pattern for a thrower and the Cree XR-E puts out more light, which one will be best for throw with a reflector i.e. (not with an aspheric)?

 

[Kiessling]

Re: SSC P4 or Cree Q5: Which is best suited to a thrower?

It is not that easy, unfortunately. While you usually get a brighter spot with a SSC P4, the brightness of the spot is not everything when it comes to throw.

Throw does also mean that you want to see something, you want a field of vision. There, a deep reflector with a Cree XR-E has all the advantage as it concentrates the spill and makes the transition to the spot smoother and thus easier on the eyes. You see actually more than with the "hotter" P4.

But this is up to you and your preferences. I myself prefer the Cree beam by far as it is more useful. The spill is not wasted as it is with the P4 beam.
To achieve a concentrated spill with the P4 you need a huge reflector.

bernie

 

[EngrPaul]

Re: SSC P4 or Cree Q5: Which is best suited to a thrower?

Not too many SSC were made to be throwers. Therefore, your standard answer will be Cree.

A SSC works very well with a collimator optic. For instance, the hokus focus and stryker were both awesome throwers with a SSC.

 

[KowShak]

Re: SSC P4 or Cree Q5: Which is best suited to a thrower?

I modded a 4D incandescant torch by putting a WF-500 LED reflector and an R2 pill into it. The torch is bright, it lights up a room if I shine it at the ceiling but the hotspot isn't as bright as I'd like it to be. According to my ammeter, is using 0.8 watts from 4 nimh D cells, which would equate to 3.8 watts going into the regulator.

My brother has a much smaller torch, based on a Cree LED it runs off a pair of AA batteries, this is using about 1.5 watts and while its hotspot is larger and not as bright, I'd guess that its got the same amount of light in it at the cost of much smaller and less intense spill compared to the larger torch.

The difference between the two would appear to be that although the larger torch has a larger diameter reflector, the reflector isn't very deep compared to its diameter. I was wondering whether an SSC P4 would produce a more intense beam and less intense hotspot in that same reflector or whether I'd need to change the reflector for a deeper one for a similar effect. The spill on the big torch is big, bright and useful so I don't want it to go away completely, more light in the spot would be nice though!