StreamLight ArgoHP C4/Cree and 17670 - Hoo-Ah!!!

[half-watt]

NOTE: please ignore this Post, other than to get a good laugh. please be sure to read Hondo's reply to me subsequent to this Post as well as my response to Hondo. oh,...and...

have a good laugh. i sure did!!

----------------------------------------

having performed the simple mod to have an earlier model year pre-Cree/C4 ArgoHP accept a 17670 cell, i was VERY pleasantly surprised to discover today (upon its arrival from John over at Lighthound.com - very prompt shipping) that the latest 2008 Model of the ArgoHP (boasting a Cree aka C4 in StreamLight-speak, or StremLightese if you prefer) appears to accept 17670 cells *WITHOUT* ANY MODIFICATION WHATSOEVER. [it's a happy day in lumen land]

my particular unit (a second is already enroute from Lighthound - that one was going to be the one that i modified for 17670 cells, hence the second unit - it's a very nice headlamp, but i'm NOT so fond of it that i would've purchased two had i known) accepts all six 17670 cells that i own. the cells slide in just a tad snugly, and all six had to be shaken out - one or two shakes did it, at least enough that ~one-half of the cell's length would protrude. then it was a very simple matter to deftly grasp the cell b/t thumb and forefinger and gently, using no perceivable strength to remove the cell from the headlamp.

in more detail here are the six cells that successfully made their ingress and egress from the '08 ArgoHP *WITHOUT* any modifications whatsoever to the light (ok, ok, i did remove the top/bucket strap from the headband as this headlamp, IMO, being so small and light, really doesn't require one for most uses; however, i seriously doubt after 25+ years of engineering experience that this had anything to do with the fit of the Li-ion cells ...

2 unprotected Ultrafire [blue] 1800mAh 17670 cells
4 protectected AW [black] 1600mAh 17670 cells.

each of the two unprot. U-F's shook out easily (one shake in four "batt. changes" - 2 per cell)

each of the prot AW's took two shakes each on seven of the eight "batt. changes". one cell on it's first insertion didn't want to come out easily. shook it six times before it flew to the floor (therefore, probably only four or five shakes were really needed for it to protrude partway so that i could grab it, but after three shakes it wasn't coming out, so i switched over to shakin' fool mode of operation).

there was no perceivable visual damage to any of the cells (or their wrapping) after this simple test was completed.

hopefully this info will prove helpful to someone interested in this fine lil' headlamp.


NOTE: i will post back with the "fit" results when i receive the second '08 ArgoHP.

 

[sORe-EyEz]

nice write-up, i own the older Argo HP & am keen on getting the C4 version. more lumens for less is always a welcome.

how does the beam compare for both? my unit's beam isn't as floody & smooth as i was hoping for, so a diffusing material was added- reducing the throw.

my modding skills are primative to be honest. so modding is out for me... :sigh:

 

[half-watt]

how does the beam compare for both? my unit's beam isn't as floody & smooth as i was hoping for, so a diffusing material was added- reducing the throw.

my modding skills are primative to be honest. so modding is out for me... :sigh:

1. it's a "classic-Cree" mulit-ring aka "donut" beam pattern.


IMO, this has its upside and its downside.

UPSIDE: generally better throw (hotspot LUX) than most smoother beams for the same amount of Lumens.

[that said, and to put the following comments in perspective, i, personally prefer, the smoother SSC beam pattern to the Cree beam pattern - especially when i'm out to bag me a trophy white wall, but, more seriously even at other times too; i've gone the diffuser route at times myself].

DOWNSIDE: maybe only if you're a "white wall hunter"

RELATIVE: the donut/rings seem far less noticeable outside in the real world or even huntin' around a dark basement (we don't need no stinkin' AC powered lighting!!) workshop they are far less noticeable since there is no large, flat, highly reflective (aka "white") surface to display the unsightly beam pattern.



2. sounds like your moddin' skills proved to be sufficient for the task at hand. you did what needed to be done with the diffuser.

 

[Hondo]

Hey half-watt,

Good info. But what is the deal, did you mean 18650's? I have been running 17670's exclusively (with no shaking) in my old Lux Argo without a problem. If I recall, most folks in the mod thread for this light had done the same. I know you have to rip out the negative contact and remove the molded in track that holds it in place to make room for 18650's on the old one, and that is a fairly serious mod, hence a big reason why I bought some 17670's. This is really a great headlamp, it seems like it should be a bit more popular than it is around here. I know it is hard to compete with AA and AAA formats, but for anyone Li-Ion savy, it runs for almost free.

EDIT: I am using AW's unprotected 17670's. What mod. did you do to your old one to get yours to fit?

 

[sORe-EyEz]

hi Half-Watt,

that was a speedy reply, thanks. i still on the fence on this 1 as i often pair a floody headlamp with a thrower handheld.

not too much of a white wall hunter but a floody headlamp with a gradual hotspot can be hard to find. such beams profile is very ideal with the lamp tilted slightly down as it would illuminate midground & the immediate surroundings fairly evenly with enough spill on the sides. its easier on the eyes too (lower contrast). hence, the diffuser mod.

yap, my modding skills are adequate for now. and the warranty of the lights wouldn't be void too!

 

[half-watt]

Hey half-watt, Good info. But what is the deal, did you mean 18650's?

Hondo, good catch. i've made two very serious errors. actually, the second error which i'll get too after explaining the first error is FAR more serious than the first.

first off, i've owned three pre-Cree ArgoHP's. bought the third one on a dirt-cheap sale and couldn't resist. never used it and ended up givin' it away (or so i thought) to a neighborhood kid (a geeky 12yr old kid who reminds me a bit o' myself when i was his age).

the second one, was purchased to modify for 1-8-6-5-0 cells per a Thread on CPF http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=144418&highlight=streamlight+argo


well, when i rcv'd the new '08 ArgoHP C4/Cree, i tried an Ultrafire unprotected 18650 in it. it wouldn't fit - no surprise that it was really far too large. so, i sez outloud to myself, "half-watt, you idiot!" and figured my "old-timers" was actin up (it's downhill to 100 for me) and i didn't recall correctly that it's a 17670 and NOT an 18650 cell that the mod was supposed to work with. so, i tried a 17670 in it and figured that it too wouldn't fit, but that i would be able to see that removing the contact rails it would just 'bout fit, and would need some reamin' out. well, the 17670 fit, and it fit snugly (i figured that it wouldn't fit) and i would have to modify it for 17670. at this point, i made my Post figurin' that i had mis-recalled which cell i had modified the pre-Cree ArgoHP for and that the new '08 ArgoHP C4/Cree was designed w/17670 in mind (wondered why StreamLight would do that with their new ArgoHP when their old one "didn't" [so i thought] accept them, but my pleasure drowned out any cries to reason).

then you Post your reply. so, after reading your Post, i'm really confused (maybe i did initially recall correctly 'bout those 18650's?), and i fetched the two remaining pre-Cree ArgoHP's and tried an unprotected 18650 in each (they both looked unmodified to me) and it wouldn't fit in either. then i tried an unprotected 17670 in each pre-Cree ArgoHP. guess what? it fit in both of them!!! now, this brings me to my second and VERY serious error.


my second error was when i gave that kid a pre-Cree ArgoHP, i must have given him the one that i had modified for 18650 as these two remaining pre-Cree show now signs at all of modification at all!!!

i'm going to leave my first Post as is, but add a NOTE to please read your Post and my response. this way everyone who takes the time to read them can have a good laugh at the expense of the senile old man. i'm still chuckling myself over what an idiot i can be when my "old-timers" is actin' up.


now, Hondo, one question for you: when you said in your Post Argo, i assume that you mean ArgoHP. if you meant Argo, that's 3xAAA in a carrier and that would diameter-wise accomodate an 18650 unmodified, but the length ought to be an issue for a 17670 or an 18650.

many thanks,
half-wit (sic)

 

[Hondo]

Yes indeed, I should not leave off the "HP" when speaking of an ArgoHP, as that is a totally different animal, and no where near as useful as an ArgoHP, in my opinion. That was an ambiguous abreviation on my part. Sorry to hear of the loss of your mod efforts, perhaps if he is still about, he would not mind swapping it back, if he still has the modded light and it is in good shape.

 

[half-watt]

Sorry to hear of the loss of your mod efforts, perhaps if he is still about, he would not mind swapping it back, if he still has the modded light and it is in good shape.

actually, i had thought 'bout it. i'm more concerned that he's having trouble with burning CR123A's in it. maybe, he's never been able to get it to turn on???

bottom line, beyond the point just mentioned, it's a non-issue b/c whether i still had that light or not, i will need to be modifying one of the new '08 ArgoHP C4/Cree's similarly.