Surefire 6P drop in updates?

[michiganstud]

Hi guys, besides the SL20 leds I use for duty I carry a Surefire 6P bored out to accept the 18650 batteries - which is my belt light.

Years ago I dropped in (I think) a XHP50 drop in m, from Sportac, rated at 1000 lumens. Great mod and really fits a lot of my check boxes. But the other night I was on a scene where I needed to light up an area for EMS for about 45 min while they worked a guy.

To my question....it got so hot I could barely hold the light in my hand. I swear I have burns from it. Are there any new developments on a p60 sized drop in that are high lumens (800 - 1000) that won't run so hot? One mode?

Thanks guys, been out if the game here fir a while, but coming back to pull some knowledge!!!

 

[hamhanded]

What kind of battery do you have in there? I’m wondering if some of that heat might be from getting too close to or exceeding the battery’s discharge rate.

 

[kerneldrop]

Are there any new developments on a p60 sized drop in that are high lumens (800 - 1000) that won't run so hot? One mode?

You need a duty worthy dropin…that is a Malkoff M61 dropin.

800-1,000 lumens will get hot.

M61, M61L, and M61LL Drop-in to fit Surefire and Malkoff – Malkoff Devices

This is the Malkoff Devices P60 style Drop-in LED Conversion with solid brass heatsink construction. The LED is a White (5700K) Luminous SST-20. The output is 450 lumens. The reflector offers a very nice balance between throw and spill. It is an outstanding room lighter and short to medium...

malkoffdevices.com

 

[hsa]

That's a slick looking 6P in the instructional video.

 

[lightfooted]

There are other lights that will for the most part do the job without getting too hot to hold...but no P60s that I know of.

 

[chillinn]

If only there were some way to insulate the skin of the hand from the burning heat, like wrapping Paracord around the flashlight body in attractive weaved and braided patterns, or even a glove, or somewhere to set the flashlight down, or even better, someone else to hold it.

 

[sandalian]

My recommendation is Lumens Factory's D26. Single mode, 550 to 700 lumens depending on model.

Lumens Factory

www.lumensfactory.com

But I'm afraid it'll still get hot for long period of operation.

 

[Dave D]

As previously stated the Malkoff M61 drop-in is the way to go, 450 lumens doesn't sound a lot but it is more than sufficient for most of the tasks that you'll need it for. I highly recommend it for a back-up light.

As an alternative you could invest in another Sportac module, they offer some 2 mode versions that will give you a lower output of about 200 lumens. Also check your battery is rated for at least 7+amps of discharge.

Sportac Dual Mode Drop-ins

 

[michiganstud]

What kind of battery do you have in there? I’m wondering if some of that heat might be from getting too close to or exceeding the battery’s discharge rate.

18650....orbtronic 3500 mah

 

[michiganstud]

Thanks guys, some good leads here. Basic common theme is that they'll all heat up unless I go lower lumens, which may have to be the case.

So here's the next question......why doesn't my 1000 lumen protac HLX heat up like my 6P? It's the same size, fits the holster, so I've actually been carrying that since, rather than my 6P.

So I think my answer, really, is to carry the Protac HLx.

 

[michiganstud]

Also, I found out which drop in I have. It's the Sportac XHP35 - 1000 lumen single mode.

Anyone know if there's anything better than this one??

 

[hsa]

Pro Tac HLX steps down, and it should.

https://www.streamlight.com/docs/default-source/fact-sheet/280.pdf

Pro Tac HL 4 or HL 5x circumvents all these problems and your muscles will get bigger from carrying them around.

 

[bykfixer]

The modern 1000 lumen light has thermal protections built in that cause the output to drop without the user really noticing. And the market place has taken to that without even realizing it. Yet early on when a SureFire G2L had a thermal step down, folks moaned "what kind of nonsense is that?!"

A Malkoff drop in will make a nice upgrade to the sportac that in its day was a marvelous invention. But its intent was not for extended use due to the heat factor. The 6P was not designed to dispell that much heat like modern lights do so that plays a roll. It's why those "cryos" heads with cooling fins were once so popular. Mr Malkoff uses special designed reflector, and a heat sync technology combined with less internal heat from those humungous output(s) so they end up appearing brighter than the numbers suggest with much lower output.

Bottom to top 6P, PKDL FL-2, ProTac (750 lumen)

The 6P had an antiroll shaping that helped radiate heat somewhat but the heat collected near the lens. So when folks added super bright drop in modules the entire light acts as a radiator.

PK developed a "6p 2.0" called FL-2 LE for his intial offering at PK Design Lab in 2014. It incorparated heat sync technology in the module and head area at a time when 650 lumens was big. Faced with a choice of heat sync or thermal step down he went the heat sync route. In about 45 seconds you notice the light gets warm. But it doesn't get hot at the hand hold area.

The 015 era ProTac was stated as 750 lumens. Note the subdued cooling fins up front to help disipate the heat. But when they took the next step to 1000 lumens they also added thermal step down. So when it runs at 600 lumens the user hardly notices yet the light seems to run fairly cool.

 

[knucklegary]

+1 on PK FL-2 LE, I will always reach for first

 

[michiganstud]

The modern 1000 lumen light has thermal protections built in that cause the output to drop without the user really noticing. And the market place has taken to that without even realizing it. Yet early on when a SureFire G2L had a thermal step down, folks moaned "what kind of nonsense is that?!"

A Malkoff drop in will make a nice upgrade to the sportac that in its day was a marvelous invention. But its intent was not for extended use due to the heat factor. The 6P was not designed to dispell that much heat like modern lights do so that plays a roll. It's why those "cryos" heads with cooling fins were once so popular. Mr Malkoff uses special designed reflector, and a heat sync technology combined with less internal heat from those humungous output(s) so they end up appearing brighter than the numbers suggest with much lower output.

View attachment 37610
Bottom to top 6P, PKDL FL-2, ProTac (750 lumen)

The 6P had an antiroll shaping that helped radiate heat somewhat but the heat collected near the lens. So when folks added super bright drop in modules the entire light acts as a radiator.

PK developed a "6p 2.0" called FL-2 LE for his intial offering at PK Design Lab in 2014. It incorparated heat sync technology in the module and head area at a time when 650 lumens was big. Faced with a choice of heat sync or thermal step down he went the heat sync route. In about 45 seconds you notice the light gets warm. But it doesn't get hot at the hand hold area.

The 015 era ProTac was stated as 750 lumens. Note the subdued cooling fins up front to help disipate the heat. But when they took the next step to 1000 lumens they also added thermal step down. So when it runs at 600 lumens the user hardly notices yet the light seems to run fairly cool.

I hadn't thought about the 6P not being made for more powerful drop ins! But that really does make sense.

Regarding the older Protac...I have one that was a very yellow tint. I hated it for that, so I recently got a newer one (the one pictured in my other post) when I heard they were a better brighter white tint. I like it much better.

What do you mean by step down? You mean when the battery is getting low? I never notice any change in my Protac until that happens.

 

[kerneldrop]

Anyone know if there's anything better than this one??

If you want a new 18650 system the Elzetta Bones is an excellent option. It has great heat sinking.

https://elzetta.com/product/bones/

I have one I'd probably sell. I've never used it.

 

[bykfixer]

I hadn't thought about the 6P not being made for more powerful drop ins! But that really does make sense.

Regarding the older Protac...I have one that was a very yellow tint. I hated it for that, so I recently got a newer one (the one pictured in my other post) when I heard they were a better brighter white tint. I like it much better.

What do you mean by step down? You mean when the battery is getting low? I never notice any change in my Protac until that happens.

Step down is kinda like down shifting from 4th to 3rd gear.
It steps down from say 1000 to say 600 gradually so most don't even notice the change.

Sometimes my Ford pickup drops from 10th to 9th so smoothly I only know it changes because 9 is highlited on the dash instead of 10. Being a Ford it's usually an abrupt change though. "What-thuh **** was that?".

 

[g8trwood]

Streamlight protac is good for money. About the same size as 6p. I like the beam shape. I’m not sure it is that much brighter than my Malkoffs’. Typically don’t run backup lights that long. For the mainlight I wanted run time over searing lumens. Searchin acreage with a fenix pd1 is never fun

 

[michiganstud]

Streamlight protac is good for money. About the same size as 6p. I like the beam shape. I’m not sure it is that much brighter than my Malkoffs’. Typically don’t run backup lights that long. For the mainlight I wanted run time over searing lumens. Searchin acreage with a fenix pd1 is never fun

Run time is a concern as well. I would think a SL20L battery could power a 1,000 lumen LED for a long time.

Most of the lights I've found are generally an hour or 1.5 hour On full power.

 

[bykfixer]

Show your Cryos cooling bezel

I just received my Cryos Cooling Bezel and I have to say it does look good. I know there are pics of how people have lego'ed a light together with this bezel in Ronac's sales thread, but I thought I'd start one with just pics and comments here. Black Cryos bezel on a FiveMega 26500 host...

www.candlepowerforums.com

Here's what I meant by Cryos bezel.
Those chaps had lots and lots of heat to dispose of back when the super-duper high output 6P type drop in modules were popular.