Surefire L1 with a Q5 LED

[Federal LG]

Hi there

I am in love with my new SF L1 Cree. It´s my first Surefire ever!

I was thinking... this model that I have (Cree) has 65 lumens in high and 10 lumens in low mode.

My question: If it use a Q5, how many lumens it will have in high and low modes ? (Surefire lumens...)

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Hi there

I am in love with my new SF L1 Cree. It´s my first Surefire ever!

I was thinking... this model that I have (Cree) has 65 lumens in high and 10 lumens in low mode.

My question: If it use a Q5, how many lumens it will have in high and low modes ? (Surefire lumens...)

The L1 delivers more than 65 lumens on high. It's more like 80+.
SureFire is known to underate lumens. BTW, it is not the Bin of the LED that is limiting the output, it's the eletronics. SureFire uses the best bin available.

 

[cfromc]

The L1 delivers more than 65 lumens on high. It's more like 80+.
SureFire is known to underate lumens. BTW, it is not the Bin of the LED that is limiting the output, it's the eletronics. SureFire uses the best bin available.

But if a more efficient bin is used, won't the light put out more lumens? My understanding is that the electronics are sending a set amperage "x" to the emitter. Changing the bin of the emitter won't change that, so the new emitter will still be getting "x" amount of power. If the emitter is more efficient, then more light should come out of it, right? More light, but about the same run time.

 

[greenLED]

In theory, yes, cfromc. In practice, however, without knowing exactly what bin is already in your light, the results may not be as expected. I recall several folks modifying their HDS lights with "new" bins, only to find little or no change after the emitter swap.

Now, if 2 years from now you have a "Z bin"...

 

[cfromc]

In theory, yes, cfromc. In practice, however, without knowing exactly what bin is already in your light, the results may not be as expected. I recall several folks modifying their HDS lights with "new" bins, only to find little or no change after the emitter swap.

Now, if 2 years from now you have a "Z bin"...

Of course, agreed. To have more power the emitter would have to be more efficient. Swapping a Q5 for another Q5 wouldn't do much.

 

[Federal LG]

But... what can be done by Surefire to increase the power of the SF L1 Cree ?

I mean... in high mode, with more lumens ?

 

[tussery]

Increase the current to the emitter is the only thing that will make the same bin LED brighter. For example driving the LED at 1000mA as opposed to 750mA.

 

[scottaw]

Surefire was going for a balance, usable brightness with decent runtime. Max output wasn't the idea, or they could have gotten much more out of the led they used.

 

[Federal LG]

I see...

I like the balance between runtime (1.5h) and power (65 lumens).

But, using a Q5, for example, is it possible to have the same runtime (or longer), but with more power-lumens ?

 

[Patriot]

Federal LG
But, using a Q5, for example, is it possible to have the same runtime (or longer), but with more power-lumens ?

Yes, it is possible whenever a LED has higher efficiency.


In one L1 thread, Size15s had even speculated (with an educated guess) that it very well could already have a late bin in that light. No one really knows what's in it. Installing a Q5 in a L1 may or may not be an upgrade.

 

[Brozneo]

I'm sure Surefire wouldn't be using the Q5 though...