The P60 Maze

[Hiker]

I got interested in the P60 dropins from looking at the Dereelight Javelin. The more I learn the more questions come up. Please have patience for my ignorance.

1. The Javelin is AA. Am I correct in assuming the drop ins need to be for AAs?

2. The Javelin has 3 modes - low, medium & high. Am I correct in assuming I need a 3 mode drop in? Will any 3 mode drop in work?

3. Will any drop in that works with the 3 modes match the spread of the Javelin modes for the new LED? Or does it need to be set up specifically for the Javelin?

4. If AA drop ins are required, are they common? What about 3 mode AA drop ins?

5. Anything else you want to add that would be helpful?

 

[Black Rose]

I got interested in the P60 dropins from looking at the Dereelight Javelin. The more I learn the more questions come up. Please have patience for my ignorance.

1. The Javelin is AA. Am I correct in assuming the drop ins need to be for AAs?

The drop-ins don't need to be for AAs specifically, but they do need to work effectively within the voltage range of AAs - assuming 2xAAs, that would be 3.0v and under.

2. The Javelin has 3 modes - low, medium & high. Am I correct in assuming I need a 3 mode drop in? Will any 3 mode drop in work?

No. See my answer for #1.

3. Will any drop in that works with the 3 modes match the spread of the Javelin modes for the new LED? Or does it need to be set up specifically for the Javelin?

Different manufacturers offer different mode output levels on multi-mode lights.
If the drop-in will work within the voltage range of the AAs, it should work with the Javelin.

4. If AA drop ins are required, are they common? What about 3 mode AA drop ins?

They are not too common yet.

Solarforce offers 1, 3, and 5-mode drop-ins that will work with AAs (0.8-4.2v) as well as single Li-Ion cells.

The information on the Dereelight site indicates the driver for the C2H (and thus the Javelin) was updated for AA use.
I don't see that driver offered with the other drop-ins listed on the site.

I am not aware of other offerings for AAs yet, but I think they will appear over time.

 

[jblackwood]

Keep in mind you could bypass voltage requirements by getting the extender. That would put the voltage of the light into the Malkoff drop-in range. If you've never heard of him, do a search and save up! An M30 should do you well. It's much more expensive than other drop-ins, but well worth it. I know this light will be longer with three cells, but it will also be thinner than any CR123 light.

 

[jblackwood]

Update: Gene's website says you can run the M30 as far down as 1 volt! What a great little light this would be with the C2H body on the Javelin head! Oh man, legos sure are fun!

 

[ZRXBILL]

That M30 is for a Surefire and Gene told me they wont fit his lights.
At least he told me the Surefire drop-ins wont fit the MD2 and that's what makes this whole drop-in thing confusing for me because you would think all M60's would work.

 

[Gunner12]

The modes are usually done by the driver. So swapping to a 1 mode drop-in should give you a 1 mode light. A 10 mode drop-in will give you 10 modes.

You can use 2 14500s and run a drop-in with the "normal" voltage range. As long as the drop-ins work in the voltage range of the batteries.

 

[jblackwood]

That M30 is for a Surefire and Gene told me they wont fit his lights.
At least he told me the Surefire drop-ins wont fit the MD2 and that's what makes this whole drop-in thing confusing for me because you would think all M60's would work.

That's just not true! I have an M60 in a 6P (Surefire) and an MD2 loaded with an M30. There's just about the same brightness for both. I don't have any other bodies that accommodate a P60 besides my CL1H and both the M30 and the M60 fit that too! I'm not sure from your statement if you meant that Gene told you that M30's will only fit Surefire, but P60 is a general term. He states on his website that his drop-ins "may or may not fit other lights" because he has to cover himself. At least you've got one person's account (mine) that both his M30 and M60 fit the MD2 and the Dereelight CL1H V4. If you get one of his drop-ins and it doesn't fit, he doesn't want to be held responsible. From what I understand, he designed it to fit Surefire brand lights, then designed his MD2 around his drop-in.

If the Javelin says it'll take P60 drop-ins, then Gene's drop-ins should work. Don't be too disappointed if they don't, though, since Gene didn't design that light, just his drop-in.

 

[orbital]

+

The Malkoff M30 & M60 will fit every P60 host I know of, except Wolf-Eyes.

btw,..an M30 in a Javelin w/ a couple AAs' would be a super setup.:thumbsup:

 

[Hiker]

Thanks for the info. The confusion is beginning to erode a bit.

It sounds like the drop-in controls most of the function of the light and that the body is basically a shell that holds the batteries and drop-in head and provides a switch. Is this correct?

Is it correct to say that as long as it works with the batteries the drop-in determines:
1. The number of modes?
2. The output of each mode and therefore the run time of each mode based on the batteries in the tube?
3. The shape, type, and brightness of the beam?

As far as the body goes are all the clicks of the switch the same and the drop-in counts them to determine which mode it is in?

 

[csshih]

Thanks for the info. The confusion is beginning to erode a bit.

It sounds like the drop-in controls most of the function of the light and that the body is basically a shell that holds the batteries and drop-in head and provides a switch. Is this correct?
yep
Is it correct to say that as long as it works with the batteries the drop-in determines:
1. The number of modes?
yep
2. The output of each mode and therefore the run time of each mode based on the batteries in the tube?
yep
3. The shape, type, and brightness of the beam?
yep
As far as the body goes are all the clicks of the switch the same and the drop-in counts them to determine which mode it is in?
yep

hehe..
I have a javelin w/ an extender if you have questions on a specific dropin.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Hiker you have pretty much figured it out!

LEGO time.

 

[jblackwood]

Thanks for the info. The confusion is beginning to erode a bit.

It sounds like the drop-in controls most of the function of the light and that the body is basically a shell that holds the batteries and drop-in head and provides a switch. Is this correct?

Is it correct to say that as long as it works with the batteries the drop-in determines:
1. The number of modes?
2. The output of each mode and therefore the run time of each mode based on the batteries in the tube?
3. The shape, type, and brightness of the beam?

As far as the body goes are all the clicks of the switch the same and the drop-in counts them to determine which mode it is in?

1. The dropin doesn't always determine the number of modes. For Dereelight, it does. Malkoff's drop-ins are all one mode and you have to get a tailcap or ring to get more than one mode (Elzetta and MD2 respectively). So I guess the answer is still yes . . . though you CAN get more modes in other ways so keep that in mind.
2. Yep.
3. Yes and no. You can always change the quality of the beam with lenses and/or diffusers. Mostly, you can make a beam more dispersed but not more focused.

I'd love to see an M30 with a Javelin head and a C2H body running off of one lithium AA battery (or Eneloop)!

 

[Hiker]

hehe..
I have a javelin w/ an extender if you have questions on a specific dropin.

Thanks, I do. Do you have it with the 2AA tube? If so, how do you rate the standard head it comes with for throw and spill?

 

[knuckletwo]

Thanks, I do. Do you have it with the 2AA tube? If so, how do you rate the standard head it comes with for throw and spill?

 

[csshih]

Thanks, I do. Do you have it with the 2AA tube? If so, how do you rate the standard head it comes with for throw and spill?

yeah, the standard javelin is the 2aa, the extender is for 3aa.

throw and spill? I believe the dropin is the same as the standard deree dropins offered