The SF M6 X-LOLA: 200 lumens for 2.5 hours

[js]

Hey everyone! Lots been going on in my life over the last three years. Work at the accelerator was crazy, as I was short staffed and had to cover the shortfall myself, along with all my other responsibilities. That kept me busy (and somewhat dissatisfied with my life), and then after I decided to sell my house, leave the lab, and start looking for another job, that (as you can well imagine) also has kept me busy. So, I've not logged into CPF for many months, but I just did so now to change my email address, and I saw that this thread had some entries. Very cool! I'm thrilled that there are still people using this combo (and incans in general, also, of course).

I still have this setup, and I still love it. I don't use it much these days, but it's nice to have, and when I do use it, I really appreciate it, especially when the weather is bad.

batman, I'm surprised that you experienced back to back failures of MN15's with six primaries in the MB20 holder. I've had some MN15 lamps that didn't last as long as others, but none that have insta-flashed or blown up. And none that lasted less than 15 hours, I think (although I'm only guessing at that figure).

Anyway . . .

I have noticed that M6's can be had for very reasonable prices these days, and a MN15 lamp is also not going to set you back much, so for a very affordable sum of money, one can own this combo and try it out. I highly recommend it if you think you will need a flashlight for outdoors (especially in poor weather conditions). It's a nice addition to the arsenal of lights. It won't replace LED lights, to be sure, but you might be surprised at what a nice addition it is to your LED lights!

 

[kelmo]

Hey js! Happy New Year. Whose going to find the God Particle now? I still use my M6 X-LOLA especially in the winter months. M3, E2e, and E1e too! I have enough LAs and more than a few backup incans to last me the rest of my life. I will always be an incan man at heart.

Develop the quantum flashlight. A light that uses the filaments and batteries of the multiverse. Excuse my Hollywood understanding of quantum physics.

kelmo

 

[scout24]

Hard to believe the last post here was seven months ago. I just received an M6-CB in the mail today, to go with the regular bezeled one I already own. There is a spare KT-4 in the basement just in case, but for the cost of a battery carrier and a few bulbs I got a complete light. It may not be the brightest out there, but it's very satisfying to use. Especially with the MN15 or 20! MN-21 is nice for showing off, and is impressive, but for sustained use the lower power bulbs are just the ticket. Hope there's still some M6 love out there. :wave:

 

[Illum]

After rereading the entire thread it made me regret selling the M6 body. I managed to operate the MN15 currently with a Solarforce 2x18650 body mated to a LF C to M collar then threaded that onto an Surefire M3 head. Doesn't look pretty, but its got a rear clicky and has a belt clip. It sips power, not very bright to today's standards, but a nice yard searchlight none the less

The donkey **** form factor prevents it from being carried however, too long. with the M6 body at least a Mdocod's 2x18650 side by side holder would have made it extremely ergonomic

 

[kelmo]

Hello fellow incan fanatics!

I just picked up another M6 and it came with the old purple MN20 LA. The first thing I did was swap it out for an MN15 LA. This light is so satisfying. Big in the hand with that gorgeous white oblong hotspot. It's funny that the Titan Plus in my pocket on paper outputs more lumens than my "Magnasaurus." Its a good thing I have a lot of batteries to feed the beast! I'll have to dig out my John Willis holster and attach it to my backpack!!!

Shine on,

kelmo

 

[skillet]

Glad to see this thread back in focus. I was just using the M6 w/MN15 night before last investigating what I thought was a skunk but was a grouchy 'possum.. I keep going back to this setup time and time again.... I've recently built a variant that runs on 26650's.. You talk about run time.. I have so many LED powered light but for around the house and bump in the night, I continually reach for the incan.

 

[mcm308]

The devil on my right shoulder keeps telling me to buy another M6. I loved the way the M6 felt and it wasn't top heavy in my back pocket!

Sent from my SM-N975U using Candlepowerforums mobile app

 

[ampdude]

This thread is great, but something about it rubs me the wrong way. The only ACCEPTABLE way to use an M6 is with an MN21.
The MN15 is like firing .22lr out of a Desert Eagle.
I'll probably still do it though.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Talk to js.

Bill

 

[325addict]

I have another addition to this thread: an XX-LOLA

Make sure to have a FM G4 bi-pin adapter, add a WA1336U (rated 6V / 0.64A / 525 hours) so overdriving it to 7.4V is no problem, current will rise a bit but not to over 0.7A which in theory will yield 5 HOURS of runtime if combined with 2X 18650 (3500mAh).
I used this combo a full winter as a bike light, and finally the bulb died, fairly black. But it lasted dozens of hours for sure.

 

[cy]

blast from the past .. still have my old M6 which has not seen daylight for sometime
big time fun when the JS pack was still alive ..

 

[Kestrel]

One of my all-time favorite CPF threads; always get a smile from seeing an update.

 

[kelmo]

One of my all-time favorite CPF threads; always get a smile from seeing an update.

I'm with you raptor man!!!

 

[LED61]

Greetings everyone! Have not logged on for a long time. Still using my M6 with MN15. It just goes on and on. I do however "break in" my new batteries with an MN20. Still think brand new they are too much for the MN15. After a little use I put the X LOLA right back in.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I might have mentioned this some timer ago. I have used the MN15 with two 18650's in an M6 and find that it also gives good runtime. Quite bright and years ago I did some run time tests using a light meter and bounce.

Bill

 

[js]

One of my all-time favorite CPF threads; always get a smile from seeing an update.

That's so cool to hear! I'm so surprised this thread is still alive!

But maybe I shouldn't be? Of all my incandescent lights that I kept--and there were only two--this was one, and it is still alive and well, sitting on my dresser, along with a spares carrier with 6 batteries and a spare lamp. I have either this lamp (MN15) or the MN20 (new version). And I still love the light from the M6 when it's foggy or rainy, over most LED lights.

 

[LED61]

You were always my mentor and I learned so much from your posts Jim. I too have a collection of A2´s and two M6´s as my only incandescents. I have Will´s Phd-M6 that I use with the MN20 on one, an MN15 with 123´s on the other. On the A2´s I have Fivemega´s Strion sockets and bulbs, which give it so much brilliant white regulated power. Both lights are keepers !! Glad to see you here.

 

[:)>]

This setup or ones like it was one that I always coveted... the M6 was the king for a long time but was too expensive to run until things like this were discovered. 250 Incandescent lumens from a Surefire turbo head is still solid and something I would like to see.

 

[Owen]

What is going on here? Any of y'all still using a setup like this?
I've still got a Millenium turbohead that may go up for trade, but if anyone wants a couple of Lumens Factory HO-M3T LAs, you're welcome to them. Kinda between the MN15 and MN16, but with a round spot like a N2.
Never used the M6, 'cause it felt huge to my stubby fingers. N2/SRTH and HO-M3T/KT4 with bored Z3 and M3 bodies, then HO-M3T or MN21/KT4 with Leef C to M bodies were what I stuck with(after frying a couple of MN16 on 2x18650).
Seems like a loooong time ago!

 

[Greenbean]

but if anyone wants a couple of Lumens Factory HO-M3T LAs, you're welcome to them.

PM sent,

I'll take em off your hands... :twothumbs