Using a torch array to gain lumens and throw

[subwoofer]

I have been reading through many threads regarding very powerful torches 1200 lumens plus and had an idea after seeing some beam shots of the Flydragon MS2010. However these are quite expensive even for a budget one.

I have a single 18650 powered Cree Q5 zoom torch (as you can find many examples of on ebay). This will focus the beam so it projects an image of the actual led surface so giving a square and very bright spotlight with excellent throw or zoom out to give a nice even flood.

As a starting point I thought I would create an array of these torches and for simplicity each would powered by its own battery and use its own on/off switch. If I combine four in a format similar to many hand held spotlights I could have a torch with 1200Lm and could vary the focus on some to be flood, and others to be spot or anywhere in between.

The brightness would be controlled by how many I turn on and the throw or flood or mix of these would be infinitely adjustable.

Hopefully I am not being too simplistic in assuming that if you point two 300Lm torches at the same place you get the same amount of light as from a 600Lm torch?

Has anyone else created a torch array like this?

As for price, if you look around, these work out at about £10 each so at £40 for a 1200Lm light (with a bit of DIY work to join them together) this seems a bit of a bargain.

Any comments?

 

[joe1512]

Yeah that works fine.

The catch is that it is kinda hard to point 9 flashlights at exactly the same location. Especially since the angle changes depending on how far out the target is.

It is also unwieldy to use. What are you gonna do? Duct tape 9 lights together into a giant block?

I think this would work better with traditional beams. Maybe you have 5 2xCR123 lights with 1 mode and tactical switches and you wrap them around a longer handle.

O========D (one of the 5 CR123 lights)
====================== handle
O========D


Then, all 5 beams would roughly collate together and give quite a bit of light. If 200 lumens each, thats a 1000 lumen light.


This is still very unwieldy and dorky looking though. At that point, it is better to spend the 72 bucks to get an itp A6 Polestar to give you 600 lumens in a relatively small form factor.

 

[randomlugia]

Why do you assume 300 lumens for a Q5? The most I've seen from a Q5 is ~260 lumens, and that's from the better companies. I doubt a budget, no-name Cree torch will give you more than 230 torch lumens.

 

[cheapbastard]

This reminds me of the "Super Awesome Maglite Gatling Gun"

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=277015

It is not super awesome.

 

[randomlugia]

Another one I forgot about: the Solarforce L1200 for $75. http://www.lighthound.com/Solarforc...e-Flashlight--3-x-18650-batteries_p_1621.html

 

[subwoofer]

Yeah that works fine.

The catch is that it is kinda hard to point 9 flashlights at exactly the same location. Especially since the angle changes depending on how far out the target is.

It is also unwieldy to use. What are you gonna do? Duct tape 9 lights together into a giant block?

I think this would work better with traditional beams. Maybe you have 5 2xCR123 lights with 1 mode and tactical switches and you wrap them around a longer handle.

O========D (one of the 5 CR123 lights)
====================== handle
O========D


Then, all 5 beams would roughly collate together and give quite a bit of light. If 200 lumens each, thats a 1000 lumen light.


This is still very unwieldy and dorky looking though. At that point, it is better to spend the 72 bucks to get an itp A6 Polestar to give you 600 lumens in a relatively small form factor.

My intention was to build a compact mount and use scope mounts to hold the torches in a compact form close together and parallel so the beams overlap each other closely. I was hoping this would give a similar effect to some torches that use multiple emitters with odd looking array reflectors.

It would also give quite a lot more light than the itp A6 and use the 18650s as individual cells. This also gives the finished light the option of using all but one to give lots of light and when they run out, I would have one as a backup. Alternatively run them all to give maximum output.

It is also a project rather than just buying a more expensive, lower overall output light.

 

[subwoofer]

Why do you assume 300 lumens for a Q5? The most I've seen from a Q5 is ~260 lumens, and that's from the better companies. I doubt a budget, no-name Cree torch will give you more than 230 torch lumens.

On this basis, I don't care if they don't output to spec, even if they only output 230 Lm that gives 920 total from four torches, still not bad. Anyway, whether or not the cheaper torches give the stated output is not what I was asking about.

 

[subwoofer]

This reminds me of the "Super Awesome Maglite Gatling Gun"

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=277015

It is not super awesome.

Thanks for that link, I agree that does not look super awesome at all.

My intention it to create a much more compact one using four torches to start with. I would have the reflectors pretty much touching each other and fixed with the battery tubes parallel to each other.

 

[subwoofer]

Another one I forgot about: the Solarforce L1200 for $75. http://www.lighthound.com/Solarforc...e-Flashlight--3-x-18650-batteries_p_1621.html

Thanks for that link.

Another reason for doing what I am suggesting is that it will be much more compact. Overall length will be the same as a single 18650 powered torch, and circumference should be about the same as the reflector of the L1200.

Yes I accept that four power switches instead of one is not too neat, but I am trying to achieve a big output for a very small investment. If there is another way of getting this amount of light by modding something else, I would go for that, but all the mods I have seen so far seem to involve some very technical work with some expensive components which can easily result in a nice puff of smoke.

 

[joe1512]

Please note that my response was in the mindset of a serious-use light. I don't think you would really save much money by doing so and it would have several disadvantages.

For a project, Im sure this would work decently and would be fun to do!