What is the advantage of the kl1 head?

[shootist16]

Please excuse my newbie question. What is the advantage of the KL1? Do you get more run time? Brighter? What is the deal?

 

[Ratso]

KL1 gives you the benefits of electronic regulation and a Luxeon Star LED:

- A softer light, suitable for close up work
- More suitable, practical, and efficient for "non-tactical" use
- More enegy efficient: Runs 3.5+ hours at a flat output on an E2e then gradually diminishes as the batteries run down meaning you buy less SF123As
- Better color: whiter (with a hint of blue) than Xenon, better color rendition at close range
- LEDs last 100,000s of hours meaning no expensive replacement lamps
- Shock Resistant: no bulbs to burn out or explode if you drop the light

[EDITED to prevent further ridicule

]

 

[Saaby]

The KL1 head is a head that will fit on a E series Surefire but it isn't just a plain head--it has a Luxeon star in it. So a KL1 turns your Surefire into a LED flashlight. That is the advantage.

 

[Byron Walter]

And don't forget that the KL1 is just too cool. It helps turn the E series into a system rather just another 'friggin torch!

Byron

 

[this_is_nascar]

Originally posted by Ratso:
KL1 gives you the benefits of electronic regulation and a Luxeon Star LED:

- A more soft, diffused, wider light, suitable for close up work
- More suitable, practical, and efficient for "non-tactical" use
- More enegy efficient: Runs 5 hours at a flat output on an E2e then gradually diminishes as the batteries run down meaning you buy less SF123As
- Better color (closer to sunlight), whiter than Xenon-Halogen incandescant
- LEDs last 100,000s of hours meaning no expensive replacement lamps
- Shock Resistant: no bulbs to burn out or explode if you drop the light

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Wider? I'm not sure about that. For an LED light, I think the beam is pretty tight.

5-Hours flat run-time? Not even close on any of the (4) that I have. Consistanly 3.5 hours before degradation starts.

Whiter? Comparing to the Sun? I've never seen the sun produce a blue tint before.

Sorry Ratso. I'm not trying to be a smart***, but the information you're stating is based on literature and all the pre-hype talk, not fact (in my case anyway).

 

[Ratso]

Awww man, just trying to help...

 

[this_is_nascar]

I know, but I couldn't resist.

 

[McGizmo]

Originally posted by this_is_nascar:


Whiter? Comparing to the Sun? I've never seen the sun produce a blue tint before.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Ray,

The sun is another star. I understand that it is a different color when not viewed through our dirty atmosphere........

 

[brightnorm]

Originally posted by Ratso:
.....More enegy efficient.... Runs 5 hours at a flat output....

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">If only it were so. When you look at efficiency tables of different emitters including LED and xenon, etc it's clear that LED efficiency has a very long way to go. Also, even if the KL-1 ran a flat 5hrs it still would be putting out less light overall, or at least a less functional "beam" over the same time period than say, a UKE Mini Q40 with four fresh lithium AA's. I say that from observation, though others may spec - correct me.

Brightnorm