What is the color temp of the K3500R?

[jtrucktools34]

Hello All!

I am fairly new to CPF in general spending most of my time on the LED side of things and now have been hanging around the HID threads. I was hoping one of you veterans could help me clear up some confilcting information on the "latest" Phoebus (Microfire Warrior III). I have found on most threads that the bulb is a 6000+k. On a couple of different vendors web sites I have found it to be listed as a 7000k and on a light review I saw it listed as a 6000k/5000k. I know there are different versions of this light. (New and Old) Is the 5000k a new version? I am on the fence for what to purchase. I have been weighing many options but keep coming back to the K3500R. My only hang up is the 6000k-7000k bulb!

Help? :sigh:

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Patriot]

All of the newest listed specs put the number at 7000K. While this may be a bit bluer than it actually is, it's safe to say that they're never warmer than 6000K. Mine older light appears to be between 6000-6500K, essentially the same as what they are now. Why they don't upgrade to a nice 5000K bulb is beyond me.

 

[jtrucktools34]

All of the newest listed specs put the number at 7000K. While this may be a bit bluer than it actually is, it's safe to say that they're never warmer than 6000K.

Bummer! I had a feeling you would say that!!
:mecry:

I have seen that you have recommended looking at the Oracle 35w with the 4300k bulb but I just can't get over the 14"+ length. I have started looking at the 24w Oracle but with the new LED's coming out "SST's" I am wondering if the whole "budget" HID thing is really worth it. ?? I can't decide if the color thing should really be a deal breaker or not. You seem to like your Microfire in spite of the "BLUE". I have a number of LED lights, both "warm" and "cool". I do lean twards the warm tint but I also EDC an R2 "cool". I am mainly looking for the WOW!! effect. My brightest light now is an M1X which is awsome, but... HID awwwwww that's what I want, what I neeeeeeed...

Pardon my rambling. Does the 7000k actually cut down on the effectiveness of the 3500lm? Any Further advice?

Thanks again Patriot!

 

[Patriot]

All of the newest listed specs put the number at 7000K. While this may be a bit bluer than it actually is, it's safe to say that they're never warmer than 6000K.

Bummer! I had a feeling you would say that!!
:mecry:

I have seen that you have recommended looking at the Oracle 35w with the 4300k bulb but I just can't get over the 14"+ length. I have started looking at the 24w Oracle but with the new LED's coming out "SST's" I am wondering if the whole "budget" HID thing is really worth it. ?? I can't decide if the color thing should really be a deal breaker or not. You seem to like your Microfire in spite of the "BLUE". I have a number of LED lights, both "warm" and "cool". I do lean twards the warm tint but I also EDC an R2 "cool". I am mainly looking for the WOW!! effect. My brightest light now is an M1X which is awsome, but... HID awwwwww that's what I want, what I neeeeeeed...

Pardon my rambling. Does the 7000k actually cut down on the effectiveness of the 3500lm? Any Further advice?

Thanks again Patriot!

Sure, and you're not rambling. I have suspicion that early light examples of the SSTs are still going to fall short in some areas at least in the case of production lights. Customs may be a different story but they're certainly going to cost far more than the HID bargains we now have. Either way, they're not going to out throw HID for the foreseeable future. There's a running thread topic in the LED section with a title of "Will LED ever out perform HID?" You can search it if you like.

Regarding the color temperature, the K3500 is still cooler than the R2 cool whites. The actual bulb lumens output of the Microfire is closer to 2700 lumens according to the light meter. Some people have said that 6500K light is up to 20% less effective than 4300K light but I'm not so sure. Assuming that the N30, X990 and K3500R are all very close to a true 35W, the Microfire produces less light according to the meter, the other two lights being 4300K. The thing is, I think the K3500 is outputing 35W since it shows some caracteristics of being slightly underdriven. If driven properly by another few watts, I'm guessing it would be close in performance with the other two. I believe the reason they don't do this is because it would reduce the already short run-time.

From what I've seen, the Oracle 35W does not appear to be under driven and I believe it may be the faster warming, brighter light. Given this, it would be hard for me to purchase the Microfire today. Remember that the extra length is useless dead dimention, it's power and run-time.

If you decided to go with the 24W light, I don't think you'll be disappointed. It will be like turning on 3 or 4 M1X's but will throw farther to boot.

 

[jtrucktools34]

Thanks again for the insight!

lovecpf

I am leaning a little heavier twards the 24w Oracle. I was going to ask why you don't seem to have an Oracle in your arsenal but I realized that when you have a PH50 who needs anything else!

Jerry

 

[Patriot]

Yeah, the Orcacle35 would sort of duplicate a couple of the HIDs that I already have, even in style if not in exact output. I have three aluminum tube lights now and used to own a Boxer24. I just don't need another right now, although the Oracle 24W was enticing.