what's so great about it?

[dradee1]

So I got a leef 3x18650 body with a HO-M6R bulb, 3 fresh 18650 batts. Put it all together with AW's soft start clicky go to turn it on and I a totally unimpressed.

I think stock m4 with the higher output bulb was brighter than this setup.

 

[mdocod]

A few possible reasons you are unimpressed:


*Hopes set too high.
*Converting bulb lumens to surefire lumens is about 0.5 conversion factor. The HOLA on an M4 would be very similar to an HO-M6R. (it has been said by many that it falls in-between an MN20 and MN21 in the M6, which puts it right at about an MN61 )
*You've seen lights in this output class, so it's nothing new to you.

Out of curiosity, what brand/type of 18650s?


----------------

With that said, since you have seen lights in the ~200-600 lumen arena, if you want to be impressed you are going to have to try something with like, 5000 or more lumens. That's just the way it works.

Eric

 

[dradee1]

They are Ultrafire 18650 , I hear what you are saying but I was still hoping to be wowed even a bit.
Well atleast it should run for a long time ....

 

[Patriot]

I typically run the HO-M6R on the smaller 17670's but I still rate it highly. Run-time is good, the beam is nice and white and the overall output is very respectable. Hmm....not sure what you were expecting. Perhaps you could look into the mag85 or other more powerful mag mods. HID might also interest you.

 

[Sgt. LED]

What's so great about it? It's yours, you own a better piece of flashlight gear than 98% of the people on the planet. Let it grow on you.

:thumbsup:

 

[dradee1]

I guess I am sounding way too harsh on my modded M4, trust me I always loved my Devastator. Love the size and shape of it and it does throw really very well.

Going from the stock M4 HO bulb rated at 350 lumens to this HO-M6R rated at 700 lumens I guess I expected a much brighter light not just a bit brighter, know what I mean?

Maybe since I have the AW soft start clicky installed I will try a Surefire MN21 with this Leef body and see how it goes, hopefully not poof .

As a side note does any store sell extra Surefire M4 heads without the other parts?

 

[Sgt. LED]

:thumbsup: I know what you mean. You spend the money and expect a big boost in output and have to compare the old to the new 7 times to really see that the new IS a slight improvement. It can be a kick in the nuts at times.

You have to remember the old addage of double the lumens to visualize the gain. I've forgotten it many times myself!

Also going from SF lumens to LF lumens is tricky. On paper it sounds like double the lumens but the SF is closer to 400 and the LF is around 650. Not to mention the fact that your LF bulb may be a weak one or your SF bulb might be a superb specimine.

Oh and I think the MN21 may just POP but mdocod's li-ion incan guide can answer that for you for sure. I think it's the first link in his sig.

 

[Owen]

The MN21 will go poof instantly on 3x18650. You need two unprotected 18650 to run it in a Leef body.
Most dealers sell the KT4-HA kit, which includes the turbohead and MN15 and MN16 lamp assemblies. You can find the turboheads in the Marketplace section frequently. I bought one just a couple weeks ago, and there was another for an even better price in the last few days. Look for KT4 or Millenium Turbohead. Most of the time people will just say KT4.

 

[roadie]

-_- |||

Most of the time people will just say KT4.

 

[brighterisbetter]

Going from the stock M4 HO bulb rated at 350 lumens to this HO-M6R rated at 700 lumens I guess I expected a much brighter light not just a bit brighter, know what I mean?

I take it that you didn't see this thread first?

 

[FlashKat]

I would try the IMR-M6 with the IMR 18650 batteries.

I guess I am sounding way too harsh on my modded M4, trust me I always loved my Devastator. Love the size and shape of it and it does throw really very well.

Going from the stock M4 HO bulb rated at 350 lumens to this HO-M6R rated at 700 lumens I guess I expected a much brighter light not just a bit brighter, know what I mean?

Maybe since I have the AW soft start clicky installed I will try a Surefire MN21 with this Leef body and see how it goes, hopefully not poof .

As a side note does any store sell extra Surefire M4 heads without the other parts?

 

[mdocod]

To answer this differently:

The HO-M6R is not really much of a move "UP" from an MN61 in output, but your new configuration is a move up in every other possible way IMO: You've tripled your runtime while the host has only gained about 25% length, and you are now operating on guilt free lumens with the recharge-ability of li-ion cells instead of burning through $6 worth of primaries every 15-20 minutes.

The reason I asked what brand of cells you were using is actually relevant, as the battery you use can have a substantial impact on the performance of a direct drive incan configuration. Ultrafires are hit and miss, if you got some good ones, then it's probably performing pretty close to what it's supposed to, but at the other end of the spectrum, it could be performing way under ideal.

If you want to see at least a noticeable difference, without going to a insta-fire-starting super mag mod with 5000 lumens, pick up a set of [3] AW IMR18650s. And also one of the new IMR-M6 bulbs. Theoretically, the HO-M6R should also work on the new IMR cells (but it will be overdriven a bit and suffer some bulb life loss) and will be brighter on them, the IMR bulb should stand out as being at least noticeably brighter than your MN61...

Oh ... one other thing I just thought of...

I've noticed, personally, that if I were to take 2 lights, of equal output, but one large, and the other very small, the small one "seems" brighter to me, it's all in my head of course, but it has to do with the concept of expectation. You've moved to a larger host size, so the expectation has risen with it to some degree, so when you didn't see a massive leap in output, it was disappointing.

Eric

 

[dradee1]

Its fine and your right I let it run for 35 mins and it was still burning nice and bright, so thats a plus!

I also have 3 AW 18650s and did not notice any difference between them and the Ultrafires, I`m gonna mount it on my AR tomorrow and see how it looks and feels with the big Surefire M4/Leef stick on there :twothumbs

I did learn one valuable thing, Lumens factory make nice bulbs but sure do get creative on the lumens ratings.

 

[Juggernaut]

Oh ... one other thing I just thought of...

I've noticed, personally, that if I were to take 2 lights, of equal output, but one large, and the other very small, the small one "seems" brighter to me, it's all in my head of course, but it has to do with the concept of expectation. You've moved to a larger host size, so the expectation has risen with it to some degree, so when you didn't see a massive leap in output, it was disappointing.

Eric

Yes this can be a huge factor "at least to me" one example was two nights ago I throw 2x 14500 Li-ion batteries in a $1.19 flashlight with an ROP low bulb and when I went out side and fired it up it looked like the brightest light on earth, I was so impressed with it:thumbsup:. I then compared it with my M90 EO-13 and the M90 was a good deal brighter, but just didn't impress me as much because it was larger and much heavier. I think it's just the shock factor that's impressive: Yes high out put is important, but other things factor in like the size of the light, weight of the light or in this case the feel of cheap plastic spewing out this kind of power was just amazing:laughing:, even when one compared it to a high quality light that was superior to it:shrug:.

 

[dradee1]

Okay, so know I have seen the light I just got the adapter and WA1185 bulbs. (really nice work on these adapters)

Now this light is very bright and really did wow me. This whole setup 3x18650 body,3 speed soft start, bin adapter and 1185 have made this a really special light to me. Thanks for all the info and sugestions I got on CPF.

This setup even on low really does throw alot of light, Does anyone have any idea on what to expect on runtimes at the various levels,low,med,high using 3 AW18650p? I`m going to give it a try with 3 AW IMR18650 and see what happens.

 

[roadie]

i got the IMR setups also, though less 'brighter' than the 1185, its a easier bulb host to change with.

therefore i now have 2 x (3 X 18650) leef bodies, one on 1185, the other with IMR-6 ........

I`m going to give it a try with 3 AW IMR18650 and see what happens.

 

[herbicide]

I did learn one valuable thing, Lumens factory make nice bulbs but sure do get creative on the lumens ratings.

No, Surefire do.

Surefire lumens = Total[1] output at ~50% runtime (IIRC)

Nearly everyone else = Bare lamp/emitter output at designed voltage.


[1] This includes reflector and lens losses (~20%?)

 

[dradee1]

I just got 3 AW IMR18650`s and tried them in my setup and found that the IMR batts are shorter than standard 18650s. Times 3 and its really short in the Leef 3x tube.

I guess I gota make a adaptor.....

 

[Illum]

So I got a leef 3x18650 body with a HO-M6R bulb, 3 fresh 18650 batts. Put it all together with AW's soft start clicky go to turn it on and I a totally unimpressed.

I think stock m4 with the higher output bulb was brighter than this setup.

I think your ready for the WA1185
toss the soft starter, the HO-M6R lamp is designed for direct drive on li-ions...at least that was how the 3x17670 runtime got tested:thinking:

get yourself a Fivemega MN to bi-pin adapter and prepare your self with the lamp. make sure to look over lamp maintainence to prevent a catastrophic failure of the lamp [or 3piC PHail] in the bezel.