What's the best way to make a C-LE 2.0 brighter?

[Wicho]

So, everything I've read says no 14500's in this light. Any thoughts on how to make it brighter? The box says 100 lumens - uhuh, yeah, sure. All and all a nice light that runs a long time on eneloops, but...like a true lumen addict, I want more.

I'd be willing to try a 14500 if I thought it wouldn't immediately kill the light.

Anyone have some good advice?

 

[MarNav1]

If you want more, my advice would be sell it and get something else. You don't want to burn it out obviously because then you'll have no light and you won't be able to sell it either. If you are a modder you could put a Q5 in it, don't know if it's worth the effort though from what I've read C-LE's are difficult to open.

 

[merlocka]

So, everything I've read says no 14500's in this light. Any thoughts on how to make it brighter? The box says 100 lumens - uhuh, yeah, sure. All and all a nice light that runs a long time on eneloops, but...like a true lumen addict, I want more.

I'd be willing to try a 14500 if I thought it wouldn't immediately kill the light.

Anyone have some good advice?

It's already using a Q2 bin, there is nothing more you could really do unless you wanted to crack open the pill and try to replace the driver with something different.

And yes, I recall reading at least one report of the light dying with 14500, although I just popped on into mine and it ran OK for a few seconds before I shut it off.

And the rating of 100 lumens is probably pretty close per the typical LED rating method. The Q2 bin is close to 100 lumens at 350mA, and the LE 2.0 is drawing ~800mA on a 1.5V E2. So, it's in the ballpark. Probably around 60 "torch" lumens.

The C-LE 2.0 is a great pocket light. It's a good PWM circuit, has 5-mode with memory, and gets decent battery life with Nimh or alkaline.

However, if you want a pocket monster, it's not it. Maybe go nab one of the Ultrafire C3 5-modes. Those have new circuits that work with 14500, and have some serious output. QC is sketchy, but it's cheap lumens.

 

[Wicho]

Thanks for the input.

I really like the light, and in all truthfulness it is bright enough to do what I need from an EDC, I just wish I could make it brighter. Not necessarily SF Cree L1 bright, but brighter. Anyway, I just ordered more from BOG as stocking stuffers.

Milky, got any ideas? Hehehe...

 

[Magichunter]

Try using Energizer E91 lithium AA's. It will be noticably brighter than running it on NiMh cells and I'm satisfied with the output.

 

[Grateful Ned]

I'll toss this in to save some more knowledgeable people a little typing time...

Clean the contacts well and use some Deoxit or something similar. I was disappointed with the brightness of mine on arrival today but it seemed like I got a few more lumens out of it after cleaning. Maybe I was imagining it lol. And ditto on the primary lithiums for brightness but I'd think eneloops will save you a ton of cash over time.

 

[Wicho]

Thanks for the advice guys. I tried cleaning the contacts, but no difference. I did try one of my other C-LE's that I hadn't opened and it was definitely brighter. Guess which one goes in someone's stocking...Hehehe...

Went to Fry's yesterday to buy some Lithium AA's, got to the checkout line, and...about 100 people in line ahead of me. Left w/o batteries. I'll head to Target today.

Anyone make rechargeable Lithium AA's?

 

[swxb12]

Anyone make rechargeable Lithium AA's?

Yup, they are called "14500 cells". Unfortunately the voltage of rechargeable 14500s is too high for the C-LE to handle, and the light should go *poof* if attempted.

I think JetBeam's MKII model can handle these cells however, and is much brighter on them as well.

 

[Wicho]

Yup, they are called "14500 cells".

I had that one coming.

Okay, how about...1.5 volt rechargeable lithium AA's.