LEDBeam updates

cratz2

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Well, I ordered a 3C LEDBeam about a month ago and was generally impressed, except that it didn't have as tight of a beam or as quite as much throw as a modified Maglite.

On the other hand, I recently bought yet another LED Mag mod that I really liked but I wished for a larger hotspot. I got the idea to just swap reflectors between the Mag and LEDBeam. VERY nice. With the LEDBeam reflector in the Mag, there is actually a small usable range of beam tightness unlike the stock Mag which pretty much just works well on the very tighest setting.

On the other hand, with the Mag reflector in the LEDBeam light, the beam is even tighter and there is a bit more throw.

If the reflectors are compared to one another, they look VERY similar except the LEDBeam reflector is textured silver on the outside of the reflector while the Mag has the silver drip over and some visible blue plastic.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.
 

cratz2

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Oh... also there was some question about a replacement glass lens... The 52.1mm UCL lens for the Maglite works perfectly in the LEDBeam.
 

JohnK

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Glad to hear that.

I should get my Ledbeam in the mail today.

Does the cammed Mag reflector work the same as the Ledbeam ?
 

cratz2

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Well, all my current Lux III Mags have pretty choice bins in them... a UX1L is my worst one right now and it is actually my brightest.

The LEDBeam is white when shined on a white washing machine (we don't actually have any pure white walls in the house
thinking.gif
) but as most Luxes, if compared to something else, say a TW0J or UW0K, the LEDBeam is slightly blueish. Not pronounced at all, just slightly.

I was actually quite impressed with the LEDBeam, esp for the price... I figure it's about one third what one would expect to pay for a built by request Lux III Mag mod.

Of course, for the Mag reflector to work in the LEDBeam, it needs to be cut down as it would in a Lux Mag mod.There is still some range of adjustment though... not as radical as in a stock incandescent's 'focusing' ability but with the LEDBeam reflector, you can make the hotspot almost twice as big before getting any weird dark holes in the hotspot.

Purely preference though.
 

JohnK

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I agree on the good price.

At $ 24.95 shipped, priority mail, how can you lose, unless the beam is jade green or something.
 

JohnK

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I received my Ledbeam 3C yesterday.

Don't know why I waited to order one. Mine is nice and white, well centered Lux lll, and throws like a monster.

The fit, and finish are very nice. Knurling is not rough, but aggressive enough to prevent slipping.

It is by FAR, the brightest Lux lll I own.

The hot spot on mine doesn't really need any work, but I do have a spare Mag reflector I may play with.

At $ 24.95, this light purchase is a no brainer.
 

techwannabe

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Jul 13, 2005
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That's what I been saying ALL along, THE AFFORDABLE THROWER!!! Plus now Ledbeam has a winter special. Buy 3 @ $24.95 and get a $6.00 instant rebate. Plus free USPS Priority mail shipping to US. Guest what my friends are getting for X-MAS???
 

JohnK

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Just got dark in West Tennessee.

The Ledbeam outthrows my Streamlight TL-2 incandescent, and nearly matches my SL TL-3 incandescent.

The color temperature of the incandescents DOES make detail (brown tree trunks, etc.) stand out better than the Lux lll. (as always it seems)

The light makes my Nuwai TM 115 look like the batteries are sick (they are not)

Nice light.

I love a good deal !
 

Schuey2002

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JohnK said:
Just got dark in West Tennessee.

The Ledbeam outthrows my Streamlight TL-2 incandescent, and nearly matches my SL TL-3 incandescent.
Any guesses just how far (in feet or yards) it will throw it's beam?
 

cratz2

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JohnK said:
The Ledbeam outthrows my Streamlight TL-2 incandescent, and nearly matches my SL TL-3 incandescent.

No way! I've been wanting to get a TL-3 for the throw but if it's not really appreciably better than a Lux III Mag, then I guess I'll buy something else.

If you like it with the stock reflector, it definately throws further with the cut down Mag reflector.
 

JohnK

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Ahhh, get the TL-3 !

Nothing REALLY beats it.

The old saw that you can't notice a difference in brightness unless it's 50% or more is true.

I'm going to use the 3C Ledbeam for RUN TIME over the TL-3, not because it outclasses it. Sometimes NOTHING beats a good incandescent.

I think the Ledbeam will give me good throw for hours, without the "lithium" hangover, worrying when they'll poop out.

I find myself replacing the TL's batteries after thirty minutes runtime, cause I want a "full" load if I NEED it. I carry the TL-3 for very serious pruposes.
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

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Main reason I could think of to have a TL2 instead is that it can back pocket better than ANY 3C.

I don't have either as it is problematic for me to order anything lately. That said, the 2C M*g is pretty well back pocketable, the 3C a bit long.

I have a slightly longer than 3x123 Brinkmann Maxfire rechargable :thumbsdown: that is even more pocketable than a 2C M*g.

That said, I'm sure I'd like and find good use for a LebBeam... but not for EDC!!!

Also I'd have to wonder about a rechargable option for the TL3. For that matter this Brinkmann could use some HELP!
 

cratz2

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The TL-3 Incandescent is supposed to run very well on 2 x 17500 LiON cells, protected, of course. Should be slightly brighter initially and with the relatively flat discharge curve of the LiON cells, should give generally great results. That's how I'm going to run mine.

I think you get about an hour of use out of a charge.

PJS... NOT the rechargeable Maxfire! You're giving me very unpleasant flashbacks! Even though with the right LiON cells (again, maybe 2 17500s) it might be a great choice.
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

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At this time Cratz, I have 2x123 and an AA dummy running it. 123s kind of rattle in there so what ever fits loose light thickness wise will go.

But what bulb or lamp assembly can it run? I know a P60 goes in the 2x123 version, so is a P90 the way to go?

It's kind of pipe dreaming anyhow, but a pocketable bright guilt free light would be cool!!!
 

cratz2

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Well, these are wild guesses... pure speculation... but the P60 would likely flash if driven on 2 LiON cells. The P90 gives 105 lumens on 3 cells (9V) so I would imagine it would be giving off more than 60 lumens for most of the run on 2 LiON cells (7.4-8V) and the 17500 cells have about as much juice as primary 123s so since they would be somewhat under-driving the 9V bulb so I would think would give slightly more than an hour of runtime.

Alternately, I think the regular Maxfire LX running two protected rechargeable 123s on the P90 bulb would give about 45 minutes or more runtime in a shorter form factor.
 
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