L4, L2, L5, or U2 as backyard illuminator

GWC3

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still a newbie but have been reading lots and looking at beamshots. I have an L2 and a U2 of the 4 mentioned above and like both. The U2 is a priamry grab light for the car or when I'm out ect. The L2 is great on low beam and lights up a room real well (and even the backyard). ANd the U2 is no slouch either but isnt the wall of light L2 is - but has the throw. that said, how do the L4 and L5 compare in the light up a room or the yard criteria? I know the L4 is E size and L5 larger. but this light would be in nite stand as room / house illuminator next to my G2 with P61
 

wquiles

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Based on the L4 that I had and many beamshots of the L5 compared to U2's , L6's, and other lights, the L4 is pretty much all flood with little throw. The L5 is very similar to the U2, with perhaps a little bit more trow.

For me, for outside use, I pretty much only use incandecents due to their excellent color rendition - the A2 being my current favorite one ;)

Will
 

Pixel

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Just noticed that the runtime graph of the L2 has been updated:
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/surefire_l2.htm

In terms of overall brightness the L2 is turning itself into L4 in just 2-3 minutes on high. It seems. And it is even worse, because the L2 is not regulated on high.
L4 has regulated output for over an hour, the same brigthess as L2 and smaller size. You also get a KL4 head that can be reused in other E-style bodies.
 

Luna

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Pixel said:
Just noticed that the runtime graph of the L2 has been updated:
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/surefire_l2.htm

In terms of overall brightness the L2 is turning itself into L4 in just 2-3 minutes on high. It seems. And it is even worse, because the L2 is not regulated on high.


This is most likely temperature protection kicking in. The L2 doesn't have much mass in the head so it will get hot fast --- especially since it is driven harder. Constant runtime analysis isnt the correct way to test an L2. It is meant to be used on low most of the time (which at ~15 lumens is a good general purpose level) and high in bursts.



As for regulation on high: If it isn't regulated, then how are two 123s able to drive the Lux5 to L4specs(660ma) much less harder? ;)
 

paulr

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If you're talking about lighting your own yard, it sort of misses the point of those small LED lights, which is that they put a lot of photons in a small volume so you can carry them everywhere. You pay for that in up-front cost, in battery cost, in runtime, and in output. If you're just using the light right around the house you can use a bigger light, like a Vector spotlight, that will put out more photons than all those LED lights put together and cost just 20 bucks or so. It's basically a car headlamp in a portable housing with a rechargeable SLA pack. But it weighs as much as a brick or something. Other alternatives include the Tigerlight, Magcharger, etc., which are a bit more manageable.
 

Sburr23

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I have a L2, and it has maybe 25 minutes of momentary, not constant on use, and the beam is still brighter than a L4.

I don't think constant on is the best way to test battery life for the L2.

Steve
 

cratz2

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I think it depends on the size of your backyard...
naughty.gif


Our backyard can get by with a Sam's Club Element... my father in law's backyard would need something like one of those Marine Helicoptor search lights.

As for the Surefires... I've always thought the L2 was a 2 stage L4 and the U2 was a multi stage L5. I think the L2 or L4 would be my first choice for indoor work and the U2 is a good balance of throw and total output for general use though for a dedicated outdoor light, I'd want more throw than the U2 on high.
 

cratz2

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Also, I've wondered about the difference that quickbeam got out of the L2 vs the L4... I think something weird is going on initially with the L2 on high. In my experience, if you put fresh cells in an L2 and an L4 and run them both for about 20 minutes, then their outputs are VERY similar if not almost indentical. Maybe some odd regulation/boost thing is going on that accounts for the 50% brighter initial reading.
 

cheapo

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you lost your noobship when you boght that U2. :)

-David
 

Pixel

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Luna said:
It is meant to be used on low most of the time (which at ~15 lumens is a good general purpose level) and high in bursts.

People don't buy the L2 because of its low, they buy it for the "wall of light" thing. Two brightess levels are good for EDC, but the size of L2 is just enough to prevent it for generic EDC usage. I aggree that constant high-level on is not good idea for ploting a run-time graph. However this graph looks terrible - 11min to 50%. I own an L2 and I replaced batteries after 1 month of usage. I used it only in high mode about 10-20 secs a day. Just to get some wow's ;). In sudden brighess drop so rappidly that I was unable to tell the differnce between low and high mode.
It is not secret that L2 is regulated only in low. However I am happy with this light - just wanted to express that this light is more WOW than a tool. Just like the Orb RAW.
 

Numbers

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Pixel,
If I did the math correctly, are you saying that the L2 will run on high for only 10 minutes before the batteries need to be changed? Seems aufully short. My L4 dropped out of regulation after about one half of an hour on the batteries that came with it. I am now on my first set of new batteries and hope I will get the advertised 1 hour.
 

Pixel

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Size15's

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Something strange is happening with that L2 - doesn't appear to be consistant with actual use. I would suggest a couple more runtime tests (perhaps with SF123As or DL123As). There could be something wrong with the L2 itself. Trying another L2 would seem a good idea. I'd send it back and have it replaced.
 
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