Aleph info.

I am pretty new to all this but have purchased a couple nice lights. I want to see what people have to say about some of the best and most useful Aleph builds. I have and LOVE my PD, but want an Aleph. Can anyone give me some wisdom here?

Hi Fringe ... welcome to CPF !

I'll move this thread to the McGizmo forum where it will be more comfortable

In the McGizmo forum have a look at the sticky threads, especially the FAQ thread where you will find a link to the Aleph-FAQ that will keep you occupied for some time :devil:

bernie


Linky:
Aleph FAQ:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/64146
McGizmo info sticky:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/93471

Thanks Bernie. I am still interested in anyones opinions concerning their favorite combos.

Thanks!

OK ... some cool examples:


Aleph3 head with NG750 TV0J on TB`s PILA168A tube and 15ohms McE2S in Standard Tailcap



McLux-PR head with X3T BB750mA on 2x123 Aleph flared body and 22ohms FT tailcap



Upper: Aleph2 with Wiz2 550mA LuxI R2H on 2x123 with 1-stage tailcap
Lower: Exe head with NG400 TWOJ on CR2 body and 15ohms cap



Aleph19 UV



Aleph3 LuxV DB917 on 3x123 Brass UBH and 30ohms Cap



Modded SF L1 head with BB600 LuxV on 2xCR2/PILA150S body and modded SF E2D cap to McE2S 22ohms



And the all-time classic ... Aleph1 head with either a LuxIII and DB917 LE or a LuxV BB500 LE. Always useful and a great performing combo.



My big favourite, the Aleph2 on 1x123 got upgraded to the McLuxIII-PD ...

bernie

Fringe,

Since you already have a PD, an Aleph II may be redundant. I think that the next logical step would be an Aleph I.

I've been away for a while and don't remember the current levels at which the PD runs, but I can comment about the Aleph I.

It will offer you noticeably more throw while still giving you a decent sidespill for close to intermediate range work. It serves well in situations where you need throw. My favorite configuration for a compact package is to have the A1 head on a single cell body using a NexGen500 based light engine. This offers good brightness and runtime. If you don't mind the light being longer, you could opt for a two cell body using a Downboy based light engine biased for something between 700mA to 1A.

All of the above assumes the use of a Lux III. Going with a 5W in an A1 usually results in too much heat, unless you run the 5W at 500mA or less, or you don't run it for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

Hey Tony ! Good to see you back again in here, too !!!! :wave:

Also ... what he said.

bernie

P.S.: see that Exe head in the pic above? Remember? It's your work which is still floating around in these halls ...

NICE lights & pics! Are those all yours bernie? WOW!

Yes ... :huh: ... I am addicted, I admit :sick2: ... and there is much more than what you see in those pics ...
I found a home with Surefire and McGizmo lights ... it is very rare that I buy anything different these days.
Which is sad one the one hand, but on the other hand the flashlight philosophy of SF and Don just match well with my needs and wants ... and as the quality is the best of the best ... I will stay where I am.
bernie

Excuse the hijack...

Hey Tony! I'm gonna give you a call soon, and catch up!

And back to the subject at hand... My most useful combo has always been 2X123 with an A2 head running on a 500mA DB. Super runtime, good size in the hand, lots of stable low-beam choices, and the beam is perfect for most of my uses.

Of course most of what I sold was much smaller and running much hotter. Kids these days.

I have the "all time classic" (black finish), and it's definitely one of my favorite lights. It's the 2x123A Luxeon light that I was looking for when I originally bought the Pentagonlight L2, Streamlight Scorpion LED, and Pelican M6 3W. The Pelican comes close in throw, but it doesn't have the 2 level output of the Aleph.

Next, I'm thinking about getting a 1x123A version.

Darell said:

Of course most of what I sold was much smaller and running much hotter. Kids these days.

Click to expand...

Hey I resemble that remark.

Chop, glad to see you back.

Doc, you just love showing off your lights.

Fringe, Welcome to CPF:wave: , if you are seeking wisdom ....this may not be the right bunch............:devil:
If you could give some idea of what is is you seek, one of these guys may be able to help

Tony,

As a recent flashlight addict, I am also looking at Aleph lights since I bought a VB-16 5W, JIL Intelli, and McLux III PD. Do you know how long an Aleph I is with a two cell body and whatever tailcap (which do you prefer?)? How would the overall output and throw compare with my Ubin McLux III PD? Thanks.

Ned

Chop said:

Fringe,

Since you already have a PD, an Aleph II may be redundant. I think that the next logical step would be an Aleph I.

I've been away for a while and don't remember the current levels at which the PD runs, but I can comment about the Aleph I.

It will offer you noticeably more throw while still giving you a decent sidespill for close to intermediate range work. It serves well in situations where you need throw. My favorite configuration for a compact package is to have the A1 head on a single cell body using a NexGen500 based light engine. This offers good brightness and runtime. If you don't mind the light being longer, you could opt for a two cell body using a Downboy based light engine biased for something between 700mA to 1A.

All of the above assumes the use of a Lux III. Going with a 5W in an A1 usually results in too much heat, unless you run the 5W at 500mA or less, or you don't run it for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

Click to expand...

Oh good, a chance to play with my new digicam

Here's a few of my current favs. Only have 4, but enough parts to make them up in various ways, so this is what I've settled on. I'm currently, and for the last 3 months or so, planning my "final Aleph build." I should have 8 when I'm done, but it's been driving me crazy - there are so many variables to consider. I've made a lot of mistakes, that made themselves known after committing to some decision, like primaries only, then deciding to go whole hog for recargeables, which of course makes past purchases of high vf Luxs not so good. Like I said, making me crazy, but a good kind of crazy

The group photo is my two most used lights in the foreground, with a very handy one lurking in the background. On the left is a BB500-WX1S-A19-LDF (diffusion lens) on a 1x18650 tube from TranquilityBase. To its right is a DB917-WX1S-A1-LDF on a BE3 (3x123 tube from Balrog.) The A1 is my least liked head with a LuxIII, but extremely nice for me with a LuxV, especially with the LDF lens.



The below is the one in the background above. It's a DB700-UX1K-A2 with a LDF as well. It's on an Aleph bare AL tube with a Balrog tailcap. This is a very useful all around light, much in the same way Darell's 2x123 A2 is, just a little brighter. Darell built all my LEs btw, and is a pleasure to deal with.



I love the Aleph system, whatever the Don might say No, they're not bullet proof, but if you take your time, understand what you need to know, there are many wonderful possibilities lurking here that you literally can't find anywhere else. And many CPF people willing to help you out. The journey isn't just part of the fun, I think it's the most fun.

Tony - I think this is the 4th post at least I've seen from you in the last several days, so I guess you're really back. From a noob, I have to say that your presence here was one of the main attractions of CPF. I'm so happy for you that you're getting back into the swing

Having parted with my L1-DB917-PRT, I am interested in replacing this
with something with equivalent throw, but in a smaller form factor.

Ideally I was thinking of an Aleph1 head with a UX1K or TXOH powered to 1000ma - with a one cell body and 2-stage trim tailcap.

I would like this to work off a RCR123.

I'm not sure which the best driver would be for this. I don't think it could
be a DB since the 4.2v off the RCR123 may not be enough for this.

Maybe it would need to be a NexGen (although I've heard there are "flickering" problems when going from high to low with this).

Another possibility would be a Wiz.

Could anyone advise me on this - and if anyone feels like doing a build, I'm interested.

I realise that run-time will be short like this, but I also have an L4 tube that I can put a Pila 168S in for longer run-time if needed and I particularly like the idea of a pocket-sized throw-monster.

Man, you guys are awsome and VERY knowledgable and Don was right telling me to come here, but it took a few days for me to be confirmed here and be able to post and the bug had already taken hold and I just could not wait, so I emailed the Don. This what he wrote that made me jump-

If you want a brighter and longer running version of the PD, then go with a DB917 and 2x123 tube.

So I ran to the Shoppe and odered this with a two stage falt top switch and ALeph II head (I like the flat top and the slender II bezel), but thought that since I would have the additional two stage switch form the light, I might as well get a KL1 head from Grandpajack and order a 1x123 body from the shoppe to come in with the Aleph II build.

So o'sage light masters, was this a good move? What can I get to add to what I have coming to give me a nice "kit"? Just so you know, I currently have 2 PDs and my very first light, a surefire E2e. I will tell you that cdf, who lurks here, turned me to the PD over at the Benchmade forum and, well, the rest is history. The PD is an awesome tool. I am forever grateful to cdf.

Except for the PDs all of your lights are E-Series compatible and thus interchangeable provided you pay attention to battery configurations vs. driver/LED combos.
Although the Aleph2 head puts out an identical beam as the PD, the KL1 will broaden your repertoire. To further enlarge your possibilities there is the Aleph1 head that offers great throw for the size ... or the Aleph19 which offers almost pure flood with LuxIII or LuxV. All depends on your needs.
The Aleph3 is significantly bigger but puts out some real punch :devil: ... and looks cool on the E2e:



bernie

I also have a PD that I love and find that an Aleph1 with a single-cell body goes with it really well. I usually carry exactly that combo! I built two LEs - one is a LuxIII at 700mA, for more throw than the PD; one is a LuxV at 400mA, for more flood than the PD. I usually put the Aleph1 head on a Vital Gear FB-1 body, which is tiny but only has a one-stage tailcap.

With this combo, which both fit in the same front pocket if I wanted to, I have a long-running reading light (PD on low), a perfect medium range beam (PD on high), and either a wall of light (A1 LuxV) or a reach out and touch someone light (A1 LuxIII). Works for me! Although I am looking to buy another Aleph setup and build another LE as well, just for fun. Enjoy your kit!

I'm an Aleph junkie too, with a bunch of parts and light engines to mix and match.

On night walks in town, I like to carry an Aleph3 on a 3 cell UBH tube driving a DB1000 UWOK. Good for looking into dark corners or shutting up barking dogs (well, it works sometimes)!

For around the house use or any task lighting, its an Aleph2 usually on R123x1 driving a DB500 with TWOH.

On a night hike in the woods, its an Aleph2 with TV1J (better foliage rendition) on an NG750 light engine sitting on an 18650 tube from Tranquility Base.

For a night bike ride, its the Aleph1 on the 18650 tube with a TXOJ/Wiz2/1000 mounted on the helmet.

A bit over the top? I'll confess to that, but I love the Aleph system and its fun for me.

What's the runtime on your Aleph1 on the 18650 tube with a TXOJ/Wiz2/1000?

wasBlinded said:

I'm an Aleph junkie too, with a bunch of parts and light engines to mix and match.


On night walks in town, I like to carry an Aleph3 on a 3 cell UBH tube driving a DB1000 UWOK. Good for looking into dark corners or shutting up barking dogs (well, it works sometimes)!

For around the house use or any task lighting, its an Aleph2 usually on R123x1 driving a DB500 with TWOH.

On a night hike in the woods, its an Aleph2 with TV1J (better foliage rendition) on an NG750 light engine sitting on an 18650 tube from Tranquility Base.

For a night bike ride, its the Aleph1 on the 18650 tube with a TXOJ/Wiz2/1000 mounted on the helmet.

A bit over the top? I'll confess to that, but I love the Aleph system and its fun for me.

Click to expand...

bernie,

Thanks for the welcome. Although I've been away for a while, it appears that things haven't changed. Darell's still talking about what feels comfortable in his hand.

Darell,

Give me a call when you get a chance. I'm going to be working on my shop this weekend. I need to take a break from work. Although we aren't getting paid diddly squat, they're working us like dogs.

The Aleph II is the most practical of the Aleph lights. It offers a reasonable amount of throw with lots of useable light, but for those situations that require more throw, the Aleph I usually works well.

If more throw is what you want, I think that an Aleph I is the way to go. In my limited experience, I've found that throw is more a function of reflector size than current level or the bin of the luxeon. If comparing a U bin in an Aleph II running at 700 mA to a T bin running in an Aleph I at 700mA, I'd go out on a limb and say that the T bin in the Aleph I will out throw the U bin in the Aleph II.

Geez guys, it's good to be back. I had almost forgotten how much fun talking flashlights can be.