12 volt lamps and SF 6P

I have been trying to figure out how to get my 6P with two cell extension to run a 12 volt lamp. My immediate goal is for the most output. After reading up on my options I am more confused than when I started.

First, which lamp assembly do you guys recommend? I'm thinking the Digilight DRB12VHP is the largest rated. How does the G+P compare and will the Wolf Eyes fit. Also I read that some lights were being shipped with the lower output than what is advertised. Have they shipped all the low output ones yet?

Second I am planning on using the standard 123's but would like the rechargeable 123's as an option. I am getting lost in the protected vs non protected options. What is the difference. Is it the voltage drop between the two. If so what is better and with which Lamp Assembly would be best for the rechargable setup.

Lastly but probably of most importance is reliability. The light will be primarily carried for LE purposes. So I don't feel like risking instaflashes or mulitple clicks to get it turned on.

Thanks for any suggestions.

To ofcjim40, if you read this I'm not ignoring your suggestion on a post a month back. I think your suggestion fits my needs pretty well. I just want to mess around with the different configurations before settleing on one. I also don't have the room to fit another light on my belt with all the other crap they are making us wear including a taser in the near future.

To ofcjim40, if you read this I'm not ignoring your suggestion on a post a month back

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I didn't think you where OK, remember, I am a total novice here too. There are many more informed people than me, but I saw you got no responses so far, and I can't let a fellow copper go unrecognized OK, if you are talking about using something like 2 - A19 extenders on a SF 6P and the Digilight 12 v lamp, that should work fine. This is where the funky part comes in. To my understanding, when R123's come off the charger, they are around 4.2 volts, so if you tried to use 4, you would be at 16.8 volts, obviously not good. Even if you took away one A19 extender and used 3 - R123's, you woiuld still be at 12.6v, which, as far as I understand, would probably kill the lamp. I don't know for sure, but I'm not risking a 20 buck lamp to find out. What we need, if I understand correctly, is a 14v lamp, then you could run 3 - R123's and would be all good. My dream would be an 18v lamp, that you could run 4 - R123's thru, bet it would rock. But seeing as I know close to NOTHING about this subject, I don't even know if an 18v lamp is realistic. Also, my understanding is that unprotected cells will reliably turn on the light with one click. Protected, depending on the lamp might take multi clicks, or might not light at all. Again, this advice is from a newbie, so take it for what it is worth :huh: Be safe!

I blew mine out. The digilite 12v does not tolerate any excess voltage. The brightest I got from a SF 6P is to use 2 unprotected R123s with a P91 lamp. Runtime about 9 minutes so keep some spares batteries handy.

As far as lamps go, with pairing it with a 6P body and using 2 - R123's. I have used the following, SF P90 and P91, G&P90 (the one from lighthound), and the Digilight (from Digilight) newest lot 9v. By far, to me, the brightest has been the Digilight lamp. The reason the P91, if I understand correctly, runs so short is that it is a very high Amp draw, and not as efficient to use when it comes to rechargeables, but of course these still are free lumens anyway

Thanks guys, Looks like I'll go with the digilight and run 4 standard 123's. I already have the single extender (adds the length of two batteries) to run the 6P as a rechargable using Surefire's B65 battery. I'm sure I'll be fine with that. Batteries are pretty cheap I guess considering this is now used as my backup/didn't grab the big light/daytime light. But if we find or hold off long enough I'm sure an 18V lamp will come around soon enough. Then I'll dive into the rechargeables and be really happy. The length of the light doesn't matter much to me. It's a good length, very comfortable. I've tried coworkers stinger's and scorpians and I like my set up. Maybe its just what I got used to. I can even stick it under my arm during a traffic stop, can't do that with the standard 6P as easily. The holster is shorter than the radio it is next to so it wouldn't help to go shorter. With everything we have, tasers soon to be added, I don't think I could go with 2 belt lights or anything wider. 9 minutes run time is just a little too short. It's happened, rarely, that I've used the 6P with P61 and ran that out (about 20 min) on one incident. Bad feeling when you sheepishly go back to the car to get the Magcharger or spare battery.

Thanks guys, Looks like I'll go with the digilight and run 4 standard 123's. I already have the single extender (adds the length of two batteries) to run the 6P as a rechargable using Surefire's B65 battery. I'm sure I'll be fine with that.

Hi, I think you might be a little mistaken. The A14 takes up around a cell and a half, not 2 cells. You need 2 A19's or something like them to make room for 2 cells. You can work this out but not with a single A14.
Topper

250, I can't comment on the extender length, Topper might be right. On a different note, the claim for the Digilight 12v is 80 mins run time. So, when you figure running P61 with 2 batteries gives you only 20 mins, then I would say the 12v is a "good deal". What is nice is that the 12v is basically brighter than even a P91, which uses 3 batt's for 20 mins run time!!! To have the same length of time out of a 9P w/ P91 lamp, you would go through 12 batteries!!!

Thanks for shooting down my easy solution Topper. Just when I thought I had it figured out. But seriously thanks. My light is at work now and I am luckily on a day off so I can't check. I kind of assumed becase the B65 battery had 4 cells that looked about the size of a 123, it must just be double the length. Never actually measured it or tried to fit 4 cells in there. I'll do that tommorow but you probably made a good call there. I guess some extenders are in order.

The 80 min run time, even if exagerated, sounds nice.