Why is everyone buying SF L2 & L4 instead of L5?
- Thread starter dmz
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The Porcupine
Enlightened
Having an L4 and an L5 (but no L2), I would say the L4 is much easier to carry around for EDC. I can carry the L4 almost everywhere, while the L5 is too big (for me) to EDC.
That said, I love my L5!
That said, I love my L5!
270winchester
Flashlight Enthusiast
No kidding. Try put an L5 in our pocket and walk around. Now try it with an L4. enough said. THe thickness of the L5 is the deal killer for EDC.
chesterqw
Flashlight Enthusiast
i wanted to buy the l5(and still wants to) but seeing the price, made me ran away from it. although it has some more throw then both the l2 and l4...unless someone is selling an l5 in brand new condition for USD155 shipped to singapore during the november to decenber season....(to celebrate me studying for until now age 16)
gessner17
Enlightened
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2003
- Messages
- 499
I think part of it is the fact that the U2 offers multiple levels and it has close to the same throw and output plus its close to the same size. L4 is a flood light. If I wanted a thrower, I would buy a U2 rather than an L5, same size, but U2 is far more practical.
GarageBoy
Flashlight Enthusiast
You could always run a E2C with the KL5
skalomax
Flashlight Enthusiast
L4 is extremely EDCable. It has a bright flood and great regulation. If you want throw this is not your light, but if you want a "wall of light" get this bad boy!
chesterqw
Flashlight Enthusiast
nc987 said:
easy for you to say... i am not even working yet!!!(age 15= illegal to work.)
Previous coments are all valid, especially the following two:
1. It is just plain too big to EDC.
2. If you want an L5, get a 6-stage L5 (U2). On high, it is slightly brighter than the L5, and on low, it runs 40+ hours. FAR more practical!
HOWEVER!!!!! The KL-5 head has other uses. If you put a KL-5 head on an L1
or L2 with an adapter (E2C or LU-60A), we have some very interesting results. On the L1 body, you will have a very low/low 5w semi-flood, semi-throw LED. On the L2 body, it really shines. You will now have a low/high 2-stage L5. If I had to guess at lumens/body it would be 2/10 on the L1 and 15/80? on the L2. NEAT!! A little long and a little big to consider as an EDC, but consider that the same possibilities are also present for the KL-3 (gen 1, I don't know about gen 2).
Just thinking out loud.
1. It is just plain too big to EDC.
2. If you want an L5, get a 6-stage L5 (U2). On high, it is slightly brighter than the L5, and on low, it runs 40+ hours. FAR more practical!
HOWEVER!!!!! The KL-5 head has other uses. If you put a KL-5 head on an L1
or L2 with an adapter (E2C or LU-60A), we have some very interesting results. On the L1 body, you will have a very low/low 5w semi-flood, semi-throw LED. On the L2 body, it really shines. You will now have a low/high 2-stage L5. If I had to guess at lumens/body it would be 2/10 on the L1 and 15/80? on the L2. NEAT!! A little long and a little big to consider as an EDC, but consider that the same possibilities are also present for the KL-3 (gen 1, I don't know about gen 2).
Just thinking out loud.
Lumatic
Newly Enlightened
John Willis Holstersdmz said:
http://www.originalsoegear.com/welcome.html
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/116324&highlight=john+willis
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=110660
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/112325&highlight=john+willis
I'd get a holster from this guy, you can request custom changes.
Lumatic
roguesw
Enlightened
flashdark
as i understand it, the L1 and the L2 have the electronics controlling the luxeon in the body of the flashlight, not the head like the L4 and the KL5
so when you put a KL5 onto a L1 body or L2 body, u have two electronics functioning, which electronics is being used? the one in the body of the L1 or the one body of the KL5??
i wonder what is happening in there.
have you tried this combination?
as i understand it, the L1 and the L2 have the electronics controlling the luxeon in the body of the flashlight, not the head like the L4 and the KL5
so when you put a KL5 onto a L1 body or L2 body, u have two electronics functioning, which electronics is being used? the one in the body of the L1 or the one body of the KL5??
i wonder what is happening in there.
have you tried this combination?
dmz said:
Most of the issues have been with faulty tailcaps, which are the same on the L5 AFIK. I think the newer tailcaps with 4 tabs are a lot better, my new one is perfect.
Tint and doughnuts should also be more or less the same since both use LuxVs and the same reflector....
With a U2 you get a lot more usability for a bit more money.
I don't really see the big advantage of singel stage Luxeon lights over incans.
For the price of the L5 you could get an A2 which I'd prefer over a L5 any day!
Sverre
PS! if you still want an L5 ask Lighthound what sheat he recommends.
rougesw,
You do indeed have two sets of electronics working at the same time. I have no idea what is happening or how, but whatever IS happening, is happening very well.
Since I am a technological moron, I will try to explain, in those terms, just what I THINK is going on, based on personal experimentation, and discussions with others. If you take a "dumb" head like the L1 and screw it on a "dumb" voltage provider like the E1e body (without the interior regulation of the L1), you are now at the mercy of the Vf (forward voltage requirement) of the "dumb" head. If the "dumb" head requires slightly more than 3v (as the L1-WH does!), you get a dim result when you turn it on. If the "dumb" head requires slightly less than 3v (as the L1-RD does!), you get a bright result when you turn it on. So the L1 RED "dumb" head will go to full bright on an E1e body/3v provider, but the L1-WH will be dim. In either case, you should not be hurting anything since the L1 heads are designed to be driven with 3v. It is just a case of the Vf sensitivity of the various colored heads. I do not know what will happen with the L1-GR or L1-BL heads and I would dearly love to know!!!!!
Flash forward now to the L2 "dumb" head similarly placed on a 6v E2e voltage provider. Same higher Vf requirement for the white LED, so you get the same dim result from the "dumb" head.
So far, all we have gained is a very small, very bright E1e-RD as a backup to my L1-RD if the L1 body or tailcap failed. This is how and why all of this started.
Now enter the regulated-voltage provider in the form of the L1 or L2 bodies to provide constant regulated "low" voltage or constant regulated "high" voltage to whatever you screw on the front of it ("dumb" head or "smart"). By using an E2C or LU-60A adapter, we can screw the KL-3 or KL-5 heads on either the L1 or L2 body to provide REGULATED throughput from REGULATED low/high PROVIDED voltage from the L1 or L2 bodies. Since the KL-3 (gen 1 ok for 3-9v, gen 2 unknown) or the KL-5 (gen 1 ok ONLY for 3-6v, but gen 2 ok for 3-9v) will accept anything from 3-9v inputs, the L1 or L2 (or an L3 if available) bodies provide a very sophisticated and regulated voltage host.
The results bear this out. With the KL-3 on the L1 host, I get a lower output result, along the order of 2/10 lumens. On the L2 host it is more like 7/15 lumens. With the KL-5 on the L1 host my result is on the order of 3/15 lumens. On the L2 15/80(+/-).
The only practical result of all this amateurish experimentation is to have a very bright E1e-RD if needed (and maybe a BL or GR?). Everything else, although "interesting", is too large and cumbersome to be usable. The L1 (old or new) is better than an L1-KL3/5 combo, and the U2 is better than an L2-KL3/5 combo.
I CLAIM NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY OF THIS EXPERIMENTATION SCREWING UP YOUR FLASHLIGHTS! I AM ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SCREWING UP MINE! (in the name of science and Chivas Regal).
Incidentally, DON'T try the U2 head with a 9v host (via an A-19 extender). It pisses off the voltage regulator. It seems to be more voltage than the regulator can handle. It came on "low" (level 6) as expected, but when I started to rotate the selector ring, it went straight from level 5 to level 1. Apparently, the regulator would not successfully restrict the incoming voltage.
Hope some of this helps.
You do indeed have two sets of electronics working at the same time. I have no idea what is happening or how, but whatever IS happening, is happening very well.
Since I am a technological moron, I will try to explain, in those terms, just what I THINK is going on, based on personal experimentation, and discussions with others. If you take a "dumb" head like the L1 and screw it on a "dumb" voltage provider like the E1e body (without the interior regulation of the L1), you are now at the mercy of the Vf (forward voltage requirement) of the "dumb" head. If the "dumb" head requires slightly more than 3v (as the L1-WH does!), you get a dim result when you turn it on. If the "dumb" head requires slightly less than 3v (as the L1-RD does!), you get a bright result when you turn it on. So the L1 RED "dumb" head will go to full bright on an E1e body/3v provider, but the L1-WH will be dim. In either case, you should not be hurting anything since the L1 heads are designed to be driven with 3v. It is just a case of the Vf sensitivity of the various colored heads. I do not know what will happen with the L1-GR or L1-BL heads and I would dearly love to know!!!!!
Flash forward now to the L2 "dumb" head similarly placed on a 6v E2e voltage provider. Same higher Vf requirement for the white LED, so you get the same dim result from the "dumb" head.
So far, all we have gained is a very small, very bright E1e-RD as a backup to my L1-RD if the L1 body or tailcap failed. This is how and why all of this started.
Now enter the regulated-voltage provider in the form of the L1 or L2 bodies to provide constant regulated "low" voltage or constant regulated "high" voltage to whatever you screw on the front of it ("dumb" head or "smart"). By using an E2C or LU-60A adapter, we can screw the KL-3 or KL-5 heads on either the L1 or L2 body to provide REGULATED throughput from REGULATED low/high PROVIDED voltage from the L1 or L2 bodies. Since the KL-3 (gen 1 ok for 3-9v, gen 2 unknown) or the KL-5 (gen 1 ok ONLY for 3-6v, but gen 2 ok for 3-9v) will accept anything from 3-9v inputs, the L1 or L2 (or an L3 if available) bodies provide a very sophisticated and regulated voltage host.
The results bear this out. With the KL-3 on the L1 host, I get a lower output result, along the order of 2/10 lumens. On the L2 host it is more like 7/15 lumens. With the KL-5 on the L1 host my result is on the order of 3/15 lumens. On the L2 15/80(+/-).
The only practical result of all this amateurish experimentation is to have a very bright E1e-RD if needed (and maybe a BL or GR?). Everything else, although "interesting", is too large and cumbersome to be usable. The L1 (old or new) is better than an L1-KL3/5 combo, and the U2 is better than an L2-KL3/5 combo.
I CLAIM NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY OF THIS EXPERIMENTATION SCREWING UP YOUR FLASHLIGHTS! I AM ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SCREWING UP MINE! (in the name of science and Chivas Regal).
Incidentally, DON'T try the U2 head with a 9v host (via an A-19 extender). It pisses off the voltage regulator. It seems to be more voltage than the regulator can handle. It came on "low" (level 6) as expected, but when I started to rotate the selector ring, it went straight from level 5 to level 1. Apparently, the regulator would not successfully restrict the incoming voltage.
Hope some of this helps.
Last edited:
ront
Newly Enlightened
I would certainly agree with Lumitic that the best sheath will be one made by John Willis!! He made one for my U2 and it is top drawer stuff!! Very nice.
[email protected]
Here are a couple pictures of the one he made for me.
Ron
[email protected]
Here are a couple pictures of the one he made for me.
Ron
I found some comparison pics. The L5 is big.
http://www.flashlight-fan.com/siyou_image/image_flashlights/L2_3.jpg
http://members.aol.com/qn9513/myhomepage/l5l6l4c.jpg
http://www.flashlight-fan.com/siyou_image/image_flashlights/L2_3.jpg
http://www.flashlight-fan.com/siyou_image/image_flashlights/size_hikaku/kl_minimag_m2_m3.jpg
http://www.flashlight-fan.com/siyou_image/image_flashlights/L2_3.jpg
http://members.aol.com/qn9513/myhomepage/l5l6l4c.jpg
http://www.flashlight-fan.com/siyou_image/image_flashlights/L2_3.jpg
http://www.flashlight-fan.com/siyou_image/image_flashlights/size_hikaku/kl_minimag_m2_m3.jpg
