In search of.... a light like the Surefire L7.......yes an actual L7 thread!!

I could use a little help in regards to suggestions for a light like the Surefire L7.

Mainly, I'm looking for a rechargeable LED light like the L7, but I want it to be able to plug right into the cradle and recharge. I don't want to have to remove the battery all the time.

I also want it to use lithium batteries. The L7 used Ni-Cad batteries packs which can get a memory effect when you plug it into the charger time and time again after only being half or quarter drained.

Things I like about the Surefire L7:

Deep reflector for long throw.

Great brightness.

Excellent construction.

Not too big for a duty light.

Things I don't like that keep me from buying one:

Biggest thing #1: have to remove the batteries to charge it.

#2 Ni-Cad batteries.



So is there an L7 like light out there that has a charging cradle and lithium-ion batteries like say... a Streamlight Strion?

Also, a momentary/clicky switch is prefered to a twisty, but that's a minor side issue...


I would also like a high and a low level, but I know I'm already asking for too much, so let's leave that out.

Inova T4.

glockboy said:

Inova T4.

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Not bright enough. Not enough sidespill. Horrible tint.


Despite these shortcomings, I have considered it though, because of the apparent lack of options.

I would go with a Strion, before a T4.

bump

They recentely came out with an LED stinger. I wonder if they will make an LED strion?

Surefire's L6 can run Li-ions, but you have to remove the batteries to charge. Since the body is basically an M3 tube, you will get versatility with Surefire lego. You could even get an M3 with a Milkyspit 180 lumen mod for LONG (2hr) regulated runtimes so you don't need to charge it often. Having extra li-ion batteries will also further mitigate the 'issue' with battery removal. A bored M4 with milkyspit mod would even give a 4hr regulated runtime!

Are there any modded MagLuxes out there that have an external charging port? Maybe a trilux design?

blahblahblah said:

Having extra li-ion batteries will also further mitigate the 'issue' with battery removal.

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That's what I disliked about having to use a cradle when the light was dead I had to put it in it's cradle. Now I have a light with two batteries so I can just take the dead one out and put a fresh one in.

Too bad they don't make a Li-Ion battery that's the same size as the B90 Ni-Cad. That would be what I would want. As I don't use the 8NX I have often enough and when I need it, the battery that's in the light is dead. The L7 I'm getting will get use though as it will be a work light for me.

I would have thought having a removable battery would be an advantage as you could charge one whilst using another. I agree that Surefire really need to start using new recharging technology as NiCD technology is now so dated.

Silverfox is building Nimh battery packs to replace the B90 that should have twice the capacity. Also Nimh is more resistant to memory effect than NiCd.https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/107901

the beast?

or the polarion?

okay, i admit my mind was(and is still) drifting away...

Mainly, I'm looking for a rechargeable LED light like the L7, but I want it to be able to plug right into the cradle and recharge. I don't want to have to remove the battery all the time.

I also want it to use lithium batteries. The L7 used Ni-Cad batteries packs which can get a memory effect when you plug it into the charger time and time again after only being half or quarter drained.

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As others have pointed out, charging the batteries externally is actually a big plus as you can actually carry or store charged extra batteries ready to go leaving you with several hours of run time for extended lighting tasks.

Another thing, NiCD batteris do not have memory effect. The only way you can make a NiCD battery create a memory effect is by routinely chargin the battery at the exact same discharge level via computer controlled charger. Unless you wire up a voltage meter to your flashlight and charge your battery at the exact same discharge level (within 1%) you won't experience a memory effect. The downfall of L-ion technology is that the battery life is predetermined by when it was manufactured not by how many times it was used. NiCD battery technology is still a very viable and rugged one. Most of the so-called memory effect issues NiCD batteries are accused of are tied to battery abuse and overcharging. This creates what is called voltage depression and many confuse it with memory.

I have a Surefire 8NX with the smart charger and the one battery I had wasn't near as bright, nor last near as long as the other battery. I don't think it could of been overcharged as I think the charger I have wont overcharge it. I want to say it's a 400 or 410 or something to that effect. I don't know Surefire charger numbers very well at all.

As batteries get older they don't work as well and Surefire also had some bad batches of batteries. They are pretty good at sending replacement batteries for defective ones as well.

Regarding the CN400, there was a thread about charging SF B90 batteries by Silverfox. Apparently the charger doesn't do a complete charge and needs to run for an additional 30min. to reach full charge. He was getting something like 40min. of run-time with an 8NX after the battery sat for a month. Talk about low self discharge. A nimh would have been nearly dead at that point.

Oh, I have no idea how old that battery was as I got it used with the light. Looked brand new though. But I keep my battery plugged into my car at all times, the other stays in the light. Usually the one in the light needs to be charged when I use it. It gets used every couple of weeks, so maybe it's also a bad battery even though it charges fine.

Hello Strat,

The actual numbers show that the NiMh pack actually has a lower self discharge rate than the NiCd pack...

The B90 pack started out at 55 minutes run time, and after 4 weeks ended up with 43 minutes run time. This indicates that it has retained 78% of its original capacity.

The NiMh replacement pack for the B90 started out at 90 minutes and after 4 weeks ended up at 73 minutes. This indicates that this NiMh pack had retained 81% of its original capacity.

It seems that the NiMh pack has a slightly lower self discharge rate than the NiCd pack.

Tom

strat1080 said:

As others have pointed out, charging the batteries externally is actually a big plus

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I really wasn't interested in getting into a debate about this, but I think you guys are forgetting that you can still remove the batteries on a light with an external charging port.

I like not having to remove the batteries all the time. It's convenient to just plop it in the charger. And who says you still can't carry an extra battery as well?

Having both the ability to put the light in a charger or use a piggyback like the Stingers would be nice, but unfortunately the Strions don't have a piggy back charger.

isnt the memory effect of rechargeable batts just a myth that has been going round since the 1960's?