What light can match the TL-3?

Hello

I am a flashlight noob that recently purchased a Streamlight TL-3 Incan, and am very impressed with this light!!

It is certainly the brightest light of this size that I have ever seen.

My question is what other lights are out there that compare to the TL-3 in terms of brightness and throw?

I know that there are lights like the 6x123 Surefire that are brighter, but I am only asking about lights of this particular size (3x123 and smaller).

Also, the new Cree and Seoul LEDs are apparently very efficient, but I have not seen any LED light (Cree or otherwise) that can match the TL-3 incan. Are they out there?


Thanks!

The TL-3's throw can be matched or surpassed by two Wolf Eyes 3x123A bodies, using a pair of 150A cells and a Lumens Factory lamp:

• Raider with a narrow bezel (36mm) and EO-9 lamp (380 lumens, 2.0 amps).
• Cobra (45mm bezel) and EO-0L lamp (450 lumens, 2.4 amps).

Another possibility: Pelican M3 (39mm head, I think). It's a 9V, 130-lumen version of the 80-lumen M6, a 2x123A light that throws about 80 percent as far as a TL-3.

Put a Carley 1495 bulb and a pair of 17500's in that TL3 and it will be almost 2x brighter. Total expenditure for the upgrade will be in the 40 dollar range and you get a rechargeable light, no more battery expenditures more or less.

Are you looking for a comparably light or lights that are substantially brighter than the TL-3?

For lights that Doug/Quickbeam has reviewed, visit this page and you can click the table to organize them for the most throw or the most overall output.

Beyond that, there are custom lights of course. There are lights WAY brighter, but still the TL-3 does an outstanding job of throwing.

The Lumapower M1 Hunter has very similar throw and brightness, but from a LED light. A bit smaller than the TL-3 and with the 18650 cell, has about 4 times the runtime of the TL-3.

Hello Hallorann and welcome to CPF

This one beats the TL-3 easy in both, throw and overall output with one cell

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/155196

Best regards

____
Tom

Paul_in_Maryland said:

Another possibility: Pelican M3 (39mm head, I think). It's a 9V, 130-lumen version of the 80-lumen M6, a 2x123A light that throws about 80 percent as far as a TL-3.

Click to expand...

I've never heard of an incandescent Pelican M3. They have an LED M3s and M6s with no throw. They have an incandescent 2 cell M6 that has good throw for a two cell light. Is this a new or upcoming light? Do you have a link to it? Thanks.

paulr said:

Put a Carley 1495 bulb and a pair of 17500's in that TL3 and it will be almost 2x brighter. Total expenditure for the upgrade will be in the 40 dollar range and you get a rechargeable light, no more battery expenditures more or less.

Click to expand...

I want to purchase a pair of 17500s, but AW is out, and has been for a while! Apparently he also sells the charger for these, and I want to get it all from one source. Is there a different source that can provide both of these in addition to the 1495?

Did you try lighthound.com? He sells AW batteries.

Hallorann said:

I want to purchase a pair of 17500s, but AW is out, and has been for a while! Apparently he also sells the charger for these, and I want to get it all from one source. Is there a different source that can provide both of these in addition to the 1495?

Click to expand...

How about the Surefire M3? They're extremely bright at 225 lumens. Go get em!

M3 is bright, but not as bright as the TL-3 according to flashlightreviews.com. Bang for the buck wise, it's hard to beat the TL-3 for the same form factor(3x123), type(incand.), and price ($57 shipped). It's no secret that 17500's are the TL-3's best friends. =)

On the flashlightreviews.com website it has these throw numbers.
Streamlight TL-3 94
Pelican M3 44.5
Surefire M3 78.65
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/features/chart_manu.htm

I want to purchase a pair of 17500s, but AW is out, and has been for a while! Apparently he also sells the charger for these, and I want to get it all from one source. Is there a different source that can provide both of these in addition to the 1495?

Click to expand...

I'm guessing they are referring to the Carley 1499. The only place I know of to get one is from CPF member litho123 if he has any. Good luck. With 2 17500s it is a very worthwhile upgrade.

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_2c-123a_mod.htm
This setup outthrows your TL-3, but it's bigger.

Sorry, yeah, I meant 1499. Lighthound might have 17500's.

Pelican M6 with a Lumens Factory HO-9 running on 2 RCR 123 3.7v batteries is slightly brighter than a Streamlight TL-3 incandescent.

Art Vandelay said:

I've never heard of an incandescent Pelican M3. They have an LED M3s and M6s with no throw. They have an incandescent 2 cell M6 that has good throw for a two cell light. Is this a new or upcoming light? Do you have a link to it? Thanks.

Click to expand...

FlashKat said:

Pelican M6 with a Lumens Factory HO-9 running on 2 RCR 123 3.7v batteries is slightly brighter than a Streamlight TL-3 incandescent.

Click to expand...

I'm very interested in this setup. Is it true that the LF HO-9L is fitted to the Pelican M6 incand? I just want to be sure. Thx.

Frids

It's the Lumens Factory HO-9 D26 lamp assembly. Here are the links below. First link is for PTS if you are in the U.S.A. or direct from Lumens Factory if in another country. I here the EO-9 is actually brighter by comparison, but the HO-9 has a large bright white spot with plenty of spill and it blows away the stock Pelican M6 lamp. (NOTE: I think the HO-9L is a D36 model which the diameter of the reflector will be too big)

http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/product.aspx?pid=76-77-82-6254
http://www.lumensfactory.com/cart.php?cat_id=2&sub_cat_id=3

UWAK said:

I'm very interested in this setup. Is it true that the LF HO-9L is fitted to the Pelican M6 incand? I just want to be sure. Thx.

Frids

Click to expand...

Well OK... If the LF HO-9 D26 is what you meant. Then I think this LA could be fitted to SureFire 6P using 2xRCR123, and no need for me to buy that Pelican M6. I could be wrong, of course.

Frids

I don't own a Surefire 6P, but it should work. Good Luck . I just ordered a EO-9 to see the difference in brightness.

UWAK said:

Well OK... If the LF HO-9 D26 is what you meant. Then I think this LA could be fitted to SureFire 6P using 2xRCR123, and no need for me to buy that Pelican M6. I could be wrong, of course.

Frids

Click to expand...

Uwak,
Flashkat is right, the LF EO9 is bright and a great thrower, I understand his enthusiasm for this lamp as I use it myself in a Raider (2 x 18500). Just so you are aware (and I am sure you will get opinions on this), the EO9 is rated at 2 amps, something like AW RCR123 batteries are rated at 750mah and most people say li ion batteries can be run at 2 times rated mah, or in this case 1.5amps. I would suggest a 9P would be a better match with 2 x 17500, others may have different opinions.

Flashkat, you already know I am more conservative than you when pushing combinations