What can be done to an older L4?

Xcel

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Oct 2, 2006
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Simply, what can be done to an older L4 to make it better? Longer runtime, brighter, etc. I do like the wall of light idea but the runtime is not great considering one can get better or the same on one cell. Or close to it. I have tried the two stage switch and it wasn't my thing. Which brings me back to the idea of more power or more runtime with the same lumens.

Thanks.
 

Art Vandelay

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One guy put three Cree LEDs right up against the lens. It was like a triple bright Mule.
 

Xcel

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One guy put three Cree LEDs right up against the lens. It was like a triple bright Mule.

Aren't the Cree more narrow in beam and therefore will not work with the stock reflector? Does that sound right to anyone.
 

Art Vandelay

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It might have been SSCs. Like the Mule, this did not have a reflector or focusing lens on it. It was all flood.
 

ampdude

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Hopefully Surefire will update it with a nice rebel or something. I wonder if they are actually still producing ones with Luxeon 5's or if production has ceased and they are just selling stock.
 

Art Vandelay

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It has a strong following. I have Cree and SSC lights but I still use my L4. I like its beam profile more than my other single LED lights.
 

Xcel

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I agree, it does have a great profile. Hopefully it will get a overhaul from Surefire with a Cree and circuit upgrade of some type. Until then I may just have to deal with the lack of "modern flashlight technology". Which is not a problem.

Once again great beam pattern on the L4.
 

lightemup

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Maybe give it a paint job? ;) Just kidding i'm also happy with my L4 as is. If it were brighter etc that'd be great, but I run mine on a pila 168 and it works perfectly. I hope any upgrades that may happen will still use a step up circuit :)

Perhaps a chat to milkyspit would give you some options? :twothumbs
 

Robocop

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I truly do rely on my TW4 nightly and have carried it as a back up for over a year now with never any problems. I have several "go to" lights that I will always reach for first.....in the 5mm version the old Ultra-G is always there with the incandescent being the Wolf-Eyes. As far as luxeon goes I have many however the tried and true wall of light is what I always end up using with my ever faithful TW4. In any body/battery configuration the L4 is a very good performer.
 

bouncer

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Jan 5, 2005
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send it to milkyspit for an SSC upgrade I'm going to try a Cree q5 even though I've been advised against it
 

ledaholic

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I put a SSC P4 in mine to start with, then replaced the driver with one of RV7s 1AA cell drivers. The P4 changed the beam profile to better throw. it still has a lot of spill but not like the Lux V. The driver has 4 levels of output and drives the emitter @ somewhere around 750ma. It gets used a lot more now.
 

Illum

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I thought it used three SSCs?

quite right, it was Seouls...and its user DaFABRICATA that did it


its n interesting mod too...apparently he installed a aluminum heatsink where the drivers are

personally I think the L4 needs no upgrading, a luxeon V can easily stand head to head with a cree as it is brighter than my P1-CE except the CE has more throw and therefore a more intense spot
I just need to buy 17670s to prevent it from burning up my lithium stock
 
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