Dereelight CL1H V3.0 question

Hi,

I just bought a NDI from Edge and although it is a great little light I have found that I need a little more power/throw for my work.

I have been considering the Dereelight but I am a little confused/concerned about the different pills.

Can you please lend some of your expertise with the following questions...

1. Am I right that with the 2SM to change between levels you have to slightly unscrew the cap?

2. Does the 2SM have the same power output as the 2SD when both on high?

3. My understanding is that they both are forward clickies with momentary on, but to move through the modes on the 2SD you quickly press the clickly within one second? Can these cause you to accidently change the mode when using it in a tactical application of on - off - on such as clearing a house?

4. Would this light be suitable for Police work?

I appreciate you help.

Cheers,

Marc

I have a DBS 2SM and a CL1H 3SD. To answer your questions.

1. Yes, the 2SM requires tightening/loosening the head to change mode.
2. The 2SM is driven at 1A whereas the 2SD/3SD is driven at 1.2A on high
3. Changing modes on the 2SD is as you described. While it is possible to get pretty good with switching modes I guess in a tense situation, and especially if you're using momentary on, you could mess up. However, the 3SD and I guess the 2SD, does have memory mode and will always switch on at your last mode.
Hope that helps.

marc123 said:

Hi,

Just to add a comment or two:

3. My understanding is that they both are forward clickies with momentary on, but to move through the modes on the 2SD you quickly press the clickly within one second? Can these cause you to accidently change the mode when using it in a tactical application of on - off - on such as clearing a house?

My CL1H uses the 3SD module which is the same as the 2SD except for one more output selection that is a "medium" between the low and high of the 2SD.
The way it's supposed to work is that you can select a setting, and then if you click it on for 2 seconds, it's supposed to have a memory feature where it will turn on at the last setting you used it at.
However, while mine does work like that "for the most part", it's really quite erratic and mine will more often than not turn on at a setting other than what I left it at.
So I don't think I'd use either digital module in a real-life tactical situation as you describe.

4. Would this light be suitable for Police work?

Absolutely, but with two recommendations:
First, get the CL1H with the 2SM module, NOT the 2SD or 3SD module.
The newest 2SM module that Deree ships now runs at 1.1amp, so it's not likely that you would be able to actually see a difference in brightness between it and the digital. Plus, as you know, the 2 brightness settings are made by positioning the barrel, so it's a "mechanical" rather than electronic selection which means that the light WILL turn on at exactly the brightness setting you left it at... so no surprizes at a time when you can't afford a surprize.
Then Part "B" of my first recommendation is that if you don't think you'll ever need the lower brightness setting, just get the 1SM module which makes the CL1H a "single stage", meaning that it has just one brightness setting (100%). The advantage to that is that, for tactical use, you have a very simple "on" or "off" light.
Then my second recommendation is to take the tailcap apart and hold the end of the cap to a bench grinder to take off the extended portion of the cap that is supposed to allow tailstanding. Then put it back together which will leave the clicky totally exposed which is always preferable for tactical use where you can more easily operate the clicky, even with gloves. The Deree lights all have forward clickies from the get-go so you can just leave the original forward-click switch as it comes.

I appreciate you help.

Cheers,

Marc

Click to expand...

While the Deree DBS and the CL1H are made for different uses, I was quite surprised to see how closely the CL1H compared to my DBS last night in the dark. I think the CL1H is likely the "Best of Class" right now as it's shipped today.
Then one more thing; you might want to spend just a little more to get the optional reflector with it so you will have both a smooth (SM) and orange-peel (OP) reflector so you can try both and pick the best beam for you.
However, I'm willing to bet that you'll stay with the OP reflector once you've tried it.

Good luck

Update for marc123:

In my previous post, I mentioned that the 3SD digital module in my DBS was erratic in "remembering" the last light setting used.
However, I've been playing around with it a bit and I see that I'm not totally correct about that.

In the instructions, it says that you half-press the clicky to cycle to the brightness setting you want, and when you like what you see, you click it in all the way to that setting.
Then, you are to wait at least 2 seconds with the light on in that setting before turning it off, and it's supposed to have a memory to where it will turn back on at the same (last used) setting.

Well, what the instructions DON'T say, and what I figured out for myself, is that if you turn the light back on almost immediately, it will turn back on in another brightness setting.
However, if you turn the light off after setting it and leave it off for at least a few seconds, it WILL "remember" the last setting and turn back on at that setting.
You have to play with it a little to get used to how it works, but it does work as intended, and now that I've figured it out, it actually works quite well and is a great feature of the digital pilled lights.

Still, my recommendation still holds that I think that either the 2SM or 1SM module would be the best choice if the light is to be used as a bona-fide tactical light where there's a possibility of people actually shooting at you.
On the other hand, you could also buy a spare digital module at the same time because they are very easy and quick to change out. This way, you could pop in the 2SM for duty but change it out for the 3SD digital for off-duty EDC carry and have some fun with it.

The other advantage of the 2SM module, for me at least, is the ability to run on multiple power sources, 18650s, 17500s, 2xRCR123s, 2xCR123s. I have some 18650s on the way as they are the best performer, but it is nice to be able to make the light work with 2 regular CR123s in a pinch.

Thanks for the information guys. I am really considering this light but if I do I will avoid the SD pills due to the possibility of mixing up the modes under pressure.

I had another look at the Dereelight website and is this the pill I should buy for the brightest single level output?
1S(1-stage) cree XR-E Q5 Pill - US$28

What is the difference with this one?
1SM-1(1-stage multi power) Cree XR-E Q5 Pill (6V max) - US$22

Again, I really appreciate your advice.

By the way, any other suggestions for a similar quality/performance/price light on a 18650 with tactical switch?

Cheers.

marc123 said:

Thanks for the information guys. I am really considering this light but if I do I will avoid the SD pills due to the possibility of mixing up the modes under pressure.

I had another look at the Dereelight website and is this the pill I should buy for the brightest single level output?
1S(1-stage) cree XR-E Q5 Pill - US$28

What is the difference with this one?
1SM-1(1-stage multi power) Cree XR-E Q5 Pill (6V max) - US$22

Again, I really appreciate your advice.

By the way, any other suggestions for a similar quality/performance/price light on a 18650 with tactical switch?

Cheers.

Click to expand...

The 1s (1 stage) is a digital pill with a max input voltage of 4.2v, it will have a flat output graph over the whole battery run(18650 or 17670). The 1sm-1 is a multipower pill(18650,17670, or 2 CR123's) with an input up to 6.0v, but it will have a declining output graph using an 18650( buck driver only - after the voltage drops below ~ 3.8v the output declines). To sum it up get the 1s if you will only use an 18650 or 17670. Get the 1sm-1 if you want to also be able to use primaries(CR123's).

Zenster said:

In the instructions, it says that you half-press the clicky to cycle to the brightness setting you want, and when you like what you see, you click it in all the way to that setting.
Then, you are to wait at least 2 seconds with the light on in that setting before turning it off, and it's supposed to have a memory to where it will turn back on at the same (last used) setting.

Click to expand...

Let me get this straight. You half-press it and while it's half pressed, the light cycles between modes? I thought you had to half-press, let go, and then immediately press again (half or full-press) to change the mode. How would the light know the difference between a half-press and full-press? I thought mode changes were dictated by the time elapsed between presses.

I thought you had to [momentary] press, let go, and then immediately press again ([momentary] or full press) to change the mode.

Click to expand...

You thought correctly as that is how it works.

Ducati said:

Let me get this straight. You half-press it and while it's half pressed, the light cycles between modes? I thought you had to half-press, let go, and then immediately press again (half or full-press) to change the mode. How would the light know the difference between a half-press and full-press? I thought mode changes were dictated by the time elapsed between presses.

Click to expand...

(For the Digital Pills) From off: Half press - light comes on, let go half press quickly - light changes level. Keep letting go and half pressing until you get the brightness level you want then click to lock on. The pill also has memory. While holding the button down half way the light will not cycle through levels, it will just be momentarily on.

Thanks for your advice guys,

Zenster, I went with one of your suggestions and I just ordered a CL1H V3.0 w/ Cree XR-E Q5 2SM LED. If there is not any noticable difference in output between this and the 2SD pill or the 1S pill this should do. The low might come in handy too for writing notes in the field.

Anyway, it will be a bit brighter than my NDI which is a very nice light but I need more power than an AA can give. I'll carry it as a backup.

I know this might be stretching the friendship with my endless questions, but does anyone know of a suitable utility belt holster for CL1H?

Thanks again.

Steve L & adamlau, thank you.
Zenster, thank you for increasing my blood pressure.