Warm tint drop in for Surefire G2?

Thank you in advance for any information that I may receive. I would like to replace the xenon bulb in my Surefire G2 Nitrilon with an LED with a warm white tint. I've read on this forum that the Dereelight 5A Q2 drop in is has a warmer tint. Since I prefer to use the CR123A batteries, the only model from Dereelight that seems to be compatible is the 3SM Cree XR-E 5A Q2. This has 3 output levels but I would prefer to operate the light at the highest output level without it being too easy to accidentally switch between the levels.
I also read reviews that the 2008 Inova T1 MP has a warm tint due to the K2 flip chip TFFC LED. I might consider this light also. I would appreciate any views regarding a preference for the 5A Q2 drop in, or the 2008 Inova T1 MP. Any other recommendations for other types of warm tinted drop ins for the G2 would be welcomed.
P.S. this is my first time posting so please take that into consideration if I posted incorrectly or should have posted on another thread.
Thank you.

:welcome:

There is a less expensive alternative to the Dereelight. Single mode.
http://ledmuseum.candlepower.us/seventee/p60.htm

The Nitrolon is a plastic light. Unless you have the metal head version it might not be good idea to use an LED drop in. The LED might overheat. That is why Surefire now ships the LED version of the Nitrolon with a metal head.
It might be advisable to get a metal host.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/186661

You can also purchase a whole light the Fenix TK20
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_85&products_id=532
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_85&products_id=531
Fenix store has an 8% discount for CPF members on orders over $20. Code CPF8

Personally I am not too enthused with the tint of the Q2 5A.
Outdoors in the woods it does not give the blue white haze common to LED flashlights so clarity is improved, but to my eyes not by much.
Indoors the light is a dirty brown (the_led_museum insists it is pinkish) rather than the yellowish of Xenon or the blue white of LED.

Some comparisons of the Dereelight Q2 5A with a typical and a warm white LED.
Dereelight Q25A left, Fenix L0D CE P3WC


Dereelight Q25A left, 1 watt warm white LED spotlight

Thank you for that information. I considered the Fenix TK20 but feel it might be a little too large to fit inside a uniform shirt pocket. I've read good reviews on the 2008 Inova T1 MP with K2 TFFC and was wondering if that would be a good choice compared to the Fenix TK20, Dereelight CLIH V4 (with 5A Q2), or Surefire G2 (5A Q2 swap for xenon). To make the G2 modification work I might have to purchase a Surefire G2 with LED or 6P then swap the Surefire's LED for the 5A Q2 to avoid the heat affecting the plastic head on my older G2. Thanks for that information in the reply regarding the heat issue of placing a 5A Q2 inside the plastic head of a G2.
.
My concern with ordering the 2008 Inova T1 MP is that since the 2008 and 2007 versions appear the same how can I be sure that the merchant will send the correct version. I've read on another thread that this can be a potential issue.

Thanks for any and all feedback.

Am i correct in thinking the malkoff M60 is suspposed to having a pleasing tint to it?

I can't give you beamshots right now but I just received an M60 and an M60L and both have a really nice, warm white tint. I'd say it's about equal to my Milky ML-1 with an SSC P4 USWOH. Just gorgeous.

LEDninja said:

Indoors the light is a dirty brown (the_led_museum insists it is pinkish) rather than the yellowish of Xenon or the blue white of LED.

Click to expand...

I also insist that it is pinkish for indoors. Photos cannot justify the colours because digital camera sensor, white balance, and computer monitors temper with colours. More beamshots in Dreelight drop-in review.

The target was roughly 1.5m taken by Canon PowerShot S3 IS 1/320s F2.7 ISO200 daylight.







After 1 hour SF C2 HA host was hot but comfortable to hold. Plastic would be bad for heat dissipation. Note however that the drop-in was a little too small for SF C2 HA; without the battery the drop-in rattled so I had to fix it.

Throw was impressive for Cree with 26-mm reflector. It was tighter than P2D RB100 and SF P60 although a bit ringy. The target was roughly 40m taken by Canon PowerShot S3 IS 1.6s F3.5 ISO800 daylight.

• Orange – red reproduction was better than P2D RB100 (unknown bin), but not as good as SF P60. Note however SF P60 was much warmer than 5A.
• Blue – green reproduction was comparable with P2D RB100 (unknown bin), but not as good as SF P60.
• White wall was not perfect because it was a bit pinkish. P2D RB100 seemed too cool, and SF P60 was too warm.

I have a G2 w/M60L... beautiful naturally warm beam (WG bin).

Would the Malkoff M60L have a better color rendition quality than a Luxeon Rebel, Q2, or Q5?
Anyone have experience with the K2 TFFC LED and or how it would compare to the M60L?
Thank you.

I did a write up on this a while back.

DX Sells a Cree Neutral White drop in. Its called the 5A Q2.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/202750

Thanks allburger, your post was very informative. Do you know approximately what the runtime is on your Surefire 6P with the DX 5A Q2 drop in? I might not be able to use the DX 5A Q2 in my Surefire G2 since it was advised the heat from the 5A Q2 might cause the head to melt.
Maybe I'll purchase a 6P and replace the Xenon lamp with the DX if the runtime is adequate.

I've used mine in both the g2 and 6p. I would not worry about melting the g2 with the drop in. You may notice the bulb dimming with heat but thats it. The DX module does not run very hot. I was curious of that tonight and ran it for about 5 minutes then pulled it out to find very little heat built up. I am running two rcr123's in it and I would guess that it runs for a little more than 2 hours.

I have never tested this but it runs for a good while.

I would recommend getting the DX one. It is the same as the others for a piece of the price.

The SF P60L throttles back due to heat in an all-Nitrolon G2 as well. Is the Malkoff doing a comparable thing? BTW, since it extends runtime, this is not necessarily a bad thing (but YMMV).

Anyone know of a warmer Cree drop-in than the 5A Q2?

If not, if I got a 5A Q2 from Deal Extreme, how easy would it be to do an emitter swap with a warmer Cree?

I want to order one from DX ! Does it fit in a Surefire G2 nitrolon???

Anyone know that?oo:

Mikellen said:

I've read good reviews on the 2008 Inova T1 MP with K2 TFFC and was wondering if that would be a good choice compared to the Fenix TK20, Dereelight CLIH V4 (with 5A Q2), or Surefire G2 (5A Q2 swap for xenon).

My concern with ordering the 2008 Inova T1 MP is that since the 2008 and 2007 versions appear the same how can I be sure that the merchant will send the correct version. I've read on another thread that this can be a potential issue.

Thanks for any and all feedback.

Click to expand...

Hi, Mikellen. I have been wondering the same thing. I suppose it comes down to a few points:

1) Battery choice

What do you want to use? The TK20 is AA only. Do you already own a lot of rechargeable AA cells and a good charger? The Dereelight can be either 18650 or CR123A. What about those cells and the appropriate charger (for 18650)? The Inova T1-MP uses CR123A cells explicitly, but tests have shown its buck circuit can handle two 3.7v RCR123A cells. I am not familiar with the G2.

2) Weight

I *think* the Inova is the lightest of the bunch, but I could most certainly be wrong about that.

Regarding the "MP"/2008 model and the "WB" 2007 model, look carefully at the vendor's website. There are a few things you can do to guide you to purchasing the correct unit:

1) Does the vendor differentiate between the two? For instance, on BatteryJunction, they list *both* models. This helps to make sure you receive the correct one.

2) Photographs of the unit's packaging. The new version will say "100 lumens," and will say "5-hour runtime." See this auction for an example:

http://search.ebay.com/360090410710

Note how it says "MP Version" at the bottom.

3) Only purchase the product if it is new, in the original, unopened packaging. Then, see number two.

Anyone have a beamshot of a Cree 5A tint versus 7A?

Mikellen said:

Thank you for that information. I considered the Fenix TK20 but feel it might be a little too large to fit inside a uniform shirt pocket. I've read good reviews on the 2008 Inova T1 MP with K2 TFFC and was wondering if that would be a good choice compared to the Fenix TK20, Dereelight CLIH V4 (with 5A Q2), or Surefire G2 (5A Q2 swap for xenon). To make the G2 modification work I might have to purchase a Surefire G2 with LED or 6P then swap the Surefire's LED for the 5A Q2 to avoid the heat affecting the plastic head on my older G2. Thanks for that information in the reply regarding the heat issue of placing a 5A Q2 inside the plastic head of a G2.
.
My concern with ordering the 2008 Inova T1 MP is that since the 2008 and 2007 versions appear the same how can I be sure that the merchant will send the correct version. I've read on another thread that this can be a potential issue.

Thanks for any and all feedback.

Click to expand...

The TK20 is a lot smaller than it appears in some photos. It's just a little over 6".. I usually stick in my back pocket with the head sticking out.

I ordered a 3SM 5A Q2 drop in module from Dereelight. I received the "pill" version instead. I placed it inside my Surefire G2 and I like the tint but it's all flood with no hot spot and not very bright on the highest level. I'm assuming that's because the L.E.D. sits too far back from the opening in the G2s reflector. I'd appreciate any comments on this as I am only speculating.
I'm hoping that when I receive the drop in module that the beam will be a combination of spot and sidespill and be brighter also.
Thanks to any replies.

I'm looking for better color rendition, more natural color tint. I bought a neutral white Rebel (typically 4100K), but it's very yellowish, and actually renders blue and green poorly. And in comparison with a halogen bulb is yellower, despite the higher color temperature. I'm a little disappointed with it, I thought it would be somewhere closer to daylight. Could the color temp be lower, since I bought it from luxeonstar.com and they dont sell binned samples, so according to specs it could be as low as 3500K?

I saw a lot of positive comment on the cree 5A bin here, but I sense the same phenomenon: the incan actually looks whiter than the Q5 5A
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=202750

Here is a review of the Inova T-1. Personally if I was you I would just get the Inova. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb//showthread.php?t=190838. Two lights are always better than one.