L4 "Wall of Light" in a 1x123?

I have yet to find a light whose output and beam pattern I find more useful than the SF L4. There are lots of 1x123 lights on the market right now. Is the output & beam profile of any of them similar to the L4?

Novatac 120P

I have never seen an L4 beam but I have heard it is pretty floody. The McGizmo mule in its various forms (PD or Aleph) is a reflectorless light that's all flood. I find the beam very useful for most of my tasks. A diffuser like the Surefire F04 on any 1" diametre light is pretty good as well.

NovaTac 120P, Ra-120-T, AmiLite Neo T5, BitZ. None of them quite match the flood of the L4, but they're pretty close.

If you like the KL4 so much and are dead set on a single cell light, why not just get an E1e body and run the KL4 on a single RCR123A. The runtime sucks, but the output's the same.

Yup, run it on a single cell and create a "TW4". Most KL4's will also run with a single primary. Output will be slightly less, but runtime will be a little longer than a single RCR.

As an added benefit, it makes a nice hand warmer in the winter...
With less mass in the body, the entire light gets hot fairly quickly.

it's 2 cell but the 2008 inova T1 has a nice floody beam

This thread is a couple years old, but I'll link the ultrafire vs. L4 flood war for pictures of mofo's single cell rcr123 KL4's (middle of the 1st page). I.D.K. the specifics, but maybe something for the O.P. to look at for someone wanting a smaller L4.

And I.D.K. why, with so much new L.E.D. technology since the L4 was designed, has there not been more small lights with really huge flood. Especially considering how strong a reputation the L4 has had for so long now, I'd figure there'd be more copy-cat versions of it. A "wall of light" in something as small or smaller. or at least longer runtime by now. Do not enough buyers seek such small bright lights with so much flood that it's not profitable for companies to go there, or apparetnly still hard to top the L4 design? For instance, I would have liked the L1 to have a more flood beam like the L4, eve though it is not as bright. Although that one doesn't save much length vs. the L4, and is actually bigger around.

Just seems like now they should be able to have an L4, same size that has a much longer runtime considering the runtimes of L5 and E2L etc. Maybe they'll update it soon?

I have carried one of the original TW4 lights for some time now and I simply have yet to find anything that is better. I run it on a R123 cell and have had it save my tail many times when I needed a backup.

I have tried many 1-cell lights looking for a replacement as I did not wish to risk losing my favorite 1 cell light on duty. I have always returned to the old TW4 as nothing compares in my opinion. I keep a lanyard attatched to a keeper now to keep this light on my person however I do not think I will ever replace this light.....It is simply perfect for what I need it for.

The R123/ KL4 and single cell body does not even pretend to be a thrower. I have never known anyone to claim this light to be made for throw however if lighting up an entire room is your thing then this is your light. It is simply a pretty beam and pretty much a proven classic around here.

I'm not a fan of the wall of light monkier, its more of a HUGE flood with BIIIG hot spot

Check out an AmiLite Neo T5. Nice floody beam, and nice tint too.

LED_Thrift said:

Check out an AmiLite Neo T5. Nice floody beam, and nice tint too.

Click to expand...

+1 on the Amilite T5. Love mine. Very floody, perfect beam, no rings.

I don't have an L4. I wanted one but didn't buy one after getting my M60F drop-in. However, my L1 (which IS a single CR123 as opposed to the two cells required in the L4) with the beam diffuser should count!

LED_Thrift said:

Check out an AmiLite Neo T5. Nice floody beam, and nice tint too.

Click to expand...

+1

Great little light, it's like an L4 Junior with a low mode.

Wattnot said:

I don't have an L4. I wanted one but didn't buy one after getting my M60F drop-in. However, my L1 (which IS a single CR123 as opposed to the two cells required in the L4) with the beam diffuser should count!

Click to expand...

Agree. I used to think my KL4 was a wall of light. :twothumbs

Then I got an M60F. oo:

Boy, was I wrong.

However, I am pretty sure the M60F won't run on one cell, while the KL4 will. The TW4 is a very compact powerhouse and may be the next stop for my KL4. :twothumbs

As mentioned earlier, you could just get a single cell body for your L4...
It would be a much more useful light however, if you got the head modded with a more efficient LED & driver (longer runtimes are nice).

Oh look, here's one!
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/209802
Gawd, I'm shameless.

Shameless yes, but that is a real nice mod...

:devil:

Is it hard to replace the driver?

The hardest part of dealing with the new driver board is garanteeing that little bugger doesn't short itself out inside of a metal light.
Soldering four 30ga wires to a half inch diameter board is no bowl of cherries either.

It still was worth the trouble though.

From my experience, the SF KL4 is a great head. Only problem is that it runs hot and only caters to 2xprimaries or a single R123a which means very short runtime.

Sold mine when I got a McLuxIII PD-S.....