LED's for Surefire A2 (brightest 5mm LED at 100mA?)

My friend is going to be replacing the stock LEDs in my Surefire A2 for ones that can take the higher (100mA) current when using 3.7V LiMn rechargeables.

I haven't bought the LEDs for him to swap yet though, and I was wondering if someone could suggest the best LEDs for this replacement. Also provide a website where they can be bought if possible.

By best I mean the brightest.

I've read in a thread (can't find it anymore) that a certain new 5mm LED was outputting 20 lumens at 100mA.

Since there are going to be three of those 5mm LEDs in there I'm expecting to get around 60 lumens of floody, LED output to go with the ~70 lumens of throwy, incan output I get from my LM HO-A2.

I also want the LEDs to work when using primaries too.

Thanks in advance.

Re: LED's for Surefire A2 (for use with rechargeables)

The thread you are looking for is very likely to be listed in the A2 thread index.

Re: LED's for Surefire A2 (for use with rechargeables)

DM51 said:

The thread you are looking for is very likely to be listed in the A2 thread index.

Click to expand...

Actually it's not.

I found the thread though:

White LED lumen testing

I'm just not sure which ones would yield the highest output at 100mA or where to buy them.

Thanks.

Re: LED's for Surefire A2 (for use with rechargeables)

For awhile THC3 LEDs were considered very good and powerful and an excellent replacement for the stock A2 LED's. I don't know how they compare to newer Cree and Nichia 5mm's but they may be worth a look.

Re: LED's for Surefire A2 (for use with rechargeables)

shomie911 said:

Actually it's not.

Click to expand...

LOL! I'm glad you found it despite that.

koala's Onion Ring thread may have some relevant information about this too.

Re: LED's for Surefire A2 (for use with rechargeables)

DM51 said:

LOL! I'm glad you found it despite that.

koala's Onion Ring thread may have some relevant information about this too.

Click to expand...

Looked through the Onion Ring thread a while ago, I'm actually in line to buy one when he starts making them again.

I'm just trying to find the brightest 5mm LEDs at 100mA to replace the three in my Surefire A2.

I'm lucky enough to have a friend proficient in electrical engineering and he said he'd do the replacement for me.

I changed the title to better reflect exactly what I'm looking for.

Thanks everyone for the help so far. :twothumbs

Re: LED's for Surefire A2 (for use with rechargeables)

Then I think you may have to go all the way back through Atomic Chicken's threads on the Aviatrix. He posted quite a lot of details of the LEDs, the circuits, the resistances etc. But as Carrot says, there may be better LEDs available now.

If you're aiming for 60 lm from the 3 LEDs, I don't think the emitters people have been thinking of until now will do that.

Re: LED's for Surefire A2 (for use with rechargeables)

DM51 said:

Then I think you may have to go all the way back through Atomic Chicken's threads on the Aviatrix. He posted quite a lot of details of the LEDs, the circuits, the resistances etc. But as Carrot says, there may be better LEDs available now.

If you're aiming for 60 lm from the 3 LEDs, I don't think the emitters people have been thinking of until now will do that.

Click to expand...

Reading through the "White LED lumen testing" thread, many of the new 5mm LEDs are producing 20+ lumens at 100mA.

I think 60 lumens is a realistic number with all the advances in LEDs lately. 75 lumens may even be possible.

I just have no clue which 5mm LED is the brightest or where to get it.

I sent a PM to the author of that "White LED lumen testing" thread, to see if he could help me.