Best floody 18650 powered light, recommendations please

Hi all, I need your advice

I'm looking for a very floody 18650 powered light for my work. I basically inspect and prepare reports on rental properties, and currently I'm using my surefire C3 with a kl5 head on it but I think there are better options out there now.

I just recently bought a fenix TK10 to replace it, however this light is too much a thrower for this purpose and ever so slighlty ringy (faint donut around the hotspot). But I do like its size and build quality.

My requirements are

1. Very clean, bright and floody beam
2. Rear clicky with momentary on
3. Small size
4. Uses 1# 18650 (or 2 CR123)
5. at least 200lm
6. High build quality and HAIII
7. Good run time, 2hrs+ on max power

Bonus options

6. multiple output levels
7. focusable from flood to spot

What it mustn't have

8. Changes in output level when repeatedly pressing the rear clicky (I'm constantly pressing the rear switch to switch on and off the torch while I'm examining items) it must stay on whatever output mode I've chosen if it has more than one.
9. Poor beam quality, rings, too hot a hotspot compared to the outer corona

So, thanks in advance, look forward to reading your suggestions

Martin

Just a thought. Have you considered getting a beam diffuser for the TK-10. It will kill alot of the throw but it will produce a wall of light without artifacts.

If you like the TK10, why not try some diffusion film on it?

Edit: there's a echo in here.

Malkoff M30F in you desired 18650 host.

metlarules said:

Just a thought. Have you considered getting a beam diffuser for the TK-10. It will kill alot of the throw but it will produce a wall of light without artifacts.

Click to expand...

I'd thought about a diffuser in general, but for th TK10 I've not been able to find one other than the cone type, which I don't think will serve my needs, it needs to be more directional

Thanks though.

try an eagletac t100c2 with diffuser film. i'm amazed at how well mine works for basically the same thing you're doing. it's got a great beam, forward clicky, high and low settings via twisting the head, and uses a single 18650. also ha lll and cree xp-e led- all this for about $45 after cpf discount.

The right diffusing film on you existing light might work fine for you.

English_Mart said:

I'd thought about a diffuser in general, but for th TK10 I've not been able to find one other than the cone type, which I don't think will serve my needs, it needs to be more directional

Click to expand...

There's no shortage of diffusion films that can be applied to the TK10 window. Try transparent tape. If it doesn't diffuse the beam enough, add another layer.

Zebralight H60

I put one layer of scotch tape on the glass of my Ultrafire C2 HA-III and noticed the tape had an effect on the beam other than making it more floody. The beam took on a mildyhorizontal pattern, so instead of a circle where the hot spot was, there was a horizontal floody throw, like the hot spot got flattened. Must have something to do with how the plastic is manufactured on the tape backing. I like it. Now I can use it at night without it being too bright. :huh:

tedshred said:

I put one layer of scotch tape on the glass of my Ultrafire C2 HA-III and noticed the tape had an effect on the beam other than making it more floody. The beam took on a mildyhorizontal pattern, so instead of a circle where the hot spot was, there was a horizontal floody throw, like the hot spot got flattened. Must have something to do with how the plastic is manufactured on the tape backing. I like it. Now I can use it at night without it being too bright. :huh:

Click to expand...

x2... scotch tape will do this. It makes the overall beam ob-round shaped.

Others have used thin diffusing film (photography store) and modded lights with great success.

Marduke said:

Malkoff M30F in you desired 18650 host.

Click to expand...

You're a bad man :devil: I am partial to modded stuff.

I'll look into what surefire have in the way of 18650 size stuff or 2xRC123, into which I could put one of those drop-ins

Quite like the idea of putting one of his P7's into my 6D mag with a 3" head to replace the rop I have in it at the moment

Thanks for the suggestion

English_Mart said:

You're a bad man :devil: I am partial to modded stuff.

I'll look into what surefire have in the way of 18650 size stuff or 2xRC123, into which I could put one of those drop-ins

Quite like the idea of putting one of his P7's into my 6D mag with a 3" head to replace the rop I have in it at the moment

Thanks for the suggestion

Click to expand...

Could'nt a guy just buy one of Gene's bodies for 38$, add the drop M30in, and then batteries and be good to go?

Or does Gene's body only work with a M60 drop in?

Sorry to add a suggestion and confuse the issue all at the same time.

get a solarforce host light,18650, and a DX MC-e drop in. that will be bright and floody

If running 2 cr123a is not at the top of your priority list, then i would go for the zebralight h60. pure flood. only 10 lumens shy of 200 though

The malkoff M30 is physically the same as the M60, but with different circuitry for regulation with lower battery voltages. It should fit perfectly in a malkoff MD2 host. The HAIII version of the MD2 should work well for you. There is also a 2 mode ring available that gives it a low mode; however the low mode with an M30 is apparently lower than with the M60, so it might be too low.

Virtually any of the 18650 P7 or MC E multi-die lights on KD or DX will amaze you with both throw and flood and do so for very little money. With a P7, if you open the door and turn on the light, there are NO dark spots in a room.

Unless you are willing to swap out batteries, your size requirement means picking between two emitter options, single and multi. For example, a single emitter M30 has been timed on a standard 18650 at 1.5 hours. AWs new 2600 mah model will improve that a bit. Its +200 lumens should be enough and is available is flood (F) versions. Doubling the output with an MC-E also means halving your runtime, so 2+ hours could require as much as 3 cells.

I have a config with 2.5 hours on an MC-E, but its much larger than a C2 and requires hard to find parts:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2948206

Assuming no cell swaps and forgoing multi-level capability, your strongest options would be an M30F (w or no w) in an MD2-HA or bored C2-HA, with an AW 18650/2600. If you willing to give up a 100 lumens, the M30LF would net you major extra runtime.

There are seven possibilities in the Peak 2009 Law Enforcement Lights thread. I know that the First Responder has a very floody beam. ALL Peaks have great build quality. You really have to call them to find out all the options - basically you get a custom light for less than custom prices. Call them at 877-881-7325 (toll-free). Their website is not that informative, but they are great on the phone.

I am leaning towards M60 MC-E in something...

What though? I'd just decided I liked the form factor of the single 18650 host lights, but I'm not sure how well 1 of those cells will power the M60 MCE, so I'm probably back to my surefire C3 and 17500's, or a C2 and the ICR123's

Has anyone had success with using 1 18650? one thing in my favour if that option is possible is I tend to be using the light briefly but very frequently, on <30s off, on <30s off, all the time