What's new in the LED world???

Hello all,

I hope this is the right place for this thread. I've been out of the flashlight realm for a few years. I was just recently "bitten" by the bug, again. I noticed soooo many different makes and types of LEDs and "drop in" modules. The last time I was into it this deep, there were no drop ins, they were in the works. I have also noticed that there are so many different types of batteries. 16***, 14***, CR123, CRC123, protected, unprotected. It is so confusing. Does any one have or know where I can find the latest info with cross reference and dimensions? Also any thread with "beamshots" of all the latest and greatest LED configs????

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide. A lot of you have helped out greatly in the past.

Turbo

Selfbuilt (a member of the forum here) does some of the best reviews I have ever read. His reviews of many LED lights, as well as different battery types and brands would be a good place for you to start.

http://www.sliderule.ca/cpf.htm

A little bit more on the battieries. There are many rechargeable cells out on the market, most of the cells identified by crazy looking numbers are comprised of lithium chemistry. The rule of thumb on these for the most part is the first two numbers designate the cells diameter in mm. The middle numbers designate the cells length in mm, and the last number designates the cells shape, 0 typically identifies a cylindrical shape I have been informed. So for example, an 18650 is a cell that is 18mm in diameter, 65mm in length, and is cylindrical in shape. Most of the cells in this category have a nominal voltage of 3.7 volts, and peak at 4.2 volts hott off the charger! The high output of these cells is why they are becoming so popular in the flashlight world, however there are many risks using lithium batteries. There have been some manufacturers that have utilized small circuit boards attached to some cells to limit current draw, as well as shutting down the battery at 2.5 volts as any voltage below 2.5 volts will ruin a lithium rechargeable. The cells that have these circuit boards are referred to as "protected" cells, where as the cells that do not have this circuitry are "unprotected".

CR123 is a primary lithium battery, PRIMARY meaning it is NOT rechargeable. These are the 3 volt lithiums that most new tactical flashlights utilize.
RCR123 is the rechargeable version of the CR123.

I know this is just the tip of the ice-burg but I hope it helps at least a little!

Stay safe!

Frank

check out the beamshot thread in my sig for beamshots.

as for new in the LED world,

Cree emitters are now seemingly the most widely used, with their XR-E, XP-E, and XP-G. (from oldest to newest)

Luminous technologies seems to be making a break into the market with their high output emitters (1000+ lumens) utilizing a solid die. you should take a look at those.

as for batteryes, it would do you well to check out the battery section of cpf for more info.

as a quick ref, the batteries that consist of numbers are Lithium - Ion rechargeable batteries (18650, 18500, 17670, 16340, 14500, 10180, etc) protected and unprotected only apply with lithium ion cells.

In reference to higher powered flashlights, the MC-E quad-die emitter has been replaced by the P7 which is also a quad die but capable of slightly higher output.
Just a few months ago, the SST-50 luminus emitter came out. It is potentially a bit brighter than the P7, but its primary advantage is that it is a single-die solution. This means no donut-hole and a better beam profile.

I am not sure about the efficiencies of each emitter though. If all 3 emitters are driven exactly the same I do not know which (if any) will be the brightest. Therefore heat-sinking and power limitations will prevent the latest medium-sized SST-50 flashlight from being THAT much brighter than the 'old' MC-E flashlight from what I can tell.