RedForest UK
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2009
- Messages
- 1,365
Yes, I'm sure you might have guessed it; I'm not talking about some new up and coming XM-L wonder circuit light, but my good old (ish) Q-mini AA R4.
There are a few downsides, most notably:
-You have to use a 14500 cell, which voids the warranty.
-There aren't any left.
However, it was just now that I really realised the incredible potential of this wonderful little light. I've been running 14500's in it for months, but due to the murmurings on CPF of how I could end up killing it, I'd never run it on high for more than a couple of minutes. Today however, as my H501w died this morning, :sigh: I decided I might as well put it to the test. After all, I have lots of 'back-ups' and if a light isn't for lighting stuff up then what use is it at all?
Long story short, I just got back from a long-ish 30mins+ dog walk down the fields/woods behind my house, with my Mini-AA on the full 250+ lumen high mode the whole time, without so much as a flicker, a hint of tint shift, or even anything more than a luke-warm body. The ambient temp wasn't warm by any means, but was at least a few degrees above 0, (let's just say I didn't need gloves) and the mini was simply air-cooled at a normal walking pace, with hardly any wind.
Maybe I got 'lucky' with a high-vf emitter, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for any unofficial endorsement of reckless overheating of peoples lights :duh2: I would say however that if you haven't at least contemplated running a Mini-AA on a 14500, you are missing out on a truly awesome light.
Btw, mine draws 1.6A at the tail from a fully charged 4.2v cell, and tested again when I got back it was still pulling 1.1A from the cell at 3.54v. So a protected and preferably high quality, (although I'd stay clear of IMR) li-ion cell is a must.
Also note that with the upcoming introduction of XM-L's across what I would guess will be the majority of the Quark-line, this opportunity may be soon gone. The even lower vf of an XM-L emitter would lend itself to even higher currents and so even more incredible output, but at a much greater risk of burning out the led itself. As such, the XP-G based minis may in fact be much better suited reliability wise to the high output pocket-rocket role. :thumbsup:
There are a few downsides, most notably:
-You have to use a 14500 cell, which voids the warranty.
-There aren't any left.
However, it was just now that I really realised the incredible potential of this wonderful little light. I've been running 14500's in it for months, but due to the murmurings on CPF of how I could end up killing it, I'd never run it on high for more than a couple of minutes. Today however, as my H501w died this morning, :sigh: I decided I might as well put it to the test. After all, I have lots of 'back-ups' and if a light isn't for lighting stuff up then what use is it at all?
Long story short, I just got back from a long-ish 30mins+ dog walk down the fields/woods behind my house, with my Mini-AA on the full 250+ lumen high mode the whole time, without so much as a flicker, a hint of tint shift, or even anything more than a luke-warm body. The ambient temp wasn't warm by any means, but was at least a few degrees above 0, (let's just say I didn't need gloves) and the mini was simply air-cooled at a normal walking pace, with hardly any wind.
Maybe I got 'lucky' with a high-vf emitter, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for any unofficial endorsement of reckless overheating of peoples lights :duh2: I would say however that if you haven't at least contemplated running a Mini-AA on a 14500, you are missing out on a truly awesome light.
Btw, mine draws 1.6A at the tail from a fully charged 4.2v cell, and tested again when I got back it was still pulling 1.1A from the cell at 3.54v. So a protected and preferably high quality, (although I'd stay clear of IMR) li-ion cell is a must.
Also note that with the upcoming introduction of XM-L's across what I would guess will be the majority of the Quark-line, this opportunity may be soon gone. The even lower vf of an XM-L emitter would lend itself to even higher currents and so even more incredible output, but at a much greater risk of burning out the led itself. As such, the XP-G based minis may in fact be much better suited reliability wise to the high output pocket-rocket role. :thumbsup:
