Malkoff M60 in SureFire G2Z

Hello,

I have a Malkoff M60 in a G2Z (nitrolon body and bezel, Pyrex lens). I would like to know what is the likelyhood of actually damaging the LED module if I decided to use the light for a continuous 20 minutes. I usually use my lights in bursts, or for 1-5 minutes at a time. The website says 15 minutes max in plastic lights but I am thinking this is a conservative number since I have an M60 in Z2 I used for over 40 minutes and it wasn't as warm as I'd expected.

I am currently trying to source an M60WL for this particular light since it is safe to use continuously in the nitrolon SureFires but for now I will be using this M60.

Bump.

Knuckles said:

...The website says 15 minutes max in plastic lights but I am thinking this is a conservative number since I have an M60 in Z2 I used for over 40 minutes and it wasn't as warm as I'd expected....

Click to expand...

Hi Knuckles,
This doesn't make common sense, but think about it: If your light doesn't get warm even after 40 minutes of continuous use, it means that the flashlight isn't doing a great job as transferring heat away from the LED module to the exterior of the light... which means that the heat is staying near the LED, causing damage to it.

The problem with running a high powered LED module in a plastic light is, since the light does a bad job at conducting heat away to the exterior body of the light, the user may assume that that LED isn't producing any heat; on the contrary, it's producing a lot of heat which isn't being efficiently carried away.

I personally don't have any experience with using Malkoff drop-ins in plastic lights, but I'd personally stick with their suggestion of limiting continuous use to 15 minutes

Hope this helps,

Woodentsick

No one can really know for sure how long one can really run the drop-in in the G2Z without causing any serious damage to the module. I would advice you to get an aluminum head for your G2Z if you are thinking of running the drop-in in there. And even so, do note that the head occupies only a small part of the entire light body without a proper channel for the heat to dissipate and escape out of the module.

I was running my nailbender "Linger Special" (dual XP-G) in my G2 yesterday with an aluminum head. I ran it on medium most of the time, but when I had it on high the head sure warmed up. Not nearly as much as some of my other lights running high amps though. I wouldn't have any qualms about running a M60 in a G2 with an aluminum head.

Obviously, Surefire sees fit to allow the construction of nitrolon body and aluminum head in a 200 lumen light with no issues...can't see why 35 lumen increase will be a big deal.

Perhaps Malkoff is providing more to the customer in the way of preventive maintenance The way Gene designed the dropins, with such a large brass heatsink, it is obvious he thinks excess heat is a major issue.

Btw, since you already have the Z2, why not run it in the Z2 instead? They are both the same except the material used in the construction.

I didn't mean to make it seem as if the Malkoff doesn't get warm, I've was using it previously in a Z2 and it makes the bezel pretty warm after about 10 minutes of continuous use, however comparing this to another Z2 with a Thrunite XM-L drop in it it doesn't get as hot as the XM-L (the Thrunite drop in gets HOT until the batteries shut off) and I think the Malkoff just doesn't run as hot in general because it is more efficient and it also has the brass heat sink which absorbs some of the heat before it reaches the exterior. Just my thoughts on the subject. Like I said I'm use to my Z2 being HOT from using the Thrunite XM-L drop-in (single-mode).

On the other hand, I feel Malkoff is being conservative in saying the M60 can be used for only 15 minutes, probably to be on the safe side and avoid warranty issues. I have JUST started using the M60 in my G2Z so I will take note of any heat issues and report back. Maybe I'm worrying too much.

The reason I'm using the G2Z instead of the Z2 is because in my line of work a Z2 would get scratched beyond ugly, and the all-Nitrolon G2Z has an advantage here. I had a cheap no-name XR-E drop in that had the + spring fall off so I put the unused Malkoff from my Z2 in my G2Z so I can utilize it at work. This is simply an interim solution until I can source an M60L or M60WL for the G2Z then it will be the permanent LED for it since the L models are safe to use continuously in the nitrolon lights.

It all depends on how you view reliability? Malkoff drop ins were designed to be ultra reliable and provide a big jump in lumens compared to the original Surefire P60 and P60L modules used by Surefire in the 6P & Z2's when Gene first introduced his drop ins.The whole point of using a large brass heatsink was to ensure (as far as possible) that it would dissipate heat away from the LED and into the body of the aluminium host light. With the M60 producing the most heat Gene wanted to ensure (as far as possible) that the M60 remained reliable when used in a Nitrolon light. I presume Gene also wanted to avoid unnecessary warranty claims by people using one of the M60's in a way it wasn't intended to be. No manufacturer can be absolutely sure how how long a LED will last before failing and relies on the manufacturers data sheets to give examples of Mean Time Before Failure (MTBF). MTBF is based on examples driven too hard or exposed to different temperatures outside of recommended limits. Gene must have therefore worked out how long it took for the brass body of the M60 to heat up when used in a all Nitrolon body to estimate how much of a risk of failure there was if used for longer than 15 minutes. Given that he would not want to risk unnecessary costs of units failing due to himself having to service warranty repairs I guess he could have said that M60's shouldn't ever be used in a Nitrolon lights. I personally put reliability as a more important issue than other factors and only use Malkoff drop ins in a way Gene recommends. I've now got two units with over 3 years use and have never had any issue with them in anyway. Considering the cost of a Malkoff is not cheap I am surprised that you would risk damaging it by using it in a G2Z. FWIW I use a G2Z at work as my main light with a M60L and an alloy 6P bezel. It is the way recommended by Gene and has never been an issue.