What bin of XPE in new Coleman Max 3 AAA 144 lumen flashlight?

I just bought a Colman max 3 AAA aluminum flashlight, rated at 144 lumens, at walmart for 25 bucks. Looks to me like an Xp-E. It has the best beam/throw/tint on a Cree I have yet seen. (Better reflector setup, so throwier/better spill/better tint than my Remington 4 AA) (It is more like a Rebel (but with R3 Cree efficiency, I hope): not too blue or green, good throw/beautiful spill--unlike my other coleman max's or head lamps.).

I no luck yet with Google on the emitter bin, nor have I hacksawed modified it yet to 3 AA and measured current (which, I will do if useful runtime proves under 5 hours).

I swing past the lowes/walmart flashlights once a week, so I may be ahead of the curve. Though I will probably pull the trigger again, naturally, when the xml lights will hit (with good deep reflector). But, when...?

Coleman doesn't advertise flux BIN... Going to take a wild guess its a lower R BIN... R2/3.

Does it specifically say on the package it's an XPE? At that price point, and with the throw you're describing, it might actually be an XRE.

B0wz3r said:

Does it specifically say on the package it's an XPE? At that price point, and with the throw you're describing, it might actually be an XRE.

Click to expand...

not xre. With magnifying glass able to see led, which looks exactly like pics of xpe. No need for mag on xre. Also beam is way nicer than an xre in the reflector.

Colman gave us xre years ago at this price, i suppose finally time to move up.

We have waited too long already.

On downside, one drive level, poor batty format, no diffuser, and no colored leds.
And package assumes we are idiots with no bin or drive specs.
Also, nine out of ten times, package runtimes dont match useful run times. I have seen Coast claim 60 hours on lights that were super dim after 1 hour.

Someone with stronger mag glass than I can confirm; I think this is an xp-c. But cannot distinguish sections.

Not yet done run-time test or current test. Still no idea of bin. I am guessing neutral (?), so 67 to 87 lumen per watt. Perhaps lux better than xr-e version, but a step down in lumen per watt efficiency.

I am tired of waiting, probably will look into a mail order an xpe r3 or rebel 130. I don't like idea of mail order since matching reflector with emitter so important to achieve good throw. I am worried the xpg and xml will need a large car battery to achieve any throw. As I have said, most lights even today are a step down at 280 milliamp in throw to my 2005 lux 1 brinkman headlamps.

I'd be a little surprised if it were an XPC. if it were, it would have to be driven pretty hard, and draw a lot of current from the 3AAA cells to get anything over 100L OTF. I dont think ~144L OTF is even possible from an XPC/3AAA design without significantly reduced run times, which would not appeal to the market segment Coleman targets.

I am going to guess its an XPE in a low-R BIN. Did you see the Craig Shih emitter picture archive sticky'd at the top? Does it look like any of those?

This should set you at ease a little... the XPC/E/G all use the same chassis and dome optic. They just place a different die on the plate under the dome. So the die surface is at the same plane. So A reflector designed for the XPC will also be an optimal design for the XPG. The difference will be the die area. The XPG is a larger die area, so the reflector is going to reflect an image / projection of that larger die. This results in a larger jot spot. The larger die surface also will create more side to side flood, as the larger die creates a wider spread.

kramer5150 said:

I'd be a little surprised if it were an XPC. if it were, it would have to be driven pretty hard, and draw a lot of current from the 3AAA cells to get anything over 100L OTF. I dont think ~144L OTF is even possible from an XPC/3AAA design without significantly reduced run times, which would not appeal to the market segment Coleman targets.

I am going to guess its an XPE in a low-R BIN. Did you see the Craig Shih emitter picture archive sticky'd at the top? Does it look like any of those?

This should set you at ease a little... the XPC/E/G all use the same chassis and dome optic. They just place a different die on the plate under the dome. So the die surface is at the same plane. So A reflector designed for the XPC will also be an optimal design for the XPG. The difference will be the die area. The XPG is a larger die area, so the reflector is going to reflect an image / projection of that larger die. This results in a larger jot spot. The larger die surface also will create more side to side flood, as the larger die creates a wider spread.

Click to expand...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Coleman-LED-Flashlight-144-Lumen-ULTRA-HIGH-POWER-3AAA-/280696375009


Too small for my eye to accurately count segment. 2 or 3. I called Coleman, and the guy read xp-c on his spec sheet from China. But we can not really be sure if this spec is for the 115 model or 144 model.

The thing blows away the 160 lumen seoul daylight 2 cr123a light, in brightness, throw, and color. (just tested, between two.)

It does seem to suck batteries fast. I am going to need to test it on alkaline or buy new rechargeables. I would rather find out it is an xp-e, not xp-c. I like the beam so much, that might be worth modding if I can think of a practical battery format that would offer runtime. (c or d too heavy, lion's too rare, expensive, no holders yet for 18650) I am thinking, buy a 4.8 to 6 volt driver and 4 aa/ one 6 volt agm. But driver won't work-I think- with inline resister, and I don't know how to put inline a driver with their clicky behavior. I want a driver without need for clicky.

I missed xp-g in my research, sound interesting. I will need to research the beam shots/throw of that emitter.

Two bond wires, so xp-e. Measured .47 amp with 1.58 volt per cell and .28 amp at 1.42 volt per cell. .22 at 1.2 volt per cell. Fresh nimh pull about .3 from pack.

Hacked two apart: made a 4 AA headlamp of one (.670 amp fresh nimh dimmed) with 25 ohm 3 watt pot (radio shack), and one 3 aa wrist light (.3 amp undimmed).

I like the throw, cause when working I can dim down to 40-90 milliamps and still see detail up close.


I might post my headlamp mod, since I simply sandwiched three thin aluminum (cut flashing laminated together) straps (14 inch by 2.25) inch into the middle a middle strap: for support of head and durable protection for wires ( I lug my lights about daily in bookbag, and was after a more durable modification.)

I bought one of these lights from wallymart too. It is a pretty nice little light. The LED emitter is a little cheesy though. It looks like a plastic drop-in. It works well though. Very bright and a nice tight beam. It gives my Solarforce L2i a run for its money.

I also should report that I was able to count emitter sections by shining through a very high magnifying lens onto ceiling. This revealed, very clearly, three sections, to confirm xp-e as observed with two bond wires.

Thanks for the update. How do you feel about all the plastic in the drop in?

It is way better than some lights; but, not perfect. Perfect, for the price, I think/availability. The reflector is orange peel, which I am not a fan. ( The smooth reflector in the xpg of my HP11 does a beautiful job-- only an idiot would be worried about the barely noticeable donut, omho.) However, my gut tells me there is a huge less loss in otf lumens than the Browning phantom/Reminton 4aahl Ashperic setup. (Glass just reduces output. On my cheapo 500 watt halogen floor worklights, I often don't bother putting in the glass, since it cuts down so much on light output.)

Thanks for the insight degarb.

Did you ever mod this light? Is there anyway to disassemble it to clean the parts (inside of the lens mainly)?

I don't think you can clean inside easily. Yes modified, I hacksawed off the 3 AAA tube and soldered/glued 3 AA holder (1 AA holder and 2 AA holder, wired with 3 watt variable resistor from radio shack) on (using hotglue and amazing goop). No issues for 10 months (rely on amazing goop more than hotglue). I use velcro to hold batteries in place. It makes a good wrist light with the elactic velcro (bundling) strap from walmert.

This light actually is the first brick and mortar light that I have tested which measures roughly equal (142 lumens) to the stated lumens (on nimh) (based on a relative (paper) diffused lux ratio to my hp11). Also, I think the lux is near 5000, a tad over the hp11 of 4000 at the 133 lumen mode. (*The new Defiant r3 xpg headlamp at home depot rates over 130 lumens with alkaline, and 86 lumens with nimh)

I also hack-sawed one of these 144's into a headlamp. But I recommend just paying $60 and getting a Fenix hp11 over making a head lamp of the Coleman 144. I like the wrist-light mod better. (Yes, the Defiant 2 AA xpc, throws better at 8500 lux (startling detail definition further away), but with less output (88 lumens in dlux test for 4 hours with good batts.). But I need to mod that 2 AA light to make it lighter and one of my favorite wrist-lights.)