Optimum trade-off in LED flashlight

As I see it, there are four main things you want a flashlight for.

Throw. The ability to illuminate a distant small area very well.

Flood. The ability to illuminate a large nearby area very well.

Camp-Lamp. The ability to illuminate all around, such as when the flashlight has a scattering attachment, or made into a mule.

Endurance. The ability to create a light of useful (but not powerful) intensity for a very long time.

It seems to me that the optimum LED flashlight would be a zoomie that you could make into a mule by unscrewing the front retainer and removing the lens.

The LED would be one with a powerful high mode and a weak low-mode to conserve energy, such as the XML T6.

The battery compartment would be able to accept a 18650 battery with a plastic cylinder adapter, or a 26650 battery without the adapter.

The batteries, of course, would need to be the best quality. Right now, probably an AW 18650 LiCo of 3100 mAh capacity, or a Kingkong 26650 IMR of 4000 mAh capacity.

While there are times when you might want to send a powerful narrow beam downrange (to see if there are any bad guys or wild animals lurking in the deep, dark forest), or brightly illuminate the nearby surroundings (so you don't fall into that hole over there), most of the time you will just want some light to see where to put your feet, so you don't trip or bump into things. If you are in a dark place, like a cave, and it might take you some time to find your way out of it, then the service you will appreciate most from your flashlight is runtime endurance.

With the proper battery and flashlight combination, two days' worth of continuous light should be possible with an XML-T6 emitter on the low setting. More runtime would be even better.

..or you could just offer a Lego light, so the end-user can mix and match parts as needed.

The Li-ion is a bad idea for an endurance light; they have less capacity over other formats, and become damaged when over-discharged, which is likely when left in a low-draw, long-term application.

I'd say one of the best in terms of covering all those bases would be a Solarforce L2P with an multimode XP-G module with a smooth reflector and a couple accessories.

It should give you pretty decent throw being a smooth reflector and having the punch of a fully driven 1.5 amp xp-g led. If you need a smooth flood, the Fenix AD401 diffuser fits perfectly and diffuses nicely and is very inexpensive. As for a camping lantern, you can get the lantern head for the L2P. It is a great add on to lego and on the L2P useful as it comes with hole you can hang the lantern from or tailstand it.

As for runtime, nothing beats the versatility of li-ion, long lasting charge when not used, and unbeatable capacity for its size. And on a low mode you get plenty of runtime. If you need more on the L2P you can always get the 18650 extension tube which would extend the runtime roughly doubled. As for overdischarge, that's fairly unlikely with a quality cell with a low voltage protection cutoff.

:welcome: welcome to CPF :thumbsup:


Each persons preferences are different, my need for throw is approximately 50-100 feet. So a powerful flood light is able to do both. Others would prefer real throwers, can get a diffuser cap or cone.
Lanterns have no use for me except when I'm camping, so I don't buy based on that.
Battery preference is like a favorite color we don't all like green as much as I do. I like 18650's but I love lithium primaries, both cr123 and AA the joy is in the differences.
An XML modded and cut to length maglite might do you perfect but I like to pocket carry my lights.
HDS Rotary and a Zebralight Sc600 are my current two favorites

If there were an XML T6 flashlight with a battery case for three NiMH D cells, that would last a long time on low mode. The capacity would be around 24 amp-hours. You'd probably get continuous light for two weeks. But it would be bulky and heavy.

David Sims said:

If there were an XML T6 flashlight with a battery case for three NiMH D cells, that would last a long time on low mode. The capacity would be around 24 amp-hours. You'd probably get continuous light for two weeks. But it would be bulky and heavy.

Click to expand...

Fenix TK60 is a D cell XML , big but not as huge as the TK70 that's a D cell beast.