Gene
Flashlight Enthusiast
I had read a few threads about the KL4/E1 combo, (also known as the TW4), but never thought much about it. Mainly because I had read quite a few posts that the KL4 wasn't very bright with just 1X123 cell. I finally decided to try a KL4 head on an old, original E1 body I had. I even put in a used but not fully depleted 123. Man, what a surprise! This thing is BRIGHT and what a wide swatch of light! It literally fills a dark room and I have never seen a better round beam with such a perfect hotspot as the KL4. I truly am amazed that this much light was coming out of a 1X123 light. I'll have to try it with a new 123 cell! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I then took the KL4 head off and put it back on the L4 with 2X123. Now this isn't scientific but I SWEAR the KL4/E1 combo is at least 75-80% as bright as on the L4, at least to my eyes and with my example. Maybe my KL4 head is an exception but I feel I'm losing hardly ANYTHING with this KL4/E1 configuration over a regular L4 except the much larger size of the L4 and maybe 20% brightness! Quite a fair trade-off!
Being that this E1 is an original model with the smaller non-LOTC, I put one of yclo's, (THANKS YC for a great product!), really neat clickies into the old E1's NLOTC tailcap. Now this combo is what the E1 should have been from the start! It is noticeably smaller than the actual TW4's with the LOTC or Z57 clickie and being that the KL4 is trimmer than the KL1, this package is small indeed.
I'm sure all KL4's are not created equal and some KL4's won't work as well as mine on 1X123 but it's worth your while to try this combination to find out! I also recommend finding the smaller original E1 NLOTC and getting one of YC's clickies, (if he has any left), for the smaller package.
I compared this with an ARC-LS and it's no contest. The KL4/E1 just blows away the LS in white, brightness, beam quality and hotspot. It is larger than the LS, (with the "twisty"), but the benefits far outweigh the slightly larger size. I also left it running for 15 minutes or so and I couldn't feel any heat at all. Yes indeed, this combo is GREAT! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I then took the KL4 head off and put it back on the L4 with 2X123. Now this isn't scientific but I SWEAR the KL4/E1 combo is at least 75-80% as bright as on the L4, at least to my eyes and with my example. Maybe my KL4 head is an exception but I feel I'm losing hardly ANYTHING with this KL4/E1 configuration over a regular L4 except the much larger size of the L4 and maybe 20% brightness! Quite a fair trade-off!
Being that this E1 is an original model with the smaller non-LOTC, I put one of yclo's, (THANKS YC for a great product!), really neat clickies into the old E1's NLOTC tailcap. Now this combo is what the E1 should have been from the start! It is noticeably smaller than the actual TW4's with the LOTC or Z57 clickie and being that the KL4 is trimmer than the KL1, this package is small indeed.
I'm sure all KL4's are not created equal and some KL4's won't work as well as mine on 1X123 but it's worth your while to try this combination to find out! I also recommend finding the smaller original E1 NLOTC and getting one of YC's clickies, (if he has any left), for the smaller package.
I compared this with an ARC-LS and it's no contest. The KL4/E1 just blows away the LS in white, brightness, beam quality and hotspot. It is larger than the LS, (with the "twisty"), but the benefits far outweigh the slightly larger size. I also left it running for 15 minutes or so and I couldn't feel any heat at all. Yes indeed, this combo is GREAT! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
