2 ways of getting 1000 lumens: which is best?

so my next goal is 1000 lumens, i have little aaa twisties (e01) and some edc's, (cw and nw archer 1a v2)

i have identified either a 4xAA format (TN4A) or an 18650 (probably MH12), both are 1k lumens, but will the beam be similar? are they as bright as each other?

Zebralight SC62w 18650 Flashlight Neutral White

My first and only comes from the above light. One of, if not THE smallest 18650 of the kind.

prnguinpoo said:

so my next goal is 1000 lumens, i have little aaa twisties (e01) and some edc's, (cw and nw archer 1a v2)

i have identified either a 4xAA format (TN4A) or an 18650 (probably MH12), both are 1k lumens, but will the beam be similar? are they as bright as each other?

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The 4XAA light will be more universal as you can use L91's, AA Alkalines, or AA NiMH cells. It would in all cases be longer and larger diameter. Not very EDC friendly if you ask me.

the 1x18650 can be quite small these days and IMR 18650 cells can dish out well over 10A happily these days with 3000mAh to boot from dozens of vendors. More EDC but no advantage in anyway over 4XAA other than smaller.


bigC

Beam profile depends on LED used, optics that go with it, and how much current the driver circuitry puts through that LED. Not on the batteries - as long as they provide enough power.

4x AA or 1x 18650 is comparable in terms of energy contents, difference between those is mostly a matter of taste/form factor/preferred battery chemistry.

"bright" can be defined in 2 ways:
1) Overall light output. Read: Out-The-Front lumens.
2) Peak beam intensity (lux). That decides how far the beam will reach. If you want to maximize this, you're looking for a thrower (usually with a long & deep reflector).
Obviously both require power, so there's a relation with runtime & battery capacity.

I actually have one of each: a Nitecore EA41 and a Surefire 6C original with an XM-L2 drop-in running an 18650 cell. There are advantages to each. The 6C is obviously smaller and easier to carry in a pocket or a belt holster, but the EA41 has a nice solid feel to the hand and isn't all that uncomfortable on my belt. Since the EA41 has a larger diameter, it has a deeper reflector than the 6C, which results in more throw and less spill. You will have to decide for yourself as to ease of carry, cell type and flexibility, intended use and all that. As an example, if I am going out to the stores and there is a good chance of a storm while I am gone, with the possibility of power outages, I will take the 6C, just because it is easier to carry and would be more than bright enough if needed. If I really plan on lighting things up some where, out comes the EA41. Of course, if I really want to reach out and touch someone I grab the EA8 or the TM11, but they are beyond the scope of this discussion.

RetroTechie said:

Beam profile depends on LED used, optics that go with it, and how much current the driver circuitry puts through that LED. Not on the batteries - as long as they provide enough power.

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Actually, the batteries often DO dictate the beam profile of the light. 4xAA lights are going to be ALOT larger in diameter than 1x18650 lights. Thus, they typically have rather large and deep reflectors compared to 1x18650 lights. As a result, 4xAA lights tend to be throwers while 1x18650 lights tend to be floody. There are, of course, exceptions as far as 1x18650 lights - some have large reflectors and are built for throw. But most aren't - especially if they are smaller lights built primarily for EDC.

StorminMatt said:

Actually, the batteries often DO dictate the beam profile of the light. 4xAA lights are going to be ALOT larger in diameter than 1x18650 lights. Thus, they typically have rather large and deep reflectors compared to 1x18650 lights. As a result, 4xAA lights tend to be throwers while 1x18650 lights tend to be floody. There are, of course, exceptions as far as 1x18650 lights - some have large reflectors and are built for throw. But most aren't - especially if they are smaller lights built primarily for EDC.

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Thanks, thats the info i was lookin' for! I might look at an 18650 in that case, as i usually work in 100m or closer, so ẃont need to reach much further than that.

prnguinpoo said:

so my next goal is 1000 lumens, i have little aaa twisties (e01) and some edc's, (cw and nw archer 1a v2)

i have identified either a 4xAA format (TN4A) or an 18650 (probably MH12), both are 1k lumens, but will the beam be similar? are they as bright as each other?

Click to expand...

18650 light will be thinner etc but 4XAA offers more power options. Personally for a house light I prefer 4XAA.

prnguinpoo said:

Thanks, thats the info i was lookin' for! I might look at an 18650 in that case, as i usually work in 100m or closer, so ẃont need to reach much further than that.

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Don't believe the distance numbers. While they may be technically accurate, they base the distance on an illumination of only 0.25 lux. That's really quite dim, about as bright as moonlight. At a distance, you really won't be able to make out much with only 0.25 lux on the subject.

At half the distance, you'll get 1 lux. At a third the distance, you'll get about 2 lux, which is getting to be a reasonable level of brightness.

So, if the spec on the flashlight says it lights to a distance of 450 meters, assume you'll only get good illumination out to 150 meters.

What He said!

For 1000 lumens, you are going to need to be on a fresh charged 18650 but that that will steadily drop in output as the voltage drops. That's why I went for the tn4a in the end, you get 45 mins at 1000 lumens rather than 10 mins at 1000 followed by a rapid drop to a lower output. Have a look at some of the graphs self built had done on the single 18650 flashlights. If you want that 1000 lumens to stay with you and don't mind the extra bulk grab a 4xAA

Edit - it's not as bad as I thought, just ree looked at the TN12 18650 that will do half an hour at 800 lumens until it starts dropping and that is on a pretty low capacity 2200mah 18650, so as long as it does not thermally throttle is self you could probably get about the same time out of the tn12 at a pretty similar output with a better battery.

KelDG said:

For 1000 lumens, you are going to need to be on a fresh charged 18650 but that that will steadily drop in output as the voltage drops. That's why I went for the tn4a in the end, you get 45 mins at 1000 lumens rather than 10 mins at 1000 followed by a rapid drop to a lower output. Have a look at some of the graphs self built had done on the single 18650 flashlights. If you want that 1000 lumens to stay with you and don't mind the extra bulk grab a 4xAA

Edit - it's not as bad as I thought, just ree looked at the TN12 18650 that will do half an hour at 800 lumens until it starts dropping and that is on a pretty low capacity 2200mah 18650, so as long as it does not thermally throttle is self you could probably get about the same time out of the tn12 at a pretty similar output with a better battery.

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hmmm some interesting things to consider!!! its still hard to choose between mh12, tn12 and tn4a!!!

Malkoff Hound Dog 18650 has nice throw, starts at 900 and drops to 70% output over an hour, according to Flashlightguide.com. No stepdowns, just a tapering output a bit like Direct Drive. It's a stonking light and built like a tank. Also you can use CR123's if you need.
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