Blaster 3P or DD 3D 3watt Maglite????

4x4Dragon

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 14, 2002
Messages
1,027
Location
Lexington, SC
I've already preordered a Blaster 3P but i am having second thoughts. As much as I love the Blaster series lights and their uniqueness and durability/build quality, optics just aren't doing it that much for me anymore. But there is the new reflector that is available from elektrolumens???? probably wouldn't compare with a Mag reflector huh?

the disadvantage(s) with a DD 3watt Maglite mod is firstly the cost(not that big a deal i quess /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif) but there's also the fact that it will look just like the every day Maglite and I've got a "flashaholic reputation" to uphold /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

oh! what to do?

oh yeah the other thing, Elektrolumens site advertises the Blaster 3P at 24 hrs. high brightness and it's in DD format right??

well i found a runtime chart today while doing a search, that showed a typical 3D Maglite DD mod coming to 50% brightness in a little over 7 hours??????? is there some other difference i should know about?
 

Stefan

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 4, 2002
Messages
309
Location
Alberta, Canada
I don't have either flashlight, so I'm just going on what I read. The Elektrolumens Blaster 3P uses a collimating optics to focus the light to a tight beam. If the Blaster 3P uses a 3 watt luxeon it would have to be resistored to give that type of runtimes, so no direct drive. It reads to be water resistant. That might be an idea, depending on how you use it. This method you are paying a modder to do the modding and sell you a finished product.

A 3 watt direct drive on a maglight would not only be really bright, but cause excessive heat needing heatsinking. I'm supposing you would like to use the focus ability for the maglight to work with the 3 watt. You might need a side emitting LED to get the ideal light for what you are doing with it. This method allows you more flexability in what LED goes in the flashlight, and you also learn how to mod your own flashlight.

This is all I can think of for now.
 

balrog

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2003
Messages
438
Location
Sydney, Australia
I can't comment on the Blaster 3P at all, having not seen it. I have built a Maglite DD 3D with a TV0J Luxeon III and is exceptionally bright (peak brightness > 10,000 lux initially) and focuses into a tiny hotspot with nice sidespill. Mine has the standard mag reflector and focusing it into a wide beam leaves a near lightless hole in the centre. A sputtered reflector which I have seen for sale in one of the BST threads would create a larger hotspot, more sidespill and hopefully reduce the effect of the hole when using a wide beam. I personally like the tight hotspot because it gives excellent throw, over 100 metres.
Jeff.
 

4x4Dragon

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 14, 2002
Messages
1,027
Location
Lexington, SC
well, im actually not interested in the so-called focusing ability of the maglite. if i could have it my way i would have the maglite head permanently fixed to optimum focus(tightest spot).

from what i have heard, Wayne was gonna DD the Blaster 3P???
 
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