Double ended flashlight?

cobb

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This may be a stupid question, but I was wondering if they made a double ended flashlight? One end a bright xenon light the other a 5 watt or higher led light? Sure I have seen the a2 by surefire and a few dual mode they had in the cabelas catalog, but they are either too dim or too big.

The close as I can figure is to get a surefire with a xenon head and led one. Assuming they make a bright led head and just swap them as needed, assuming they can be swapped. Sorry, I have no experience with surefure.

Design wise, I guess we could just use a threaded piece of pipe or so for room for 3 cr 123 cells, clickie switch at both ends, screw on heads at either end, one 5 watt led or brighter, other xenon. Then the clickie switchs could be 3 position or so, maybe a toggle switch in this case. One position is open, one is to light the head near it the third is to close the circuit for using the other end of the light.

I do see if they switches are in the wrong position it wont light, short out or both ends will light. Of course one end would need a cross over for the polarity difference.

Does this exist? Is it not worth making? Does the surefire swappable heads work better?

Just wondering
 

Topper

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You could check out the Pila line of lights. Jon would be happy to sell you one with incan one one end and 4 led in the tailcap. Peak has a model that has led on both ends.
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DaGunn

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Cobb,
Do you really want a double-ended flashlight? You would then have to worry about both ends of the light. How about a flashlight that has both LEDs and a Xenon bulb on the same business end. What if it were a a small package flashlight that runs off of 3 easily available AAA batterys, with a Xenon lamp and 6 LEDs placed around the lamp's circumference. Would this fit your needs as well as if not better than a double-ended flashlight.
Inquiring minds want to know.

Dave
 

cobb

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Could someone post a link to the above ideas, both the custom and off the shelf lights.

Dave, I have been using my brinkmann legend xl and cabelas xpg. I have been playing with both, managed to unscrew the head to the xpg and at upgrading the bulb to the brinkmann. It occured to me that it maybe possible to put the two on the same shaft, of course for the brinkmann i would need the p91 not the p61 bulb as it would be 3 cr123 cells.

As is, the xpg is pretty good, it could always be brighter and the legend works fairly well for what I want. I was just looking at ways to attached both so theyare easy for me to reach and it occured to me that maybe this was possible. I do work in a shop, but they do not have a CNC machine, just basic tools and welding machines and over head cranes.

I assumed that for either level of brightness standard size cells are out of the qustion, so cr 123s would be the power source. I like the compact size and light weight of both lights and like their brightness too. Is there something on the market already that meets or beats those lights?
 

mahoney

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McGizmo made a custom double ended battery pack to host 2 ARC LS heads a while back. There was a picture of it on his Mods website last time I looked. There's no reason a similar unit couldn't be made to fit SureFire/Aleph/McLux heads if you could find a willing modder with a lathe. You would have to twist the heads to turn on the lights, but my KL1 and KL4 heads work fine with the old Vital Gear twist pack I have, so it can be done.

My EDC is a double ended ARC LS that I made by joining 2 123 twist battery packs together. I have one end set up with a McFlood and the other end has a Fraen, so I can have a spot or a flood. The other advantage is that both batteries very rarely die at the same time.
 

Topper

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My GL4's rate 7 lumens. I think the red and the green (I have both) are very impressive as to output. I do not like the Amber and do not have a white one,I think Milkyspit mods the white one to beef it up abit. If I could only have one I would go red.
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Stainless

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Look here: Two headed flashlight

Two headed flashlight features last a lifetime, blinding brilliance of LED and Luxeon technologies!

Two heads are better than one! One end of this compact light contains three Japanese Nichia LED bulbs, considered the world's best and brightest LEDs, and the other end features the even newer, Luxeon technology. The one-watt Luxeon light is 10X brighter than the brilliance of an LED!

Switching between the LED end and the Luxeon end can be compared to the difference between the low and high beams on your car. The energy saving LEDs will give you 5.4 lumens, which is more than you need most of the time. Should you want to turn on your "high beam", switch to the Luxeon, for up to 30 lumens!

Despite the enormous output the case remains cool to the touch. We also like the fact that this light uses inexpensive, easy to find "AAA" batteries (three—included) which will give you up to 35 hours of continuous light. The lightweight flashlight is water resistant and shockproof—virtually indestructible for a lifetime of use. Comes with nylon pouch. Measures 5¾"L x 1½"D.
 

Topper

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Wow if they make a 30+ lumen with a 95 or so lumen INCAN I think I would be interested.
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tvodrd

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Unless you want to run a wire the length of a double-ended light, the switching can get interesting. Several years ago I built a custom body for a slightly-modded SF p90 lamp and 7 LEDs at the tail. It's a twisty for both ends. Underneath the LED assembly there's a disc threaded into the tube with a 1/8" hole in the center. It serves as the positive contact for the incan. The LED assembly has a central pin which passes through the hole to contact the + end of the batt stack and force the stack into contact with the shortened center spring of the lamp assembly. For the LEDs to be on, the incan lamp is in the circuit! With the LED cap backed off, the incan head can be twisted on, bringing the neg end of the batt stack into contact with the center spring of the lamp and the + end in contact with the disc. Carrying it around for ready use of either end requires everything be twisted up juust sooo. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I still have it and about the time I joined CPF I converted the 7 Panasonic blue LEDs to 4 Nichias Sorry if that confused the heck out of anybody!

Larry
 

socom1970

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Keep in mind that if you got the Plia lights with the lamp in front and LED's in back, the LED's will only come on if the incandescent lamp is good. If the incandescent blows, the LED's will not work.(this is what I have heard, anyway...)
 

Topper

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From whom Sir? I am not doubting your word just never heard that before. I have heard that about the SF A2 but as I do not have one did not pursue that statement. I do have three
Pila's 2 GL4's and the GLX3 so this concerns me abit. I use the incan lamps mostly but the tailcap led's come in real handy at times. Please let us know.
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Hoghead

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The LEDs of a A2 will work whether the incandescent lamp is burnt out or even if the incandescent lamp is removed.
 

PhantomZ

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49N 123W Eh~
i have the GL4 (well, acually mines called Wolf-Eyes M90, but same thing) and the very first time i put batteries in it and turned it on, *Flash* and the incan burnt out. i was wondering WTF cause i thought i came with a 12v lamp, but Nooooooo it was a 9v. anyway... the LED never worked after. it was only when the lamp was replaced (was smart enough to buy the 12v lamp this time so i can use rechargeable and cr123a batteries) then the LEDs came on.
i love the Wolf-Eyes light. i use it around the house often cause i live in an old house and sometimes when i'm on the pc and someone uses the blow dryer in the washroom the damn breaker jumps ~_~
 

KevinL

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Off topic, but you may want to get an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) - battery backup for the computer. A small 500-650VA (volt-amp) or 400W unit will do. http://www.apcc.com

Batteries for the light, batteries for the computer...:)
 

cobb

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I took apart my xpg light the other day and have a p61 bulb on order. I will see what these look like. I may just attempt to build one myselrf. I do work in a shop and will see if I could get someone to help me make something. I know to use th xpg bulb I would need a p91 xenon for the same voltage. I may do a double barrow one for extended run time, but I am sure a head at each end so it can be compact and somewhat easy to use.
 
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