PR-T Lux3 throws just like a Mag Lux3 mod!

KevinL

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It's beginning to grow on me.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My setup is a TW0L, DB917, PR-T black HA head (goes surprisingly well with SF's nat HA) on a L4 LumaMax body. Using R123s at the moment since it's a buck converter.

It's a throw light, plain and simple, nothing but throw. For a 27mm reflector, that sure is something, because it delivers an effective range on par with a 52mm! Just goes to show what proper reflector design can do. What they never told me is that it can throw as well as a Mag with a Lux3! Guess this is the nail in the Mag's coffin. I got Real Tired of carrying 4 D cells worth of weight around.

I took it out to my 330 yard test range (verified by GPS) and let it rip - painted a huge spot on the test target (a building). This is the same range where I clocked the OA4D Cookbook Mag, and it turned in equally impressive results. The thing is that the PR-T is so much smaller and more portable. Machining is top grade and the thread action is VERY smooth. I've ordered a UCL to go with it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Basically, I'll never be outdone in the "whose light can go further" stakes with the uninitiated ever again. (fellow flashaholics know enough about the lights I use to value them for what they can do /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif) it's going to be shocking when someone pulls out their large light "see what this can do" and I pull out the tiny little thing! For shock-n-awe flood I have the U2.

Thermal management is excellent. I always thought you'd need a Mag to handle 917mA, but apparently that's not the case. The PR-T sinks heat very well, within seconds of power-up you can feel the outside getting warm - it's releasing the heat.

Bottom line? The PR-T is still a great investment and I got it at a price I simply couldn't walk away from. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Nitroz

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Can we get some pictures....please. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif
 

KevinL

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prt1.jpg

prt2.jpg

prt3.jpg

prt4.jpg


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

No outdoor beamshots yet, I am still wondering how to get the camera to accurately represent what I can see. So far, everything the camera captures is a poor shadow (hmm.. pun intended? You decide..) of the 'feel' of that lightsaber outdoors.
 

cy

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yup, PR with DB 917 3watt is a throwing machine. need to put besides lionheart to see which will throw further. should be close.

of course MR-X will whack them both!! M*g reflectors do an excellent job on throw. but there is only so much lumens a 3watt will putout.

Since I started EDC U2(X), getting where I prefer a veriable 5watt over a 3watt.

db917.JPG
 

PocketBeam

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Thanks for the inforamtion. Very interesting.

What is the cheapest way you could get this reflector with the Lux in a flashlight? Surefire is out of my league. Also I would be interested in knowing how it compares to the LionHeart.

Could this be the smallest throw champion?
 

cy

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IMS SO27 reflector compares very close to Pelican reflector. both are not very expensive. PR reflectors are solid aluminum VS plastic

L1-Pr-T 917 has been known as the small throw king and the Porsche of LED lights.

PR-T DB917 Tbin driven by 2x 123 like above will give same performance.

when L1-PR-T 917 first came out, it was first mod to have two stage light. Now commonly available in Don's mce2s

any good Tbin driven at 1amp+ with an SO27 & UCL should give simular performance provided you give good heatsinking.
 

PocketBeam

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cy, thanks for the information. I will keep on the look out for lights using that combination.

BTW - Does the VIP BH use something simular to the SO27? Or is it smaller?
 

IsaacHayes

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Does the mag beat it at very very far distances? I wonder if this means that the mag reflector isn't 100% being used, like only a small portion of it..
 

KevinL

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On my test range both are about equally bright at 330 yards. They have very similar hotspots on a white wall at 15 feet as well, so I wouldn't be surprised. The Mag has a slightly bigger corona and a little bit more spill. Frankly I am really surprised by how similar the characteristics of the two reflectors are.

The spill is there and still useable for short-range work. This, IMHO, is a HUGE improvement over the KL1-4th generation, which has no spill at all.

cy, good point about the MR-X. A 5W platform will toast a 3W platform in terms of light output. That is, after all, why I have my U2. The PR-T is a nice addition to the family because it still throws further than the U2, for all those days where I need the extra throw. The U2 is truly the Ultra short-to-medium range working light that I need. In reflected-off-the-ceiling comparisons, the PR-T DB917/TW0L is effectively the same as the U2's level 5 - too close to call.
 

cy

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Please note the PR is in focus for a 3watt only. whereas m*g's advantage of 52mm and ability to focus behind the luxeon comes out on 5watts.

to focus 5watt w/PR, would need to pull inwards behind luxeon. which is not possible without machining PR.

one can really tell hotspot tighten up by moving PR inwards far as possible. it's really a misconception that a 5watt only throws a wall of light and a 3watt will out-throw a 5watt.

given ability to focus like m*g, 5watt will throw equal to 3watt with a much hotter spot. MR-X would be the prime example
 

bajaiman

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Heeyyy...that PR-T head look very very familiar to me : /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif .. so too your L4 body and clickie /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

KevinL

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/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Yeah, the clickie has been very useful and the action is just as smooth as my U2's clickie. I recall you had a similar setup, but the PR-T isn't the same, it only arrived yesterday from the US. Now I see what you like about it... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

cy, I had a Mag4D/BB917/WX1T, but I didn't manage to tighten up the focus as much as the other Mag4D/resistored/TW0L.
 

bajaiman

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That PRT used to be mine, RJ bought it from me. I'm glad that you're quite happy with it... really sorry for the messy workmanship as it was the first PRT head I built myself.
 

KevinL

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OH! Coool /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif I like a light that's got history and is well travelled /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

No worries about the construction, you did a good job and it is still in excellent condition. Next week it gets a UCL!
 

McGizmo

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[ QUOTE ]
it's really a misconception that a 5watt only throws a wall of light and a 3watt will out-throw a 5watt

[/ QUOTE ]

Well this is a misconception that I have held for some time and still hold?!? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif Not the part of a 5W only being a wall of light but the 5W out throwing the Lux III. I am not aware of a reflector yet in which a Lux3 won't out throw the LuxV. I have not had much experience with over 2" diameter reflectors so at some point I would assume the LuxV could come into its own. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 

cy

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Don, you are probably right as always /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

but.... I've noticed that a PR refector's focal point matches a 3watt very well. whereas a 5watt's focal point lies behind the plastic base of luxeon.

3watt with PR it's possible to tune PR by placing a foam like DR scholz behind base of PR. this allows you to screw down bezel and control how far out the PR is allowed forward.

on a PR it only possible to move refector back so far until base of reflector is butting up against luxeon's leads. five watt's focal point is still further behind luxeon.

PR with a five watt, if you push back PR far as possible. 5watt's beam will tighten noticebly.

Take example of M*glite using hotlips. reflector is now able to find focal point due to m*g's ability to focus behind luxeon. Also 52mm reflector oviously gathers more light. Given the correct conditions a five watt will throw equal to 3watt.

MR-X X3T's throw is equal to L1-PR-T DB 917. this is of course discounting the size of hotspot and purely going for throw.

I don't have a 3watt mounted in a 2D M*glite, but I predict a 5 watt and 3 watt will throw equally, with 5watt's hotspot being hotter.
 

KevinL

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[ QUOTE ]
IsaacHayes said:
Would 3 PR fit in a mag head?? (hmm, ultamate luxeon throw..)

[/ QUOTE ]

I doubt it. PRs are 27mm, so are the IMS SO27XAS. From what I saw of another pic of a Mag loaded with 20mm reflectors, the 20mm's just made it with a couple of mm clearance here and there, there wasn't space for any more. But you're right, a triple-barreled Mag with the ability to paint a spot at 300+ meters would be .. impressive, to say the least.
 

brightnorm

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[ QUOTE ]
KevinL said:
...I took it out to my 330 yard test range (verified by GPS)...

[/ QUOTE ]

Kevin,

I just want to check that is 330 yards, not 330 feet. With a 990' test range you must live out in the country where you have real darkness invaded only by moonlight. I envy you that fantastic range. When I do my "Vertical Throw Tests" in the city test distance is limited by inescapable ambient light, the bane of the urban Flashaholic.

Brightnorm
 
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