3-D Maglight, which drop-in would you choose?

I just got a helluva deal on a brand new in box 3-D maglite for $5 shipped. I now need to do a drop in LED conversion. I have done two of these before on smaller AA maglites. What drop in would you all choose? I want atleast a 3w luxeon and I do not want to spend too much. Which one of these would you choose:
http://www.quality-items-flashlights.com/product_info.php?products_id=79

http://www.quality-items-flashlights.com/product_info.php?products_id=81

Are there any other's out there that are better? Thanks in advance,

Dan

The first. The linked review says it all: Great brightness, many options--for example, regulated or non=. But I'd get it from this thread in Dealer's Corner:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=962844&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1

Wow, I didn't know they had those in stock!

I got the 3 watt diamond drop in module from Amazon for $24.95. I really like it. It's focus is still completely adjustable, and it focuses way tighter then my mag was ever capable of focusing. It also has a very nice corona.

With the original bulb my Mag lite had a lux reading of 3700 at one meter.
With the 3 watt diamond module it has a lux reading of 4750 at one meter.
Once again that is because of the more tightly focused beam. It does throw a little farther, but not the roughly 20% that the lux readings at one meter would seem to indicate. I am basing my throw approximation on the how well it lights up a weathered redwood fence 300 feet away. At 300 feet it is sort of an apples vs. oranges comparison. Yellowish white light verses Blueish white light and what any given persons eyes see better. What is very noticeable with the 3 watt Diamond is the nice bright useable corona. Before the switch, the corona of the Mag-lite was so dim it seemed almost useless. Now it is very nice and illuminates objects very well. Add to that the fact that I will probably never need to replace the LED and it was a very worthwhile purchase. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Paul_in_Maryland said:
The first. The linked review says it all: Great brightness, many options--for example, regulated or non=. But I'd get it from this thread in Dealer's Corner:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=962844&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1


[/ QUOTE ]

Regulation isn't an option for the 3 watts tho', only the one watts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

According to the review on flashlightreviews.com, the regulated 1W is nearly as bright as the unregulated 3w.

that´s because of the Luxeon lottery and on the Reviews usually Led bin and the Level the Led´s are driven weren´t mention. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

in my opinion its not unusual that a good bin lux1 is nearly as bright as a bad binned, cooled(!) and driven Lux3...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Sorry quickbeam but this review isn´t good.... You should mention this behavior!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hi, I am new to this flash light addiction, please tell me what is the main difference between an 'unregulated' and a 'regulated? Battery life or output?
Thanks in advance /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[ QUOTE ]
pipesmoker said:
Hi, I am new to this flash light addiction, please tell me what is the main difference between an 'unregulated' and a 'regulated? Battery life or output?
Thanks in advance /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Both /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

Thanks Raybo,

So it is true that a REGULATED 1W is better and brighter than a UNREGULATED 3W?

Put very simply, regulation keeps the light output at a mostly constant level throughout the life of the batteries by stepping up or limiting how much juice flows from the batteries to the LED. An unregulated light starts dimming, imperceptibly usually, as soon as the light starts draining the batteries. The downside to regulation is that you get a shorter runtime from the batteries due to the stepping-up period of the cycle.

There are many many more knowledgable sources here that are probably screaming at their monitor over my woefully simplistic explanation of regulation. I'm sure a few will be along to correct my inaccuracies and flesh out the details. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Thanks MIchiganMan

unfortunately there are different regulations out there. :-/

I think a good regulation is in a streamlight polymere 4AA Lux1 or Heliotek for example....

unfortunately it seems there isn´t a Lux3 Driver for 2AA/2C/2D or 1X CR123A (InputV 2,1V-3,6V with constant Output) out there...till now.

Than a good regulation have to take care about the LED Behaviour. Like different Vf and the fact that this changes in only a couple of hours!!!.

I think a 2AA (standard Sanyos NiMH) Lux3@600-700mA (on low @ 300mA for example /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )
+ a reflektor like the EL Xm-3 with a good bright Corona with a little more hotspot maybe 15 degree
+ a Lens like the Inova X1 which makes a beam under 5 Degree for maximum Throw :-D


would be a nice flashlight wouldn´t it? :-D

[ QUOTE ]
lamperich said:
that´s because of the Luxeon lottery and on the Reviews usually Led bin and the Level the Led´s are driven weren´t mention. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

in my opinion its not unusual that a good bin lux1 is nearly as bright as a bad binned, cooled(!) and driven Lux3...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Sorry quickbeam but this review isn´t good.... You should mention this behavior!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Excuse me???? Exactly which behavior would you like me to mention? Some people want everything on a silver frikkin' platter. Do you have any idea what it takes to measure mA input and output in a regulated system? How about ripping apart some of these lights which are epoxied together just to find a binning number. Even better, how exactly am I supposed to find the bin on a bare emitter????? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif Give me a break. My site is a hobby site, not a job and certainly not an all-encompassing endeavour to cater to everyone's whim. I do the best I can with the limited resources and time I have available. If you can do it better, do it yourself.

Sorry for the rant but unjustified criticism like this just burns my butt. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rant.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Quickbeam said:
[ QUOTE ]
lamperich said:
My site is a hobby site, not a job and certainly not an all-encompassing endeavour to cater to everyone's whim. I do the best I can with the limited resources and time I have available. If you can do it better, do it yourself.



[/ QUOTE ]

exactly

but if you read this forum a lot newcomer to LEDflashlight (including me!) think you are a professional(!) tester. It looks like this but i know (not till now) that you arent´!

and that´s why question like this often apears.
We both know that a LUX3 led is usual much more brighter than a Lux1.
First i also thought Lux3 Directdrive is only a bit brighter than the reg lux1 replacmentbulb in a Mag.
But Why? OUR Site DON`T tell the newbie the answer...

That is the reason what let me feels first like this and when i read postings like Whiteknight and pipesmoker do like this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/Christo_pull_hair.gif


and now cool down. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

i can´t do it better and iam very happy with your site especially with the runtimeplots /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kewlpics.gif

I think what you are really missing is one basic fact. Any luxeon is only as bright as you drive it. I can drive a Luxeon V at a very low level and have it produce less light than a 5mm LED. Don't let the numbers attached to the Luxeon fool you (1, 3, 5). It all depends on the amount of voltage/current you supply to them.

The truth here is that the Luxeon 3 is CAPABLE of being brighter than a Luxeon 1. Likewise, a Luxeon 5 is CAPABLE of being brighter than both. In application, brightness depends on the design of the power source for the Luxeon, not whether it is called a 1, 3, or 5.

For example, I have a lamp next to me with a 60 watt bulb in it that produces a lot of light on 110 Volts. I could take a 100 watt bulb and supply insufficient electricity (let's say, 40 volts) to the bulb and have it produce less light the 60 watt bulb. It's still called a 100 watt bulb even though it's not being driven as hard as it can be and is producing less light than the 60 watt bulb. You may think it would be brighter based on its name, but in this particular application it is really dimmer.

By the way, my site has an "About" section under the Q&A menu which does quite clearly state that my site is a hobby site and no more.

Regardless, I'm glad you enjoy the site and (for the most part) find its information useful.

Wow... uproar on the forum. Just want to toss some kind words in for Quickbeam. I, for one, consider your page one of the best references we have, hobby or pro. Another thing few 'newbies' take into account is that the Lux I, III and V LEDs have different throw characteristics and how much reflector or optics design has to do with the usability of the package.

As with anything one is doing research on, the reader should take in as much info as possible, hopefully from different sources and combine that with common sense. Those that would buy a $50 no-name Lux V light that runs on 3xAAA batteries expecting it to be radically brighter AND have longer runtime than a 3D Mag with an EverLED are likely to be financially taken many times throughout their lives.