Tad Customs E-series Bi-Pin Socket

[konifans]

I see Lowe's sells Duracell 14430 LifePO4 cells. Spacer needed to fit an AA/14500 tube? Yes, that is 4/5AA size. ><

Also found this Tenergy LiFePO4 AA quad, but I see spec for max continuous discharge is 1C. Can that safely drive incan, 1200mA? I'm already aware Tenergy's 16340 LiFePO4 cannot handle incan.

These 500mAh Exell intrigue me, for domestic ship, and unlike most unrecognized LiFePO4 AA labels, the reasonably honest capacity claim. No discharge specs.

My understanding is LiFePO4 is a popular consumer chem in Chinese markets. Anyone know what labels/manufacturers are most popular for 3.2V AA there?

Also considering (all this is for Malkoff AA body w/ Elite head) going with multiple cell NiMH for maximum safety... but the capacity is crushed (compared to AA NiMH, about the same or less than the IFR14500 above).

I have been using those Chinese made 16340 / 14500 (AA) LiFePo4 batteries for long time, usually with 1.2A bulb.
I also use 16340 LiFePo4 in my Fenix TK15UE, that is 2.4A at high output.
All work well, and I did not see any decrease of capacity.
I think all brands out there are all relabeled Chinese made batteries, they are all quite similar.

 

[Lumen83]

I have an A2 with the bi pin socket and the 3718 bulb. Its noticeably brighter and a little bit whiter than stock. I'm very happy with it. I just picked up another A2 and ordered the bi pin adapter with the 3712 bulb. I will do a comparison of both and report back.

 

[The_Driver]

Compared to my brightest light, 500lm SC5w OP, the ZebraLight is way way brighter up close, but the Ourdoorsman w/ 7212 destroys those LED 500lm with any distance of 40 yards or more, and I know it isn't 500lm of incan. Tad's page lists 7212 factory rated at 80lm (edit: oops! 200lm, still tho), but that is probably with 7.2V, and my cells taken together were close to 8.36V. But how can that be brighter than 500lm??? It is nutty. Can't explain.

I get your love for incans, but the Zebralight is a floody light. Your Outdoorsman just has a higher luminous intensity (throw). That's all there is to it. If you compare it to an LED thrower there wont be such a large difference, only the tint and color rendering.

 

[vicv]

Has anyone tried the newer full size maglite bi pin bulbs in these. Could make some interesting combinations. I know a 5c/d works great on 2 rechargables

 

[bykfixer]

Sooooooooooo....
The Tads bulb chart shows the 3712 bulbs go with an A2 with 2 primaries. Yet no mention of E2 on primaries. First mention of 2 primaries in an E2 is the 4012 series. It also says the A2 underdrives the 4012 series.

Does an E 'flow' better than the A, therefore murdering the 3712 in an E2 with 2 primaries?
Just wanted to find out if my E2 will 3712's before I place an order. More 3712's or is the 4012 required?

I'm not concerned about the brightness part as I probably wouldn't notice any difference between 80 or 120 lumens.
Thanks for any responses.

Happy New Year

 

[chillinn]

Sooooooooooo....
The Tads bulb chart shows the 3712 bulbs go with an A2 with 2 primaries. Yet no mention of E2 on primaries. First mention of 2 primaries in an E2 is the 4012 series. It also says the A2 underdrives the 4012 series.

Does an E 'flow' better than the A, therefore murdering the 3712 in an E2 with 2 primaries?
Just wanted to find out if my E2 will 3712's before I place an order. More 3712's or is the 4012 required?

I'm not concerned about the brightness part as I probably wouldn't notice any difference between 80 or 120 lumens.
Thanks for any responses.

Happy New Year

hey, bykfixer,

the lamp designations are in code, first two digits is the lamp voltage rating * 1/10 , second two is the lamp amp rating * 1/10.

The A2 as you probably know is regulated IIRC at 5v, the LED's are direct drive split between 3 LED's, so the battery voltage matters less than in an E2 which is unegulated.

I would expect the lack of mention of primaries for E2 is oversight, and for all intents and purposes, anything designated on Tad's lamp chart for LiFePO4 (3.2v nominal in the range of 2.5v-3.7v) would be about the same for primaries (3v nominal in the range of 2.5v-3.4v). Thus running 2 primaries you have about 6v nominal, and the 6010 lamp stands out as a good choice for good runtime, though the 4812 will be overdriven (and I expect brighter, though the chart seems to disagree), maybe it'll have a little less runtime with the amp draw... honestly, idk, just making guesses LOL

Check the chart again, tho, the 3712 is not recommended with 2 primaries in E2 and may be fine in A2 because of the 5v regulation. IOW 3712 will definitely with 6v.

 

[bykfixer]

Thank ya brutha man.

Being a SureFire newb I was not aware the A2 is regulated. Makes sense why Tad shows the 3712 for an A2 but not E2 as the A is throttled back some.

The 6010 looks perfect. Why my eyes kept passing over that one? I dunno. Like you say, that should yield a good runtime and be plenty bright, yet not noticeably under driven since it's made for such a wide (LifePo) range.

Thanks for taking the time to explain all that. 6010's it is...

 

[chillinn]

I was not aware the A2 is regulated.

Afaik, though I am pretty certain incan Mag modders have explored drivers, and thus possibly regulation, the incan A2 Aviator is the only regulated incandescent ever mass produced.

The A2 is famous, but for me personally, too bright, though it gives me, as a point of departure, ideas on things I want that I can't have without development, like tail driver regulators and modes for incan-E (Lightmiser tails are not regulated, but the modes also inspire desire for things I can't have, like proper mode sequence, LMH, and constant current).

 

[bykfixer]

Thanks for the info Chillin'. I dig a tailcap that acts like a gas pedal too.

I knew PK designed a regulated incan but did not know it was the A2.

I'm going to try a Tads customs for E series with a 1.5 volt T1 bulb (3mm spread) for an MDC 1aa with an incan E head at some point.

That should make a bomb proof 2am nature call light that doubles as a David vs Goliath tool if need be.

 

[vicv]

The 4812 is the bulb you want for an e2e with primaries. The 6 v bulb is meant for 2x lifepo4 cells and will be very under driven on 2 primary cells

 

[chillinn]

I'm going to try a Tads customs for E series with a 1.5 volt T1 bulb (3mm spread) for an MDC 1aa with an incan E head at some point.

Is that a soli lamp? I'd like to find a 1.5v subamp lamp that fit Tad's E-socket, so I can run 4/3A NiMH in an e2e for insane subluminal runtime.

also, LiFePO4 run about where primaries voltage is fresh, so vicv has a valid point, but I don't know about very underdriven... lamp is clearly rated for 6v, so for some of their runtime, primaries should fire that properly, and it's also the case LiFePO4 overdrive the 6010 slightly. Underdriving lamps offends some... but there is a tradeoff of better runtime and the lamp lasting longer. But I have to concur (now corrected) that the 4812 is probably the best offering for primaries, to get the filament firing to vicv's required specifications, and get your tint hotter and whiter. I run 3712's on NiMH. What of it? LOL

 

[vicv]

The primaries drop significantly under load. Under that load to about 2.4v. Double that is 4.8v. It's there on his website showing what lamps are for what hosts and batteries

 

[bykfixer]

Thanks for the info fellas.

I'll order an adapter kit on his eBay store. Comes with a 3712, 3718, 4018 and 7212 (I can use in a 2C Mag-mod)

 

[rjking]

it seems no one has actually done any runtime test on any these bulbs.

 

[konifans]

it seems no one has actually done any runtime test on any these bulbs.

It just depends on the battery. A xx12 bulb means something about 1.2A, so if the battery you are using is a Sanyo 2500mah, that will be about 2 hours.

 

[DayofReckoning]

I've been running the Tads Bi Pin Adapter in my E2E for about a month. Can't say enough good about it.

Take my word for it, you haven't seen the Tad's Lamps until you've seen them driven by good quality 26650 cells. Came into possession of a FiveMega E Body, and a 26650 extender, and have been running the 3712 and 7212 lamps. You really don't realize how anemic the 16340/16650 cells are until you run Tads Lamps under cells like these.

The 3712 is the real winner out of all Tad's lamps IMO. Running on the 26650, it is noticeably brighter and whiter than on the 16650.

The 3712 might as well be regulated with this setup. The discharge curve is very flat at 1.2A with this lamp.​

I've swapped back and forth between the 3712 and 3718 many times now, and have decided that the 3718 is not worth the massively reduced runtime, even when you have 5200mah of capacity on tap. the only advantage the 3718 has is that the hotspot is much larger than the 3712.

The 7212 is stunning off of two 26650's. Just a massive, white hotspot. Should run nice and long too on this setup.

I'm considering tinkering around with under driving a few Tad's lamps with a single 26650. What would be the best choice between the 4812, 6010, or 7212?

 

[id30209]

DOR you have serious setup brother!
That exactly is what i want to confirm. Been using 7212 in my E2 with AW's.
Few months ago i've put one in Tad M3 adapter, Z46 head and 18650 Leef with 2x18350.
Man, that is some serious output out of this tiny bulb.
Just to be sure it's not only because of bigger reflector, i have installed it back into E2 head and installed on E-C 18650 Leef with, again, 2x18350.
Yeap, i was right a lot brighter. Just love the hotspot. Some of my hicri 4000K emitters look pale ne t to it.

 

[DayofReckoning]

DOR you have serious setup brother!
That exactly is what i want to confirm. Been using 7212 in my E2 with AW's.
Few months ago i've put one in Tad M3 adapter, Z46 head and 18650 Leef with 2x18350.
Man, that is some serious output out of this tiny bulb.
Just to be sure it's not only because of bigger reflector, i have installed it back into E2 head and installed on E-C 18650 Leef with, again, 2x18350.
Yeap, i was right a lot brighter. Just love the hotspot. Some of my hicri 4000K emitters look pale ne t to it.

Thanks id. I agree, the 7212 is an excellent bulb. The hotspot is beautiful, especially considering the fact that it's coming from a small inexpensive bulb, versus the expensive precision engineered Surefire Lamps.

The tiny, shallow reflector of the E2E truly amazes me at times, the quality of the beam, and most of all, the amount of throw it can produce provided you push enough lumens.

The worst part about having the Tad's Customs Adapter is sitting around thinking of all the different types of lamps you would like to have that he doesn't offer right now. Tad's has an excellent selection, but as flashaholics, there can never be too much. I would like to see more 7.4V options, a 1.0A and a 1.8A Lamp for starters.

I've been trying hard to get the Lightsaver Miser Tailcap guts to work in the new light. I just can't get it working properly. Hopefully, in time I can get it working reliably. Just think about the runtime I could get with the Miser running at 25% with the 3712