What's the latest and greatest for a high output pocketable thrower?

DIPSTIX

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
291
Location
Wisconsin
Looking to add an incandescent flashlight to my collection. I want incandescent for the high CRI that comes along with it. I'm looking for a high lumen thrower light that can be used edc.
 

archimedes

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
15,780
Location
CONUS, top left
An approximate budget, and estimate of what you'd consider to be "high lumen" would be helpful to tailor suggestions and advice to your needs ....
 

DIPSTIX

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
291
Location
Wisconsin
500 lumens would be bright enough for me to consider it a high output in the realm of incandescents. My budget would be around $200. I would be using this light to walk the dog, late night trips to the bathroom, if small enough I could use it at work in my pants
 

DIPSTIX

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
291
Location
Wisconsin
That light is to large for my applications. I'm not very familiar with incans. I am up for other suggestions that are still available from the OEM.
 

archimedes

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
15,780
Location
CONUS, top left
It has definitely been done with custom mods, but I agree with you byk, that is quite a hotwire torch

For me, the excess heat generated and rather limited runtime available would make it very impractical (even apart from potential safety concerns)
 

archimedes

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
15,780
Location
CONUS, top left
That light is to large for my applications. I'm not very familiar with incans. I am up for other suggestions that are still available from the OEM.
I carry a SF A2 rather frequently in an EDC-type role, but that is 50 glorious ~100 CRI lumens (not 500, which I would find quite excessive for my purposes)
 

archimedes

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
15,780
Location
CONUS, top left
Is there anything pocket friendly that is around 200 lumens?
Why such high output ?

Reason I ask is that so much of the energy in running an incandescent lamp is converted to heat.

Just to put (very) rough numbers to luminous efficiency ...

Torch (yes, the kind with fire) might be ~ 1 lm/W

Lamp (tungsten wire) maybe ~ 10 lm/W

LED (modern version, at typical flashlight current) say ~ 100 lm/W

Most of what isn't emitted as light is radiated as heat.

So, to get the same output from a lamp as from an emitter, you need to push ~ 10x the power and create ~ 10x the heat (if my math and super-oversimplified numbers are ok)

A small flashlight will have trouble handling that much heat safely, and difficulty holding enough stored energy to provide reasonable runtime.

That's actually why incandescent flashlights are now, in large part, obsolete.

The beam throw, however, in a well designed incandescent flashlight can be much better than you might expect ... and thus you may not need as many lumens as you think.
 

DIPSTIX

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
291
Location
Wisconsin
Okay I understand. Let's say in the 50lm range, is there any other suggestions besides the Surfire A2?
 

DIPSTIX

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
291
Location
Wisconsin
I found a Surefire A2 for $100. Do you think this light is worth it used?
 
Last edited:

fivemega

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 28, 2003
Messages
5,522
Location
California
500 lumens would be bright enough for me to consider it a high output in the realm of incandescents.

2x18500 1794 will produce around 1000 lumens with run time of about 20~25 minutes.

Is there anything pocket friendly that is around 200 lumens?

2x18500 1499 will produce around 400 lumens with run time of about 50~60 minutes.

Let's say in the 50lm range,

3.7 volt D26 in 1x18650 6P (or custom made) will produce around 60 lumens with run time of about 90~120 minutes.
It's always possible to go with 18650 instead of 18500 for longer run time in 35mm longer light.
Also possible to use 26650 cells for much more run time.

---
 
Last edited:

ma tumba

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 7, 2013
Messages
1,344
Location
Russia
2x18500 1794 will produce around 1000 lumens with run time of about 20~25 minutes.



2x18500 1499 will produce around 400 lumens with run time of about 50~60 minutes.



3.7 volt D26 in 1x18650 6P (or custom made) will produce around 60 lumens with run time of about 90~120 minutes.
It's always possible to go with 18650 instead of 18500 for longer run time in 35mm longer light.
Also possible to use 26650 cells for much more run time.

---

Those 2x18350 and 2x18500 fivemega's lights are among my most favorite buys. You can use them with 5D/6D maglite bipin bulbs if you want more run time.
 
Top