# Why incandescent?



## z_zEdgar (Feb 19, 2011)

Why do you guys choose incandescent flashlight than LED ones? I mean LED flashlights are brighter and more power-saving.


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## HotWire (Mar 10, 2011)

When I first started with flashlight mods, I ripped out the incandescent bulb and installed a powerful LED module. After doing a lot of that and comparing beams in my backyard, I discovered that with the LED emitter the roses lacked color. They looked like the camouflage that the military uses. The bright incandescent hotwires brought the colors to life in a realistic way--like natural sunshine. Also if you are going to use a UV filter, you'll get plenty of that from a hotwire. LEDs, not so much. I have and use and enjoy LEDs from 2,000 lumen down to about 1 lumen, but when I look for something, I use one of my ROPs or a Surefire M4 or M6 with Lumensfactory bulbs. :devil:


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## yellow (Mar 10, 2011)

Join date: Jan 1970
:thinking:

I bet at that time noone had a clue, what a troll is


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## JimmyM (Mar 10, 2011)

For small to mid-range stuff (100-2000 lm) I like LEDs for their output and efficiency. But their color index isn't as good as an incan. But the thing about incans is, you can make WOW lights. 10,000+ lumen lights that can start fires. In a per lumen basis (for the big stuff) incans are also cheaper. For about $200 you can build a 10,000 lumen incan. You can't even buy that many lumens worth of LEDs for $200. Eventually that will change, but for now, there's a lot of stuff that LEDs do better depending on the application. Some stuff incans do better.


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## KiwiMark (Mar 10, 2011)

yellow said:


> Join date: Jan 1970
> :thinking:
> 
> I bet at that time noone had a clue, what a troll is


 
Actually the Join date would be sometime after the last backup & before the crash. The Z_ in front of the username indicates it was posted by a member that can't be found on the rebuilt database. This is a thread were only the first post was recovered, feel free to post useful information here to replace what has been lost.


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## BryDaddy (Mar 10, 2011)

JimmyM said:


> For small to mid-range stuff (100-2000 lm) I like LEDs for their output and efficiency. But their color index isn't as good as an incan. *But the thing about incans is, you can make WOW lights*. 10,000+ lumen lights that can start fires. In a per lumen basis (for the big stuff) incans are also cheaper. For about $200 you can build a 10,000 lumen incan. You can't even buy that many lumens worth of LEDs for $200. Eventually that will change, but for now, there's a lot of stuff that LEDs do better depending on the application. Some stuff incans do better.


 
ok, id like to know how to build a really bright incan light. i mean sure my 1100lumen olight is bright. but id love something brighter for a decent price....like an HID light or something?


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## Mjolnir (Mar 10, 2011)

If I recall correctly, the OP who originally posted this wasn't trolling, but was just new and didn't understand the appeal of incan lights, probably because the only ones he had been exposed to were cheap <$2 2 cell incans, not Maglite mods or surefire incans like many of us have.


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## fivemega (Mar 10, 2011)

yellow said:


> Join date: Jan 1970
> :thinking:
> 
> I bet at that time noone had a clue, what a troll is



*Possibly, that's join date to army not CPF* 

*BTW, his post count is ZERO while we all can see his post.*


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## JimmyM (Mar 12, 2011)

BryDaddy said:


> ok, id like to know how to build a really bright incan light. i mean sure my 1100lumen olight is bright. but id love something brighter for a decent price....like an HID light or something?


 HIDs are not incans. They're also expensive.


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## yellow (Mar 13, 2011)

Ok, I am sorry,


as we all know, there was no CPF in 1970 and - also - we all know that the "z_" stands for recovered 1st post,
I was certain that my types will get understoodd as funny mentionning, that it makes no sense to argue over that topic _again_
(there must be a hundred threads with almost identical names and identical posts and I bet not all of them have been lost ...)


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## JimmyM (Mar 13, 2011)

Sorry. I got baited. My first reflex to a question like that isn't "troll", it's "must be a noob". Any way. No shame in having faith in my fellow CPFers. Shame on the trolls.


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## dthrckt (Mar 23, 2011)

JimmyM said:


> Sorry. I got baited. My first reflex to a question like that isn't "troll", it's "must be a noob". Any way. No shame in having faith in my fellow CPFers. Shame on the trolls.


 
actually, I'd like to think I'm a bit beyond 'noob'....I've got quite a few led and incan lights and many are modded. I've finally started posting here instead of lurking because I'm preparing to do a couple more complex projects where I could use some advice.

I think the color issue is fairly obvious except to a total noob - but I had no idea that

"For about $200 you can build a 10,000 lumen incan."

although, it would seem the following is debatable if taken literally...

"You can't even buy that many lumens worth of LEDs for $200."

still....a ~15 xm-lt6 light, or a few of the big 30+V dx emitters seems kind of impractical...

anyway - please point me in the direction of the (cheaper) monster incan build threads. my autocraft spot lights up houses on the other side of the valley from my house so well that I only blip it on for a few seconds for fear of someone alerting law enforcement :naughty: and i'm sure its nowhere near 10,000!


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## JimmyM (Mar 24, 2011)

The 10,000 lumen incan I'm thinking about is a 64458 based light. 5x IMR26500 cells $80. Bulb ~$5, reflector, $15, Socket $25, Lens $6, 4D Mag - $40
That's $171. Add a modded FET switch, ($20 MAX). That's $191. So... I think that a $200 figure wasn't too big an exaggeration.
The LED lumens claim may be a little further off. The SST-90s pump out a TON of lumens and you can get quite a few for $200. So I may be wrong.

The problem with the super power Mag mods is that unless you're ready to drop a couple hundred on a 3+ inch head/reflector, they have only a 2" reflector. Your spot light may have fewer lumens, but it's able to focus what it does have better.


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## dthrckt (Mar 24, 2011)

"So... I think that a $200 figure wasn't too big an exaggeration." 

-hope it didn't seem I was implying you were...

"and you can get quite a few for $200"

-right, but have fun focusing them...

-yes, I was very surprised by the autocraft reflector, especially after I did just a little adjusting to the bulb position. wouldn't it be a good host for that kind of mod? maybe too much plastic for the heat?

I have a 3d mag that is entirely underwhelming with an led drop-in. I also use a 125amp deep cycle in my boat so it sounds like I might be into a similar project for less than $100! 

Suppose this should be a new thread


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## JimmyM (Mar 24, 2011)

Sorry. Didn't mean to come across as too confrontational. 

A 64458 bulb running at ~20V will make 200+ watts. It will start things on fire so fast... It SHAMES the 64623 "torches". But, it's no sleeper. A 4 or 5D mag light had better be bright. You might have trouble upgrading the autocraft. You mentioned plastic. The reflector NEEDS to be metal and you also need to have some sort of thermal shielding around the back of the reflector. But running it on only 12V will be a bit disappointing. It's impressive at 16V, but mind-blowing at 20V.


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## srfreddy (Mar 24, 2011)

Where do you get an AL reflector (good quality) for $15? and a modded FET?


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## KiwiMark (Mar 24, 2011)

srfreddy said:


> Where do you get an AL reflector (good quality) for $15? and a modded FET?


 
I've bought them from Kaidomain for that price, one is on my 4D 64458 that runs from 5 x IMR26500 cells. It seems to handle the heat just fine, I definitely wouldn't want to run that light with a plastic reflector or lens.


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## JimmyM (Mar 24, 2011)

Ditto KiwiMark's reply. That FET modded switch is one you mod yourself. It's literally 3 components. About $10 worth of parts. Do a search around here for FET switch.


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## alpg88 (Mar 24, 2011)

z_zEdgar said:


> Why do you guys choose incandescent flashlight than LED ones? I mean LED flashlights are brighter and more power-saving.



well, very simple, we just like it, that is all.


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## Chrontius (Mar 26, 2011)

When bulk and throw are important, that's another place incans shine. Assuming exotic bulbs are used, you can much more closely approximate a point source with an incandescent filament than most modern, high-efficiency LEDs (Osram Golden Dragons being a notable exception) whose collective die size seems to be increasing with their output, much faster than collimating optics seem to be capable of keeping up.

Besides, the Princeton Tec Surge/Torrent (mk1/mk2 models of the same product; they have different names) will convince you for $20 (used & shipped) that incans don't suck, they just need more than two batteries.


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## dthrckt (Mar 29, 2011)

JimmyM said:


> Sorry. Didn't mean to come across as too confrontational.
> 
> A 64458 bulb running at ~20V will make 200+ watts. It will start things on fire so fast... It SHAMES the 64623 "torches". But, it's no sleeper. A 4 or 5D mag light had better be bright. You might have trouble upgrading the autocraft. You mentioned plastic. The reflector NEEDS to be metal and you also need to have some sort of thermal shielding around the back of the reflector. But running it on only 12V will be a bit disappointing. It's impressive at 16V, but mind-blowing at 20V.


 
here's a thread on the light I mentioned. the reflector is metal but there's no shielding, but I do have some 3m hi temp foil tape . the slots on the gray part right behind the reflector (first photo) do allow venting, so the foil and a PC fan might greatly increase the capability of the housing.

There's plenty of room inside if I dump the 7ah sla. Using a higher voltage battery would probably kill the other other functions (led and usb charge port), but I would make 12V and 8V li-ion packs and put a switch for 12V/20V operation 

but...the light's so good I'll probably mod my 3d mag instead...there's more info so I'm less likely to ruin something lol


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## JimmyM (Mar 29, 2011)

dthrckt said:


> here's a thread on the light I mentioned. the reflector is metal but there's no shielding, but I do have some 3m hi temp foil tape . the slots on the gray part right behind the reflector (first photo) do allow venting, so the foil and a PC fan might greatly increase the capability of the housing.
> 
> There's plenty of room inside if I dump the 7ah sla. Using a higher voltage battery would probably kill the other other functions (led and usb charge port), but I would make 12V and 8V li-ion packs and put a switch for 12V/20V operation
> 
> but...the light's so good I'll probably mod my 3d mag instead...there's more info so I'm less likely to ruin something lol


What thread?


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## dthrckt (Mar 29, 2011)

JimmyM said:


> What thread?



http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...avorite-20-Million-Plus-Candlepower-Spotlight
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...orite-20-Million-Plus-Candlepower-Spotlight:o


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## JimmyM (Mar 30, 2011)

dthrckt said:


> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...avorite-20-Million-Plus-Candlepower-Spotlight
> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...orite-20-Million-Plus-Candlepower-Spotlight:o


 Ahhhh. I see now. Well. There are a few votes for HID which always makes for an impressove spot light. But, if you want to stick with incan... my recommendation would be the following.

Get a 250W/24V bulb and adapt a proper ceramic bulb/socket mount.
Build the biggest LiPo pack you can. You want a pack whose voltage is greater than 25V even when depleted.
Get one of my regulators (see my link)
Use the regulator main output to drive the 250W bulb.
Use the auxiliary outputs to control the peripheral LEDs (upgrade them too while you're at it). There are good switching regulators that can drop 30V down to something reasonable for the LEDs. If your pack is higher than 30V, there's another regulator good for 60V.
Connect an LM7805 5V regulator from the 12V aux output of the regulator to the USB port for up to 200mA of USB power.

There are a LOT of ways to hook this baby up. However, it will cost more than $200.


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