# FM3X UT with CBT-90 & Home made Elephant



## ma_sha1 (Jul 26, 2012)

Inspired by the Olight SR95 with SBT-90, I wanted to build a more compact thrower using the SBT-90 led. 

*Part I. * FM3X with DIY Elephant host

I started with a parallel 3x18650 host, cut it in half & bored it open using my new dill press for mating with a mag tube:






The Franken light contains 3 sections: FM3X Turbo head, Mag D Neck & 3x18650 DIY elephant body





Mag D neck gets JB welded into the body, Voila, it's done!











*Part II.* The Led, Driver & Battery set-up
I was going to get SBT-90, but wasn't able to get one with the Highest Bin class, the P-bin. Rumor says Olight bought all P-bins & dried up the inventary. In stead, I got P-bin CBT-90 instead, which is SBT-90 (Dome less SST-90), it comes with a huge copper star, which handles heat much better.





The heat sink is Brightlumens SST-90 sink. I grind away the edge & pushed it in reversely so that the rear end is used to mount the led star. The driver is 9A, 3 mode SST-90 driver & the battery holder was re-wired for 3S 18650 with resistance mod.





Beam shots coming soon...


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 26, 2012)

Reserved...


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 27, 2012)

*UT vs. SR51 vs.FireFox 3*






*Camera set-up Manual mode. ISO 200/F3.3/1 sec exposure*

Olight SR 51





FM3X UT





Fire Fox 3 40W HID






*Camera Zoomed in to F5.5*

SR 51





UT





FireFox 3


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## Colonel Sanders (Jul 27, 2012)

That's an awesome looking Elephant you built there! 

The FF3 continues to astonish doesn't it? :bow:


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 27, 2012)

Thanks!

I hate the FF3 now, it sets the bar so high, I was hoping the UT would beat it in throw, but no 

While the FF3 appears unbeatable at the moment, it has two flaws that makes UT my go to light for outdoors at the moment (Not just because it's freshly made & I have short attention span )

The FF3 is a mosquito magnet, a real problem in wet woods, even my back yard. I find my self constantly smacking my own face while using FF3. Another flaw is lack of modes. The UT has 3 modes, Medium mode is plenty bright while toggle between modes is handy, I can also adjust focus to get bigger or smaller spot.


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## Epsilon (Jul 27, 2012)

Very nice and usable build! I think we will have to wait till the sbt70 comes out to outperform the ff in throw .


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## jmpaul320 (Jul 27, 2012)

Very cool! What color temp is your ff3? Looks cooler than mine. I believe my bulb is 4300k


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 27, 2012)

I am not sure if the sbt-70 has any increase in surface brightness from SBT-90,
but even it's not, the Waiven's selling sbt-70 with their collar on, claims 80% increase of surface brightness. This would be* great for aspheric* but it's huge, I am not sure if it'll fit mag tube, that's a $100 question, anyone wants to find out?

http://www.wavien.com/shop/luminus/sbt-70-rlt/

On the other hand, I am planning to dust off my Mag Dragon Dr., he is not your typical aspheric mag, he 's been sleeping for two years waiting for a worthy opponent, I think he can take down the FF3 in throw


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 27, 2012)

jmpaul320 said:


> Very cool! What color temp is your ff3? Looks cooler than mine. I believe my bulb is 4300k



They are all 4300K, just natual variations bulb to bulb, also, rotate the HID, color will change, goes between 4300K to 5000K possible. Plus, camera does auto color balance, can't judge the kelvin by photo unless you put two lights next to each other.


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## The_Driver (Jul 27, 2012)

Very nice ma_sha1, like always 

I wonder if it can beat my de-domed VaraPower Turbo though? don't think so :devil:


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 27, 2012)

Well, there's sparks flying & some name calling at the official weight in this morning, FF3 weight in at 15.3Oz & M.D. Jr. at 14.7 Oz, both qualified the under 1Lb weight class:


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 27, 2012)

The_Driver said:


> Very nice ma_sha1, like always
> 
> I wonder if it can beat my de-domed VaraPower Turbo though? don't think so :devil:



I am not sure but the VP turbo is too big for my liking. Did you know I came up with the mag mating to DX shower head & large AR lens before Kevin made the turbo similarly? It was back in May of 2011. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Shorty-XML-King-of-Throw-127-000-lux-1-meter

Regardless, for pure throw, The Mag Dragon Jr. will eat VP Turbo DD for lunch :devil:


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## The_Driver (Jul 27, 2012)

ma_sha1 said:


> I am not sure but the VP turbo is too big for my liking. Did you know I came up with the mag mating to DX shower head & large AR lens before Kevin made the turbo similarly? It was back in May of 2011. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Shorty-XML-King-of-Throw-127-000-lux-1-meter
> 
> Regardless, for pure throw, The Mag Dragon Jr. will eat VP Turbo DD for lunch :devil:



Yes, I know he copied your design. Thanks 
I was rather suprised when I saw that he even just copied your heatsink design.
In his most recent sales thread he does clearly state though that the designs of his lights are not only form him , but from many people here. He merely makes them.

Regarding your Jr: No, I don't think so. The VPT de-domed mit Reflector does 170,000 to 200,000 lux. The cool-white de-domed VPTs with the dx aspheric lens do around 250.000 lux and have a very big spot for an aspheric. I have the 4000K neutral version and did some lux-easurements with fellow German flashaholics a few weeks ago here.


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 27, 2012)

Thanks for the link, I missed that thread, I thought VPT Dedome is around 180K.
You scored 222K lux after DX+15% adjustment, very nice! Kevin is an innovative custom builder, I respect him a lot!

The Jr. measured at 221 K lux before I put it in storage 2 yrs ago. Because the thread was so old, CPF would not allow Title change, that's why title still says 150K. See here on the later posts with various new numbers, Jr. logged 221K lux before I put it in storage: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?288704-Mag-Dragon-Jr-150-000Lux-compact-super-thrower-Lighthouse-beam-shot-vs-35W-HID&p=3617638&viewfull=1#post3617638

It won't eat your VPT for lunch (LOL, I take that back ). However, if the Jr. is going into a *Pink Slip* match with VPT, Jr. will probably win unless you put on 3" aspharic lens.

. This is because VPT used CC driver, the number is fixed, it is what it is.

Jr. is direct drive, the 221 Klux was on panny 2900. I now have panny 3100 & pannny CGR IMR, both have lower internal resistance, will be able to push Jr. to higher numbers 

I will hold off higher lux attempts until later, after the battle with FF3. There is a risk for poofing the XRE, that's why I never put AW IMR on it. I have yet to push Jr.'s lux limit.


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 27, 2012)

Here comes Mag Dragon Jr. 





Left to right
FM3X UT - FireFox 3 -Mag Dragon Jr.






In the picture above, I'd say that the M.D Jr out throw FF3 slightly but clearly.

Now with the shoot out the way, I took out various batteries & tested Amp vs lux.
Panasonic 2900mah, 2Amp, 215K lux
Panasonic 3100mah, 2 Amp, didn't bother with measuring lux
High Drain ICR bare cell from Tool battery pack 1300mah, *2.4 Amp, 231.5K lux @ 1 meter 
*


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## The_Driver (Jul 28, 2012)

ma_sha1 said:


> Thanks for the link, I missed that thread, I thought VPT Dedome is around 180K. This is what he advertises it at, but he doesn't use the best batteries for those measurements.
> You scored 222K lux after DX+15% adjustment, very nice! Kevin is an innovative custom builder, I respect him a lot! Yes the result really surprised me, since I have a neutral light with only the second highest bin led. What made me happy, was that it obliterated all the other lights including the 35W HIDs and it's neutral. It's also more practical/flexible because of the low modes, the flood head and the aspheric.
> 
> The Jr. measured at 221 K lux before I put it in storage 2 yrs ago. Because the thread was so old, CPF would not allow Title change, that's why title still says 150K. See here on the later posts with various new numbers, Jr. logged 221K lux before I put it in storage: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?288704-Mag-Dragon-Jr-150-000Lux-compact-super-thrower-Lighthouse-beam-shot-vs-35W-HID&p=3617638&viewfull=1#post3617638
> ...


 I know you will 

I wonder if the reflector in your FM head is better than the 3-inch smooth reflector from DX that the VPTs use?


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## The_Driver (Jul 28, 2012)

BTW: I am also the only VPT2 owner who has a UCL lens on their light. I bought this afterwards, Kevin didn't know that a fitting UCLp (acryllic) lens exists. The glass ones are out of stock. The VPT2s come with mineral glass lens.

If only one could get a high quality ar-coated 3 inch plastic(lighter) aspheric.


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## ma_sha1 (Jul 28, 2012)

The_Driver said:


> I know you will
> I wonder if the reflector in your FM head is better than the 3-inch smooth reflector from DX that the VPTs use?



I am using the same DX SMO, I had a FM VLOP that looked really good, but it's for incan, required led to go inside & up the hole, it's not compatible with my CBT-90 set-up.



The_Driver said:


> BTW: I am also the only VPT2 owner who has a UCL lens on their light. I bought this afterwards, Kevon didn't know that a fitting UCLp (acryllic) lens exists. The glass ones are out of stock. The VPT2s come with mineral glass lens.
> 
> I only one could get a high quality ar-coated 3 inch plastic(lighter) aspheric.



I used the 3" Glass UCL on my Franken Mag XML but after a while, I tried to get another one & they were all gone.

I have the FM Glass window, would prefer a AR window, I am going to try the arcylic one .


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