Hi all,

I just got into using 18mm host flashlight bodies cuz they are cheap and I use 18650 rechargeables for my ecig,  and thought I'd share this.

Just fyi, 123a's will fit in these hosts, but because they are bored to 18mm (to use 18650 batts) there is a little rattle if you shake the light.  It is generally recommended to use primary cells in weapon lights, as they store better than rechargeables.

I wanted to mount lights on some long guns but didn't want to spend a bunch of $$.  I got some solar force host flashlight bodies from lighthound.com and some led modules from customlites.com who is also known as "nailbender" on forums (he makes thermal epoxy potted led drop in's that are highly regarded but cheaper than malkoff's)
http://www.lighthound.com/search.asp?keyword=solar+force&search=GO
http://www.customlites.com/P60-Style-Replacement-Modules_c8.htm

You can add tape switches and all if you want, but I wanted to KISS

I wanted to use primary cells for my weapon mounted lights, but didn't like that they would rattle under recoil.

I googled around and found people using everything from rubber bands to stuffing 18mm tubes with paper.
I'm too anal to stuff it with some random material so I found oveready's tubes, which are 14 bucks each!
I tried orings, but none of the sizes at Home Depot would fit, they were too thick.
I kept looking around at HD and right across the o-rings I found this for $3 bucks and some change........




I wrapped it around two surefire and duracell 123's and slid them in my solar force l2m's. PERFECT!





The fit is just snug enough that they won't fall out on their own weight, but will if you tap or swing the light. Absolutely no rattle.





I also have the delrin sleeve that came with my solarforce P1 and like the spiral wrap fit better.

This set up is brighter than my g2, polytac, or tlr-1.  the xpg g-2 has a nice combo of flood/throw and lumens/battery life.

High power led weapon light cost:

From lighthound:
Solar force L2 host $12.99
Gun mount $4.99 (Note that this clamps on rails and does not have a bolt that goes through rail slots.  I fired it on my AK for about 50rds and it did not slide down the rail.  We'll see how it holds up.....)

Customlites
XPG G-2 single mode $35

Home Depot:
spiral wrap $3 bucks and change.

Shipping from both lighthound and customlites is cheap also.







Just for kicks.......here is another light I pieced together using two 18650's. Solarforce M3 head (3 mode), L2N host, and one 18650 extension tube. This thing is a beast with killer battery life!





 

  ive been using solarforce for awhile now. i was gonna post a little thread like this but people seem pretty stuck on name brand lights so i didnt bother.

there are custom p60 makers that make better stuff than customlites though.

ive ordered some thru this guy named erik and he can source any led in any color. his prices are same as customlites. hes my favorite maker so far i have a few from him.

also with different circuit board drivers u can choose the voltage range and how many amps. u can safely run xm-l u2's with 4 amps and 1000 lumens. can also get a 5 mode with moonlight-low-mid-high-turbo. great for multi purpose. 1 mode xr-e in green is popular with night hunters.


i have extra satin metallic fde and blue solarforces if anyone wants one cheap. i got chargers n 18650 panasonics so i can make complete rechargeable kit for less than 50.

Hey J, does Erik have a website?  I'd be interested in checking him out. Any other leads would be appreciated too, I'm sure there are tons of good drop in makers.

I wish I found out about host lights before.  It was only until I started looking for things that will run off of my 18650 ecig cells that I found guys building their own lights with these.

+1 on the xml's

I have a xml-2 in a solar force host w/ 123a x2 on my AR and the flood on that is killer.

I was surprised that sleeves to downsize to 123a's weren't dime a dozen though......?

most people that have flashlights capable of using 18650s dont use cr123's thats why. most people just diy with o-rings.


a more common adapter is for 26(26650) and 33mm(32650) tubes. 26mm has an 18650 adapter, and 33mm can fit a battery carrier that holds 3 AA batteries in series.


i really like the larger diameter tubes. runtime and amperage is off the charts.

in case youre wondering the first 2 numbers of the battery are the width and the second set of numbers is the length    they make 18350 and 16340 which are the rechargeable equivalent of cr123 size.

ill pm you his email. he doesnt have a site hes more of a part time hobbyist on a couple forums. there are a few guys in europe, especially germany, that make super high end drop ins. you can hold down the button and "ramp" up the light from 0-100%. pretty neat.

nice, thanks for the post

aloha
-branz