UPDATE: 5/19!! Review: ULTRAFIRE HD2010 from Tmart (warning: lots of pics!!)

You ran it like this? LL5GHUFU

Nice review on a cool light. Thanks.

That's definitely direct drive, you are reaching the limit of what an XML will pull at 5.5 amps with the resistance of the spring and the emitter wires in the way.

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That's definitely direct drive, you are reaching the limit of what an XML will pull at 5.5 amps with the resistance of the spring and the emitter wires in the way.

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OK thanks Eric... I just sent you a PM.

Regarding your custom 3.5A driver, do you think thats too much current for an XML in the HD2010 host? Would I be better off using one of your lower current drivers?

thanks!!!

Great review JohnnyMac, and thank you for getting us those coupons... Mine is on order. Thanks again....

To my eye 3.5 seems to be the sweet spot you have to consider driver losses even if they are 90 percent efficient you are only getting 3.2 to the emitter at 3.5amps at the tail cap.

I am looking forward to seeing comparison beamshots!!!

Fab review. The measurements and detailed pics are a big plus for modders. Cheers!

Very well done, Johnny! Thanks so much for your hard work on this review.

Frontpage'd and Sticky'd.

I've checked Ultrafire's official website and I can't find the model HD2010 in their product line-up. I'm just curious. Is this reviewed flashlight a cloned Ultrafire, or is it so new that it still is not incorporated in its official product line-up?

Made a couple small updates to the original post.

Thank you for a very nice review. Seems like a very nice light indeed considering the price tag. And it seems you got a genuine ultrafire since it is nicely made. Whenever I buy a ultrafire light that costs a little more at a respected source I get lights of good to near perfect quality. When I skimp a few bucks and buy from some oddball seller I get crap. Go figure :-)

Hey JohnnyMac, this was a really great review. I tried this technique you figured out on mine (Fandyfire HD-2010) and it works great. Very easy to get the hang of it. Yeah, I dislike the flashy modes too. Thanks again.

This light is a great compact XML thrower. I thought I'd post this in JohnnyMacs review sticky so it doesn't get lost. Thanks Johnny!! I Just modded mine with an E1320 custom 10x7135 (3.5A driver), and am very happy with the results. E1320 double stacked two more 7135 ICs to goose peak current to 3.5A. A few other members commented that 3.5A is the point of diminishing return in medium-sized XML hosts, so I chose that for my ceiling.

E1320 also re-flashed the EPROM to eliminate the disco strobes and so its now a basic 4 mode rev-clicky that goes CANDLE-LO-MED-HI-TURBO. Tailcap current draw with a LiNiCoMn 26650 is:

CANDLE=.003

LO=.123

MED=.81

HI=1.71

TURBO=3.55

It now has a last mode memory and like the OEM driver, it has no visible PWM flickering. This is a GREAT driver board that E1320 programmed to cover all my needs. The tailcap current draw now is a consistent 3.55A, regardless of how much pressure I exert on the -B probe.

I had to ditch the OEM driver retaining ring, and of course the OEM FET-driver. Its still a good direct drive circuit board IMHO, so I'll keep it for another project. I have done a few driver swaps over the years, and usually I just throw away the OEM driver board. FWIW this is the first one I want to keep for future use... maybe for a P60 drop in mod some day.

Unfortunately the double sided 7135 board. Won't fit with the OEM ring. So I had to cut+grind down a P60 brass pill, and press it into place. I just cut and whittled away with the dremel until I got a solid fit and I pressed it into the aluminum pill with a vise. I did not grind or cut the aluminum pill in any way, just pressed the brass into the threaded area and it slid firmly right in.

Everything went together like a charm. Normally I file down the solder blobs, but I dont really care to do that right now.

Heres the business end of the.003A candle mode. Its about ~.25 Lumens, very closely matches my Quark AA candle mode. The picture doesn't do it justice, its very low and I can see the phosphor squares on the die.

Such a nice light, Kramer. What modes do you have with the mod?

Its just a straight up dimmer-mode type of thing now... there are no "flash modes", in the sense of SOS, Strobe or or anything that cycles the light ON-OFF-ON-OFF. Soft pressing it just goes CANDLE-LO-MED-HI-TURBO (repeat). If I leave it on any mode for a couple seconds, it will remember that mode so the next time I turn it on it will start up in that last mode. (last mode memory).

BLF-er E1320 also did this mod on his HD2010, with good results. We have been exchanging PMs over the last few days, but he can elaborate further on the modes, programming, and the likes.

Those are some really nice modes and make perfect sense to me, I wonder why manufacturers insist on stupid strobe modes and the likes...

Kramer, that is a fantastic mod E1320 did for you. I'll bet that will be your favorite light for some time to come.

It really makes perfect sense to me also to use the 5 mode. I was playing around with some ramping programs and thought realistically you don't need an unlimited number of modes that you can't accurately hit every time. 5 modes really does everything you need and you get repeatability every time, plus with a .002 candle mode and a 4500mAh King Kong 26650 battery you get over 2200hours or 91days of continuous light in case of an emergency.

Thanks Garrett for showing how easy the driver swap really is.

I hope sooner manufacturers will have more sense and flashlights will start appear with similar modes like the ones you just made! If I had to choose a light with those (your) modes, or the stupid hi-lo-disco-sos-silly modes, I would definitely go for those ramping modes.