Considering that you’d be unlikely to use it in high mode except for show and only for short periods I don’t think it would burn out the emitter too prematurely. What I’d worry about more is the emitter desoldering itself from it’s base. Considering how the temps Foy recorded only vary 10 degrees from the head to the tail cap I’d say this torch is VERY well heat sinked…rather amazingly, really. What I’d like to know is how many minutes until the temp stabilizes on high. If it ramps up to 150 in 5 minutes and is still there after 15 minutes then I’d not worry too much about it dying too quickly from heat.
Well if standard life of XML is about 50000 hours (over 5,5 years) and because of overdriving it is reduced to lets say fifth, it would still be 10000 hours, which is over one year. I'd say it's enough for most.
I would want a light like this but I'm far too deep in the DIY madness to buy a ready-made light. No. I must try to build one myself, fail, get 1st degree burn trauma in the process, start a mild fire, breathe toxic fumes from bursting Li-ion cells, blind my other eye by looking directly at it and spend hundreds of euros doing so. Before ordering this light from a vendor. That's how I roll.
I didn't measure how hot the battery got but when I took it out it seemed only slightly less hot than the flashlight - probably over a buck-twenty fahrenheit. When you consider it's drawing 1.25 amps on medium, LED life can be preserved by simply using medium most the time.
Wow, this thing sounds barely street legal! Watch out for your eyes at that temperature, and try to dodge the flying aluminum shrapnel. At the same time, it does sound like an incredibly fun light...
Great review as usual Foy! Incredible photography and teardown. Frontpage'd and Sticky'd.
Very detailed review!! I had to buy this light, after seeing you’re previous threads on this light. I can already picture my wife saying " who is this foy?" Five *****