Tractor Supply Store Deal Alerts & Discussion Thread

this is a shot of the chip next to U2 on the Defiant 3D, also a single XM-L2 light. I think it has the same driver and no one could figure out what this chip is.

I’m going to assume it’s just an SO8 modes chip and not an MCU like the “MC” might imply. I’m guessing that maybe one of the resistors marked 103 is shorting VIN and PWM out on the modes chip (on purpose) in order to make it single mode.

That’s a pretty wild guess though without some more info. I assume that there is no PWM in the output?

An easy thing to look at would be resistors which connect any two pins of MC10P3108S.

Ummm… or what’s up with that L-1 pad? Are the modes actually enabled and it’s actually the FET that’s bypassed by the current LED- wiring? [nope]

Or not. Where’s “double strike-through” when you need it? :wink: I see that topic has already been covered in your thread. OK, back to the topics I mentioned inside the strikethrough…

Here is a better pic of another driver from that Defiant 3D

EDIT:
Looks to me that R2 bridges the pins on the chip.
So I think what you are saying is that removing R2 and connecting to L-1 instead of L- could unlock some modes?

I’m no longer confident that moving LED- will affect the modes. If the two pads are just on either side of the limit resistor bank (the four R100’s) then it doesn’t matter.

The “103” resistor(s) on the other hand may be a decent bet. Any resistor which ohms out / buzzes out to two or more pins on the MC10P3108S is a suspect. I don’t think you can hurt anything by removing or replacing them. There is a fair chance that one of them also affects the “modes group” that the driver is in, that’s how at least one other “modes chip” I’ve seen worked.

The new pics are better, but I’m still having trouble seeing where the traces are and what/where they connect to.

Muto wrote:

. . . The Xintd has a smaller hot spot, but the output seems the same or maybe just slightly higher with the Tractor JobSmart Chunky having better spill.

This thing hangs with most C8’s in stock form. Can’t wait to get it apart and lay into it. . .

I agree with your observations. Something special about the beam pattern on this light. My beam shots don't do it justice. Some setting my camera changed.

I too hope to see some people mod this light. I hope to be one of them. I just want the price to drop more given the finish and extra challenges it poses.

Sorry for taking so long to get back on the heat gun. I have used it for reflowing several times today. It works good enough for that purpose. tmay because I haven't used it very much yet, but I like the Drill Master from Harbor Freight more for reflowing. The Drill Master seems to put out more heat at a slower speed in Low Mode. Also is a bit quieter.

I just looked and the Drill Master is currently on sale for $12.99.

During my trekking last week, I stopped in a TSC and this light was back up to 12.99. It just seems to me that for the general public, an XM-L2 running on 4 - AA is ideal.

^ Totally agree. Wish more lights like that would be available. This one can at least take unprotected 26650's. Some are too short to do that.

I think I saw it for $8.99 somewhere, coupon maybe? Deluged with HF ads, pain trying to find something again.

^ Now that's a deal! There must be loose quality control based on the number of negative reviews. Mine has been through hell and back many a time and is still running great. Use it a lot on vehicles to loosen nuts, roll fenders, etc.

These are $7.99 for a pair. They are single AA. Appears to have plenty of space to bore out for an 18500 with room to spare. That's what I intend to do with mine. Has one of those plastic pills, reflectors, lens, with a 5mm Nichia looking LED. Like in those "Police" lights. So you would have to fabricate a pill if you want to increase output.

Good news though. Unlike the "Police" lights, the lens is not a press fit. Pill, reflector, and lens come out the back of the head and are held in place by a threaded aluminum retaining ring. Reflector has a good finish. So this is a good low cost mod host if you want a 18500 AA, 14500, 16xx0 side-clickie tube light and don't mind making your own pills.

EDIT: I just realized the cell extends into the midsection and there is only enough diameter to bore up to 16mm. Is there a readily available 16500 cell out there?

EDIT2: Added a couple more details and crossed out some words I forgot to cross out in the last edit.

I’m bare assed!
I reported earlier that I was in TSC and the stubby light was not marked down to 9.99 but was 12.99.
I didn’t practice what I have preached, do the price check! So as i was passing the store again today, I stopped in and grabbed one and brought it up to cashier. Yep, scanned at 9.99.
Now I can take it apart and try to figure what that driver is all about.
Happy so far, and will be even happier if I can get modes out of that driver.

IMA4, did you use the heat gun to get the head off?

BTW, I only get .82A with an 18650

I found coupons for that heat gun, some expired in the last 30 days from newspaper ads but there's still one in a mailed booklet that expires Oct. 31. I haven't searched all the newer ads yet.

dchomak wrote:

IMA4, did you use the heat gun to get the head off?

BTW, I only get .82A with an 18650

Sorry for missing this question. I did use heat, but that was because I assumed the head was threaded on and glued with loctite. Heat can be used to heat the head only to make it expand though. When I turned the head with a strap wrench (battery tube in rubber jawed vise), the heat came off.

This 3 pack has dropped to $9.99. Seem like decent mod hosts for the ambitious. O-L has a thread on them (Linked in his picture below).

Been getting a bit skeptical of TS as of late. Every time I see a great price on their site, I can't find the items on the shelf even though the online availability check shows they have them in stock.

My last visit really took the cake. They had some lights one sale for less than $5 each (e.g. like this camo 3D light advertized for $4.99). I actually found one on the shelf, but the full price rang up at the register. I asked why the price wasn't the same as advertized and was told they don't follow the on-line pricing.

Stopped at a TSC store last night in Irmo, SC. They had all kinds of stuff on clearance. I picked up some wrenches and other tools really cheap. A cool triple swirl propane/MAP torch for $4.19. Sale appeared to be going for some time as a good bit of stuff was sold out.The only thing notable flashlight was a Li-ion 55W HID spot light that looks like a Thor Colossus for $28. Normally $80. I don't know anything about it, but there is a thread on it at CPF.

Wow I’m traveling today,
hoping there’s a tractor supply along the way.

Well, I did travel yesterday and I did come across a TSC.
When I stepped inside, I thought I was in some alternate universe :slight_smile:
Not really, I have shopped there many times, but it was the first time I was in one specifically looking for clearance items.
Couldn’t find the HID spotlight, but I think I did find a torch. It was $8.99, is this the one?

I did find some tools in the clearance bins that have every right to be there.
Camo colored tools that are hard to find once you set them down, what a brilliant idea :smiley:


Li-ion landscaping tools is going to be huge. Everybody is coming out with their own line. Here is a Scotts hedge trimmer I saw that looks like the tool itself is a Ryobi and the batteries look like they are Ridgid.


That's funny. Didn't think about the camo tools being harder to find when on the ground. I just purchased some of the clearance items in the "real" tool section up at the front of the store.

Each store sets their own prices. That torch you show above was $5.99 at the Irmo SC store. I hit the Newberry SC store yesterday and that torch was $8.99 like at your store. The torch I'm speaking of has 3 output nozzles. I can't find it on their website. I might take a picture of it at some point. Pretty sure this is the product: