UltraFire RL-2088

My UltraFire RL-2088 from Manafont has arrived.

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/ultrafire-rl2088-sst50-3mode-1200lumen-memory-led-flashlight-318650-p-5119?rp=73278

Here are some preliminary impressions of this "poor man JETBeam RRT-3" :) Very nicely made flashlight, great type-III coating, beefy and build like a tank. It feels great in the hand, but also it is pretty heavy (640 g with the batteries). Now some driving impressions. I compare it with the UltraFire WF-500 SSC P7 (my modification with the KD 3 mode super driver and UCL AR coated lens). Of course, RL-2088 have ordinary uncoated lens, although in description it says opposite.
The current draw at the tailcap is 1.35 A on high, and 0.3 A on low mode. I also measured the current on the led terminal, and SST-50 is driven at 3.5 A on high, and 0.7 A on low. I was slightly disappointed, because SST-50 should be driven at 5 A to achieve it's full potential. However, after comparing RL-2088 and WF-500 outdoor, is is obvious that 2088 is more powerful. Not much, but it is visible.
Although in a ceiling bounce test two lights perform almost indentical, it should be noted that SMO reflector always gives lower readings in ceiling bounce test compared to OP reflector. On the other hand, WF-500 reflector is also bigger (52 mm x 30 mm), and RL-2088 SMO reflector is slightly smaller in diameter (48 mm x 29 mm).
Compared to my Fenix TK15, which is rated at 337 lumens (ANSI/NEMA FL1 standard- OTF lumens), I would say that RL-2088 gives some 650-700 OTF lumens. But thanks to SMO reflector, the throw is some 14000 lux at 1 m, compared to WF-500 9000 lux at 1 m. Also, the spill readings at 75 cm from the hotspot are intersting: 47 lux for RL-2088, and 39 lux for WF-500 P7.

Some temperature readings: starting temperarure 27 degrees C, (ceiling bounce 33.3 lux), after 10 min. 44.2 C, after 15 min. 47.6 C, after 20 min. 51.4 C (ceiling bounce 30.1 lux)

I like the tint of the SST-50, it is slightly to the neutral white.
Now i have a few options. I will try an XM-L with the original driver (XM-L driven at 3.5 A should be pretty bright). Then I'll try DX SST-50 and SST-90 drivers, and maybe I'll ever put SST-90 inside to see how it's look like, And there is also 50 mm AR coated lens at KD, but I have to grind it down to 48 mm.

More images with the inside components to follow. The beamshot is about 2 m from the wall, and the tint is not so green in the real life.

I've been sort of lusting after this thing for a while.

I was a bit surprised that they went for the SST-50 from the 6 die Osram Ostar.....I thought it looked like a natural for a SST-90.

I've removed SST-50 and install XM-L, and there is a huge difference! I got about 25000 lux at 1 m, and in a ceiling bounce test now I got 48 lux, compared to 33 lux with SST-50. The current draw is abut the same (1.3 A on high). The heating is almost identical: starting temperature 26 degrees C (ceiling bounce 48.3 lux), after 5 min. 37.6 C (47.9 lux), after 10 min. 43.9 C (45.5 lux), after 20 min. 49.3 C (44.2 lux).

It might be worth checking that your XM-L is getting a sensible voltage as it's Vf is probably lower than the SST-50.

Yesterday arrived this SST-50 reflector from DX:

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/sst-50-smooth-aluminum-reflector-5-1cm-diameter-47997

It looked like a good alternative to the original one, firstly because of the size (48 mm inner diameter vs. 43 mm), and relatively easy to modify. But, as always, it took me the whole afternoon of turning and thread cutting, before I managed to put this thing inside the head. During the lathe work, one small swarf scratched the delicate surface of the reflector, close to the end. Also, one tiny drop of WD40 find a way inside. After the work was finished, I soak the reflector into the distilled water and a dash of dish detergen, and rinse in distilled water. However, this recklessness cost me some 10% in total output.

I've enlarged the stainless steel bezel too, from 43 mm to 46 mm, and replaced original o-ring which also blocked some output, with a thinner one.

I thought it was still worth a try! Total output is now about the same, but I measured about 33000 lux at 1 m, and I would guess some 900 OTF lumens, well in the JETBeam RRT-3 territory, but at one-third the price :)

Now I'm waiting for AR coated lens from KD.

One more thing, looks like the HA-III coating on that thing is pretty durable. I've attached an image of my boring bar, after the first cut on the head.

Some more stuff to play with arrived :)

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/sst-90-smooth-aluminum-reflector-7-3cm-diameter-47996

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/sst-50-smooth-aluminum-reflector-5-1cm-diameter-47997

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/6-18v-3000ma-3-mode-circuit-board-for-xm-lt60-emitters-57779

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/8-4v-sst-50-5-mode-memory-circuit-board-for-flashlights-50025

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/12v-sst-90-5-mode-memory-circuit-board-for-flashlights-50026

Please report about drivers quality and usability. If possible measure also output current. I want to try them out to run one to three XM-L powered by 8.4V 2S2P 18650 battery pack.

Another modification. I concluded that 73 mm reflector could be too big, so ordered 65 mm reflector from KD. This one is really well made, and it's pretty deep (63 mm)

http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=11002

Then came the hard part. From the aluminum billet (70 mm dia. and 50 mm height) I made a new head. The cooling is now improved, because of a bigger surface area and a greater mass (745 g vs. 620 g).

Now I'm waiting for appropriate lens to finish this project. Looks like that this one could be a good choice:

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/multi-coated-uv-lens-filter-62mm-15090

However, I'm amazed how the reflector size have the impact on throw, which went from 33000 lux to almost 60000 lux :)

Wow! Excellent work, Hrvoje! I really like how it turned out. It makes the torch look a little more natural. 60K lux is fantastic!

Sweet! Awesome work!! 8)

Hrvoje that looks great. When I put the battery in a flashlight that's a big thing for me

Thanks guys. I was hoping that I'll be able to put SST-50 inside, overdriven with DX SST-90 driver, but unfortunately the driver is too big. It would bi nice if someone from UltraFire looked at this, because in stock form this flashlight is way below its full potential.

Then came the hard part. From the aluminum billet (70 mm dia. and 50 mm height) I made a new head.

Holy shit that's awesome. Is it hard to make the reflector and your head mate up perfectly?

You are right. I spend almost as much time in final head/reflector fitting, as I spend in making a damn thing.

HAHAHAHAHA Yep . That's me too .

I'm thinking I need an Emco Compact 5. Man, I bet I could mess up a lot of metal with that thing.

Foy

WOW! Just WOW Hrvoje!!!

Hrvoje, look like this may be another flashlight for you to mod. T2, http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/trustfire-t2-xpg-r5-350lumen-5mode-led-flashlight-118650-p-6462 This one will look real good with your big head mod.