Review: XM-L P60 Drop-In from Int'l Outdoor Store

Foy Finally Discovers Neutral White

These three drop-ins have introduced this humble scribe to tint. I used to think everything was secondary to lumens but the detail rendition of a proper neutral (not tan or some other 'color') has demonstrated to me beyond all doubt the value of tint. I can tell you that an XM-L driven to 3 amps is hardly dim and given what we know about gains above 3.5 amps, overdriven lights (as fun as they are) are begining to impress me less and less. These XM-L modules from Int'l Outdoor Store are extremely bright without washing everything out into a cold, unrealistic white and they are . . .

Foyapproved

Bottom line: Int'l Outdoor Store's newest (and only?) entry into the ultra-competitive P60 market carrys with it perhaps, higher expectations that we in "the community" might demand from other sellers. However steep $23 may seem for a P60 drop-in, remember that a Nailbender for example, is regularly sold out at double or even triple that amount. That being said, it's hard to imagine those pricier products performing much better than this fine piece of work. I promise; you will not be disappointed.

What I like:

- tint

- simple UI/well spaced modes

- output

- beam pattern

- potted

- brass cover

- clear, soft rubber reflector pad

- included "wrap" strips

What I do not like:

- heat wrap too thick ? (all I could think of)

XM-L Drop-In Module for P60 Style Flashlights

$23.00 Int'l Outdoor Store http://www.intl-outdoor.com/xml-u2-p60-dropin-module-p-336.html

ordered: 3-26-12

received: 4-16-12

Cree XM-L/T6 emitter in 3C neutral white

rated 3.0 amps max on high

working voltage: 2.7 to 4.5 volts

low voltage protection: 2.7 volts

overheat protection: 55-60c

descending, 3-mode UI: high (100%) medium (35%) and low (3%)

copper base/brass pill

brass top cover plate over electronics

full thermal potting

31.5mm total length, 22mm reflector height, 26.5mm reflector diameter

Tail cap draw using a Solarforce L2P and unprotected Panasonic 18650/2350 charged to 4.22 volts.

module #1:

high 2.96 amps
medium .92
low .07

module #2:

high 3.0 amps
medium .91
low .07

module #3:

high 2.97 amps
medium .90
low .07

Run time test using a Solarforce L2X with a Trustfire flame 18650/2400. (module #3)

Foyometer reading in dimly lit office 25
10:56pm 106
10:59 pm 95
11:14 pm 91
11:29 pm 89
11:45 pm 73
11:50 pm 60
starting voltage: 4.21v ending voltage: 3.57v

Modules seem very well made; soldering and reflector quality is outstanding . . .

The reflector rests on this clear, soft rubber pad. (sticky on one side) When I tried using the drop-in without this pad, the beam pattern became unacceptably ringy. (big time)

The bottom opening is exactly the same size as an SST-50 module I have. When I screwed on a reflector from an UltraFire XM-L drop-in (smaller emitter opening) the beam pattern becomes horribly ringy and has significant emitter artifacts. Clearly, emitter depth has been well thought out . . . bringing the emitter deeper into the reflector destroys the beam pattern as does having the opening tighter around the emitter. Ya gotta use the one it comes with.

(module #1)

(module #1)

(module #1)

(module #2)

Module #2 has what at first appeared to be a crack . . .

. . . but, it looks to be some kind of stray wire? Performance/beam pattern seem unaffected.

(module #3)

(module #3)

You can see the results of a failed attempt to wrap one of the modules. They aren't (very) sticky on either side and I suppose you must cut the piece a lot smaller to get it too fit. A single strip is much too thick.

Like an idiot, I left my new camera on automatic so my first beam pattern shot is stupid. I need to re-shoot the whole damn thing because it's hard to comapre when the exposure is so different. Anyway, this is what I have right now . . .

Left is a 3-mode UltraFire XM-L (sku5720) and right is IO module #1.

Left is module #2 and right is module # 1.

Left is module #3 and right is module #1. I show this because module #1 is slightly cooler than the other two and is actually my favorite of the three.

I guess I suck at drop-in reviews but hopefully you can get an idea of what you're buying. This is probably one of the best P60 modules available right now, in my opinion.

Foy

Foy, do You recommend us NW or CW drop-ins? What are outstanding?

I just newer owned U2 XML, but Your impressions about neutral make me doubt. I had a NW Xeno and it was not as bright as CW Xeno in direct comparing, making my choice CW at that moment. Same thing was when I compared Zebralight H51 and H51w...

I guess it's personal preference but after having these drop-ins I now prefer neutral white.

Foy

Are NW comparable dimmer than CW for naked eye?

IO does say that the NW is slightly less bright that the CL. What I said in the review was that the hardly noticeable difference in output is a small price to pay for having colors rendered more accurately.

Foy

Thanks Foy again for an informative review. Just by coincedence I have just recieved my first P60 components today from MF, Ultrafire 3 mode T6 drop in and a 504B host. Are you planning outdoor shots? What colour would you suggest the Ultrafire dropin is compared to the IOS dropins. Thanks.

Nice pics & reviews. How do you think the Ultrafire is brighter & decent price as well?

Nice work Foy. I think you made me buy at least one.

The NW XM-L T6 will be ca. 7% dimmer, than the CW XM-L U2 and as bright as a common XM-L T6 CW.

This 7% difference is hardly noticeable by the eye.

Good review, Foy.

I have just the CW version and it's the brightest P60 drop-in I have and one of my brighter XM-Ls for sure. It's a little bluish for my liking, but is certainly intense. The only thing that kinda irks me is that ever so often, it takes a split-second longer to come on when the button is clicked in. Hardly a bother though.

When a fire alarm went off at the facility where I work, this thing got a good workout with a 35-minute run on medium. No dimming and tremendous output. It did get quite hot to the touch!

Now I'm interested in a NW one.

Foy,

Thanks for the detailed review.

I have come to the same conclusion regarding tint and color rendering. I used to be a pure lumen junkie (hey, that sounds like a great username!) but have since discovered a preference of either NW or even WW over the sometimes harsh CW tints of XPG and XML emitters. Pure lumen output is not necessarily the whole story when it comes to the "best" illumination, whether outdoors, or especially indoors. Unfortunately, many, if not the majority, of the overseas budget manufacturers default to the cooler tints (6000K), along with the annoying strobe and SOS modes.

Great job, Foy, thanks for taking the time.

Next step -High CRI

Good review Foy. Two things, can you show a pic of the solder joints where the driver leads attach to the star and how are the drivers fastened into the pill? I see a couple of tiny solder joints in the holes of two of the dropins but none on the other.

Very interesting review, Foy! Thanks a lot for mentioning this option in P60 dropins. Pity it's rather expensive, but as you mentioned, relatively speaking it's a very reasonable price.

Frontpage'd and Sticky'd.

"Foy Finally Discovers Neutral White" .... better late than never, but before you go all out on neutral... buy some high CRI emitters. It's a natural progression CW->NW->HC.

+1 on all that. Foy - thanks for the review!

I never used to think much about tint, until I got to see a few different tints in the T6 and immediately saw how it affected what I perceived about tints. It's interesting if you can get several tints and look at them for yourself, not on a white wall, but outside in the real world. I like some of the NW, but I'm ending up being on the border, where the white is really white without blue bleeding into it. Oddly enough, inside the house I prefer a NW bordering on warm. The incandescent look.

"The Best Illumination" for anyone, is with your own eyes. It's the only way to figure it out. You can look at photos all day, but you have to try them out on your own, to know what you like. It's a very individual thing.

Thanks, Foy. A great (and very useful) review.

thanks for the review Foy! I also got my neutral and I agree with your statements..also would like to add a pro to these drop-ins..lack of PWM or too high of a frequency to detect..this thing is worth 23$ and i'm really starting to dig the neutral..