[M4D deal ALIVE] AMUTORCH TC750 Double-head SST40/XP-L

Commercial Sellers' Spot BLF User Negotiated Deals
21

With my 15 cent priority airmail, tracking is flaky at best - not sure, but it might have arrived in Illinois -- I don't trust this strange status.

Sure, I'll measure amps first thing. I got the typical clamp meter - UT210E. Wait - what kind of meter are you asking bout?

For amps, I'd recommend the UT210E - everyone has one, seems like.

For lumens, I got 3 of the LX1330B meters but would not recommend them, but if you have no other choice, guess so. All 3 get differing readings from each other, so I'd say factory calib is roughly +/- 3 percent maybe? I got 2 meters bout 5% off from each other, other meter is 2% off.

Update: Just got notice should be delivered tomorrow

22

OK, this is a micro review w/pics. Mine arrived - the XHP HD NW (4800K claimed) version.

Nice compact light, with a C8G that came in yesterday:

With another great Amutorch:

Again with the C8G:

Shown with the 21700 titanium tube:

Close up of one of the XPL's:

Tailcap spring in the alum 18650 tail, typical style Amutorch uses:

View of driver, spring side, notice the copper ring/wire around the edge? Weird...

Bezel and reflector removed pretty easy - did one by hand, the other with a grippy glove. Copper boards, not sure if DTP though - typical low end copper MCPCB's:

Centering piece:

Ok - what are those inner down low threads doing there? They serve no purpose. Maybe they wanted to use threaded reflectors? Stock reflectors are not threaded though, so...

The Amutorch family, well it's a kind of/sort of family. There's some styling commonality, but there sure are differences too. All 3 have some titanium - the AX3's bezel is titanium, not SS The X9 and AX3 are both fully modded running NarsilM.

Here's the manual - wut?

Amutorch TC750, stock, on cells as shown. Lumens ranges are at start and at 30 secs, ANSI means they are based on the maukka calib lights. Tailcap was removed for amp readings with tailcap on for readings, so the resistance of the tail spring could reduce output relative to amps:

Mode

Amps

ANSI Lumens

Throw

40T Lo

0.39A

132

40T Med

0.92A

285

40T Hi

2.50A

696

40T Turbo

10.2A

2460-2270

~44 kcd

25S Turbo

10.25A

2520-2290

45 kcd

30T Turbo

10.1A

2580-2385

46.5 kcd

The UI

Actually it's pretty decent, not great:

  • click ON
  • click&hold for OFF, but Id' say less than 1 second - it's quick, nice, almost as fast as Anduril
  • when ON, click to cycle thru lo/med/hi
  • From OFF, dbl click to turbo, click or click&hold to OFF
  • From ON, dbl click to turbo, click to return to last set mode, or click&hold to OFF

The cons:

  • no moon
  • from OFF, can only get to last used level (lo/med/hi), or dbl click to turbo
  • no access to lowest mode from OFF -- click&hold from OFF does nothing, what a shame

This is bout as far as I got - dunno bout LVP or temp control, or parasitic drain yet.

In 30 secs though, it gets warm but not uncomfortable. I think the NW XPL is a lower bin - seems output is lower than spec'd (2860 lumens I think?).

Other notes:

  • the pair of lens are not AR coated
  • the 2 sets of tubes is really nice, having a 21700 designed tube, plus an 18650 tube - wow!
  • the 21700 tube looks/feels like real titanium (definite - I have a few), and is ~3-4 mm shorter than the black alum one
  • the 18650 black alum tube has a lip extension at the end (sorry no pic), but looks pretty useless to me. If you filed/sanded it down, would probable match the 21700 tube length.
  • Light is 119 mm long w/21700 titanium tube
  • on ceilings or walls, you can see the 2 overlapping hot spots, a little oval in shape - closer in, more oval it is, so didn't check, but outdoors at a distance not a problem.
  • I like the rings Amutorch uses for lanyards. They appear to be titanium to me. Weird though the titanium 21700 tube doesn't have one.
  • the cigar grip on the black tube is rubber I believe, can be moved, probably removed if you want
  • Amutorch glues the drivers, and this is no exception. Others I could poke out easy thru the LED wire holes, but not sure bout this one because of the positioning relative to the MCPCB's - probably want to try this real soon.

This is a really nice classic dual LED design, smaller than some I'm sure, but makes this a nice compact light, and because of the shortness and flat style, should be pocketable, though not sure about a holster that would fit (?) Hhmmmm.....

Well, that's it for now...

Ohh, wait --- thanx Martin for another great deal !!

A solid decent light, that sure has some unique features goin for it. I know it's not for everyone, but worth considering by anyone, least in my opinion. Love to see how it does with the SST-40. Turbo seems like a definite pure FET output, so spring bypasses should help bump the amps and output.

23

Will they be making a 2 cell “John Holmes” version?

24

Yea, guess you can call this one a d..k light.

... Now I can't freak'n pick up this light anymore!

25

Thanks for posting, I should get mine soon and your numbers look good for this light. I was hoping for about 2500 lumens considering all the possible current vs resistance. Can’t really see the SST-40’s being much past 3000 lumens. Not really bad numbers considering what we had only a few years ago. I’ve got several Solarforce bezels and on the 1st batch of Shadow TC-750’s years ago they fit then the second batch didn’t. The Shadow BL-20 bike light did.

Maybe a Mjolnir with 2 XHP70.2’s on a set of 21700’s next year.

26

Joking aside, because the SST-40's are lower voltage than XPL's by a good margin, you should expect 3500 lumens out of it, as they rated, specially for the CW SST-40's.

Probably the XPL's would benefit from spring bypasses. My amp measurements are with the tailcap removed, while the lumens/throw are measured with it on, so there's probably loss's there.

Interesting bout the SolarForce bezels - I should try them out. Also forgot to note by ANSI #'s, I mean the #'s based on the maukka cal lights. My prior calibrations #'s would add 12% to lumens.

Updated post #22 to clarify the readings...

27

Got mine today. Some differences between the two. My 18650 tube has a very thin tail spring. Bezels are not SF compatible and are the same as the second gen Shadow TC-750. It is a very yellow LED for 4800K. I’ll defer to your opinion on the brightness of SST-40’s, my experience on them is limited to only one light.

28

Ok, does sound little different. Didn't check the LED's under a UV, but mine appear luke NW to me, could be ~4500K, but not sure. I assume you ordered SST-40 4800K?

Just checked the spring in the 18650 tube and looks bout the same as the 21700 tube one - copper in color, not that thin.

29

Did you try long press from off to see if this has a ramping UI, like the Amutorch X9?

30

Just tried it - nope, nothing. Actually didn't keep the X9 stock for very long - running over 30 amps now driving 3 3V HP50.2's - been considering the new titanium X9 with Martin's discount. Actually I wouldn't mind get'n a 2nd AX3 too at the BG discount now for $27, oh boy...

Shame because Neal got me goin with the new gen Amutorch's, but BG is beat'n him up on prices on some...

31

Got the driver out, using a solder pick tool thru a LED wire hole -- worked out well, no damage at all.

Here's the silicone style glue for the driver:

Good amount of thermal grease. Doesn't appear well spread out, but might have been:

I tested these for DTP and they are, surprisingly:

Wires are 24 AWG, so should be a bump for 22 AWG. Switch is driver mounted, simple FET design. Driver is 23.8 mm wide:

Not sure why they felt they needed the copper wire, strange to add that much work/effort I would think:

All cleaned up:

I don't recognize the FET, but has the typical gate resistors, 10K to grnd, 10 or 100 ohm inline.

Getting it prep'ed for a 17 mm 0.8 mm DEL DDm-17 driver to piggyback on to:

32

I haven’t ordered yet. You made it look so easy I might just do the LED swap myself. Hopefully the drivers are the same, SST-40’s did get delayed for some reason? So many new lights two versions of this isn’t in my budget.

33

Just ordered an E01 and 6 trits from Neal (best price I know of), and ordered 2 of the drilled out triple optics, and then ordered a bunch of MCPCB's and XPL HI's (V2 5D triple, qty 5 of the V4 3C's) from Hank.

$156 went like noth'n - ugh, and there's still stuff I want. No, I don't have a problem, I just can't retire yet

34

It has triple tap strobe also but in high mode not turbo.

35

Interesting that this light has basically been around since 2012, here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/14234

I finally got around to finishing this mod recently. My favorite FET+1, piggybacked in:

These types of switches can be easily broken - they have no support on the back so hard pressing eventually breaks them, or they get pushed in, sometimes still working but harder to press. So I usually add some epoxy or JB weld as support. Here you can see a transparent epoxy behind the switch:

Maybe a22 or 24 AWG bypass:

This is 22 AWG bypass:

Assembled:

A couple of XPL HI V4 3C's from Hank at IOS on MtnE MCPCB's:

Results:

Lumens ranges are at start and at 30 secs, ANSI means they are based on the maukka calib lights. Tailcap was removed for amp readings with tailcap on for readings, so the resistance of the tail spring could reduce output relative to amps. First line is the stock light with the XPL's, 2nd line i the modedd with the XPL HI V4 3C's:

Amps

ANSI Lumens

Throw

40T Turbo (stock)

10.2A

2460-2270

~44 kcd

40T Turbo (modded)

10.6A

2760-2550

65 kcd

It's now running my version of Anduril with higher max temp option and a voltage fudge factor calibration UI.