single 18650 + XHP70: nitecore TM03

Thanks, and you’re welcome. Things built solid as a rock, that’s for sure. Can’t get over the 14Ga leads…

Not really liking the XHP-70 in there, thinking about an MTG-2…

I agree, i did a swap in my Klarus G20 from a cool white XHP70 to a MT-G2, and has so much better tint, and even more flood output.

My TM03 now has a QO MT-G2. Mostly the swap went well, getting the o-ring back in around the reflector and under the lens has proven impossible. Seems that it swelled after being removed and it just isn’t going back in the way it was.

I agree about the MT-G2 being an excellent LED; it is a reason why I still use the Fenix PD40 flashlight.

what are the pros and cons using mtg2 instead?

Well, I really like the MT-G2 and it’s creamy color output. I really don’t like blue-white light, which the XHP-70 was in this particular light. So I guess it just boils down to getting what I want, whether Nitecore offers it up this way or not. :wink: It’s still using a single cell, still the proprietary cell, and still making some 2500 lumens. Since we always lose some lumens dropping down to a warm white compared to a blue-white tint, it’s pretty much a wash in the output department. Beam profile might actually be a bit tighter, certainly better looking and easier on the eyes.

Other than that, it gave me something to do other than watching TV. :wink:

The MT-G2 has a much more consistent tint through out the angle of emittance from the LED, ( much similar to the Nichia119/219 does) while the XHP70 has some severe tint-shift to yellow then green as the angle gets steeper, much like an XM-L does. (shallow reflectors tend to reflect this yellow/green tints from the sides of the LED more than deep reflectors do, Like the syndrome the original first Olight S20 had, and the new Klarus G20 does.

Also the MT-G2 is still the best looking emitter ever even when off. :heart_eyes:

I think so too DB. :wink:

The TM03 has a deep reflector with 2 zones of angle, down close to the emitter the angle of approach is steeper, then it flares out more above that. This can be seen in the double effect in these shots. In this instance, as in the Solarforce M8, which uses a hybrid reflector where the lowest section is orange peel and the upper section is smooth, the big MT-G2 seems to like the approach yielding a nice beam.

I think this is MT-G2 number 12 for me. The least likely is my Solarforce Skyline I, with an incredibly deep reflector. Something about the fat boy emitter is just really appealing, the look of it, the creamy rich color of it’s light, and the rugged nature it seems to have in spades.

Dale, about thermal runs, the mtg2 generates more heat in comparison xhp70?

Awesome picture that second one :open_mouth:

Not sure Franz, they’re probably pretty close to the same at this power level. Both are capable of making a lot of heat, to be sure. I know the big MT-G2 really cranks it out when pushed up over 7A and at 12-16A it’s pretty crazy.

WOW, they can handle 16A?

How many lumens that thing pulls in that current?

It seems outperforms the xhp70, right? :open_mouth:

Doesn’t outperform the XHP-70, no. At peak on a 6V MT-G2 it makes around 4300 lumens. The XHP-70 can do up over 7000 at peak, top tier binning.

The XHP-70 is 4 XM-L2 emitters on one base. The MT-G2 is an array of 72 small dies. Different animals.

Edit: That’s not hypothetical. I have a P2 binned XHP-70 in a Convoy L6 making 7245 lumens.

Thanks for the info, Dale. Thats very impressive output.

Post some beamshots of that L6 beast :+1:

I posted a video showing the ramping in action on the Convoy L6 thread of JDub. :wink:

did you see a way on the driver to be modded to work with regular cells?

would connecting the "front negative contact spring" to the case enable regular cells to work?

The simple answer is no.
Grounding the top tapped ground ring to the brass pill does not allow it to work with a regular cell. The internal components will have to be addressed, if it’s possible at all.

Is there enough metal stock to bore our the battery tube and use a 21700 battery? The TM03 body is very thick.

The flats on two sides are actually deeper than the grooves for o-rings, this minimum outside diameter is 23.8mm. The inside diameter is 19.1mm. That gives 2.35mm thick walls at the milled flats where the name is. If you were to try to bore it to 21.2mm then the area at those flats would be quite thin.