Mec-Army PT-16, Triple XP-G2 in a "Nutshell" (NOW a 3402 Lumen Quad!)

Nobody should bring up this thread ever again! I just really love these PT-series lights! They just keep calling to me.

And Dale…

C’mon… expect us to believe that? :smiley:

I didn’t say I would put 3 XHP-50.2’s in it, did I? :stuck_out_tongue:

I do love these little lights though, such magnificent wow factor… just gotta love it!

And the “equivalent” sr-series doesn’t match up. In my opinion anyway.

there are a couple of differences that might matter to some

advantage SR71
Prices are similar for the anodized version, prices are lower for the Brass and Ti SR71 than the PT16.
The SR71 spec says 5 lumen low, PT16 says 10 lumen (I don’t know if the specs are accurate)
the anodized SR71 seems to use a reflector with glass lens, PT16 has the plastic TIR
the SR71 has a smooth head and tail so easier on pocket wear, PT16 head has cuts in the head to create fins, and the triad tail is more likely to gouge a pocket.

advantage PT16
No copper option for SR71, yes copper option for PT16
SR71 has memory and does not start on low, the v2 and v3 PT16 starts on low, no memory.

equal
both SR71 and PT16 v3, are 18350 compatible

The triad tail, pineapple knurling, and finned head are all what makes the design work for me. The SR71 loses out in the design department… if I were buying a copper or brass version it would be in the PT16 style, surely not the SR71.

I agree. Also the pt16 has fins and has some edges but all the edges are very smooth. I can’t imagine it eating away at a pocket. It just slips in. In fact it might be too smooth and slippery for some. It lacks grip but somehow that is what makes it feel “rich” in my eye at least.

The SR71 is a non starter with me because it has V1 UI

I just received a PT-18 modded to N219b, more info here
I think its freaking awesome! The pics made it look much bigger than it seems in real life. The head is so cute!
Love at first sight.

Indeed. Tiny. Well made and just so much fun to use.

Especially at over 3000 lumens! :smiley:

:wink: that sounds Hot!

On Turbo with the stock NoPWM driver, the 92 CRI N219b are making 450 lumens :slight_smile:

I have shown off the ginormous (relative) output of this very small light by shining it at my hand, so as to give the person in front of me an idea of the total output. It’s blinding! And the heat out the front is intense from the 4 emitters. I even tried holding my hand up at eye level, from a few feet away, and with eyes closed turning the light on in Turbo… the intensity is blinding even through your eyelids! Fortunately it has 64 levels of ramping so all this heat and current consumption can be controlled quite easily. It also has last mode memory, so you don’t lose the setting you were last working with by turning it off. Click on and hold for instant moon, click on then click again for instant turbo. Seems odd to think of a 3000+ lumen light having a moon mode, but it is actually quite low.

It’s not high CRI though. And while I might could help that a lot with a color filter, the filter would undoubtedly melt if running much Turbo. I have other lights for high CRI use though, my favorite being a 95 CRI Cree COB at 2004 lumens in mule configuration to avoid artifacts or hot spots, very helpful in macro photography.

I bought a PT-16 and a spare Keepower IMR 18350.
There is no difference in brightness on Low, Medium and High, between the PT16 and PT18 regardless what battery I swap
however
With the 18350, Turbo is double what it is with the stock 16340 included with the light.
And the 18350 is 27% brighter than the 18650

The 18350 w N219b is close to as bright as the stock 18650 in my PT-18 w XP-G2
Here are the lumen comparisons

and the tint difference

and the sizes :slight_smile:

I put the Nichia modded head on the PT16 tube, and modded the tail

btw, I picked up the PT16 on sale at illumn.com for $45 with code blacknovember

Diffuser/ travel case:
On stock 10 lumens low, you gain 3 new modes :slight_smile:

0.3 lumens out the side:

5 lumens:

3 lumens:

Does this mean I can now buy a copper PT16?

I only see the copper variant available at Heinnie Hays in the UK, the brass and Ti are seen more places, but the price is pretty steep! Lord knows I wanted that full copper one myself in a bad way!

Hope your neck is recovering well. Respect for your donation drive.
Yes the Copper PT16 is pricey enough to give me pause as well.

brass and ti make no sense to me, heat conductivity wise… and given the weight of the noble metals, my aluminum PT16 remains a favorite… now with 3000k LEDs

At the stock power levels Ti and Brass should be fine, at full mod level like the one I have, even Cu would heat up the hand quickly. I’m wondering if Neven’s LD-4 is compatible with e-switch lights? Being able to turn power level up or down between 12A and 8A through the configuration menu would be fantastic on a small light such as these! :slight_smile:

Does any PT16 owner here know what kind of runtime improvements you’re getting with 18350 cells over 16340 cells?

I actually removed the charger and squeezed in an 18500 with 1000mAh capacity, so it’s a lot better than the 16340 cell for sure, then again it’s a more capable cell so it pulls harder which compromises that capacity advantage somewhat.

All in all it was probabably a boredom move, boring it for the fatter cell, a habit of hot rodding that caused me to accept the challenge… not so much about being worth it for use.

The easier path would be to go with the 14500 version…

The only thing is, the PT14 (14500) version is only a small bit shorter than the 18650… so at that point, might as well go for the more robust battery. I like the size of the PT16. But if an 18350 cell has only a nominal improvement over a 16340, then I’d have to rethink.

compare the mAh of the batteries, that will tell you the difference in capacity