Calling all TR-J12 owners

Yes.

Oh, ok. I'm getting 2.2 tailcapping with a 4.8v C pack.

Mine is 4.03 on two MNKE 26650 and 2.22 on three of these cells.

Btw. I use a selfmade spacer of 6mm length, when I use it with three cells. The MNKEs are to short, because they are unprotected.

3.6 amps on 2 x 18650 is not bad as that's 7.2 amp if it was a single cell light, the torch is ment to be digitally regulated at 7.5 amps so one would think 3.6 is good.

But when you think about it, the tr-3t6 is digitally regulated at 3 amps and wil pull this on 2 x 18650,s so around 6 amps if it was a single cell. But we know the driver is around 5.6 amps.

So then one could think if the tr-j12 is regulated at 7.5 amps and if it was like the other genuine tr lights it would be 6 or 7 amps on 2 x 18650's.

All I know is mine is bloody bright and eats batteries and needs to be run on 3 cells for decent run time and for the sake of the batteries as even on redilast or Panisonic cells it is drawing more then 2C per 2 x 18650's and is putting out more then 3 times the light of my tr-3T6.

Hey benckie did you ever figure out why your light is drawing 6.5A from the two cells? Thats a CRAPLOAD of power, assuming you measured it with freshly charged cells thats 6.5A x 8.4V = 54.6 W (!!!) At this point you're in 4000 bulb-lumen 55w-HID territory my friend.

???

Na I have not pulled it apart, it might not be any thing wrong with it (see post 8) or it could be my meter and or the light going into dd or some thing, but my other Trustfire multi cell lights normaly reach there manufacture claimed digitally regulated current on 2 cells. But I think I was getting 3.8 amps on 2 x 18650's when I first got it, unless I was in the wrong mode or measured 3 cells not 2. I will have to go through some old posts and test it on 3 cells. I was thinking about listing it forsale and getting a tr-j18 or other a while back but I think I will hang on to it just incase there is a fault and I'll will only use it with good protected cells and keep an eye on it. You know a light has got some power when the ddm leads get warm lolls.

Still very much considering buying one of these, my other thought is getting a TR-J18, but not sure how much better that will be and I can get this for $55 right now, decisions, decisions.

In case any one is wondering my tr-j12 has a single spring on the driver not a button. I thought there would be more people with tr-j12's.

Hi benckie, I noticed that mine TR-J12 consumes more, than in other owners, with two 18650(AW 2200mA) - 4,2 amperes, with three 18650(same) - 2,6 amperes. On bad accumulators 18650(some of tustfire 3000mA), with big internal resistance, consumption is even more: with two 18650 - 4,8 amperes, with three 18650 - 3,8 amperes. It disappointed, but only 3 parts 26650 and everything will be good.

Hi budgetlightforum!!!

Hello and welcome

Took a moment to crunch some numbers, and assuming you guys are measuring tailcap current with fresh charged cells... 4.2V for 18650/26650 and 1.4V for the NiMH-C heres what I came up with:

benkie: 2x18650 => 54.6W

DRD: 4xC NiMH => 35.28W

Pok: 2x18650 => 30.24W, 3x18650 => 27.72W

oldienea: 2x26650 => 33.8W, 3x26650 => 27.9W

form: 2x18650 => 35.28W, 3x18650 => 32.76W

It looks like it draws more power at lower voltages. I have one on order, IMHO its a steal at $54 shipped. Looks like I may be using it in 3-cell configuration more than I thought.

This may sounds strange, but probably this is the reason. If you measure low amperage on single cell (direct drive) lights constantly, the dmm (or the leads) has a nice big resistance. Therefore, if you measure with this dmm on a real regulated light, the amperage will increase, because the driver will compensate the voltage loss, which appears on the dmm.

I missed this comment. I have found insufficient meter leads can cause all kinds of measurement inconsistencies. The OEM probes on my meter were driving me crazy, pulling my hair out trying to figure out whats wrong with my solder-work, wire routing or defective PCB components, when in reality it was inadequate meter probes. I bought some ~$17 probes, rated for 1000V / 15A... still affordable yet $$ WELL spent!!.. no more mystery head aches.

I tested it with good fully charged cells, i never do tail caps with any thing else. 6.5 amps is still under the 7.5 amp digital regulation. I have not been able to find my fluke since i moved house in last December, so i have brought another DMM it should be here next week.

The tr-1200 is digitally regulated at 2 amps on 2 x 18650,s and the tr-3t6 is digitally regulated at 3 amps on 2 x 18650,s.

So then one could think this about the tr-j12, since the manufacture has claimed it is regulated at 7.5 amps it would be on two cell's as the light does not work well on one cell it run is dim mode and if it was like the other tr lights i have the manufacture claimed regulation would be on 2 x 18650's.

Why would the tr-j12's regulation be one one cell as it has a dimming circuit for low voltage and it is a two cell minimum light.

I mention the regulation because this is what sets the TR lights apart from the skyray lights and so on, with the TR lights as the voltage drops the amps increase but it will not go above the digital regulation. The skyrays did not have this feature and the longer you used the light the higher the amps climbed till the lights driver failed.

Here's a graph that I made when I first got mine. This is with the head hooked up to my bench power supply (which tops out at 5A - resulting in the gaps)

It is slightly brighter on two cells than on three.

On 3 trustfire protected 26650's charged to 4.2 volt im getting 2.18 amps

Thats 27.5 watts, same as everyone else..... ? ? Strange how your 2-cell draw is so high.

Hi there,

Here are my results.

Equipment:

$15 eBay DMM -.-
intl-outdoor Panasonic NCR18650A 3100mAh (precharged two days ago; showing ~ 4.14v on DMM)
Brand new Duracell Alkaline C batteries (showing ~ 1.55v on DMM)
Duracell Rechargeable AA batteries (shows 1.2v/2000mAh on the wrapping; showing ~ 1.4v on DMM)*note: AA test done months ago*

Tailcap Readings (on High mode of course!):

2 x 18650 = 4.5A - 5.5A
3 x 18650 = 2.33A

4 x C = 2.50A - 2.75A

4 x AA = 1.8A

My readings shows that drd is correct, in that 4xC batteries is brighter then 3x18650 batteries.

Here are my amateurish pictures using iPhone below. lol

2 x 18650

3 x 18650

4 x C

4 x AA

Its a result of two things: a driver that is drawing more current as the voltage drops and a high resistance circuit.

With the 3 cell setup, a drop in voltage (due to the high resistance leads) makes very little difference in the current the driver needs. With 2 cells, the voltage is much more affected by the resistance and the problem is only compounded by the driver wanting more and more amps as the voltage drops.

If you are seeing readings over 5A, then the driver is only getting between ~4.2 and 6 volts.

On 2 trustfire protected 26650's charged to 4.2 volt each, I'm getting 6.83 amps. I does seem easy brighter on 2 cells over 3. I say all yours are just under driven since mine is still with in the manufactures claimed 7.5 max.

The light runs in dim mode only once voltage hits around 6 volt or below and is not that bright at all, but mine still is running in full brightness and you can change modes drawing 6 + amps.

Once the cells run down it will top out at 7.5 amps and will continue to run till it hits low voltage then drops out and dim,s the same as the manufacture claims.

6 volts or under the current draw drops drastically due to the dimming circuit and so does the brightness, the TR-3T6 and TR-1200 work in the same way once they are in dim mode below 6 volt. this is also about when the protected batteries cut out approx 5 to 6 volt depending on the battery.

The skyrays did not do this hence all the fried drivers with there early triples. Useless info 3.7 volt loaded the driver in mine will draw under 1.6 amps and at 2.7 volt it will draw under 0.58 amps.