DEAL ENDED - DX XM-LT6 900-Lumen 5-Mode White LED Flashlight - Titanium Color (2x18650) - $29.99 (Normally $41.30)

A month ago I ordered a 57779 driver, and last week I got a 12826. Nice chinese service, as always.

Good news: It works at least. The input current is 1.3-1.4A from 8V . Relativ easy to modify the value of the sense resistor, it is under the coil, but it can be moved from its place easily. No memory function, and the common problem (at least for me), if you switch off and on the light, the driver steps to the next mode. But it can be solved with a resistor.

Viffer, does "can be solved with a resistor" refer to the single mode mod, or have you discovered how to retain the modes but change the mode-changing behavior?

It isn't a complicated "thing", there is a capacitor on the board which holds the voltage, when you turn off the light. The light will step to the next mode (I mean a switch off-on period) as long as this capacitor hold the charge.

When the capacitor discharged completely, the driver will start with Hi mode next time, when you turn on the light.

The problem is that this discharge time is too long, often 10-20 minutes. If you find this capacitor, you have to solder a resistor parallel with it ( the value usually between 10k-100kohm). So the modes are remained, only the time decreased from 10-20 minutes to 5-10sec. You can see an example above in the topic.

Thanks for explaining that. I always go through the trouble of "setting" the light to turn back on in high mode the next time I use it. I never realized on the DX 57779 driver that it would have started up in high again the next time on its own if I'd waited long enough. I see three small ceramic caps on 57779... would you mind describing on which one I should place the resistor in parallel? I doesn't look anything (to me) like the OEM driver that you modded this way in post #70. Thanks.

I really wanted to see how this V6 deep SMO reflector compared to the D Maglite LED reflector (when used with an XM-L), so I ordered one of these too, at full price. I considered getting the UniqueFire UF-V6, which is the same host, from somewhere faster than DX, but if my pseudo-brand Chinese lights have to have a logo laser etched onto them, I prefer it to be UltraFire. This preference just dates back to years ago when that was the most prominent (first?, only?) "brand" of surefire imitator and generally considered to be of the highest quality among all the lights on DX/KD/etc. (Romisen deserves a mention here too. I've never been disappointed with any hosts of either label, but unfortunately cannot say the same for the other xxxxFire lights, even the ones now well regarded like TrustFire and Tank007.)

The DX photos and member photos posted here of the light as received from DX clearly show UltraFire D1 on the host, so I went with DX. A few days after ordering, I discovered a black version was available and quickly had my order changed to specify the black one. Now I didn't even mind spending a few bucks more than the deal I missed.

The light shipped from Singapore, which in all my orders from DX was a first for me. It took longer than I'm used to for tracking info to become available, but I have to say, I was impressed with the damage-free condition of the light's lovely black anodizing, thanks largely to the gift box the light was unexpectedly packed in. This would be a welcome addition to my UltraFire collection. One small glitch...

Grrr....

I can't complain about the quality of the host. The machine work and ano are top notch. They carelessly didn't knock off the hanging chads from the lanyard holes. Luckily, that didn't affect the ano on the holes and the chads came right off.

My only disappointment, besides the driver memory, which I shall soon remedy thanks to Viffer750, is the tint of the emitter, which I can only describe as a cool white trying to be a neutral white but landing somewhere closer to greenish white than truly neutral. Compared to my Maglite LED reflector XMLs, this reflector produces a smaller hotspot, but I haven't compared throw yet (and it wouldn't be fair to just yet) because the drive current would be lower with the OEM driver than in any of my Mag mods.

White wall hunting reveals a bullseye pattern inside the hotspot that I hope to improve upon or eliminate altogether by adjusting the vertical position of the LED in the reflector. Perhaps some filing to reduce the thickness of the bottom of the reflector to insert the LED further might do some good if backing the LED out further with a half turn of the pill doesn't.

I'd say that the size of the hotspot compares to the UltraFire C9-T60 (UniqueFire HS-802 host with XML), but its intensity is more akin to that of the UltraFire HD2010.

So... what is better for throw, the HD2010 or the D1? I mean, both at same LED current or in other case knowing the difference between them.

I'm asking this because I'm considering the HD2010 to have a good thrower and don't really know if the difference is noticeable to buy it or use the D1 once it's fixed.

techjunkie - I'll be very interested in your results on focusing the D1. I replaced the stock (thin) insulator with a thick spacer (plastic disc) that is roughly equivalent to the thickness of an emitter pcb. Focus suffered. My guess is the sweet spot is half the thickness of the spacer I'm using now.

fx - I don't have an hd2010, but I will eventually. I seriously doubt the hd2010 is a significant improvement in throw, even though I've seen some very good numbers posted. Its hard to imagine it could shed as much heat as the d1, given the latter's mass and surface area.

but...I bet I end up using the hd2010 a LOT more due to ergonimics. After all the futzing around I did w/ the D1, I should have just had it cut/rethreaded for 1 cell, used a nanjg driver and added copper rod to the pill

Without benefit of a lux meter, just whitewall viewing the unmodded lights' output side-by-side (l'll take photos and post this weekend) I'd declare the HD2010 (single emitter version) the winner by matter of preference. Here's what led me to that conclusion:

Hotspot intensity: advantage no one
The intensity of (the brightest part of) the hotspots of each beam appear to be equal to each other

Hotspot uniformity: advantage no one*
The HD2010 has the most uniform XML in SMO hotspot I've ever seen, with only the very faintest appearance of a brighter edge than center - it's barely noticeable even on high, on a white wall. *The D1 hotspot, now that I've replaced the LED with the separated dome, also produces a hotspot that is uniformly intense throughout.

Hotspot size: advantage HD2010
Despite having a wider mouth than on the D1 (wider mouths often produce smaller hotspots) the reflector of the HD2010 produces a hotspot that is noticeably wider in diameter (and equally as intense, and more uniform). The unconventional variation in the relationship between reflector diameter and hotspot diameter among the two being compared here can be accounted for in the difference in the reflector depth to width ratio (the D1 reflector is deeper).

Spot to spill ratio: advantage HD2010*
If throw is your primary concern, then a higher spot to spill ratio is usually desirable for isolating subjects in the spot and not providing distracting illumination to subjects in the (nearby) spill. If, on the other hand, your desire is for brighter spill and a lower ratio of spot to spill, then the advantage would go to the D1.

Corona to hotspot size ratio: advantage HD2010
This is arguably unimportant to most people. If your preferences are like mine, and you think of the corona as light that didn't make it into the hotspot but should have, then you would prefer the HD2010. The corona of the D1 is both larger and brighter than that of the HD2010. The impression it leaves me with is that a larger LED die would flesh-out the hotspot to completely fill the corona. The first time this host and reflector were offered, it was with an SST-50. I'd be curious to prove my theory by comparing the beam profile of the D1 with its predecessor.

Spill width/angle: HD2010=wider, D1=narrower
(advantage by matter of preference)

Spill brightness: Advantage D1
The impact of the extreme depth of the D1's reflector is that of a narrower, more concentrated spill.

Sustained current to LED on high: Advantage D1
With it's two cell configuration and 3A max buck driver, the D1 will maintain its target current to the LED for more of the discharge cycle than the HD2010. Note that the HD2010 does not regulate current at all. Both lights' drivers use PWM dimming.

Estimated runtime on high: Advantage unknown
With the OEM drivers unmodded, the HD2010 drive current is initially considerably higher than that of the D1 (5A vs. 3A). As the HD2010's single cell depletes and Vbatt drops, drive current will decrease, nearing ~2A, perhaps lower, at the end of the discharge. With it's lower initial drive current, the D1's two cell configuration might appear to initially have an advantage, but as Vbatt decreases, current drawn from the cells will increase. Total cell capacity when comparing 1*26650 to 2*18650 of the same chemistry is comparable. In support of that statement I offer a comparison of BestInOne's 3500mAH IMR26650 vs. their 1500mAH IMR18650, or as in the case of my own cells, eOne Moli 3.3AH 26650 vs AW 1600mAH IMR18650.

Visible PWM modes: advantage HD2010
While still visible to those sensitive and looking for it, the HD2010 PWM frequency is higher than that of the D1, on which the use of PWM dimming is more obvious.

Mode memory (unmodified): HUGE advantage HD2010
The HD2010 will go to the next mode in the sequence at next power-on only if it has only been within a few seconds since last power-off, otherwise it will always start on high. The D1 on the other hand will always start up in the NEXT mode in the sequence unless it has been off for ~20 minutes (in which case it will start in high). (A 22k-33k ohm resistor placed in the location shown in post #70 will mod the D1 OEM driver to operate as the HD2010 driver does).

Ergonomics: HD2010
Balance is leaps and bounds better on the HD2010 than the head-heavy, switch-way-down-at-the-far-end D1.

Uniqueness: HD2010
While there are several logos/"brands" of this host, it is truly unique with it's 66mm bezel and single 26650 cell configuration among a sea of 2*18650 lights with bezel diameter very similar to the D1 (the D1 being a scant few mm wider than conventional WF500 style heads).

Fit and finish: Advantage HD2010
Admittedly a small advantage, considering that both lights are excellent in this category. You would be right to accuse me of being swayed by the UltraFire logo vs.f**king "Prairie Fire" (I suppose I still prefer a black PF to a silver UF for this light)

I can recommend both lights as being unique and superior LED throwers compared to most others, but if you only have the budget or desire to own one (and battery size is of no consequence to you), then my advice would be to go for the HD2010 with a 26650 IMR cell.

Primary reason mine gets a lot of shelf time...

Looks like mine's getting an upgrade. Tonight, I performed Viffer's mods from posts 50 & 70. I used a 22k ohm resistor for the mode mod to take the memory down to 3 seconds, and a 0.68 ohm SMD sense resistor to boost output. I was rather pleased with the improvements, but then remembered my intentions to tinker with the focus and took it apart again...

That was when I discovered the hard way that the hole in the bottom of this reflector is just a hair narrower than the base of the LED dome. Bye bye dome

I've reamed the opening the slightest bit and then tested with an electrically damaged XM-L that I have that never lights more than moon-glow unless you hit it with major voltage (the DX SST-50 driver (old round version) on high is the only driver I have that can manage this, but it doesn't fit in this light without carving out the pill). I'd say the focus is now perfected and I was able to assemble and disassemble it a few times without damaging another dome. Now I've got a cool white 5000K T5 XM-L on the way from DigiKey (along with parts for two other custom builds).

It occurred to me that from day one, the dome was separated from the LED because of this. That explains the odd complexion of the die and the silvery appearance when viewed on an angle. It also explains the warmer and greener tint, and might even explain the bullseye pattern in the hotspot. I'm looking forward to seeing this light with better tint. If only the battery tube were for 2x26650, it could easily become my favorite light.

Tonight I reflowed a new 5000K XM-L onto the OEM 20mm star and installed it. The bullseye pattern in the hotspot that I'd noted before is completely gone now. The new dome (and possibly thanks to slightly reaming the reflector opening) now produces a hotspot as uniform as the HD2010 and the C308 and the C9-T60. Unlike those latter two, which boast a perfect two-part beam comprised of only hotspot and spill, the perfectly focused, healthy-domed XM-L produces a three-part beam in this light with a very prominent corona. Based on these observations, I've revised my comparison of this light to the HD2010 above. The comparison remains largely unchanged, but it is worth noting that the improvements brought about with this repair have helped to close the gap between the two even more.

Nice, I buy some spare 17mm T6 1A from MF, I wanted to reflow too but I don't know were I left the original star so I placed a 17mm star anyway. I piggy drilled the reflector until I get the correct cutting-tool soon.

I'm still waiting for the DX driver, but I installed some wires to see how this light works.



Earlier I have used a sharp knife to this, and it looks good (or rather acceptable).

Well... I measured around 3.4Amps with full charged XTAR2600 and direct drive (long wires, I don't want to burn another XM-L!)... I'm surprised, it reaches 600Meters well!

Can't wait to install the driver and finally have it finished.

I only reamed mine a very tiny bit, using a T-handled (cone-shaped) hole reamer from behind the opening. That opened the hole at the outside of the reflector a very tiny bit, but left the face-side of the hole on the inside of the reflector almost unchanged.

The effect is that now the flat base of the reflector may sit entirely on the base of the LED but not bottom out on the star that the LED is mounted on. Before, the hole was just a tad too small for the very bottom of the dome. That is what caused the dome to cleave off of the LED but still give the appearance of being attached.

Photos...



techjunkie, do you have a wall shot before and after shaving off the reflector flat spot? I'm curious to see the output effect on the beams side by side.

No before shot, sorry. I intend to do a side by side with some other SMO reflectors soon though.

Here's the link to the thread with the beamshot comparisons of many different XM-L lights:

Below are direct comparisons of this light vs. the HD2010 (mouse-over for HD2010)

Outdoor @ 60 feet from target:

Indoor @ 8 feet from white(ish)-wall:

For those who missed this deal, it is now on clearance at DX for $30.99!

Get it while supplies last!!

T6 900-Lumen 5-Mode White LED Flashlight - Black (2x18650)
http://dx.com/p/t6-900-lumen-5-mode-white-led-flashlight-black-2x18650-102584?utm_rid=NA&utm_sid=1&utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=dealextreme