Okay, just for fun, I did a quick test with a few different 18650's:
Solarforce protected 2400 mAh (blue and white): 4.0 amps
Tenergy unprotected 2600 mAh: 4.0
Xtar 18700 protected 2600 mAh: 3.75
Panasonic CGR (D) unprotected 2350 mAh: 3.67
Solarforce unprotected 2400 mAh (white): 3.57
TrustFire flame protected 2400 mAh: 3.0 (well used cell, many cycles)
These cells were all charged a couple of days ago but I didn't measure any voltages. They usually come off my WF-188 at about 4.21 volts.
Foy
Would you get more accurate results using using a short loop of wire and a clamp meter, rather than fluffing around trying to reduce lead resistance?
Yes, a clamp would be much more accurate. That's why all these tail cap readings should be used in relative terms, not absolute. Having said that, I'm quite comfortable with my measurements after getting nearly identical readings as E1320 on the same light. (his Fluke)
Foy can't afford cool stuff.
whinyFoy
Alright. Well there you have it. Minus the Fluke, I agree that those results are pretty telling.
So is it a driver thing? I tried hard to get the same UF HD2010 you guys have because the reviews rock so hard. It is already awesome and I’m fully satisfied with the performance, but it is a tad lame that I can’t get the same current and output that others can, I suppose…
Or, maybe I’m just new still and my priorities are a little out of whack. 
Which one did you get ? Tmart ?
Yes. My first TMart purchase, and it got to my place in 4 days. So… at least I have that.
Hey, foy, can you try, please, TF flame if you have one? 
Anything over aproximately 3.5 amps may not give you any more light as the led just creates heat with the extra current and may infact give you less light output. Smile and be happy. You have a killer light. 
Batteries do make a difference and so does the charge. I get higher readings with unprotected batteries and you can get higher readings with undercharged batteries as well.
For anyone interested as I am, mine was a Tangsfire from DD with EAST092 driver. If the moon was in the right sector and I bit my tongue I could occasionally read just over 3 amps (3.2 if my memory is correct). I would be interested to hear what others are getting from the different drivers from what brand of flasghlight. Best reading was from a King Kong with a Trustfire slightly less.
I got it wrong. Max amps was 2.7.
If I may ask, what driver, flashlight brand and shop purchased from. Thanks.
I have several current clamps, including fluke but they are not very good at low levels like we use in torches. Inline readings are much better but comparing with others is hard as different leads, contact points, probes and methods all vary the results. How many people have a calibrated meter?
Cells are very important, it’s the internal resistance that will limit output from a fully charged cell. The lowest reading I’ve measured is from my KK26650s. My Panasonic unprotected are next best with some cheaper cells almost double the resistance. Protection doesn’t help here.
Higher current readings at lower voltages mean the driver is regulating and the light is not direct drive.
Including a tailcap switch is a pain as the rig to do it would add even more resistance and electrical joints. You can take a resistance reading and calculate the power it will dissipate.
Unfortunately I think current readings are essential, it gives a good indication of performance/runtime and when used with lux measurements also gives a good indication of effecientcy.
A driver w/direct drive has the current controlled by the resistance in the flashlight.I believe that is why the current goes up when compressing the spring…shorter path, lower resistance. I remember that another member used his east driver in another host.He modifyed it for less resistance(wired the spring, ect.) and quickly fryed the emmiter.The type and voltage of the cell will also greatly affect measured current with all else being the same.With my HD2010 it works fine with Tenergy 18650’s drawing 3.9-4 amps, but won’t switch modes at above 4.2 or so amps using an TF26650.If I let the cell drop to around 3.6 volts the modes come back due to less voltage available to push the current through the resistance.( current drops with lower voltage at same reisitance ). Clear as mud, right?-Rick
Hmm. . . just catching up on my BLF reading. I'm going to have to check out my Ultrafire HD2010 (Tmart) and see which driver I have and what tailcap currents I get (I have TF Flame protected 18650 2400mAh, a King Kong INR rasied top 26650, and Tenergy protected 18650 2600mAh. I'll report back.
-Garry
Hey, guyz, found these leads @eBay. I have sent an email to seller and he told me that the core is copper.
What else did you think the core would be?
They look very much like the leads I’m, currently using.
Well, for 3 bucks a pair… anything but copper :bigsmile:
And? Are they good? 
Well, I’m still not getting the current readings I want from my 2010, but they seem to be working better than the stock DMM leads. No way to compare with even better leads yet.
SashiX -
TrustFire flame 2400mAh: 3.0 amps (charged to 4.19 volts)
This battery is the only flame I have left and it has been cycled more than all my other batteries so, may not be a great representative of the brand.
Foy