I do not own calipers, so I cannot say for sure, but I think the diameter is close to 23mm.
And also, the C2’s reflector looks like it would fit the C8, and it is OP and shorter than the C8’s SMO reflector, a combination for good spill.
Personally, what I did was use baking paper to diffuse the light. Although it does block a bit of light, you can barely tell since it is so bright, and there is still is a hotspot in the middle, though it is quite faint.
Running now with a U3 1C with a KD V2 driver at 3.8A (8*7135 + 2*7135, all at 380 mAh). It does appear to be brighter than the stock C8 U2 light - we compared at 100 meters or so. Wish I could measure the lumens. It's an easy light to upgrade.
Did you every find out what's wrong? It could be the battery (cheaper one), or internal connection, etc. Maybe it's just not what you expected? Not sure of your experience, but you may be expecting a wall of light at 100-200 meters, not sure. I believe technically, a light's "throw" is rated at what distance light at the level of moonlight can be cast on an object, so the actual "throw" on this C8 should be closer to 350 meters. There is also a big difference in the width of light diffferent flashlights project - a Jacob A60 for example is a very small spot, but a C8 light is usually a quite large hot spot, comparatively.
I tested my U2 C8 at .3L at 300m and .1m at 400m. And that was with simple protected ET 18650’s pushing about 3amps. So Toms estimate of 350m should be pretty dead on. Some running it harder on an unprotected 18650 might be able to make 400m on a good night.
Can the Jacob A60 beat this C8? I bought this C8 after I read this preview but I’m planning to have Jacob A60 too.
Any comment???
On throw, yes the A60 will easily beat this C8. I have both lights and both are very good lights. But they are very different. The U2 C8 will throw about 350m and put out about 860L doing so. The A60 will throw about 500m and put out about 280L doing it. So the A60 has a nice tight spot, a little spill, and great throw. It has the bigger head and different die to get these results. The U2 C8 has a nice combo of flood and spot - good throw and good spill.
If you are talking about throw, as I suspect, then the Jacob beats the C8, hands down.
If you are talking about spill and overall light output than it’s the other way around.
Right, let’s try A60
rdrfronty - wish you could measure my LightMalls C8 U2 now. Updated to: U3 1C, KD V2 driver 8*7135 + 2, resulting in 3.8A regulated. It's lookin real good and with an SS head now.
Sounds like you have a really sweet setup now. I did test mine recently. Check out the results on the other SS bezel thread.
So a smaller star will not work? I also have a u3 on a 16mm star that I bought for my hd 2010 but I kind of don’t want to mod it and was going to use it on my c8. We (rdrfronty and myself) are ordering drivers and extra chips from Illumination Sply which is in California but I didn’t want to have to wait for some 20mm stars to come in from Int. Outdoors. Reading about your success has made me anxious to start on mine. Lol. Sorry to the OP for going off topic.
Hi - I'm not sure. A 16mm star would probably work. I like to go with the bigger size stars when I can. With a 16mm, you would carefully have to center it - I've done it by eyeball on other lights and seemed to work ok.
Oh - this weekend, got in my order of UCL/UCL/p lenses (7 of various sizes for a variety of lights) and upgraded my LightMalls C8 (now U3, 3.8A, SS head), also an HD2010, Jacob A60, EDC 18650 from I-O, C2, etc. These are from Chris at FlashLightLens.com - wow! They look perfect - never saw the reflector and LED so clearly.
I think I will wait then for the 20mm stars to come in. I found copper pills for c8’s for a really good price. Do you think it would benefit from a copper pill?
Copper pills? Interesting. Sure they are not brass? Some advertised cheap ones are actually brass - forgot where I saw it, but seen that posted. I've read a posting or review somewhere about the variations in C8's and how these C8 brass pills fit only 1 out of 4 or 5 C8 type lights this guy had. The good thing about the I-O XinTD C8 is the brass pill it includes. I have only a couple of $30 range lights with brass pills. Brass would be great, but copper, all the better! Even if it doesn't match, it may be possible to adapt it. If the price is that good, it's worth to buy it.
I didn’t want to derail this thread any farther so I pm’d you a link. If anyone else is interested I can post it.
Rick
I’m certainly interested.
LightMalls now has a U3 version of this C8 posted. Highly inflated specs of 1800 lumens, 4 amps regulated, which of course can't be true, but still, the U2 verison is basically unregulated and they stated 3 amps regulated. So, if anything, the U3 version's driver should be at least as good...
Specs of size/weight are identical. I would speculate it's the same light, just having a U3 LED which makes it pretty good as a stock light. I love the reflector in this light - seems to be superior to other C8 designs I have.
fyi for anyone... The brass pill for C8's sold by Lck-led does fit this light (LightMalls C8 U2). I got one, screwed it in, and it all seems to fit. Did not mount a star to see how the reflector lines up but it appears to be the same height as the original. The original pill is somewhat larger but would be nice to have brass: lck-led.com brass pill C8. It says copper but it's really brass.
Sorry likeaboss. I did not see your request until now. At least now Tom can confirm that it works in the Lightmalls version. I just ordered three myself. Hopefully it will work in our others as well.
What do you think of this from Lightmalls? I am planning to buy this U3 version C8, looks just as nice.