I think I was fixing it before you posted, lol.
I'd like to hear how the pill/heatsinking is on the 2AA. Could be a decent mod host (not having to fit a heatsink into a Maglite 2AA). What kind of switch does the 2AA have? Side switch, tail switch? Twisty?
-Garry
I probably should have grabbed one (or both, or all 3) now that I think about it. The 2AA model actually seemed a little bigger than a minimag. Closer to my 502 or a surefire G2. Little longer though.
The West Hartford Home Depot just put the 3C “Super Thrower” out on the floor a couple of days ago (March 5). The 3D is nowhere in sight at ANY HD around here. Maybe next year?
I’m curious about the 2aa also, might make a nice host for an upgrade.-Rick
The 2aa will run off of 2 14500’s?Wow…thats a huge jump in voltage, from 2.4 to 8.4 volts!I wonder what driver it has?Do the modes still work with 14500?Also, as Garry asked…does the 2aa have a side switch?-Rick
Thanks for posting. I dont know how I missed this thread but I’ll definitely be buying the 3D version soon. This looks like the perfect cheap “flooder/long run time/skull basher” combo for the pickup truck & camping light. I also need something to stuff all my NiMH D cells in… easy to fix and mod.
If you order it online theyll ship it to your local store free… Danbury and derby had the 3d last weekend
Can an XM-L even operate below about 2.6v? Cree’s spec sheets don’t show a forward voltage spec below about 150ma current.
and are you saying you’re running a pair or 14500 LiIon’s in series for a 7.2-8.4v powersource? Most of these lights are direct driven, and intended to be maxed out at 3v from a pair of Alkalines. I could see a single 14500 working. You’ve got to be seriously taxing the current limiting resistors, and heating the poo out of the pill, right? I’m surprised the emitter has taken that very well.
I’s like to see the inside of this one. Guess I’ll have to go get one after work.
Did you ever find your 2’ length of poly pipe in Derby?
Haha not yet… Got sidetracked with…… Other mundane things of life
I, too, have been debating if I want to keep mine. It’s still sealed in the original package. Here are the pro’s and con’s as I see them:
Big Pro’s:
- Has room to handle many types of batteries and different configurations (Opportunities for big power or long run times).
- Appears to have (very?) good heat sinking.
Small Pro’s: - Big and heavy (gotta respect a light that can second as an improvised club).
- Good size reflector, offset by the fact that there are many similar priced multi-led competitors. Maybe a different emitter would make it special?
Big Con’s:
- Odd reflector size makes it difficult to find other reflectors for different beam patterns (e.g. more throw, etc) and glass lenses.
Small Con: - Tail switch is awkward in such a big light. Have to give up battery space to move switch forward
I’m not going to count the switch functionality issues as that seems easy to fix. The Pro’s are pretty compelling to me. Are there any other lights in this price range that have them? Please correct me or add other items if I missed anything. I need help deciding.
I don’t know about that one. Its main problem with me is definitely that rear switch with such a big heavy light. If it had a forward switch this light would’ve rocked a whole lot more.
What were they thinking?
Sorry for the confusion. I was referring to people getting the lights and the switches not working. It seems like that would be easy to correct. I’m no O-L, it would be a big job for me to move the switch forward.
just use some clear coat aerosol paint and lightly spray a few coats on the reflector from about 5’… result will be a medium-heavy orange peel like reflector…
i did a crappy job on mine and ended up with too much clear coat and it still works fine… makes for a nice flooder 
Ok- curiosity got the best of me and I grabbed one of the 2AA Armormax.
So far - construction seems on par with the description of the 3C Thrower, and what people are saying about the 3D AM in this thread. Nothing fancy, but nothing feels flimsy or cheap. The tail switch has a good feel, although it might be a little sensitive for my tastes.
Despite the flats milled onto the tail housing - the light rolls on a flat surface, even with the rubber “Armor” installed. A little work with an exacto knife on the rubber could fix that.
Size comparison with the Defiant 3C XM-L Thrower, 3D Mag (XM-L), the Defiant 2AA, Ultrafire 502B (XM-L), Surefire G2 (XR-E P60), and one of those cheap little 9-led lights you see at the cash register just about any hardware store. (they’re horrible, and infinitely useful, little lights - I always manage to have like 5 functional ones floating around)
Firing it up with the included AA’s - beamshots were so unremarkable that I’m not going to bother posting them. My Surefire G2 XR-E outgunned it easily.
Opening it up I immediately notice this isn’t an XM-L in this light. edit: After some digging, I realize this is a Cree XT-E in this light. That’s good news, cause it appears to be way underdriven to be rated at only 70 lumen, and to be having a XR-E outrunning it.
Link to the full size pic - http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8389/8542714934_ea769bdbc3_o.jpg
To answer the rest of the questions about the host itself, and if it would make a good modding platform:
The emitter MCPCB is thermal pasted (I hope) to a pill that appears to be threaded into the reflector housing/head assembly. The driver appears to be the standard 17mm affair with a big spring - I didn’t remove it:
Reflector is ~27mm diameter, and 21.32mm tall
Plastic lens is 29.53mm
The battery compartment is 14.72mm
As far as using this as a modding base - I dunno. I’m fairly underwhelmed in stock form, considering I can pick up the XM-L 502B in my pics for less than $12 shipped on Amazon, and I have a pile of 18650’s to go in them.
If I were using this defiant as a modder (edit - now knowing that the emitter is an XT-E with some possibility) - I don’t know enough about throwing a pair of series 14500 like Cateye did - I’m just afraid that much voltage for long is going to cause some form of issue? Wonder if there’s a way to parallel them inside the body?
Thanks Chris for all the details and "taking one for the team". Any chance you could pop out that driver and verify its a boost driver? It should be, right? Would be nice if it were cheaper. I'm still considering it. How do you rate it for "toughness"? Is it as good or better than a 2AA Maglite?
Thanks,
-Garry
That looks to be a Cree XT-E
(It looks a bit too large to be the XB-D, as previously posted)
I meant to say that. Those seem to be common in local store lights now.
EDIT -I was referring to Chi X posting about the XB-D. I've not seen an XT-E myself.
-Garry
While you guys were posting that - I was editing my original post stating that it appears to be an XT-E. Now you point me to the XB-D as well.
Lemme see if I can figure out which this is
It’s an XT-E, the die base is listed by cree as 3.45mm, where the XB-D is 2.45mm base. This one is the bigger of the 2.
I’m firing up the soldering iron now to take some current measurements, and then pull the emitter out to unscrew the pill, and examine the driver.