Review: Small Sun ZY-T08 2x18650 XM-L T6 from Fasttech

Relic38,
I have one of these arriving this week (hopefully).
Would you mind explaining or posting link to what “Adding copper to the springs” means.
Thanks for your time.

At that price, if Small Sun fixes the improperly machined surface that the LED star attaches to, this will be a really nice host! Since the switch is mechanical, there are MANY driver options if this one isn’t preferred.
relic: Thank you for the great review! Because of you, I’m now considering one of these :stuck_out_tongue:

By copper, I mean copper braid or soft copper wire. Take a close look at the pixture of the board with two springs on it. You will see copper braid running down the center of each spring. It is soldered on each end to the spring. This greatly reduces the electrical resistance of the springs which improves run time with full output and overall efficiency.
I’ll clarify the wording in the review and consider doing a quick how-to guide post on this.
Thanks!

Nice review sir! You make it hard to keep resisting this light.

Nice review! Got mine Friday from FastTech, got all the parts to mod it. Been working on it - same idea as you. Using a Nanjg custom programmed at 4.2A, using the original driver board as a contact board, stripped, and XM-L2 U2 1C on a sinkPAD w/copper disc under the SinkPAD. Hoping to finish it late today if all goes well. Been taking photos, I could post here in this thread if you don't mind.

My measured stock #'s on 2 fresh Panasonic 3100's, unprotected:

- stock lens, 2.1A, 656 @start, 639 @30 secs

- with UCL/p lens: 673 @start, 653 @30 secs, 48 kcd throw

The UCL/p lens I had was an extra, using the same size in a HD 2010.

Tip - I am definitely getting better results with low resistance batteries for XM-L2/SinkPAD's. The Samsung INR's do slightly better than Panasonic PD's or AW IMR's. Using 2 Samsung INR's and 1 Pana PD in my 7G9 w/XM-L2 SinkPAD, I actually got 4.2A measured, more lumens, more throw.

Hi Tom E, nice to see our stock numbers match quite well. The XM-L2 mod should give impressive throw numbers, looking forward to seeing what you get. :wink:

Great review! Looking forward to your mods!

-Garry

Numbers are in... Ready?

1,302 lumens at start, 1,281 lumens at 30 secs, 94 kcd -- 2 Pana PD's from FT (no tailcap spring mods, but added a magnet on each batt neg end, and dab of solder on the pos end to get contact - tops are pretty flat)

Oh - didn't give the batts time to fully charge, though probably close.

Some issues with the lens/reflector/emitter but got a working solution. This is because of the thinner UCL/p, adding the copper disc soldered under the SinkPAD, and biggest issue: oh boy -- going from a 25mm star to a 20mm star put the wires closer and interfering with the reflector seating down on the plastic emitter alignment piece. Crappy plastic reflector extends out too far. If only I could have miraculuously recessed the wire/solder points on the SinkPAD... Sort of jury rigged a working fix, but its ugly - afraind to open here up for pics though....

I'll be re-charging 2 Pana 3100's and the Pana PD 2900's to re-test, maybe slight improvement.

Running - 1 min: room temp basically, 2 min: 82 at hottest, 3 min: 83F hottest, 4min: 85F hottest warm to the touch, 5 min: 87F ... wow! This is one cool dude at 4.2A!

Updates:

- little more on fresh batts, both Pana 3100's and Pana PD 2900's got the same exact #'s for each set: 3.92A measured at tailcap (well, 2 batts held together, common neg) - 1,339 lumens at start, 1,315 lumens at 30 secs, still 94 kcd

- made the tailcap solder wick mods as OP (relic38 did (no more magnets on batteries)

- changed the button to GITD (allen head screws were loose originally as well)

Great results Tom E! too bad about the reflector. I’ll have that issue too. I think there is extra material that can be ground off the base of the reflector to allow for wire clearance.
Edit, Update to go with Tom E’s update
Good stuff, looks like it is regulating then. The spring mod gives a lower resistance path to the regulators, so they can do their job for longer.
That’s a great result overall Tom E. I might need to see how I can 1-up that… :wink:

This model is parallel.

-Garry

Well this light is about the same size as an HD 2010, weight I measured was identical, and you can get a triple HD 2010 but everyone says it's no good. Main point of this light with it's big reflector is throw w/good spill, so 1 LED is best for throw. Triples that can throw are huge (BTU shocker, etc.). Plus battery drain on triples kind of warrants more batteries, so also back to bigger.

Hey, don’t get mad for Replying to this. The reason, if someone please by the clone, and review it, we might know which is the best — the clone or the anti-clone J)

I think that is a rebrand, not a clone. The driver looks exactly identical. I can’t say the innards are the same, but I would not be surprised if these lights are one in the same, different name.

Agreed, even tge lanyard looks the same.

I’m harbouring a plan of getting a hunk of copper, getting my dad to machine it to a press fit in the pill to carry both this driver and a direct bonded xm-l2 then use tge original driver as a contact board.

I have no sinkpads so I have to do it the hard way…

Looks good. Take that driver, replace all wire with 18 gauge, direct solder to contact board. Do the spring mod, and you should get 5A on fresh cells. Not sure for how long, but with a huge chunk o copper to work with, heat would not be an issue.

Another option apears to have presented itself…

What was needed for a sink pad? I’m still using that driver, I figure it’ll give 4.5a ish given my experience of the 4a version.

Hi relic, thanks for the detailed review. What is the diameter of the threaded part of the pill please?

Woody

  • Pill Outer Diameter at threads: 31.7mm
  • Pill Outer Diameter before threads: 33.1mm
  • Pill Outer Diameter at driver flange: 34.0mm
  • Head inner diameter at pill threads: 31.1mm
  • Head inner Diameter before threads: 34.4mm
    Info added to review as well. Thanks!

Thanks relic, I was worried that you might think I was taking the p1$$, as you had already provided so many other dimensions!

Woody

I’ve added some indoor beamshots to the review. They appear darker on here, maybe a Photobucket effect. I might have to reshoot them brighter than I see to adjust.