Review: Kaidomain 5-mode XM-L U2

+ l

.....cool cats seem very unimpressed .....

strobe rant withheld

Solid camera work there that allowed the two photos to be compared so nicely.

For anyone who has this drop-in: How does it behave when the cell goes below 3.7v? Does it shut off the light or just get dimmer?

photon - Don't know. Maybe I'll run it down and see.

shoulderhurtstonightFoy

Very nice Foy! Frontpage'd and Sticky'd.

I just ordered the Manafont 3-mode XM-L the the other day. It sounds like it's proven, although the U2 does look slightly brighter in your excellent pictures.

Nice review as always, Foy ;)

Don't know if it's just me, but the spill looks veery purple/violet/blue :|

It's not just you Sash - it's even more noticeable on a white wall indoors. My unscientific analysis is that it might have something to do white its whiteness.

Foy

You may be right Be-Seen. From left to right are the reflectors that came with the drop-ins named:

XM-L U2 (item being discussed) - XR-E Q5 - XM-L T6 (the Ultra Fire we all know and love)

Looks more like an XR-E reflector and that's why I'm having issues?

Be-SeennaileditFoy

I ordered the manafont XML reflector for this drop in and was questioning whether I really needed it. Iā€™m glad I did now. Do you think the reflector on that drop in is shorting it out or damaging the solder connections?

I haven't damaged anything yet. Because it looked off-center right out of the package, I disassembled and took pictures in case I needed documentation. Then, while at work I took the drop-in out, removed the reflector and reinstalled. The light would not power up and I immediately suspected the reflector. Sure enough; after I loosened it maybe 10%, the light worked. That night, after again pulling it apart/putting it together the light powered up but when I entered the lower modes it became only slightly less bright. Sort of in between the modes I suppose you could say and the strobe was real fast, like way bad PWM. As before, loosened slightly and all was well. I happen to have an extra SMO (from where?) that seems to have fixed the problem.

None of this should deter anyone from purchasing this awesome drop-in. The more I use it the more I love it. The UI is so well executed that the flashys simply are not an issue for those (me) that don't care for them. It is far and away the best of the three XM-L drop-ins I have.

This is one instance when my hyperbole is well justified - this drop-in will make any flashlight a celebrity.

Foy

Im wondering at what amperage each drop-in is being driven at as well; while using the same battery. Time for a new DMM Foy?

Okay, just to confirm; my Amprobe 5XP-A cannot measure amps that high? When I try to do it I get whack numbers that mean nothing or it says eRRoR. I'm still having a hard time believing this DMM cannot do something so simple.

I know doing these reviews without basic hard data is green-pea/wannabe . . . I will solve this during this next week. Gonna go to Fry's and see what's on sale.

Foy

Hey Foy
Got a pic of your dmm dial?
Anything that has over 10a should be ok.

So, is it a piece or . . .

Foy

And it seems to be more purplish than the MF dropin. I really like warm (or slightly green) hotspot tint on mine, but that purple spill is awful. Don't know you, guys, but I really use spill a lot, and that tint just "killing" this great dropin :( Yeah, the hotspot on this (KD) one looks better, but until I found good, white spill, will not buy any dropins more :~ I prefer dimmer one, but with nice tint.

Looks like 200 mA is the highest it can go so look for 10A on the dial or anything over what youll be measuring should be ok. If you also notice the hole where leads go says 200mA max, so if you get 10a will say 10a max

Thanks james, I was afraid of that. Off the Fry's, I guess.

Foy

Not sure, but you may have blown the fuse as well, since you probably measured over 200mA.

I have the same issue with an old Fluke I have ....2A max for amperage. Instead of buying a new cheap multimeter with unknown accuracy, consider making a shunt.

Here's some directions, among many others doing a google. Cost probably a buck for the banana plugs, you probably have the right guage wire laying around. Accuracy will be better than any cheap DVM cause you're now measuring the voltage drop across the shunt.

That's a good suggestion LightQuest. I'd totally forogtten about shunts, I used to have an analog meter that came with a set of shunts to enable it to read accross a wide range.

Well, I read those RC links and you're right; I have the wire. You've convinced me enough to go to Radio Shack and get some "banana plugs." (sounds like something I might find at an adult book store supercenter)

For my purposes I just need a female thingy on each end (and the banana plug) to plug my leads into. Put the 1/2 inch of exposed wire through the thingy and into the banana plug - solder. Plug one end into "com" the other into "ohm V" switch DDBMM (digital douche bag multi meter) to 200mV, touch one lead to flashlight tube, the other to the base of the battery, light comes on and if I see 25, I'm drawing 2.5 amps?

Got a new soldering gun for my birthday last week so, we'll se if I burn down the house.

writingitouthelpsmelearnhowtodoitFoy