Review: SHADOW JM26 Compact XM-L Thrower (1 x 18/26650)

I don't think you're doing anything wrong. I've read that those 000 resisters still have some resistance. You may want to try shorting a wire across the top of them.

The trick to removing resistors is to have enough solder on your iron to contact both ends at the same time. They should lift off with your iron.

I see 2 different "L+" pads in your pictures. Each looks connected to an end of the inductor. Does anyone know one side will have more resistance than the other?

The inductor should be there just to smooth flow, I don’t know how much resistance it brings into the circuit.

Care to bypass it?

No, probably would make the PWM unbearable in the low modes with that PIC MCU.

Yeah I assumed so. I am currently messing with my M1 MT-G2, but maybe sometime this weekend I’ll get a chance to screw around with that driver board on the JM26.

I am not an EE, so my progress is slow :stuck_out_tongue:

Same here. I'm stuck. I may try to just slightly change the other resister bank. It must be pretty sensitive given the high values.

I've been meaning to check out your MT-G2 thread. I glanced and it sounded fun. If you measure throw in that light, please be sure to post to the MT-G2 throw thread.

So, I cleaned up resistors

and I soldered braided wire (the stuff used for desoldering = goot wick) instead, and….
the best that I get is 2.10A and not a drop more |(
I knew that this new driver would be a problem as soon as I heard it’s not 7135 based!!!
I am out of ideas :weary:
Edit: just for sake of testing I connected ordinary Nanjg 105C (not Qlite) and using same batteries, same measuring setup I got 2.55A @ LED

Sorry to hear that dude. I just went and compared my the resisters in the other resister bank to your pictures and they are in the same order. One thing that may be causing resistance. The negative wire solder looks like it may not have fused well with its solder pad. I'm hoping that's the problem because I don't see any other potential issues.

I also used 2.5mm solder braid on the tail cap/body spring. I think it helped.

Interesting,
I give up on this driver, soldered thicker positive wire (previously I replaced only negative wire just for testing), add a big solder blob on top of the braided wire (resistor mod) and assembled everything back, topped of unprotected trustfire 2400mAh battery to 4.19V (cheap and imprecise charger) and….
measured 3.07A in high mode!!! How did that happen!
Two things changed between my testing setup and the flashlight, for testing I used XM-L U3, inside the flashlight is XML2 U2! and for testing I soldered 20AWG wires to emitter (U3) and then connected negative lead directly to driver but I left original positive lead and soldered it to thicker emitter lead (positive wire was longer than negative)…

You should try a low internal resistance battery. Mine is much brighter on KK ICR’s than Sanyo 2600 batteries. I am fairly certain it is direct drive but a high resistance driver.

I need to get some KKongs…

in the 26650 battery thread there is a link to a powerizer battery that is even better, but its in the US………so I don’t think they can ship to you.

KingKong batteries are better than the Soshine 26650?..i use the second……

Do you recognise this :slight_smile:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Galuxia-Gladiator-Torch-Flashlight-Kit-Cree-XML-LED-1000-Lumen-26650-Maxtoch-/141043660214

I hadn't used this light (JM26) for a couple months or more. Checked the fairly new KK cell and it was down to .8 volts. I never tried to measure the parasitic drain on this light, but apparently it's pretty high. Maybe it was the resister mod.

is it just me or this light was available from Fasttech for like $ 47 shipped…

yes but not under “Gladiator” brand, it was genuine Shadow, and it was even lower price at WB…

i can confirm: High parasitic drain :frowning:
Now I have left the tailcap unscrewed and see what happens to the battery

Unfortunately Razzi is now defunct so I need to reload all my photos and fix all existing reviews...
For now, here are the current measurements I took for a stock JM26, and yes, the standby while not the worst can certainly stand to be better:

A King Kong should last ~10mos (not including its own self-discharge rate) whereas an AW IMR would only last ~3.5mos (again not taking the cell's self-discharge into consideration).

Best to lock this light out when not in use.

@GioLight, the same thing happened to me with a KK and now it can no longer hold a charge. I've written off the cell for safety considerations and I'd be a little cautious about reusing your cell, it's likely damaged at this point.