Review: Palight C8 R5 (sku 6374 from Manafont)

Strange, I wonder why it looks like I'm getting 2.3A with mine.

troop - I just measured again after I've been using the light outside for a while and I can't get any higher than 1.50. You're using an 18650, right?

Foy

I just checked it again with a couple different batteries, none of them freshly charged so not sure how accurate this is.

With protected Ultrafire 2600's, 2.25A (hi) .65(mid) .09(lo)

With HiMax 2600 1.95(Hi) .6(mid) .08(Lo)

With Ultrafire 3000mAh 1.65 (Hi) .65(mid) .08(Lo) I need to charge this one and try again later.

Looks like this light is no longer available on MF with the R5 (XP-G) emitter. I can only find the Q5 ones now, for about $10 less. Wonder if it is because the emitter is driven too hard for an XP-G?

I wouldn't think so. I didn't notice any heat issues or anything. It doesn't make any sense because I would think they could sell every XP-G Palight they made. Would a Q5 version be worth a darn? I'm not sure I would stop long enough to look - Q5 lights don't do anything for me. On the other hand, the Palight reflector would make the most of a Q5 so . . .

Just seems like every site has an ocean of Q5 flashlights for sale.

Foy

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/palight-c8-r5-led-5mode-memory-led-flashlight-silver-118650-p-5650

The black version is now there too.

The cat seems to be thinking "WTF am I doing in this Review ?" but I liked the non-sequitir relief.

Nice amazingly detailed Review.

thankyourobertFoy

Wasn't sure whether or not to post a new thread.

Well I just received this light (Palight C8 R5 Manafont sku#6374). Popped in a freshly charged Trustfire flame 2400mAh 18650 (4.20v) and checked the tailcap current - 2.5amp! Now according to my meter lead testing this means I'd really be seeing very close to 3.0A if I used 12ga wire! WTH? This sounds like a waste of battery power and runtime to me! I was hoping for more like a high of 1.4A to get better runtime than the KD C8 but still have good throw. In performance it doesn't look a whole lot different from my KD C8. I had to really look hard to notice a slightly brighter narrower hot spot with the Palight vs. the KD. I only had a few minutes to test it (ran out in the backyard while it was dark before leaving for work).

The two lights look nearly identical with the exception that the Palight has writing on the side (same as the OP), the different smaller emitter, and an SMO reflector (my KD C8 is LOP). I only tested the tailcap current in high mode since I was in a rush. The KD C8 was previously tested at 2.62A on high with same test leads, and 3.04A with 14AWG wire leads. I opened up both lights and low and behold from the backside the two drivers look identical! It looks like this driver at KD (posted over on the KD C8 review thread - post #514). The Palight's driver does not look like the driver Foy posted above. Here is a photo of my KD C8 on the left (or top) and Palight C8 R5 on the right (or bottom):

(For some reason after I rotated the photo and re-inserted it, it still shows it rotated the wrong way. I'm guessing it's stuck in "cache" somewhere and will correct itself later. Perhaps it's only rotated wrong in my view of this post.) (EDIT - Yup, fixed itself over time, though it messed up the width/height ratio, so I just corrected that.)

Thoughts? How is the R5 going to be on 3A? Overheat? Burn it out? Waste battery power/runtime? (I'm awaiting Match's results of driving the XP-G R5 hard.)

-Garry

It's going to burn out. Waste of power little increase in light.

garrybunk what readings are you getting on Medium and Low?

I haven't tested on Med or low yet. Will have to wait until I get back home and report back, but if it's going to be similar to my KD C8 measurements those were: Med - 1.44A & Low - 0.14A (with the 14 AWG wire). Medium would be where I really wanted high at. I have not ran it long enough to test for heat, nor have I taken out the pill to add thermal compound to the threads.

Garry

I just tested mine again and it's about the same as it was when I did the review . . .

high - 1.50

medium - .45

low - .05

It has serious flickering issues and . . . . has not been one of my favorites.

notmuchofapalFoy

Ok, I tested tailcap currents again and here is what I get:

battery at 4.15v
Meter w/original test leads:
HI - 2.40A
Med - 1.08A
Low - 0.09A

Meter w/ 14 AWG Romex as leads:
Hi - 2.69A
Med - 1.20A
Low - 0.10A

The light is also noticeably brighter on high than it is on medium, but it's not a huge jump. Guess I'll just plan on getting a 1.4A 3-mode driver from Shiningbeam or from Illumination Supply to be safe.

-Garry

Man, that seems really high for an R5. Must be kinda bright, no?

Foy

Yeah, it's bright! About as bright as my KD C8 XM-L, just a narrower flood area. But I don't trust it. I'm afraid to burn out the emitter, so I've ordered the 3-mode 1.4A driver from Illumination Supply to replace it.

From what I gathered in your original review, you don't have this "SG PCB" driver which I have in mine.

-Garry

You're right, mine is completely different . . . as in, it is one of my least favorite lights. It's actually not a bad C8 host, it just needs a driver swap. Maybe I'll open up the reflector and put my E1320 resurrected SST-50 in there.

Foy

Sounds like you got an xm-l instead

No, it's not an XM-L. The emitter is much much smaller than my KD-C8, and the Palight doesn't throw as wide of a flood as the KD-C8. I wouldn't doubt they mixed up drivers in the "factory" during assembly. I did receive my 1.4A 3-mode from Illumination supply (darn that was fast shipping!). I'm not too disappointed because at least now I won't have the disco modes.

Garry

Mine has been a good light, used on many night rides by cycling buddies that don't have their own light. I picked up an XM-L T6 this Spring and actually prefer the beam of the R5.