SMALL SUN ZY-T13 for $17 at Wallbuys ...Go Or No Go

There is nothing wrong with a “good” plastic reflector. (Plastic lenses are another thing completely.) The problem you have with some of them is that they do a poor job coating the reflector and it gets little flakey spots but none of my ZY-T08’s have been short of perfect.

Plastic reflectors suck, you cannot wipe without scratching them.
Manafont offered a batch with metal reflector and after that the plastic ones.
You can distinguish them from tailcap rubber button. The bad version has the power sign printed on. The good ones have the classic anti slipping button.

You shouldn’t be wiping any reflectors.

I had/have both, T13's and the cheapo/crudo one I got now has the pill glued in -- really terrible... I mean like super glued - all my efforts with the heat gun and strap wrenches could not undo it and I've opened up a bunch of LockTite bound threaded connections in lights using the same techniques.

Thanks for letting us know. That one will be scratched off of my list for sure.

Any reflector will get damaged when wiped. The metal one is also coated, not polished from scratch. A plastic reflector can actually be an advantage in NOT shorting your emitter base in case you remove the centering ring.

I have nothing but praises for the T13. The best advantage is has over T08 is that it can easily surpass T08 in current mod. Modding stock driver - T08 is limited to 4.2V direct-drive, but T13 can readily supply steady 5A+ from its 8.4V buck driver.

It is also less susceptible to switch current issue - its switch need only carry 1/2 the amperage against single cell version. So slightly less than perfect switch (not uncommon from China for any light) will still deliver good performance.

It’s easy to mod the batteries to series on the T08 I have done six of them already and it’s a breeze. I just did one a half an hour ago for an MT-G2 mod.

Wut? I don't understand - previously it was stated by someone do not attempt to go over like 3.4A or so with resistor modding the T13, if you do, the driver will get damaged. Is there some trick to do over 5A? Maybe I missed the posted/thread???? Please, details!!

Also, I got a dead T13 driver - not sure, but I may have shorted something when soldering on heavier gauge wires. Do you have any ideas on how I could get a working light out of this? Was thinking I could sandwich in a replacement driver, but then I'd lose the side switch capability and just use the tail switch. Any ideas?

I had the N-Light ST90 from CNQG on my watch list for so long as it did look good, side switch and could be a 1 or 2 cell light, but after a review here on BLF where the member was very disappointed with it, I decided against it. Sorry, I dont have the link.
I already had 2 T08’s unmodded and got a T13 from Banggood for about $23AUD which is built very well for the price and would recommend it. I dont know what the Wallbuys version is like.
The T08 and T13 throw about the same, have a great hotspot and I like them both for different reasons.

I googled it. He was disappointed by an aluminum-sunk XM-L U2, probably being driven at ~8 watts. We’d all be dissapointed by such a light.

The ST90’s strong suit is the machining/anno, the 2-switch UI (tail on/off, side mode change), and that it has a boost driver that can be…boosted. Add a $6 copper-sunk XM-L2 and a 90c trimpot and it’s just as good as most out there, but it looks better. :smiley:

I have a t13 from wallbuys, I got it in one of the early sales maybe Christmas…
Modded to3A it works nice all in all good shape didn’t even changed the led as it makes a nice bright spot. Electronic switch with additional tailcap switch is nice, no memory so it always starts in high. Thumb up.

The only thing I don’t like is the tailcap with the switch coming out like a pimple.

T08 with mtg2, seems like a good combination. If I hadn’t laying some potential mtg2 hosts laying around I probably would order one…

I had mine at 4,5A to the emitter, but if it was pushed a bit further it would easy go down to 4,1. I assumed it was more healty to keep it below that. I have been running mine at 3,7-3,8A to the emitter for some time.. No issues with that..


I recieved my ZY-T08 from WB yesterday. Like some others stock output of 2,03 amps at the tail and the emitter. I really like the light, but it will get a good upgrade like all my lights. Compared to my ZY-T13 I think I like the ZY-T08 better in general and as a mod host. I might be biased towards my latest toy though...

There is no-mode memory, starts on high every time, if you wait 5-6 seconds after you have turned it off that is...

For 17$ is a hell of a deal.
It is my favorite flashlight, modded or not.

Tom,
I put a TaskLed Lflex in a T13, turned out real nice. See it here. small sun ZY-t13:driver swap, RED XP-E P3, reflector and aspheric test results.BEAMSHOTS ADDED

I do quite a few T13’s and the only difference is now I am drilling and tapping the heatsink/housing to screw down the SinkPad. I also remove the anodizing where the star sits.

Kevin

Ohh Kev, I recall that thread now - awesome mods! But for your application, that's fine. The TaskLED driver is NG for me - too low of current Smile, but the re-use of the switch on the sandwich is interesting. Might help me for the "dead" driver T13 I have. Still, the glued pill T13 is killing me. WB is a crap shoot, or at least their supplier.

ok.cool.let us know if you come up with a solution to the side switch driver.

The more I look…the better a deal it seems than the N-Light ST-90, I’m reluctant to admit. I have some questions though, just for clarification.

-The two-switch UI, am I correct in thinking that the tailcap is strictly for power, and that the side switch is purely for mode change?

-Will the drivers on these $17 T13s be worth anything? If they’re the same as they used to be then sure, but if the driver is going to die like the unit in my knockoff TR-3T6, it’s above my interest and skill to rectify/replace a side-switch driver.

-How waterproof is the side-switch? Not at all? drop in a stream? Take a shower with it?

I’m just hesitant to buy a ‘deal’ light after the Amazon 3T6.

I think your concerns are valid for sure. The side switch cover on the T13 is not waterproof at all. So far the drivers in the T13 have been fairly reliable I have a few that have been in use for over a year as weapons mounted lights and no failures yet. knock on wood.

The N-light ST-90 looks like a great light. I just recently built an N-light HB-60 and i am very impressed with the build quality. If I get caught up on a few projects I’ll be getting an ST-90 next. I like the hidden strobe function on the ST-90.

Just a quick note of appreciation the tip and the link.

I ordered it on your advice and received it a few days ago. I couldn’t be happier with the light. Out of the box it has a similar beam profile to a T13, but with a heck of a lot more photons. :stuck_out_tongue: I intend to enjoy it stock for a while before deciding on a mod for it. The immediate challenge is getting some cells to feed this thing properly. It’s drawing 1.5A at the tail out of some very tired Sanyo 2600s and they don’t last too long.

That link is sold out right now and the best price I can find today is this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TrustFire-X7-T8-SST-80-LED-Flashlight-Torch-1800-Lumens-/270903926872

Thanks 18sixfifty! I haven’t been this happy with a new light in a long while. :bigsmile:

I have a t-13 I got from wallbuys for 13 bucks last year. Metal reflector. Love the light.