Got my TangsFire XM-L2 U3 today. It pulls 4.65A on a fresh Pana PD - 1,054 lumens @start, 976 lumens at 30 secs. I'd expect a big drop for 4.65A on an aluminum star. Tried the threads - yet another C8 thread size and cut, oh boy... Really was hoping it was going to be a true C8 thread. The pill threading is bigger than a Convoy C8 and UF T-20/LightMalls C8, so no chance brass or copper pills will fit. Like a Convoy C8, it came with a 16mm star - kind of surprising.
The body and reflector are clean - excellent condition. It's not bad, was hoping a little more compatible though.
Really really doubt it's a U3 - 4.65A and 976 lumens?? The copper star will make a substantial difference, but I got over 1,300 lumens on my Convoy C8 at 4.2A.
Just got mine today and I’m impressed. This thing is super bright, brightest hotspot I have seen on any light so far. Good build quality, feels like it weighs twice as much as my KD C8. One question, I was using a 2600 mah AW protected cell, would a high drain battery make this light brighter? I can’t measure the current draw because my crap multimeter only measures up to 1 amp.
I was the first one to order, on this Christmas Deal, but haven’t got it yet. Yes, different battery Chemistry’s will allow more current draw. My best are these:
Have got over 6 amps, for a short period on this Battery Chemistry.
I saw the deal about 10min after it was posted and decided I had too many flashlights on the way to my house… Now I’m kicking myself. Dang it! I even have an unused noctigon I could plop that xml2 on. Grr.
It looks beautiful and actually pulls about .3 amps more than the first one.
Cleanest lens, flawless finish.
Blazing hot spot, I love this light…
Later,
Keith
The description for the Samsung INR18650-20R cell on the MTN electronics site says “Lights that draw around 5 amps direct drive on an NCR18650B draw 9+ on this cell”. Is this true? Can this light even handle that kind of current?
In stock form, NO, this light is not going to survive 9 amps.
The led is mounted on an Aluminum star, the wiring is too restrictive, etc. When you push any electronic circuit past it’s limits it will either, stabilize at a certain current, or become a Fuse.
That is, the weakest link will fail and create an open, or maybe just a smoke show
Therefore it is probably best to leave the light at the 4.5 - 5 amp level and even then long term reliability will be in question.
Can the light be built up to a reliable 9 amps?
Probably, but as they say in Drag Racing “Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?”
Ok received my light yesterday
From first looks I thought the reflector was seriously messed up
So I unscrewed it and the reflector is great looking
What I saw in the reflector was an extremely dirty LED
It looked like someone had taken the pill and dropped it into a pile of sawdust
After cleaning and reassembly I took it for a spin
I must say it has a wonderful hotspot
But a very ugly green corona and purple spill
I’m still in my early stages of flasholism and haven’t progressed to being a tint snob yet but the color is down right ugly
Lens does appear to be coated but doesn’t look as good as the lenses I got from RMM
The driver works great and is silent although pwm is noticible in med and low
I will be changing out the star with a noctigon braid the springs and upgrading the wires in the next few days and push it as hard as I can and hopefully post before and after beamshots
Typical "thrower" reflectors will have these effects with cool tints - white intense center, yellow/green corona, blue spill - P60's, C8's, HD 2010, etc, pretty much all show the same pattern. The emphasis is on max throw. An OP reflector's white wall beam will look a lot cleaner, but sacrifices throw of course. TIR optics are my favorite for beam patterns I'm finding out, but I only know of ones available for tube lights (small diameter).
Have to go to a Family Dinner, but opened it. Well, well, it is not a C8, it i s a C8-D. AKA a C-8 Deep or C-8 Long. Plastic hybrid SMO/OP Reflector. Don’t know if it is a U3, but is an XM-L2. Okay, so it Draws 3.5 amps on a LG:
CORRECTION: Most C8 Deeps have a Plastic hybrid SMO/0P Reflector — Apologies, sorry, this one is a C8 Deep with an AL - U - Mini - Umm SMO Reflector … I’ll be danged. Nice and clean, SQUARE threads look good, but dry, very Bright, well worth the money — am pleased with the Light … Sorry for Jumping the Shark on this …
I tried to get a coupon for the tangsfire ones (there the best ones right?) but looks like a no go as it’s not a hot item, so unlikely to get one unless there is decent demand for one?
note that answer was not from louis huang so maybe they can still help?
I received mine last week I compared it with a $9 C-8 the one that was mentioned then subsequently panned here, and a Solarforce L2P w/M3 head($52)… Much better beam and brighter than the cheap C8, and just as good as the M3 (within the confines of my testing, limited to 50 feet. The best deal I have received yet on a budget flashlight!