My Yezl Y3 Has Arrived!

Think it should. I got a few protected 26650's of similar size, so could try tonight, if I remember (). I only use unprotected cells in one cell lights.

I assume he means the 3x26650 version. I would think 4C's would likely fit but don't have the extended version yet to test.

I have that exact cell and it fit, no problem. Tried a TF Flame 26650 and a KeepPower Protected 26650 and the also fit. The KeepPowers have trouble fitting in a J12 in width, but easily fit in the Y3.

Thanks much, I’m going to order the,( a) battery today.

Which battery is the best, the Keeppower 4500 protected, or the King Kong 26650 4000 mAh - ICR26650 Protected, the EnerPower 26650 4500mAh, another ?

No direct experience with any of those, except if the KK Protected one is from RMM/MtnElectronics -- that one seems pretty good. I'd love to try one of those 4500 's though, or at least see a review.

Received my Y3 today. It’s really great.

Pros:
+Great UI. H-M-L with mode memory and hidden strobe.
+Electronic side switch- Yes it’s more complex, but ergonomically it adds so much
+Flexible battery options- 1 2 or 3 18650s or 26650s pretty much rules.

Cons:
-Maybe a touch under driven for folks like us. Regulated at about 10W so about 2.5a with one cell and 1.25 with two cells.
-Dry threads

And the biggest con:
-Just too close to being perfect. I know that I’ll try to modify it and ruin it. Maybe I should just order a second one now?

All I want is a measly 40-50% increase in current! Is that so much to ask? /s

I’d love to mess around with those drivers with the STAR firmware, but I can’t give up the multi-cell capability. Any drivers that have a wide range of voltage inputs also don’t have (apparently) support for the e-switch.

I think I’ll have to try a resistor mod. Based on Tom’s experimentation, a resistor mod might not be that useful when there is only 1 cell. I could live with that. I’m thinking I’ll bridge the resistor bank with an R200.

I’ve never soldered surface mount resistors before. Any tips? Do you use a flux pen or something?

Which holster would fit it?

Hhhmm, I know Richard (RMM) has a great write-up on doing resistor mods somewhere... I probably don't do it the recommended way. What I do:

  • dab a little flux on the board resistor being mounted
  • lay the new resistor on it, hold in place with a tweezer (other fine tipped things will do)
  • get some solder on the tip - not too much, not too little either, and hold on one end till the underlying solder melts and the solder on the iron flows to the resistor - check carefully you got a good bonded connection
  • then do the same with the other end, still holding the resistor down
  • inspect the solder bonds closely - with a loop/magnifier (continuity tests probably don't work too well because the typical DMM's see continuity across these low value resistors anyway)

Other way is to dab some solder onto the ends of the board mounted resistor first before laying the other one down, but for me, it makes it awkward to hold the new resistor down in place.

I got a perfect holster for this light! Actually, got a few of these holsters because they fit sooo many lights, like a HD 2010, T08, J12, J18, etc.....

This one: fasttech.com-1330400-niwalker-holster, and for $4, you can't go wrong. I use them for my J18's because it's much better than the one the light comes with. I'm think'n GarryBunk may have been the one who first pointed this holster out for the HD2010.

Thanks again, perfect sounds pretty good.

I hope we get some comments on which battery is best, Keeppower 4500 protected, or the King Kong 26650 4000 mAh ICR26650 Protected, the EnerPower 26650 4500mAh, or another ?

I bought the King Kong protected, black, at Mountain electronics.

How will the Yetzl Y3 compare with my XinTD C8 V3, the first model?

thats a nice holster. so does the tube from the j18 go through that hole on the bottom of the holster?
do you think a 9x xml head would fit that holster as well?

It's not a perfect fit for the J18's, but it works. The end cap will hang a little on making it past the bottom threads, but it gets past them. Also, you have to force the head down a little to get the flap to catch the Velcro. I only use holsters for carrying the lights to protect them - I don't wear them very often, specially ones this big. It's a heavy gauge material though, and it's length protects the HD2010's and T08' pretty much fully, while the Y3 hangs out just a little.

Got the UCLp lens in today for the Y3. It looks fantastic, dark purple tint to the reflected light, perfect condition.

Results on a Powerizer cell at 4.21v

Lumens: 1,819 @start, 1,732 @30 secs and 136 kcd

I compared 2 different cells before/after Powerizer @4.21v and Efest 35A 18650 at 4.22v:

Powerizer: 4.5% increase in lumens (@30 secs), 8.8% increase in kcd

Efest 35A: 5.2% increase in lumens (@30 secs), no throw to compare

wow nice numbers, thats dedomed right?

No - not de-domed. 200-210 kcd is standard for HD 2010's and T08's de-domed, so this light would be closer to 300 kcd de-domed.

what the!? where have i been all this time. this is very impressive and it even has a side switch!

Tom’s is modified, I wish it did 300k with a dedome alone

Post #86 has details of the mod. I've gone to 4.2A or so on HD2010's and T08's and with a full de-dome mod, over 200 kcd can be done. For the Y3, it's a bigger reflector and this mod I did is even higher amps. Also, de-doming should double the throw, so 270-285 kcd I would expect from this light mod if de-domed.

I ordered some precision resistors from Fasttech. I think they’re R200s…but they are so small. Like sooooo smallll. Did I order the right thing? I’m not a giant or anything, but the chances of me bring a component that is this size with another component this size is, well, small.