Yes - tint and beam pattern is nice, brightness is pretty good, but I do hate 5 mode drivers... On this one, the "next mode" timeout is like 8 secs or so, so not bad. The other one seems to be about the same timeout. I have a Paisen light I never got around to modding - it's the same exact look/style, but has a removable pill instead, but it's driver never seems to timeout next mode memory. Been debating - got to look at 22 mm adapter options, or go with the 22 mm BLF DD driver - of course it takes like a month to get the OSHPark boards though...
For this style light, this one looks the most interesting to me: SupFire L5. It's slightly shorter, side switch, XM-L2, and being SupFire, the quality should be better, but a bit more money though.
I still buy mostly from Hank at IOS, but also have bought from RMM. Hard to find good sources for bare LED's in terms of what they list is what it is, and price.
I have a Paisen from Wallbuys. A pencil mark resets it to high in about 1 sec. Very quick yet doesn't interfere with half-clicks to change modes, just perfect.
The #214 post saga continues... I replaced the stock LED centering piece with a FT butterfly style one - it fit perfect, but as I expected, the reflector was loose. So, found an o-ring that fit, added it in between the reflector and glass and that kept the reflector from rattling.
Result: nice bump in lumens, but mostly added in a newly appearing aura around the center beam, but don't think it takes anything away from the center beam - interesting effect!
Don’t waste your time modding this cheap light with BLF DD driver…although it’s bright enough but better yet save the driver for other host such as HD2010 or T08, the small reflector just doesn’t give enough throw nor flood…even resistor mod L4 out throw this light with BLF DD driver :Sp
I got mine today (6/14/14)
Ordered 5/11/14
The body threads are pretty sloppy - loose.
Pulls about 1.9A with a 26650.
Not very bright compared with my 3.0A
lights but the runtime should be pretty good.
OK for the price
Mine finally arrived last Friday June 13.
Ordered May 9.
Came with an extra 18650 sleeve but no AAA adaptor.
Decent utput compared to my pnly other 26650 light - a XinTD X3.
I think they extended this discount to July hoping that by then, everyone would have gotten delivery of their first order and still be prospects to order another one.
Works. Star just floats, only held in by the soldered wires, no thermal paste.
Star says “Cree XML-U2”
I can work with that. Wonder how long it’d run without overheating, anyone tried it in stock situation?
Anyone measured what the driver puts out? And whether it’s a constant-current driver?
I’m tempted to swap in an amber LED, if I don’t burn it up —they’re rated 500/700ma.
One battery spacer, inside the tube.
Tail cap is very loose while putting it on, feels like the threads barely engage, but it snugs up when tightened.
The shiny threaded bezel screws down onto a shoulder, the bezel doesn’t hold anything in — the lens comes out (easily, falls right out) from the reflector side of the head.
So I guess the reflector (which has a plastic spacer in the hole) presses the star against the body.
I don’t have any experience to add about running the light stock, but why not add a dab of thermal paste? It’s ultra-inexpensive, even if you don’t have any getting a little is still a small expense. That said - 2 amps is probably not going to fry anything as long as there’s decent pressure holding the MCPCB against the shelf.
You can’t swap an amber emitter in without changing the driver! It’s a DD driver, the amber emitter’s Vf is [way] too low.
Thanks for the tip on the bezel not holding the lens in place. I hadn’t connected the dots on that.