Review: 5-Mode UltraFire Cree XM-L/T6 Warm White from Manafont

How Many Amps is Too Many Amps?

I finally decided to try a warm XM-L to see if the good ole' days yellow was really that good.

Bottom line: It's a fun novelty but I don't think I'll be ordering another anytime soon. I do like the colors appearing less aseptic than a normal LED makes things look but when I used it under a car at work, it didn't seem to reach into the nooks and crannies as well. With my job, that's a deal killer even before I measured tail cap draw.

This one is a no go, folks.

UltraFire Cree T6 Warm White 5-Mode from Manafont

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/ultrafire-cree-t6-warm-white-5mode-memory-led-dropin-module-42v-max-p-7747

$16.00

ordered: 10-5-11

received: 10-29-11

4.2 volt max

5-mode: high, medium, low, fast strobe, SOS

mode memory

OP reflector

tail cap measurements: readings taken in a 2011 version Solarforce L2 with a protected Solarforce 2400 18650 battery

high - 5.20 at start-up, settled down to about 5.0 amps

medium - 1.45

low - .47

Being a relative beginer, I have to ask; just how much farking current is too dang much? I'm as opened minded as the next guy but if I'm going to invest something north of 5 amps, I need some big time wow factor. I haven't done any run-time test but my guess is; it ain't gonna be pretty.

They seem to have put this one together pretty good, I suppose. It has worked every time and I've experienced no failure so far.

This black PCB cover was glued on and I cracked it on one side getting it off. Just another hit Foy takes for the team.

Solder, emitter . . . no wow factor here.

This is the same L2/Solarforce battery setup taken at 1/4 second shutter speed @f2.8 at the relocated Foybezels research center.

This is the same L2 with a 3-mode UltraFire XM-L and unprotected Panasonic 2350.

Here they are side by side. The 3-mode T6 we all know and love blows this warm white off the map.

So, in conclusion; this UltraFire warm white draws 2 more amps than the popular 3-mode XM-L while delivering less light.

WOW.

signmeupFoy

I have/had this dropin. I like the color a lot and use it all the time while poking around in the back yard chasing dogs. I say I had this dropin because it burned up a solarforce L2i switch pretty quickly and I changed the driver to something much more sensible. Now it’s great and I like it. It is really yellow though, probably a bit too much.

Ohhh . . . so yours was drawing high current too. So it's not just mine. Interesting. How long do I have before I loose a switch?

Foy

Not long probably. There have been other reports of dangerously high current.

After speaking to a trusted member here via PM, I became suspicious that perhaps my $40 DMM reads high, especially since I got way high readings from my 980L too. Then I remembered that when E1320 was fixing my F15, he said I was really going to be impressed with the beam at 3.5 amps on high. When I got the light back it pulled 3.47 amps. It may be a fluke that my Extech measured the same as E's Fluke, but I'm inclined to think my ugly orange DMM is right on the money.

you should really replace the driver with 8amc one

and are these photos with the same white balance? it should be warmer, almost as an incan

Foy, it is expected that WW gives you approx 25-30% less output as compared to CW. Due to the phospor coating taking away the blues.

Thanks for the review , Foy .

Not a great beamshot, just a quick phone snap of the WW dropin and an UF 3 mode. The UF manafont dropin was not on high as can be seen by the PWM. This pretty accurately compares color difference, dont use this to compare intensity.

From Langcjl's photo, that looks like a much more pleasing tint than the 3-mode.

Sounds like this one would be a good candidate for a 1 mode driver swap to go in a 6P to balance output/runtime.

Isn't this a suitable driver replacement?

it IS a warm white right? So its likely to represent a big hit in light output.

Putting it on a scale, Warm whites lose 25-40% output, while neutral whites lose 5-15% output. Our beloved 4C XP-Gs only really see a 5-10% hit in output, but the tint more than compensates, while warm whites really start to look alot dimmer.

And 5A draw is just crazy... Way too crazy. I wouldnt be buying one becasue its warm, and because its suicide.

Now I want one of those brown and blue dogs . . .

5 amps is a pretty crazy current draw, but I think a lot of lights probably are direct drive on high and the only thing controlling the current is the resistance of the battery, voltage of the battery under load, resistance in the tailcap, etc.

5A would not wish to part with that driver would you ? Trade maybe ... ?

I was seriously questioning my DMM but I told E1320 to give my F15 3.50 amps on high. That's what he did and when I got the light, this is what I measured with a fesh charged Solarforce 2400:

This is my 980L with the same SF 2400:

And, you can tell by the tint reflection on the bottom of the keyboard, this is the warm white and same SF 2400 in an L2:

Mind you, this is what it settles down to. Fresh off the charger on initial start-up I got 5.20.

I don't mean to belabor this but some time ago (before my period of absense) a person I won't name PM'd me saying he did not believe my 980L was really pulling over 4 amps. This was after I pointed him to the thread with E1320's picture of his 980L in front of a Fluke pulling 4.somethinginsane. If anything, my Extech reads a little low and that's probably because the leads on a cheapo DMM are usually where they start cutting manufacturing costs. (mine are already bending)

On the internet, all you have sometimes is your word and my credibility here is something I get touchy about, I'll admit. Erik knows my F15 did 3.50 when he built it so, I'm feeling a little better about Mr. Extech.

I'm also going to buy a Fluke here in the next few weeks.

Foy

old4570 -

You really want this driver?

Foy

Foy , I would love to have that driver , I have a SST 50 that might enjoy it immensely , as well my Dual XM-L U2 P60 drop in which is in need of more current ..

As Tim the Toolman used to say , More Power !

I just wish those Ultrafire Drivers were available for the DIY crowd ...

I just wonder about efficiency ? , even so , it sounds BOSS !

Have you checked for sag on the emitter ?

I have some new drivers if you want to trade , 8x7135 , and another that's 5 mode from KD [ XM_L , MC-E , SSC P7 ] I think its the one they [ KD ] Rate 2A , but the one I have does more like 2.4A .. or 4x7135 [ if mem serves , I should have 2 left ] or maybe just some PP

Tell me how to test for sag and I'll give it a try. Leme get back to you on the driver.

I'm going to turn it on and see how long before it kills a battery.

Foy

Light meter + light box ...

Yep , need a light meter , then make a light box , turn the light on to measure Lux , and if there is sag , the output will drop [ light meter read out ]

My other 3 mode pulls 3.8A , but I potted the emitter and glued the reflector down to the emitter base for another thermal path .

No LEGO on that one any more .

Hmmm , some SLR cameras have light meters , and doing a ceiling bounce , with the camera light meter might work [ never done it myself ]

Its very hard to detect by eye , as when the light sags , your eyes adjust , unless its terminal sag [ thermal run away ]

Emitter turns blue , severe output sag [ 90% or more ] and the emitter begins to emit smoke [ cos its cooking ]

Yeah = Been there !