I ant wrote:

Interesting, it says flashlight runs off 14500s in Series! That's impossible, but only testing will tell.

Working Voltage 7.2~8.4 V Battery Configuration 4 x 14500 batteries (included) Circuitry 1500mA Brightness

That's some tight working voltage for 4*14500 in series.

Probably 2 in series 2 in parallel.

I ant wrote:

So with that it mind, the AA won't work right? and the button will not display voltage most likely...

You can't really rely on the specs, but AA should not work if 7.2V is the lowest input voltage.

The first “clone” arrives! :bigsmile:

It actually says in the description that it's 2 parallel, 2 series.  It also says that it comes with 4 batteries and a charger.

So no - don't expect NiMH to work.

Link didn't work for me but found it here: http://dx.com/p/trustfire-tr-a9-cree-xm-l2-t6-500lm-5-mode-white-flashli...

For about this price I got the genuine Nitecore EA4W from FT.  Why would I bother with this cheap clone with the standard unimaginative driver selection, no mode memory and 4 dubious 14500s that I wouldn't be game to use?

Thanks but no thanks.

for just cents more, i got a real ea4w. i dont understand how they thing they will sell any at that price.

im still interested in hearing about it though and seeing a tear down, if anyones willing to take one for the team

with the price almost similar with EA4, there’s small chance this product can success..
however the ability to use 14500 might a plus point for some users.

Actually it's the Nitecore EA4 that is very cheap not the clone expensive.

I would buy this over the ea4 just to avoid giving nitecore money tbh.

in all truth, i think most here bought the ea4 before nitecore showed their true colors

+1

I'd also be thinking twice before supporting them again.  Variety of reasons including E8 teardown results, rubber button debacle on EA4 and some questionable business practices.

Pulsar wrote:

in all truth, i think most here bought the ea4 before nitecore showed their true colors

Pulsar wrote:

in all truth, i think most here bought the ea4 before nitecore showed their true colors

I bought a EA4W with a few small problems but I was able to get a refund including the cost of shipping it back. I still like the EA4 but not sure if I will buy another.

I just do not get 2S/2P with Li-ions. Isn't that asking for bad things to happen?

I would buy the EA4 before this thing. It needs to be $20 before it's worth the money. Maybe Fasttech will carry it for $25 soon.

That’s what I’m hoping. This would make a great mod host at $20-25. The 2s2p would lend itself well to a xml2 and a buck driver I would think.
I would rather tear into this than an ea4 to mod, myself

Looks like the bezel screws all the way down, unlike my EA4

Now if this was in the 50% off sale………..

There was another thread or two on this light
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/20631

I agree with you guys, at current pricing and politricks aside, the EA4 is a better buy.

Why the Nitecore dislike?

Pulsar wrote:

for just cents more, i got a real ea4w. i dont understand how they thing they will sell any at that price.

im still interested in hearing about it though and seeing a tear down, if anyones willing to take one for the team

spaceboy wrote:

Why the Nitecore dislike?

I love my Nitecore!!

I’m not a Nitecore dealer so I don’t mind about MAP; I don’t plan on getting an EA8 (amazing heatsink design!!), nor do I have any Jetbeam allegiance.

spaceboy wrote:

Why the Nitecore dislike?

Nitecore was enforcing their Minimum Advertised Price policy with certain vendors, which I believe is perfectly legal, but which some members don’t agree with.

From my point of view, Nitecore is perfectly within their right to do this since it’s not illegal (I believe) and presumably the vendors they contacted agreed to the terms in the first place.

I don’t see purchasing from Nitecore is any worse ethically etc etc than purchasing from a company known to copy other companies designs and list overly inflated specs. But hey, different strokes for different folks.

I feel the same way, Chloe.  MAP is a common issue with most things electronic, including flashlights.  I shop all the time for hardware as a network admin and think nothing of having to "click here" to view the price in the cart.  Most companies have MAP, it's really no biggie and a standard practice.  Fasttech can still save you money with a simple code at checkout to give you the lower unadvertised price.  A good light is a good light.  I couldn't care less about MAP practices.  They have to do it to keep their retailers happy.  Without them they'd have nothing.

I have to say I dislike minimum selling price policies but it is common in some industries like the hifi industry for example. If the manufacturer thinks they have a premium product they often dont want to see it heavily discounted. I dont agree with it though.

I don’t like nitecore because of the ea4/8 issues and my own i4 experience.

Quality battery chargers should not charge two cells then shock the user through the negative terminal and then promptly blow up…..The thought occurs, what would have happened if it had reverse charged an 18650 to the point of vent with flame?

Then you have the map debacle, nitecore can go whistle as far as I’m concerned.

gords1001 wrote:

Quality battery chargers should not charge two cells then shock the user through the negative terminal and then promptly blow up…..The thought occurs, what would have happened if it had reverse charged an 18650 to the point of vent with flame?

Sounds like the i4 got confused during its self-test. “Am I a charger, or an IED?!! I don’t know!!”

Seemed to me it was not just the use of MAP, which is legal, but how Nitecore handled it/enforced it with some vendors and forum members. All technically probably legal, but ethically not very reassuring.

There is also the cluster-eff with Jetbeam and the questionable nature of their relationship. There is blatant “sharing” of designs between them.

Add in the EA8 teardown findings, and many have been pretty turned off by the brand in general. Overpriced with fancy branding, but really not that well built for the price.

Take it all how you want. Vote with your wallet. Talk is cheap.

I was really hopping for a clone of the ea4 to use it as a host, and in fact yesterday I was searching all over for one…

So is the switch really a clicky (I don’t like electronic switches so much on flashlights)…???

I hope for a review and tear down soon enough and I also hope fasttech will carry this light at a lower price..

Lets see…

link is dead

http://dx.com/p/trustfire-tr-a9-cree-xm-l2-t6-500lm-5-mode-white-flashli...

Old-Lumens wrote:

I just do not get 2S/2P with Li-ions. Isn’t that asking for bad things to happen?

No more so than the millions of laptops, netbooks, and cordless drills that use the same setup. I’d certainly suggest protected cells just to error on the side of caution, but its far from being a scary setup.

PPtk

PilotPTK wrote:

Old-Lumens wrote:

I just do not get 2S/2P with Li-ions. Isn't that asking for bad things to happen?

No more so than the millions of laptops, netbooks, and cordless drills that use the same setup. I'd certainly suggest protected cells just to error on the side of caution, but its far from being a scary setup. PPtk

Actually I just bought an EA4W and this Tr-A9, so I can do a comparison. The TR-A9 is coming from DX, so maybe in three months (if I am lucky), I will actually get it. The EA4W is coming from IS, so it probably will be here on Wed. I do not know if I can hold out till the TR-A9 comes, before hacking the EA4W. Patience is not one of my virtues.

Anyhow, I will document the EA4 well, just in case, so I can compare beam shots and the guts, sometime in the future.