So I'm just getting fed up with my Xiaozhi's switch issues. I've taken this thing apart so many times and I can either get tailstanding to work but flickering output, or solid output but no tailstanding. I've ripped the factory tail cap and replaced it. I've tried adding o-rings, removing the metal washer in the tailcap, but neither works well. I'm just done with it. I thought about getting a Fast Tech X-Power (S6) host and just trying to make one good light between the two (move my pill & clip to the new host) but I don't like what I read about the S6 battery fitment issues.
I think I'm just going to order the S2 U2 1B @2100mA (I have a 2800mA now and feel a drop to 2100mA may suit better). I can't choose a T6 3C or 4C, so I'll go with the U2 1B and if I feel I want to change it over to a neutral white tint I'll only have to do an emitter swap. My spare time for getting mods done is very limited this time of year and I just want a light that's ready or nearly ready to go! Oh, and I chose the S2 over the S3 because I can mount the clip to the S2.
S2 also has a much better reflector, the S3 has a short stumpy little 11mm deep thing in it. S2 & S5 share the same reflector, S4 is slightly deeper yet again but some folks aren't willing to live with the vent slots just to get a nicer beam. S4 with a de-domed XPG2 is pretty spectacular, all things considered.
I assume you're asking about my Xiaozhi (Convoy S6) since that's all I have right now. I wouldn't say it gets too hot in normal use. It definitely gets very very warm on high and warmer than I would like on Medium. I would like a medium which runs cooler, hence my reasoning for a 2100mA version.
I like the beam very much. Very floody without an abrupt change from hotspot to spill. It's a wide bright light. Definitely add the clip too. I'd hope you get one with a refined switch because mine has been a nightmare! The whole light is great quality until you get that crappy tailcap switch setup! Ridiculous what they did with the switch!
I love the S4's look (not sure about how it would hold up against lint in my pocket though)! I would get one if it weren't for its fitment issues with protected cells. It's also quite a bit more expensive.
There's an o-ring around the OD at the base, and another inset into the front that seals against the lens. Anything that gets in the slots can just be blown out, but I carry mine fairly often and it hasn't collected anything at all yet.
Also... there's enough room in the tailcap for a forward clickie (which is A TON taller than the little toy switch that's included) and an extra o-ring spacer on the boot to allow tailstanding. I trimmed off the nipple on the underside of the boot, used a stack of washers to set the spacing, and left out the threaded switch retainer. When assembled the switch PCB seats direct against the battery tube. I leave the tailcap on and remove the head to load batteries from the front.
I left the switch setup alone in my Xiaozhi and just put in one of these 5-pack Φ14*6mm Green Glow Switch tail Cap and it tailstands much better. It’s still a little bit wobbly, but it does stand on it’s own. My UF-2100 tailcap boot has the same dimensions, so if you have one of those, you can try it out.
I have 2 S2’s, both with 5C tint. I got a 2.8A first and it has a really nice neutral warmish tint. I liked it so much I decided to order a second but with 1.4A for better heat management and runtime. However, the tint on the 1.4A was a big disappointment. It was much yellower. Drive levels are probably a factor here, but I think there is some tint lottery going on too. So if you don’t have a 5C yet, it might be worth a try and just hope you get a good one.
Anyways, I just got back from a leisurely bike ride using the 2.8A S2 on high the whole time, and it worked surprisingly well. Better throw than the UF-2100 but still plenty of flood and much nicer tint. It was pretty close to the halogens that I saw.
Also, FWIW, when I tried to install that clip on my S2, the holes lined up fine, but I couldn’t get the second screw in once I installed the first one. The hole spacing on the light is just a little bit too wide. For me it doesn’t work out of the box, but I’m sure you could get it to work with some slight modifications.
Thanks guys for the feedback! I figured there was enough room to work the clip on even if I had to widen the spacing of the cutouts or something.
Is it possible you got one with a good switch? There seem to be different batches. Mine would flicker almost constantly until I finally soldered the switch to the retaining ring (easy enough to do).
From what I’ve seen, the S3 has a better beam for biking (what I’ll do with mine). And it will get constant airflow, so maybe the heat issue won’t be a factor? It WILL be used in the summer, at temps up to 100 degrees (yes, at night!). I’d like to get the 2.8A version and maybe use it on medium if it gets too hot. Opinions?
The S4 is my ultimate EDC right now. Love the look and function with the clip - even got a nice fitting holster for it. Of course mine is almost to the max with a Nanjg custom 6 mode, 3.5A (2 more 7135's), XM-L2 U2/SinkPAD, and a 5/8" 18 gauge copper disc soldered in the pill, 24 gauge wire I believe. It's doing just over 1,000 lumens. Still gotta add a AR or UCL lens though...
Also I finally "fixed" my IOS EDC 18650 - that plastic alignment piece was stealing a lot of lumens. Removed it, replaced it with a low profile one, added a isolator ring, raised the pill by unscrewing it a bit and cranked down on tightening the bezel, and it went from 560 to 795 lumens. That's with a U3/SinkPAD at 2.8A Nanjg custom 6 mode, UCL lens. I like this reflector - good amount of flood, a lot more spill than the S4.
Also got a Xiaozhi but seems to work reliably, and with tailstanding - think I used a lower profile button, not sure what else - this was a while back. It's in pieces right now - the XM-L2 T6 3C de-domed itself because of the tight fitting isolation ring (maybe the heat at 2.8A has something to do with it also?). When it was working, it was real nice, so I want to go with another neutral or warm XM-L2 LED.
That should be fine using it on a bike with airflow. Like I said, mine doesn't get unbearably hot and I'm not biking either. From the feedback of others, I too would take the S3 over the S2, but I can't attach a clip to an S3 (at least not a deep pocket clip).
Well, my Tank007 E09 and E10 I got no plans for, though I did see JackCY, I believe, post modding one and thought about it... Jack is totally over the top though - I don't believe I can do the things he does, even with unlimited time. There's so many things he does, and super fine detail work, like what he did for the Xiaozhi switch problem.
My Xiaozhi switch was undersized and paired with a metal washer. I would assume we both have the same (lame) setup, but no flickering here.
I have an S3 also, and it is definitely more floody than the S2 but I found having that little bit of extra throw really makes a difference, at least for me on my ride tonight. The thing that I don’t like about the S3 is that the head and body are one piece making it a little bit harder to access the pill. Also, the pill in my S3 doesn’t have anything to grip besides solder blobs. I’m always afraid my tweezers will slip and knock off a chip or something…
My Xiaozhi is in pieces too. I accidentally partially dedomed it somehow and then officially killed the led when I tried to finish it off. Just waiting for an xp-g2 to arrive so I can properly dedome that and see what kind of throw I get driven at 2.8A.
Tom, did you get a proper isolation ring? I just got a thin sticky plastic thing with mine.
I got a bunch of assorted alignment pieces and isolation rings - didn't check what the best one is to use yet. The S4 has the really small opening (maybe just an isolation ring will do), while the EDC 18650 has a bigger hole, requiring an alignment piece. Interesting the same partial de-doming happened to your Xiaozhi as well - actually what happened with mine was I noticed the tint seemed to go more neutral/warm. Finaling I took it apart one day and noticed the dome was loose, partially off, so I just carefully removed it completely. Maybe I should transfer it to a SinkPAD or Noctigon and try it de-domed? It should work, but will be pretty warm - 3C de-domed.
Yeah, the hole at the bottom of the Xiaozhi reflector is pretty small, just big enough for the dome to peek through. I didn’t know if I damaged it by a drop or what. I originally mentioned it here. Of course, that was before I took it apart and found the dome loose. Hopefully I can find an appropriate centering ring for the incoming xp-g2.
For XPG2 in the Convoy reflectors I cut out the center of an XPG insulator, and use it as a bushing in a XML insulator. Even though the reflector hole is small it only seats correctly with the XML-sized ring.
Oh comfy, that's cheating! Good idea... . But I'd probably cheat even more by epoxying down the XML insulator with the Arctic A/B stuff, and not use the squared off XPG insulator cutout, but your solution seems more robust and precise.
I used these tailcaps from FT, but trimmed the knub down inside to be shorter (and ended up with it a little too short which gives it a bit of a squishy feel).
Had the same probs with my Xiaozhi. The switch is just so Mickey Mouse. Did you check the pill or driver to make sure it isn’t loose? That also comes loose in mine causing flickering.
Love the S2 AND S3 both. Rock solid and without any issues …. In fact, I left a 2800 S3 on high tailstanding and walked away from it for like 30 minutes and came back to find it heated to atomic levels. I mean this thing was HOT. I had to get a towel to shut it off. Surprised the battery didn’t blow. Chucked the battery, afraid the heat might have damaged it. But the S3 is still going strong a month later. Don’t try this at home!
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