TrustFire AK-90 (3/4x26650, 12x XM-L T6)
Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★½
Reviewer's Mod Host Rating: ★★★★½
Summary:
Battery: | 3/4x26650 |
Switch: | Tail, reverse clicky |
Modes: | H 100%, M 50%, L 10%, Strobe, SOS, with memory |
LED Type: | Cree XM-L T6 flux bin, est. 1A or 1B tint bin |
Lens: | Glass |
Tailstands: | Yes (similar to a candle lighthouse) |
Accessories: | None |
Price Paid: | Reduced cost review sample from Wallbuys Reg. price was $91.39 |
From: | Wallbuys |
Date Ordered: | Ordered 5/29, shipped 5/31, received 6/10 |
Pros:
- Very good finish for a non-black anodizing
- Impressive throw (~42kcd) for a flooder
- Excellent machining, well cut standard threads
- Integrated pill, good size with a nice star mounting surface
- Very Good heatsinking on head, good for modding
- Decent reflector, aluminum SMO, shallow individual reflectors
- Perfectly centered emitters
- Good mod host
Cons:
- Emitter centering disks block some light
- Run-of-the-mill driver, standard modes
- Underdriven for a 12xXM-L light
- 4x battery extension has slightly lighter ano colour
- Integrated pill is good for thermal transfer, but can make emitter access somewhat difficult
- Unprotected cells only in 3 cell configuration
Features / Value: ★★★☆☆
Design / Build Quality: ★★★★☆
Battery Life: ★★★★☆
Light Output: ★★★☆☆
Overview
When I spotted the TrustFire AK90 with 12 XM-L emitters with this much heatsinking, my first thought was I wonder if it will handle 100 Watts for 10 minutes? That was the modder in me speaking. Once I had it in hand, I figured it might be worth a try. But first, I need to keep it stock long enough to review it.
This is a big light! BIG! This is the biggest light in my collection, and I have the UF T90 and BTU Shocker. It's that big. I have a few comparison shots and I'll post a couple here and some more in the comments. Here is the light standing alone.
Here it is in 3x26650 configuration with the UF T90, which is no small light. The lights share a very close resemblance. The AK-90 has a thicker battery tube.
Here's another with the 4x26650 extension attached. Also known as 'skyscraper' mode.
Head on. Lots of XM-Ls (Note: I had already trimmed the emitter centering spacers, they were visibly blocking light from getting to the reflectors).
The handling is, well... long. Activation with one hand is near impossible, and a cigar grip in 4x26650 mode may be possible by X-Men's The Wolverine. Maybe.
As a weapon, this is the equivalent of a broad sword or baseball bat; two hands required.
The light comes apart into many pieces. The tailcap, three body sections, a neck piece, and the head.
Looks like I missed a thread shot, but they are fairly standard for a big TrustFire light. Fairly smooth, well cut, lubed, no anodized, and there are lots of them. It takes at least 10 turns to get the tailcap off.
In the front end of the head, we find the nicely finished bezel, O-rings, thick glass lens, and the 12x aluminum SMO reflector, and the 12 XM-L emitters on a very large integrated pill area. The reflector seats onto the stars with plastic emitter centering rings. Unfortunately, these rings extend up into the reflector a bit and block some light. There are O-rings where they should be and they appear to do their job The stars are attached to the pill surface with Fujik-like thermal adhesive.
The driver is retained with a large metal ring that presses on a plastic plate that covers the driver. After removing the ring, the plate and driver simply fall out. There are four somewhat small emitter wires, which may be OK for the driver current used in stock form. The emitters are wired in a 6S2P configuration.
The driver itself appears to be adequately assembled, but it underdrives the emitters, resulting in relatively low output per-emitter. Current sense resistors can be spotted just above the coil, at about 1 o'clock. There are three resistors, and one free spot for another resistor (hint: check the mod post down below ;) )
The tailcap is huge and is assembled in the standard fashion. Here are the parts laid out.
Beamshots
The beam is slightly ringy when white wall hunting and has a flower petal spill edge.
High:
Med:
Low:
Outdoors: (Mouse-out AK-90, Mouse-over 3000 lumen XM-L2 modded SRK)
Compared to this modded SRK, the stock AK-90 is slightly brighter with a slightly narrower but brighter spill. The AK90 hotspot appears larger and just as bright.
Measurements
Dimensions:
- Overall Length (3 / 4 cell): 342.0mm / 420mm
- Bezel Diameter: 89.8mm
- Head diameter (widest point): 89.8mm
- Heatsink diameter: 65.1mm
- Neck diameter (Heatsink / Lanyard ring): 56.8mm / 65.1mm
- Body Diameter: 37.0mm
- Tail Diameter (End / Lanyard ring): 39.5mm / 51.1mm
- Reflector Inner Diameters: 21.4mm
- Reflector Outer Diameter: 79.4mm
- Reflector Depth: 17.1mm
- Reflector Emitter hole Diameter: ~8.5mm
- Lens Diameter: 83.6mm
- Lens Thickness: 2.85mm
- Emitter stars diameter: 16mm
- Driver diameter: 44.8mm
Weights (without batteries):
- Overall: 964g
- Head: 518g
- Body Tube/Neck: 366g
- Carrier: 80g
Performance (stock, 3x26650 , uncalibrated measurement equipment):
- Light Output * : ~3507 lumens at start, ~3522 after 30s (increases for first 25 seconds, then starts to slowly decline.)
- Beam Intensity: ~42kcd
- Med: ~1701 lumens
- Low: ~258 lumens
Output is very similar on 4x26650 cells.
* Note: Measurements taken after modifying centering rings, max output was about 300 lumens lower in stock form
Power Source Options: 3x26650/18650 (unprotected only), 4x26650/18650 (protected or unprotected)
Switch type: tail, reverse clicky
Modes 12.2V supply: High (3.21A), Medium (2.02A), Low (0.52A), Strobe, SOS
Mode Memory: Yes, mode memorized when powered off for more than ~three seconds
Conclusions
The TrustFire AK-90 is a well built light that suffers from being underdriven and emitter centering rings that block about 9% of the available light.
As shipped, this light is recommended for those that want around 3000 lumens from one of the longest lights available (only a 6D Mag is longer).
As a mod host, Relic Recommended. This light begs for a mod, it cries for more juice. I suspect it can handle a lot more power, and I plan to find out someday.
Thanks for reading! searchID8934