Tangsfire C8 XM-L2 U3
Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★★★
Summary:
| Battery: | 18650 |
| Switch: | Tail Clicky |
| Modes: | H-M-L-Strobe-S.O.S. |
| LED Type: | Cree XM-L2 U3 |
| Lens: | Glass |
| Tailstands: | Yes |
| Price Paid: | Tmart Sponsored - $18.89 |
| From: | http://www.tmart.com/TangsFire-C8-8W-XM-L-U3-1300LM-Aluminum-Alloy-Flashlight-Black_p208291.html |
| Date Ordered: |
Pros:
- Nice Machining
- Aluminum Pill
- East-092 Driver
- Glass Lens
- XM-L2 U3
- Tailstands
- Aluminum Reflector
Cons:
- None for me as a C8 format this is a really nice light.
Features / Value: ★★★★☆
This is a really nice light. Very nice machining for a budget light. It has the East-092 driver and on high pulls over 4 amps! stock. Has a nice glass lens. It has a good feel in the hand and is a little heavier than most of my other C8 format lights. It appears to have thicker tube walls than my others. The light starts on high every time. Which I tend to like some might not though. I give 4 stars because even though I don't think I would ever use S-O-S is actually doing S-O-O-S
Design / Build Quality: ★★★★★
This light is built nice. Some of the cleanest threads I have seen on any of the lights I have played with. Not a single thing in the threads was actually impressed by that. The fit and finish of the light is really nice. Thread engagement is good on all parts of the light.
The o-rings seem to be the right size and you can feel them engage when tightening down over them.
The Clicky is soldered to a board as is the spring which is covered by a brass cap for a plunger style negative contact and is held in place by a heavy threaded retaining. I can't see any problems from this end of the light.
The pill is mostly a typical C8 aluminum pill, but it has an added bonus of a very nice threaded driver retaining ring, no loose negative contacts to this driver. I can't see an problems coming from this section of the light either.
The body tube is thick walled and looks really durable. The reflector is smooth and made out of aluminum its 35mm deep and 40mm wide. The LED seems to be glued down with some sort of thermal glue.
Battery Life: ★★★★☆
The 5 modes are pretty well spaced
Hi: 4+amps I was able to measure 4.35 amps on a sony IMR battery
Med: 1.52 amps
Lo: .29 amps
depends on your battery and light usage for the battery life.
Amps dropped before a I could get my 7yr old to get a good picture for me.
Light Output: ★★★★★
This thing is bright....did I mention this is bright ? It has a really nice beam pattern.
A nice large hotspot and then leqading off into some spill. No funny rings or any other oddities in the beam.
I use my kids ceiling to fan to check for PWM its makes it easy to see. The light has some PWM but seems to be high enough freq. not to bother me at all. I'm not really that bothered by it anyways even it some of my other lights where it is more obvious.
The tint is on the cool side. This was aimed at the celing and taken from about 1 foot off the floor.
Summary: ★★★★★
Compared to my other c8's, and c12 that I have this is a very nice light. Superb fit and finish, nice threads, a good pill with retaining ring. A glass lens, A nice driver, and great emitter. Its a nice package of good parts coming together for a nice light. I think this is going to be my goto light for a while. While a little big for EDC its fits in a jacket pocket nicely for night walks with my kids. Good timing too. With xmas lights starting to go up we make some hot cocoa and head out to see them all.
Here are some specs from the website listing
| Lumens | 1300 Lumens |
| Power | 8W |
| Bulb Quantity | 1 |
| Light Color | White |
| Lightbulb Lifespan | 100000 hours |
| Lighting Distance | 100m |
| Runtime | Battery decides |
| Switch Type | Clicky |
| Switch Location | Tail |
| Lens | Coated Glass Lens |
| Reflector | Aluminum Smooth / SMO Reflector |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Color | Black |
| Dimensions | ( 6.14 x 1.73 x 1.06 ) " / ( 15.6 x 4.4 x 2.7 ) cm / (L x Head Dia.x Body Dia.) |
| Weight | 6.74 oz / 191 g |
| Battery | 1 x 18650 Battery (not included) |
| Voltage | 3.6 - 4.2V |
| Lanyard | Yes |
| Modes | 5 |
| Mode Arrangement | Hi ＞ Mid ＞ Lo ＞ Strobe ＞ SOS |
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Thanks for the review.
My Youtube Channel
joeholmanonline.com
Thanks for the review millerman. This one looks to be a step above the usual for this type of light.
djozz quotes, "it came with chinese lettering that is chinese to me".
"My man mousehole needs one too"
old4570 said "I'm not an expert , so don't suffer from any such technical restrictions".
Old-Lumens. Highly admired and cherished member of Budget Light Forum. 11.5.2011 - 20.12.16. RIP.
Thanks for the review. As soon as you confirmed the East-92 driver i ordered two more. TangsFire seems to have a good supply of East92s, as they put them in their HD2010s also.
The description at Tmart says it is, just wondering if this is true.
Thanks,
Keith
The difference between Hoarding and Collecting is the illusion of Organization
.
.“I will get one of flashlight from patrol car”
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it sometimes rhymes,” Mark Twain
…
After the Apocalypse there will be only 2 things left alive, Cockroaches and Keith Richards
$15 with the coupon code by O-L:
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/20853?page=3#comment-502995
Not having anything with a coated lens other than my glasses….the lens when held in different angles in the light spears perfectly clear. I know my glasses show a little green or violet hue because of the coating……
that’s the best I can say
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They may be coated, but with what, and is the coating AR.
So it is the real East-092 driver? Then I’m gonna order one. I believe a simple swapping of LED into XM-L2 U2 1C on Noctigon will make it screams!
Nice review…
Based on his picture and dmm readings, I would say yes. It looks identical to every east-092 I’ve seen. Though it doesn’t seem to be labeled as east-092, could just be a slight glare in the pic.
It looked like the east 092 was kind of smudged over…but there …and when I compared it to a dead one I had it looked the same. Be right back with a definitive.
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The blue color on the board has seemed to cover the east-092 labeling but it is barely legible under the coating. When in the right lighting.
hope that helps
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Does it make high pitch noises at any mode?
Finaly, proud owner of a Powerex Maha mh c-9000 for my Eneloops:)
No noise quiet as a church mouse on Sunday.
I can hear it on other lights. Like with 105c drivers I can hear sometimes.
my $.01 mxdl pen light will even do it, but that one if I give it a tap it goes away. Maybe something to do with connections?
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Is this better than the Convoy C8 from Fastech? Can anybody give an estimate of lumen output? I want to buy a new light so bad but can’t seem to pull the trigger.
https://www.youtube.com/user/heggood/videos
Well, i bought this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/120792738496?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3..., its so cheappppppp
Then i’ll put in a Qlite driver and a xm-l2 t6 3c i guess.
Finaly, proud owner of a Powerex Maha mh c-9000 for my Eneloops:)
This flashlight almost entirely depends on the battery you’re using in it, because of the direct drive driver.
Having said that, As long as you’re using a good quality battery you’ll probably be pulling at least 2.5+ amps, with xml2 you’re looking at somewhere around 900-1000 lumens (top end being around 1200 on the stock aluminum star).
I can’t comment on the quality of the light from personal experience (looks comparable based on pictures though); had I not recently bought the convoy c8 from FT I would have went with this Tangsfire C8.
Could you recommend some decent quality batteries at a good price, I need a couple more and I know some of these sites are having great deals just not sure what to look for, thanks.
https://www.youtube.com/user/heggood/videos
Depends on what you prefer to use.
I’m more of a protected cell person. I like the double layer protection of the battery pcb + driver. I still haven’t tripped a cell’s protection yet, but it’s nice to have it just in case.
Anyway, I use these. I can’t comment to WallBuy’s shipping with liion cells, but they allow paypal and have always delivered on my non-battery orders.
Coupon code for 11% off: WALLBUYSALLMAGIC
I’ve gotten at least 2.65amps off of them, but that was with stock DMM leads and may have been considerably higher. I just recently upgraded my leads and didn’t check that particular cell in direct drive. Keep in mind they are a considerably long battery and don’t fit in all flashlights. They do fit in my Convoy C8, and all my other flashlights except my xml zoomie that requires 2 of them in series.
Terrible review.
Made me order one.
These are good mid range batteries and they ship quick from the USA.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131000844418?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3...
Best $9 you will spend.
These are of of the only ****fire batteries to get good reviews.
I have 6 of them and they work very well, especially for the price and you don’t have to wait for a month to get them.
Or never get them at all with the wacky oversea’s shipping companies lately.
HTH
Keith
The difference between Hoarding and Collecting is the illusion of Organization
.
.“I will get one of flashlight from patrol car”
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it sometimes rhymes,” Mark Twain
…
After the Apocalypse there will be only 2 things left alive, Cockroaches and Keith Richards
Tried to order this. Anybody know WHERE on the site you put the coupon code in? I can’t find it.
My Youtube Channel
joeholmanonline.com
Once u put it in your cart and click secure checkout, it is a option under the cart for coupon code.
https://www.youtube.com/user/heggood/videos
So you can’t use Paypal with the coupon?
My Youtube Channel
joeholmanonline.com
You could have earlier but it has expired. It was for a $3.90 discount.
https://www.youtube.com/user/heggood/videos
I just realized that. Thanks.
My Youtube Channel
joeholmanonline.com
For future coupon application: use secure checkout. Apply coupon in provided box. There is a checked box to “pay with PayPal”.
Still an ok deal at $20 if you like a cool tint.
Ordered two.
My Youtube Channel
joeholmanonline.com
I tried to use the coupon code e398f042a3 from OL’s post but it shows that the coupon code has been expired. Is it or did I do anything wrong?
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