Marsfire 318
Pros:
TF-marked driver performs as rated
Deliciously-smooth machining and threads
Square-cut threads at every joint
Tight spot, broad flood
Both protected and unprotected cells fit nicely.
Cons:
–1st-gen XM-L emitters
-Head is sealed, cannot be disassembled
-Related to above, thin wires to the emitters
Rating: 3.5/5
The Marsfire 318 is a triple-emitter merged-reflector light that previously was available on Wallbuys as a package deal with a Niteclone I2 and three protected 26650’s. It seems as of [Jan 22, 2014] is only available on Fasttech and eBay, both cases sans-accessories. This particular example came from eBay and was a gift from a relative. I made the lanyard myself, the light came naked.
The light is 230mm long and at the bezel is 78mm wide. It is almost as long as a Trustfire X6 and is as-close-as-makes-no-difference the same head size.
It’s a big light. However, using it, the balance isn’t bad. Of course the power button being at the tail makes it a little inconvenient to change modes but the light handles well. Placing the web of your hand just under the head, it balances almost on that point and is easy to hold. The knurling on the main portion of the body tube is very clean, even, and grips well.
At this point I’ll discuss the machining quality. The machining is superb. There are fine lines concentric to the diameter visible on the flattened spots where the logo is painted, but it helps to grip the light there and the marks are perfectly even. The flattened spots aren’t flat either, they are machined such that they have a slight curve in them. The threads at all joints that may be disassembled are nice, thick square-cut and butter smooth. They did not come lubricated, but as smooth as they are lubrication isn’t really necessary. At the joint between the main body tube and extension, when snugged-down the knurling lines-up perfectly.
The tailcap is the tailcap. A spring underneath a brass plunger. The plunger is inside a plastic liner inside an aluminum pedestal.
Of course, what about the main part of the flashlight, where all the action happens?
I can’t tell you very much about it. There is no joint between the main body of the head and the bezel, and while it does look like the bottom of the head comes off, I have not been able to. I’ve frozen the head and carefully poured boiling water over the fins to take advantage of thermal expansion to loosen the threads. I’ve tried those rubber doilies they sell for opening jars. I’ve tried a step wrench.
And nothing worked. The head is for all intents and purposes a single, sealed unit. I am at this point convinced that the pill is threaded in from the top and then the glass lens is pressed in. There is no other way I can fathom this light being constructed.
But, given the tint and output I do believe the side of the body tube claiming U2-bin XM-L emitters. The emitter substrate are green, confirming first-gen XM-Ls. The merged reflector is deep. Really deep. They’re easily at least two inches deep and the depth causes a very tight, small hotspot with a tapering, broad spill. The light throws, it throws a little poorer than a XM-L in a 60mm-class reflector, but plenty of light still makes it out. This is definitely a jack-of-all-trades light. The throw isn’t as good as a BTU Shocker/Lustefire 3U2, but it throws better than a Trustfire 3T6 and still offers a good spill.
The driver is a nice, unexpected gem. It’s a TF-marked driver with printing to indicate an output of 4.5amps. The driver is removable, there is a ring with dimples for unscrewing via needle-nose or snap-ring pliers and unscrewing it allows the driver to be pulled out. It looks similar to the Trustfire 3T6 driver, but only has two wires leading into the head. The light draws 1.78 amps on high with three cells, 2.70 amps on two cells. If that rated output of 4.5 amps is true then driver efficiency would be better than 80, but assuming an 80 efficiency the emitters are still seeing a little more than 4.2 amps. With three cells, medium is 0.90 amps and low is 0.21 amps. Strobe is strobe, and the SOS mode is very well spaced and calmly-paced, there would be no misreading the flashes by anyone. The above readings were taken after performing the copper-braid mod on the driver and tailcap springs.
This light was promising and has for the most part lived up to the expectations I had when I first saw it online. The depth of the reflector and the ability to throw impressed me as I did not expect the reflectors to be that deep. the biggest disappointment and the primary reason why I’m not going to hang on to the light is that I can’t mod it. I’m confident that without destroying the head or at least ruining the fins that one cannot disassemble the light. As such I cannot report on pill structure, star structure/arrangement, or if it is indeed series or parallel wiring. The torch will still put out a very good amount of light for a good amount of time, a calculated 1300 lumens for two hours twenty minutes on high. But because I cannot exercise my compulsion to boost and mod this light, I cannot keep it. If you’re not the type to mod and want a very fine high-power torch, this is actually a very good choice.
The inability to mod the light detracts from the overall superb quality of the light. I’ll give it three and a half rejoicing tachikomas out of five.