I’m looking for the best budget thrower. I have a TN31vn and a Shockervn already. Both are simply phenomenal lights.
BUT I now need to get 10 lights to use for searching and I can’t afford to get ten TN31’s! THerefore I’m looking for a budget alternative (perhaps a clone of the TN31 if there is such a thing?). I’m happy to do simple mods to improve the light but nothing major like machining heatsinks as I don’t have the tools. Please can you help suggest the best budget lights I can buy. As I need 10 of these they need to be under $40 a piece. Thanks.
Just to clarify, I’m looking for a single emitter light, the size is irrelevant as is the battery choice. I’d imagine something about the same size as the TN31 or bigger would suit and probably powered multiple 18650s. Probably xml or sst90 or mtg2 emitter? Please help!
http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S022823
I don’t have one yet but there are a few threads on it.
sorry buddy… if you looking for MT-G2 under $40 is going to be very hard to find.
but thrower for that kind of money there’s plenty decent light out there 
you can have Smallsun ZY-T08 or it’s cousin Smallsun ZY-T13 or maybe STL-V6 ( btw it out throw both of them on stock)
they’re under $40
Would a group buy be of interest to you
Tangsfire HD2010
this is good sugestion…
can’t beat the price for a nice decent thrower for stock, you’re just in luck with this group buy:D
xmldriver - from reading Post #1, it sounds like the COURUI is the perfect match for what you are looking for. If the size/weight don't matter much (sounds like), and the extra runtime for 3 cells in parallel is preferable to a single cell or 2 cell light, then the COURUI is about the perfect solution staying in that budget. Of course the parallel cells are safer as well. As far as stock and mods, this light has a lot of versatility: keep it stock, lightly mod, super mod, or full blown customize. Considering it's 10 pieces, to keep costs and mod time down, I'd look at doing a simple resistor mod (maybe remove/bridge), beef up the tailcap wire, re-flow the stock emitter onto copper (SinkPAD/Noctigon) and de-dome, upgrade LED wires, use AS5 or equivalent, and work on the focusing - or not...
Basically, look at the biggest bang for the buck for the mods: de-doming (if throw is priority #1), higher amps via resistors. Once you go higher amps, the copper star becomes much more relevant. The copper stars have amazing benefits in terms of increased output anywhere above 2A and scaling up, and keeping the LED cooler, safer. I'd try to restrict the high amps though to keep it comfortably operational (both for the parts and user) for longer periods of use without going nuts with heat sinking mods. I'd say about 3.5A - 4.5A would be ideal, unless you really want to push it higher and not concerned so much about long runtimes.
With all that said, of course the timing may be perfect for the HD2010 group buy for a cost on qty 10, but you may be adding more costs in mods, all depends...
This is exactly why I love this forum. Free and open sharing of knowledge learned from hard work and experience. A question I’ve been wanting to ask expertly answered.
Tom E, you rock man!!! I am a big Fan!
Fantastic info guys, thanks so much! I usually buy expensive lights but having to buy so many I just can’t this time! Is the CORUI better stock than the stock HD2010?
If you were also considering single cell lights, I've modded a couple of Jacob A60s.
XP-E2 on copper at about 2.2A
XP-G2 on copper with Qlite at nearly 3A
In principle the XP-E2 may be a marginally better thrower, but the slight extra width of the XP-G2 is awesome! Maybe not the prettiest on white walls but it rocks outdoors.
There's a pretty extensive thread in here somewhere if you are interested.