A.M.D.G.
Hey everyone!
So first, I need to apologize to Sinner, he asked me to do a review of these hosts after I received them, and that was, yikes, about a month ago. So sorry! Virtually all my free time the last couple of months has been devoted to violin…
Okay, so Tri-EDC 18350 lights. First off, these things are TINY! I mean, just marginally longer than an 18650! Perfect for tricking out with innards that’ll produce epic amounts of light; they are perfect for “Wow” lights. The pictures are nearly all of the Ti host; this is because both the Ti and Cu hosts are structurally the same, and in the month that I’ve had them, the copper one has begun to oxidize, so the Ti one is a lot prettier at this point.
The machining is beautiful and virtually flawless, no sharp edges whatsoever, and I take full responsibility for any scratches that might be on either host in the pictures. The threads are butter smooth on the copper host, and just ever so slightly gritty on the titanium host, regardless of what I do, but apparently that is common to all Ti lights, so no big deal there.The pill is solid copper with a flat top and a hole drilled through the center, ready for a Noctigon 3-up:
The tailcap has a brass press-fit insert with a black rubber boot (yay, water resistant, unlike previous models!)
Tailcap dissected:
At this point, I will say that when the hosts came, and I built the Ti one up, the switch was a bit spotty, sometimes it would work, sometimes it wouldn’t. In fact, the first time I tried to click it on after completing the build, (the “moment of truth”) it didn’t turn on. I had a heart attack. (Please tell me the rest of you modders have a bit of trepidation as you turn it on the first time: “Will it work?”) After fiddling with the retaining ring a bit, I seem to have found that tightening it down too hard on the switch renders the switch unreliable. Hmph. Can anyone tell me why that might be? Anyway…
So here are the three main body parts (the center “tube” is reversible):
And looking from the back of the head toward the front:
At this point, I’d also like to make a suggestion to Sinner: Have you considered using a black or clear o-ring for in front of the lens or optic in the head in the Ti host? The orange o-ring looks great in the copper host, but I think black or clear would look a lot better and “cleaner” in the Ti one. The orange o-ring is just a bit incongruous. Not to blow that out of proportion, of course, we can easily spend a few cemts on a 20mm o-ring, it’s just an observation I made.
Okay, so I think I hit most everything, feel free to ask for more info if I missed everything. A few details about the build I did in the Ti host (The Cu one is waiting on a triple XP-L and FET driver), I put a triple XP-G2 in it with a BLF17DD; right now it is pulling just under 6 amps from a fresh and fully charged Efest purple 18350. Does that sound about right for that setup? The runtime is pretty short at the highest mode (less than five minutes), but with RMM’s BLF17DD stock STAR six modes (including moonlight), it all works out. I used it a week or so ago going caroling with some friends, and it lasted the whole evening using the second-to-lowest setting to read music with short bursts of 3 or 6 amps when walking between houses. (I loaned out the other four lights I had in my backpack, but made sure to keep the Tri-EDC for myself! ;)) The three XP-G2’s are each a different tint (1D, 3C, and 5A2) and I have ToyKeeper to thank for the inspiration for that. Such a beautiful tint! Also, despite the intimidating-ness (I know, not a word) of reflowing, it is absurdly easy! Get a Stainless Steel pan, put it on the stove, apply some solder paste, plop the LED’s and jumpers down on the MCPCB, and the MCPCB on the pill, turn on the heat, and remove everything when the solder gets all shiny! I was a bit nervous, but it was a piece of cake.
Bottom line, the hosts are “expensive” for one coming from a background of buying budget lights, but they are an incredible value for what they are (Just look at, say, McGizmo’s pricing!), and are superbly made. Well done, Sinner! It says something that the only complaint I have is the the o-ring is a funky color. 8) Oh, and the fact that I forgot to ask Sinner to tap holes and install me a clip. I am mad at myself for that. The perfect EDC, but no clip! :_( Any thoughts on that, Sinner?
The two hosts with an Efest purple IMR18650 and two IMR18350’s:
Thanks to everyone reading this, and please feel free to request additional info, and offer criticism and/or advice!
Merry Christmas!
