Hello,
Wanted to review the DQG Tiny 4th 18650 flashlight that I got from Gearbest.
DQG Tiny 4th @ gearbest
http://bit.ly/2oaWI0E
Coupon: DQGTiny4
Price: 26.99
Stats:
High Mode: 4h (300Lm)
Mid Mode: 15h (80Lm)
Low Mode: Over 300h (3.5Lm)
Brand: D.Q.G
Model: Tiny 4th
Lamp Beads: Cree XM-L2
Luminous Flux: 850Lm
Switch Type: Side Clicky
Mode: 4(Turbo; High; Middle; Low)
Waterproof Standard: IPX-8 Standard Waterproof
Lens: PMMA TIR Lens
Body Material: Aircraft-grade Aluminum T6061
Available Light Color: Cool White, Neutral White
Available Color: Black, Grey
Product weight: 0.036 kg
Package weight: 0.1 kg
Product size (L x W x H): 8.6 × 2.2 × 2.2 cm / 3.38 × 0.86 × 0.86 inches
Package size (L x W x H): 10 × 4 × 4 cm / 3.93 × 1.57 × 1.57 inches
Package Contents: 1 x DQG Tiny 4th Flashlight, 1 x Spare O-ring, 1 x Stainless Clip
My Video review: including beamshots and comparisons
Review:
This is an interesting little light that puts out around 850 legitimate lumens from my testing. Comparing it to the olight s30 and nitecore p12 the brightness is definitely on par with a 800+ lumen light. I’ve found that it can utilize protected or unprotected 18650 batteries and has successfully used everything I have put into it. There is not a spring at either end of the battery tube and it is essentially a friction fit with the battery. The tailcap has a long set of recessed threads that lets it utilize different battery lengths. This is interesting because the light also does lockout with about 1/2 turn of the tailcap as well. This usually doesn’t happen without annodized threads. It’s quite an ingenious setup to utilize different batteries without annodizing the threads and adding a spring. The side clicky is recessed and a little on the small side for my liking. It is very difficult to turn on in a dark room as it is tough to find just by feel. The beam is floody. Not as floody as a convoy s2+, but definitely close. The model I got is a neutral white. I prefer cool white, but it does come in both. The user interface is ok. One click to turn on the light. Long click cycles through modes, and a double click brings you to turbo. You can also access turbo directly while the light is off. The knurling is also a little too aggressive for my taste. It can be a little difficult to get into the pocket of jeans because the tail clip is tight and the knurling provides alot of resistance. However this thing is rock solid once in your pocket and isn’t going anywhere. The turbo mode steps down after 1 minute. The light will get pretty warm after about 3-4 turbo bursts, but nothing to worry about. The run times seem pretty accurate from my testing as well. So overall… definitely a nice pocketable 18650
Pros:
pocketable
fits a wide variety of pro and unpro 18650s
very low parasitic drain, also ability to lockout the light
good spread on modes
inexpensive
waterproof
available in CW and NW
pocket clip is rock solid and reversable
Tailstands
Cons:
Knurling is aggressive and tough to pocket easily
in between a flood / throw light. Doesn’t fit either category well
step down on turbo in 1 minute. I prefer longer
doesn’t appear easy to mod
DQG 4th Vs olight s30 Vs nitecore p12
Beam Shot
DQG Vs Olight S30
DQG Vs Nitecore P12
Nice review. I took this out for a walk tonight. I placed switch 180 degrees from clip and it helped. For price I like it.
Thanks for the review and discount code. Was waiting to see a review on this light, just ordered it through your link.
Nice review. Almost makes me want to buy a second one, the grey color. Oh, I agree that the tiny button can be hard to locate by touch only (in a dark area), so I rotated the pocket-clip in alignment w/ the button. Problem solved.
"Better to have it and not need it; than to need it and not have it." and, "I have more than I need, but not as many as I want."
what do you think-would be possible to chahnge here the driver by a fet driver? to get a smallll astrolux??
EDC-Mezzol X8R-L xhp70 nw, Astrolux ST01 xhp50,WildTrail WT3M
Headlamp-Thrunite TH30 nw
The DQG Tiny 18650 series lights use an integrated board that contains both the driver and the LED. Because there is only one board instead of a separate driver and star, this allows for the shortest possible light.
The downside of this arrangment is swapping in a replacement driver isn’t so easy. A standard FET driver won’t have a place for the LED on it, and there probably isn’t room in the light to add a separate star for the LED and still have room for the optic.
However, it IS possible to mod these lights into small triples. A 20mm Carclo triple-TIR optic is 7mm shorter than the stock single emitter TIR optic that comes with the light. 7mm is sufficient to allow installation of a small copper heatsink, plus triple noctigon. I’ve done this mod twice on DQG Tiny IIIs, and it looks to be even easier with the Tiny IV because far less glue was used to hold the head and body tube together.
If you mod these lights with a FET and triple XPL you have a true pocket rocket. Smallest single 18650 triple TIR light ever… and with an output of over 3000 lumens at turn-on with a fresh IMR cell. Downside, is there is very little room for heatsinking. The outside of the head will get burning hot within seconds unless you add an external heatsink.
hallo.thanks for breathtaking answer…hm…i woudl like to try it:)
is there someone,who can make it and sale? iam not into modding…
EDC-Mezzol X8R-L xhp70 nw, Astrolux ST01 xhp50,WildTrail WT3M
Headlamp-Thrunite TH30 nw
I haven’t seen any posts from anyone saying they successfully modded the DQG Tiny 18650 other than myself. The mod had a number of significant challenges involved. Definitely not a beginner level mod.
If you do successfully mod them these make beautiful EDCs though.
Does it always starts on high?
i would like to get one:)))))
EDC-Mezzol X8R-L xhp70 nw, Astrolux ST01 xhp50,WildTrail WT3M
Headlamp-Thrunite TH30 nw
Depends on what driver you use.
One of my DQG Tiny III triples has a 3.8 amp (10×7135) 105c driver with DrJones Mokkadrv firmware. A quick press from off starts on high. A long press starts on low.
My other one has a FET driver with Moppydrv firmware. That one will remember the mode it was last turned off in, but also has shortcuts too moonlight (long press) and turbo (double-click).
Sorry, I meant stock 4th version.
One short click to LOW
Two Short clicks to MED
Three short clicks to HI
Hold to TURBO
From ON
Hold to Cycle LOW-MED-HI repeat cycle starts in the mode your in
Double click TURBO
From TURBO
One click to last mode
2 clicks to off
Don’t think I forgot anything.
That’s about right.
The hold for turbo from off is a little long. I think you have to hold for 2 seconds. Would have been better if they made it 1 second.
Also there is a turbo timer (I think 1 minute). When the turbo timer times out you end up in whatever your last non-turbo mode was, or in low if you used the shortcut to turbo from off.
This light does not have mode memory.
http://edc-light.com/dqg-18650-click-cree-xml2-smallest-led-flashlight_p...
this one with the grey metal tailcap is the older version?or?
i bought the last version,but the modes type is not good.too confusing…anyway,neutral version i bought is beatiful.now lets change the driver.
EDC-Mezzol X8R-L xhp70 nw, Astrolux ST01 xhp50,WildTrail WT3M
Headlamp-Thrunite TH30 nw
That one you linked is the Tiny III. You can tell because it has knurling on the tailcap and a metal switch button.
The latest model, the Tiny IV, has a black rubber switch boot and no knurling on the tailcap.
The Tiny IV is superior due to higher output, internal heatsinking, a better UI (it has a shortcut to turbo from off), is less likely to accidentally turn on in the pocket, and is easier to mod.
helou.i want to change the driver in this flashlite.which could be good?thanks.i want maximum,maybe turbo timer.something,like our fet.but this is side switch..
EDC-Mezzol X8R-L xhp70 nw, Astrolux ST01 xhp50,WildTrail WT3M
Headlamp-Thrunite TH30 nw
See my previous post.
The light uses a single board that contains both the driver and the LED. There is no separate star. Merely changing the driver isn’t an option since typical replacement drivers do not have the LED on them and there isn’t room to mount a star in front of the driver and still have room for the optic.
However, it is possible to convert this light to a triple. The shorter optic on a triple frees up enough space to mount a platform for the triple star ahead of the driver.
oh…lost this infos….oh no…thats bad for me…tripple is too hard to do.i wanted only new driver…so,thats the end of the moding..bleeeeeeeeeeeee:)))
EDC-Mezzol X8R-L xhp70 nw, Astrolux ST01 xhp50,WildTrail WT3M
Headlamp-Thrunite TH30 nw
my 4th tiny
did you open it???
EDC-Mezzol X8R-L xhp70 nw, Astrolux ST01 xhp50,WildTrail WT3M
Headlamp-Thrunite TH30 nw
Yep
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/showthread.php?t=31935
more photo
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/album.php?albumid=1062
so driver change is possible…:) or make a triple:)
EDC-Mezzol X8R-L xhp70 nw, Astrolux ST01 xhp50,WildTrail WT3M
Headlamp-Thrunite TH30 nw
make a triple will be not so easy.
It is necessary to make a new bezel. The diameter of the old 20,2mm. Optics will fall out from it.
It is a 22mm optic in stock form. Does anyone know where to get extras or floodier optics for this light?
Lithium Ion Battery Safety 101
Old Lumens Competition 2020 Modified Light Entry
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1607/10001027/4380501
+
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1606/10007055/1574902-21-2-12-6mm-pmma...
+
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-flat-glass-watch-crystal-diameter-21-...
Serp, thanks! I did not see those when I was on FT….
Lithium Ion Battery Safety 101
Old Lumens Competition 2020 Modified Light Entry
I’ve converted a couple DQG Tiny IIIs into triples. Both of them also had the 20mm bezel, just like the Tiny IV.
Fortunately, it is not necessary to make a new bezel. Both of these solutions work:
More & more i’m want to do triple
I’m think 21.5mm glass will good
Most of all, I try to make it.
As for the optics from FT, I tried on it without glasses. It’s held by rubber O-ring 22mm*1.5mm
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/picture.php?albumid=1062&pictureid=15230
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/picture.php?albumid=1062&pictureid=15228
http://forum.fonarevka.ru/picture.php?albumid=1062&pictureid=15227
Some nice suggestions there.
Be very careful if you’re using a thin glass lens to hold in the optic. I tried that and the lens cracked. Too much pressure against the edges of the lens. Glass lenses are great at resisting pressure when supported on both sides (as in most flashlights). They aren’t so good at resisting torquing action (only one side of the glass is supported while pressure tries to bends the glass (in this case around the edges of the optic). Also if you ever drop the light and it hits bezel down the impact will likely drive the optic through the lens.
To avoid this I recommend using an acrylic lens or an o-ring.
A triple or quad build seems possible with a custom heatsink sitting over that shelf or maybe even press fit to the body, but is there enough room for a piggyback in there?
USB power meter/tester thread
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