I purchased a Convoy L5 back in early December from GearBest for a bit over $27 using a sitewide discount and had planned to do a proper review but due to real life obligations, financial resources, and other projects that was delayed and thanks to impatience is now impossible. I could have purchased a Convoy L4 for about $4 less but wanted a 26650 sized light and I may have purchased the last one in stock. The light, originally equipped with an xm-l2 u2 1a has received an xm-l2 u3 2c on a noctigin 20mm dtp (from rmm), 20awg spring bypasses, foil wrap of the pill, handmade brass contacts with copper tailcap spacer to compensate for taller stiffer springs, and powered by a pair of LiitoKala 26650 cells mentioned in a few other threads resulting in what I’d estimate at about 1160 lumens based on the original intensity vs post-mod…
Rather than following convention I will start with the aspects I see as deficiencies or ‘cons’.
1) Long springs
2) Sloppy switch centering
3) Tail ring depth
4) Tube diameter
Spring bypass resulted in the springs being stiffer. After bypass while cycling through modes I would reach a point where the mode wouldn’t change. I would disassemble, clean off the batteries and springs, reassemble, and it was ok for about 16 - 20 mode changes. At that point it would stop on medium again. Suspecting this was due to solder on the springs I cut small discs from brass sheet I had and installed. It wouldn’t light. The real problem was due to the springs compressing less and impairing contact between the non-anodized end of the battery tube and the brass switch retaining ring. Once I realized this I cut a couple pieces of 7/8” copper water line, cut one down and re-shaped it to fit inside the other and soldered and sanded to create a spacer to insure contact with a ledge to make centering the switch easier during assembly. At this point the only task that remains is to cut a spacer to fit behind the switch body to prevent the light from cutting off during tailstand. The unprotected cells used fit but were close enough in size to indicate a possible problem for protected cells.
The good (pros)
1) Quality
2) Cooling
3) Beam
Overall, the L5 is of adequate thickness with well cut threads and good quality anodizing. The indentations in the cooling fins are effective as an anti-roll feature but significantly impact the effectiveness of the cooling system. Even so, with the xm-l2 u3 2c emitter powered by the liitokala 26650s I was able to leave the light running on high for almost 30 minutes before the temperature reached a point where I became concerned about possible degradation of the cells. At that point I’d estimate the head was approaching 90 c and the tube about 75 c (based on touching hot components as a computer modder) but there was no significant decrease in output or color change indicating the emitter was being adequately cooled. Run at intervals of about 20 minutes at a time I ran this light for about three hours before the low voltage cut in and after being shut down for about ten minutes again ran on high.
Improvements
1) Shorter springs
2) Sold with 1 and 2 cell tubes
3) More and deeper cooling fins with reduced anti-roll cutouts
4) Taller tail / lanyard attachment
moot points for a discontinued light
rating: 8/10