EagleTac D25A Ti 2014 First Impressions

LED Flashlights – General Info 1 x AA / 1 x 14500 Flashlights
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Eagletac D25a Ti 2014
weight 58.3 grams w Eneloop AA
instruction manual

eneloop aa outputs
head loose 1/4 turn
from off, click on gives minimum, lmh
low 0.39 lumens
medium 12.7 lumens
high 98.8 lumens
seven different blinkies after twice through lmh

there is a second mode group option
5.5 lumens
22.6 lumens
102.6 lumens

from off, with head tight:
turbo 173 lumens
strobe

First Impressions
very small and slim, impressed
very nice screw on pocket clip… excellent

the switch is sensitive, so I have to be careful not rest my finger on the button too hard… or it switches modes unintentionally.

the LED
well… its pretty green and the CRI is pretty low afaict
and the light is not moddable…
it was thought to contain a 219c, but magnification revealed it is actually a NW XM-L2

(pic is a link to the LED identification photos, thanks to CRX)

I like the Glow in the Dark tailcap

the UI, with head 1/4 turn loose:
there are two mode groups, switching is performed by triple tight loose from on
0.4, 12.5, 99 and
5.5, 22.6, 101

styles of operation include:

with head tight, light comes on at Turbo, if head is loosened, it drops to low (either 0.4 or 5.5 lumens), after which tapping the switch gives medium, then high… or tighten the head for turbo again

—
there is photographable circuit noise
here is medium:

the camera sees banding similar to PWM in this next image (D25A in middle, also on medium):

size comparison l-r V11r, D25A, aaa Tool:

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I love my 2014 Ti. and I would pick up a spare, for sure.

Slender, decent groups, lots of freaky blinkies, GITD switch cover and gosh darn titanium!

Chris

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I figured out how to avoid the blinkies :slight_smile:
there are 7 of them!

the D25A is a nice skinny, lightweight light…
it is 20% lighter (14 grams), and 9% thinner (1.5 mm), than my Thrunite T10T:

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You’ve got two complete cycles (6 clicks) from off before hitting the blinkies, but at any point before the 7th click, just soft press and you go back to the start.

Chris

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Looks much better than my 2015 version :+1: .

Moon mode is modulated. Sinewave, approx. 11ms phase, about 90 Hz. That’s what it looks like. Can’t measure mid already. Opple LM3 reads 4000 Hz, but the data looks suspicious. I think it is much more. That’s for the 2015 D25A, not sure if they have changed anything.

The set of blinkies is strange. Wish it wasn’t there.

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thanks
yes, two cycles of LMH leads to 7 different blinkies :person_facepalming:
(on mine, a brief tap, not a click, advances modes)

and yes, I found a long press goes back to low…

thanks, yes, the 2015 has unballanced looking knurling…

the frequency of the circuit oscillations do seem quite fast… my camera can see them, but I almost cannot see them, I have to wave my hand really fast…

people confuse it with PWM, but I beliece ET is correct to call it Constant Current… or my unofficial names for it… Constant Flicker… or Constant Ripple… LOL

I wish I could change the LED, but 2014 are not moddable
I think 2013 was the last year for the moddable design, with removable bezel…

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The pill is glued into the head, like with the 2015 model?

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yes, and like the new D3A, I have read that the pill is press fit, specs say, non user replaceable glass

here is the difference:

1 Thank
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I had mine in the freezer because thermal expansion of brass is greater. Could have made a difference, not sure. Getting that pill out was extremly difficult, but I had to try it.

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were you successful?
got pictures?

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Yes and no, but the 2015 pill is threaded, so maybe easier to get out.

Left: sw45k D220, right, SST-20@4000K

Crappy camera, daylight mode.

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I’ll get my box out tomorrow, but my 2014 doesn’t look anything like your 2014 in your picture, or the 2013.

Mine looks just like this:

Chris

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Isn’t that a (2013?) D25C, Chris?

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I truly think it’s the 2014 and I believe it has the markings, but that’s the one I have and I love it still, after 5-6 years!

Chris

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great to know!

so, I tried opening this D25A 2014 w XM-L, because I would love to mod to High CRI. Things did not go well…. (should have used heat?)

I got about this far, and gave up:

I coul not unscrew the pill, broke the point off some Knipex Pliers, bent the tip on some lens removers… fortunately the light still works…

Yours looks like a D25C 2014, mine is the D25A. Yours has memory, mine does not.

Here is D25A and D25C 2014 Ti:

here is the D25A and D25C 2013 Ti:

here is D25A and D25C Ti 2015:

and D25A and D25C Ti 2017:

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I might be completely wrong, but in theory heat lets brass expanding more than titanium. You’re weakening red threadlocker on the other hand. Not sure.

In the end, it was brute force and luck that the pill didn’t broke I fear.

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I found this thread that talks about modding the 2014 D25A

[QUOTE=nsk1979;5055195]I have replaced original driver by custom one on my D25A Ti 2014.

[/QUOTE]

I tried that and failed, should have used Heat first…

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“Just need to know that D25A Ti’s head is glued up by something like cyanoacrylate cement and it is not softening under heating”

Ok, so now we know for sure heat is useless.

Freezer :smiley: .

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I have both versions of Titanium D25C.

The brass pill in the newer version is not press-fit. It’s screwed in with a small amount of glue. I muscled mine out with some 3M grey grip tape and pliers.

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thanks for confirming the pill is screwed into the head

glad you managed to get the light open