I can only say what a waste of money. The 5 x T6 Trustfire is brighter and 20 dollars cheaper.
My only advise DON'T BUY IT
Maybe somebody knows how to get more power out of this torch. Please help.
So own this light I take it? Perhaps you could give us some insight on the driver.
I haven't read up on how many 18650's each flashlight uses. But i'm assuming it's the same, either 2 or 3. And the brightness should be the same, and heres why. You ever see those 9 led $5 flashlights at menards? They usually use something like 2 AA. So you have 3 volts going to 9 leds. And you can go online and buy a 27 led $10 flashlight on amazon, they use the same cheap 5mm or 10mm leds btw! But it's powered by 2 AA still, which if you remember, that's still 3 volts. Another analogy would be running or walking somewhere, whether you run or walk, you're still using the same amount of energy. But back, to the flashlights! As long as you have the same amount of power going to something, whether it be 1 18650 going to 1 xml, or 1 18650 going to 10 xmls, it won't matter, you should theoretically get the same brightness.
NOTE: On all cree led's, such as the xml, there are tolerances with brightness. With an xml, you can get between 40-55k lux in terms of brigtness. Someone could get the same flashlight as you and only get 41k lux, while you got 50k. Which is a pretty big change, but it happens. The led's would be super expensive if they didnt do this, because they'd throw out 90% of the leds if people only wanted the good ones.
So, unless you add more power to the leds, they won't be brighter, it's like dividing $100 bucks between 2 people, or between 100 people, it's still the same amount of money (light). And you can think of the varying brightness of leds as taxes. While some people might get taxed 30%, others might get taxed 33%. Hopefully this answer was thorough and not just rambly!
Also, it may be that the perceived brightness is less, because the reflectors may be shallower and smaller to accomodate 2 more xmls. If that's true, then the reflectors will be making the light more floody compared to the 5 xml version. Which makes the beam less intense, making it seem less bright.
sintro, welcome to BLF! I believe this light can operate on 18650s or 26650s and you use 2 or 3 cells.
I am not sure I understand where you're going with the AA battery thing. Voltage does not equal power. Power is the product of current flow and voltage. The drivers typically regulate current to the LED and thus you can have varying power levels with a constant voltage source. I do agree that the same power level should theoretically produce the same lighting level in spite of LED quantity. However, in application, LEDs tend to become less efficient at light conversion as they are driven harder. And that is why more LEDs tend to be brighter for a given power level(though not necessarily perceivable).
I do know that voltage does not equal power, I was just trying to make it easy to understand. And thanks for clarifying the efficiency thing, I was pretty sure that it had something to do with that also, just don't want to talk out of my behind.
Am I right when I say that leds are like the average car engine, they are most efficient around 60 miles per hour. Faster or slower than that and you get less mpg.
the average car, in fact, just about every automobile, achieves its highest fuel efficiency at a speed much lower speed than 60 mph.
here's some efficiency data
dthrckt,
That's a great plot. 350mA looks to be the point where the xml is most efficient.
So sintro, you are in a way correct according to the data posted by dthrckt, at least for the xml. But it would be like driving a racecar 18MPH because that's where it's most efficient. It's nice to be able to go 18MPH, but it's more exciting and useful to go 180(again, in a racecar).
Much lower?? I wouldn't say that.
you sure its a true trustfire....
Oh man. I hope my Trustfire J12 from DX is genuine. Worried about buying from them now having heard they sell fakes. Was looking at getting the TF 26650's from them as well after reading benckie's test.
My tailcap reading for the J12 using a $15 multimeter and fully charged protected NCR18650A 3100mAh shows about 5.50A for 2 cells and 2.35A for 3 cells. Does that make any sense at all?
All ive seen of the Trustfire 7 x T6 looks to be fake IMO.
ShopBot the cells i tested where from manafont not DX, just because mine test well from manafont does not mean you will get the same results from another seller........
The TR-J12 readings are about right mine reads higher or lower depending on the cells and there charger rate, its best to test the tail cap readings when the batteries are fully charged.
Sounds good, true accuacty depends on the voltage level of the cells, the leads and DMM. (and a host of other things)
Yeah I noticed that. Was about to just buy a pair from DX, but heard of them selling fakes. So I will think about it...
I think 5 X T6 is enough~
I won't buy TrustFire 7xT6！
Aloha and welcome to BLF sintro & summerfangfan!
If you could fit this driver in it youd have a monster for just a $20 investment! ;)
It's good to have you here, summerfangfan.
After having used this torch for 30 minutes on high mode it is even not warm. Is this good? There should be more power in it.
If it is a fake I don't know I bought it at Lightmalls. Com