What batteries are you guys using to get over 4 amps ?
Unprotected Trustfire flames deliver 4.5 amps, which is to much in my opinion. The unprotected Samsung 18650s from this post also deliver over 4 amps for $2 bucks a piece.
DX protected Trustfire flames with a couple cycles on them deliver 3.5 amps which is more than enough for maximum brightness.
Haven´t got this yet but I´ll post when I have tested...
My Solarforce V2 at the tailcap does 2.95A after cycling, initially it was like 2.6-2.7A. Just nice. :)
Guys, try not to do over 3.2A, it just heat things up as per Match's testing. I measured the lux reading and hotspot areas in my U80 vs UF-980L thread, check it out.
If you really want intensity/lumens, just get the STL-V2 or STL-V6 (Sky Ray & Fandyfire respectively) and then the 3xT6. More money yes...but they are in a totally different league. If you haven't purchased the UF-980L do check them out. That said, the UF-980L always has a place on the shelf for occasional runs. 
(I like to use the U-80 for regular use, much cooler)
charelstt it sounds like your emitter is burnt. I burnt the driver in mine, it was an early release model and it would only work in high no other modes worked.
is it too much to ask from them to add at least linear (8-10amc) driver? direct driving an xm-l isn't so great (done that in two lights, changed to 8amc kd driver)
i agree with 2100
I agree with you and 2100 it is not to much to ask, but it is not what the majority of the people want. The two most popular items on this forum the 980L and the Manafont/Ultrafire 3 mode XML drop in, ask yourself what do they have in common, the driver. When the driver on my 980L burned out I took a driver out of a Manafont drop in and guess what it was the exact same driver. I wanted to put a NANJG 105c in my drop in to regulate the current, direct drive is not a good thing but it sells lights. People post high amperage numbers and believe that this amount of light is unattainable for this price point. We all know now this is not true since Match published the numbers from his maximum XML lumen experiment. The fact of the matter is high numbers attract buyers and it's much cheaper for the manufacturers to make direct drive lights so they would be stupid to not do it.
but they won't gain much more light, only much more heat (and then due to sag even less light) and the light will get dim quicker
just my 0.02$, i'll stick to nanjg 105c
wouldn't it be even cheaper to buy the host, led and make a blank pcb to direct drive it?
Your right it was the emitter that failed, just waiting on Manafont to see if they will send me a new led...
I put the led from the Kaidomain xml but it doen't seem as good it's not a bright and i'm now only getting 3amp whereas before it was closer to 3.7
I guy I know got a UF-980L which pulls 3.8A from protected Flames. Instead of being happy with his luck, he bought some unprotected cells to push the current beyond that.
My situation is the opposite. I opted for the F15 also because most of the early reports said 2.6-2.7A. Nice and well-suited to a granddad!
Unfortunately, the F15 sample I got draws 3.5A from Flames, even more from the BRC 3000 and makes the Soshine 2800 protection trip.
Did you try with the latter fully charged?
Sorry, I didn't mean to shift this thread towards F15. I mentioned it as an example, pertinent to the previous discussion.
Got it today!
It was bubblewrapped but all bubles were flat :)
No flaws on anodizing. Reflector is not perfect, a small blemish and two small "dents". They don´t affect beam in any way though. I´m not too picky, just wanted to say it.
Black boot.
Draws about 3.3A on TF "Flame", which I think is more than enough for me.
Really bright, Kaidomain 5-mode XM-L [P60 dropin] is easy to judge to be lower in output with same battery.
Does put a neat hotspot. Still, not so tight and bright as my 2D XM-L Lambda :)
Finish is very nice, form of the body fits hand nicely.
This is a small light!!
Lots of pics but still, I though it to be bigger. Really nice size, reflector is big but otherwise more compact than I thought.
Quite bad PWM on low, quite cool-tinted.
Do you think as the owner of both the kd c8 5 mode and the 980l that the 980l is worth the 18$ extra?
greetings!
I got the 980L.
Does F15 BTW throw better?
Sorry, I forgot to mention that KD-reference was P60 XM-L dropin. :|
edited now.
Reason can be also my DMM´s macaroni-like cables or batteries.
I´m now topping up batts to see amps again.
I received mine last week and am pretty sure it is from the second batch. I can get up to 4.8 amps from my Redilast 2900mah cells, around 4-4.25A from TF flames and upper 3s from TF blue 2500s.
I have a holster that I bought last year that didn't fit anything until now. It is the Pelican 2327.
http://www.envirosafetyproducts.com/pelican-flashlight-holster-2327.html
It fits the UF-980L really well and has a place for an extra battery. I don't use holsters much, but like to keep my lights in them when their not in use for protection. I keep the 980 and an extra battery in this holster in my glovebox as a backup to my ZL SC60w which also uses 18650s.
TF Flame (protected) @ 4,20V, Initial 3,7A, drops in 10s to 3,5A. In ~minute or two gets quite steady at 3,3A.
Quite nice, I think :)
Just popped my Manafont cherry and ordered this light. Thanks Foy for the excellent review. Can't wait!
Anyone who has both the KD c8 https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/939 and this light and could tell how they compare to eachother?
How much will the battery last on high? about 30-45 minutes?
I read on manafont not to use IMR batteries, are trustfire flames IMR?
greetings!
No, TrustFire Flames are not IMR.
But they come protected or unprotected. The unprotected will deliver a higher current in unregulated lights, although not as high as an IMR battery would.