AA Fans: New C88 XML @ Intl O

LED Flashlights – General Info Multiple AA / 14500 Flashlights
81

My C88 is a throwing animal. The diameter is C8 (think 980L, F15, etc) but it's deeper. Basically double the throw (or more) of a P60. Don't expect the reach of a 52mm thrower but a properly driven XM-L in a C88 easily out-throws a 980L.

Pardon my evangelical persistence but an XM-L modified MCU-C88 just might be the perfect flashlight. Runs on AAs, 18650, 26650 or basically any 3.7 volt lithium-ion battery you can get to stand straight up . . . pulling 3.5 amps from a King Kong, my C88 can put the hurt on a 980L, yet you can just about stare at the emitter in firefly mode. Put it on low or medium and it's a run-time champ, put it on high and it kills insects plus it throws nearly as well as a "thrower." It's built like an M1/A1 and it's dripping-wet sexy good looking . . . all for how much?

About $65.

yougobuythatfenixFoy

82

Ok, ok!
I understand that C88 is best AA powered heavy duty light out there!

I was just curious how good it is compared to LD40/PA40 since I dont own any of them and there is no comparison thread for AA junkies ;)!
Maybe someone should do multiple AA flashlight shoot-out thread to compare brightness, throw, tints, battery life?

And yes, I do agree thats paying 100$+ for flashlight is more for bragging rights rather than actual usability, unless its custom made for specific purposes or its some kind of SAR mega light or sort of.

Id rather spend 100$+ making my own perfect light

Ill keep an eye on C88, will follow stock of it and hope they dont sell out until pay day :)

83

Same here! I've just put some unused photography equipment on ebay, in order to justify purchasing one of these!

84

Sorry - I guess that came out wrong. I don't think it's wrong to buy a $100 Fenix. In fact, there will be a TK41 on Foy's shelf before the end of the year.

getscaughtupinthemomentFoy

85

So you aren't describing this light we're talking about, but another C88?? I'm itching to get this one.

86

I get carried away with the C88. I apologize but the one I have E1320 put an XM-L/T6 with a 5-mode/no-blinky driver that pulls 3.50 amps on high and .01-.02 on firefly. He did a few of these I think but availability of MCU-C88s seems to be near zero. (none on Manafont and KD shows out of stock)

After a few of us have been singing this particular build's praises for so long, you begin to understand our amusement that a seller finally did what we have, and the resulting Cyclone is as cheap or cheaper than it cost to mod the original Q5 C88.

I plan on ordering the Cyclone soon so, we'll see.

Foy

87

I just ordered a NW and it will be off to E1320 for some of his goodness. The slope is getting more slippery by the minute. With the C88 I might have to get into "real" batteries to drive it to its' potential and then I need the recharger, of course, and then maybe that UF-T50 (with DrJones' magic )makes sense since I'll have the charger I will only need a different battery.

This is starting to make perfect sense.

88

I just want to comment on all the tint talk. I might be one of the biggest neutral tint freaks of all time I am not into the warms so much but I love vanilla ice cream tint. The exception is on a thrower like the C-88, the color of corona on a thrower makes a huge difference in the distance of throw as well as the yellowish ring that results from the super deep reflector. Keep this in mind when ordering the C-88. I really don't like the neutral on this one even the 1Cs I got when I ordered cool whites shows the yellowish colored ring. Look at Foys beam shots he got a 1C when I ordered 1As for his build.

89

Here's a quick beam profile shot of what E is talking about. The center spot is vanilla but the emitter is so deep, the yellow phospher (speculation mode on) reflects back into the light stream. Okay, I'll admit; that just occurred to me but it does seem to explain this phenomena.

Foy

90

Here is the U2 1A tint on the latest one I just did and this one has an almost purple corona in real life.

91

That U2 looks awesome.

I forgot to add; in real life it's not ringy at all.

Foy

92

when i look at it on my laptop from a wide (bad) viewing angle, so that the spill disappears, the corona looks pretty purple in not real life too :)

93

So the U2 1A tint isn't so nice then? Beam profile looks good but you're saying the corona is actually purple?

94

Here is the same emitter this is realistic color representation

4B XML T5 3C XML T6 1A XML U2

95

To my eyes on my computer screen the XM-L T6 4B looks to be the most purple of the bunch. Well, it looks kind of 'redish' purple while the U2 1A is more bluish purple. At least that's what I see. Then again, some people have noted I'm a bit colorblind!

96

Ok, in response to my own inquiries I came across this from the Intl-outdoor listing:

3 Mode:High-Medium-Low

5 Mode:High-Medium-Low-Strobe-SOS

*Mode spacing: 100%-35%-5%



So it is allegedly capable of 100%/35% mode spacing! Well, that's assuming the 'High/Med' spacing is an option. And I actually made up the 35% output myself. I had no idea it was already a commonly programmed output.

97

Modes are:

0.08A, 0.53A & 1.78A (with eneloops)

0.11A, 0.83A & 2.76A (with 1 x 26650)

=> 4% -> 30% -> 100%

..and NO visible PWM!

98

Did you get yours?

99

Look at the subject title for the post (actually, I always forget about them)

_the_ , what 26650 are you using? I'm curious of output depending on type and brand of 26650.

100

Why eneloops draw lower than 18XXX 26XXX 32XXX?

because Resistance of 3xAA case (90%) and normal voltage of 3xAA is around 3.6V (10%)

I measured my 32650XML with 8x7135 V1

@ 4.18V 18650 26650 32600 are about 2.8A

Full charge of 3xeneloops with 3xAA case is about 2.0A

Full charge of 3xeneloops no 3xAA case is about 2.7A