Does anyone know anything about this headlamp at Keygos.com? Heatsinking? Drive currents? Runtimes? Quality? The 3AAA is probably only good for emergency backup to the 18650. I don't think I'd trust the built in charger either, but taking the unit apart to access the battery all the time might cause problems (stripping threads, breaking case, etc . . .). The price is right at $27.49 if it's decent. I'm not seeing this one or one like it anywhere else.
-Garry
It looks exactly like the one I converted to an XML a couple months ago.
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/cree-q5-230lm-3-mode-white-led-headlamp-1-x-18650-103636
The emitter swap a 5 minute job I put it on DX also. This one is a little bright for indoor work 250 lumen on low but I still use it when I have a job I know will take at least 4 hours and it blazes out 550 lumens on high 1.5 amps so you can use it as a bike light.
They both bear a striking resemblance to the one I just saw recently on CnQualityGoods, current price $45 plus small shipping fee:
http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1514
Thanks both for your links. I try to keep up with headlamps, but have been discouraged. It as if no one makes a decent reasonably-priced XM-L headlamp, or even with XP-G! Makers are really slow to the party. Everything is XR-E, usually 3 x AAA, and poor heatsinking. XR-E can be okay if other factors are good, so the DX one above is still encouraging if heatsinking is good, and the price not far from very low quality items.
The DX item has a thread inquiring about heatsinking, but there is no authoritative answer yet. E1320, can I solicit a comment? Also, can it fit 26650? (The battery compartment looks quite large. I wonder the same for the Keygos, which is made for 3 x AAA.)
Mentioned in that thread is a is a stupid feature of a red flashing light which is not designed to be disabled. You gotta wonder what some people are thinking when they design stuff.
The CQG one I'm listing is sold more as a bike lamp, I think. It uses 4 x 18650, which is a lot of batteries to purpose for one light. I think I may like the idea of not carrying the batteries on my head, though. I worry about the weight and balance of all these, and wish there were someting with a less protruding reflector (more flood); it could still have good heat sinking. Funny sidenote: CQG has several low-end headlamp models which can be had on Ebay much cheaper (although CQG advertises theirs have Q5, which I'd trust more than an Ebay seller). CQG brands these as "Yezl" brand, yet everywhere else they are sold as no-name/generic, and I see no evidence of any branding in those CQG's listings.
I am really ready to buy a decent headlamp. Hard to stomach nearly $70 for a Zebralight running an XP-G or even XR-E with AA battery, even with the good UI and high quality (and CPF'er appeal). XM-L can put out a lot of light at even 1 watt, very good at 3 watts which is what most low-quality headlamps draw, so in my mind there is no excuse to not have a glut of good, reasonably priced XM-L headlamps out there, even if underdriven.
By the way, there are also some XM-L headlamps similar to these 3 showing up on Ebay, though the price is not as good as garrybunk's Keygos link.
I hope the OP considers this on-topic, not-so-secretly hoping this evolves into a thread about any new exciting/decent headlamps out there. For years, there really has only been the Ultrafire UF-H* series as a semi-quality budget alternative (that I know of). But those, despite being only XR-E except for one XP-G model, reportedly have heatsinking and other issues, plus they're still not so cheap for what you're getting (in my opinion), and I missed out on the DD promotion ): .
As far as heat sinking goes I glued the emitter to the pill with Fujik and put thermal grease on the threads and screwed it together. The reflector is aluminum and is quite heavy it acts as the heat sink for the emitter and works quite well. An XML driven at 1.5 amps has plenty of thermal mass with this setup.
A 26650 will not fit this one not even close it's an 18650 only.
Thanks for the input. I agree there is plenty of room on the market for XM-L headlamps - even if underdriven. I'm looking for floody with long runtime in this form factor. How's your modded one E?
-Garry
Can you put an xml in this one ?
Looks like Keygos has the same XM-L headlamp/bike light that CQG is selling. With CQG’s shipping cost, I’m not sure how close the price is. I ordered from CQG once, and my shipping fee was only about $2, but I see higher quotes from people here.
I can’t discern any difference between these 2 products:
http://www.keygos.com/product_info.php?products_id=915
http://www.keygos.com/product_info.php?products_id=910
Keygos headlamps in order of Price, High to Low:
http://www.keygos.com/index.php?cPath=25_59&sort=2a&disp_order=4
They have some different battery options.
They have an XP-G zoomie option, but it doesn’t look like a winner, because of XPG’s wider dispersion angle and how far they set the LED back in that pill. The way they’re making most of those headlamp zoomies, XR-E will still unfortunately be the best (and not XP-E either). But they did dissemble it, which was nice.
It’s nice how they also dissembled this similar XR-E model for photos. I wish they were all like that.
http://www.keygos.com/product_info.php?products_id=840
I’ve never known of the Keygos site before today. Still discovering it.
It's super floody with awesome run time.
I don't see why not, but then you would have a seven dollar light with a ten dollar emitter
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/high-power-ultra-bright-3-mode-led-headlamp-3-aaa-52698
This is another nice one that's easy to covert to an XML. I put a 1D XML now it is much brighter has more flood and the tint is nice. The only thing I don't like about it is it runs on 3aaa so run time isn't that good but it's super lightweight and bright.
This Small Sun headlamp takes a P-60 drop in simply disassemble it remove everything inside wrap a P-60 drop in with foil put it in screw the end cap back on and your good to go.
I don't have a link I ordered 3 different head lamps before I got the right one Meritline had it but it's sold out now.
Thanks E! Ideally what I'd want is the form factor of the Keygos light in the O.P. running an under-driven XM-L on 3AA's with decent runtime (perhaps long runtime on Medium, with High for "Turbo" type use). I'm looking for options for my co-workers to use working underground in the mines. I'm afraid if I look at the lights actually sold for mining use they will cost in the hundreds of dollars. I wouldn't mind modding one with emitter and driver if the body and mounting was very solid.
I'd like to pull the trigger on that Keygos, but I've got a lot of other items on my list ahead of that one.
-Garry
One of the lamps has a smooth bezel ring similar to the dive lights. The other light has the standard bezel, the same as the Magicshine versions and also like what is on DX.
I just ordered the same package in the OP for $32 from campingsurvivals via Ebay (US seller, free 3 day ship). This will be my first headlamp, so I'm pretty excited to try it out.
Cool! I've dealt with that seller before. Please come back and update us on the headlamp!
-Garry
Any update on this? Certainly you've received it by now!
-Garry
Just moded that flashlight.
Original XR-E Q5 and 700mA. Now XM-L T6, one mode 3x7135 driver(970mA cold, 930mA when hot)
I have no idea of this. Sorry.