So Johny 1000lm is just a wrong number and not another version ? because I really like this flashlight
Everything above 1500lm is an excellent light for me - I already have a one mode 1500lm (triple t6) handmade diving flashlight and it’s serves me well for 2 years now but I want a more handy one (not for diving) with good heat management.
I was thinking about APEX 5t6 but I like the Darth quality and modes better now.
If you have to choose between APEX and Darth only from heat management point of view ( I am living in Greece, around 30 to 40C most of the time )
which one would you choose ?
TNX
I can only tell you what mine puts out: 1450 OTF with NW emitters. Judging from CM2010’s pics comparing his to the TN30 (which has 1580 ANSI lumens) I’d have to say the odds are good you will be in the 1500 lumen ballpark - possibly into the upper decks.
As for the Darth and the Apex, it's up to you. Both seem to manage heat very well since they are not over driven. To me it's not a contest because the Apex is an ugly sumo compared to the Darth's ninja. The Apex will put out more light, obviously, but is not remotely pocket friendly. To me it'd be the Darth all the way and, yes, I'd get one all over again at the current $70 price.
It’s an idea that works for almost any flashlight in the market if you want to make it a headlamp or bike lamp or put a handle on the plate – tail cap and make it like a olight X6
I’ve already made this for my TrustFire TR-3T6 and it works now with any bike battery pack (8,4 V)
For Apex 5t6 , Sky Ray King or Darth you have to make different pack (4,2V) or use the body of the flashlight.
When you want your flashlight again you just unscrew the head lamp and put it in the flashlight original body.
I believe it’s a good accessory and I don’t have to look for good and expensive bike lights any more
To be fair I get the idea from this product and I believe that all the flashlights should have this accessory but then they will stop selling 2000lm bike lights for 400$
I also ordered the two plates to a friend of mine with lathe-bearing and I assembled the rest on my own (for the TrustFire TR-3T6)
I made the first photo with photoshop - I don’t have the Darth yet, I was between APEX and Darth but I am a Darth person now, I believe that I will soon upload some photos of my new Darth bike light
I recieved a CW Darth today that just wouldn’t work. It had one mode only TURBO, its brighter than my Thrunite TN30 on max. I cleaned the threads, trued the threaded end with a honing stone, nothing. Strobe would flutter slightly but it was the turbo/super turbo back and forth. The ring marking is off by one notch. Oddly using only one cell had it working properly except for the notch misplacement. On for a minute with a full load of batteries the super mode gets hot. Finally opened up the electronics and found one of the five magnetic sensors, the high mode one, bent inwards towards that nice big coil. I fixed it but now its only; standby, low, med, high, strobe. I miss Super Turbo.
I wonder how being close to the coil did that - I suppose it creates an electromagnetic field stronger than the magnet in the ring - but I tried putting big magnets near the sensor in my xtar d06 and it didn’t increase current
I just received my U2 Darth from DX and did a full continuous discharge in high mode with a set of 4.2V topped-off cells. Initial results: this is a darn good (fun) flashlight, and I couldnt be more pleased with it. In the hand, it feels more like a compact 2 cell light than a 3. The useful forward tail clicky combined with the ring mode selector makes it that much more useful in selecting the correct mode before turning on the light. Also, no stupid SOS mode on this one… its about time! In high mode, my example will get hot if not in motion, but outdoors during a long walk, it stayed “very warm” but not to hot to the touch. Machining, assembly, fit and finish are perfect in every regard. Its hard to believe this is actually a Fandyfire. I bought mine with a bunch of other stuff during the DX 50% off sale. Now that Ive handled it, Id have paid more to own it.
Hits: positive click control ring selector, engages firmly with no slop. Compact, well designed and finished, fantastic looking, small footprint for a 3 cell, bright wide hotspot w medium flood beam, efficient package, butter smooth threads. Tough thick external positive contact plate - where the cells touch the driver to prevents the cells from digging into the PCB… other mfgrs should take note of this. Parallel cell arrangement also makes for a much safer battery arrangement (Im not a huge fan of serial cell arrangements, especially when exceeding 2 cells…8.4V). Upgradable - the bezel isnt glued on! Buh-bye Fenix, jetbeam, olight, ITP, nitecore… yada, yada, yada. My aversion for OEM’s that glue their lights only grows, especially as lights like the Darth become available. Obviously, the others want you to buy the next overpriced model so you cant upgrade your investment. Where is the fun in that? Sorry but I’ll just say no to the schmo (at least for the time being).
Misses: 3 artifacts in the spill beam pattern between each emitter. Visible every 120 degrees in the circumference of the beam is a visible demarcation line, but only visible during whitewall hunting. Price… but this is one of a few higher end budget lights that I think is well worth the asking price. I’ll have to look more closely to find more negatives.
I’ll report amperage draw & lux and other observations after I put a few more hours on it.
