i think its the old version the order was January, 2016
Probably old ones
have 1 from may 2015 and looks the same to me.
@nofearek9: Your pictures clearly shows they are old production type.
thanks djozz for the confirmation.
Old production XP-G2 S3 2B really sucks if I compare it to old XP-G2 S4 2B. Like Mitko said pick is necessary to get close to performance of old G2 S4 2B. But they are way better than new production XP-G2 S4 2B!
Old XP-G2 S4 2B had incredible consistency, they were all great performers… Slap it in and candela rises! And I should not fear that I will got rotten egg among them… That never happened(unless dd went wrong way)…
I still can’t accept the fact that in 2016. I have to build lower performing lights (candela vise) than lights I did year ago only because Cree changed production process for them. End they have tendency of releasing even more crappy emitters than “new” s4 2b. That fact is eating my nerves…
If you have real racing horse would you change it to mule? I can’t curse on this forum but -?!*? :smiling_imp: Cree.
A topic update:
Since i order regulary from various sources i `ve found THOSE recently
It seems they are 1d bin, quite a nice looking tint( for my taste) after electrical dedoming plus they perform quite okay( 160k in C8 and 300k in b158, 100k in X6) : ofc they are ” improoved” too yet those are the best improoved XPG2 chips that i`ve found so far
We dont have that great option allright, one cant trust Fasttech binning and labeling : they send whatever they have, IOS have only s4 2b and most of those s2 and s3 bins( or shall i say all of them atm) are also improoved ones
At this moment, XPL CANT take the XPG2 place : bigger hotspot and bigger halo in the reflector based throwers: and especialy the halo thing makes it not okay especialy for a scope hunting
Those numbers look pretty good. Is that on startup or after 30 seconds?
Have you tested enough of them to tell if they are fairly consistently making those numbers or do they have a lot of variability?
I looked those up and the "LE1" code is the top S4 bin for XP-G2's, at least in the latest CREE datasheet, and the tint is a group of 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D. Mouser US has them here: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cree-Inc/XPGBWT-L1-0000-00LE1 for $3.32 qty 1. Mouser has great prices for the XP-G3's as well, here in US: http://www.mouser.com/search - XP-G3s.
Id' be most interested in the XP-G3 groups of LE5 and ME3, with dome. The LE5 one is an S4 bin at 4000K for $2.00 qty 1, and the ME3 is the top S5 bin at 5000K for $2.05 qty 1. But both are relatively low CRI. Seems like you can get high bin neutrals, but you sacrifice CRI -- this is the way CREE is doing it now.
What is electrical dedoming? Must have missed something - never heard of it. Tried warm gas dedoming of a new XPL V6 0D last night, and the outer dome comes off in 1/2 hour, but after 10 hours in gas (no longer warm), the small dome on the dye would not budge. Ended slicing it down and scraping most of it all, not all. No damage to the dye, so I'll see how it works out when assembled in a Manker U21.
Tom , mitko hot dedomes leds , by using an older battery to power the emitter until it is hot enough to remove dome .
Btw , I have the exact same problem with V6 0D Tom … Small dome is still there after 8 hours in gas …
Thanks! That would have been my guess, just never heard it called that. Are XP-G3's un-dedomable? Haven't seen much mention of it. Anyone try slicing them?
This one: XPGDWT-01-0000-00M50, Mouser has for $2.07 qty 1, and is the top bin S5, 6000K -- best one I see for dedoming, or this one:
XPGDWT-01-0000-00ME2 at top bin S5, 5700K.
Tom i havent found a soutable method of dedoming clearly V6 0D, tried everything though - i mentioned this issue like 10 times here so far, but it seems you all missed it…i tried like 20 + emitters, both electricaly and chemicaly
V6 1A on the other hand is quite a different story
Mouser also offers V6 from the E1 kit, they are great emitters and dedome pretty fine
About the LE1 thing- its the way Cree supplies big destributors you know- a whole kit, i allready bought from those and they are exacly like those S4 1D that i bought several months ago from Cutter Aus
About those new S5 emitters- they cant be dedomed, at least i cant, the p coat is too fragile ….from 20pcs i managed to get 1-2 good ones, even so the core is bigger and results arent good- its better to use V6
I would never suggest for ppl to order kits like 50, 51,k50 or k51: go for E1-2-3 only: i already got ME2 and ME3 and they are cheap and good
Thanks Mitko! I know there was mentioning of new XPL dedoming problems, but could not recall it was limited to 0D's - sorry bout that. I really haven't been doing dedoming much, and don't have a great memory, and didn't think of searching for it. Just been too busy on firmware, reviews, ATtiny85 projects, etc..
Good to know bout XPL V6 1A's (E1 kit) - definite way to go then. I'll still try the 0D I got mostly dedomed because it looks pretty good. If doesn't perform or look well in the beam, I'll go with a 1A dedomed.
Just found this post by MEM: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/40034/4, in this thread: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/40034.
He's dedoming XPL V6 0D's and XP-G3's? Yikes, wonder how? But MEM has a few tricks for sure...
Well m8 , i also got 2-3 good dedomed G3s yet S4 outperform them: even the new ones, just ask yourself, why then he offers those modded M3X with XPG2 but not with XPG3? Actualy M3x XPG2 modded should give like above 420k mcds, i have several of those modded too/ emitters running at M3X driver default( 4.5amps) /
By the way, a good XPG2 modded and well centered M2x gives above 350mcds
For the V6, so far i have tested V6 1A( both IOS and KD breeds), V6( various bins) from Mouser, a localy found V6 E1 kit and E2 too: only V6 0D and those V6 E2 gave me those dedoming issues…maybe a sigle batch issue, who knows
The tint i do prefer is warmer but thats another topic
The other interesting found of mine is the fact that V5 would never tops 6 amps( usualy running at 5.2-3 tops) yet V6 reaches it fairly easy with a good fet and VTC5A.
I also tested V5 and V6 top amps , with my own fet drivers (using sir800dp fet) , v5 topped at 5.3 amps and V6 at 6 .
Never tried dedoming xp-g3, because i don’t think it really matters …
I also can confirm on low Vf V6’s, i have seen few 3D’s pull 5.8-6A from 25R measured at the tail, might be slightly lower at the emitter but those are very good numbers.
Yea, not sure what MEM was think'n of, or his results of the de-domed XP-G3 exactly. He's checked out for a while now - hoping he comes back. Haven't followed the M3X stuff - wasn't interested in yet another 63 mm head 2 cell or 1 cell thrower, and not cheap as well, plus it's Olight - not my favorite manufacturer.
For throwers for now, my interest lies in something small and pocketable, or really big.
Indeed Tom, and here comes our lovely C8 host , good old S4 2b and the fet driver- if you get lucky: 200k, Uniquefire C8 has a very nice reflector you know
Why not X6? With your A85 driver mine gives 115k mcds, quite pocketable too
Speaking of Olight M22 warrior can still be found at a very reasonable price, its design is quite good plus it could top 90k mcds with a V6 emitter and a fet dd driver
The new UF 1508( the 75mm head) is a great big thrower too, i was able to get 480k mcds out of one( again V6 modded)…sadly those days dont have the time to try the XPG2 version out
Your A85 drivers and firmwares are lovely btw, keep the good work going! 
Thanks! Yea, I got great #'s from the 1504 (big head one) with the good S4 2B, think it was 540 kcd, at least. It's a true light saber - love it! Also got a 2nd one in green, and spare pill with red - both outstanding.
Dunno where the best deal is on the 75 mm 1508. See a few listing on AliExpress. Maybe this one for $53: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/UniqueFire-1508-T75-xm-l2. Little pricey...
So… i ordered 20 pcs from those S4 binned Moser breeds…and they came out from the old stock…quite a surprice 
Yet, the suprice wasnt just one - instead of S4 1A or 1D they are something like S4 2C/ or at least very colse to those S4 2C that i got from Cutter earlier this year, i saw this the moment i powered one for a hot dedoming
The tint after dedoming is clearly warm with a nice greenish addon ! Great for hunting, and no that great for your BLF taste
4 pcs are already dedomed and tested, they all pass 4amps easy
The bad thing is that one cant trust Mouser binning and labeling too