FastTech Convoy S3 (EDC 18650 in Disguise) Thoughts?

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
72

If you have some pictures with TIR optics and with reflector try post it. It can be good for comparsion.

Do you know dimensions of your optics?

73

https://illuminationsupply.com/carclo-10003-200mm-plain-tight-tir-p-119.html

I’ll see about my pics, but i’m 90% sure they aren’t good enough to determine much.

Click to enlarge

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I have an Old-Lumens Mini-Mag with a 17°TIR optic, and its not square. It’s perfectly round like any other reflector.

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What is the main reason, that it looks so strange, XM-L or centering of Led emitter?

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What is the difference between the Cree XM-L U2-1B and the Cree XM-L T5-5C ? The U2 is cheaper.
Thanks,
Jerry

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The way I look at it is this way.
When looking at S3 models, the cheapest one is closer to pure white and expensive one is the yellowest - For me the cheapest one is ok since I like pure white. But lots of people like the more yellow (natural) kind of out put. So Take your pick on that. I do have one of the nat 1B tint and its seems a little too yellow for me. But still very serviceable.
Fun!

If you want to know more, search xml tint in google and read up.

Good pictures of different tints here: tints of some currently avail. XMLs

Look at this Cree doc on page 2 that lists all tints of different xml led’s.

78

Thanks, I am trying to find out the difference in the XM-L U2 and the XM-L T5. Is tint the only difference or is there some difference in current draw, etc?

I do not like the yellow nearly as much, and don’t know how the U2 stacks up on color or other factors. Is the U2 1B yellow?

Thanks again,
Jerry

79

Generally, the higher the bin, the whiter the tint.

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U2 will be whiter and t5 a bit more towards yellow. The whiter tints - usually have a bit more out put driven at the same current/voltage. But these are so close together, it will be very very hard to tell. I say if you like the whiter beam, get the cheapest one.

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Thanks a lot. I do like the whiter beam, and also CHEAP. :wink:
Jerry

82

Since the EDC 18650 is now more popularly known as a Convoy S3 at the moment figured i’d add a pic to this thread of my pocket clip.

Sourced from a Fenix TK12, but can be found on other Fenix CR123/18650 lights as well. Fits but is a “little” loose so adding a o-ring in to the tailcap will keep it from moving backwards off the light when inserting into your pocket.

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I will be getting some clips then…… You should be able to bend the rounded part a bit so it fits better ?
Thanks for the post….

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Possibly but didn’t want to risk breaking the clip either.

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On my flashlights that come with snap on clips that I have decided I want to stay on the light, I apply Loktite or silicone to the backside. This keeps them nice and secure, and they don’t shift around on the tube.

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Questions. Do these have mode memory? I do like to be able to start out on the mode I last had it on before I turned it off.

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I’m pretty sure they come with NANJG drivers that have last mode memory.

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Ouchyfoot, I’d definitely recommend this light with a 2.8A driver, why? Medium is at a high 50%, and at 1.4A for this form factor this is still quite a decent high mode, at 2.8A with a bit of airflow the light seems to handle the heat well, you could consider it a manual turbo. I just got the Roche F12 at 1.75A, and much prefer the light output and options of the S3. I’ll list what the F12 has over the S3:

Better finish
Better build quality, outstanding really considering the price
Much grippier, the square cut knurling also has tiny ridges, similar to the TK75. The S3 has more of a glossy finish and doesn’t offer any grip.
Much nicer Lanyard
Gets hotter faster, so probably has superior heat dissipation
Good AR coating on the lense vs no AR coating

The S3 is a lot floodier with a very shallow reflector, much wider spill and hotspot, which probably means the F12 is a little throwier.

Cons of the F12 are well documented, the battery tube not fitting protected batteries and the SS bezel produces some artifacts, although not within the spill.

If you follow the other review of the S3 it has a much wider spill and hotspot compared to the S2

89

I see that* mfpmax* managed to fit a Carclo optic in his S3 which is encouraging, but I was wondering if anyone had managed to fit a 20mm triple mcpcb inside of their Convoy S* yet. I was thinking about trying to file down the top of the pill to fit a triple 219 with a Carclo 10507 on top. Any thoughts?

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I thought about it when I built a Triple setup for another light. The issue would end up being the depth of all the pieces since the pill is deeper into the light. You’d have to probably have a piece of copper/aluminum,whatever to raise the final height to reach the lip of the bezel.

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hi, i want buy a flood edc 18650 and i like Convoy S3 and S2……but i’m undecided also on Roche F12 and Ultrafire 2100!
I would like the brightest, but i like also a neutral tint so now i’m focused on Roche F12! Someone can give me some advice?
sorry for my english, i’m new but I hope to share more information with you :slight_smile: thanks