GB BLF LuckySun D80-SE Need long tubes? -3/3/16

[BLightSam]

@Sharpie

@BLightSam

What tailcap current do you get?

More than three, less than five.

Is that the best you can do with your expertise ?!

[bugsy36]

DHL just dropped mine off a few minutes ago. Immediately opened one of the and dropped a 30Q in it. I noticed that it was not flush to the top so after testing it I grabbed 3 protected batteries. Pana 18650B with Seiko (Gold ) protection, EVVA 18650BD Seiko (Gold ) protection, and Samsung 26F (El Cheapo protection).

The gold protection boards are flush with the tube and the light works. The 26F on the other hand has that protruding (or beveled) protection board. The 26F exceeds the tube's capacity.Changing to a proper spring instead of this monstrously long one would be perfect.

I will post pics later.

[LightRider]

@Sharpie

@BLightSam

What tailcap current do you get?

More than three, less than five.

Not prepared to discuss until I get home next week and can use my good meter. It is frustrating to be away from my tools.

I don’t really care, as long as the driver, and tailspring aren’t dropping too many millivolts under load.

If they are, I’ll improve them.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the fundamentals of the driver, it couldn’t be more simple.

If I find that the FETs and/or the zero-ohm resistors are not ideal, I’ll replace them with some that are better, but I hope not to have to.

Otherwise its all down to the LED, and that is what it is.

@BLightSam

What lumens do you get?

No idea. No way of measuring. Sufficient.

It is pretty much irrelevant to me. What I care about is how those lumens are concentrated by the optics into a solid angle, i.e. how many candelas fall on the target in the hotspot, and how the spill is managed.

In that respect this blows away everything else that I have. In the hotspot it blows away e.g. my Nitecore EC4S’s 2000 plus lumens, because it is a thrower, not a flood.

And my BLF A6-SE, for obvious reasons, and I can run it on turbo indefinitely and it barely gets warm, unlike the A6.

I prefer to use my torches, not measure them, and appreciate quality construction and materials, which this has in spades. Unbelievable value for under £15.

Perhaps I am not the right person to be talking to.

Yes this is all good to keep perspective. I like how not one person has complained about the quality of the light. That says a lot for this little light! It looks and “feels” like a luxury light! In fact I would say it is:)

Note: measurements are helpful to create standards and concrete data that can help us compare and “see” what others are seeing. But sometimes it helps to poke our heads out of the numbers and see the beautiful things that are around us. That’s just stating the obvious though;)

[Kozy]

Interested in 2 longer tubes!
Thanks Krono. :party:

[RonMuller]

Longer tube question - Some of us have not received our lights yet.

[Jaza]

I will buy attleast one longer tube.

[broken9191]

Sharpie

Which tint was it, that you now just tested?

[wedlpine]

I would like three long tubes please.

[T.H.Cone]

@kronological

IMPORTANT!

The 5A tint is now in stock, and those with 5A reservations should have received the unique GB code by now. If not, PM ma and I will get it to you.

May at GearBest says that LS can produce longer tubes for those that want to purchase them. the tubes cost $5 to produce, but GearBest will sell them for $2.99 for those that want them. I need to know if you want one so we know how many to produce! Therefore, let me know by posting your interest and quantity you want. Keep in mind that there will be some color difference in the annodization since it will be a different batch. Expect approx. 5% difference at a minimum.

Thanks,
kroon
(Updated in OP)

I would definitely take two. Thanks.

[BLightSam]

@Sharpie

@Sharpie

@BLightSam

What tailcap current do you get?

More than three, less than five.

Touched the leads across the tail and measured a solid 3.68A.
FYI, with the standard test leads I only got 3.16A.

They are less than five for sure !

Couldn’t you have stated less than four?

[cabfrank]

Jeez.

[BLightSam]

@Chicken Drumstick

Only real negative and I’m sure it must have been mentioned in the 400 posts I’ve missed as it’s a pretty major one IMO, it the utterly dreadful PWM this light has!!!

Real shame as it makes any mode but high very unusable. Out of my entire collection of flashlights this has to have about the most annoying and most obvious PWM of any of them. Shame as this didn’t seem to be mentioned or picked up in any of the sample lights. Feels like a step backwards sadly…

Such a shame it took an entire years worth of waiting. To end up with a light that still needs a driver change to make it ‘acceptable’.

Are you the PWM police?

@bugsy36

I do not think that anybody was “aware” because it is not as bad as
people may think AND there was a video that according to Dale himself shows it even though he did not notice it….nor anybody else.

@kronological

Who are you BS, the PWM police?

@bugsy36

No. He was not “aware” so quit trying to back anybody into the proverbial corner. Why did you not see or notice, or anybody for that matter?

[banker]

This is a joke. I got 2 pcs. both 1A. Both 2,50-2,70 A (tail cup measured) on 30Q 4,19v, I didn't even get close to 3 Amps! This light should got at least 4A out of box. WTF ? In my case the tube length is 75 mm.

http://s9.postimg.org/dntaqpx7j/IMG_20160107_213128.jpg
http://s7.postimg.org/jyjxxu31n/IMG_20160107_213132.jpg

[uberjeff]

I’d like 2 tubes as well please. Thanks Krono!

[skol]

I would like 4 tubes.

[DavidEF]

@banker

This is a joke. I got 2 pcs. both 1A. Both 2,50-2,70 A (tail cup measured) on 30Q 4,19v, I didn’t even get close to 3 Amps! This light should got at least 4A out of box. WTF ? In my case the tube length is 75 mm.

http://s9.postimg.org/dntaqpx7j/IMG_20160107_213128.jpg
http://s7.postimg.org/jyjxxu31n/IMG_20160107_213132.jpg

DMM with stock leads?

[banker]

No, it’s 1KV CAT III 10A silicon covered leads. Using same leads, a got 4 Amps on BLF A6.

[OscarM]

@DavidEF

@banker

This is a joke. I got 2 pcs. both 1A. Both 2,50-2,70 A (tail cup measured) on 30Q 4,19v, I didn’t even get close to 3 Amps! This light should got at least 4A out of box. WTF ? In my case the tube length is 75 mm.

http://s9.postimg.org/dntaqpx7j/IMG_20160107_213128.jpg
http://s7.postimg.org/jyjxxu31n/IMG_20160107_213132.jpg

DMM with stock leads?

Mine shows 2.7A as well, my BLF A6 with the same setup shows 4.95A…
I soldered some solder wick over the bank of zero-resistors, to see if anything was wrong there, but still 2.7A afterwards.

[Tom_E]

On these low amp lights, is the output turning blue, sign of extreme thermal sag? If so, might be a bad LED reflow, or might be a defective LED (1 broken bond wire maybe) or something in the ground/driver paths. Only thing I could suggest is process of elimination.

From past experience, I know those 10A leads don't do as well as custom heavy gauge leads and I would not trust them for consistency from 1 high amp light to another - lots of variables. Pretty sure we've seen flaky performance from these leads in the past. Not sure if you can compare output to an A6 - hard to compare floody reflector output to thrower style reflector output.

[bladesmith3]

I would like a longer tube… OK I AM NOT TRYING TO START TROUBLE!! LOL how about a run of 18350 tubes as well? just an idea.

I also have good test equipment. with a topped up 25R I get 3.5A with a topped up 30Q I get 3.58A I tested all of my high end batteries and that is the best reading I get.
even with the scratched led it throws great. nothing in this price range can touch it.

@PPDB22

@Tom E

After extensive testing in the light, I pulled my 3C/Noctigon and bench tested it head-to-head against a new U3 2C/20mm Noctigon (all soldered up with heavy gauge wires) and it reads 0.52A lower than the U3 (4.53A to 5.05A), using a good HE2, and same results with Sam 30Q’s. So Muto’s tested out well it sounds like, while mine is bout 1/2 an amp shy of what I’d expect. Could be a low performing one, or batch of lower performing ones, dunno.

I’m sure there’s some droppage across the driver and longer 22 AWG wires, variables with the DMM setup, etc., that drops it from 4.5A to 3.75A I read at the tail, but the LED explains the low reading mostly with my D80.

Maybe? But I have a good testing set up and I’m only getting 3.5a at the tail. Idk? I think it should be higher and I’m not sure that it is because of led vf differences. All three of my lights are under 3.6a. And others have reported this as well. Hmmm… The other reason I don’t think its the led vf is because of the light output. I’m not getting very good light output either.(compared to expected). I could be wrong as I don’t have an actual light meter, but by comparing it to other lights, I don’t think I am. My guess, just a guess, is that I’m getting around 800 maybe 900 lumens. Anyway, maybe someone will find a way to boost the amps or maybe it’s just the way it is? The light is still pretty bright, but honestly, I was hoping for a little bit more.

Note: Anyone thinking about getting this light, DO buy it, it is very high quality for the price. Even just the host is worth the $20:)