i don’t think it was mentioned yet in this thread but the description for the FT XM-L2 says that it is rated at 2A… (amc7135*6 ?… i’m a total newb so if this is an incorrect way of ‘describing’ it, i apologize…)
from looking around I could not find the current output of the MF drop-in….
The Manafont drop-in is direct-drive (ie as much current as your cell can provide). That FT drop-in does not have an AMC 7135 based driver in it (well 95% sure) and the 2A may just be a manufacturer spec and therefore likely wrong.
-Garry
ah… ok…. thanks for the clarification… so… this means that the current is not regulated and the light will dim with the depletion of the battery?
thanks!
Well I can't say that with certainty, but probably so. There are other drivers that are "current regulated" that don't use AMC 7135's. We haven't had enough feedback on this new FT drop-in to know what's "under the hood".
-Garry
I take it, without mention of a driver, drop-ins are likely DD? Single cell 18650 only, not 2 cells?
From http://flashlightwiki.com/Driver…
Looks like the Nanjg 105C has jumpers, “stars” for modes? So I could change my setup with some very delicate soldering? Hmm… I feel the pull to mod things. Interesting.
Some are DD, some are not. You won't have DD with more than one cell though. It does appear that a lot of "cheap" lights/drop-ins use DD drivers. Not too bad with your standard ICR 18650, but watch out with 26650's or IMR's! (i.e. HD 2010 is direct drive and LED's have been blown running 26650's.) And there is a new version of the 105c that still has the stars, but they don't work (that model is "firmware" controlled by a flash in low mode accompanied by a quick power cycle.
-Garry
Hi - a little late to the party here, but I’m one of those recent buyers of the MF dropin (SKU:5720)who left a comment.
I can assure you that the one I received was rubbish.
I might take it apart over the weekend to expose the driver.
I used to get my 3 mode NW drop ins from IOS but now they are sold out and a cheaper one is sold, I think it is called a AXLM or something.Are these as good as the old ones?I noticed that they came with a warning about running them for more than a minute on HI. Do we know why they are not selling the original ones anymore? I need three!
What battery are you using? Remember that can have a massive effect on the current draw.
Really? I just bought 3. What makes you think they are not the same, or not as good?
The old ones were ~$20 and had a brass washer covering the emitter with a hole for the led. This ALXM one has plastic cover. The old one was described to have had a heat temp protection circuit in it to keep it from over heating. This one has a disclaimer. If you had and old one you could visibly see a difference side by side.
I’m trying to interpret that (this’ll be my first light)… So is the brass washer a heat sinking feature? So this one looks to be more thermally unprotected and thus could be burned out? Well, and whatever else is different.
I was under the impression that both the old one and the new one used a Nanjg 105c driver? Meaning the old one wouldn't have had overheat protection. Hank could have also added the statement about running on high for the new version based on experience from the old.
I think you're fine Allan. I don't think the brass washer does much of anything.
-Garry
I ordered a new one and will compair it against the old one and hopefully it will be just as reliable.
IOS usually sells good stuff and they have representation on this forum so I am not going to worry, no real risk!
It’s pants with any of my cells.
Do you know of a good source?
The driver that came with my MF drop-in is still one of my “old-”precious”. I love it. I had one with high output!
I have bought 2 “random-drop” lately, partially in hope for a high output DD model. None were. Usually around 2,5A max and quickly sinking…
I have tried to buy a 2-mode DD driver from FT. Could not mach the old MF driver, and did not seem DD to me (in terms of output).
I bought the East-092 from FT. I were among the people who did not get one from a batch of DD drivers… Im still waiting for a replacement that should hopefully be DD and come in any day… But who knows… At the moment FT does not sell it, probably because several customers reported lately that it was not DD… (there was a thread on it)
So my quest for a reliable source for a good high-output DD driver continues…
The “old” 23$ P60 from intl-outdoor was my favorite drop-in. Still is actually, which is the reason its probably the only flashlight product/part I have not changed something on or opened up.
Foy have written about it here, among with a bunch of other P60s.
“They were heavily built with a copper base, a brass pill and a brass cover over the PCB.”
I remember quite similar specs on their site too, because at one point there was not new or old one. It was the cheaper ALXM, or the one with copper/brass goodies. At one point they sold both at the same time. On top of the copper/brass stuff it came with thermal wrap and a “special” driver with overheating protection. It had no PWM noise/whine (like all production Nanjg 105C usually have, except the new Qlite from IOS) According to my eyes and DMM it had SWEEET modes (slightly lower than advertised). All parts were on one side of the board (not like a typical 8x 7135). It was also regulated at 3A, not 2,8.
I considered it to be the “premium” budget P60 drop-in. (despite that the overheating feature on mine only warned with blinking to low, it did not step down like advertised)
To OP, the very good Manafont P60 was a classic. But times have moved on. and its a lottery what you get, odds seems bad too. On top of that a CW XM-L T6 is “dated”.
Like Garry, I would recommend the ALXM from IOS to everybody asking for a P60 and who is not interested in building one. You know what you get, what you get is good, and you have options to suit your preferences. And you get it from a good dealer.
But, for all I know, the XM-L2 from Fasttech could be a future classic. Its not very likely though.
Like in the past probably only a matter of time before IOS gets XM-L2 emitters in their drop-ins (they have been fairly quick in the past to offer newer emitters)
Maybe Fasttech will get a huge selection on P60s like they have on flashlights too? (a bunch of different emitters combined with a bunch of different nanjg 105C)
+1
Unfortunately I do not.
Ok, I retract my statement. I read Foy's review (the Int'l Outdoor P60 section) and I see the old IOS model didn't use a Nanjg 105c and did have overheat protection.
-Garry
I knew Hank was having some problems with QC on the last batch, I guess he never resolved them. Oh well I ordered the AXLM, I am sure I will be pleased.
The dropin I have differs from the picture on the MF page;
Testing with 4 different cells ranging from fully charged down to 3.8v, the highest reading at the tailcap was 1.65a on high. A far cry from the 3.7a that Foy was getting in his review.
Time to see what’s under the hood;
Not sure if the two legs in the chip on the centre are meant to be bridged like that?
The wires are also very thin gauge – something you’d expect on a $5 cheapie, not a $16 dropin.