Thanks for the mod and teardown info, R86!
The driver is a buck or (probbaly) boost driver of some kind. This explains the difference in tailcap and emitter currents. I’m not sure if it can be pushed to 4A+ without burning up.
I’m liking the look of this light, it has everything in one package (forward-clicky, side-switch for modes, looks good, nice thermal design, moddable).
… Dang. Perhaps I’ll stick to a single r120 then.
for some reason… the one that I got from simon is slightly brighter than the one that I got from wallbuys :~
Got mine today from WB - real nice, clean, well packed. #'s:
On fresh Pana PD, 2.79A tail, Lumens: 986 @start, 959 @30 secs, throw: 41.5 kcd
These are quite good #'s for a stock, regulated light. In fact this appears very well regulated - in the first few secs, the meter dropped steady, then settled by 10 secs or so, and only lost 4 lumens between 10 and 30 secs. Not sure if seen a relatively high amp light do this before...
Not too crazy bout this type of UI though. Not being able to turn it ON and OFF on the side switch is a PIA, though I do like tactical buttons, just want full control from the side switch.
crap - was hoping my SS bezel from a UF light would fit, appeared to be the same size but the thread count per inch is different, so won't really screw on. I have a SS bezel XR-E C8 from FastTech ($13 one) on the way, so maybe that one will fit. Even paying $13 for the SS bezel alone is worth it, but it's still a pretty decent C8 host. I mod'ed up 2 for gifts and they came out real nice.
You know, this L4 is really quality through-out. Ok, it's a crappy copper star, but gotta be better than the average aluminum. The screws holding it down, the heavier gauge wires, of course the uni-body construction as mentioned -- all very good stuff. On mine though, the emiterr centering piece has to get filed down - looks too high. I'm thinking for now, just to do something simple like a resistor mod, maybe AR lens, and that's it, until I can come up with a better driver/UI solution.
More measurements - weights, no battery:
Convoy L4: 189.4g
XinTD C8 V4: 173.7g
LM C8, copper pill, SS bezel: 183.9g
Body/battery tube outer diameter:
Convoy L4: 26.0 mm
XinTD C8 V4: 25.0 mm
LM C8, copper pill, SS bezel: 25.1 mm
Clearly the L4 has some serious heft to it.
Sounds like you are pretty happy with the L4 Tom. :)
The L4 sure is a nice light. I gotta get my hands on another one... Feel free to update with numbers after mod. :)
Yes - I'm very impressed with this light. That battery tube is the thickest I believe I've seen for a single 18650.
Ok, rather simple mod, but... Added an R100, thinking little more boost, not too much. Also replaced the wires to 22 gauge, though originals looked like 22 gauge, temp rating of 200C which is rare to see stock, usually it's 150C. New readings:
On same Pana PD, 3.67A tail, Lumens: 1,136 @start, 1,091 @30 secs, throw: 45 kcd
Not overly impressed, thought I'd get more amps than that. 132 lumens bump, about a 14% increase. Sometimes gotta let things settle. I added touchs of DeoxIT, so may need time. Few more minor things to do:
- copper braid springs (may not bump up output, but should reduce the drain of the cells)
- file down LED alignment piece
- drop in an AR lens
Just re-tested on a Samsung 20R at 4.15v, measured 3.57A tail (yes, lower):
Lumens: 1,136 @start, 1,108 @30 secs
Slightly better, but still about the same. Interesting the amps is lower, but think you will see that on this type of driver - maybe the 20R is putting out higher voltage, so the amps drawn is lowered.
Edit:
- Added an additional R200 resistor
- swapped emitter with a XM-L2 U2 1A on a Noctigon
- filed down LED alignment piece
- swapped in a IOS AR lens
On a Pana PF, 3.42A, Lumens: 1,173 @start, 1,153 @30 secs
On a SAM 20R: 3.37A, Lumens: 1,193 @start, 1,204 @30 secs
Weird - amps went down, I assume from the resistor mod, and on the 20R output actually goes up for the first 45 secs or so.
Might be. That would fit Relic38s description better than my assumption of it being a linear driver..
Such a fascinating thread. Does this light have momentary-on?
Forget the above post. Just re-read the review and noticed it DOES have momentary. But how about the sideswitch? is it prone to accidental mode changes when held? Is it too spongy like the SR King switches? That would be my only setback.
I think the switch doesn't have those problems, but not sure yet how reliable it is. Thought I had issues of it not activating when pressed or getting a double hit (strobe), but now can't reproduce them. The switch feels tight, not loose at all, and can't imagine accidentally pushing the button because it's elevated off the body - not easy to mistake. I have other lights where it's hard to locate the switch by feel - not this one.
Think I will swap out the emitter/star - I believe that copper star with no direct thermal path is hindering output.
Edit: - yes, can reproduce some flakiness with the switch - goes into strobe when switching modes at a normal pace, and sometimes skips modes. Seems to go away after playing some. Could just be my L4, or just maybe electronic switch's in general that are a little flaky, dunno. I know in the "old days", we had to do some hysterisis detection to avoid intermittent voltage fluctuations acting as press's. I'm sure any of these lights are not using the best available switch's...
I'm thinking there's no or a poor de-bouncing logic implemented in the stock driver. If the electrical switch is not producing 100% clean transitions, you need de-bouncing added in the firmware to deal with it - basically disgard very short duration transitions on the switch.
Well, couldn't leave this light alone. Looked at putting in a e-switch Nanjg, but not much space - would have to rip the top half of the stock driver off, and the stock driver works kind of interesting. So, I copper braided both springs, put in a nice blue GITD rubber boot, added yet another R200 (so 2 R200's and 1 R100 added). Testing with a Pana PD at 4.16v, read 3.50A:
lumens 1,183 @start, 1,193 @30 secs, and it reaches 1,224 may be after 1-2 minutes.
So, didn't see any real increase from the resistor mod (strange), and the output rises as the amps rise as well. No idea what's goin on there. When I first tested the resistor mod though on the bench with a XML/aluminum, I read about 4.5A with a Pana PD so I really thought the resistor mod would do it. But once assembled using the XM-L2 on Noctigon in the light, amps dropped dramatically.
Y’all made it look too good, ordered one from FastTech this afternoon.
” I will not modify this light! I will not modify this light! I will not modify this light!”
(yeah, right!)
Soo Racer. It has been a few months and I'll ask. How do you like the L4 now?? :-D
I sold it (like mentioned earlier, post 34 38). Only because some local who had a C8, wanted a better C8 style light. And he was happy with the modded L4. ;)
I still think its the best C8 style light. I think one of the best ways to know if you like a light is to get rid of it and see if you want another one. I still want another one. ;) I highly recommend the L4.
Tom E, thanks for the updates. :)
i freaking love my L4 idk if i would mod it. maybe dedome the led and solder copper braiding to the springs for that tiny little extra umpf. im read about 2.6, 2.7A with a pana ncr18650b.
im waiting for my ZY-T08 to come in the mail i hope it can make me as happy after i mod it as this one does.
How would the L4 be with an XP-G2 de-domed on a Noctigon?
I’m really considering one but I remember hearing it is not even water resistant. Anyone have any update on that?
Too right. I sent a light off for some work and I’m having a hard time not replacing it even knowing I’ll get it back.