NEW--DQG 18650 II CREE XM-L2 CW/NW 1x18650 Smallest EDC Flashlight

Commercial Sellers' Spot
21

Just got my today, popped in a Pana PD. I got it with a XM-L2 T6 3C, it's a got a TIR optic - is that the right term? Hole in the middle?

It's small and very light weight. Lo-med-hi, very bright on high, but as far as I can tell it's got next mode memory -- ugh! My Tank007 E09 for a twisty, is so nice, so smooth, so consistent - better feel than this, but it's still early. I'll try other cells, maybe add some Nyogel on the main thread, and take a peak into it more thoroughly.

The clip is nasty - extremely stiff, useless for me accept as an anti-roll device or for a lanyard attachment. You need 2 hands to pry it up ever so slightly. I know the SK-68 clips are like this, but does anyone have use for a clip that is very stiff? I can't possibly get it in and out of a pocket without ripping my pants or something.

Update: Ooops! When off for a few secs, it resets to come on in low mode, so no mode memory.

22

Any word on low mode? Is it moonlight? Anyone have one of these yet?

23

Low is low - it's not moonlight. A Tank007 E09's low is lower.

The more I play with it, the more I like it. It didn't work reliably with a Pana PD, but now I have a standard Pana unprotected in it, and it feels real nice, smooth, simple one handed operation. Mode switching is working pretty reliable with this cell. It's really not much longer than a ThruNite T10. Actually if you stand up the little key ring on the T10 that's on the tail, the ring makes the T10 taller than the Tiny!

24

It’s not about the price but size, it’s too small to handle more heat.

50mA means about 20 otf lumens.

It’s quite floody, about 5500lux/1m (1st gen, 2nd has the same optics) is a mediocre result from 500 lumens.

25

Would protected batteries fit? NCRA’s or B’s?

26

Thanks!

27

Ooops! I was supposed to get a T6 3C, but looks like the tint is definitely cool white. So, Mine is probably a XM-L2 T6 1A, mode #'s:

low - 0.06A, 17-17 lumens (2nd # is @30 secs)

med - 0.57A, 180-177 lumens

hi - 2.00A, 510-449 lumens, throw: 4.75 kcd, measured at 5 meters

weight # is accurate, I measured 38.1g (spec is 38g). A Pana unpro cell is heavier at 45g.

I'm liking it, accept for the stupid clip. If anyone is familiar with my PVC lightbox, my #'s are usually low, if anything.

28

Are the adonised threads nice? DQG 18650 ver 1 had very weak and wobbly threads. The connection to the head is intermittent an causes a lot of mode skipping.

29

It’d be nice if Ric spent more time here answering our questions and promoting his products…

30

I can't really answer that, since I don't have the original to compare. If you back off 1/8 turn, maybe less, you do have a little wobble and can flicker the light. If you back off 1/4 turn, no more flicker, but still wobble. This is far, far better than my Mini-01 which is way worse with it's threads, though I think these threads could be better. They seem very fine, have a slight wobble, but they feel very smooth.

31

Did you put the 2nd O-ring on? I think that there’re suppose to be 2 O-rings, kind of parallel on the threaded area. Before I added them, I had wobbling and it was kind of loose.

32

Hi, any reviews on this?

33

I haven't seen any, yet.

Mini-mini-review:

Pros:
- Small (even smaller than v1)
- Bright enough (NW is 520lm OTF after 30s)
- Nice NW tint
- Nice beam with TIR optics
- Good mode spacing (NW: 16, 200, 520lm OTF after 30s)
- Works with protected 18650 (unlike v1)
- Reverse polarity protection (see also cons)
- No problems with mode changing (yes, this is a pro, after problems reported in v1)
- Clip is reversable (& better than in v1)
- Good build quality
- Flat SS bezel
- Tailcap is removable (& can be used to lock out the light)

Cons:
- Reverse polarity protection may cause problems with some cells

Head side threads are not anodized to allow large variations in cell size (anything from unprotected NCRB to protected NCRB fits easily). Tailcap threads are anodized, allowing lock out:

Tailcap has nice reverse polarity protection feature: foam in the middle to avoid positive pole to contact. Unfortunately the aluminum ring around foam part is a bit too large for some cells with non-flat negative pole (or plastic wrap going too far on the pole) => Protected NCRB either works or not, or requires to be tightened hard.

Luckily there is an easy fix for this (& cheap: costs only a dime ;)). In fact a dime is a bit too thick, leaving only one round of threads when turned off.. But throwing in anything conductive does the trick (but disables the reverse polarity protection).

Verdict: Highly Recommended!

34

Why does it have a tailcap now? Its still a twisty that can be loaded from the front, right?

35

Good question. I think it might be because the head threads are so long -> easier to open from tailcap?

And yes, it's still twisty and can be loaded from front.

36

Funny you say that, was thinking the same.

A promotion thread requires response beyond just an initial post.

37

I got one - disappointed it came in cool white when I ordered neutral, and the mode changing drives me nuts with the flickering. Also if you turn it off, pressing down on the head will turn it back on because there's so much play in the threads. I'd love to fix this - maybe Teflon tape? My ThruNite T10 and Tank E09 work flawlessly as a twisty.

38

How cool would it be if DQG made an 18650 light that worked flawlessly?!

He’d be loving the free advertising, and now he has people bumping his post!

39

Are you talking about this new version? My sample changes modes totally flawlessly, unlike v1.

While we are at it, here's a performance graph for first 15 minutes without any cooling => temperature up to 67°C (test aborted)

40

Brand new v2 version I have with mode changing issues. Might have been one of the first he shipped out - it does have the new clip which I found useless because it's so tight. Also it sticks out far, so I removed it. Now I've been using a Pana protected 3400 in it. Just tried a Pana B (3400) unprotected and measured:

lumens: 578 @start, 517 @30 secs

Mine definitely looks to be cool white when compared to other neutral and cool lights I got side by side on a white wall.

So far the mode changing is working much better with the unprotected Panasonic. I'll have to use this over the next couple of days and see