Review: KD C8 CREE XML T6 1000 Lumen 5-Mode LED Flashlight (1*18650) SKU: S009844

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
521

Well, I received my KD C8 5 mode with LOP reflector (http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S009844) and tested it last night. This is only my second Chinese budget flashlight, and my first one over 150 lumens. I got a black tailcap and my driver looks exactly like the one shown in post #514 above. My lens was rattling so I did the "loosen the pill" trick to make it tighter. Since this is my first "high-powered" LED light I can't compare it to another to estimate output (lumens).

For tailcap currents I used a cheap Harbor Freight DMM (one that sounds like many of you have) as well as an "Elenco" branded DMM that I built myself from an electronics kit back in 1994 in high school electronics vo-tech. Here are the meters:

At first I thought that I got an under-driven one like many of you which also seemed to agree with the specs of the driver - a max of 2A on high. Then I started testing with the second meter and swapping test leads and found some very interesting results. Lastly I used an 18" piece of scrap 14/2 AWG Romex as makeshift test leads. Battery is a brand new Trustfire flame 2400mAh 18650 which was freshly charged a few hours earlier. At the time of the readings the battery read 4.13v. Here are the readings:

H. F. Meter
Hi: 1.96A
Med: 0.96A
Low: 0.09A

Elenco Meter
Hi: 2.62A
Med: 1.29A
Low: 0.12A

H.F. Meter w/14 AWG wire leads
Hi: 2.66A
Med: 1.26A
Low: 0.12A

Elenco w/14 AWG wire leads
Hi: 3.04A
Med: 1.44A
Low: 0.14A

H. F. Meter w/ Elenco's test leads
Hi: 2.31A
Med: 1.10A
Low: 0.10A

It appears to me that the cheap Harbor Freight meter is nearly worthless for current measurements. I think I also need to make my own test leads out of some good wire. (I'll also order the DX test leads recommended by many.) Am I safe to assume that the highest current measurements I am getting are likely the most accurate? Why would the driver be listed as "2A" if it's really putting out 3A? (If I don't get much response here than I'll post this as a separate thread.)

Garry

522

Yeah.... Thats a big difference between all those readings... Wonder which one you need to trust...
I had 2 pairs of test leads, which were looking exactly the same, from 2 same DMM`s, but they both gave different readings. Today I bought another pair of test leads, to see what these do.

523

by the way, I have this exact same driver in my Solarforce L2 (ebay)! I found this out last night..

524

Trust the highest readings, as those mean that the error (i.e. reduced current flow) induced by the DMM's internal resistance + leads is the lowest.

Whether those readings really reflect the current that flows in real use, depends on the degree to which the tailcap resistance matches the resistance added by measuring. But here the discrepancies are not so big.

525

Here's my update on day 2 with my Ultrafire C8 XM-L T6.

Wednesday is "long cycle in tiny trousers" night for me . Half way along my ride, The C8 suddenly cut out. I fiddled with the switch and it started flickering. I gave up and rode on. 10 minutes later, turned it back on, and it worked for another 10 minutes, then conked out again.

At the end of my evening before I left the sports club, I dismantled the Ultrafire C8 XM-L T6. It transpires that the pill / LED part was very loose and rattling so I tightened it as hard as I could using my pliers (I always carry tools with me).
The problem then was the lens glass was no longer compressed against the housing by the reflector which is now lower. So I reversed the washer so that it was on the inside instead of outside of the glass which solved the rattle problem.
The light was thus fine for the 50 minutes ride home.

When I got home, I put the rubber washer back on the outside and added an elastic band, as close to being like the washer as possible to between the glass and housing above the reflector.

Unfortunately I made a tit of myself by twice dropping the glass on the sports club floor so I've slightly chipped the outer edges.

Clearly mine has a slight production assembly issue but is easily resolvable by a specialist LED light aficionado and with knowledge of the advice available on here.

And now the whining buzzing noise appears to also be gone too!

Mine btw is exactly the same looking as the KD C8 CREE XML T6 shown on the front of this thread. Mine has a smooth reflector.

Endurance wise, I was out for 80+ minutes on a mixture of medium power with some full power sections and my 2800 mAh Senybor battery was down to 3.64 Volts, so nearly empty (8% left).

This light setup that cost <£25 including Senybor battery and cycle bracket, has the same rated output, same endurance and same performance as the Exposure Diablo Mk3 costing as much as £200 with cycle bracket. I'd much rather use this cheap kit any day given the abuse it will suffer.

I'd be interested in some changes. Can anyone tell me of the following parts are available please?

- Replacement tail cap.
- Replacement lens.

Is it possible to use an 18650 extension tube to allow a second battery to be online to increase endurance?

526

Yes, I also figured that one out last night! Mount the cycle bracket in reverse and it seems to balance better, more solid, easier to remove, and held by the tail instead of the neck.

I am still debating on whether to sleeve the torch. I pulled over last night on the way home to reverse the bracket.

I used the elastic from a waistband of an old jockstrap to make a sleeve to hold my helmet mounted Ultrafire WF-501B torch in place and stop it from vibrating. It works perfectly so far and ideally elastic. Laughing So little do people know, but I'm going round with a piece of old pants on my head now.

527

Any comments on these two?

http://www.dinodirect.com/white-led-flashlight-xmlt6-3mode-750lumen-uniquefire-t6-currency-EUR.html

http://www.dinodirect.com/flashlights-860lumens-5mode-cree-xml-t6-led-currency-EUR.html

They are from 16$ to 18$ before coupon. After coupon, 13.3$ to 12.7$ each IF YOU take enough to get over 50$ (3-4 pcs) to gain 13$ off from coupon.

Should I take these or would I be better off with before mentioned eBay link or KD C8?

I still haven´t tried any of these C8´s. Would prefer 3-mode ones more.

528

529

Negotiate first!

530

the fact is, that you dont want a p60 drop in, i have two flashlights that are ultrafire branded 501b's with xm-l drop in's, i love them.

but they have inherent heat problems at a measily 1.4A i reccomend the xm-lt6 over every other emitter i have yet to see, but there is little with worse heatsinking than a p60. also when they are in a p60, they are not nearly used to their full potential, at most, about half.

"these are not the droids you are looking for"

get one with a bigger reflector and better heatsinking, like this C8, which i will be buying.

P.S. where could i find this copper grease, i could really use some of that, could i find it at a lowes or home depot.

531

Link to the light you're talking about?

-Garry

532

Who are you on about?

533

I suspect that there was a Spam post directly above Chicago's and which he was referring to. They then get deleted and it always causes confusion...

534

Lol.

Sorry for the confusion. After the spammer's posts were deleted, it appeared I was yelling at A-N-L...

535

That is a novel idea. The age of C8 based XM-L Wide-screen has arrived !!!

536

Beamshot?

537

This is the wackiest site for uploading pics, I've tried a few times using photochuckit account on occasions and am now completely bored with the hassle of getting sweet fa without needing a week at night skool, so you have to take my word that the thing is pretty brahma; Kindalike 'oblongonalised'.

538

Wow, this is a long thread. my head is spinning... So which C8 is the better right now?

The one ANL linked to at ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UltraFire-C8-1000Lm-CREE-XM-L-T6-5-Mode-Memory-LED-Flashlight-/330641903420?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item4cfbcb0f3c

OR the one from KD?

Is there any better quality as far as modes go? 1, 3, or five modes?

539

I can't speak for the one on Ebay, but I am happy with the one I purchased from KD (see my posts on Page 11 of this thread where I linked the SKU and showed my tailcap measurements). The one I purchased has the OP reflector, but I also ordered a seperate SMO reflector so I could try out both. The Ebay one does include a holster (which I forgot about getting and don't know if KD has one or not - I ordered mine from intl-outdoor). I wonder if you might get the Ebay light a little quicker than KD?

-Garry

540

Interesting.