Review TrustFire TR-3T6 Triple XM-L T6 5-Modes Memory LED Flashlight (3x18650)

To Benkie,

Perhaps these is the one U waited for long time,but I have some confusion which are as follows:-

1) Current: TR-J12 rated at 7.5A (Max),but with 3*18650 don't u think thats a little higher ?

2)With same power source as Tf-3t6 ie;(3*18650) does the runtime gets decreased.

3)Is Trust Fire Flames suitable for this ?

Yes I've waited for this for a good while.

Good questions Dimitrioptimus

(#1) I don't think we will see 7.5 amps at the tail cap, but it will all depend on the boost circuit of the driver, how many batteries are used and what brand of batteries used and if they are fully charged or not. Once again it will depend on the boost circuit of the driver but 7.5 amps works out at 1.5 Amps per T6 emitter aprox 2750 otf lumens, it does not sound like much but that's still 4.5 to 5 amps more then the good old TR-3T6 3 x 18650 and 2 x 18650 that are very bright.

I expect this to be like the other regulated trustfire multi cell lights, the maxium current draw is not always reached with fully charged cells, like the oringinal TR-3T6 3 x 18650 it's a 3 amp max driver but you get 2.4 to 2.9 amps with 2 fully charged cells (depending what brand you use) but as the voltage of the batteries drop the amps increase, but the driver will not let it climb over 3 amps.

In this case the new trustfire 5 x T6 will not get above 7.5 amps. This is where the old sky rays whent wrong as the battery voltage wore down from use the current draw climbed to around 5 amps to much heat and current for what the light was made for (3 x T6) so a lot failed, this is why I loved the TR-3T6 even though lux readings where a little bit under the sky rays.

(#2) I would expect run time to be less then the TR-3T6 on 3 x 18650's as there is more current draw, but like the TR-3T6 the more batteries you put in the higher the voltage is, this means lower current draw, so run time is increased as it would not be drawing 7.5 amps on 3 fully charged cells imo. You can also run 26650 lion batteries in the new trustfire 5 x T6, they can handle higher current draws and normally have a mAh rating from 3000 to 4000 + mAh so this would increase run time on the torch say over 2400 mAh 18650's.

(#3) Even at the maxium of 7.5 amps current draw that works out at 2.5 amps per battery when running 3 cells, but as in answer number (#2) the current draw would be even less per battery when running 3 cells going from the other trustfire multi cell lights. The trustfire flame batteries I've tested will do 3 amps no problem, but the torch may draw up a max of 3.75 amps per battery when running two batteries only but the batteries would have to be near empty and needing a full recharge to get that high of a current draw in my opinion and the torch should dim and not let you change modes around then to let you know it's time to change batteries.

The current draws ive given is just aprox math basicly guessing as I need to test the torch and I only ordered it yesterday, but it should be close but I have had a very hard couple of nights..... If your worried about current draw or run time issues you can use 26650 Batteries as they can take from 5 to 30 amps each come in mAh from 3000 to 4500 they cost from $5 to $25 usd. Good ones can be had for under $10 usd each with free shipping if you order 3 or more.

There is one draw back from using 26650 batteries that most are not protected, but the torch is ment to (claimed) have a low voltage dimming circuit to lock out high and medium mode as a low battery voltage warning, the TR-3T6 and TR-1200 do the same thing, do not keep running the light past this.

I have ordered 3 x 4000 mAh 26650 king kong batteries for $26.70 usd as I'm not worried about battery protection for myself. I'm also looking at some 4000 mAh protected trustfire 26650's for $22.80 a pair. I'm thinking the 26650's are not needed really 18650,s will be fine and if you have 6 even better, but just remeber this light has 2 more led's and a more powerful driver so don't expected the same run time as the TR-3T6 on the same batteries.

Now some of this post (long winded dribble) is speculation as I have not tested the light yet and I'm very very hung over, but I hope the post helps and I'm sure ill be corrected if I'm wrong.

Guys, i ordered this one too. I am expecting somewhere 2000 OTF. Let me explain. If it uses a 7,5amp circuit to the leds, how can we be sure that all the leds take 1,5amp?Due to inappropriate soldering& reflow proccess on the pcb of the led, different led batch, different wires/wire length etc we might have some leds taking almost 2amp and others as low as 1amp. Also@1,5amp, a good xm-l U2 in a flashlight with a UCL lens will produce max 480 OTF. It won't go any higher. THis one, with no UCL, no good U2 leds, no appropriate heat management, won't go that high as you mention.

Welcome to BLF, Whiteggs! Great choice in light module for your Mag but you will not retain the flood-to-focus ability of the stock maglite. Best of luck with the mod! I did a similar with a mag but with a single T6 emitter module. Let us know how it goes for you. :slight_smile:

Johnny

Bro, actually it was already confirmed a month ago by SPAMBOT that it is in the 2000L OTF region at least for his Sky Ray. I don't think Benckie mentioned any OTF figures. Just hope the driver does not fry like his Sky Ray L1, else we'll just need to shoehorn something in there. heh...

Once again 2100 your talking about a fry ray L1 not the TR-J12 Laughing

I did say i dont think we will see 7.5 amps at the tail cap, (so if its not at the tail cap where else would it not be) and i did say depending on the boost circuit of the driver (twice) but 7.5 amps works out at 1.5 amps per led, 2750 oft lumens aprox (i should of said emitter lumens), we dont know if the driver is buck or boost or buck + boost or nothing yet and i did say my current draws are just aprox math basicly quessing and i have not tested the torch yet and some of my post is speculation, like what most people are doing on this torch.

But we do know some things, the trustfire tripples seam to be more stable then the sky rays tripples, it is a nice looking torch body much better looking then the TR-3T6 with more cooling fins and either way it will be brighter then the TR-3T6, i personaly feel this will be way better then the fry ray 3 x T6 or 5 x T6 and it will be a great torch that will put out more light then you will ever need, unless its turned off.

Im confindent if its any thing like the TR-3T6 it will be half decent, i like the brand trustfire and all my multi cell trustfire lights are very well driven and regulated with good heat sinking, im very confident it will be a good flash light or i would not of droped $114.50 USD on the light some batteries for it just to try.

p,s i used Match's emitter test and DrJones LED spec plots to get a aprox otf reading, but there is many variables.

Benckie, do yourself a favour and play with this cool calculator! You can vary the "performance" of the reflector + glass lens etc. Temperature and heatsink performance. You can even simulate a -30 deg C ambient + wind cooling, within reason. (look at the LED temperature).

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2821978/LED-CALC.xls

Thanks thats pritty cool. now i know where you get your wild ambient temputure numbers from now, speak about temp w.a's cold streak has gone we are back in the 40,s now Undecided

Ive got a new lux meter sitting here i guess im going to have to pull it out one day after i finsh moving, got any tips for me bro.

To add here, there is no chance to see 7,5 on the tail. The flashlight seems to have a classic sst90 driver that drives all the xm-l leds,with a buck regulator. That is what i think. A 1,5amp boost regulator for 5 leds is very costy for such a flashlight, the other flashlight parts already cost a lot. In these flashlights, for each 1,5amp on a xm-l led, we should expect 400 OTF.Driving them harder, the results won't be as good as you might think. I think 1,5amp is just fine, i wouldn't provide more than 10amp.

I have the TR 3T6 that this thread is about, it uses the same sst50 driver that a trusfire x7 has and a lot other sst50 led flashlights. Leds in parallel,will try to measure the amperage every led takes by breaking the connections, to see if the current is distributed to each led the same. It outputs about 1600 OTF, like the skyray 3xt6 i had. The driver outputs 4,7amp.

good info thanks

Ergo, my copy of the TR-3T6 is a bit lower in output than the SR3800 rev 0 which we both have. I get 130 lux (raw) for the TF and 160 (raw) for the SR3800. My TK70 gets me 217, so the conversion factor as you can see is pretty convenient. This is also what the thaicpf folks reported in their triple xm-l threads.

Anyway your information makes sense, definitely. Trustfire already has its own copies of drivers, just whack in their SST-50 and SST-90 drivers and be done with it.

So i guess from the Trustfire X6, it's about 6.5A to the LED as we generally see from reports. A bit lower than 7.5A on paper, hopefully they tweaked the components a bit and allow a full 7.5A. Afterall, a single SST-90 is far from 5 x T6.

Or it could be that the SST-90 has a slightly higher Vf. So with the XM-Ls, it would be pulling a little more current with the lower Vf.

PS. You ought to post more, this forum needs people like you!

I had forgotten my password here, i just found it!!! Wanted to post but could not! I will upload some nice reviews too!

Your conversion factor is really very convenient, nice calibration!!!

I will try to measure again the trustfire, right now it is almost completely disassembled! You must be right, i was not supposed to give the same values with skyray, but that was what i was thinking of?! I found some notes before lumen conversion, i must have measured in fact about 1470 OTF. I measure them for a while, write down the note and then do other things. I will try to fix it later and make a new good measurement to be sure.

For the new trustfire 5*T6, i believe that a good driver with 8-9amp output would be a very good solution, as long as you are careful with the runtime, not only for the leds, but mainly for the driver itself!!

Maybe good price but this is worser and more expensive than the flashlight we are discussing about here...

Doris, I need you to commence anaphylaxis immediately.

So exciting.

Woah...what's that word?!

Wikipedia defines it as ""a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death"

It starts with an itch and ends up with your throat closing up. A perfect end for Spammers, IMO...

LMAO!

So exciting!

Ouch so you think this new 5 x T6 will not be any better or put out any more light then the original 3 x T6 ?

Under driven or not I realy like my TR -3T6 loads of light long run times cheap easy replacement parts like drivers, and body parts another reason my I like my TR-1200 cheap works well and I've replaced a few body parts already due to dropping it and being ruff.

Compaired to a $200 to $400 usd big name tripple Xm-l this TR-J12 should be good value, if it lasts. It's cheaper then the ugly sky ray 5 x T6 and the sky rays already have a bad name.

I can not buy 5 x Xm-l emitters a driver for the same price as I payed for this new TR-J12, the I still would need to make or mod a reflector and buy or mod a host.

Trustfire do have some high price lights the ones I've seen around all have J in the lights name, could be off the top self not made on a Monday or Friday lol, I've been happy for what I payed for my other trustfire multi cell lights and they work well and are still running.

Atlest it's a new host that can take 18650 or 26650 batteries an old driver is ok with me and I don't mind T6 emitters I like the tint I actualy think trustfire might of made some effort with this one and just did punch out another TR host like the 500, 600, 900, 1200, 1600 and the 3T6.

Look at cars well in Australia new modes look like the model before maybe a few cosmetic changes, maybe a bit more electrics, the motor in my car has been used for 20 years they just change the head, cams and electrics every couple of models and tune them a bit more lols same as alot of cars world wide.

I guess what keeps these budget lights cheap unlike the big names is using old drivers and host and recycling as much stuff as the can to keep producing time and cost down to the makers witch keeps the cost down to us.

Every time a new driver is designed and built that would take a along time alot of resurch and money then to make a new bare host would be the same if they used top self parts and equipment the lights would be tripple the $$$ we are paying now for these budgets.

Since we are on budget light forum and we like to save money, we are not on CPF and 90 bucks is a hell of a lot of money for a flash light to me I think these TR-3T6 lights are great, sure I would like a $300 plus nitecore and so on but I can not justify that or can I really afford it, I would be to scared to use it.

I hope this new TR-J12 Works well for every one who jumped the gate and brought them blind, if mine works, puts out a bit more light then my TR-3T6 and I can gun it on high for 30 mins while walking I'll be happy, let's hope it does not let us down.

I have some faith with this light and trustfire as there genuine batteries and lights I have brought sofar have been good. The trouble any thing good or popular gets copyied in china or hong kong using cheaper parts or recycled batteries.

So I'm happy I jumped in a brought this TR-J12 before all the clones come out and the ebay threads start. there is my dribble.

Relax Benckie, ergotelis was just referring to the 5 XR-Eed TR-1200 which a seller wanted to insert into this thread. Naturally the Mark as SPAM worked.

EXactly what 2100 said, my comment was for the 5x xr-e led flashlight. I am definitely sure that the 5x T6 will be the most bright xxxxxxxxxfire flashlight we have seen.For its price and design, the price is quite good.

I am waiting for it too, don't forget that!!!

If i am not happy with the driver, i am planning to remove one emitter, put some better led with better pcb, and a driver that outputs ~6amp. I will run it on 2s2p design. Sounds quite cool, for the central led, if there is still enough space, i might add a second small kennan based driver for ~2amp, lighting permanently.