Review (with video) of the Tangsfire TS-3T6 - better known as the TK-70 Clone - From Tmart USA

LED Flashlights – General Info 26650 Flashlights
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Tangsfire TS-3T6 - TK-70 Clone

Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

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Summary:

Battery: 26650
Switch: Clicky
Modes: H/M/L/Strobe/SOS
LED Type: Cree XM-L U2
Lens: Glass
Tailstands: No
Price Paid: 77.99
From: Tmart USA
Date Ordered: 10-10-13

Pros:

  • Poor man's Fenix, Good Quality, Mode Memory, Can be a good thrower with a little TLC

Cons:

  • Could be better quality or sold at a lower price. Need to get the specs correct. 4300 Lumens is not correct. Is it XM-L T6 or U2?

Features / Value: ★★★☆☆

It's a big, heavy basic 5 mode light that uses 3 XM-L leds in a large head. Last mode memory is one of the saving graces.

Design / Build Quality: ★★★★

Typical of many Chinese "fire" lights. Threads are a little rough. Overall mill work is very good, finish is a little rough as well, but no dents, dings or defects that I can find.

Battery Life:

Unknown

Light Output: ★★★★

My measurement was only 3000mA on High. I estimate about 1500 lumen output. Nowhere near the mfg spec, or Tmart's spec. EDIT: After doing beam shots, I have to take back what I said. The light is most likely putting out the 2600 Lumens that the MFG states in the paperwork, but the 4300 Lumens that is printed on the light, is totally not realistic.

Summary: ★★★★

No matter what, I have to rate this light high, due to it's potential for modders. It can be a great triple XM-L light by pushing the leds past 4 amps each, or it could be a monster MT-G2 light, with 3 MT-G2 and the notorious 9 amp driver floating around the forum.

Tmart's Specs say 4300 Lumens. The card in the box from the Mgf say 2600 Lumens. The Mfg also states XM-L T6 AND XM-L U2. Who's to know for sure?

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Now, here's my real review:

EDIT: After doing beam shots, I have to take back what I said. The light is most likely putting out the 2600 Lumens that the MFG states in the paperwork, but the 4300 Lumens that is printed on the light, is not realistic. I cannot ammend my video, so it will stay as is.

I have done some tear down and I have some photos below.

tx1a

tk1b

TC end body threads. No square threads here and they are a little rough. There was a little lube, but not enough.

tk1c

Tail cap houses a standard clicky, with the brass cover over the spring. Appears to be a stock 1.5 amp switch.

tk1d

Tail cap button is raised enough to keep this light from tail standing. Probably a good thing, since it's so long and heavy.

tk1e

Head end body threads. Same as before, only no lube at all.

tk1g

There is no body knurling. Instead they went with these fine ribs. I like the feel and it grips as well as knurling does.

tk1f

Driver is held in with a heavy duty brass retainer.

tk1h

The leds are centered well. The glass lens appears to have no coating. It's "green glass". The reflector cups have no defects in them.

tk1i

Chip in the glass lens. One star off for this and other minor issues.

tk1j

There is no O ring groove in the top of the bezel. The bezel tightens right down on the lens. That is a NoNo.

tk1k

Under the lens are Two O rings. This is because of clearance problems. (The lens is loose with only one).

tk2a

Driver pocket. The pocket is very deep and there's room for a taller driver. How Deep? See the bottom of the post for dimensions.

tk2b

tk2c

tk2d

The reflector is a Monster and it's heavy! Overall, the plating is done well.

tk2e

One of the issues with low amps in this thing has got to be the 30 gauge wire they used. It's just too small to draw a lot of amps. As you can see, the leds are in parallel. Now why not go series, since there's three batteries in series? It doesn't make sense to me. Typical hit of miss thermal paste under the leds.

That's it for the photos. Here's the dimensions I got:

OAL: 138mm

Body tube ID: 26.68mm

Head OD: 93mm

Lend OD: 81mm

Reflector OD: 79mm

Reflector Depth: 38.2mm

Reflector Cups OD: 37.75mm

Driver OD: 32mm

Driver Height: 15mm

Driver Cup Depth: 20.5mm

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Amp draws:

High: 3000mA

Medium: 1500mA

Low: 300mA

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I want to thank Tmart for sending this light to me for Review. No matter what, they have helped me in getting lights for review and for giveaways and they have been responsive to my "complaints". Thanks Tmart...

Beam Shots:

omgb1

omgb2

omgb3

Comparison with a modified HD2010, can you tell which is which?Tongue Out

omgb4

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Just got the Lustefire version yesterday, looks to be exactly like the Tangsfire. Though it was so so on first impression but after playing with it a little, I really like it. TK70 on the way so I can compare it to a real one in a few days. It’s a huge light and after all these small powerful lights seems a little bulky for my tastes.

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haha.. had a good laugh at the brochure myself.. That brochure was way more entertaining the the stuff that comes with premium lights.. :D I have a picture of mine in my overview that I posted earlier today..

Your Tangsfire and my Lustefire are basically the same lights it seems. But mine had larger wires and a faultless lens.

If you got 3 amps at the tail with 3 batteries you got even higher numbers than me. I was seeing 2,6A at the tail/ up towards 7,8A dived on the emitters. Not sure why that is only a 3 star rating in your book.. WAAAY beyond 18 watt! Far below 4300 lumen that Tangsfire rate it at though, which is no surprise with only 3 1st generation XM-Ls.

Lustefire says 2600 lumen, which is much closer I would say..

The driver in this light might actually be better than the 9 amp driver you mentioned... Based on the mod Relic38 did, its probably the best driver for 3x MT-G2s out there.. (assuming its the same)

As always, looking forward to see your mod on this.. Mine will probably take a long time before its 100% properly done.... Ill be aiming for throw.. :)

Thanks for the review! :)

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@RaceR86. Well I can't take lumens measurements, but with all the bright lights I have played around with, it's just not that bright at all. Maybe a lot is lost due to the tiny wires, but there's no way the leds are seeing 3 amps each. I will be doing some beam shots tonight and I will compare this with a HD 2010 and my plain jane XM-L Maglite, but this is just not a really bright light, like I thought it would be.

EDIT: It's bright as hell.

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Is anyone else not seeing the pictures? Got em now. Thanks for the breakdown. Nice pictures and video as usual.
I did miss the opening song though.

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Beam Shots are up.

I take back what I said. It's BRIGHT AS ALL HECK!

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Nice review, well done.

Is that anodizing I see under those led’s, that can’t be helping with the heat transfer :expressionless:

Cheers David

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Mod is done, but not much of a mod, more like a little maintenance.

tk2q

I re flowed the XM-Ls onto Copper stars. The stock stars are 14mm and super thin. The thinnest I have seen. I think the 20mm copper stars were worth doing, maybe not, but it gave me something to do.

tkq3

I also went with thicker wires. I ran separate wires to all three leds, (22ga) and I used 16ga shorty wires for the mains.

It didn't give any more amperage, but I just feel better about it...Laughing

That's it, now it goes for a giveaway.

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Hi OL, thanks for the review and giveaway.
Have you used the other 3xT6 competitors like BTU Shocker & Trustfire TR-J19?
Which do you prefer & why?

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@zeremifico I have not had a chance to use either of them (don't own them). I have a TR-J12, but I have not really had a chance to touch it yet.

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I just bought a similar torch from bangood, so I would like to make a few comments on my version as well as offer a quick fix for the sample reviewed by “Old-Lumens”. I would like to acknowledge that the writer apologised for the comment on brightness - clarity is a good thing and it takes a good man to reconsider his viewpoint. I too, really dislike the outrageous claims of brightness in torches and capacity in batteries that we all come across when trying to make a descision on value for money.
I would like to introduce myself. I am an Australian bloke aged 53, I am a Joiner by trade and I take an interest in electronic circuitry - in particular audio amplifier design and contemporary silicon controlled gadgetry. I am also addicted to torches and I need some counselling for that! Enough about me. Now, that torch:
My torch (or flashlight as the makers like to call them) is branded Shengjie and has three XM-L2 emitters from the ‘U2’ grouping which I believe relates to the wavelength of the colour emitted by the chip. U2 seems to have a wavelength of about 5khz from what I can grasp from the dataseet. I too am keen to see how the power is applied to the emitters as my 3 LED’S are the 3 volt version (XML-2). From the advertisment my torch appears to be the same as the above, but with the XML-2 LEDS. I will make some comments on the torch and the product delivery time once I receive it.
In the above review, it is stated that the glass lense or plate had no ’o’ring on top but two underneath; I would suggest that this has been a hiccup in the factory and the assembly sequence was not observed (probably built on a monday!) A simple fix would be to seperate the two o-rings with the glass lense, thus preventing the grinding noise and eventual chippage or crackage. Cheers.