So I’m a little annoyed realising that my L4 is not being driven anywhere near what it’s meant to go at. Warranty with BG will probably be unfeasible. Would you guys recommend:
-put in new stock driver LD34
-put in some other driver
-other mod?
Cheers
What wire leads are you using with the DMM? I use 14 AWG, soldered well on the ends. If you only measured other lights that are 2S cells and 3S cells, you have no other single cell measurement to compare to. Forgot how many modes the L4 has - think it's 3? Are you getting all 3 modes? Hard to judge brightness I guess? A real 1.1A will be pretty low.
I’m actually not sure what gauge the leads are. I have measured it with another single cell cheapie light (a generic Singfire XPE Q5) and that shows about .8a on high.
The L4 does have 3 modes and it’s about 1.1, .9, and then .5 or something.
I might go with the new stock driver but its $15. Do you have any suggestions for other drivers ?
Hhmm, tough call... Are they the leads that came with the DMM? I haven't had any luck with stock leads, even on a high qual calibrated Fluke DMM. Without any idea on the true brightness, it's hard to tell. I'm thinking the thin stock leads is the problem on the DMM.
For drivers, I've done custom piggyback'ed Nanjg or FET based, but that's a task if this is something new to you. Do you see my icon pic? That's for an L4. Here's some pics of the L4 mod: photobucket.com album - Convoy L4. Notice the SS bezel? It fits nice...
I reckon I could do it if there was a guide somewhere. Seems like it’s just a few wires to connect and getting the mounting correct.
When you say piggy backed, that means the driver is joined to the board with the battery terminals and side switch right?
Where can I get the specific Nanjg that would work with the side switch?
This probably doesn’t work for you since your in Aus but I’ve seen this driver on Mountain Electronics.
Has custom firmware from JohnyC. Always wondered if it works with the L4 since it mentions side switch.
there’s and advanced version as well.
http://www.mtnelectronics.com/opencart/index.php?route=product/product&path=67&product_id=208
Otherwise seems like a good alternative to the stock driver.
Yes - if you can't program your own drivers, then can buy one from Richard (MtnElctronics.com) or Dr. Jones in Germany.
Piggyback'ed means the new driver sits on top of the old driver. In this case, we use the stock driver solely as the contact board (spring contact for the battery) and the electronic switch. What I did was strip all components off the stock driver accept the switch, then used a BLF17DD board with e-switch firmware in it to piggyback on top of the stock stripped driver. You have to wire the battery + and ground (battery -) from the stock driver to the new driver, then run a small wire from the new driver to the switch. It is a little involved...
does anyone know if the L4 extension tube would also fit a Convoy C8 (new version) ?
I don’t have L4 extension tube but I am pretty sure that it won’t fit C8, I remember trying L4 switch on a Convoy C8 and it was no go…
Hmm bummer. The C8 extension on fasttech fit the old Convoy C8, but there are reports it doesn’t fit the new one. I guess I’ll keep looking.
I have that exact extension tube from FT and yes,threads are a bit different, extension tube is built for triangular threads while new Convoy C8 has square cut threads. It screws about half the way (with slight rubbing) but after that you would have to force it and that would not be good for threads.
Ups, disregard that, I forgot that on the other end of the extension tube you would have to screw in the tailcap and that is also NO GO, grabs about 1/4 to 1/2 of the circle and after that only “brutal force” method helps.
I just bought my first light from Mountain Electronics after spending the better part of a day reading up and I had decided to go with this flashlight and then today I did a Google search on the Convoy L4 XM-L2 18650 Flashlight - Includes Extension Tube and the first listing on Google was this review, and I can sure tell you this, what a relief, I think I got real lucky as there are so many flashlights and to try and figure out which one to get is quit the chore for your first buy and really knowing nothing except about the batteries, that I do know a bit about from being a former ecig user when I decided to quit smoking, so now I have a bunch of great batteries and decided to get addicted to something new which I believe has turned out to be flashlights I’ll bet you.
This review is just fantastic and really was a great relief to me after reading about what I’ve just bought, now I wish the mailman would hurry the heck up and get that light here pronto.
Well thank you for your great work here and I am real eager to learn more about these lights.
Thank You
Welcome LightVision1! This L4 is a quality light for sure, good deal at this price. It's been around a while but still remains at/near the top for budget C8 size lights. I have one fully modded out, and it's a good host for taking the heat of high amps. The C8 size lights are always a nice compromise of throw and flood, and has the ability to handle the heat for long runs at 3 amps, which matters for long usage with the extension and two cell capability.
Hi Tom, thank you for the extra info on the L4, I really think I got lucky considering all the lights out there.
The Fenix PD35 TAC was my other choice, but it was Mt Electronics website that actually helped me make my final decision.
I was familiar with them from some battery purchases I made some time ago and remembered they also sold lights.
It was after I made the purchase and started doing more research on this light that I found this website and this great review and I’ll tell you I was literally clapping my hands, now I keep checking the USPS tracking page and it’s telling me nothing, so I’m sitting here sadly looking out the window waiting for the mailman, reminds me of when I was a kid and used to send away for the gadgets on the back of the cereal boxes, submarines…LOL
I am a serious gadget addict and I can assure you I’ll be bugging folks to death about upgrades as you mentioned, I am quit excited with my new hobby, I’ll be having a lot of flashlights by this time next year I’d be willing to bet…
Thank you for introducing yourself and the extra info, very very encouraging to me, well I feel like I hit a home run actually.
Thanks again…!!
You should check around here on BLF when you get a chance. We've always got some sort of deals goin on. The "group buys" can be a real good deal to get a semi-custom light at a great price, sometimes lower than the stock light price.
We had some great deals on the Eagle Eye X6 - outstanding design and quality - it's head diam is 40 mm, so smaller than a C8 or L4 (at 45 mm), single 18650. Right now there's a group buy goin on for a Lucky Sun D80 (https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/31339), another 40mm head diam light with some tweaks we asked for, and power boosted from stock, so does about a true 1300 lumens on a good cell - around $20-$22 with the groupbuy discount.
A bit step up is the latest X6 group buy for a pair of lights: X6/X5, with choice for a high end SS/copper version -- I'm in on that, here:
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/34532
I'd highly recommend at least the aluminum set for $50 shipped - little pricey, but two fine, heavily customized lights. The SS/copper pair is a collectors edition, but awesome lights for usage as well, at $85 for the pair. These are maxed out power, choice of LED tints, custom FET based high amp drivers with the latest custom firmware UI.
Welcome! You should really intro yourself and let the other members welcome you as well! You’ll be spending on flashlights more than your gadgets now that you joined us! J)
My question concerns the two switches. Can you use the tailcap switch to cycle through the different outputs or is it just for momentary on/off?
It’s just momentary on/off, great light IMO but I’m real new at LED’s
Thank you for answering my question 
This is what I hoped the answer to be. I will be buying one now.
Well the tailswitch, its for on and off with a full press until it clicks, AND momentary on/off with a partial press for as long as you hold it in, if you want to flash Morse code for example. Without the tailcap switch depressed to “on”, the side switch does nothing, after it is on it cycles through modes.
I have this light in warm (not sure of tint: I asked for warmer than T4-C7 and got it) and it’s still one of my favorites that I cycle through using, on a weekly basis pretty much (I have way too many lights to use for night dogwalking).