The S2 has a lit blue LED tailcap when not in use, that will drain battery very slowly. If there is any concern of over discharge, I’d get protected cells.
Ok, I don’t want to kill any cells. The light will be something to help me solve a problem, not creating others. It should work as simple as possible.
I’ll be going with protected cells. The thing now is finding a High Drain protected cells. I have seen reviews stating that 69.5mm protected cells fit on X6 just fine.
Someone on another forum recommended this one as a high drain and protected:
Any other inputs?
Loosen the tail cap to lock out the light, no contact, no drain.
The light has built in low voltage protection, it’ll turn off around 2.8V to protect the cell.
Unprotected high discharge cells are best for the FET+1 driver. Not much point in all the work so many people put into that driver and light if you’re going to choke it down with protected cells.
There’s as little danger of any issues with unprotected cells in the S2/X6 as there is with any protected cell, just not anything to fret over. With protections built into the light, and with new chemistries in the high discharge cells, the protected cell really has nothing to offer and plenty to lose.
Great! All excellent, I guess there’ll will no big problems going with an unprotected cell then. On the other hand, since I am a noobie in the field I am so afraid of exploding it making something stupid that I am not aware of…
For the protected cell that I linked above, Mountain claims that the protection circuit may trip at 7+ amps, and a user already tested it at 5A with no problems. I guess the S2 will not drain more than 5 or 7A on turbo?
If I do both spring bypasses, how many amps should it consume on turbo? Will I fry my light doing this with direct drive? Then maybe it would need more than 7A?
EDIT: I guess the main problem going unprotected was solved with this auto turn-off feature on the light. Do I need a very good charger if I go unprotected not to overcharge it? I am thinking about Xtar SV2 that can charge at 2A rate.
If the 7A protected cell is ok for the S2, then I may go on the safe side… or maybe buy both and compare the outputs…
Virtually every Li-ion charger out there has the correct algorythm to properly charge a cell without over-charging. Certainly any XTAR charger does. So that is not an issue.
With spring bypasses on the S2/X6 an XP-L can pull around 6A, probably a bit less. The difference between a protected cell that can barely manage it and a 30Q will be one of lumens. The Samsung 30Q has among the highest capable output levels of any 18650 in this type of light. You’re going to have to look long and hard to find a cell that will let this light make more lumens, I’ve tested 17 cells on this kind of driver, the 30Q and Efest dark purple 3000mAh cell are the highest.
Thanks!
have you tested this one specifically?
http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=289
If you tested and performed poor, then I will not even bother. But if it was not tested yet maybe I can give it a try?
Product description says:
This is Sanyo and Panasonic's and newest high discharge capable 18650 cell, rated for up to 10A continuous discharge. It is a good compromise between IMR and regular LiCo cells, offering lower internal resistance and higher discharge rate capabilities and higher capacity than IMR. This is a popular cell for high drain XM-L & XM-L2 lights because it's lower internal resistance allows these high forward voltage LEDs to remain brighter longer.
The protection circuit features a high-quality Seiko IC (made in Japan) with AO MOSFETs.
Maximum Continuous Discharge Current (protection circuit limited): 8A (cell is rated for 10A, but protection circuit may trip at 8A+)
I haven’t. I don’t buy protected cells. Too many of my lights pull more than it/they can handle.
Years ago I got one of the very first Solarforce S2200’s to ship, put AW 18650 2600mAh protected cells in it, I think that’s the last time I bought protected cells. (My light is serial number A0009) For some crazy reason, Solarforce announced the S2200 then closed for vacation within a few hours. I got my order in and they shipped it in those few hours. Everyone else was waiting for them to get back. lol This was May of ’13 I think. I got it the day my wife went in for a Hysterectomy and had it up at the hospital with us. 
Ok, order placed!
Banggood: Astrolux S2 ($25)
Mountain Electronics: VP2 charger ($26) + 2x Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA Protected 3500mAh High Discharge ($9 each)
Gearbest: Jaxman E2 with Nichia 219B ($14) + 2x NCR18650B 3.7V 3400mAh 18650 Protected ($4 each)
Now is wait and see. Once arrived I'll compare the output between both batteries and if there will be no difference then I'll order some Samsung 30Q.
Regarding the SDMini I found a review comparing it against other same sized flashlights. Lumicon does not seem to stand over the others as it seemed on the first pictures, unfortunately.
link for the review: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/40490
Maybe I'll wait some Astrolux MH10 / Imalent DN11 reviews.
Hi Dale,
I have bought also two 30Q cells now, I’ll post here when everything arrives what will be the difference.
I have just “discovered” that is possible to use triple LED optics into the X6, and even read some posts about heatsink mods, etc. I guess you are very experienced in this modding area, what would be your inputs about it? It would boost considerably the amount of light on the same size of a small flashlight! How long does it take to drain a 3000mAh cell in turbo with 3 XP-L?
Well, I knew these products for a while now, but only after taking a look at this pic I realized that a product that contains a X5 reflector in a 18650 body actually exists, and it's called MH20 / MH20GT ! 
Exactly what I was looking for:
source of the pic: http://www.taschenlampen-forum.de/threads/klarus-xt11s-pa-review-thread.48368/page-2
Not an overdriven LED like BLF X5, but still a XP-L on the same size reflector and a decent output. I've been wanting something of this size since the beginning, but the smaller battery type prevented me from buying the X5. Now I have just added also a MH20GT to my new flashlight collection.
I was also considering a Manker U11 or Nitenumen NE01 for this, but the MH20GT has a much nicer throw according to pictures in every review by far (only the GT version, normal MH20 version looks the same as Manker and Nitenumen). This 2-way button is way more practical also then the tactile and slow interface of Astrolux MH10 / Imalent DN11 new products.
Also thinking about portability, moments before I have bought an Astrolux S1 (BLF A6). Nice drive, 1200-1400 lumen in a very compact body. More floody, and it will be very handy. I though about a triple XP-L Convoy S2+, but it would be too much heat in a small body that would limit a lot its use.
By the way, just a wrap up: up to now I learned so much about flashlights thanks to you guys that even before my first one arrives I have already ordered a lot more. I guess I became addicted, but I'll stop here because that's enough 
. List of all the flashligths purchased up to now:
- Astrolux S2 (BLF X6), XP-L HI 3B
- Eagle Eye X6 triple XP-L V5 3C on XP32, copper spacer, Ledil medium optics. (modded and assembled by forum member kiriba-ru). Maybe I'll try to change the optics to Ledil cute-3 ss (already bought), and maybe even polish it.
- Astrolux S1 (BLF A6), XP-L 3D
- MH20GT, XP-L cool white option only
And for photography-related use (including home-studio and macro shots):
- Jaxman E2, Nichia 219B 5700K
- Astrolux S41, 4x Nichia 219B + 18650 tube
- some BLF 348, Nichia 219BT
- some flexible holders like this one (I hope they can hold a flashlight)
Chargers and batteries:
- Xtar VP2
- Nitecore D4
- 2x Samsung INR18630 30Q Unprotected, button top
- 2x Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA Protected 3500mAh (8A high discharge)
- 2x NCR18650B Protected 3400mAh
- 1x Nitecore NL189 18650 3400mAh
Let's see how they will compare between each other now. Once arrived everything I'll try to make a post comparing them all!
Thanks to everyone who helped me so far!
Now that is a serious bunch of flashlights and related stuff youbhave ordered.
You are going to have lots of fun with it!
A True Flashaholic is born!
Since the Eagle Eye X6 came out it has been my favorite go-to smaller light. I enjoy modding them in every conceivable way and have quite a few here, all in a different set-up internally. The triple with CUTE-3 SS is a favorite (I was probably the first to do this) and when the X5 was made for the group buy, the full copper version became an immediate Every Day Carry for me. Didn’t take me long, though, to modify it to a quad.
The only reason I’m not still carrying the Cu X5 Quad is because I made a quad from scratch that I now carry. I like to show off my EDC when out and about, spread the flashaholic virus as it were, and it’s just so much nicer to show one that is completely made and designed by me myself and I as compared to a factory light I modified. 
I have just re-made the bezel on this DBC-02 Quad from Commercially Pure Grade 2 Titanium, for corrosion resistance. So now it is also a batch of sample metals to be shown, Grade 2 Ti, Tellurium Cu, 6061 Al, and brass. 
Gotta love it when a plan comes together!
I had originally built it with XP-G3 S5 2B emitters on the Cutter Quad mcpcb, but last night I swapped Nichia 219C’s in for their tint. When I built it I was out of Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive so I used JB Weld to affix the mcpcb, this proved quite difficult to defeat! But I am stubborn so it now has the Nichia’s with AATA under the mcpcb.
FWIW, the G3’s made more lumens. (big surprise there, was thinking the quad Nichia’s might do more) This is ok though, as it’s still plenty bright and very useful with it’s Bistro firmware and FET+1 driver.
Wow, that’s a true piece piece of art, Dale! Loved the #1 Dale signature quad Nichia! I think you need to think about manufacturing some of premium lights and open orders to the forum community
That’s a nice list of lights! I’m trying to slow down on buying any more. But when I think I got it under control, new lights come out! It’s a vicious cycle….
The addiction or obsession means that there’s no such thing as a perfect light, every light misses some point of interest, somehow, even if you make it from scratch yourself… there’s always an improvement to be made or a new emitter comes out or something. Excuses to buy more, most likely! lol
Still learning on the lathe, everything I do is a one-off and has it’s little quirks. Such is life, I suppose…
Update #1 - First 2 flashlights have arrived: Triple XP-L X6 and Nitecore MH20GT. I did a quick comparison between both of them, but I plan to do a proper comparison when everything arrives.
First impressions is that triple X6 is a bit too heavy and big for my hiking needs, maybe I would choose MH20GT as the light to go for its portability and UI (maybe I'll even like more BLF A6 because its tailswitch, let's see, but the 2-stage from MH20GT is really nice).
Some shots:
I also managed to find a nice holster for the X6:
I had only limited space for testing, but here are some turbo shots:
Above shot of Triple XP-L X6 is with Samsung 30Q. Below is a battery comparison against the Protected 8A high discharge:
Hi, here are some beamshots I finally managed to make.
All betteries were 4.1V when used. Most distant trees are about 100m away:
Comparison between flashlight beams:
Now I compared the Samsung 30Q with the high discharge batteries I have bought:
