A few days ago I was all set to order the high powered light I wanted, the Convoy L4. Now that I have started looking and nosing around, I now have a couple others to study about and decide on too…
One of those is the YEZL Y3.
It looks like a pretty nice light and it can take the 26650 cell or the 18650. The price I have on it is $27 and change. There’s a couple things I am not sure about though, and would like your opinion.
It says that there is an extension available for this light and can be had for a bit over $5. I guess it would give me the ability to use another cell other than the standard single cell. Is that correct? It is listed at 1100 lumens, but I don’t know whether that is for 1 cell or using an extension and adding another cell. I also don’t know whether that is using the 18650 or 26650 cell(s).
Is this a pretty good quality light for the money? Does it perform as it’s specs say it does? How do you use your YEZL Y3, with the extension or without?
I’d like to get your opinions on this stuff with this light. It is one of the 3 that I am really looking seriously at getting and one of the others is the XinTD X3. That one, however, is listed at 960 lumens, but doesn’t have an extension option for it.
I got it and I’ve used it as a host for an MT-G2 keeping the stock driver and using a 2*26650 setup. I like the UI and the fact that the stock driver was able to power an MT-G2, which is starting to become my favourite LED. Having said that though, if you were going to keep it in stock just be warned though that if you are sensitive to PWM, it’s visible at low and medium modes.
If you want a thrower and don’t mind a bulky head setup, you can’t go wrong with a Convoy L2/Dipper D19. It is bigger than a Yezl Y3 and the stock driver does not have visible PWM and drives the LED ok at around 2.5A (my guesstimate). It can also be run with either a 1*26650 or 2*26650 setup. If you prefer a side clicky, unfortunately the D19 isn’t it and it’s more of a traditional tail-cap clicky. There is a groupbuy feeler here . If you can’t wait for it to go ahead (it needs 150 units), you can PM Banggood about setting you up with a coupon to get it down to $36.99 which is how much I got mine.
Yezl Y3 will throw light further when compared to the XinTD X3 or Convoy L4. It is a good light. The quality of the machining is not very good. You can expect 1000 lumens using 18650, 26650, or multiple 18650 or 26650. The highest output will actually be from a single 18650 or 26650.
I don't so much care for the YEZL Y3 anymore. Not a bad light at all, but it just isn't driven very hard. It is functional and an improvement over a C8, but I find myself reaching for my longer range, better driven toys quite a bit more often.
Not sure about stock but with the resistor mod 2/3 cells really are needed. Two cells are good and have low voltage protection. Three cells give greater capacity but lose voltage protection unless protected cells are used. Don’t know if the sale is still on but here is the link for $24.99 Y3 and $2.99 extensions.
Second this, but I’d add that almost definitely any Y3 using the stock driver (modded or not modded) will be brighter with 2 or 3 cells than with one cell as the stock driver is a buck driver. It is designed to be used with more than one cell. With two cells and an R100 added the Y3 is pretty dang awesome. With an MT-G2 and resistor mods it is amazing. My Y3 with an MT-G2 resistor-modded to 6+ amps is probably my favorite light right now. And my other Y3 with the stock LED dedomed plus an added R100 will throw a lot of light a long, long way.
If you’re planning to leave it stock, it will pull roughly 2.5A on high. It won’t pull 2.5A for very long at all from one cell as the buck driver requires the input voltage to be higher than the output voltage, and the input voltage of batteries sags under load… and more load = more voltage sag. With stock springs and connections and everything, I imagine some Y3s will struggle to get over 2A on one cell - especially cheaper cells. They really need two cells to perform.