Eagletac SX25L3 (MT-G2, 3x18650/6xCR123A) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS+

[InspectHerGadget]

Hi MikeyMay,

These are extraordinarily powerful lights and the quality is obvious in every detail. I have the MX25L3 which is the same but with a deeper reflector and bigger head. It is a very floody beam and it amazing what it will light up. I find myself using it most of the time at half power and sometimes less. I probably use it 4-5 hours per week for walking and it is just great. The holster is nice to have too. I carry my ThruNite TN12 and also wear a Lenser H14R.2 when I go out. I sometimes find the headlamp is nice to use for a change and it keeps the hands free. I think these lights are the goldilocks of lights with huge power but still light enough to easily carry on a belt, making it easy to live with. I only got the MX model as they had run out of the SX model. I think I would have been happy with either though. I charge mine every night although at the moment I'm on my second night and I'm going to see just how many nights it will last. I have the Panasonic NCR 18650B 3400mAh in mine which fit fine.

The controls with the rotating head and the light levels is 10/10, for me anyway. The only other comment is on the kit or no kit. I personally like the stainless steel bezel but never use the diffuser or filters and rarely use the rear switch. The included holster and the bezel are really the only two things for me that make the kit worthwhile.

Overall, pleased with this light and thanks to Selfbuilt for his reviews and considerate and helpful responses to questions.

 

[guitarhero]

Hey y'all,
just got my eagtac sx25l3 mt g2 but I discovered a high frequency noise in the second brightest setting.
also, the beampatten seems to be quite"ringy", looks a bit like a maglite up close.
anybody else with similar issues?


thanks in advance
guitarhero

 

[selfbuilt]

just got my eagtac sx25l3 mt g2 but I discovered a high frequency noise in the second brightest setting.
also, the beampatten seems to be quite"ringy", looks a bit like a maglite up close.
anybody else with similar issues?

The high freq hum is likely inductor whine - a relatively common, although hard to anticipate, issue on many lights. It is an occasional occurrence that you can't really predict (i.e., hard to know which lights will be affected). If it is sufficient to be distracting, I would consider returning. The ringy beam sounds far more peculiar - there shouldn't be any issue with MT-G2 lights. Can you post pics of the beam or the emitter/reflector?

 

[Mr. Tone]

Hey y'all,
just got my eagtac sx25l3 mt g2 but I discovered a high frequency noise in the second brightest setting.
also, the beampatten seems to be quite"ringy", looks a bit like a maglite up close.
anybody else with similar issues?


thanks in advance
guitarhero

When you say up close, do you mean like a couple inches away? If so, the beam will not have developed at all yet.

 

[pparmenter]

just checked mine, no hum in any mode (eagtac 2400 mah) also no ringy beam at all even super up close. sure you got the genuine article?

 

[guitarhero]

The high freq hum is likely inductor whine - a relatively common, although hard to anticipate, issue on many lights. It is an occasional occurrence that you can't really predict (i.e., hard to know which lights will be affected). If it is sufficient to be distracting, I would consider returning. The ringy beam sounds far more peculiar - there shouldn't be any issue with MT-G2 lights. Can you post pics of the beam or the emitter/reflector?

The rings appear within roughly 3-5 feet from the wall. May that be caused by the led, which is quite off center?
I will post pics asap, do pictures from an ipad work?
Thanks in advance,
greets from germany,
guitarhero

 

[selfbuilt]

The rings appear within roughly 3-5 feet from the wall. May that be caused by the led, which is quite off center?
I will post pics asap, do pictures from an ipad work?

iPad pics would do, but you need to upload to a photosharing site like photobucket, imageshack, etc. A clear shot of both the emitter and white wall beam pattern would help.

 

[LeukTech]

Hey y'all,
just got my eagtac sx25l3 mt g2 but I discovered a high frequency noise in the second brightest setting.
also, the beampatten seems to be quite"ringy", looks a bit like a maglite up close.
anybody else with similar issues?


thanks in advance
guitarhero

I just recently got the SX25L3 MT-G2 (non-kit) and mine has the same ringy artifacts up close (really noticeable within 3 feet or less on a white-wall, especially on the lower modes). Two rings are noticeable, one right around the hotspot, and the other on the outer perimeter of the spill.

However in practice and using the light it isn't noticeable unless illuminating a close-up surface that is all the same color (like a wall). Once it gets past 4-5 feet the beam looks nice and smooth, and the hotspot is a defined circle with no rings. But the outer ring does still show up past 4-5 feet, but it isn't too bad. I personally think the rings are coming from the area just next to the LED, which is a shiny circle.

Tried to take some pics, but it just doesn't show up right. This is the best I could do. Ring around hotspot is evident in pic, but the outer ring isn't (ignore the other rings, those are just from the camera, and I don't see it in person). Outer ring is just like the inner ring, but on the edge of the spill. Apparent dark ring with brighter light on both sides.

Shot of the emitter straight on (or at least close to straight on, blue is from the AR coating)

Other than that the SX25L3 is amazing. Super bright, beautiful non-rainbow tint (tint is consistent throughout hotspot and spill), and has decent throw with a defined round "moon" hotspot (instead of the hotspot fading/blurring with the spill as with most OP reflectors, it is a pretty well defined circle, more like a smooth reflector light).

It does work with flat-top 3400mAh AW's, but this is likely more luck than anything. As it didn't work for me the first few times inserting the batteries, then it just started working (sometimes the light needs a little tap on the tailcap to get it to work, but once it lights up it is 100% reliable from there on out until you unscrew the tailcap again). However I suggest that you stick with button tops if you can afford to drop another $60 for batteries if you only have flattop 3400's.

Crazy bright light though, and I recently had my Solorforce K3 MT-G2 head modified by Vinh to draw 3A from the batteries (on two Li-ion cells). Its close in brightness, but it is a bit more floody than the SX25L3, so it doesn't appear as bright even though the lumens may be about the same. The SX25L3 has a smaller hotspot than a SC600w (version 1), and is just about exactly the same hotspot size as a Zebralight SC62d (but has a more defined round hotspot).

Also I have noticed from pictures that the non-kit version of the SX25L3 seems to be shorter than the kit version (by what seems like around 1/4"). I took this picture below from a German review of the light from another forum. You can clearly see the non-kit version is shorter, which is quite interesting.

Also I find that finding the switch (on the side, since I have the non-kit version) isn't hard at all. I just feel for the cutouts in the bezel area (which are flattened) right above the switch, and move my finger down a bit for the button. Doing that I can rotate the light and find the switch nearly instantly out of a pocket.

One downside to this light is the slippery anodized finish with very light knurling and a same size body throughout that weighs nearly a pound (15.6oz to be exact, fully loaded with 3400mAh AW's). I don't feel as confident in my grip with the light as I do with lights that have a head that is wider than the body. It just feels like I could drop it at any moment, especially with sweaty, balmy or wet hands. It has that feeling like I would need to use the lanyard attachment to avoid accidental drops.

Great light though, just wish ET would secure the head a little better when loosening for lower modes. As with both my TX25C2 and the SX25L3, if the head is loosened for lower modes, it is noticeably loose if you press down on the bezel or jiggle the head around. Sometimes the mode can even change briefly by moving the head around/pushing it down. They really need to ditch the loosening of the head thing and go for a magnetic type of switch that also has an audible click and markings on the side of the light for which mode it will be in when you turn it on. So far this is the biggest letdown with Eagletac for me, if they got the switching modes thing fixed these lights would be almost unbeatable.

 

[plata0190]

Hi i bought 10 keeppoweer 3400mah 18650 but have a big issue. I bought them because as specifications they cuts off at 2.50V, but with my eagletac SX25L3 in turbo that uses 3 18650 in series, one battery cuts off at only 3.30V !!!
I know when in use they are stressed up and the voltage drops lower than 3.30, but it must to drop from 3.30 to 2.50v and it is about 0.80V!!! this would be that a standard protected battery tath cuts off a 2.80V would cuts the power at 3.60v in this torch.

In this case or specifications are not correct for this PCS, or there is an issue on the battery.

PS: to prevent damages or explosion i charged all 3 18650 at the same voltage

Let me know
thank you