Kai's new approach to new lights

[martytoo]

"funny" as in "fishy" - sorry for being cryptic, some people thought that I didn't know what I was talking about when I expressed my discomfort with certain businesses going off line and resurfacing as something else, etc.

Anyway, what do I know... I'll go hide under my rock now.

Naw I'm sure you're not stupid. I'm glad he seems to be filling the orders. I never got the idea he would run with the money, but I can understand why people were nervous.

Believe me that many of us were entertained by reading the posts of all the nervous nellies. I don't think we were malicious in our interest, but it was something that was mildly amusing.

I found it ironic that when CPF went down for its overhaul, Kai was finally able to catch up with many of the orders. Maybe he had a few less emails flying into his domain for a week... I'm kidding!

(With over 11,000 posts I hope you aren't hiding anywhere!)

 

[DrifT3R]

i dunno, looks pretty nice to me,

I'll probably get one as i've never had a problem with dx/kai/fifthunit.

 

[kanarie]

I think it is the same design as the one from DX BUT with the 350mA, 700mA, 1050mA circuit boards he is also selling separate in it. Smart move!
I have a few of those 700mA boards and they perform nicely..

 

[mpk]

I don't know they use PWM for multi steps or not.

Kai's page says it does not use PWM so it is flicker free.

I think it is the same design as the one from DX BUT with the 350mA, 700mA, 1050mA circuit boards he is also selling separate in it. Smart move!
I have a few of those 700mA boards and they perform nicely..

I don't see the 350/700/1050 boards being sold separately on Kai's site. Where did you see that, I'd like to buy some of those boards.

 

[FrogsInWinter]

I'll not be buying any more lights from Kai. Bad experience.

+1. :thumbsdow for Kaidomain from me.

 

[knot]

That would be cool if I could plug any old 12V battery charger into it and charge it.

 

[Grubbster]

Kai's page says it does not use PWM so it is flicker free.

Heard that before!

 

[gorn]

I'll not be buying any more lights from Kai. Bad experience.

I agree. My first and last dealings with Kai were not even close to good. I should have just thrown the money in the gutter. Horrible customer service. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

 

[JimmyME]

Just got my latest light from Kai after a month wait.

It's the Venture show here: https://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=1254

I am impressed with the output, the fact that it has high and low and it's runtime (3 hr. high, 10 hr. low). I did notice that the edge of the LED seems to have some heat damage from a wayward soldering iron, but it doesn't appear to affect the beam or output.

I compared the throw last night to my SL PP 4AA and the Venture easily bests it in throw and spill and it's quite a bit smaller too. It's nice to finally see some single 18650 lights showing up with regulation. I hope more single 18650 lights are produced with regulation.

Very nice light!

Having said all this, I'm still laying off kaidomain for awhile due to slow turn around and poor communication with customers.

 

[bombelman]

Looks like an E1 head on a VG body with SF switch ?

IT's ALIVE !!!

 

[f22shift]

uh oh. ordered a cree emittor. can i expect it in 2.5 weeks? :sigh:
already pulled out the stock led. camping trip coming up..

 

[Randy Shackleford]

DX has this fenix clone 4-mode light with very similar board in it:

MTE C2 4-Mode SSC 42180 Flashlight (1x 14500)

Discussion here: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/165910

,

 

[RV7]

From the output levels, the stated "non PWM", and that the modes are only available for 14500, I think I can make a good guess: these lights have three 7135 linear regulation IC's in them. By activating 1, 2 or all 3 you get 350mA, 700mA, 1050mA respectively. That's kind of simple and smart, but the drawback is obvious:
1. Low is not really low and there's no big difference between med and high
2. In low mode the efficiency is poor
3. In high mode it can't stay regulated for long as the battery voltage drops