**NEW** Nitecore TM26

[Beckler]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

Not sure what you mean by "for the whole battery".

As for the thermal protection, though, this is a known issue. Way earlier in the thread we discussed how it only functions on turbo. I was one of the first to learn the hard way...got to 73C, but no ill effects as far as I could tell. It sounds like your light is performing just as expected.

Ok good to know. Well it's post #1738 and I guess he doesn't mention a temperature but indicates a long run time so I assumed that was a full discharge test. Anyway my test was tail standing; handheld, it seems to stabilize at 60°C or so maybe? Need to try it when fully charged again...

Where exactly on the light were you measuring and what type of equipment was used?

The TM26 has a built-in temperature display.

 

[pjandyho]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

As for the thermal protection, though, this is a known issue. Way earlier in the thread we discussed how it only functions on turbo. I was one of the first to learn the hard way...got to 73C, but no ill effects as far as I could tell. It sounds like your light is performing just as expected.

How did yours get so high on the temperature? Do you own the 3800 lumen or 3500 lumen version? Mine is the first gen 3500 lumen version and once it hit 60C it cut down output and the temperature drops slightly. Never got much higher than 60C and I am residing in the hot tropics. Is there a difference in thermal management between both versions?

 

[bluemax_1]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

How did yours get so high on the temperature? Do you own the 3800 lumen or 3500 lumen version? Mine is the first gen 3500 lumen version and once it hit 60C it cut down output and the temperature drops slightly. Never got much higher than 60C and I am residing in the hot tropics. Is there a difference in thermal management between both versions?

The thermal protection (at least on the older models. No idea if they changed it for newer/current models) only works in Turbo mode. It doesn't trigger in lower output modes.

As owners have found, tailstanding the light on Lvl 4 output will cause the light to get very hot. The thermal protection doesn't trigger on Lvl 4 and the light tailstanding without any airflow or thermal heatsinking from a human hand causes the temperature to get pretty high.

Simply handholding the light does a decent job of heatsinking, as the bloodflow through a live human hand serves to absorb and dissipate heat pretty well.


Max

 

[thedoc007]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

How did yours get so high on the temperature? Do you own the 3800 lumen or 3500 lumen version? Mine is the first gen 3500 lumen version and once it hit 60C it cut down output and the temperature drops slightly. Never got much higher than 60C and I am residing in the hot tropics. Is there a difference in thermal management between both versions?

What bluemax_1 said. I had it tailstanding as a reading light on L4, and then fell asleep. It takes a long time to get that hot, but with no airflow, it WILL get quite hot eventually.

 

[Beckler]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

The thermal protection (at least on the older models. No idea if they changed it for newer/current models) only works in Turbo mode.

Well mine is new (ordered 2 wks ago) and it has the same behavior. If 60 deg. is a problematic temperature, as the manual indicates, then it makes no sense that Level 4 doesn't step down. It's a pretty simple firmware bug to fix; no excuse. This isn't a budget light. A $400 light considering Chinese currency value must be making Nitecore some astronomical profits! Anyway maybe the new 2015 version fixes it. Doubt it though.

 

[pjandyho]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

The thermal protection (at least on the older models. No idea if they changed it for newer/current models) only works in Turbo mode. It doesn't trigger in lower output modes.

As owners have found, tailstanding the light on Lvl 4 output will cause the light to get very hot. The thermal protection doesn't trigger on Lvl 4 and the light tailstanding without any airflow or thermal heatsinking from a human hand causes the temperature to get pretty high.

Simply handholding the light does a decent job of heatsinking, as the bloodflow through a live human hand serves to absorb and dissipate heat pretty well.


Max

What bluemax_1 said. I had it tailstanding as a reading light on L4, and then fell asleep. It takes a long time to get that hot, but with no airflow and tailstanding, it will get quite hot eventually.

I see. Now that you guys mentioned, I realized I hadn't tried it at the lower level from max. This is a design flaw imho. I will be more careful if I do use it on level two.

 

[bluemax_1]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

I see. Now that you guys mentioned, I realized I hadn't tried it at the lower level from max. This is a design flaw imho. I will be more careful if I do use it on level two.

I wouldn't worry about Lvl 2. Last year, I had the light with me in my work pack when the building I was in had a power outage. I set the light on Lvl 2 and taped it to one of the spars on the drop ceiling, using it as area lighting for ~5 hours. It was only slightly warm when I took it down.

At Lvl 2, the design of the light can dissipate the thermal output easily enough (at least when the ambient temperature is in the low 70s f).

I'm not sure about Lvl 3 though. I've never used Lvl 3 for extended periods unattended/not hand-held.


Max

 

[Beckler]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

I see. Now that you guys mentioned, I realized I hadn't tried it at the lower level from max. This is a design flaw imho. I will be more careful if I do use it on level two.

I think you mean level 5

 

[Big Al W]

Hey fellas, anything on the rumour mill about a new TM26 coming out from nitecore? (The TM06 doesn't qualify as a replacement as it seems quite different, perhaps more TM's to come though?)


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[Beckler]

Hey fellas, anything on the rumour mill about a new TM26 coming out from nitecore? (The TM06 doesn't qualify as a replacement as it seems quite different, perhaps more TM's to come though?)


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It's already revealed in the 2015 Nitecore catalog (see website). Appears nothing more than an upgrade to 4000 Lm. Could be other changes such as firmware, who knows.

Note the levels have changed too, like L2 is now 230 instead of 150. I would disagree with this. My choice would be something like 2-20-200-1000-4000. But other people will disagree. This just highlights the fact that it really needs to be programmable and this is a big omission on these huge lumen lights. There's a huge range in brightness to cover and people's needs differ. As much as I'm liking my new TM26, the interface both software and hardware is quite badly designed (but so it is with most lights).

 

[Big Al W]

It's already revealed in the 2015 Nitecore catalog (see website). Appears nothing more than an upgrade to 4000 Lm. Could be other changes such as firmware, who knows.

thank you, I've located the catalogue and had a good browse through it... Now I just have to find a reason to buy a TM26 even though I have the TM06 and TM36 already maybe it's a nice middle ground....

 

[KITROBASKIN]

thank you, I've located the catalogue and had a good browse through it... Now I just have to find a reason to buy a TM26 even though I have the TM06 and TM36 already maybe it's a nice middle ground....

You can use the TM26 battery unit with the TM36 as well as the other way around. Having the 36 in one hand and the 26 in the other hand is good upper body exercise. The combination of throw from the TM36 and the wall of TM26 light would be nice...

The previous generation TM26 will be selling at a better price, most likely.


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[Big Al W]

I like your thinking!

It it would be overkill to have the TM26 and TM06... But...just...can't...stop...wanting..to...buy...

 

[ven]

I like your thinking!

It it would be overkill to have the TM26 and TM06... But...just...can't...stop...wanting..to...buy...

Definitely not,no such thing as overkill

 

[Beckler]

thank you, I've located the catalogue and had a good browse through it... Now I just have to find a reason to buy a TM26 even though I have the TM06 and TM36 already maybe it's a nice middle ground....

The TM06 doesn't have the OLED display you've been needing. Therefore the 26 is radically different. Don't fight this. Besides, on the Nitecore site they call the 26 the "monster of tiny monsters". They're not just going to go and say stupid nonsense on their website that doesn't mean anything. That's not what advertising is about.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

I like your thinking!

It it would be overkill to have the TM26 and TM06... But...just...can't...stop...wanting..to...buy...

The TM06 could be your loaner. The TM26 is the keeper. Post photos with all your NiteCore family when you get one.

 

[thedoc007]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

I'm not sure about Lvl 3 though. I've never used Lvl 3 for extended periods unattended/not hand-held.

Level one, two, and three are OK for any period of time - you will not have any overheating concerns. Maybe in extreme circumstances (Iraq in summer, in the sun, or throwing it into a box of Styrofoam). L4 will overheat eventually unless it is fairly cool (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit as a wild guess), and L5 will trip the thermal protection even in well-below freezing weather.

 

[bluemax_1]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

Level one, two, and three are OK for any period of time - you will not have any overheating concerns. Maybe in extreme circumstances (Iraq in summer, in the sun, or throwing it into a box of Styrofoam). L4 will overheat eventually unless it is fairly cool (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit as a wild guess), and L5 will trip the thermal protection even in well-below freezing weather.

Really? I tried Level 5/Turbo when it was in the mid-low forties Fahrenheit and the light's temperature stabilized around 50-54c.

At 74f ambient, the thermal protection tripped at about 4-5 minutes. When the ambient temp was in the low to mid 40f range, the protection didn't trip after 25 minutes and the light's temperature had stabilized in the 50's for the last 10 minutes.


Max

 

[bluemax_1]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

Level one, two, and three are OK for any period of time - you will not have any overheating concerns. Maybe in extreme circumstances (Iraq in summer, in the sun, or throwing it into a box of Styrofoam). L4 will overheat eventually unless it is fairly cool (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit as a wild guess), and L5 will trip the thermal protection even in well-below freezing weather.

Really? I tried Level 5/Turbo when it was in the mid-low forties Fahrenheit and the light's temperature stabilized around 50-54c.

At 74f ambient, the thermal protection tripped at about 4-5 minutes. When the ambient temp was in the low to mid 40f range, the protection didn't trip after 25 minutes and the light's temperature had stabilized in the 50's for the last 10 minutes.


Max

 

[Big Al W]

Re: Re NEW Nitecore TM26

You guys are not helping me with my new found light peversion... But DAMN you are making a lot of good sense! :naughty: