Part 1 -
I have to hand a Cree XE-E mod in a Fenix L1/2T head with McR-18 reflector to review (Very Important note - this is NOT available for purchase, I know how much work and modification is involved to get a Cree XR-E to fit in a L1/2T head with proper heat sinking, some pretty clever stuff going on.....).
I am very, very grateful to 4sevens (http://Fenix-store.com) for his generosity for the loan of this, along with a UWAJ LuxIII mod L1/2T head also with McR-18 reflector, CR123 bodies and spare L1T and L2T bodies.
So 3 different L1/2T heads with 3 different bodies - a combination of 9 flashlights - since the L1/2T heads are capable of 2 levels - that's 18 combinations - and that's not even counting use of different battery types....
enough with the excuses!
Simply because of the verastility of the L1T/L2T head - this Cree XR-E mod can be seen as possibly a "preview" of the Fenix P1D-CE (when using CR123A and RCR123), Fenix L1D-CE (when using 1x AA alkaline and NiMH), and possibly the future "L2D-CE"(?) (when using 2x AA alkaline and NiMH).
Please see the Index at the bottom of this post for the continuing parts of this comparison review.
In this part of the review I am going to look at what I consider driving the Cree XR-E to its potential - ie: using a 3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeable RCR123 battery - so that means the L1/2T heads are on CR123 bodies.
Size -
Heads -
notice the orange-peel/reticulated reflectors in the Cree XR-E and UWAJ mods - also that the central hole had to be enlarged to accomodate the Cree.
Quick word about the CR123 bodies for the Fenix "T"-series - the current ones would fit all the primary CR123A I tried, although some seemed snug. With 3.7V Li-Ion rechargeable RCR123 - I found I had some Unprotected that were too fat to fit, and suspected that Protect RCR123 would probably be too fat to fit.
This seems to have been addressed by a new Mk 2 sample/prototype 4sevens loaned me - it is just preceptibly thinnner walled (even more precision) and will take a (fatter) Battery Station Protected RCR123 - which defintitely will not fit the earlier version.
(EDIT: Important note - I have been told this "Mk.2" body is NOT available for purchase - and only 1 or 2 were made)
OK, ok - what's the Cree XR-E like?
Well hopefully you remember what I thought of the L1T on a 3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeble?
Fenix L1T on 3.7V Li-Ion - Whoa!
I thought it was spectacularly bright......
Well this is the L1T on a Cree XR-E
vs. Stock L1/2T both on 3.7V Li-Ion on High
holy cr*p! that is bright compared to what I used to consider "spectacular"!
How about a great LuxIII like a U-bin?
vs. UWAJ (also McR-18 reflector) both on 3.7V Li-Ion on High
er - the Cree is definitely brighter.
But is the U-bin brighter than the stock T-bin?
you betcha! both on 3.7V Li-Ion on High -
So all this is pretty seriously bright company -
How about Cree on Li-Ion vs. stock lights on alkalines?
vs. Fenix L1T on High, alkaline -
this Fenix L1T is my at home EDC using a NiMH battery - it is STOMPED by the Cree on Li-Ion.... actually I would have been disappointed if it wasn't.
vs. Fenix L2T on High, alkalines -
yes, on 2AA alkalines the stock T-bin does fair a bit better - but bascially it is still spanked by the Cree on Li-Ion......
I know I am going to have to do more comparisons with different batteries and different bodies -
but I think this is enough for now -
Hopefully I have managed to show some of the potential of the Cree XR-E -
and that the L1/2T makes a great host for it.......
EDIT to ADD -
I thought I should use a "control"/reference flashlight for comparison of all these combinations. I've chosen the popular Fenix P1 using a regular primary CR123A (NON-rechargeable) -
hopefully this gives a consistent output so I can compare this with the variations of battery combination of this Cree XR-E mod L1/2T -
Control Reference comparison -
vs. Fenix P1 on Primary CR123A
The Cree XR-E on 3.7V Li-Ion is obviously brighter than the Fenix P1 on non-rechargeable Primary CR123A - this is not meant to be a direct comparison with the Fenix P1 but a "Control" comparison.
EDIT to ADD -
Current draw readings from Cree XR-E mod L1/2T head-
......... 750mAh ... 800mAh ... Batt Sta
......... Unprot ..... Unprot .... Protected
High ... 0.59A ...... 0.58A ..... 0.58A
Low ... 0.40A ...... 0.40A ..... 0.42A
these are similar but perhaps a shade lower than the current readings from the stock Fenix L1T on 3.7V Li-Ion Unprotected 14500 rechargeable.
Current draw readings from Stock Fenix L1T head using same RCR123 batteries -
......... 750mAh ... 800mAh ... Batt Sta
......... Unprot ..... Unprot .... Protected
High ... 0.48A ...... 0.50A ..... 0.50A
Low ... 0.46A ...... 0.40A ..... 0.42A
Ah! I think I got it..... the higher current draw readings from the Cree here are because the LEDs in both cases on High are basically in direct-drive -
I think the Cree may have a lower Vf - so when presented with the same source, the voltage difference is bigger - hence the more power (therefore current) it can draw.
Whereas on the Low mode the circuit may contribute to the current limiting....
however I am at a loss to explain that high reading on the Low setting for the stock L1T using the 750mAh Unprotected RCR123......
INDEX to continuing parts of this comparison review -
Part 2 - using 1x NiMH AA battery (L1D-CE preview?) - Post #15
Part 3 - using the common 1x Alkaline AA (L1D-CE preview?) - Post #23
Part 4 - using Primary CR123A (3.0V Non-rechargeable) lithium - post #42
Part 5 - using 2x AA alkaline ("L2D-CE" preview?) - post #54
Part 6 - using 2x AA NiMH ("L2D-CE" preview?) - post #55
Outdoors beamshots and direct comparison with P1D-CE - post #50
Indoors beamshots compared with P1D-CE - post #51
I have to hand a Cree XE-E mod in a Fenix L1/2T head with McR-18 reflector to review (Very Important note - this is NOT available for purchase, I know how much work and modification is involved to get a Cree XR-E to fit in a L1/2T head with proper heat sinking, some pretty clever stuff going on.....).
I am very, very grateful to 4sevens (http://Fenix-store.com) for his generosity for the loan of this, along with a UWAJ LuxIII mod L1/2T head also with McR-18 reflector, CR123 bodies and spare L1T and L2T bodies.
So 3 different L1/2T heads with 3 different bodies - a combination of 9 flashlights - since the L1/2T heads are capable of 2 levels - that's 18 combinations - and that's not even counting use of different battery types....
enough with the excuses!
Simply because of the verastility of the L1T/L2T head - this Cree XR-E mod can be seen as possibly a "preview" of the Fenix P1D-CE (when using CR123A and RCR123), Fenix L1D-CE (when using 1x AA alkaline and NiMH), and possibly the future "L2D-CE"(?) (when using 2x AA alkaline and NiMH).
Please see the Index at the bottom of this post for the continuing parts of this comparison review.
In this part of the review I am going to look at what I consider driving the Cree XR-E to its potential - ie: using a 3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeable RCR123 battery - so that means the L1/2T heads are on CR123 bodies.
Size -
Heads -
notice the orange-peel/reticulated reflectors in the Cree XR-E and UWAJ mods - also that the central hole had to be enlarged to accomodate the Cree.
Quick word about the CR123 bodies for the Fenix "T"-series - the current ones would fit all the primary CR123A I tried, although some seemed snug. With 3.7V Li-Ion rechargeable RCR123 - I found I had some Unprotected that were too fat to fit, and suspected that Protect RCR123 would probably be too fat to fit.
This seems to have been addressed by a new Mk 2 sample/prototype 4sevens loaned me - it is just preceptibly thinnner walled (even more precision) and will take a (fatter) Battery Station Protected RCR123 - which defintitely will not fit the earlier version.
(EDIT: Important note - I have been told this "Mk.2" body is NOT available for purchase - and only 1 or 2 were made)
OK, ok - what's the Cree XR-E like?
Well hopefully you remember what I thought of the L1T on a 3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeble?
Fenix L1T on 3.7V Li-Ion - Whoa!
I thought it was spectacularly bright......
Well this is the L1T on a Cree XR-E
vs. Stock L1/2T both on 3.7V Li-Ion on High
holy cr*p! that is bright compared to what I used to consider "spectacular"!
How about a great LuxIII like a U-bin?
vs. UWAJ (also McR-18 reflector) both on 3.7V Li-Ion on High
er - the Cree is definitely brighter.
But is the U-bin brighter than the stock T-bin?
you betcha! both on 3.7V Li-Ion on High -
So all this is pretty seriously bright company -
How about Cree on Li-Ion vs. stock lights on alkalines?
vs. Fenix L1T on High, alkaline -
this Fenix L1T is my at home EDC using a NiMH battery - it is STOMPED by the Cree on Li-Ion.... actually I would have been disappointed if it wasn't.
vs. Fenix L2T on High, alkalines -
yes, on 2AA alkalines the stock T-bin does fair a bit better - but bascially it is still spanked by the Cree on Li-Ion......
I know I am going to have to do more comparisons with different batteries and different bodies -
but I think this is enough for now -
Hopefully I have managed to show some of the potential of the Cree XR-E -
and that the L1/2T makes a great host for it.......
EDIT to ADD -
I thought I should use a "control"/reference flashlight for comparison of all these combinations. I've chosen the popular Fenix P1 using a regular primary CR123A (NON-rechargeable) -
hopefully this gives a consistent output so I can compare this with the variations of battery combination of this Cree XR-E mod L1/2T -
Control Reference comparison -
vs. Fenix P1 on Primary CR123A
The Cree XR-E on 3.7V Li-Ion is obviously brighter than the Fenix P1 on non-rechargeable Primary CR123A - this is not meant to be a direct comparison with the Fenix P1 but a "Control" comparison.
EDIT to ADD -
Current draw readings from Cree XR-E mod L1/2T head-
......... 750mAh ... 800mAh ... Batt Sta
......... Unprot ..... Unprot .... Protected
High ... 0.59A ...... 0.58A ..... 0.58A
Low ... 0.40A ...... 0.40A ..... 0.42A
these are similar but perhaps a shade lower than the current readings from the stock Fenix L1T on 3.7V Li-Ion Unprotected 14500 rechargeable.
Current draw readings from Stock Fenix L1T head using same RCR123 batteries -
......... 750mAh ... 800mAh ... Batt Sta
......... Unprot ..... Unprot .... Protected
High ... 0.48A ...... 0.50A ..... 0.50A
Low ... 0.46A ...... 0.40A ..... 0.42A
Ah! I think I got it..... the higher current draw readings from the Cree here are because the LEDs in both cases on High are basically in direct-drive -
I think the Cree may have a lower Vf - so when presented with the same source, the voltage difference is bigger - hence the more power (therefore current) it can draw.
Whereas on the Low mode the circuit may contribute to the current limiting....
however I am at a loss to explain that high reading on the Low setting for the stock L1T using the 750mAh Unprotected RCR123......
INDEX to continuing parts of this comparison review -
Part 2 - using 1x NiMH AA battery (L1D-CE preview?) - Post #15
Part 3 - using the common 1x Alkaline AA (L1D-CE preview?) - Post #23
Part 4 - using Primary CR123A (3.0V Non-rechargeable) lithium - post #42
Part 5 - using 2x AA alkaline ("L2D-CE" preview?) - post #54
Part 6 - using 2x AA NiMH ("L2D-CE" preview?) - post #55
Outdoors beamshots and direct comparison with P1D-CE - post #50
Indoors beamshots compared with P1D-CE - post #51
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