600 Lumen Tigerlight LED upgrade

[Joe Talmadge]

Did a search but didn't see any discussion on it ... anyone get to handle this yet? http://www.tigerlight.net/CPF.html I'm thinking about it, but it's occurred to me that my TL is my best thrower by far, and seems to be the only light I own that penetrates fog well. Trying to decide if I want to give that up to get a lumens monster, and wondering about the beam characteristics.

[richstag]

I will let you know what I think as soon as mine come in the mail this week.

[Dukester]

I will let you know what I think as soon as mine come in the mail this week.

[Josey]

I thought this light would draw more interest. From what I can tell, this light is not regulated. The claim is that it gets "more than 2 hours of run time," but the asterisk says the claim is based on "reasonably useable light remaining at 2 hours." Who knows what that means. I suppose the "more than 2 hours run time" must include less than reasonalby useable light.

[FlashGary]

It looks like the Terralux upgrade for the 4 to 6 D Maglight.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/tle-300.html
If it is, it makes an incredible flashlight. Throw and flood.
I would buy it from Battery Junction though.
Gary

[Dukester]

It looks like the Terralux upgrade for the 4 to 6 D Maglight.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/tle-300.html
If it is, it makes an incredible flashlight. Throw and flood.
I would buy it from Battery Junction though.
Gary

Boy I'd like to see a beam shot of that

[Kremer]

There's new info posted at the original link and a time lapse runtime video.

You will see it maintain very high level intensity for over 95 minutes and maintain a very usable light at two hours or more.

So it stays in regulation for 95 minutes or so.

You may not want to sit through the entire video as the first couple hours on the timer are really key, especially the first 90 minutes, after which we would recommend putting the light back on the charger, except in emergency situations.

No kidding, that pack they tested with is probably toast, running it down to 3 volts or less, but good to know the module still makes light if you need it that bad and doesn't just blink off.

[richstag]

[js]

It looks like the Terralux upgrade for the 4 to 6 D Maglight.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/tle-300.html
If it is, it makes an incredible flashlight. Throw and flood.
I would buy it from Battery Junction though.
Gary

Gary,

Michael Teig saw this posting and sent an email to Terralux asking them about the stock TLE-300 and they responded back with the following:

the heat sink is different and would likely self regulate to a lower output level, but not overheat itself.

So, if you have a TL, you definitely want to get the module with the heatsink designed for the TL, and not one designed for a maglite.

Also, as posted above, the module is fully regulated. The statement after the asterix is maybe misleading that way. Obviously, the fully regulated non-dimming runtime is something under 2 hours, but the "reasonably useable" runtime extends to 2 hours. I don't know how much fully regulated runtime there is, as I myself have not played with one of these modules yet.

[richstag]

Gary,

Michael Teig saw this posting and sent an email to Terralux asking them about the stock TLE-300 and they responded back with the following:



So, if you have a TL, you definitely want to get the module with the heatsink designed for the TL, and not one designed for a maglite.

Also, as posted above, the module is regulated. The statement is misleading, though, and I told Michael that he should ammend it to note the fact that the module is fully regulated, and that the statement only means that it will continue to put out useable light even after it falls out of regulation, but apparently he hasn't gotten around to changing it.

I myself have not played with one of these modules yet, nor am I likely to do so unless TL decides to send one my way for free for me to examine/review.

I was sad to realize that I will not be getting mine as soon as I hoped. I can't wait.

600 lumens of rechargeable runtime bulb life goodness

[waddup]

someone help me understand something please,

this requires 12v

http://www.batteryjunction.com/tle-300.html

but they sell a 6v pack for it?

how many rcr123 would power it adequately?

and in what size D maglite?

[VegasF6]

Where did you get the idea it requires 12 volts? It is for 4-6 cells, approx 6-9 volts. It does mention 12 watts, perhaps that is what you read.

*edit*
Oh, it does say 12 volt, as well as 12 watt. Well, ignore that it can't possibly be correct.

As far as how many rcr123, don't. 2 - 3.6 lion's would have the proper voltage, but current draw is way too high for rcr123. It would even be pushing it for 2x18650 at 12 watts power. C or D lion or 5 or 6 nimh cells would be best.

[PeteBroccolo]

I am running a TLE-300M in a Mag 2 D with 2 x 18650 cells. It has been sitting in my carrying case for a few weeks now, and only turned on briefly lately for testing against other lights. I found that when I did have it with me for duty carry, it lasted not quite 2 shifts of 18:00 - 04:00 of intermittent vehicle checks. It is STUNNINGLY bright, and deceptive, given its familar, yet short, look.

Given my experience above, I would recommend this up-grade to anyone's TL.

[js]

Just wanted to mention that I edited my post above to reflect the fact that TL did indeed add a sentence indicating that the module is fully regulated and temperature protected. The bit about "reasonably useable light" out to 2 hours just means that after the module falls out of regulation (something under 2 hours, obviously) it continues to provide useable light until the 2 hour mark.

[richstag]

I forgot to mention life saving.

[FlashGary]

TS, I actually have the Maglight and bought the upgrade for it. It works just fine.
Thanks
Gary

[Kestrel]

The claim is that it gets "more than 2 hours of run time," but the asterisk says the claim is based on "reasonably useable light remaining at 2 hours." Who knows what that means. I suppose the "more than 2 hours run time" must include less than reasonalby useable light.

Yeah, they are using the new SureFire standard of measuring runtime.

[richstag]

Yeah, they are using the new SureFire standard of measuring runtime.

I have always been happy with my TL flashlights.

I don't think they will disappoint.

[picard]

is it legal for Canadian to buy this tiger light (pepper spray) ?

[richstag]

is it legal for Canadian to buy this tiger light (pepper spray) ?

Not sure how up to date this is:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_spray

[PeteBroccolo]

is it legal for Canadian to buy this tiger light (pepper spray) ?

No - not to buy, carry, import or use.

[MattK]

Where did you get the idea it requires 12 volts? It is for 4-6 cells, approx 6-9 volts. It does mention 12 watts, perhaps that is what you read.

*edit*
Oh, it does say 12 volt, as well as 12 watt. Well, ignore that it can't possibly be correct.

As far as how many rcr123, don't. 2 - 3.6 lion's would have the proper voltage, but current draw is way too high for rcr123. It would even be pushing it for 2x18650 at 12 watts power. C or D lion or 5 or 6 nimh cells would be best.

Our description is correct not sure what the confusion is: '...that it really needs 6V (Operating Voltage: Up to 12 VDC)
Power Consumption: Approximately 12 Watts '

The Maglite versions that we sell can operate on a voltage range from 6-12V and power consumption, according to TerraLUX, is 12W with each emitter driven at ~1A. The 6-12V operating range was also specified by TerraLUX; we've found it can take even higher voltage levels but it's just heats up faster and ends up throttling back earlier.

The Tigerlight version is clearly basically the same item with a differently shaped heatsink. I cannot speak to using the Mag version in a Tigerlight.

[Kremer]

I have a TLE-300MR on the way to use in my TL, I'll report when it arrives.

[Kremer]

Well, the TLE-300MR module is here, it slaps right in the TL, save for the nubbin on the front of the module 'bezel', I will deal with that later. I folded up some heavy duty aluminum foil into a dense strip and wrapped it around the heatsink tightly to make up the difference in diameter to the TL head, which is only a couple mm, it's a slightly firm fit into the head now.

Bright = yes.
Can I live with the wierd multifaceted full of artifacts and purple corona 'beam' = donno yet.

The TL head properly gets perceptibly warm after a minute or so of operation, then quite toasty after 5-10 minutes. I noticed no thermal dimming to 30+ minutes.

I let it run down, monitoring the whole way. When it slowly fell out of regulation I put my DMM on the TL. 3.5V! (#$%#%^$*%^Y&!!!) This was about 90 minutes or so from the start.

I put the light on the charger overnight, checked it this morning 8.4V resting hot off the charger, cool... I turn the light on, 6.99V.

(#$%#%^$*%^Y&!!!)

SHORTED CELL!

Grrrr... if the official TL upgrade model has the same regulation threshold as the TLE-300MR there are going to be a LOT of people complaining, because it seems that this thing will suck your battery dry and reverse cells before you even notice it.

[Josey]

Dang, Kremer. TL needs to make this right with you.

And TL needs to get one of these suckers to JS for some professional evaluation.

[Kremer]

Dang, Kremer. TL needs to make this right with you.

No they don't, this isn't from them, this is the actual TLE-300MR from Terralux themselves for the magcharger. I'm just seeing what it'll do in the light. Tigerlight the company has nothing to do with this. I just hope more than the heatsink is changed in the official tigerlight version.

And TL needs to get one of these suckers to JS for some professional evaluation.

The actual Tigerlight version, YES.
And if he would be interested I'll lend him this TLE-300MR for comparison.

I wonder if I could put a 2 cell Li-ion protection PCB on the NiMh pack, most I've seen cut off at 5.0V.

[Kremer]

I've been messing with this TLE-300 for the last couple days. Maybe it's just that I'm getting a higher tolerance, like a crack addict, but my L2Dq5 seems dim now. I actually pulled the eneloops out of the L2D and charged them to make sure. In comparison to the tri, my stock-bulbed tiger looks sick, but the DMM shows full voltage under load, it does throw farther than the tri, with it's intense center spot.

1 LED on the TLE-300 (masking off the other two) is fairly close to the L2D on turbo, it's just so UGLY...

All three LEDS to my eye is easily 2x+ brighter than the L2D.

I'll try to take some comparison pics tonight.

[Kremer]

Here's a pic:

left to right: Tigerlight with Terralux TLE-300MR, Fenix L2D Q5 on turbo, Tigerlight with gen3/4 standard lamp.


click on the pic to get to the full size in the gallery.

look at that terralux, BRIGHT, but UGLY, the wall has sort of a pebble finish, which is why the shrunk image looks grainy. I should have throttled up the shutter and taken a couple more to capture a little more in those hotspots.

Out in the yard the Terralux isn't nearly as bad as it looks on the wall, but you can sill see the purple fringe.

EDIT: Anyone else with a a TLE-300, does this look normal? I think output like that _should_ be defective.

[OceanView]

Thanks for the beamshot, Kremer. I think it gives people a good idea of what to expect.

[MattK]

The TLE-300 beamshot above is basically normal. It is a result of the multiple collimators. At 5-600 lumens it's not made for indoors/white wall hunting but for outdoors use where the beam profile is far less apparent.