Kaidomain Venture

[KWillets]

One of these came in the mail last night. Anybody else got one yet?

So far it's great. I put in a protected 18650 and it runs like a champ. It's a tight fit, however, and I'll have to dismantle it to push out the cell when it's done.

The main caveats are the shadow ring around the spot (which Kai warns about), and a flicker which cleared up after some exercising of the tail switch.

The low level (350 mA) seems comparable to an Elly (edit: with a Cree in it), with a tighter spot, and the high (700 mA) is quite high. It cycles through the modes.

The shadow ring is quite pronounced, and the spot also has some distortion, but not enough to be a bother. It's possible I overtightened the head while I was pushing in the battery; it's a plastic reflector.

I'll probably use this as a bike helmet light, replacing the Elly. The throw and brightness should give me about twice as much "spot reach".

 

[Bikecop]

I got mine today, along with the supplied 18650 battery and charger.

After charging the battery, I compared it against my nuwai tm-115 modded with an edison opto KLC-8. The lights have a similar amount of light on both low and high modes, but the tighter focus of the cree blows away the edison on throw. The battery isnt a tight fit in my light, although it did flicker a bit until I tightened the tailcap. For 29 bucks, I am really impressed!

 

[abvidledUK]

I got one too.

Very bright, no flicker at all with mine.

I'm selling it after RT tests, I don't use 18650's, but still quite impressive with one RCR123 3.6v and spacer

RT and FS @


http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1857681#post1857681

 

[abvidledUK]

I'll probably use this as a bike helmet light, replacing the Elly. The throw and brightness should give me about twice as much "spot reach".

You're not that cyclist that tried to run me down as I walked across the GG bridge, last year are you ?

(There were so many !!!)



Nice bridge, nice city, nice people. Thoroughly enjoyed the visit.

I've Cree'd Ellys, great improvement, try it, recommended. DX bits.

See
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=153283

 

[2xTrinity]

Will this light work with protected 18650 cells or is it a super tight fit that will only allow unprotected cells to fit? I'm wondering because I ordered 2 protected 18650 batteries from Dealextreme to use along with the DX Cree light, but since the factory didn't deliver the lights to DX as promised, they sent me a 2 CR123 SSC-P4 light (that turned out to be a very good light), and now I have two perfectly good 18650s with no lights to use them in!

 

[abvidledUK]

Will this light work with protected 18650 cells or is it a super tight fit that will only allow unprotected cells to fit? now I have two perfectly good 18650s with no lights to use them in!

No...

Kai "This flashlight has tight flashlight battery barrel, so any protected 18650 battery probably won't fit, but works like a charm for unprotected 18650 cell with zero battery rattling."

 

[KWillets]

The protected cell does make it in, but you have to push it out from the top by removing the head and the emitter.

I tried out my new Craftsman DMM on this, and it gives me 700-710 mA from the battery on high, from a cell that's 3.94V unloaded. The tail switch apparently switches from high to low by introducing 7-9 ohms of resistance; I can't get an exact reading from the contacts.

And no, I don't run down peds on the bridge. On weekends they're on the opposite side, where I can't get to them.:laughing:

I rode back tonight with this light, and it did indeed throw quite a ways down the road. I'd like to spread it out more for some situations, but I had no trouble looking 30-40 yards ahead.

 

[KWillets]

Also, no flicker at all now, even while bouncing along on my helmet.

 

[2xTrinity]

I tried out my new Craftsman DMM on this, and it gives me 700-710 mA from the battery on high, from a cell that's 3.94V unloaded. The tail switch apparently switches from high to low by introducing 7-9 ohms of resistance; I can't get an exact reading from the contacts.

I's probably 7 -- I have a Vinet and a MTE SSC-P4 and they both use 7 ohm resistors to limit the current through the tailcap.

I can't believe I missed the part in there about the protected cells not fitting. I think I may keep on looking around, it's not like I urgently need another light.