L2 18650, MC-E dropin??

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E

elwood

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Nov 9, 2008
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116
I think i'm ready for a P60 light. I'm missing an MC-E light in my small collection.

One question, when you buy a drop-in, is the driver connected to the drop-in or you have to buy a driver seperately?

Second, is there any MC-E dropin's that work in the Solarforce L2 with a single 18650 without melting the anodizing off? :laughing:

I really don't want to spend $125 on a Malkoff MC-E. Where else can i get a decent MC-E dropin from a US dealer.


I can get a good MC-E light for $130. I don't really want to spend more on this L2 than it would cost to buy a new, complete, MC-E light.
 
I've also got a L2 on the way, but I also got the extender tube and want to be able to run 1 or 2 18650 or 2-4 A123/RCR123. I'm having trouble finding a P60 that can do that. I'd say 3.7v-14.8v with drop out of regulation to DD if possible. Nailbender couldn't help me, for now.

MC-E or P7.

Thanks.
 
Not all MC-E drop-ins are created equall..

The DX MC-E P60 drop-in runs on a single cell with 3 modes. The low mode made 150 out the front thanks to MrGmans test. The high mode made 350 out the front. The host was a Surefire 6P bored running a single IMR 18650 and UCL lens. The current at the tail on high was 2.8A or so and I think it is direct drive with no driver which is why it is only $25 dollars. That means the 350 out the front lumens will drop and drop and drop according to the cell capacity and heat.


You can ignore the turn-on lumens since the naked eye will never capture that. The IS Sphere will and did, but look at the 3sec and warm numbers which are one in the same.
Here is MrGmans test on the DX drop-in:
DX_MC-E High_____________337__turn-on,__________1_IMR 16340__________SF E1B Host, custom mod, doesnt hold value
DX_MC-E Low,_____________137__turn-on,__________1_IMR 16340__________SF E1B Host, custom mod,
DX_MC-E High_____________385__turn-on,__________1_18650 LI____________Solarforce L2 Host AR coated glass,
DX_MC-E High_____________345__warm____________1_18650 LI____________Solarforce L2 Host AR coated glass,
DX-MC-E Low______________150__warm____________1_18650 LI____________Solarforce L2 Host AT coated glass,


Now the Malkoff unit is fully regulated and you can use 2 or 3 li-on cells: See results below.. Note: with 2 AW 26000mAh cells you will get 1.7A at the tail and over 1.5hrs runtime vs. 30~40 minutes with the DX. Plus 345 vs. 495 is a huge difference. 150 or so more lumens and customer service that is 2nd to none.

The hosts was a Solarforce L2 with 18650 extention and AW 18650 cells.
Malkoff MC-E__________,__Solar, AR Glass,___________________495.3__,___3 sec_______, This is not the turn-on lumens. This is the warm numbers listed above.
Malkoff MC-E__________,__Solar, AR Glass,___________________465.4__,__30 sec_______,
Malkoff MC-E__________,__Solar, AR Glass,___________________457.9__,__60 sec_______,
 
Last edited:
bigchelis said:
Not all MC-E drop-ins are created equall..

The DX MC-E P60 drop-in runs on a single cell with 3 modes. The low mode made 150 out the front thanks to MrGmans test. The high mode made 350 out the front. The host was a Surefire 6P bored running a single IMR 18650 and UCL lens. The current at the tail on high was 2.8A or so and I think it is direct drive with no driver which is why it is only $25 dollars. That means the 350 out the front lumens will drop and drop and drop according to the cell capacity and heat.


You can ignore the turn-on lumens since the naked eye will never capture that. The IS Sphere will and did, but look at the 3sec and warm numbers which are one in the same.
Here is MrGmans test on the DX drop-in:
DX_MC-E High_____________337__turn-on,__________1_IMR 16340__________SF E1B Host, custom mod, doesnt hold value
DX_MC-E Low,_____________137__turn-on,__________1_IMR 16340__________SF E1B Host, custom mod,
DX_MC-E High_____________385__turn-on,__________1_18650 LI____________Solarforce L2 Host AR coated glass,
DX_MC-E High_____________345__warm____________1_18650 LI____________Solarforce L2 Host AR coated glass,
DX-MC-E Low______________150__warm____________1_18650 LI____________Solarforce L2 Host AT coated glass,


Now the Malkoff unit is fully regulated and you can use 2 or 3 li-on cells: See results below.. Note: with 2 AW 26000mAh cells you will get 1.7A at the tail and over 1.5hrs runtime vs. 30~40 minutes with the DX. Plus 345 vs. 495 is a huge difference. 150 or so more lumens and customer service that is 2nd to none.

The hosts was a Solarforce L2 with 18650 extention and AW 18650 cells.
Malkoff MC-E__________,__Solar, AR Glass,___________________495.3__,___3 sec_______, This is not the turn-on lumens. This is the warm numbers listed above.
Malkoff MC-E__________,__Solar, AR Glass,___________________465.4__,__30 sec_______,
Malkoff MC-E__________,__Solar, AR Glass,___________________457.9__,__60 sec_______,
Click to expand...

Well, the DX drop-in is only running a single 18650. I assume the Malkoff is DD with a single 18650 also?

So i suppose, for me, it's useless for me to get an L2 with an MC-E drop-in since i was wanting to run a single 18650?
 
elwood said:
Well, the DX drop-in is only running a single 18650. I assume the Malkoff is DD with a single 18650 also?

So i suppose, for me, it's useless for me to get an L2 with an MC-E drop-in since i was wanting to run a single 18650?
Click to expand...

No, the DX is designed for one cell but you will need the higher amperage of a imr cell to get the full output (to my understanding)

Also the DX has a board on it, many people swap it out beecause it is the limiting factor in the dx dropins performance read below:
http://www.lesliewong.us/blog/2009/07/04/cree-mc-e-p60-drop-in-mod/
 
I'm thinking i might just save my money for 4Seven's MC-E light....Maybe.... :p
 
bigchelis said:
Now the Malkoff unit is fully regulated and you can use 2 or 3 li-on cells: See results below.. Note: with 2 AW 26000mAh cells you will get 1.7A at the tail and over 1.5hrs runtime vs. 30~40 minutes with the DX. Plus 345 vs. 495 is a huge difference. 150 or so more lumens and customer service that is 2nd to none.
Click to expand...

Yes but 2 cells vs 1 cell is apples & oranges!

The nice thing about 2 cell malkoff option is that you can still use protected cells and get good output from the mc-e...those imr cells (any unprotected cell for that matter!) make me nervous!
 
Depending on a few things , the IMR may give another 10% ... 20% depending on what cell its being compared to .

DX drop in with a decent battery ..

The new candy apple colored Ultrafire Protected 2600 cells are OK ..
Or just go AW 2600 Protected .
 
old4570 said:
Depending on a few things , the IMR may give another 10% ... 20% depending on what cell its being compared to .

DX drop in with a decent battery ..

The new candy apple colored Ultrafire Protected 2600 cells are OK ..
Or just go AW 2600 Protected .
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply!

Checked out your 18650 test, very interesting as I have an mte in "the mail" from dx

I actually got the #4 ultrafire but am wishing I would have seen your results before the order!

So, if you were broke like me which cheapy 18650 would you go with? the trustfire or the candy apple ultrafire?
 
bugsy714 said:
Thanks for the reply!

Checked out your 18650 test, very interesting as I have an mte in "the mail" from dx

I actually got the #4 ultrafire but am wishing I would have seen your results before the order!

So, if you were broke like me which cheapy 18650 would you go with? the trustfire or the candy apple ultrafire?
Click to expand...



I have blue 18650 Trustfire cells and the 2.2~2.8A of current that the DX MC-E will yield may or may not give you the full potential. The DX P60 MC-E drop-in tested was mine and I used IMR 18650 cells, but now that the new AW 2600mAh cells can handle up to 4.5A I will use those instead.

My Trustfire cells and laptop cells while testing an MTE P7 gave us about 40% less lumens than the IMR 18650...After seing those results I only use my non-AW cells for low current drop-ins that are at 1A or less. In fact, my DX Zoom light with a P4 and an IMR 18650 cell gives me 1.4A at the tail, but as soon as I put the Trustfire or laptop cells I get 970~1A at the tail. I get identical results when I use a Sacredfire R2 18650 type fitted with a 1.4A driver. My Sacredfire lipstick type of light made 202 out the front with a IMR cell, but I didn't bother testing it with the Trustfire because MrGman doesn't like DX stuff.:sick2:

Get AW 2600mAh cells:twothumbs:twothumbs
 
Well , I got both the Candy and green Ultrafires ..

If I was to buy from scratch [ IE / not owning any 18650 ]

Id buy the protected Candy Apple red Ultrafires , and the unprotected green ones ... [ 2600mAh ]

Just beware DX is selling counterfeit cells [ The cheaper ones ] as well as originals . They look the same but DX does warn you of lower capacity .
 
I think I'm gonna get a set of the candy apples and an mce dropin
 
I understand nailbender makes quality drop ins at a reasonable price, although I havent tried one yet. It appears that he is good with customer service as well. The results of his drop ins are on the MrGman sphere test sticky. They appear to be better than the dx drop ins.
 
I've been playing with mine for the last week, and although it is nowhere in the same league as the Malkoff, the DX MC-E drop-in is very impressive, especially for the price.

I've got mine installed in a Deerelight 18650 host and it is now my favorite light at the moment.

Certainly can't go wrong for $24 :)
 
js-lots said:
I understand nailbender makes quality drop ins at a reasonable price, although I havent tried one yet. It appears that he is good with customer service as well. The results of his drop ins are on the MrGman sphere test sticky. They appear to be better than the dx drop ins.
Click to expand...


I had 2 of his P7 P60 drop-ins for testing and they made 350ish out the front from a single IMR 18650 and 450 with 2 CR123 primaries (4.2v under load).

FYI: Nailbender has got a higher bin P7 batch that in the same IS Sphere now make

550ish out the front with IMR 18650
650ish out the front with 2 CR123 primaries

I thought he did something different or a better heatsink or some type of hocus pocus trick, but apparently Nailbender said it was just a handfull of P7 bins that are higher quality he got from britelumens.:twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs

This is what I wat next....but they are direct drive and at 650 out the front lumens from a 6P is awesome.

Please note: Heat and direct drive nature of the beast will not sustain the 650 lumens, but we all know that already:mecry:
 
My Trustfire powered DD MC-E P60 module in my Romisen RC-M4 will pull 4 amps and get hot in no time. So don't necessarily count out Trustfire cells as incapable of higher discharges. It's only around 2C discharge and lithium should handle that just fine.

Now the difference is that I have both protected and unprotected cells and the protected cells will only run up to 3 amps on my MC-E light and the unprotected ones will run 4, completely fresh off the charger I've seen as high as 4.4 amps, which is downright scary power. So I think the trouble people are seeing with low power batteries from Trustfire is not the batteries fault but the protection circuit limiting power output either by design or just by adding resistance in line. And yes I've actually cut the protection circuit off a cell and saw current jump from 3 to 4 amps
 
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