Niwalker MiniMax Nova MM15 (2xMT-G2, 4x18650) SHIPPING Review: RUNTIME, BEAMSHOTS+

carl

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The Betty costs almost $900!

Newbie - exactly as you said, definitely a price for the insane, lol! Or the insanely rich!

And on that same subject, tonkem, did you sell your older Betty and get a new updated one? Does the beam throw reasonably well? From the beamshots posted on the Lupine site, the new Betty, although still a flood light, appears to have a more 'appropriate' beam with more throw than the MM15 - which has way too much flood and no throw, all because they wanted to make the light shorter and smaller. Shorter and smaller is good, but not if it sacrifices usability.

Also, imho I don't think there will be another Zebralight S6330-type light, regardless of whatever their sales rep may say about it. Their product chart consists of only small single battery-type lights. This shows that their general business philosophy is not large multi-emitter lights. Also, the S6330 probably requires a chunk of expensive hi-quality aluminum 6-8 times the mass of their smaller lights. Its nothing but a huge chunk of metal that has been hollowed out, turning most of it into metal chips for the scrap heap. Not to mention the cost of shipping heavy things around the world to and fro. Also, with the S6330 using 3 times the number of LEDs with a separate driver for each LED but at a price point only twice ($200) as much as their single LED lights ($100), plus their attempts to move manufacturing to the US - which means even less profit per light - all tells me the S6330 is not a big money-maker for them and with a worldwide stale economy, there's no incentive in this direction.

The only reason I can think of as to why any company would keep building a coke-can sized multi-emitter light is that their smaller lights probably aren't producing enough of a profit and aren't selling as well as Zebralights.

Here's a design idea: Have two 18650 batts sitting parallel to each other in a round tube like the Lupine. This leaves some unused space 90 degrees apart in the tube at the head where the base of each reflector can take up about 1/2 inch depth in that unused space, thus overlapping with the batteries. In other words, the base of the reflectors overlaps with the batteries about 1/2 inch - this allows for deeper reflectors but scrunches the reflectors and batts together at the head-end to keep the overall flashlight length as short as possible.
 
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tonkem

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Carl, in answer to your question, no it seems not many folks want to drop the coin for the Lupines (new or used). So I have not picked up the TL2. I figured I would just wait til the end of this year and see what they come out with. Hoping they will add a lower low and perhaps bring back the Wilma (my favorite Lupine) because of the smaller head and great output. It is small and light, whereas the Betty TLs is light, but the head is just slightly bigger. I usually carry the Betty head on the TL (longer) battery.

I use the 2 Wilma TL's that I have for night cycling and general use, and the Betty for when I need to light up everything :)

I am headed on vacation next week, so will have plenty of dark places to use them.

The Betty costs almost $900!

Newbie - exactly as you said, definitely a price for the insane, lol! Or the insanely rich!

And on that same subject, tonkem, did you sell your older Betty and get a new updated one? Does the beam throw reasonably well? From the beamshots posted on the Lupine site, the new Betty, although still a flood light, appears to have a more 'appropriate' beam with more throw than the MM15 - which has way too much flood and no throw, all because they wanted to make the light shorter and smaller. Shorter and smaller is good, but not if it sacrifices usability.

Also, imho I don't think there will be another Zebralight S6330-type light, regardless of whatever their sales rep may say about it. Their product chart consists of only small single battery-type lights. This shows that their general business philosophy is not large multi-emitter lights. Also, the S6330 probably requires a chunk of expensive hi-quality aluminum 6-8 times the mass of their smaller lights. Its nothing but a huge chunk of metal that has been hollowed out, turning most of it into metal chips for the scrap heap. Not to mention the cost of shipping heavy things around the world to and fro. Also, with the S6330 using 3 times the number of LEDs with a separate driver for each LED but at a price point only twice ($200) as much as their single LED lights ($100), plus their attempts to move manufacturing to the US - which means even less profit per light - all tells me the S6330 is not a big money-maker for them and with a worldwide stale economy, there's no incentive in this direction.

The only reason I can think of as to why any company would keep building a coke-can sized multi-emitter light is that their smaller lights probably aren't producing enough of a profit and aren't selling as well as Zebralights.

Here's a design idea: Have two 18650 batts sitting parallel to each other in a round tube like the Lupine. This leaves some unused space 90 degrees apart in the tube at the head where the base of each reflector can take up about 1/2 inch depth in that unused space, thus overlapping with the batteries. In other words, the base of the reflectors overlaps with the batteries about 1/2 inch - this allows for deeper reflectors but scrunches the reflectors and batts together at the head-end to keep the overall flashlight length as short as possible.
 

P1X4R

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I've had mine for a few days now. It's quite a wide flooder! I'm very happy with it.

I've noticed 3400 Orbtronic batteries can fit a little snug inside. Be careful when inserting and removing the batteries. It can cut/nick the battery sleeve that touches the inner tube. However, Panasonic 2900 NCR18650PF batteries fit in and out without any issues.
 

carl

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tonkem - good idea about waiting for a possibly lower low - forgot about that.
P1X4r, congrats on your new light! a few questions: In your opinion, is the low low enough and does it weigh too much?
 

CUL8R

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Hi SB, I've been away from the forum for a little while and thought I might find your evaluations of Vinh's two modded MM15's added when I got back. Any update? I'm still incredibly happy with my MM15vn dome-on version!
 

P1X4R

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tonkem - good idea about waiting for a possibly lower low - forgot about that.
P1X4r, congrats on your new light! a few questions: In your opinion, is the low low enough and does it weigh too much?

the low mode is fairly low. you can read comfortably with it in the dark without your eyes feeling strained from the light. much lower than my fenix pd35's lowest mode. as for weight.. it's very easy to hold. it doesn't weigh a ton like it feels you're swaying a brick.
 

selfbuilt

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Hi SB, I've been away from the forum for a little while and thought I might find your evaluations of Vinh's two modded MM15's added when I got back. Any update? I'm still incredibly happy with my MM15vn dome-on version!
It will be coming soon. There was a delay in receiving the lights. I expect to have the reviews up within a week.
 

plata0190

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Finally I bought it and arrived yesterday. But I been a bit disappointed for the following points:
- power dual led is too bright
- the power button is very hard to press and hard to find at touch because flat. It's nice to be flat, but eventually a presence of a little protuberance at the center would improve it, the same you find on the 5 key on remotes.
- battery carrier is made that whenever you insert your cells, their labels are going to be schratched. In my case it happened by only the first time.
- matt knurling is only esthetic and would not be usefull, otherwhere I noticed the design very basic: the bottom of the cap is very simple. A design like Nitecore TM would be nice.
- the handle is very small, and would be better if made by plastic. Holster is not adaptable with it.
- lanyard attachment made in Iron is a strange choice, because is scratching easyly the aluminium body.
- to be more stylish the key would be better if made of the same colour of the glass ring, as was on the II prototype.

I'm glad that Niwalker read this opinion to improve his future revisions of the MM15 :)

However I'm very happy with this light :D :D
 
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selfbuilt

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Yes,I'm not sure why they reverted back to the original switch design - I too preferred the stainless one (with raised logo) from the second prototype.

FYI, my review of the Vinh Nguyen modded MM15vm (both dome on and dedome) is now up. :wave:
 

plata0190

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Hi, after only 1 day of use, that inserting batteries for about 5 times, that they made a huge schratch in center gutter of the batt carrier. It became a hole!!!
I'ìm the only one who happened this? I'm considering it like a manufacturing issue, because I heard people that observed cells label schratches, but no one who happened this hole. I'm using 4 Soshine 3400 mah, so they are in line with all, just the more short one.

See some pics attached and tell me please what you suggest me to do. Is better to replace with a new one or to wait new revisions from Niwalker
thank you




 

carl

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I don't blame you one bit for being upset, considering the $220 pricetag for this light, and for that matter, hugely disappointing REGARDLESS of price. This situation warrants a return for replacement or refund.

I suppose we can chalk this problem up as a "bug" in the "original shipping version 1" and a needed fix for a future "shipping version 2" of this light.

The exact same thing happened during the review of the same light renamed OHLED Combat Double - see pics in link below:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...es-Nova-MM15-quot-(2xMT-G2-P0-4x18650)-review

I assume the black battery carrier posts are made of plastic - say what?
 
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plata0190

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Niwalker used aluminium to make the handle that's is not important, but used plastic to make the carrier...
Maybe this hole is inadvertently caused, when springs was soldered?
 

plata0190

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@selfbuilt: please let know Niwalker about these issues. I would suggest for the next revision, hope will be release soon, to shorten head therad of about 5 mm to improve battery insertion. Eventyually these 5 mm can be added to the tube thread.
Another improvement is to replace the center raceway with a metalic material like on zebralight.

That's all
 

selfbuilt

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@selfbuilt: please let know Niwalker about these issues.
I know Niwalker monitors these threads, so I'm sure they will notice this post. Personally, I would recommend you contact your dealer for a replacement. I can only guess that was a manufacturing defect (hard to see how it would have happened by inserting a cell). That said, I would check your batteries to make there is nothing protruding form the base where the protection circuit is located (i.e., the heat shrink wrap should be fully intact on all cells, at all times).

EDIT: Upon inspection, I can see signs of wear starting on my shipping sample. It looks like repeated battery changes can indeed wear down the center strut.
 
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ven

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Just checked centre pole on my carrier and has a slight mark/wear on 2 sides, so i wrapped some insulation tape around the bottom. Being extra careful helps but a very poor design choice of materials. Presume to keep weight down.......even though its not a light weight flashlight:thinking: . I would not have noticed that and only had the cells out 3 or 4 times............

Defo worth a check for anyone who has this light,some tape or could strip down and fit some shrink wrap on it for extra protection.

Maybe Niwalker will offer an upgrade/replacement part:twothumbs

Edit- just to add i am using either IMR 2100 or vtc5 cells so a little shorter than protected cells,maybe that has helped me over some with longer cells.Its still tricky to fit without catching when fitting them in at an angle.
 

selfbuilt

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Just checked centre pole on my carrier and has a slight mark/wear on 2 sides, so i wrapped some insulation tape around the bottom.
That's probably a good idea in the short term.

FYI, I just checked, and there are signs of minor wear on two sides of the centre strut on my stock shipping MM15. No signs of wear yet on my two MM15vn samples. The earlier prototype used a different material, and no signs there either. But of course, my shipping MM15 has gone through a lot more battery changes than probably anyone else's light right now. While not severe on my unit, I wouldn't definitely recommend that Niwalker improve this material. And in the meanwhile everyone should check their units to make sure they aren't showing signs of wear.
 

ven

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Yes agree there selfbuilt as easy to miss!!!it might function fine with the centre post out but for now the electrical insulation tape should protect if ,just a couple of raps,carefully fit cells in and should be good..............for now:thumbsup: No issue on getting cells in/out after trying,could remove the centre pole and maybe coat or cover for a beter long term fix............if Niwalker does not beat us to it HINT HINT

Sure cable shrink raps would work well,shame its just something we need to do:rolleyes:
 

P1X4R

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mine has similar wear in the same location. I didn't notice that before.

I was using Orbtronic 3400 batteries which fit tightly. I've since switched to Panasonic NCR18650PF's which are shorter in length. No issues with getting the battery covers nicked/cut.
 
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