terralux tle 5EX CREE beam?

[dieselducy]

how is the focusability of the beam.. i JUST GOT the terralux UV dropin and it has the CREE led and i have to say I am a little disappointed.. the issue is the emitter itself is to deep in the dome and the focusability is practically useless compared to my terralux luexon. should i look for a white terralux luexon LED or is the CREE white just a focusable cause their UV one sure as heck is not!

 

[ZMZ67]

I think that TerraLUX has changed again and is now using the TFFC K2 instead of the CREE,check Battery Junction.Personally I don't see much difference in the focusing between the old Luxeon TLE-5 and the new TLE-5EX CREE.The CREE is so much brighter than the old TLE-5 that it makes up for differences in focus.

I believe the UV CREE is a different animal from the CREE used in the white TLE-5EX CREE.The white CREE is substantially brighter than the UV.I have no idea how the new TFFC K2 performs but I'm guessing it will be as bright as the CREE version.Luxeons usually have more even beams than CREEs so perhaps the TFFC K2 will provide a nicer beam.

FWIW I used an adapter and put my TLE-5 UV in a 2C Mag.Using an aspheric lens(reflector removed) it provides a nice even spill in the form of a large circle.You do lose the throw since the reflector is removed.The 2C is also much larger than a Mini-Mag as well.

 

[Zenster]

Also don't forget that the Maglite "focus" feature is full of artifacts and holes and is useless throughout most of it's travel anyway.

I bought two of the TLE 5EX's for two Minimags I have, and while they work great (well beyond my expections), I find that the focusability is just as useless with the LED's as with the original Krypton bulbs.
What works best for me is to turn the bezel just enough to light it up and STOP there. At that point, the beam is as good as it gets (which is great), and opening it up any more just puts a big hole in the center beam and diffuses the rest into silliness.

Granted, you're talking about the UV conversion, but the principle is the same.

 

[dieselducy]

the issue with the cree uv is that the emitter itself is so far down in the dome, on the white cree, how far in the dome is the emitter and is the beam solid with NO hole in the middle? the uv at best leaves a BIG hole in the middle and performance is mediocore at best

 

[ZMZ67]

Tried some more comparisons with the TLE-5,TLE-5UV(CREE) and the TLE-5EX(CREE).The original TLE-5 will focus a hotspot the best but it is doesn't have near the output of the TLE-5EX.The TLE-5UV is dimmer than either of the white TLE-5s.The CREE LEDs in the TLE-5EX and theTLE-5UV appear to be similar.I was able to focus both to a hotspot with the reflector that came with the TLE-5EX.The hotspots did not have a hole until the light was within 2.5 ft. of the target.Neither of the CREEs had a hotspot as smooth or well defined as the original TLE-5.

If you are looking for the best quality beam I doubt you will like the TLE-5EX(CREE), but it is substantially brighter than the original.Battery Junction is advertising the TLE-5EX with the improved TFFC K2.That may be what your looking for as the K2 will most likely work better with the MM reflector. I have not seen one yet though, so I cannot say for sure.Hope this helps!

 

[Burgess]

Can anyone tell me the current draw of the TLE-5EX ?


At the (removed) tailcap.


Please specify your batteries used, also.

_

 

[Mercaptan]

I too was disappointed in my TLE5EX beam - but think of what it is, trying to shove a Cree (needing a reflector optimally twice, if not three times as deep) into a minimag head. The SSC P4'ed TLE5EX I had was much better, but that burned out within a month of buying it.