Turbohead for 8NX, or Stinger XT?

[sgtlmj]

I have an 8NX and love it. I am looking for a little more throw, however, and wondered how the Turboheads are working out there.

My price on a Turbohead conversion is around $70, but I can get a Stinger XT kit w/ piggybacy charger for around $90.

I have had problems with the B90 batteries in my SF's, and have been through many sets. They just seem like they should last longer. I have never heard anyone who has problems with the Streamlight batteries. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

 

[SilverFox]

Hello SgtLmj,

I believe SureFire has eliminated most of the problems with their batteries by upgrading their battery charger. The upgraded chargers have a green light that indicates full charge that goes from steady on to blinking. If your charger has a steady light, you should upgrade to the current charger.

I have found (and reported in the battery section in the "Bringing a B90 Back to Life" thread) that a few deep discharges can bring life back to the B90 and restore it to useful duty.

I have no experience with the Stinger kit, so can not comment on that, but the turbo head for the 8NX works very well...

Tom

 

[Size15's]

The beam of the KT5 is superior to any Streamlight beam I've seen.

You can use any of the four types of SureFire TurboHead (including the stock "KT" model with the 8NX and N5 Lamp Assembly).

Personally, I prefer the SRTH from LPS but I have an 8NX currently set up with the KT5 which I have used a bit. I don't have a real suitable method of carrying the 8NX+KT5 though and prefer the M3T as a flashlight I tend to carry in my rucksack (truth be told it's usually an M6 in the winter since I don't carry as much water to drink).

Anyway, here is a photo that may interest you:


Al

 

[sgtlmj]

Wow! Turbohead on the 8NX is not very aesthetically pleasing. The department will be buying this light, so I really need to get a new setup rather than have them buy a part for a light that I own. Just did some research on the HP XT and it looks sucky.

Called SF today about my B90 problem. They won't do anything until I give them the lot numbers from all of my batteries. I'll probably end up with a newer recharger though. The B90s I have span over several years, so I'm not thinking it's a batt. problem.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello SgtLmj,

The turbo head on the 8NX does look a bit different when you view it in daylight, but you forget all about it when you turn it on at night... Great beam.

I sometimes think of it as a hammer... composite handle, metal head. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Tom

 

[vhyper007]

Hi Sarge,

I have an xthp which I thought was ok until I started reading this forum and now I realize it is a dog. I guess I will find out about SL service since I sent it back to them elaborating on my complaint of "beam quality", actually, lack thereof.
I have an ultrastinger which is nice and the sl20x with sl35 bulb in it. Makes a nice conversion and a department usually wont hesitate on anything from SL. SF is good too, I have a number of them but honestly dont know if I get the extra from SF that it costs to own it.
Just another opinion in search of an *** hole.
Regards,
vhyper

 

[sgtlmj]

I've got a Turbohead on the way to T&E.

Also called SF about my B90 problem. They said that the chargers haven't changed at all except for the blinking light. They took my lot numbers down, then said that they would be sending 3 new batteries free.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello SgtLmj,

I don't believe them.

If you do a search on B90 and go back a while and read some posts that Dano entered you will find that a battery pack on the old charger would get very hot, especially if the light had only been used for a short time.

The charger was found to be too stupid to recognize that the battery did not need a timed full charge and would overcharge the battery pack.

There was a lot of talk about defective cells in the battery pack, but in the end the evidence pointed to the charger. Once the "revised" charger came out, the problems went away.

I would press them a bit more. Unfortunately there is no way of telling the old and new chargers apart except for the blinking green light at full charge.

To test your charger, place a cool charged battery in the charger. It should go to green very quickly. If it tries to "cook" the battery and do a full 2 hour charge, you have the old style of charger.

Tom

Edit: I just timed mine and it took 4 minutes to go to green with a fully charged battery that had been sitting around for a week.