Which Inova X5 is which?

[mikekoz]

I have an Inova X5 and an thinking about getting a second. I saw one at Target over the weekend that looked slightly different from my current one. It had Inova stamped on the switch. My current one (had it a few years) does not. What is the difference and what generation are the X5's currently on? I tried doing a search as I know there is tons of info about this light here, but the search feature does not work very well. Thank you all in advance for any information you can give me!

Mike

 

[Wyeast]

I have an Inova X5 and an thinking about getting a second. I saw one at Target over the weekend that looked slightly different from my current one. It had Inova stamped on the switch. My current one (had it a few years) does not. What is the difference and what generation are the X5's currently on? I tried doing a search as I know there is tons of info about this light here, but the search feature does not work very well. Thank you all in advance for any information you can give me!

Mike

iirc, there are two generations. The first gen has fluted sides. Second gen has flat sides, using the newer Nichias that came out a few years ago (about 2x brightness). Most of the ones using colored LED's (I think?) are 1st Gen, the white ones (and I think blue for a while?) were the only ones that persisted after that? Shame, too. Red ones were HUGE battery vampires! :twothumbs

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

The easiest way to tell if it's the newest model is to check the copyright year on the back. The newest one uses Nichia CS l.e.d.s and has a copyright year of 2006. The newest one is also the first to be hard anodized (HAIII). I think they are due for another upgrade (Nichia DS and GS l.e.d.s are available). However, I don't know if they are planning to upgrade it any time soon.

 

[nitebrite]

i just got another one at target. the date is 2007. it does not seem as bright as the ones dated 2006!

nitebrite

 

[nitebrite]

actually, i was wrong. it seems to have needed to "break in" for half an hour. it is brighter than the 2006 ones. a lot. it is probably almost as bright as a lux3? maybe they switched to gs or ds now? i hope so.

nitebrite.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

I saw some in Target last week that had a 2008 copyright date. I suspect that they did upgrade the l.e.d.s. I sent an email to Inova to confirm this. I also asked that if they updated the l.e.d.s whether they ran them as hard for more brightness or lowered the current for more runtime. I haven't received a response yet. I think if they kept the same brightness of the CS version, the runtime would be closer to the advertised 20 hours instead of 6. I'd prefer that to short runtimes on overdriven l.e.d.s. I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up in case they just changed the copyright date.

 

[rockz4532]

i think everything inside exept the leds are the same. I have a 2nd gen bluey, and a 3rd gen whitey

 

[ampdude]

Hooked On Fenix,

Please let us know if you get a response. I would love to buy an X5 if they've upgraded to GS.

 

[nitebrite]

hmm. we know that 2006 was the cs. i thought i did good with 2007. now you tell me there is 2008? i hope they didn't change it again for 2008. please let us know what inova says before i go drive to every target store lol.

the 2007 is maybe not brighter but it is a better beam. it seems to be a tighter beam but still a flood. it has a bigger hotspot.

nitebrite

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Hooked On Fenix,

Please let us know if you get a response. I would love to buy an X5 if they've upgraded to GS.

All I have gotten so far is an instant reply saying that they will answer my question within three business days which I received the minute I emailed my questions. That was last Thursday. It may take awhile for them to get around to answering my questions if they do at at. I'm just saying, don't hold your breath.

 

[nitebrite]

call me crazy but i think the new one puts out about 50 lumens! thats a eyeball guess. nonetheless, that cannot be the same led's as the 2006 model.

i bet it doesnt run as long now.

nitebrite

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Actually, that would make it no more than twice as bright as the CS version. The newest l.e.d.s are about twice as efficient. If it's twice as bright as the CS version, runtime should be about the same.

 

[nitebrite]

i called inova. the woman i spoke with claimed there have been no changes to the light. then again she seemed rather clueless. she didn't know what nichia was :)

nitebrite

 

[jzmtl]

It's just in my experience any manufacturer's CS people are totally clueless on any tech specs like that. Even if you get to the right people they won't tell you.

 

[mikekoz]

I found one of the "2008" X5's today in Target and it is no brighter than my old one, which is probably 2-3 years old. The tint is a bit whiter though. I still may keep it!

Mike

 

[Illum]

It had Inova stamped on the switch. My current one (had it a few years) does not.

:thinking:
IIRC Inova X5 has always had their tag stamped on their tailcap..."Emissive Energy..."


Does your light look anything like this thread depicts?
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=93113
its only of the closest X5 clone we have seen on the forum.

 

[mikekoz]

:thinking:
IIRC Inova X5 has always had their tag stamped on their tailcap..."Emissive Energy..."


Does your light look anything like this thread depicts?
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=93113
its only of the closest X5 clone we have seen on the forum.

No, not at all. My old one has writing (Emissive Energy Inova Patented)etched on the switch, but around the rim of it. The new one has Inova stamped right through the center of the switch.

Mike

 

[Illum]

didn't know that :thanks:
all my target [the only place for me to buy inovas] only has a couple bolts left:shakehead

 

[mikekoz]

didn't know that :thanks:
all my target [the only place for me to buy inovas] only has a couple bolts left:shakehead

Good!! When they get a new batch of X5's, they should be the 2008 models. If you are a X5 "connoisseur", maybe you could tell a difference in them:thinking:

Mike