Question about TLE-5EX

Just curious how many people have the TLE-5EX installed in their aa minimags and how do you like em'? How does the overall out put from the TLE-5EX compare to the L2D CE, anyone have any beamshots of the two side by side?

I have one and it's a nice easy upgrade for the mm. Though it is not the 100 Lumens advertised, more like 60 to maybe 75 at best. The color of mine is very slightly blue but you don't notice it outside. I have only compared it to a P3D rebel, P2D rebel. Truthfully it's not even close in any aspect, but have you're not spending as much cash as a new light. I think it is well worth the money IMHO.

I like mine for the money.

But I've found with mine that the MM "head" doesn't screw as far down as before and is only held on by about 2 turns (if that makes sense).

It is also subject to some intermittent flickering (despite cleaning threads etc) - I even tried it in another MM and I still get the occassional flicker!

But all in all worth the £££s.

Face

Face said:

I like mine for the money.

But I've found with mine that the MM "head" doesn't screw as far down as before and is only held on by about 2 turns (if that makes sense).

It is also subject to some intermittent flickering (despite cleaning threads etc) - I even tried it in another MM and I still get the occassional flicker!

But all in all worth the £££s.

Face

Click to expand...

Hmm, mine doesn't flicker and it screw down same as before.

BUZ said:

Just curious how many people have the TLE-5EX installed in their aa minimags and how do you like em'?

Click to expand...

I like it very much. It changes the original "sickly yellow blotch creating device" in to very useful edc. Not much of a thrower but lots of useful sidespill and very even hotspot that helps to preserve your dark adaptation.
I don't think that Minimag + TLE-5EX can compare with L2D CE but IMO it isn't very important. The most important thing is that how much better it makes the original Minimag.

If you decide to buy TLE-5EX I can also recommend Terralux clickie tailcap and the "washer mod" which removes possible flickering problems. You can read more about TLE-5EX from there:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2174255

olrac said:

Hmm, mine doesn't flicker and it screw down same as before.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, I wonder why your head screws down more than mine.

What does the back of your drop-in look like? Is it solid black plastic? My drop-in seems to be made from a green circuit board which is then mounted on to a black plastic disc. Is this the same as yours?

Cheers,

Face

Face said:

Hmmm, I wonder why your head screws down more than mine.

What does the back of your drop-in look like? Is it solid black plastic? My drop-in seems to be made from a green circuit board which is then mounted on to a black plastic disc. Is this the same as yours?

Cheers,

Face

Click to expand...

I will look when I get home tonite and let you know.

I bought three sets of the TLE-5EX and the red TLE tailcap switches and are very happy with them installed in different color 2AA minimags. I sometimes carry all three minimags in a Nite-Ize Multi Pock-Its. They throw further than the Surefire L2 that I EDC.

Thanks for all the info! :thumbsup:

I think there are 2 versions of the TLE-5EX, a Luxeon version and the newer Cree version, so could everyone should note which one they're describing. I'm intersted in the Cree version myself.

Face said:

Hmmm, I wonder why your head screws down more than mine.

What does the back of your drop-in look like? Is it solid black plastic? My drop-in seems to be made from a green circuit board which is then mounted on to a black plastic disc. Is this the same as yours?

Cheers,

Face

Click to expand...

My back does NOT have a black backing it is just the green PCB, maybel that is why yours doesn't screw down all the way

mine is the Cree version

There's now three versions of the TLE-5EX EXTREME:
The original which used a Luxeon K2, pased out in jan/Feb.
The version which has been the mainstay since February and uses an SSC P4.
The latest version, just released a few weeks ago, using a CREE LED and revised reflector.

Thanks for the clarification MattK. And folks he oughta know!

do you have any beamshots ?

MattK said:

There's now three versions of the TLE-5EX EXTREME:
The original which used a Luxeon K2, pased out in jan/Feb.
The version which has been the mainstay since February and uses an SSC P4.
The latest version, just released a few weeks ago, using a CREE LED and revised reflector.

Click to expand...

I haven't seen the SSC in a TLE-5EX, even Batteryjunction shows the picture of the Luxeon. Are they T or U bin, and where can I get one? Thanks.

I have the original TerraLux TLE-5 (ministar-2),
which is a 1-watt Luxeon upgrade module for MM2AA.
Purchased this in March of 2006.


This is mounted on a green, round, printed-circuit board,
(as mentioned above),
and is definitely thick enough
so that the Mini-Mag head only holds by a couple threads.


* Edit-Start *
I just checked, and it is exactly One-and-a-quarter-turns from "Off" to "head comes off"
* Edit-End *


Are the "newer" models thinner than mine ?
Do they screw down more ?


To MattK: is the Cree version (with revised reflector)
able to screw down farther than the SSC version ?


Thank you to everyone for any info you can provide.

_

Yenster - you're right - we never took a new picture but they did indeed use an SSC P4 U bin and now use a Cree (P4 I believe). I think we may have a few of the SSC's in stock still but will have to check when I get back. Actually you can write in to customer service and my folks should be able to answer the question tomorrow for you as we had a customer call in for 1 last week and they should know where they are.

The TLE-5EX's all use the green PCB mount. The new TLE-5's use a new aluminum can design as of about 2 months ago. If you want them to screw down more you can probably CAREFULLY remove some of the epoxy/plastic material around the pins to gain about .75mm.

I just received a new Cree TLE-5EX from MattK and installed it in a new MiniMag right away. I get approximately 1 1/2 turns with the drop-in installed from the light being off to the head being off. I wouldn't want any fewer threads engaged, but I am happy with this one. This is my fourth different Terralux MiniMag drop-in.

I have both the TLE-5 Luxeon and the TLE-5EX SSC. Both are very similar in physical appearance with thick PCBs that reduce the number of threads that hold the head on. The clear hemisphere over the luxeon emitter seems to be glass because it is very hard. However, the clear hemisphere over the Seoul emitter is a bit squishy, and feels like silicone or some equivalent. Keep this in mind if you have to wipe dust off of it. The reflectors that come with these seem similar, if not identical (I have not compared them side-by-side). The Seoul TLE-5EX is noticeably brighter than the TLE-5 and has a very nice, clean white tint; the TLE-5 luxeon is more rose colored in comparison (very very similar in color and output to my stock 2AA Mini MagLED). For my uses, the TLE-5EX transforms the minimag into a wonderful all-purpose light, especially coupled with NiMH batteries and the Terralux clickie. Avoid the bad quality NiteIze clickie tailcap.

If anyone has beamshots of the TLE-5EX Seoul VS. the TLE-5EX CREE, I would be extremely interested!