TerraLUX strikes out 2x in one night! :(

First off, I've owned several of the TerraLUX products in the past and overall have been pleased with them. I never owned a white TLE-5K2, but I have a red version (accidentally). Overall, I was impressed. Considering the size on the reflector, the emitter produces a very tight beam. The red light is very bright. I never swapped emitters since I was very happy with the red emitter and found numerous uses for it. I also equipped that light with a TCS-1 tail cap switch. I've also been very pleased with the switch. I work in law enforcement, and my guard unit may be deploying later this year (at least it's looking that way), so that light will probably go with me. From what I have read in past threads, many people were unhappy with the K2 white emitter.

Today, I purchased a TLE-5EX in white and another tail cap. I picked up another mini-mag body and installed it. My understanding is that this uses the Cree XRE-7090 emitter. When I first looked at it, I noticed it was much larger than the K2 emitter. I naturally expected a more "floody" beam. When I installed it, I was disappointed in both the beam and the intensity. On TerraLUX's website, they are advertising 140 lumens, although the packaging states 100. It seems dimmer, but I haven't had a chance to get it on the meter yet. I know it is using a cheap mag reflector, and I've done these before, so I'm not expecting a Surefire beam, but it had a HUGE donut hole in the middle. Several years ago, I purchased a Surefire KL6 upgrade head for my M-3 combat light. It had the donut hole and a green tint. I still need to swap it. That donut hole was nowhere near as large as this one. Is this normal, and has anyone else experienced this issue with the TLE-5EX?

When I unscrewed the head to adjust the beam, the emitter got stuck in the reflector and pulled out, twisting the wires. After I got them untwisted and re-installed, I got it to work properly, but it still has a HORRIBLE beam. My first-generation Surefire L4 (from 4 or 5 years ago) is a whole lot brighter.

Second item of purchase today was a TLE-6EX for a 4-6 D-cell Maglite. I purchased a new 4 D-cell body and thought I would compare it to the Luxon III Maglite emitter on another identical setup. Well, the factory light bulb and batteries worked just fine, but when I installed the emitter, NOTHING! I unscrewed it and put it back on, still nothing. I tried installing the head, nothing. I put the factory bulb back in, and it worked. So, I'm going to swap it tomorrow. I was going to check for continuity tonight, but I've decided not to mess with it.

Anyone else had similar problems, or did I just have a bad day with TerraLUX? These are my first Cree emitters. I've heard nothing but good things about them. Were mine just from a bad bin?

Hello --


FWIW, i have a TerraLux TLE-5EX (Cree emitter)

installed in one of my Mini-Maglites,

and it is a Wonderful performer ! :thumbsup:



The beam, when first turned on, is at its tightest "spot".


A nice, big, FAT hot-spot.

No donut holes at ALL.


So, there is definitely something amiss with yours.



Hope this is helpful.

Good Luck.

_

Burgess said:

Hello --

So, there is definitely something amiss with yours.


_

Click to expand...

Maybe, maybe not - I had a P4 version that was fantastic. It had a lovely beam, but then burnt out. Terralux sent me another 5EX no questions asked, and it was a Cree 5EX. Gah, the beam is an unsightly yellow color with rings abound. It's awful. That's the point when I said "meh, this is fruitless" and started buying purpose built lights, not upgrades that clearly were not meant to occur to begin with.

Hmmmm, interesting. I have a second one sitting here. I had bought it for a friend. I might just throw it in tomorrow and see if it fixes the problem. If it's no different, then both go back . . .

Anyone had any problems with the TLE-6EX? Mine's definately defective.

Only issue I have had is with an ebay dealer selling the 6ex as a Cree then sending me one with a K2 in it. They insisted that the K2 version was the current versions and it is as bright, but I kept telling them that they sent me the wrong thing, especially when they advertised it as a CREE. They finally relented and offered a refund...or exchange for a CREE version...:thinking:

In the mean time I emailed Terralux and they said the current version is a Seoul. I am all sorts of confused.

I will certainly be interested in your results, Jeff.


Please let us know.



Cuz' i like MINE so much, i've been thinkin' about buyin'

several more of 'em, for Gifts !

(installed in new Mini-Mags)



Hope your problems get resolved to your satisfaction.


Stay safe.

_

bad day with Terralux, methinks. I've got the Cree version, and it's a fairly good thrower, with a slightly 'off' tint. I'm pretty certain that it's been promoted to "designated loaner light".

I know I said earlier that they didn't work with Energizer NiMHs, but I just dropped a couple Eneloops in there, and it works fine, and I wanted to do what I could to reverse that earlier undeserved reputation hit Terralux took. (I think Energizer 2500s were just too fat for the mini-mag)

You'll definitely go further on a purpose-built light, but if you already own a mini-mag, the Terralux offers an awful lot of bang for your buck.

Thanks for all the replies. I finally had time to put the other emitter in. It works a lot better. It has a very tiny donut hole, but overall it is brighter than the first, and it is acceptable, considering the cost of the light. I know that there are much better lights out there, but that was never the point of this one mod. Now I just need to get back to the store today to change out the two defective emitters.

I wonder if these are Seoul emitters, but I can't tell. It's definately not the K2. It's too large.

When I take the head off, it does produce a very smooth and nice light. The color temp is pretty cool, but overall, not too bad.

BTW, I have owned for the past year a Streamlight Stinger LED. I recently upgraded and purchased a Stinger LED DS. The emitter is brighter, and it has a warmer color temperature. I've stopped using my SL20-LED on traffic stops, because the throw on my new Stinger is almost identical. I am really pleased with the new one.

When I have some time, I'll try to get all of these lights on the meter and do some beamshots. I've been running non-stop the last few weeks, so it hasn't been a possibility.

jeffroalpha700 said:

Thanks for all the replies. I finally had time to put the other emitter in. It works a lot better. It has a very tiny donut hole, but overall it is brighter than the first, and it is acceptable, considering the cost of the light. I know that there are much better lights out there, but that was never the point of this one mod. Now I just need to get back to the store today to change out the two defective emitters.

I wonder if these are Seoul emitters, but I can't tell. It's definately not the K2. It's too large.

When I take the head off, it does produce a very smooth and nice light. The color temp is pretty cool, but overall, not too bad.

BTW, I have owned for the past year a Streamlight Stinger LED. I recently upgraded and purchased a Stinger LED DS. The emitter is brighter, and it has a warmer color temperature. I've stopped using my SL20-LED on traffic stops, because the throw on my new Stinger is almost identical. I am really pleased with the new one.

When I have some time, I'll try to get all of these lights on the meter and do some beamshots. I've been running non-stop the last few weeks, so it hasn't been a possibility.

Click to expand...

Been using the 5TLEX and tail cap for months now without any problems. I did buy a couple TerraLux TS-18 ToolStar conversions for my 18volt cordless Tool worklights and they were horrible. One melted and the other just stopped working. Sent one back to Terralux and wrote to them on their Internet site, no replies. Disappointing to hear about the conversion for the 4D Cell Mag, will you complain to them?

Jeff --

This is what the Cree version of the TerraLux TLE-5EX looks like:




Is this what YOU have ?

_

FYI this is what the most recent TFFC one looked like:

It seems you got a bad one

Well, I went back to Neve's (a local law enforcement supply store) today (or I guess it's now yesterday). I swapped the bad emitter (both for the mini-mag and the 4D mag), and got new ones. I have not tried the mini-mag as it is for a friend, but like I mentioned in my last follow-up post, the current one is working pretty well.

Burgess, thanks for the photo. I definately have the Cree as I suspected. Your photo confirmed it. Cydonia, is that the Seoul emitter? Just curious.

Well, I installed the TLE-6EX, I clicked on the switch of the 4D Maglite. It illuminated! So, once I had the head installed, I went outside and compared it to eh Maglite Luxeon III. The TeraLux is definately a better performer with a longer-distance beam. I would guess it is 40-50 lumens brighter. Considering it set me back only about $27, I think it is a very decent conversion for an acceptable large light that can run a really long time on D-cells. Once again, I'll eventually get out some beamshots and such, but the next few weeks are really busy.

Cydonia's photo is NOT a Seoul SSC emitter !


It's a K2-TFFC emitter.



Glad we got it straightened out which one YOU have.

:twothumbs
_

K2. I feel bashfully dumb. :O I was tired when I looked at it. I have a few of the K2 emitters, including the red one for my minimag. Thanks for the clarification during my total brain fart.

hi Jeff --


No need to feel bad.


I myself, ordered a K2-TFFC version.


So, when i got it, i simply assumed it was what i had ordered.


Was very impressed with the results of my "fancy new K2-TFFC module" . . . .



However, a few weeks later, after matching photographs,

i learned that mine was ACTUALLY a Cree version.



Now, i'm certainly not complaining, you understand . . . .


Just wanted to know WHICH ONE i really had.



My Cree version is absolutely wonderful ! :thumbsup:


But, ya' know, i still wanna' get a K2-TFFC version, also.



Simply so i can "compare" the two.



Hope you are as happy with these TerraLux modules as i am.

:wave:

_