fix my EagleTac MX 23L3C or buy a new coke can light?

hkusp9

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
62
I've been using two flashlight styles as a Police Officer for a few years now. It seems like I always have a single 18650 M6 style light on the front of my belt, and then a 3 or 4 18650 cell coke can style light in the cup holder of my vehicle and in my back pocket when I exit.

I've been carrying an Eagle Tac MX 25L3 Compact for probably a year or two now. I've had it warrantied at least once through lightjunction.com, and it seems like every time I drop it on the concrete, one of the wires breaks loose from its soldering on the circuit board of the light.

I've re-soldered wires back to the circuit board at least a half dozen times now, but I noticed this week that only 4 of the 6 led's are illuminating. i found the loose wires and tried to solder them back to the board, but the actual space on the board where you solder wires came off, so basically the light's permanently reduced to 40% performance.

There's newer and better stuff out there, so I figured that I'd ask. It looks like the highest performance coke can style light out there is the Imalent DT70, but the damn thing is $250.00. Granted I would be going from 3,500 lumens to 16,000 lumens.

Is this the way to go or is there something bigger and better out there?

Anybody want this eagletac? Anybody capable to fixing it and donating it to another public safety type of person?
 

aginthelaw

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
2,655
Location
NJ, USA
I'll take it [emoji106]. I have spare parts for that light since mine disappeared into a dealers hands without being returned. I was going to suggest a light to you but the way you treat them, I don't know what to tell you. Thrunite lights like the tn30 and tn36 will match what the Eagletac does, and the noctigon m43 meteor is $129 now and it's just amazing. Also, the mk34 is more compact than the m43. But like I said, these ain't no timex's
 
Last edited:

hkusp9

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
62
I was originally looking at the noctigon m43 when I found the Acebeam X4 and the Imalent DT70 and realized that they're twice as powerful as the noctigon m43, which is crazy, considering that the Eagle Tac MX 25 L3C is like 10 tines brighter than anything that any other cop carries at work.

My thought was to drop big money on another light, just one more time (which is what I always keep telling myself)... but this time I'll inject silicone into the core of the light so that stuff will stop breaking when dropped. Is this doable or no?
 

hkusp9

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
62
Not if you need or want multi-thousands of lumens

I need something thats multi-thousand lumens that will light up an entire field, and or blind the crap out of somebody who intends to fight / run etc.

Apparently I also need it to be bomb proof. Something that won't die if its dropped. It seems like the soldering on all of these is the weak part.
 

hkusp9

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
62
You want potted electronics

I'm glad that somebody knows what I want, because I certainly don't!:grin2:

Now how do I get that in a modern high performance light?

I'm willing to pay. If I buy a particular light, can I pay one of the modders on here to pot it?
 
Last edited:

hkusp9

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
62
Maybe Vinh .... ?


So the acebeam that Vinh is selling on his site is the x45 which he sells for $350 and with his mods it will put out 25,000 lumens and has an impressive 775 meters of throw over the factory 16,500 lumens 583 meters for $240.


I was thinking about waiting for the new Acebeam x80 since its going to be 25,000 lumens ar 332 meters throw for $300. But that one looks like its going to be all flood and no throw, not that I'm commonly looking for people at that distance, but still...

Both Vinh's modded light and the new x80 should be available to me at about the same time since Vinh is on vacation and the x80 hasn't been released yet.

I figure that I should be able to pot both of the lights myself or pay somebody to do it.

What do you think Archimedes?
 

hkusp9

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
62
Ultimately, you are the one who needs to determine what may or may not be suitable for your purposes.

Me ? .... I'd get a Malkoff :shrug:


I didn't see any Makkhoff's that suited my needs? Any suggestions?
 

archimedes

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
15,780
Location
CONUS, top left

hkusp9

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
62


All of these theads have lights with a 10th of the output that I'm looking for. I've always been willing to drop a few hundred bucks every year or so to stay on top of flashlight technology.

I'll wait a month or two to see what Vinh has in store for the X80 and then post in the "recommend a light" thread that you linked to.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:

Modernflame

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Messages
4,383
Location
Dirty Dirty South
All of these theads have lights with a 10th of the output that I'm looking for. I've always been willing to drop a few hundred bucks every year or so to stay on top of flashlight technology.

I'll wait a month or two to see what Vinh has in store for the X80 and then post in the "recommend a light" thread that you linked to.

Thanks!

I remember when 65 lumens was "retina searing." I'd wholeheartedly recommend a Malkoff Hound Dog. Not only will it blind miscreants at 1,000 lumens, your days of soldering wires and worrying about warranty repairs would be over.
 

aginthelaw

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
2,655
Location
NJ, USA
Yeah, I'd be crying in my Cap'n Crunch if I dropped my x45vn. I guess you're not big on lanyards?
 

hkusp9

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
62
Yeah, I'd be crying in my Cap'n Crunch if I dropped my x45vn. I guess you're not big on lanyards?

Lanyards are cool and all but they just don't work when you are using a light like this in a police role. I usually need to be able to free my hands up quickly and having a big light hanging off my wrist just wont work.

Plus, frequently I will only be holding the light for a minute or two. I keep these beer can sized lights in my center console cupholder and use them during my approach on traffic stops. Then as soon as I get back in the car I sit them back down and start running licenses or writing tickets or whatever.

Having to take a lanyard on and off every few minutes would get old quick. The only time it wouldn't be a bother is when I'm walking around the fields but thats not usually when a light gets dropped and usually a fall to grass doesn't hurt them. They get nuked when they fall on concrete, which happens when I'm getting in and out of a car with them, jumping fences, chasing or wrestling with dudes, trying to search vehicles or just holding too many things in my hands at once, all that stuff usually happens over concrete.
 

dmattaponi

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Messages
349
Forgive me for saying so, but as I read this I can't help but to think that you might be pleasantly surprised by the utility of a Thrunite TN4A HI. It will throw a surprising amount of light, and you could drop it in your pocket if need be. Only $50. Reports indicate they can take a beating. Cheap enough to try out an keep as a backup to the light you are looking for in this thread. 4AA rechargable Eneloops are a good addition.
 
Top