Question for those of you with super bright “Coke can” lights

amspratt

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
21
I'm thinking about picking up a 4x 18650 light, and I need some advice. I like the looks, price, mode spacing (especially the firefly mode) and UI of the Thrunite Mini Tn30, but it's "only" 3660 lumens. Do you think the extra output of something like the Olight X7 or the Thrunite Tn36 is worth it, or does it step down too quickly to be useful? Is 3660 lumens enough?
 

MAD777

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 31, 2015
Messages
4,443
Location
White Mountains, NH, USA
Useful is an elusive word, lol.
The laws of physics prevent these super lights from running flat out to only a very few minutes or less. However, if you define useful as continuous use on a lower power setting, with the ability to flash up to daylight momentarily, then yes they are useful.

It's sort of like "Back to the Future" where you're cruising along in your DeLorean, well under the speed limit, then kick in the Flux Capacitor for a quick sprint run. ;)
 

richbuff

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Messages
2,264
Location
Prescott Az
Also, in addition to what MAD777 indicates in the post located above this post,

4x 18650 light: X45vn.
 

aginthelaw

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
2,655
Location
NJ, USA
Also depends on the area you're using it in. The mini is for farther distance even though the X45 can hit that distance by the sheer force of its output. X7r is a nice compromise
 

Swedpat

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Messages
3,448
Location
Boden, Sweden
I recently got mini TN30(2016) and I chose it instead of TN36 just because I consider TN36 is over powered. I can say that at turbomode it's a flood beast but with a decent throw. But yes, everything is relative in this matter.
Personally I like high brightness but not to the expense of over heating or step down after a short while.
 

Keitho

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Messages
781
Location
CO, USA
I liked my mini TN30, it might be the best value in that form factor. But, I like the wow factor of a 21k lumen flooder, even if only to bring my new puppy outside for a few minutes...

It makes every piddle trip a little more fun!

[img]https://imgur.com/gallery/x9GBM[/img]
x9GBM
x9GBM
x9GBM


(man, I'm struggling to get an image to show up in my chrome browser no matter what tags I use...trying all combos of the
to get it to work, nothing seems to do the trick)
 
Last edited:

Bucur

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
205
Location
Yalova, Turkey
"Step down" is the consequence of "temporary step up" from the maximum continuous output that a flashlight is capable of delivering until its batteries deplete. If the maximum outputs of flashlights were limited to what they can constantly deliver without stepping down; the TN30 would not be a 3660 lumens flashlight either.

I have an X7 and I am happy with it but if it could deliver 9000 lumens continuously, I would prefer that Olight enables it to deliver a significantly higher output for a short period of time. In that case, my X7 would be "stepping down" to 9000 lumens in a while. Isn't this better than "stepping up" to 9000 lumens for a while?

I mean; buy what you like. There is no end to the escalation of maximum lumens. :)
 

Keitho

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Messages
781
Location
CO, USA
Sounds like you want an x7vn, bucur! I keep mine on 30% or 50% most of the time, and double click up to 21,000 lumens when my hands are cold or I'm not giggling out loud...
 

Bucur

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
205
Location
Yalova, Turkey
Sounds like you want an x7vn, bucur! I keep mine on 30% or 50% most of the time, and double click up to 21,000 lumens when my hands are cold or I'm not giggling out loud...

I sure do. Otherwise, I would deserve to be crucified for preferring 9K lumens to 21K!
 

DIPSTIX

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
291
Location
Wisconsin
Why not a Noctigon M43 Meteor? It will offer the best runtimes of almost any pop can light because it uses 3v LEDs which allow all four batteries to be in parallel compared to lights that use 6v or 12v leds which require 2 series/ 2 parallel which reduces the useful Mah by half. Higher mah = more runtime.
 

Swedpat

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Messages
3,448
Location
Boden, Sweden
"Step down" is the consequence of "temporary step up" from the maximum continuous output that a flashlight is capable of delivering until its batteries deplete. If the maximum outputs of flashlights were limited to what they can constantly deliver without stepping down; the TN30 would not be a 3660 lumens flashlight either.

I have an X7 and I am happy with it but if it could deliver 9000 lumens continuously, I would prefer that Olight enables it to deliver a significantly higher output for a short period of time. In that case, my X7 would be "stepping down" to 9000 lumens in a while. Isn't this better than "stepping up" to 9000 lumens for a while?

I mean; buy what you like. There is no end to the escalation of maximum lumens. :)

Even if mini TN30 does not put out 3660lm for the entire runtime, it maintains 3000+lm. There is a slow decline but nothing close to a sudden drop to 50% or even lower after 3min or so, which is common with some of these ultra high brightness models offered out there. The small decline is within the range not detectable for the eyes.
Therefore I like this model, the specifications are very fair compared to several other lights in this category.
 

Bucur

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
205
Location
Yalova, Turkey
Even if mini TN30 does not put out 3660lm for the entire runtime, it maintains 3000+lm.

I didn't know that it could maintain 3000+ lumens for the entire runtime. Now that I stand corrected, I wonder why it cannot deliver mega lumens (say 5-6000 lumens) for a shorter period of time. One doesn't have to use his flashlight at temporary max mode (so called Turbo) all the time but the ability to further illuminate for a short period of time is not all about bragging rights or wow factor. It is useful.
 

Dovii

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 20, 2017
Messages
27
Nitecore TM06s - 4000 lumens for an hour. Love the small form factor of this one, considering it has a quad of 18650
 

Bucur

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
205
Location
Yalova, Turkey
Nitecore TM06s - 4000 lumens for an hour. Love the small form factor of this one, considering it has a quad of 18650

Don't assume it will be putting out 4000 lumens at minute 60. As per the ANSI standards, manufacturers have the right to claim 4000 lumens for 60 minutes as long as the flashlight puts out 1/10 of this (400 lumens) during the minute 60.
 

Swedpat

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Messages
3,448
Location
Boden, Sweden
According to the review of TM06 by Selfbuilt it has a stepdown after a few minutes to high mode. The high mode lasts for around 100 minutes. I don't know what will be the gathered runtime if reset to turbomode, though.
 
Last edited:
Top