Is there a regulated Inova X5?

Is there such a thing like a regulated Inova X5? I don't mean a mod, just a regulated X5 directly from the factory.

AFAIK, there has never been a regulated Inova, but a few days ago, I bought an X5 from eBay because the seller claimed it was regulated. Now that I have it, it just looks and behaves just like an unregulated X5, nothing special.

Do you guys know anything about a regulated Inova? The X5 is also sterile, it has no name or description on it, but it is none of the HA-III X5s, like countycomm used to sell, because it is clear anodized.


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Edit:

I've taken some photos os the X5, because some members suggested it might be a counterfeit.

Here they are: (the same ones as found later in this thread)

http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_1.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_2.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_3.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_4.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_5.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_6.jpg

I'm no expert, but I've never heard of a regulated X5. I think that's why the batteries last so long in the X5. They just keep producing declining amounts of light. I think you'll see that it keeps getting dimmer as time goes by, which indicates no regulation.

Do you guys know anything about a regulated Inova? The X5 is also sterile, it has no name or description on it, but it is none of the HA-III X5s, like countycomm used to sell, because it is clear anodized.

Click to expand...

Are you sure it's really an Inova and not a copy? The lack of a name on the light sounds suspicious.

Well, I think it is already regulated.

-David

Spacemarine said:

Is there such a thing like a regulated Inova X5? I don't mean a mod, just a regulated X5 directly from the factory.

AFAIK, there has never been a regulated Inova, but a few days ago, I bought an X5 from eBay because the seller claimed it was regulated. Now that I have it, it just looks and behaves just like an unregulated X5, nothing special.

Do you guys know anything about a regulated Inova? The X5 is also sterile, it has no name or description on it, but it is none of the HA-III X5s, like countycomm used to sell, because it is clear anodized.

Click to expand...

Spacemarine, the X5 models are not regulated. The the only "regulated" models are the X1, XO, XO3 and the T-series. Also, all Inova X5's are marked "Emissive Energy Inova Patented" on the rubber tailswitch. Older models were marked on the metal band around the tailswitch, but current models are marked on the rubber switch itself. None are sterile except for the CountyComm HA versions. Look closely at yours. It may be a bit difficult to see on the black rubber, but the markings should be there. If your's lacks the markings, then it's probably a counterfeit.

I've taken some pictures of my X5, so you can see that there are absolutely no markings. It's possible that it's only a copy, but I really doubt that.

http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_1.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_2.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_3.jpg

What do you think I have here? Is it a counterfeit? Or a production error? Or are the markings worn off?

Neither the bezel nor the tailcap look like any Inova X5 part I have seen. All my X5s have checkering on the tailcap, not linear grooves like yours. The lanyard hole is also different. The machining markings along the body also do not look like the "original" Inovas.

Also, the anodizing looks slightly different, though this could be a photographing artifact.

If it's counterfeit, is the closest one I've ever seen. But it sure has some counterfeit look on it. Could also be a prototype?

Could you measure the diameter of the body? Looking at the bezel, it seems slightly larger than my Inovas.

Spacemarine said:

I've taken some pictures of my X5, so you can see that there are absolutely no markings. It's possible that it's only a copy, but I really doubt that.

http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_1.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_2.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_3.jpg

What do you think I have here? Is it a counterfeit? Or a production error? Or are the markings worn off?

Click to expand...

Spacemarine, I'm 99.9% sure that what you have is a counterfeit X5. The finish is off and the machining marks are quite quite visible. Could you post a pic of the inside of the tailcap?

Only sterile X5 I know of is the country comm ones (ha3?)

from pic1, it looks like somebody sanded the original coat off (if it had any).

greenLED said:

from pic1, it looks like somebody sanded the original coat off (if it had any).

Click to expand...

That and tried to polish the head to a mirror finish. I'm sure it's a fake. Like Isaac said, the only sterile X5's I've ever seen or even heard of were the HA County Comm versions.

I have a CountyComm sterile version and it does not look like the one Spacemarine owns. Mine does not have the visible machine marks, and the HA-III is much darker.

As far a regulation goes, the X5 has been described as "over-driven." The 2x123 supply more juice than required by the 5 leds.

It's one of my favs...

I can't tell from your picture but the rubber button should say Emmissive Energy Corp. or something to that effect on it.

Chris

I measured the diameter of the head, it is 22.09 mm, 0.869 inch.

I've also taken a few more pictures, showing the threads, the inside of the switch and the body. I'd really like to know if this is a counterfeit or a real inova. Perhaps I will contact Inova and ask them directly...

http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_4.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_5.jpg
http://hosting.christian-benz.de/spacemarine/x5_6.jpg

IT'S A FAKE, A COUNTERFEIT, A KNOCKOFF, A COPYWRIGHT INFRINGEMENT.

Can't get any clearer than that.
Let's recap.

1. There are no markings on your tailcap. Real X5's are marked "EMISSIVE ENERGY INOVA PATENTED" on the black rubber switch. (Note that on earlier models, the markings were on the metal band around the switch). The only "sterile" X5's were Hard Anodized versions sold by County Comm.

2. The grooves on your tailcap don't correspond to the current octagonal bodied X5's. They should be checkered.

3. The lanyard hole on your model is too small.

4. The poor finish and the machine marks on yours are not what is typical of a real Inova X5.

5. Yours has a polished bezel. The bezel on real X5's have a brushed satin finish. They should look like this:


6. The peek inside the tailcap and body of your torch proves it to be 100%fake.Inside the tailcap of a real X5 you'll find a positive indicator "+" to aid the user in correctly inserting the batteries. The "+" indicator is surrounded by 6 small black tabs.

7. Inside the body of your torch we see a metallic contact on a white plastic mount. A real Inova X5 will have a brass coloured piston on a black mount which is designed to insure positive battery to lamp contact. It should look like this:


8. Yours couldn't possibly be a prototype because even the early X5's with the fluted bodies had the same interior configuration as the current octagonal bodied models.

Well, what else can I say. It's a counterfeit, a fake, a knockoff, a crude clone.

By the way, if you want to see what the earlier fluted models looked like you can see a review of it in Quickbeam's site HERE

Just for the record, original Inovas are exactly 22.0 mm (0.866") in diameter, 21.0 mm from flute to flute.

SpaceMarine, your X5 is as fake as a 3 dollar bill. How much did you pay for it?

Yep, looks like a fake to me.

I have all of the commercially available INOVAs in my collection, and I can state, without shadow of doubt the model you have, from the pictures shown, is a fake.
INOVA are also totally waterproof, machined with tight tolerances and a very high quality finish.
I have seen, on the market, all types of clone of the INOVA X5 and X5T. Powered from two 123, two AA, one AA.
None of them was waterproof or had the LED bezel made of stainless steel, or other high standard built qualities, like the true INOVA.
Of course, these fakes cost from 5 to 10 dollars. If you paid it the full price, which I believe to be around 40 $, then I'm sorry for you.

Anthony

I got the official confirmation from Inova that the flashlight I bought is a fake. I emailed them the pictures and asked for their opinion. Their answer was quite clear: "This is not an Inova Flashlight."

Now I'll try to get my money back from the seller, I'll let you know how it turn out.