TerraLUX MiniStar2 EXTREME SSC P4 U-bin LED upgrade for AA MiniMag Maglites TLE-5EX

[customh]

Got my Terralux 5EX SSC P4 in the mail just now and equipped it with a RAM Instrument clicky, perfect function / tactical / positive click, and quiet too. Note, greatly reduced water resistance results from the clicky, but it's extremely reliable and I don't plan to be diving any time soon. It compares pretty good to the Fenix L2D, the L2D is slightly throwier, but the Terralux 5EX w/ Maglite may have slightly more overall output.

Yeah, the RAM is the same one as the Nite Ize and about all the water resistance it has now is to the rain. I wouldn't want to drop it in a puddle now. Have you done the washer mod to cool it off yet?

 

[robo21]

Yeah, the RAM is the same one as the Nite Ize and about all the water resistance it has now is to the rain. I wouldn't want to drop it in a puddle now. Have you done the washer mod to cool it off yet?

I'm doing the pre-purchase research for LED drop-ins for both the 3x D cell Maglites and the 2x AA cell Maglites. So you are saying there is a washer mod necessary to cool them down???

 

[customh]

Yes, TerraLUX isnt known for its great heatsinking. With the D size i would check out malkoff. PM me if you want more info.

 

[voiceiptester]

Re: MiniStar2 EXTREME - 140 Lumen Luxeon LED Upgrade Kit for Maglite 2AA Flashlights

The K2 version is the old version of the TLE-5EX and it's no nearly as bright as the SSC P4 version (never mind efficiency).

Was the old version labeled as TLE-5EX or TLE-5K2?

 

[customh]

Re: MiniStar2 EXTREME - 140 Lumen Luxeon LED Upgrade Kit for Maglite 2AA Flashlights

TLE-5K2.

 

[CampingLED]

Hi,

This thread makes reference to the SSC P4 U-bin TLE-5EX. According to the following two links it seems like the Ministar2 now comes with a CREE XRE-7090 LED fitted:

http://www.batteryjunction.com/tle-5k2.html
(photo still shows the SSC P4 LED)

http://www.led-replacement.com/tle-5ex.html
(photo shows a CREE)

Does anybody have experiences with this replacement and how does it compare with the SSC P4 U-bin version? Is this a Q5 Bin?

Regards
Johan

 

[TwoWheelNomad]

Hi,

This thread makes reference to the SSC P4 U-bin TLE-5EX. According to the following two links it seems like the Ministar2 now comes with a CREE XRE-7090 LED fitted:

http://www.batteryjunction.com/tle-5k2.html
(photo still shows the SSC P4 LED)

http://www.led-replacement.com/tle-5ex.html
(photo shows a CREE)

Does anybody have experiences with this replacement and how does it compare with the SSC P4 U-bin version? Is this a Q5 Bin?

Regards
Johan

Yeah I was wondering the same thing. I have one of the newer ones with the cree and I don't seem to have any of the heat issues on mine. Did a 20 minute test with a light meter and got consistent readings with not so new regular alkaline AA's. Maybe the problems were resolved with the Cree version. Or maybe somebody at Terralux reads these forums.

 

[customh]

MattK? Know what the differences are? If newbie was still around.....

 

[MattK]

From what I understand Cree has better in house QC, more rapid quality (bin) advances and better color so TerraLUX decided to make a switch. We have the new Cree version of course, but I need to take a new picture.

I think they're P4's or Q2's btw - Q5's are still quite hard to get in quantity and demand a serious premium which would make the price of the TLE-5EX's go up like $10-15/ea by the time the new emitter wa installed.

TEASER: I'll have another TerraLUX new product announcement soon...something for the big lights.

 

[ace0001a]

From what I understand Cree has better in house QC, more rapid quality (bin) advances and better color so TerraLUX decided to make a switch. We have the new Cree version of course, but I need to take a new picture.

I think they're P4's or Q2's btw - Q5's are still quite hard to get in quantity and demand a serious premium which would make the price of the TLE-5EX's go up like $10-15/ea by the time the new emitter wa installed.

TEASER: I'll have another TerraLUX new product announcement soon...something for the big lights.

Hmm...well I would venture to guess that it will involve a CreeXRE emitter based off of what you just said. I would still like to see Terralux address the heatsinking issues with the "big lights" (Mags) so that they could maximize output...and I know there's plenty of argument there with runtime, usefullness of high outputs and maximum brightness. I also understand that Terralux's products are meant for a large target consumer base and that us flashaholics are more of a niche market...I get it. But I've always felt that there's room for 1 or 2 premium items in a large company's product line...and when you look at the success of guys like Malkoff Devices and Elektrolumens has had recently with their high performance Mag drop-ins that there is plenty of demand for them from this "niche" market. It would be great if Terralux would at least consider limit runs of some premium items in their product line...but from my standpoint it looks like that won't happen until pigs fly. Still, I'm always going to put in my 2 cents about it.

Flashlight On People! :rock:

 

[MattK]

I think you guys will be pleasantly surprised - I just placed a call to them to see when I could announce and will do so ASAP.

 

[carmatic]

hey guys
i used to own like, 2 'ministar extremes' before , and they are obviously different... my old one had a gummy dome , my new one had a hard dome... i dont know if its me getting used to these lights but the first one definitely felt brighter:mecry:

i forgot the exact code number of the lights, but the new one is definitely a TLE 5EX

 

[mitchfried]

I also find the newer Cree version to be dimmer, with less flood. I don't know if the run time differs. The SSC mini update was one of my favorite lights to give as a gift because of the cool "mod" factor, the nice smooth white flood, and higher appearance of quality than most of the lights from China. It seems to me that the Cree doesn't quite work as well with the reflector as the SSC did.

 

[carmatic]

:mecry:and the only reason i had a new version in the first place, was because i lost my old one! oh well , now that ive replaced it too with another torch i can see further in the dark again, but i'll always miss my original AA maglite with the gummy dome ministar extreme.... and oh, the expensive lithium primaries that i power it with, makes a HUGE difference over alkalines in them...one little quirk i didnt like about the old one was the LED actually sank below the reflector if you tried to adjust the focus to flood, so your basically illuminating the insides of the torch... but even at its sharpest focus it was quite floody already anyway, there were a few nights when i actually took a magnifying glass with me to get the light to throw much further, you'll get an image of the reflector seperated by a small ring gap from the led in the middle...the new LED is raised above the pcb quite abit and sticks fully into the reflector, but as i said, its dimmer....using lithiums in them still perk them up compared to using alkaline, but they still dont quite give the intensity that the old LEDs gave...

and oh one more tip, try not to touch the reflector too much, they are made of some kind of pretty temporary coating... if you touch them too much they rub off on your fingers, if youve got the wrong stuff on your hands they come off straight away and leave you with a nice transparent reflector...

 

[hank]

I still have several old 4- and 5- and 6-D Mags sitting waiting, mostly because along with high prices, heat in long use has been a concern.

I'm not looking to make these big old lights into superbright torches, I can get those now in little pocket size lights. These are for emergencies, now, lights I can give to neighbors when the earthquake happens that will serve when all the little lights have gone dead and nobody can find more batteries.

They sit in the earthquake cache, have their alkalines thrown away every couple of years to avoid leaks, then will get used when the earthquake happens and have to be reliable for several days of prolonged use.

I'd welcome someone breaking down which of the replacement LED dropins for the old multi-D and -C M@gs have which characteristics --- heat in prolonged use, battery life in prolonged use would be good to know.

And if this means a good price on outdated hardware, that'd be good too!

 

[MattK]

mitchfried - We still have 5-6 SSC P4 5EX's in stock if you prefer that version.

 

[mitchfried]

Hey Matt...leave my wallet alone (LOL)!

 

[TwoWheelNomad]

MattK? Know what the differences are? If newbie was still around.....

Thanks customh and MattK for the answers. Sorry for late reply, I been away for a few days. I am a newbie but I'm learning fast, CPF is the best place I've found so far for this kind of stuff. Thanks to all who contribute here. Your work is much appreciated!

 

[MattK]

My pleasure TWN.

I have permission to release some info about the new product and will be posting shortly.

 

[carmatic]

My pleasure TWN.

I have permission to release some info about the new product and will be posting shortly.

oooh new product....