# Thrunite TN30 Review (3xXM-L, 3x18650): RUNTIMES, VIDEO, OUTDOOR BEAMSHOTS and more!



## selfbuilt (May 17, 2012)

*Warning: even more pic heavy than usual! :sweat:*











The TN30 is a new high-output, 3xXM-L, 3x18650 flashlight from Thrunite. Let's see how it compares to other recent lights in this class, including the new TN31 (a high-output singe-emitter "thrower" light based on the same battery handle). 

*Manufacturer's Specifications for the TN30:*

LED: Three Cree XM-L U2 LEDs 
Max 3000 lumen output using 3 * 18650 batteries: Level 1: 1 lm. 1200 hours; Level 2: 38 lm. 75 hours; Level 3: 352 lm. 10 hours; Level 4: 932 lm. 3.5 hours; Level 5: 1580 lm. 2.5 hours; Level 6: 2780 lm. 1.2 hours; Standby: 67 uA; Strobe: 2780 lm. 2hours.
Working voltage: 8V to 13V.
Max runtime: 1200 hours.
Max beam distance: 370 meters.
Peak beam intensity: 35000cd.
Impact resistant: 1.2 meters.
Waterproof to IPX-8 standard, 2M.
178.00mm length, 64.50mm bezel diameter.
Weight: 559.80g without battery.
Aircraft grade aluminum body structure.
Premium type III hard anodized anti-abrasive finish.
Ultra-clear tempered glass lens with anti-reflective coating.
Momentary forward click tactical switch.
Strobe mode for tactical and emergency use.
Smooth reflector for max light output.
Highly focused beam for maximum distance.
Tactical knurling for firm grip.
Streamlined body design.
Mechanical reversed polarity protection design for battery carrier.
Intelligent highly efficient circuit board design for max performance and long run time.
Specially designed for Military, Law Enforcement, Self-defense, Hunting, Search & Rescue and Outdoor activities.
Intelligent temperature controlled light output for user safety.
MSRP: ~$240






The production version sent to me came in the full presentation case, with metal hinges and closing flaps. Inside were the light, belt pouch, wrist lanyard, manual, warranty card, and extra o-rings and spare boot cover.

Note the cut-out foam had a faint acrid smell when the case was first opened, likely due to some sort of outgassing that had built-up inside the sealed case. Leaving it open for a few days allowed it to fully clear up.













From left to right: AW Protected 18650; Thrunite TN30, TN31, Catapult V3; Xtar S1; 4Sevens S18 Maelstrom; Nitecore TM11. 

All basic dimensions are given with no batteries installed:

*Thrunite TN30*: Weight: 468.2g (est 620g with 3x18650), Length: 179mm, Width (bezel): 64.3mm, Width (tailcap): 49.0mm 
*Thrunite TN31*: Weight: 572.1g (est 723g with 3x18650), Length: 203mm, Width (bezel): 79.0mm, Width (tailcap): 49.0mm 
*Xtar S1 Production*: Weight: 876.0g (est. 1028g with 3x18650 protected), Length: 240mm, Width (bezel): 83.4mm
*Nitecore TM11*: Weight: 342.6g (476g with 8xCR123A), Length 135.3mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm 
*4Sevens S18*: Weight: 700g (800g with 6xCR123A), Length: 233mm, Width (bezel) 63.0mm, (tailcap) 25.6mm
*Olight SR51*: Weight: 405g, Length: 190mm, Width (bezel) 62.0mm
*Olight SR90*: Weight: 1.6 kg (with battery pack), Length: 335mm, Width (bezel): 97mm 
*Olight SR92*: Weight: 1.15 kg (with battery pack), Length: 271mm, Width (bezel): 98mm 

The TN30 is a substantial light, but it is not as large as some other lights of this class. Probably its closest size comparable is the SR51, which is only a 1xXM-L light.

Let's start with the case:














And now the light itself:










Anodizing is a glossy black, and seems to be good quality – no chips or damage on my sample. Labels were sharp and bright white against the black background. Knurling is fairly aggressive on the handle, helping with grip. Scroll down for a discussion of the control ring feel and use.

Screw threads are anodized for head lock-out. Threads are standard triangular cut, but seem of good quality.

Light has a scalloped black aluminum bezel. For more details on the reflector, scroll down to the beamshot section of the review.

Here are some close-up shots of the control ring:










There are slight indents on the control ring to help with feel. There is a label mark on the control ring that lines up with the labels on the head. The six constant output modes are not individually labeled, but there is a graded output bar pictogram over the first four levels (i.e., shows the direction to turn to raise or lower the output). There are firm detents at each level, with a slight click as you enter into each one. :thumbsup:


















There is a metal battery carrier that holds 3x 18650 cells. The positive contact plate is slightly raised, so all types of 18650 cells should work fine (i.e., true flat-tops, wide and small button-tops). Longer cells may be a bit tight, but my protected 3100mAh cells all fit. The carrier can be inserted either orientation into the handle. Note that particularly wide cells may be a tight fit into the handle.






The light can tailstand stably, and the tailcap cut-outs facilitate access to the switch. Switch is a forward clicky switch (i.e., press for momentary, click for locked-on). Switch feel is fairly typical, with a definite click. But there's more to it than meets the eye ... 






There is a double set of springs in the base, in addition to the spring in the head. The double-set of springs in the tail is a tip-off that something interesting is going on with the tail-switch and the battery carrier. Here is what the tail switch looks like in detail:










There is clearly a circuit along with the forward clicky switch. This is presumably to provide some sort of assist to the switch, modifying the load on it. The dual springs is how it draws power from the battery carrier, irrespective of the head. Scroll down to my Standby Drain section for more info.

*User Interface*

Turn the light off/on by the tailcap clicky – press for momentary, press and release (i.e., click) for constant on. 

Change output modes by turning the control ring in the head. Arranged from left-to-right (looking down at the light, held in traditional flashlight carry), the modes are level 1 (moonlight) > level 2 > level 3 > level 4 > level 5 > level 6 (max) > standby > tactical strobe. 

No light is produced on standby, but a miniscule current will be drawn to allow the circuit to respond to a ring turn (see below). As always, I recommend you store the light clicked-off at the tailcap, or locked-out by a head twist. 

For information on the light, including the build and user interface, please see my new video overview:



As always, videos were recorded in 720p, but YouTube typically defaults to 360p. Once the video is running, you can click on the configuration settings icon and select the higher 480p to 720p options. You can also run full-screen. 

*PWM/Strobe*

There is no sign of PWM on any level – I believe the light is current-controlled. 






Strobe is an oscillating frequency strobe, switching between 6.9Hz and 14.6Hz on my sample. Each frequency lasts for about 2/3 of a sec. Here is a blow-up of each strobe frequency individually:










There is a bit of a ramp-up to the peak strobe output, but it is not something you could see in practice. Strobe is quite blazingly fast to the eye.

*Standby Drain*

The "Stand By" mode on the control ring is just that - due to the electronic ring control, the TN30 will always be drawing a small current when the tailcap switch is clicked on.

I measured this current as 114uA. Since the cells are arranged in series, for 2600mAh 18650s that that would translate into a little over 2.6 years before the cells were fully drained. Note this is slightly higher the 67uA standby current listed in the manual, but that may just be natural variation (e.g., my TN31 was 96uA, in comparison). This is quite reasonable for a standby current. 

There is a secondary circuit in the tailcap that has its own standby drain. You don't often see physical clicky switches in these sorts of high-powered lights, likely due to their inability to handle the typical current flows. In this case, the physical forward clicky is connected to its own circuit that presumably provides some sort of assist to the switch, modifying the load on it. 

I tried to measure the current draw on the tail switch, but my DMM's uA/mA port seems to have gone on the fritz since my earlier measures of the head standby draw were taken. While I'm waiting for a replacement, HKJ reports between 20-50 uA standby drain on the tail switch (scroll down this thread for commentary).

This means that whenever the battery carrier is loaded with cells and in contact to the tailswitch, a miniscule current will be drawn (i.e., it would take at least 6 years to drain the cells, even at its highest point). But to break this current, you would need to remove the carrier from the handle.

*Beamshots:*









Each emitter was well-centered in its own reflector well – but the wells overlap with each other considerably. Expect a lot of peripheral artifacts in the spill, due to the overlapping wells.

And now, what you have all been waiting for.  All lights are on their respective max battery sources (3xAW protected 18650 for then TN30/31), about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences. 





























































Output is slightly greater initially on the TN30 than most of my other multi-emitter lights. Scroll down for a comparison of estimated lumens.

Also as expected, the overlapping emitter wells produce visible patterns in the spill. This is particularly noticeable at close-range distances. 

For outdoor beamshots, these are done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground). 






The TN30 produces a lot more light than the TN31 (1xXM-L), with a wider spillbeam. But it lacks the dedicated throw of the more focused TN31.











The TN30 has more output than my other 3xXM-L lights (at least initially). Scroll down to my Summary tables for more details on relative output and throw.

*Testing Method:* 

All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lightbox values to Lumens thread for more info. 

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*

My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables. Effective July 2012, I have updated all my Peak Intensity/Beam Distance measures with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter (orange highlights).






_*UPDATE AUGUST 20, 2012*: I have revised the summary table above to reflect the results of my new NIST-calibrated lightmeter._

Initial max output is measurably higher than other 3xXM-L emitter lights I've tested – possibly due to the fact that the 3x18650 cells are in series instead of parallel. You would have to ask a circuit/battery expert to explain this further – but I suspect it has to do with how many amps can be drawn from the cells in series as opposed to parallel. 

Given the estimated output, it seems the TN30 is able to drive the XM-L U2 emitters to their maximum level. Note the output doesn't stay there for long – the light has a step-down after one and half minutes (see my runtimes for more info).

Peak throw is quite reasonable for the depth of the reflector and the degree of overlap of the wells.

Lowest output is lower than 1 lumen in my testing. In fact, here is a breakdown of the estimated lumen values for both the TN30 and TN31 in my testing:






As you can see, the reported output and throw specs from Thrunite seem remarkably consistent with my testing. I suspect Thrunite did indeed get these tested in a properly-calibrated integrating sphere. :thumbsup:

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*











Output/runtime performance was quite good for the TN30 when taking into account the 3x18650 battery source. It was certainly well in keeping with other current-controlled lights at these levels. 

Although initially a bit brighter than the other 3xXM-L lights tested here, you will see that the overall runtime pattern is consistent with other lights once step-down occurs (at 69 secs into the run).

With the exception of the Max output run, the TN30 was quite good at maintaining stably flat regulation across its various modes. 

Although it doesn't show in the runtimes above, the TN30 would flash a few warning flashes shortly before hitting the built-in battery protection circuit shut-down.

In terms of reported ANSI FL-1 runtimes, the Thrunite numbers seem pretty good, perhaps just slightly inflated at some levels. Remember that my runtimes are done on 2200mAh cells. On 3100mAh cells, I would expect runtimes fairly close to the reported Thrunite specs.






The above is a comparison of my standard 2200mAh AW cells to the NCR18650A-based 4GREER 3100mAh cells. No real surprises here - the 3100mAh cells perform better.

Oh, and those little blips near the end of the L6 run on the TN30 are from the low-battery warning system of the light.

Finally, for those of you have trouble visualizing the conversion of my relative lightbox values to estimated lumens, here is how the TN30 stacks up to the other very high-output lights (note the * ESTIMATED LUMENS * output scale below).






*Potential Issues*

Due to the overlapping reflector design, there are very noticeable artifacts in the periphery of the spillbeam (as with other lights that use a similar design).

Due to the electronic control ring in the head, the light has a stand-by current when in "Stand By" mode. But this current is very low (96uA), and will not be problem for regular use (i.e. will take about 3 years to drain three fully charged 18650 2600mAh cells). You can break this current by clicking the tailswitch off, or loosening the head from the body.

However, there is a second standby current due a circuit in the tail to assist the physical switch. The tail circuit draws its power directly from the battery carrier, irrespective to the state of the head (i.e., the purpose of those dual springs in the tail). The current draw is miniscule (i.e., over 6 years to fully drain the cells), but the only way to break it is to remove the battery carrier from the handle.

Only 3x 18650 Li-ion cells may be used in the light (i.e., doesn't support multiple CR123A primary cells)

Light uses a battery carrier, and very long or wide cells may be a bit tight. But all cells I tested worked in the carrier, including protected flat-top cells.

The individual levels are not specifically labeled on the head of the light, so you may need to "count" detents to figure out what level you are set to.

*Preliminary Observations*

The first 3x XM-L high-output light from Thrunite, the TN30 has a lot going for it. It terms of raw power, it is the brightest light of this class I've tested so far (at least for the first 69 secs – after that, it steps down to a level closer to the competition). oo:

Output/runtime performance was very good, with the current control circuitry providing excellent runtimes at all levels tested. Stabilization was quite good as well, with perfectly flat regulation on all levels, aside from Max output. Note there is a brief warning flash to indicate when the batteries are nearly exhausted. :thumbsup:

In terms of the interface, the control ring worked well in my testing. I particularly liked the clear and firm detents at every level. The six output levels are well spaced (and very accurate to the specs), giving you plenty of output and runtime options. I am also glad to see strobe was placed after a standby mode (i.e., don't need to keep running into it). A good implementation of a control ring. 

I like the use of the physical clicky switch, but its implementation is a little unusual here - there is actually a second circuit in the tailcap that seems to provide some sort of powered assist to it. The standby current draw is tiny though. 

The beam is reasonable for the type and class of light, with plenty of throw and spill. Personally, I am not a fan of the wide overlapping reflector well design, as this produces a lot artifacts, but these are really only noticeable at a close range (i.e., in the near spill). :shrug:

The TN30 in an impressive offering. The light performed well in my testing, with little to criticize. I am particularly impressed to see the very accurate output, throw and runtime specs from Thrunite (you would think that ANSI FL-1 would have resulted in more reliable specs overall, but that doesn't generally seem to be the case for many other makers ). Certainly a strong contender in the high-output arena. :wave:

----

TN30 provided by Thrunite for review.


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## peteybaby (May 17, 2012)

Swell review. Do you have any thermal measurements?


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## BLUE LED (May 17, 2012)

I am very tempted with the TN30 it looks like an excellent alternative to the TM11. It looks like it throws fairly well too


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## selfbuilt (May 17, 2012)

peteybaby said:


> Swell review. Do you have any thermal measurements?


No, it is not part of my usual testing regimen (external probe placement is a non-trivial matter for accurate comparisons between lights of different size/mass/shape, etc.). My subjective impression is that it doesn't get unreasonably hot, although it may be warmer than some of the competition.



BLUE LED said:


> I am very tempted with the TN30 it looks like an excellent alternative to the TM11. It looks like it throws fairly well too


It's really a different beam pattern, thanks to the TM11's much shallower reflector wells. I would say the TM11 is a more a "wall of light", and the TN30 is between it and the Xtar S1 for throw.


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## CamoNinja (May 18, 2012)

Awesome review, thank you.


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## light36 (May 23, 2012)

Great review as always , had to order a TN30 as well after reading your review .


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## MOTILAC (May 23, 2012)

light36 said:


> Great review as always , had to order a TN30 as well after reading your review .



If you don't mind me asking, where did you order your TN30 from?


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## BullsEyeLantern (May 27, 2012)

Nice review on this and the TN31. I'd love them both!


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## light36 (May 29, 2012)

MOTILAC said:


> If you don't mind me asking, where did you order your TN30 from?



Hi MOTILAC , from ebay . I received the TN30 a few days ago and it was everything i hoped it to be , i own a Nitecore TM11 and compared the 2 flashlights and the TN30 takes it hands down for me .


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## vinhnguyen54 (Jun 4, 2012)

Just bought a TN30 so my TN31 won't be lonely! Thanks selfbuilt!


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## biglights (Jun 4, 2012)

vinhnguyen54 said:


> Just bought a TN30 so my TN31 won't be lonely! Thanks selfbuilt!



You have everything covered


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## flashlight4u (Jun 5, 2012)

light36 said:


> Hi MOTILAC , from ebay . I received the TN30 a few days ago and it was everything i hoped it to be , i own a Nitecore TM11 and compared the 2 flashlights and the TN30 takes it hands down for me .



hi light36,

could you tell us which eBay seller and price


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## vinhnguyen54 (Jun 7, 2012)

I know where to get a TN30 for $209. PM me if you are interested.


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## oKtosiTe (Jun 10, 2012)

So from what I understand this light can be used as a signal light with the momentary switch? (As opposed to my non-tactical Quark X AA².)


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## selfbuilt (Jun 10, 2012)

oKtosiTe said:


> So from what I understand this light can be used as a signal light with the momentary switch? (As opposed to my non-tactical Quark X AA².)


Yes.


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## oKtosiTe (Jun 18, 2012)

selfbuilt said:


> Yes.



Thanks! Looks like the TM11 is getting a run for its (my) money. Two more questions: can the TM11 be used as a signal light in any practical sense, and does the TN30 have any kind of thermal regulation (my Quark has overheated in its holster more than once, and I hear doing that with 18650-based lights can be... unhealthy)?


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## selfbuilt (Jun 18, 2012)

oKtosiTe said:


> Thanks! Looks like the TM11 is getting a run for its (my) money. Two more questions: can the TM11 be used as a signal light in any practical sense, and does the TN30 have any kind of thermal regulation (my Quark has overheated in its holster more than once, and I hear doing that with 18650-based lights can be... unhealthy)?


The Nitecore TM11 can't really be used for signalling, given how the electronic switch responds to presses.

As for the thermal regulation on the TN30, I note the specs say that it has "intelligent temperature controlled light output for user safety". What I interpret that to mean is that there is a sensor on the circuit to detect excessive temperature (at what set point I do not know), and a current-limiting feature to respond. I know Thrunite has instituted that on some other recent lights as well. I have not directly tested this, though (and all my runtimes are done under a cooling fan).

But note that in any case, it is a safety feature to protect the _circuit_. In a confined space (like the holster, backpack, etc.), you could potentially rise rapidly to temperatures that could do some damage to surrounding material before the circuit-limiting feature kicked in. If you are concerned about accidental activation, you should store the head locked-out when not in use.


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## oKtosiTe (Jun 18, 2012)

That was quick! Thanks, selfbuilt. With three separate ways to turn the TN30 "off" (lockout, clicky, control ring), I should be pretty safe. 
I think this is going to be the one—unless something even better comes along before I have the cash for it.


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## Joshwaa (Jul 16, 2012)

Sorry for bringing up the slightly old thread, but I have a question. I ordered the TN30 and I have plenty of AW IMR 18650 (red)batteries are those good to use in this light? Would you recommend something better?


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## selfbuilt (Jul 16, 2012)

Joshwaa said:


> I ordered the TN30 and I have plenty of AW IMR 18650 (red)batteries are those good to use in this light? Would you recommend something better?


The red label AW IMR cells are unprotected, which I don't recommend in multi-battery setups with fully-regulated circuits. IMR chemistry is not required for the current draw in the TN30, and you are definitely safer sticking with protected cells. 

Although you should be able to tell by the reduced output on the L6/L7 modes that it is time to charge those IMR cells, at the lower outputs you are likely to damage the cells by over-discharging before noticing any drop in output. I recommend you pick up any of the quality protected 18650 cells out there - there are tons discussed in the batteries subforum here.


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## BLUE LED (Jul 16, 2012)

Joshwaa said:


> Sorry for bringing up the slightly old thread, but I have a question. I ordered the TN30 and I have plenty of AW IMR 18650 (red)batteries are those good to use in this light? Would you recommend something better?



You should read about batteries in the sub-forum. However the short answer is AW 18650 3100 mAh or the cheaper option Eagletac 18650 3100mAh.


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## Joshwaa (Jul 16, 2012)

Thank you for the reply. Was hoping to use the batteries I had but oh well. Thanks for the help, I probably would have killed my IMR's. Is the AW 18650 3100mAh the best you can get for this light in your opinion?


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## selfbuilt (Jul 16, 2012)

Joshwaa said:


> Is the AW 18650 3100mAh the best you can get for this light in your opinion?


The 3100mAh Panasonic NCR18650A core is certainly the most popular basis for batteries these days. But there are probably dozens of brands to choose from (each with their own specific protection circuit, etc.). One of those would do fine, but again, check in the battery subforum for discussion of individual brands.


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## BLUE LED (Jul 16, 2012)

Joshwaa said:


> Thank you for the reply. Was hoping to use the batteries I had but oh well. Thanks for the help, I probably would have killed my IMR's. Is the AW 18650 3100mAh the best you can get for this light in your opinion?



I can not emember which 18650 works best in the Thrunite TN30, but the protected AW 18650 3100mAh worked exremely well. If I can find the test results, then I will confirm which 18650 performed best in this specific model. It will most likely be by PM, as we may start wondering off topic.


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## Joshwaa (Jul 16, 2012)

Sorry should have been more specific. I have read most of the battery reviews. I was trying to look into the amperage draw of the light and make sure the batteries I get can do a more than adequate job. I believe the max amp output for a AW 18650 3100mAh is 5.8A (1.75C approx). Does that light draw more than that on the brightest setting. If there was a Amp draw rating on the light somewhere I apologize for missing it. Once again thanks for helping!


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## selfbuilt (Jul 16, 2012)

Joshwaa said:


> I believe the max amp output for a AW 18650 3100mAh is 5.8A (1.75C approx). Does that light draw more than that on the brightest setting. If there was a Amp draw rating on the light somewhere I apologize for missing it. Once again thanks for helping!


HKJ determined that the TN30 circuit stabilized at around 3A. So the battery with the best performance at a 3A discharge rate is what you would want. But I don't imagine the difference between most 3100mAh brands at this level is very great -any of them would be fine.


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## Joshwaa (Jul 17, 2012)

Thanks. Just the info I was looking for.


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## mrjoed40 (Sep 3, 2012)

selfbuilt said:


> *Warning: even more pic heavy than usual! :sweat:*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Selfbuilt,

Great review, I purchased a TN30 last week, partly on your recommendation. I do have one question, on highest setting ( #6) there is a "ramp up" to full intensity and it honestly seems that setting 6 is not much brighter than #5. As the difference is over 1000 lumens, I would think it would be more noticeable. Was your test unit like that?

Thanks


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## pezie (Sep 3, 2012)

mrjoed40,



mrjoed40 said:


> on highest setting ( #6) there is a "ramp up" to full intensity and it honestly seems that setting 6 is not much brighter than #5.


I've heard this from other owners, too, so your TN30 is most probably fine.
Have you seen turbobb's review with beamshots at the different brightness settings? The brightness steps seem to be more or less evenly spaced, #6 being brighter than #5, but not a lot. (Bear in mind the logarithmic relationship between physical luminance and subjectively perceived brightness.)

Regards,
pezie

(PS: You accidentally clicked "Reply With Quote" instead of "Reply" and duplicated the whole review.)


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## sbbsga (Sep 3, 2012)

mrjoed40 said:


> Selfbuilt,
> 
> Great review, I purchased a TN30 last week, partly on your recommendation. I do have one question, on highest setting ( #6) there is a "ramp up" to full intensity and it honestly seems that setting 6 is not much brighter than #5. As the difference is over 1000 lumens, I would think it would be more noticeable. Was your test unit like that?
> 
> Thanks



Yes, the ramp up feature is on mine too. It was mentioned in the reviews as well.


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## selfbuilt (Sep 9, 2012)

mrjoed40 said:


> Great review, I purchased a TN30 last week, partly on your recommendation. I do have one question, on highest setting ( #6) there is a "ramp up" to full intensity and it honestly seems that setting 6 is not much brighter than #5. As the difference is over 1000 lumens, I would think it would be more noticeable. Was your test unit like that?


The ramp up is normal, as others have pointed out. 

As for the output, it should be noticeable - but again, relative perception is not linearly proportional to lumens. It is close to logarithmic, but actually more a cube-root power relationship (based on modern psycho-perceptual research). That said, if your batteries are not fully charged, you may not get full power output on max.


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## rsp (Sep 16, 2012)

selfbuilt said:


> The ramp up is normal, as others have pointed out.
> 
> As for the output, it should be noticeable - but again, relative perception is not linearly proportional to lumens. It is close to logarithmic, but actually more a cube-root power relationship (based on modern psycho-perceptual research). That said, if your batteries are not fully charged, you may not get full power output on max.



The ramp up at level 6 is a soft-start so that the batteries aren't hit with a huge current spike, which can trigger the overload protection circuit in some protected batteries and cause them to cut out.


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## selfbuilt (Sep 16, 2012)

rsp said:


> The ramp up at level 6 is a soft-start so that the batteries aren't hit with a huge current spike, which can trigger the overload protection circuit in some protected batteries and cause them to cut out.


:welcome: Yes, that is the presumed explanation for the soft start on high-output lights like this. A sensible precaution, to ensure good battery performance.


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## cmichael (Oct 17, 2012)

Battery Junction are shipping my TN30 tomorrow, Now I hope this light will destroy my TK35..

Selfbuilt do you have any picture comparing the Fenix TK35 and TN30?

Thanks..

Now What I'm going to get next


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## selfbuilt (Oct 19, 2012)

cmichael said:


> Selfbuilt do you have any picture comparing the Fenix TK35 and TN30?


Hmmm, don't think I've done that comparison before. Here you go:


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## cmichael (Oct 19, 2012)

Thanks Selfbuild for comparison Beam shots, In real life is that TN is about 3 time brighter than TK35? My TN30 will be here on Wednesday, I lived in Vegas, I do some shooting in desert in day time, Its this TN30 good for night time shooting around 200 to 300 yard? Or I need more powerful Olight X6? but I like the size of the TN30.


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## Bwolcott (Oct 19, 2012)

cmichael said:


> Thanks Selfbuild for comparison Beam shots, In real life is that TN is about 3 time brighter than TK35? My TN30 will be here on Wednesday, I lived in Vegas, I do some shooting in desert in day time, Its this TN30 good for night time shooting around 200 to 300 yard? Or I need more powerful Olight X6? but I like the size of the TN30.




the tn30 puts up a large wall of light, if you wanted more distance you should have gone with the tn31


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## selfbuilt (Oct 19, 2012)

cmichael said:


> Thanks Selfbuild for comparison Beam shots, In real life is that TN is about 3 time brighter than TK35? My TN30 will be here on Wednesday, I lived in Vegas, I do some shooting in desert in day time, Its this TN30 good for night time shooting around 200 to 300 yard? Or I need more powerful Olight X6? but I like the size of the TN30.


The TN30 is more than 3 times brighter than the TK35, in term of overall lumen output. But it won't seem that much brighter, given that we do not perceive brightness linearly. It will likely seem more than twice as bright, subjectively (although beam pattern also comes into play here, especially at greater distances, which may skew things).

In terms of throw, the beam distance of the TN30 is about 50% further in my measurements. Hard to say for your intended use - you would have to try it and see. If it is insufficient, the TN31 would throw further (i.e. beam distance more than double the TK35).

Here's a TN30/TN31 comparison:


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## cmichael (Oct 20, 2012)

I like the flood on the picture of TN30, But I like the throw of TN31.


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## selfbuilt (Oct 20, 2012)

cmichael said:


> I like the flood on the picture of TN30, But I like the throw of TN31.


The age-old problem. :laughing:

What it comes down to then is that you either have to to go with a single-emitter light that is capable of more output, like the the SR95 ...






... or, you go with a multi-emitter light with deeper reflector wells for more throw, like the Xtar S1 ...






Either way, you will be getting a larger light. :shrug:


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## Tim B (Oct 20, 2012)

I made a label for mine that shows the number of lumens for each click of the control ring. I printed it on a shipping label and cut it into a thin strip to fit in the proper place on the light.


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## cmichael (Oct 20, 2012)

Good Idea, Where did you got that label from? You should have running time label too


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## sbbsga (Oct 21, 2012)

Tim B said:


> I made a label for mine that shows the number of lumens for each click of the control ring. I printed it on a shipping label and cut it into a thin strip to fit in the proper place on the light.



Cool! Mine are like these. 





12mm tape, experimenting with different font sizes. 12 mm is just enough to cover the two bands and bridging the groove. They are starting to peel at the corners. When they get too annoying, I will try clear tape with GITD sticker underneath.


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## cmichael (Oct 24, 2012)

How about Firefoxes FF3, compare to TN30? I need help, I'm a addict


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## cmichael (Oct 26, 2012)

Got my TN30 on Wednesday, Return to Battery Junction Thursday, On level 6 got a little pause flack, Also level 5 and 6 it seen as same output, Call the customer service to get RAM#, They said they will refund the post cost to ship it back, It is 14.60, they will check it to replace the new TN30.

Do any one here have problem like that? I had try the ceiling bounce, It's much brighter than my TK35, but on outside is about 2 times brighter than my TK35, But the Hotspot is not too much brighter, I like the flood but I need more throw.


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## BLUE LED (Oct 26, 2012)

It sounds like you would like a really bright hotspot that would seem much brighter than you Fenix TK35. Perhaps the Thrunite TN31 would suit you better.


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## cmichael (Oct 28, 2012)

cmichael said:


> Got my TN30 on Wednesday, Return to Battery Junction Thursday, On level 6 got a little pause flack, Also level 5 and 6 it seen as same output, Call the customer service to get RAM#, They said they will refund the post cost to ship it back, It is 14.60, they will check it to replace the new TN30.
> 
> Do any one here have problem like that? I had try the ceiling bounce, It's much brighter than my TK35, but on outside is about 2 times brighter than my TK35, But the Hotspot is not too much brighter, I like the flood but I need more throw.



Got a E-mail from Battery Junction.

Michael, We will process your RMA when we receive it back. Unfortunately, we do not pay for return shipping but we will pay for shipping the light back to you at our expense. 

Sincerely,

Martha Bannister
Customer Service Representative
www.batteryjunction.com
860-767-8888

I guess, If I buy things from Battery Junction, If defected I have to paid for shipping back, lesson learn.

Just see the Thrunite TN30 on sale http://www.thrunite-store.com/hot-deal.html

I paid $220.75 Plus $14.60 for return=237.15, Only If I knew the Thrunite is on sale this week


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## cmichael (Oct 29, 2012)

selfbuilt said:


> :welcome: Yes, that is the presumed explanation for the soft start on high-output lights like this. A sensible precaution, to ensure good battery performance.



I have the TN30 for 1 day, Send it back to Battery Junction, It flick some time on L6, I had try ceiling bounce test on L6 and L5 it seen as same brightness, I'm using Eaglet ac 3100mah, They are going to double check before they will send another TN30.

Its that a defected TN30 or the Eagletac battery overload protection cut out on L6?


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## selfbuilt (Oct 29, 2012)

cmichael said:


> Its that a defected TN30 or the Eagletac battery overload protection cut out on L6?


Hard to say without more information (i.e., trying the first batteries in another light, trying another set of batteries in the first light). As a general rule, "flickering" is more likely to be flashlight circuit related, but it's hard to say from this example.


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## arnoldtm3 (Oct 30, 2012)

i got both tn30(from hke for $220) and tn31(from thrunite store promo inc t10 for only $139,lost $51 on tn30).my only worry is that tn30 came in a smaller box,it does not have soft ramp at max,and the battery carrier has a copper coloured top,also warranty card is only paper,while the tn31 came with a credit card like warranty card,and the official box in the reviews.is this normal?


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## selfbuilt (Oct 30, 2012)

arnoldtm3 said:


> i got both tn30(from hke for $220) and tn31(from thrunite store promo inc t10 for only $139,lost $51 on tn30).my only worry is that tn30 came in a smaller box,it does not have soft ramp at max,and the battery carrier has a copper coloured top,also warranty card is only paper,while the tn31 came with a credit card like warranty card,and the official box in the reviews.is this normal?


Hard to say - I'd recommend you contact Thrunite directly if you have any concerns of authenticity. Asian manufacturers sometimes produce slightly different versions (especially of the packaging) for their domestic markets. Purchasing from an Asian distributor may thus have netted you slightly different stock. But again, contact Thrunite to confirm.


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## Atakdog (Nov 2, 2012)

how does the TN30 compare to the Eagletac M3C4 XM-L. they have about the same lux and i cant decide which to get; M3C4 is a good compact thrower, TN30 lights up everything for a little more size.


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## Bwolcott (Nov 2, 2012)

Atakdog said:


> how does the TN30 compare to the Eagletac M3C4 XM-L. they have about the same lux and i cant decide which to get; M3C4 is a good compact thrower, TN30 lights up everything for a little more size.



tn30 blows it away with more then twice the lumens


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## selfbuilt (Nov 2, 2012)

Atakdog said:


> how does the TN30 compare to the Eagletac M3C4 XM-L. they have about the same lux and i cant decide which to get; M3C4 is a good compact thrower, TN30 lights up everything for a little more size.





Bwolcott said:


> tn30 blows it away with more then twice the lumens


Actually, the TN30 is more than three times the lumens of the M3C4 XM-L.

I haven't done a beamshot comparison, but if you compare the TN31 to TN30, you can get a genera feel for how a single-emitter light differs from a 3x emitter. Of course, the TN31 is brighter with a more focused beam than the M3C4.


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## brightnorm (Nov 7, 2012)

I am enjoying my newly arrived TN30, but I was wondering why such a powerful light was driven by only 3x18650s. The TN31 also has 3x1650's but they are driving a single XM-L.The TN30's run time would noticeably benefit from that extra battery, and perhaps a level 6 ramp-up might become unnecessary (though that is a very minor issue). Out of curiosity I measured the body diameters of the TN30 and Nitecore TM11 (4x18650).


TM11: 49.62mm
TN30: 49.05mm
00.57mm difference

The "secret" appears to be the TM11's integrated battery housing. If the TN30 took this approach, the slight weight increase of a fractionally wider body plus the extra 18650 would be at least partly offset by getting rid of the battery carrier (49.6g) along with a possibly shorter body. At worst, the weight penalty would be slight.

I would hope that Thrunite and other manufacturers might eventually adopt this approach to battery carry in their more powerful lights.

Brightnorm

.


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## Yourfun2 (Nov 7, 2012)

TM11 batteries are in parallel. They would need to completely redesign the electronics to work with the lower voltage.


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## brightnorm (Nov 7, 2012)

Interesting, but it perhaps could have been done initially.

BN


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## Yourfun2 (Nov 7, 2012)

Actually the length of the battery carriers aren't that much different. I think it is the control ring that makes the TN30 longer.


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## cmichael (Nov 8, 2012)

selfbuilt said:


> Hard to say without more information (i.e., trying the first batteries in another light, trying another set of batteries in the first light). As a general rule, "flickering" is more likely to be flashlight circuit related, but it's hard to say from this example.



Just got my new replacement TN30 from BatteryJunction, It all level work great, They have told me, The one I had is defected, It have a lot of flood, The throw is good for around 150 yard, I was shooting at 50 yard outdoor range with few of my pistol and can, It light up entire target and more, Very happy with this TN30, Now I have the SUPBEAM K40 on the way, Should be here next Tuesday, going to see the different between the both side by side. Any one have picture of the 2 light comparison?

Now I need  light that throw more distance, I'm in Vegas, It got light every where you go, its hard to tell the different unless going to desert,

Any LED light have good throw and flood for AR shooting around 300 to 400 yard? I'm using EagleTac 3100mah 18650.


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## brightnorm (Nov 8, 2012)

cmichael said:


> ...
> Any LED light have good throw and flood for AR shooting around 300 to 400 yard? I'm using EagleTac 3100mah 18650.


 
See Selfbuilt's review of The Thrunite TN31. It is a very impressive thrower.

Brightnorm


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## gaston1 (Nov 8, 2012)

Awesome review! Very full ...thanks for sharing.

Greetings from Argentina


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## texas cop (Nov 8, 2012)

Just got mine today. Its bright and a little smaller than I pictured. On level 6 I did get constant faint flickering, mode changing or temp didn't play a factor when turned back to level 6. I tightened the carrier screws, 2 were loose and cleaned the threads. No more flickering, strange I didn't really think that would help but it seems to have. Control ring has very little play and rotates smoothly, finish is even. I'm very happy great review Selfbuilt.


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## selfbuilt (Nov 8, 2012)

texas cop said:


> I tightened the carrier screws, 2 were loose and cleaned the threads. No more flickering, strange I didn't really think that would help but it seems to have.


Hmm, more likely to have been the thread cleaning that helped. Lubes typically migrates from the o-rings over the threads and contact surfaces (naturally enough, since that is what lubricants do). Even the supposedly non-conductive greases/lubes tend to cause problems when they get on contact surfaces. I've frequently been surprised how many problems can be resolved by thoroughly cleaning.


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## Kango (Dec 10, 2012)

I just ordered TN30 from thrunite store on ebay and it's on the way from China. I noticed that pictures of TN30 on this forum review and pictures of TN30 on thrunite website look slightly different.



TN30-16 by LouKango, on Flickr
Reviewed TN30 has only 2 holes for landyard but the picture I attached has 6. Was there an update to design of TN30? Also I read on youtube that someone with this "6 hole" design has no ramp up when lighting at L6.


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## sbbsga (Dec 11, 2012)

Kango said:


> Reviewed TN30 has only 2 holes for landyard but the picture I attached has 6. Was there an update to design of TN30? Also I read on youtube that someone with this "6 hole" design has no ramp up when lighting at L6.



Both my cool and neutral white TN30 have the new tail design but only the cool white ramps up. Meanwhile, my TN31 has the older design and it was purchased together with the cool white TN30 more than half a year ago.


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## Kango (Dec 12, 2012)

sbbsga said:


> Both my cool and neutral white TN30 have the new tail design but only the cool white ramps up. Meanwhile, my TN31 has the older design and it was purchased together with the cool white TN30 more than half a year ago.


Thank you. Before I saw those pictures on batteryjunction with 6 holes... I thought I was getting a fake TN30 or something. Now I feel much better. BTW... did thrunite lower their lumen rating on TN30 recently or something? In the beginning of it's production, they said TN30 is rated at 3000lumens and now I'm seeing lot of places saying it's rated at 2780lumens like batteryjunction.


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## Bwolcott (Dec 16, 2012)

Kango said:


> Thank you. Before I saw those pictures on batteryjunction with 6 holes... I thought I was getting a fake TN30 or something. Now I feel much better. BTW... did thrunite lower their lumen rating on TN30 recently or something? In the beginning of it's production, they said TN30 is rated at 3000lumens and now I'm seeing lot of places saying it's rated at 2780lumens like batteryjunction.




2780 is for the neutral version


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## BeastFlashlight (Mar 5, 2013)

Hello selfbuilt, i was wondering if you plan to do a review on the updated TN30 with the new XM-L2?


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## selfbuilt (Mar 5, 2013)

BeastFlashlight said:


> Hello selfbuilt, i was wondering if you plan to do a review on the updated TN30 with the new XM-L2?


That's hard to say. Thrunite is planning to send me a couple of new lights to test, but I'm not sure which models yet.


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## BeastFlashlight (Mar 5, 2013)

Oh ok thanks for the reply. Somebody in here just told me about the Lux RC Fatboy so i'm on a mission to investigate it. It looks like it smokes the TM26 but my biggest question is why is there almost nothing said about it in here if you guys praise the TM26 so much as the flood king? There must be a catch, a reason it's not talked about in here


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## chipdouglas (Mar 15, 2013)

Is this http://www.thrunite-store.com/ the best online place to order a Thrunite TN30 from ? I'd been out of the loop for more than a year and I've just recently (days ago) resumed my flashlight hobby - thanks.


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## sbninja (Mar 15, 2013)

Outstanding review! Thank you! I ordered one last night. Cant wait, this looks to be a real awesome light for the price!


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## XJCreations (Apr 22, 2013)

I've been reading flashlight reviews all night and I think I've narrowed it down to the Fenix TK75 and the TN30. I'm going to be spending 6 plus hours underground in a tunnel and the Petzl TIKKA XP 2 headlamp and El Cheapo Generic LED flashlight I usually use for adventures aren't giving me that warm fuzzy feeling after spending a hour with them in there last week. They'll do for general lighting but I need something with a lot more power from time to time capable of throwing a long distance as well as a wide enough beam for general use. Size and weight are an issue so the TN30 seems to have the Fenix beat in that area while it loses out to the 4 cell Fenix in battery life. Before I pull the trigger on a purchase I'd appreciate any feedback. Picture yourself walking for six hours in a flooded tunnel, which would you prefer? I considered the smaller TK35 too. Thanks for any thoughts you guys might have for a flashlight noob.


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## selfbuilt (Apr 22, 2013)

XJCreations said:


> Picture yourself walking for six hours in a flooded tunnel, which would you prefer? I considered the smaller TK35 too. Thanks for any thoughts you guys might have for a flashlight noob.


Hmmm, I'd recommend you head over to the flashlight recommendation subforum here, and see what folks there generally think. I've not been in your situation, but I'm thinking either light may be rather heavy for an extended hike. Personally, I probably wouldn't go for anything bigger than a 2x18650 option. Something with decent throw and a good range of outputs for the class would be good (i.e., you are unlikely to be using Turbo all the time, so a decent Hi/Med would be important). I think you will be surprised to find how bright and throwy a decent 2x18650 light can be (relative to most generic cheapo lights).

And :welcome:


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## XJCreations (Apr 22, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> Hmmm, I'd recommend you head over to the flashlight recommendation subforum here, and see what folks there generally think. I've not been in your situation, but I'm thinking either light may be rather heavy for an extended hike. Personally, I probably wouldn't go for anything bigger than a 2x18650 option. Something with decent throw and a good range of outputs for the class would be good (i.e., you are unlikely to be using Turbo all the time, so a decent Hi/Med would be important). I think you will be surprised to find how bright and throwy a decent 2x18650 light can be (relative to most generic cheapo lights).
> 
> And :welcome:



Thanks, I'll copy and paste this there.


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## Lurveleven (Apr 22, 2013)

XJCreations said:


> Picture yourself walking for six hours in a flooded tunnel, which would you prefer?



Look into Eagletac GX25L2 with flip-up diffuser.


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## david57strat (May 17, 2013)

This review (and others) caused me to jump at the first opportunity I had to pick up one up one of these at an extremely reasonable price. I just bough it on CPF Marketplace, and couldn't be more pleased with it! What an amazing light. Now, I just need to get my hands on a TN31 lol.

Thanks for the great review!


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## gkbain (Aug 17, 2013)

I have had the TN30 for a few days and am very happy with it. Not a small or light flashlight. The lanyard can come with it seems not very well thought out or i am using it wrong. Using it around the wrist is difficult even with the sliders because it is so long. If you use it around you neck for any time it digs into your neck. I have DSLR cameras that are a lot lighter than this light and they come with a much wider neck strap. Like I said I may be using the included lanyard all wrong but the light is so heavy that some type of secure strap should be used. Anyone have any ideas?


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## albs18 (Aug 29, 2014)

I just got my Thrunite TN30 in the mail. It's the XML-2 neutral white version : )

When I first tried putting in my Xtar 2600 protected batteries, I was like WTF, its so difficult to slide the battery carrier into the flashlight. And taking it out was even more difficult. This might sound stupid, but if I align the carrier so that each battery is lined up with those two lines carved into the handles, it goes in a lot more smoothly. It almost just plops in by itself, rather than me shoving them in with at least 50 pounds of pressure, and then using extreme measures to get them out lol..

Well I went into my "testing room" which is a small windowless storage room, lol. I did a quick comparison against my SkyRayKing 3x XML T6 NW. Well, let's say it was well too bright in there, but it seemed like the TN30 was considerably brighter when I did a ceiling bounce test. As for moonlight mode, it probably was at least 3 times brighter on that mode when compared to my SRT-7, which is expected because the SRT-7 has only one emitter. I don't know if the TN30 has true moonlight mode, but its rather close.

I went into my room (during the daytime), and I shined the lights on the wall on max brightness, and dang, the TN30 does seem considerably brighter. If I go out on walks at night, or go camping again, I doubt I'll stay on the max brightness, cause it's so insanely bright.

I was a bit surprised how wide the handle was, considering it held three 18650s. My SkyRayKing holds four 18650s and they seem similar in handle width. But then again, the SRK doesn't have a battery carrier. I'm not a fan of battery carriers in flashlights. I'm not quite sure what the point of incorporating them into flashlight is, apart from making the design and manufacturing more easier perhaps.

I was also looking at the X40, but it didn't come in NW. The fact that it had that "infinite brightness mode" makes it extremely tempting for me to get. Plus other neat stuff like battery power level indicator and built-in charger. But on the other hand the TN30 is available in NW and is considerably cheaper (at least the CW version) now if you buy directly from Thrunite website.

Thanks for the reviews Selfbuilt. I have referred to them many times. I showed my GF your website, and I was telling her that you were like the Flashlight God 

Yeah I'm pretty happy with my TN30, probably gonna be my new fav 3x XML-2 flashlight.

About the lanyard (I know its a super old post..), mine is 8.5" in length. When I strap it on, it seems to be just perfect. I put my hand through the loop on the far side, and zip it down, and it's just perfect.

My light came in a plain cardboard box though, no fancy metal case 

I hope flashlight manufacturers keep making more x3 XML2 flashlights with moonlight mode and lots of brightness levels and perhaps infinite brightness mode (I hope Nitecore doesn't have a patent on that..)


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## selfbuilt (Aug 29, 2014)

albs18 said:


> When I first tried putting in my Xtar 2600 protected batteries, I was like WTF, its so difficult to slide the battery carrier into the flashlight. And taking it out was even more difficult. This might sound stupid, but if I align the carrier so that each battery is lined up with those two lines carved into the handles, it goes in a lot more smoothly. It almost just plops in by itself, rather than me shoving them in with at least 50 pounds of pressure, and then using extreme measures to get them out lol. .... I'm not a fan of battery carriers in flashlights. I'm not quite sure what the point of incorporating them into flashlight is, apart from making the design and manufacturing more easier perhaps.


Yes, 3x18650 carriers can sometimes be a bit tight for some brands of protected cells. As always, never a good idea to force Li-ions anywhere - as you have found, often times a slight variation in insertion will help (e.g. labels to the inside of the carrier, etc).

As for why carriers are used, I suspect it has more to do with the circuit advantages of running batteries in series instead of parallel (which is tricky to do without carriers). But I'd have to let the circuit design experts weigh in on that one.



> My light came in a plain cardboard box though, no fancy metal case


A number of makers give you the choice - the cardboard box is typically cheaper, due to the lower weight for shipping.

This review is getting a little old, so it's good to hear a recent experience with the light. Thanks for sharing, and :welcome:


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## Impossible lumens (Apr 25, 2015)

Hello all. I just now purchased this light, TN30, from ebay and am awaiting the package. This purchase was made after searching for a better deal than the Niteye Eye30 brand new for $149. which I passed up to get the TN30 for even a little less $. The lumens claim for TN30 is much higher than the 2000 max for Eye30. However I have seen several beam shot comparisons between these and other similar lights that look very similar. I think with photo comparisons you can look at spill distance ok but harder to tell how well the "hotspot" does. Doe's anyone have an opinion on my choice of flashlight? The Eye30 $149. shipped also seamed like a great deal. I think I did the right thing though. 
Also my TN30 should have the orange peel reflectors which I've read is an update. I really don't know anything about performance of reflectors as far as this texture difference. That said, the updated version is the updated version, so getting this light for $89. has me doing summersaults. Knock on wood seller don't send me a photo of the thing. Thanks for the hard work and thorough review! Will be reading.


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