# Eagletac TX25C2 (XM-L2 1x18650 2xCR123A/RCR) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOTS+



## selfbuilt (Mar 16, 2013)

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











The TX25C2 is a highly-anticipated new tactical model from Eagletac. The TX25C2 shares many of the same features of the larger G25C2 series, but in a smaller build with an electronic side control switch. As you will see from the specs below, the TX25C2 still packs quite a wallop despite its smaller size. oo:

Let's put it through its paces … 

*Manufacturer Reported Specifications:* 
(note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results).


LED: Cree XM-L2 U2 Cool White (also available in T6 Neutral White)
Two groups of basic output modes, Tactical (100%/10%/Strobe) and Regular (100%/40%/0.5%) – user selectable
Brightness level selected by loosening/tightening head/bezel
ANSI FL-1 Lumens for XM-L2 U2 Regular mode: 965-746/459/7 lumens (T6 NW should have ~7% less output)
Runtime for Regular mode: 2xCR123A 1/2/100+ hours, 1x18650: 1.8/2.9/150+ hours
ANSI FL-1 Lumens for XM-L2 U2 Tactical mode: 965-746/208/Strobe (T6 NW should have ~7% less output)
Runtime for Tactical mode: 2xCR123A 1/4.5 hours, 1x18650: 1.8/6.8 hours
Three levels brightness (user selectable sets) and seven hidden auxillary modes - Strobe/Strobe(Var)/Flash(Hi)/S.O.S.(Fast)/S.O.S./Becaon/Flash(Lo) 
Powered by 2xCR123A, 2xRCR123A, or 1x18650 Li-ion
Can also take 3xCR123A/RCR123A with a single extender or 4xCR123A/2x18650 with a double extender, or 3x18650 with two double extenders
Voltage range: 2.7V – 12.6V
Beam Intensity (XM-L2 U2): 15,800 lux
Beam Distance (XM-L2 U2): 275 yards / 251 meters
Center spot angle: 6.9°, Spill light angle: 54°
Waterwhite glass lens w/ harden treatment
Anti-reflective (AR) coating on both sides (96% transparency)
HA III hard anodization aerospace aluminum (black)
Smooth aluminum reflector
Waterproof IPX-8 standard
Features: User replaceable glass lens, Turbo boost technology, Battery reverse polarity protection, Tail stand.
Warranty: Ten years performance guaranteed warranty
Included Accessories: Spare o-rings, user manual, user removable titanium-coated pocket clip, mil-spec para-cord lanyard with quick attachment clip, stainless steel split ring, CR123A battery magazine, heavy-duty rigid nylon holster with self-retention device and flip
Dimensions: Head Diameter 1.25 inches (31.5 mm), Body Diameter 1 inch (25 mm), Length: 4.7 inches (120 mm), Weight without battery: 3.4 ounces (95 grams)
Optional YRGB kit: Base model + extra bezel head with front-mount thread for filter attachment, ET28 diffuser filter, ET28 yellow filter, ET28 green filter, ET28 blue filter, single cell extension tube for 3xCR123A/RCR, double cell extension tube for 4xCR123A/2x18650
MSRP: ~$95 (~$130 with YRGB accessory kit)






The TX25C2 comes in familiar packaging, similar to the G25C2 series. Inside the thin cardboard box, the light come packaged in thin plastic with the usual extra - extra o-rings, good quality wrist lanyard, belt holster with button-down closing flap, manual, and warranty card. A removable pocket clip comes installed on the light.

There is supposed to be a CR123A anti-rattle magazine included with the light, but it wasn't present on my sample.

As part of this review, I have the YRGB accessory kit for this model. This will be described further below, but the kit comes with a replacement bezel ring (for front-mounting the filter/diffuser covers), and battery tube extenders.













From left to right: AW Protected 18650; Eagletac TX25C2; Zebralight SC600; Eagletac D25LC2; Spark SL6; Sunwayman C20C; Olight S20; Nitecore MT2C.

All dimensions directly measured, and given with no batteries installed (unless indicated):

*Skilhunt K11*: Weight: 120.5g, Length: 129.6mm , Width (bezel): 34.1mm 
*Eagletac D25LC2*: Weight: 50.0g, Length: 116.3mm, Width (bezel): 22.5mm
*Eagletac G25C2*: Weight 144.3g, Length: 181mm, Width (bezel): 39.6mm
*Eagletac TX25C2*: Weight 93.6g, Length: 120.4mm, Width (bezel): 31.6mm
*Foursevens Quark Q123-2 X* (Regular tailcap): Weight: 44.6g, Length: 112.7mm, Width (bezel) 22.0mm
*Jetbeam PC20*: Weight: 60.0g, Length: 127.5mm, Width (bezel): 22.6mm
*Klarus XT11*: Weight 133.0g, Length: 148.8, Width (bezel) 35.0mm
*Nitecore MH25*: Weight: 145.4g, Length: 160mm, Width (bezel): 40.0m
*Olight S20*: Weight: 51.8g, Length: 105.4mm, Width (bezel): 23.1mm
*Rofis TR31C*: Weight: 180.7g, Length: 153.0mm, Width (bezel): 39.8mm
*Sunwayman C20C*: Weight 57.6g, Length: 104.8mm. Width (bezel): 25.6mm
*Thrunite TN10*: Weight: 154.7g, Length: 145.5mm, Width (bezel): 35.1mm
*Zebralight SC600*: Weight 87.2g, Length: 107.8mm, Width (bezel) 29.7mm

The TX25C2 is definitely intermediate in size between the slim-lined D25LC2 and larger G25C2 Eagletac lights.


























The TX25C2 build has a distinctive style with a slightly enlarged head and flat tailcap. Anodizing is a glossy black (HA = type III), similar to other Eagletac lights. All labels are bright and clear (sharp against the black background). 

Knurling is present throughout the body tube, with an additional band around the base of the head. It is of reasonable aggressiveness, so overall grip is good. There are finger cut-outs on the body tube, as well as a removable clip.

Screw threading is traditional-cut (and fairly fine) in the tail region, anodized for lock-out. Screw threads are square-cut (and thick) in the head region. See the pics above and UI discussion below for more details on the contact surfaces. You will need to use cells that have at least some sort of raised protrusion on the positive contact surface (i.e., a small button top).

The titanium-coated stainless steel pocket clip is held in place by a metal screw cover, similar to the G25C2 series. The clip is removable, and the cover hides the attachment point. As with the G25C2 series, make sure the cover is screwed down completely, or it may interfere with the ability of the tailcap to connect.

The TX25C2 tailstands stably, thanks to the flat base (i.e., no tail switch). Instead, the control switch is a side-mounted electronic switch under a rubber cover. Switch feel is about typical for an electronic switch – scroll down for a discussion of the interface.










The TX25C2 reflector is smooth and shiny - it is also fairly deep, which should translate into pretty good throw for this size light. At the base of the reflector is a Cree XM-L2 emitter (Neutral White T6 on my sample).

The light has a flat black bezel ring, replaceable with the optional screw-on diffuser/filter bezel assembly (see below). 

_Optional YRGB kit (also includes diffuser, bezel replacement, single and double battery tube extenders):_










In order to attach to the diffuser/filters to the TX25C2, you need to swap out the standard low-profile bezel ring with the bundled bezel adapter. The lens can be transferred to the new bezel adapter (where there is an included o-ring). With the adapter in place, you will now be able to screw on the front-mounted filters/diffuser. 










Eagletac is using high-quality optical glass filters. This is true for all the filters, including the red one (which often tends to be just a colored piece of glass on many Eagletac other screw-on filters). 


















*User Interface*

The user interface is revised from the G25C2, and resembles the new GX/SX/MX25L2 series lights.

Turn the light on/off by the electronic switch. Press and hold for momentary, press-release (i.e. click) for locked-on.

There are three output levels controlled by how loose/tight the head is (i.e., the three levels are accessed in sequence from head fully tight). As soon as you loosen past fully tight, you drop down to the second level. You drop down again to the third (and final) level after a ~120 degree turn. This differs from the G25C2 and GX/SX/MX25L2 series lights that offer four modes. You need to do at least two full turns from tight to get the light to shut off (at which point, the head easily comes off).

There are two possible groups of output modes available - Tactical (100% > 10% > Strobe, in sequence) and Regular (100% > 40% > 0.5%, in sequence). You can switch between the two groups by turning the light on max (fully tight) and loosening the head to the second level and then back to tight, repeating this sequence ten times in five seconds. One issue I observed on my sample – after a battery change, the light would not retain the memory of which mode you set it to, and always defaulted to the Regular mode.

A new feature on these recent tactical lights is the ability to rapidly access a momentary Turbo from any head position by a press-and-hold of the switch when On. You can similarly access strobe at any time by a double press and hold (i.e. click and press-hold). Simply release the switch to return to your previous head-set level. 

To access the hidden auxiliary modes, do a quick loosen-tighten twist of the head (from first level tight to third level and back again). Repeat this twist to advance through the modes. Mode sequence is: Strobe I > Strobe II > Hi-Flash > SOS I > SOS II > Beacon > Lo-Flash, in repeating sequence. Turn off the light or loosen the head to quit the hidden modes. I will describe these modes in more detail below. 

There is an "energy saving feature" where the light reduces output by 25% after 200 seconds in Turbo. You can toggled this feature "off", which results in a 10% step-down instead. See my runtime results below for more information. To toggle this feature off or on, turn the light on at the third level, and switch back and forth to the second level for ten times in five seconds.

*Video*: 

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



Video was 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. 

As with all my videos, I recommend you have annotations turned on. I commonly update the commentary with additional information or clarifications before publicly releasing the video.

*PWM/Strobe*

There is no sign of PWM that I can see, at any output level, on any light – I presume the lights are current-controlled.  

The pattern of auxillary modes is very similar to the GX/SX25L2 and MX25L2, as shown below.

Strobe I:





The main strobe is a high frequency strobe, measured at ~9.6 Hz on my TX25C2 sample.

Strobe II:





The second strobe mode is an alternating or "oscillating" strobe, switching between 6.5Hz and 15.1Hz every 2 seconds. 

Hi-Flash:





Hi-Flash is basically a full power slow strobe/beacon mode. Frequency was a reasonable ~1.6Hz. Note that the deflection spikes you see above are just the on and off signals of the pulse (i.e., it spends roughly half the time on, half the time off, with each pulse). 

SOS I:





The "fast" SOS signals the full SOS sequence (dot-dot-dot, dash-dash-dash, dot-dot-dot) in just under 3 secs. Note again that the traces above refer to both the on- and off-signal for each pulse of light.

SOS II:





In contrast, the "slow" SOS takes just under 3 seconds just do the "S" (i.e. dot-dot-dot), and about 4 second to do the "O" (i.e., dash-dash-dash), with a good 3 seconds in-between each Morse code letter. Personally, this seems far more useful than the rather frenetic initial SOS mode.

Beacon:





Beacon is a slow full output flash (almost 2 secs long), re-occurring approximately every ~14 secs (i.e., a very slow beacon)

Lo-Flash:

Lo-Flash is a lower output, slower frequency strobe/beacon than Hi-Flash. I detected 10 flashes in a ~20 sec period (i.e. about 0.5 Hz).

*Standby Drain*

The TX25C2 has an electronic switch in the head, so it will always be drawing a small current when the body/carrier is connected to the head. I measured this current as 133uA on 1x18650. For a 2600mAh 18650 battery, that would give you a little over 2.2 years before a fully charged battery would be completely drained. 

This is pretty negligible, but I always recommend you store these kinds of lights locked out when not in use. 

*Beamshots:*

And now, what you have all been waiting for.  All lights are on 1xAW protected 18650, 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. 





























































Keep in mind that _all my white-wall shots use an automatic white-balance, to minimize the effect of tint._ In real life, my TX25C2 T6 Neutral White has a pronounced neutral tint (compared to all the cool white comparators). The U2 Cool White version of the TX25C2 should be ~7% brighter than my T6 Neutral White sample (on average).

It is hard to evaluate relative tints difference, but I would consider this one to be on the warmer side of typical Neutral White (i.e., a little more orangey than some). It is definitely still in the Neutral White category though.

Thanks to the relatively deep reflector, you get pretty good throw on the TX25C2, with a relatively narrow spill beam.

*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).
















Keep in mind that my TX25L2 is the T6 output bin Neutral White version – the U2-bin Cool White version is expected to be ~7% brighter on average.

This is an incredible showing for such a small light – at an ~910 estimated lumens in my lightbox, that makes the TX25C2 T6 Neutral White the brightest 1x18650 in my collection at the moment. oo: The manufacturers rated ANSI FL-1 spec of 965 lumens for the U2 version is thus _very_ believable.

In terms of center beam throw, my TX25C2 sample exceeds the manufacturer's specs. I noted something similar on my GX/SX25L2 review – the throw of my XM-L2 samples significantly exceeds what Eagletac reports. :shrug:

Output levels are very consistent across all supported battery types. Let's see how outputs compare at all levels: 






As you can see, my testing results are generally very consistent with Eagletacs own specs. The one exception is perhaps the "10%" level of the Tactical mode group, which seems to be a bit brighter than expected on my sample.

Note that I find the percentage levels for these various modes to be somewhat non-linear. I would personally describe the Regular mode set as Turbo > Hi > Moonlight, and the Tactical mode set as Turbo > Med > Strobe.

Also, please note that for the above table, I had to adjust down the report Eagletac ANSI FL-1 lumen values from the U2 Cool White version (which should be ~7% brighter than the T6 Neutral White version I am testing here). 

 *It bears repeating again that my estimated lumen scale is just that - an estimate, based on a consistent calibration of my lightbox.* But even though the _absolute value_ correlation is unknown, the _relative_ comparisons still hold. All I can really say is that one light is higher or lower than another, by a certain relative percentage. So please don't get hung up on the absolute values of the estimates, or on small relative percent changes. 

_XM-L2 vs XM-L_

I realize that this may seem confusing, especially for those that don't keep up on the fine details of LEDs. 

Basically, these new XM-L2 emitters are very similar to the old XM-L, but are reported by Cree to deliver "up to" 20% more lumens and lumens-per-Watt than the classic XM-L of comparable output bin number (see Cree XM-L2 spec sheet here). However, directly comparing back to XM-L is complicated by the more stringent testing and reporting measures Cree is now using for XM-L2 output binning. If you are curious, XM-L emitters were previously output bin rated by luminous flux @350mA, @25 degree C. With the XM-L2, Cree has switched to a more representational (but more stringent) @85 degree C for binning purposes. 

There is actually an easy conversion though - if you look up the Cree spec tables under the same conditions, you will see that _*the new XM-L2 bins are exactly two bin steps brighter than the same bin number on XM-L*._ So a XM-L2 T6 is basically the same thing as a XM-L U3. This is part of the reason for the switch to the new process - there is now more "headroom" on the new XM-L2 platform, and higher output XM-L2 emitters can ultimately be produced. 

In terms of lumens though, you have to keep in mind how the binning process works. Given the ~7% range within each bin, this means that for any given specific XM-L2 sample could be anywhere from ~7-20% brighter than a comparably bin-numbered XM-L sample. This is presumably where that "up to" 20% brighter statement comes from in the Cree literature.  But you need to keep in mind that on average, a XM-L2 U2 should be _~13% brighter_ than a XM-L U2, for example. You really have to think of these things statistically – the bins are a range, and you don't know where exactly in the range any given sample will fall. 

The other significant change is the move to a single die LED on the XM-L2. As you will see in the close-up pics earlier in this review, gone now is the large grid of bond wires. This should allow for better optical control and focusing. It is hard for me to be more precise, as I would need to compare the same light with different emitters to know how they truly compare in practice. But I note my NIST-certified center-beam lux measures for these XM-L L2 lights are higher than Eagletac's reported specs.

*Output/Runtime Graphs:*

Again, for the TX25C2 runs in graphs below, "Turbo" refers to the 100% level, "Hi" refers to the 40% regular mode, and "Med" refers to the 10% tactical mode. 
























The first observation is that the ANSI FL-1 runtime specs on 1x18650 and 2xCR123A are generally consistent with my results.  Recall that I use lower capacity 2200mAh 18650 cells, and that the FL-1 standard calls for time to 10% output (not 50%, as reported above). 

On the Turbo, the default setting is for the light to step down 25% after 200 secs – which allows it to enter a period of flat-regulation, before eventually dropping off in a typical direct-drive like pattern. With this feature turned off, there is a smaller 10% drop, and the light remains largely in direct-drive most of the time. 

On all other levels, the light maintains perfectly flat regulation for an extended period, before dropping off slowly in output (on 1x18650 or 2xCR123A) or with an abrupt shut-down due to protection circuits being triggered (2xRCR). Note that the main LED begins to flash once the light falls out of regulation on 1x18650, or once ~40% initial output is reached on 2xCR123A or 1x18650 on the Max runs. The flashing is at a slow rate, about once every 30 secs. 

Overall efficiency is very good for the TX25C2, considering the emitter used (recall my sample is the XM-L2 T6 NW). To explain what I mean by that, you have to consider the difference in the output bin reporting structure of the XM-L2, as explained above. :wave:

*Potential Issues*

As with other Eagletac models where output mode is set by the degree the head is tightened, you need to keep all contact surfaces in the head scrupulously clean. Otherwise, you may experience mode switching problems due to contact surface issues.

The light uses an electronic switch, so a standby current is always required. I found this to be low on my TX25C2 (i.e., given you several years on 1x18650), but I still recommend you leave the light locked-out at the tailcap when not in use. Note that for some reason, my sample wouldn't retain the memory of the Tactical mode group if you disconnected the battery.

Only button-top cells can be used in the light (i.e., flat-top 18650s won't work).

The mode spacing is a bit unusual, with only three levels per group and no typical "Lo" mode (i.e., you basically get Turbo > Hi > Moonlight, or Turbo > Med > Strobe as your choices). See my lumen estimates above for more info.

The light gets warm quickly on Turbo, as you would expect for such a small light. Exercise caution if picking up a light that has been tailstanding alone in this mode for some time without cooling.

*Preliminary Observations*

The TX25C2 is quite the powerhouse in a small build. As you will see in the detailed analysis above, the quoted 965 ANSI FL-1 lumens (for the XM-L2 U2 version) is quite believable. oo: 

It is also something of a departure for Eagletac, as this light moves away from the traditional tailcap physical clicky design for an electronic side-switch instead (i.e., similar to the new GX/SX/MX25L2 series). This allows them to reduce the size of the light considerably, although it is still bit larger than most electronic-switch lights - due to relatively deep reflector and slightly wider head on the TX25C2. Personally, I find the TX25C2 to be very comfortable in the hand.

Interface is also similar to the GX/SX/MX25L2 series – as well as the G25C2 series. But there is one change here – the levels per mode option have been reduced from 4 down to 3. I am not sure why, but I imagine it has to do with the smaller head. As a result, mode spacing is not likely to please everyone (e.g., personally, I would have preferred to have seen a more traditional Turbo/Hi > Med > Lo for the regular set, instead of the relative Turbo > Hi > Moonlight actually provided). But a limited number of modes mean choices have to be made, and you do have the "Tactical" relative levels of Turbo > Med > Strobe available as an option as well.

Standby current for the switch has been kept low, so self-discharge is not a concern. And you can easily lock out the light at the tailcap for long-term storage. 

In terms of output/runtime efficiency, Eagletac continues its tradition of excellent current-controlled circuitry.  I like that all levels and batteries have a gradual drop-off in output once the light falls out of regulation (except on 2x protected Li-ions, of course). And thanks to jump to XM-L2, you can now get a Neutral White emitter that matches or beats the output of the previous generation of XM-L Cool Whites (i.e., XM-L2 T6 is equivalent to XM-L U3). oo:

The kit version is interesting – I like how they have kept the size down on the base model by the low-profile bezel, but have come out with an adapter bezel to work with their standard one-and-quarter inch diffuser/filters. The battery tube extenders are welcome too – you can run this light off a wide number and types of batteries, due to the wide voltage range. :thumbsup:

As with its "big brother" the G25C2, there is a lot to commend the TX25C2. It is quite compact while retaining excellent throw, and is driven to output levels that I have not seen before (thanks in part to the new XM-L2 emitters). As always, I recommend you pay close attention to the build, interface and performance, to see if it matches your needs. I will be releasing an updated review of the G25C2-II with XM-L2 in a few weeks, which will allow you to more easily compare these two serious contenders in the 1x18650/2xCR123A class. :wave:

----

TX25C2 was provided by Eagletac for review.


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## shelm (Mar 16, 2013)

Thanks so much for the terrific review, lots of great tests and technical measurements as always!
It appears that Zebralight SC600 has been dethroned :wave:

There are other XM-L/XM-L2 lights which surpass the 900 lumens mark, SC600 MkII, G25C2 MkII, Olight M22, Nitecore SRT7, and more to come :huh:. I wish ET offered a stainless steel bezel!!


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## blackFFM (Mar 16, 2013)

shelm said:


> There are other XM-L2 lights which surpass the 900 lumens mark, SC600 MkII, G25C2 MkII, Olight M22, Nitecore SRT7, and more to come :huh:.




I never heard that both the Nitecore SRT7 and the SC600 MkII will have and XM-L2. I highly doubt that. Where do you take your info from?


THanks for the fantastic review selfbuild.


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## shelm (Mar 16, 2013)

blackFFM said:


> I never heard that both the Nitecore SRT7 and the SC600 MkII will have and XM-L2.


i was referring to the 900 lumens mark, not the XM-L2 led. sorry for the misunderstanding!


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## Swede74 (Mar 16, 2013)

I can tell from the video overview that it is very unlikely that someone would change mode groups by mistake 



> Can also take 3xCR123A/RCR123A with a single extender or 4xCR123A/2x18650 with a double extender, or 3x18650 with two double extenders
> Voltage range: 2.7V – 12.6V



It is conceivable, though, that someone would try using four rechargeable RCR123 cells; either by mistake or under the assumption that since the use of three RCR123 cells is supported, so is the use of four. 

Personally, I would feel more comfortable using 3xRCR123 if the voltage range was 2.7v - 13V or even 14V. Do you think it's possible that they put 12.6V in the specifications because that is the "official" voltage you get from 3xRCR123 in series, but in reality there is some safety margin?


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## kengps (Mar 16, 2013)

Wow! What a thrower it is. Totally different class of light compared to SC600. Despite that, I fully expect to see ZL fans bragging about their light being 1/2" shorter.  I do like my H31's. But Zebralights are floodlights because they have short reflectors. The TX25C2 is worth a half inch of extra length for 3 times the Lux.


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## selfbuilt (Mar 16, 2013)

Swede74 said:


> I can tell from the video overview that it is very unlikely that someone would change mode groups by mistake


Yeah, that's because I was used to the 5 times in 5 seconds of the GX/SX/MX25L2 I reviewed recently. Had to double-check the manual, to see that it was 10 times in 5 secs for the TX25C2. Another good reason to have annotations turned on in my videos - I don't tend to start over for delays like that one. 



> It is conceivable, though, that someone would try using four rechargeable RCR123 cells; either by mistake or under the assumption that since the use of three RCR123 cells is supported, so is the use of four.


That's always a risk, but it is generous for Eagletac to have taken the circuit range out as far as they did. Personally, I'm never too keen of having a lot of RCRs in series .... you are much better off to stick with 2x18650 if you were planning to take the length out that far. 



shelm said:


> It appears that Zebralight SC600 has been dethroned :wave:





kengps said:


> Wow! What a thrower it is. Totally different class of light compared to SC600. Despite that, I fully expect to see ZL fans bragging about their light being 1/2" shorter.


Well, keep in mind that is the original SC600 I am comparing it to. Zebralight apparently plans to send me the SC600-II, so we'll see then how it compares when it arrives. And I agree, it really is a quite different beam (as the beamshots show).


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## Fugu75 (Mar 16, 2013)

Awesome review, as always.


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## kj2 (Mar 16, 2013)

You say it needs button-top to work, but I assume their own batteries will do the job right?


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## BLUE LED (Mar 16, 2013)

I personally like that it has 3 modes of light. 

The Eagletac 18650 3100mAh button top works without any problems. Just remember if you twist a lot, then don't forget to give it a clean once in a while.


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## selfbuilt (Mar 16, 2013)

Glad you are all enjoying the review. 



kj2 said:


> You say it needs button-top to work, but I assume their own batteries will do the job right?





BLUE LED said:


> The Eagletac 18650 3100mAh button top works without any problems. Just remember if you twist a lot, then don't forget to give it a clean once in a while.


Yes, the Eagletac cells have always been small button, AFAIK. You should have no problem. But periodic cleaning of the head contact surfaces is required on all their head-twisty models, to ensure consistent operation.


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## weekend warrior (Mar 16, 2013)

Quite the light. I have to agree that the lumen spacing makes it less then ideal for EDC, but the the throw combined with the output in a size that small really puts it in a class of it's own. Well done Eagletac.


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## holylight (Mar 16, 2013)

*Eagletac TX25C2 (XM-L2 1x18650 2xCR123A/RCR) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSH...*





From left to right: AW Protected 18650; Eagletac TX25C2; Zebralight SC600; Eagletac D25LC2; Spark SL6; Sunwayman C20C; Olight S30; Nitecore MT2C.

Very nice light, very nice review, btw bro it should by s20 in the photo


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## warmurf (Mar 17, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac TX25C2 (XM-L2 1x18650 2xCR123A/RCR) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSH...*

Another outstanding review mate, and another hit to my wallet! This is a must have as a primary EDC- it's a fantastic light- thank you!


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## topgun.ua (Mar 17, 2013)

*Re: Eagletac TX25C2 (XM-L2 1x18650 2xCR123A/RCR) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSH...*

*Selfbuilt*
Great review!!!
Waiting for Your G25C2 MII updae review as far as I'm trying to choose among those two


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## selfbuilt (Mar 17, 2013)

holylight said:


> Very nice light, very nice review, btw bro it should by s20 in the photo


Thanks, fixed.



topgun.ua said:


> Waiting for Your G25C2 MII updae review as far as I'm trying to choose among those two


I'm afraid this will take another 1-2 weeks to complete, I'm away most of the coming week and won't be able to work on it.


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## Random Dan (Mar 17, 2013)

As an EDC light I'd still prefer the SC600 due to smaller size, floodier beam, and better UI (imho). Dang though, 20,000lux out of a <5 in light is pretty impressive, this would make a great light for camping/spelunking/etc.


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## ciccio90 (Mar 19, 2013)

Random Dan said:


> As an EDC light I'd still prefer the SC600 due to smaller size, floodier beam, and better UI (imho). Dang though, 20,000lux out of a <5 in light is pretty impressive, this would make a great light for camping/spelunking/etc.





im still unsure between the tx25c2 and the sc600 MKII so for the dimension and for the output and beam!!?!?! what you council to me


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## Random Dan (Mar 19, 2013)

ciccio90 said:


> im still unsure between the tx25c2 and the sc600 MKII so for the dimension and for the output and beam!!?!?! what you council to me


I am by no means an expert, I don't even own either of the lights in question, but it seems to me that the main difference is in beam type. The ZL is very floody with a center beam angle of 10 degrees and an 80 degree spill, ANSI beam distance of 167m (for the Mk1). The Eagletac on the other and is much throwier with a center beam angle of 6.9 degrees and a spill angle of 54 degrees, ANSI beam distance 284m. So it really depends on whether you would be using it for close-up or long distance lighting.


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## Albert56 (Mar 19, 2013)

I'm a little confused about where Selfbuilt got the light to review. As far as I knew, it's not out yet (I've checked with several vendors). Was his sample supplied specially by Eagletac for review or did he purchase it retail. If retail, I'd like to know where. I want one!!


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## Random Dan (Mar 19, 2013)

Albert56 said:


> I'm a little confused about where Selfbuilt got the light to review. As far as I knew, it's not out yet (I've checked with several vendors). Was his sample supplied specially by Eagletac for review or did he purchase it retail. If retail, I'd like to know where. I want one!!


If you look at the bottom of the original post he said it was provided by Eagletac.


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## warmurf (Mar 20, 2013)

Ordered one on the weekend from SBflashlights no prob. We also get a 15% discount if you use the code shown on their CPFMP ad.


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## selfbuilt (Mar 20, 2013)

Albert56 said:


> I'm a little confused about where Selfbuilt got the light to review. As far as I knew, it's not out yet (I've checked with several vendors). Was his sample supplied specially by Eagletac for review or did he purchase it retail. If retail, I'd like to know where. I want one!!





Random Dan said:


> If you look at the bottom of the original post he said it was provided by Eagletac.


That's right. I do this in all my reviews, to comply with the CPF rule #6 on advertising.


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## Albert56 (Mar 21, 2013)

warmurf said:


> Ordered one on the weekend from SBflashlights no prob. We also get a 15% discount if you use the code shown on their CPFMP ad.



That's strange, because when I checked the SBFlashlights website, they only had the 852 OTF lumen xml-u2 version available at 15% off for clearance. This was confirmed when I called them. They aren't even accepting pre-orders for the new model and don't expect it in for at least another 10 days or so. Figuring that 100 lumens at this level of output isn't going to make a really huge difference, I decide to get the 'old' model instead for less money. Maybe this is what you ordered? Perhaps you should confirm in case you had your heart set on the xm-l2 version.


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## BLUE LED (Mar 21, 2013)

It is clearly XM-L2 T6 neutral white and mine is XM-L2 U2 cool white.


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## warmurf (Mar 21, 2013)

This is what I've ordered-

1 - EagleTacTX25C2 XM-L U2 @ $94.90
LED Color Tint: Cool White

So it appears to be the old version? Oh well.:shakehead
Sorry for the confusion!


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## jhc37013 (Mar 21, 2013)

warmurf said:


> This is what I've ordered-
> 
> 1 - EagleTacTX25C2 XM-L U2 @ $94.90
> LED Color Tint: Cool White
> ...



Yes I almost did the same thing because I didn't even know their was a XM-L U2 version, I thought the light was being introduced with the XM-L2 but I caught my error just in time, in the flashlight biz you can't look away for a week without missing something.


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## phantom23 (Mar 23, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> As soon as you loosen past fully tight, you drop down to the second level. You drop down again to the third (and final) level after a *~120 degree turn*.


120 degree turn is from fully tight to third level?

You wrote that you got your sample directly from Eagletac. Do you have contact with them, are they open for suggestions? I ask because current mode spacing is a big :shakehead for many potential customers (like me). Why did they ditched one mode, it's smaller than G25C2, it should be mode EDC-ish. I'm looking for something small but with decent throw and TX25C2 would be perfect but it's useless as a EDC light because it lacks med-lo mode (below 100lm) and there's huge gap between 7 and 459lm. 7-86-208-910lm and I'm sold! (G25C2 MkII has 86lm mode with the same driver as TX25C2)

One more thing:


selfbuilt said:


> ANSI FL-1 Lumens for XM-L2 U2 Regular mode: 965-746/459/7 lumens (T6 NW should have ~7% less output)
> ANSI FL-1 Lumens for XM-L2 U2 Tactical mode: 965-746/208/Strobe (T6 NW should have ~7% less output)
> (...)
> Output levels are very consistent across all supported battery types. Let's see how outputs compare at all levels:


May I know where you got Eagletac ANSI FL-1 numbers from?


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## GordoJones88 (Mar 23, 2013)

phantom23 said:


> May I know where you got Eagletac ANSI FL-1 numbers from?


 
The Cool White emitter is on average about 7% brighter than the Neutral White emitter Selfbuilt tested.

902 ANSI lumens x 107% = 965 ANSI lumens 

http://www.eagletac.com/html/tx25c2/specs.html


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## selfbuilt (Mar 23, 2013)

phantom23 said:


> 120 degree turn is from fully tight to third level? You wrote that you got your sample directly from Eagletac. Do you have contact with them, are they open for suggestions? I ask because current mode spacing is a big :shakehead for many potential customers (like me). Why did they ditched one mode, it's smaller than G25C2, it should be mode EDC-ish.


I don't know why the reduction in modes, although I do notice the design of head is bit different. I agree the lack of a proper <100 lumen lo mode is a limitation here.



> May I know where you got Eagletac ANSI FL-1 numbers from?


As I mentioned in the figure legend, those values are adjusted down from the reported ANSI FL-1 specs for the XM-L2 U2 (that GordoJones88 linked to). Basically, they are the U2 values divided by 1.07, to adjust for the ~7% average reduction in the T6 bin.


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## jhc37013 (Mar 27, 2013)

warmurf said:


> This is what I've ordered-
> 
> 1 - EagleTacTX25C2 XM-L U2 @ $94.90
> LED Color Tint: Cool White
> ...



Well it may not help you now but the XM-L2 version is out, I'm about to order one from GG.


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## BLUE LED (Mar 27, 2013)

warmurf said:


> This is what I've ordered-
> 
> 1 - EagleTacTX25C2 XM-L U2 @ $94.90
> LED Color Tint: Cool White
> ...



I have the newer XM-L2 U2 cool white version, but I am sure that your unit is very bright.


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## biglights (Mar 27, 2013)

jhc37013 said:


> Well it may not help you now but the XM-L2 version is out, I'm about to order one from GG.



Mine will be delivered today. Only paid like $5 more than the original TX25C2. Cant wait! Thanks for the great review Selfbuilt!!


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## Watts Up! (Mar 27, 2013)

Yea I almost ordered the older version last night but then read this thread and saw theirs a newer 2013 model.

The older one:
TX25C2 XM-L U2 (1030 lumens)


The newer One:
TX25C2 XM-L2 U2 (1180 lumens)


Its easy to get them mixed up so look at the ads carefully. This is where I got mine. 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EagleTac-TX...5480133?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item2c6d7d2945

Thanks for all the info guys.:thumbsup:


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## warmurf (Mar 27, 2013)

Hey, gotta live with what I ordered now. Had my heart set on the new version, but I'll make the best of what I get.


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## jhc37013 (Mar 27, 2013)

warmurf said:


> Hey, gotta live with what I ordered now. Had my heart set on the new version, but I'll make the best of what I get.



Where did you get it just leave it in the box and return it, there is nothing wrong with that. It's not like your returning it because you don't like the tint and a 50/50 chance you would get a better tint. You made a ordering mistake, pay the return shipping and maybe the dealer you got it from now has the XM-L2 model.


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## ledmitter_nli (Mar 30, 2013)

When the light is in tactical mode, which version of strobe is on mode 3? Is it alternating 15hz-6.5hz-15hz or just constant 9.6hz strobe?


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## selfbuilt (Mar 31, 2013)

ledmitter_nli said:


> When the light is in tactical mode, which version of strobe is on mode 3? Is it alternating 15hz-6.5hz-15hz or just constant 9.6hz strobe?


It is the regular 9.6hz strobe.


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## ledmitter_nli (Mar 31, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> It is the regular 9.6hz strobe.



Don't you think it would have made better sense to use the more disorienting alterating version for it's proclaimed "tactical" mode?


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## GordoJones88 (Apr 1, 2013)

ledmitter_nli said:


> Don't you think it would have made better sense to use the more disorienting alterating version for it's proclaimed "tactical" mode?



No, cats are more easily disoriented with a constant strobe.


----------



## selfbuilt (Apr 1, 2013)

ledmitter_nli said:


> Don't you think it would have made better sense to use the more disorienting alterating version for it's proclaimed "tactical" mode?


I don't know which would be more disorienting in practice - but I suspect that without extensive training, _any_ high frequency strobe mode is bound to be disorienting for _both_ the operator as well as the recipient. 

It's probably best to leave any discussion of the relative merits (such as they are) of these sorts of strobes to dedicated threads on their use - I am certainly not qualified to comment.


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## ledmitter_nli (Apr 1, 2013)

Received two of these. And BOTH are not compatible with 18650's that have a positive terminal button that's wider than 7mm. Can't use my RediLasts nor my Panasonic 3400's.

The problem is the plastic white ring surrounding the positive contact terminal on the EagleTac's head spring.

I have to cut it off and probably void my warranty.


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## selfbuilt (Apr 1, 2013)

ledmitter_nli said:


> Received two of these. And BOTH are not compatible with 18650's that have a positive terminal button that's wider than 7mm. Can't use my RediLasts nor my Panasonic 3400's.
> The problem is the plastic white ring surrounding the positive contact terminal on the EagleTac's head spring.


Yes, that white ring is part of what provides the reverse polarity protection. The only other concern I would have about wider button-top cells is that you need to make sure your positive top does not come into contact with the battery tube in any way, or you will short the cell (i.e., the body tubes have a smaller opening at the head-end).


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## ledmitter_nli (Apr 2, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> Yes, that white ring is part of what provides the reverse polarity protection. The only other concern I would have about wider button-top cells is that you need to make sure your positive top does not come into contact with the battery tube in any way, or you will short the cell (i.e., the body tubes have a smaller opening at the head-end).



That's for rev polarity protection? Sh*t  Welp. It's not protected anymore. :sick2: 

Do you know if that's the only mechanism provided for reverse polarity protection? I just shipped one of these lights "modified" to a friend. Might have to warn em.


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## selfbuilt (Apr 2, 2013)

ledmitter_nli said:


> Do you know if that's the only mechanism provided for reverse polarity protection? I just shipped one of these lights "modified" to a friend. Might have to warn em.


I don't know if there's a circuit protection feature as well. But as a general rule, when I encounter a physical reverse-polarity protection feature, I assumed there is no other kind (otherwise, they likely wouldn't have bothered with the physical one).


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## vingebil (Apr 2, 2013)

Great rewiew! Looks like a bad *** flashlight


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## Mags (Apr 4, 2013)

Awesome review Selbuilt, been waiting on this one from you . 

When you say the 3400mah 18650s dont work, is it because of the button top(lack thereof) or because it physically wont fit in the tube? I ask because I am torn between the TX25c2 and G25c2. I know that the G25c2 will take 3400 panasonics but if the TX25 doesnt then that'll be the deciding factor.


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## biglights (Apr 4, 2013)

Mags said:


> Awesome review Selbuilt, been waiting on this one from you .
> 
> When you say the 3400mah 18650s dont work, is it because of the button top(lack thereof) or because it physically wont fit in the tube? I ask because I am torn between the TX25c2 and G25c2. I know that the G25c2 will take 3400 panasonics but if the TX25 doesnt then that'll be the deciding factor.




I am using them in mine. Works fine..


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## selfbuilt (Apr 4, 2013)

Mags said:


> When you say the 3400mah 18650s dont work, is it because of the button top(lack thereof) or because it physically wont fit in the tube? I ask because I am torn between the TX25c2 and G25c2. I know that the G25c2 will take 3400 panasonics but if the TX25 doesnt then that'll be the deciding factor.


I don't have any 3400mAh 18650 to test, so I don't think I said that.  The issue is simply with the size of the positive connector on the battery - if it is too wide and shallow, it may not fit within the reverse-polarity plastic ring in the light head.

Although the G25C2 and TX25C2 have slightly different head styles, their positive contact points are very similar. If a battery works in one, I would expect it to work fine in the other.


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## topgun.ua (Apr 4, 2013)

Unfortunatelly it's not that easy... Yes, they both (G25C2 and TX25C2) normally need a button top batteries because of that plastic white ring that provides the reverse polarity protection. But at the same time G25C2 MKII has a different tailcap buit. And this cause problems with the length of the most 18650 protected cells. 
It means that you can easely use a button top (protected) cells up to 70 mm. length in your TX25C2 but your G25C2 won't fit cells longer than 69 mm. or so.
I use Eagletac 3400 protected cells for my G25C2 MKII and they are one of the shortest portected (Panasonic 3400 based) cells on the market (68,3 mm.), and I'd love to use some of the (much cheaper but still very hi power) Sanyo 2600 based cells, but they are mostly longer than 69,5 mm.


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## Mags (Apr 4, 2013)

I'm sorry selfbuilt, I was asking ledmitter. Forgot to use quote 




ledmitter_nli said:


> Received two of these. And BOTH are not compatible with 18650's that have a positive terminal button that's wider than 7mm. Can't use my RediLasts nor my Panasonic 3400's.
> 
> The problem is the plastic white ring surrounding the positive contact terminal on the EagleTac's head spring.
> 
> I have to cut it off and probably void my warranty.


----------



## ledmitter_nli (Apr 5, 2013)

Mags said:


> Awesome review Selbuilt, been waiting on this one from you .
> 
> When you say the 3400mah 18650s dont work, is it because of the button top(lack thereof) or because it physically wont fit in the tube? I ask because I am torn between the TX25c2 and G25c2. I know that the G25c2 will take 3400 panasonics but if the TX25 doesnt then that'll be the deciding factor.



I'm using unprotected panasonic 3400's. They fit the tube fine but the positive battery button top doesn't seat into the head spring cup because the button is a few millimeters too wide.

According to selfbuilt this is Eagletac's reverse polarity feature. Most battery negative terminals are flat. That's their idea. Good in practice but not for all batteries.

I will credit Eagletac for somewhat having a warning about this on their website.

----
*Battery Safety Precaution*

_ All EagleTac flashlights are designed to use “button-top” battery (battery with protruding positive terminal). For rechargeable li-ion battery, use only EagleTac li-ion battery, or other protected li-ion battery with compatible length and diameter. Before using the battery, check and ensure the battery outer wrapping (the isolating plastic film that wraps around the metal housing of the battery) is complete. Broken battery wrapping may lead to short circuit and damage to the flashlight._

----

Regarding protected Panasonic NCR18650B's, those are double wrapped and too wide to fit many flashlight barrels. I learned my lesson with those.


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## Grumpy1 (May 2, 2013)

Anybody know where to buy the complete accessory kit by itself? I can only find it direct from Eagletac but the international shipping almost doubles the price.


----------



## ToTo (May 11, 2013)

Anyone else notices a preflash when turning on the flashlight on low?
Didnt notice any comments about it. On mine its pretty easy vissible
:/


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## GordoJones88 (May 11, 2013)

ToTo said:


> Anyone else notices a preflash when turning on the flashlight on low?
> Didnt notice any comments about it. On mine its pretty easy visible.



I just checked mine. It has it. Never noticed it. Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I also have preflash when turning on the light on Strobe . . .


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## rdrfronty (May 25, 2013)

Got my TX25C2 CW in a week or so ago. Absolutely LOVE the little light. I'm amazed with the combo of lumens and throw in such a compact little light. Did a little testing on it too. My CW version measured 1090 @ 30 sec. and a throw of 21,900. Also was pleased to see my Keeppower protected 3400mah cells fit fine with no functional issues.
Selfbuilt - if you prefer no other numbers posted on your thread, feel free to delete or pm me as needed. Just was thinking others might be curious what CW's are testing at in real life.


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## GordoJones88 (May 25, 2013)

rdrfronty said:


> My CW version measured 1090 @ 30 sec. and a throw of 21,900.



That's great.
Your contribution is much appreciated.
What kind of setup do you have?
Can you post a pic?


----------



## rdrfronty (May 25, 2013)

GordoJones88 said:


> That's great.
> Your contribution is much appreciated.
> What kind of setup do you have?
> Can you post a pic?


I use a PVC lightbox. It's not perfect, but I've tested perhaps 80 different lights with it, at least 1/2 of them being ANSI rated. So I have the baselines dialed in pretty well. And thus my numbers are pretty spot on.


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## ledmitter_nli (May 29, 2013)

Quicky OT: Can you test a Klarus XT11 with two IMR's? If yes can you post the result? If no then nevermind...

I want to compare it to the TX25C2.

Interesting figures for the CW!


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## selfbuilt (May 29, 2013)

ledmitter_nli said:


> Quicky OT: Can you test a Klarus XT11 with two IMR's? If yes can you post the result? If no then nevermind...I want to compare it to the TX25C2.


Sorry, I don't typically do IMR runs (except in some single-cell lights that are over-driven). What are you expecting as the result?


----------



## BLUE LED (May 29, 2013)

rdrfronty said:


> Did a little testing on it too. My CW version measured 1090 @ 30 sec. and a throw of 21,900.



I had my TX25C2 XM-L2 U2 cool white tested at a lab and the results aren't as impressive as your unit. However I am still very please with combination of lux, lumens and beam profile. 

1,050 Lumens
20, 300 Lux both ANSI FL-1

I am tempted by the neutral white XM-L2 T6 version. Do you know what the colour temperature is on this version. I am hoping that it is on the cool side. If not I may need to sit it on copper and mod with a nice neutral XM-L2 i procured from Mouser.


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## ledmitter_nli (May 29, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> Sorry, I don't typically do IMR runs (except in some single-cell lights that are over-driven). What are you expecting as the result?



I'm hearing around 800+ lumens.


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## Viking (Jun 9, 2013)

Does anyone know if it works on lifepo4 cells ?


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## selfbuilt (Jun 9, 2013)

Viking said:


> Does anyone know if it works on lifepo4 cells ?


Do you mean a LiFePO4 18650? It should work, but I suspect the low voltage warning flash would start earlier. I haven't tested one, so don't know how it behaves. 2x LiFePO4 RCR should work fine.


----------



## Viking (Jun 10, 2013)

Sorry , I meant 2x LiFePO4. 
Do you think the output would be the same , as for 2x CR123 primary's for instance ?


----------



## selfbuilt (Jun 10, 2013)

Viking said:


> Sorry , I meant 2x LiFePO4.
> Do you think the output would be the same , as for 2x CR123 primary's for instance ?


Yes, there should be no problem. Although I haven't tested them, LiFePO4 RCR seem to come in two advertised forms ("3.0V" nominal and "3.2V" nominal - not sure how different they really are). In both these cases, actual voltage should be somewhere between "3.0V" CR123As and "3.7V" ICR Li-ions (which are actually ~3.2V and ~4.2V, respectively when new/fully charged). In any case, since the TX25C2 runs fine at lower voltage of a single 18650, there should be no problem with any type of 2x cells.


----------



## Viking (Jun 10, 2013)

Thanks.
I'm very tempted to buy this flashlight. Even though I probably won't like the user interface. But I think I will like the throw and compact size.


----------



## Albert56 (Jun 10, 2013)

Viking said:


> Thanks.
> I'm very tempted to buy this flashlight. Even though I probably won't like the user interface. But I think I will like the throw and compact size.



I don't think you will like the UI. I've had mine for around 2 months now. This light is truly a pocket powerhouse, but the UI is _very_ quirky to say the least. If the light isn't used regularly _and_ kept very clean (i.e. cleaning the head threads and micro-switches) it's almost _guaranteed_ to malfunction. Even with careful cleaning and maintenance, it still isn't very reliable. 

Mine will switch between HI and medium OK _most_ of the time, but will flicker and stick up on going on to LO - or even start strobing on me (even when it's _not_ in tactical mode). Moreover, the programming is anything but intuitive and unless you have the instructions to refer to, it's easy to forget how to access the sub-modes, etc. Even if you do remember, it's still rather putsy, I think.

I bought and returned the older XML model, thinking my difficulties were just a fluke. Now, having experienced the same problems with the newer XM-L2 version, I think it's inherent in the design.

In summary, I still like the light for its compactness and high output, but definitely don't recommend the UI. I'm keeping the one if have, but honestly wouldn't have bought it if I'd known this beforehand.


----------



## Viking (Jun 10, 2013)

Hmm... thanks for the warning. That makes me think twice.
Maybe I shouldn't buy this one after all.


----------



## ledmitter_nli (Jun 11, 2013)

I like this lights output, it's the highest hotspot luxed EDC light I currently have.

But the UI is a** due to the side switch. It's the last time I buy a side mounted button light.


----------



## phantom23 (Jun 11, 2013)

There's something worse than side switch - modes spacing. 7-459-746lm or strobe-208-746lm are absolutly useless for any regular use.


----------



## Albert56 (Jun 11, 2013)

phantom23 said:


> There's something worse than side switch - modes spacing. 7-459-746lm or strobe-208-746lm are absolutly useless for any regular use.



The side switch isn't the greatest, as it has virtually no tactile feedback, but it does keep the light compact. I don't really have a problem with the mode spacing either. I just wish this light had a more intuitive and reliable UI, that's all. I'm not a fan of head twisting and I won't be buying any more lights with this set up.


----------



## phantom23 (Jun 12, 2013)

So the switch itself is not the problem but the fact that it's on the side? I'm not a twisting fan as well but they've done it better than Olight where you have to loosen and tighten the head just to change one mode. On the other hand it's better than single switch for everything with millions od clicks to change modes. I think mode spacing is much bigger problem in general use where you need lower-medium modes which TX25C2 doesn't have.


----------



## Albert56 (Jun 12, 2013)

Well, it isn't as we don't have lots of other flashlights to fall back on!  Have you tried the Nitecore SRT-7? Great UI, versatility, and a good thrower to boot. I'd rate it as my 3rd favorite - after my 4 Sevens X10 and my TN31mb.


----------



## phantom23 (Jun 12, 2013)

SRT7 i huuuge. What I'm looking for is a ECDable small but throwy (~10klux/1m minimum) light. 120mm long TX25C2 would be perfect but it lacks medium mode (between 50 and 100 lumens), my 2nd choice is Nitecore EC2 but emitter swap (XP-G2 gives around 10klux/1m) is quite risky since it voids warranty and Explorer's are not very reliable.


----------



## kengps (Jul 22, 2013)

How to know If I got the latest 1180 lumen TX25C2? The box and instructions all say 1030. I paid for, and the shipping label said 1180.

I just noticed an extra sticker on the box that says XM-L2 U2 "Upgrade for free" But is there a way to see on the LED itself?


----------



## lintonindy (Jul 22, 2013)

kengps said:


> How to know If I got the latest 1180 lumen TX25C2? The box and instructions all say 1. I paid for, and the shipping label said 1180.
> 
> I just noticed an extra sticker on the box that says XM-L2 U2 "Upgrade for free" But is there a way to see on the LED itself?



If the LED is on a white colored board instead of a green one then it is an XM-L2. The ones with a sticker usually are.


----------



## kengps (Jul 22, 2013)

Mine is green, and it has 3 bond wires instead of the 2 of XM-L2. The box had the XM-L2 upgrade sticker. This really ticks me off. I have noticed it is very hard to determine whether vendors are selling the new one or not. I guess they don't want to eat the older ones. But this was clearly a bait-n-switch.


----------



## lintonindy (Jul 23, 2013)

kengps said:


> Mine is green, and it has 3 bond wires instead of the 2 of XM-L2. The box had the XM-L2 upgrade sticker. This really ticks me off. I have noticed it is very hard to determine whether vendors are selling the new one or not. I guess they don't want to eat the older ones. But this was clearly a bait-n-switch.



I'd be furious. They pulled a Braun on you!


----------



## plaguem (Jul 24, 2013)

*Eagletac TX25C2 (XM-L2 1x18650 2xCR123A/RCR) Review: RUNTIMES, VIDEO, BEAMSHOT*

Shucks that sucks. Seems like a valid reason for a return. 

What's the Braun reference?


----------



## GordoJones88 (Jul 25, 2013)

kengps said:


> Mine is green, and it has 3 bond wires instead of the 2 of XM-L2. The box had the XM-L2 upgrade sticker. This really ticks me off. I have noticed it is very hard to determine whether vendors are selling the new one or not. I guess they don't want to eat the older ones. But this was clearly a bait-n-switch.



It could easily be a mistake at the factory or equally likely the vendor may have taken out samples and gotten them switched accidentally. I have no doubt they will provide paid return shipping. Just send them an email. Unless you bought it from a Chinese vendor at a discount price.


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## kengps (Jul 25, 2013)

They explained that Eagletac did it. Or I think possibly someone bought the new one, then returned it with the previous model in the box. Many people were upset ET made an upgrade so soon. I may have gotten a returned item. Anyway they are exchanging it for the correct model.


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## plaguem (Jul 28, 2013)

does anyone else here face issues with their light flickering? it's happens to me quite a lot. i've resorted to buying and putting deoxit red on the threads and contact points, but only seems to resolve the problem temporarily.


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## shelm (Oct 2, 2013)

Hello, after disabling the energy saving feature, does it stay this way after i turn off the light? We know that loosening the tailcap will revert back to enabled energy saving feature.

I am not so sure about a simple turning off the light


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## ledmitter_nli (Oct 2, 2013)

plaguem said:


> does anyone else here face issues with their light flickering? it's happens to me quite a lot. i've resorted to buying and putting deoxit red on the threads and contact points, but only seems to resolve the problem temporarily.



How far passed the mode changes are you twisting the light? Not trying to be a wise guy, but wouldn't it be obvious to twist a little further beyond the mode change point to account for heat expansion of the body or miniscule head wobble from the thread spacing? Or are you doing this already?


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## selfbuilt (Oct 2, 2013)

shelm said:


> Hello, after disabling the energy saving feature, does it stay this way after i turn off the light? We know that loosening the tailcap will revert back to enabled energy saving feature.
> I am not so sure about a simple turning off the light


I don't recall, but it should. As you say, it certainly does not survive a battery change.


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## shelm (Oct 3, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> I don't recall, but it should. As you say, it certainly does not survive a battery change.



Thanks selfbuilt.

Hmm, since you were the original reviewer, would it be asked too much to definitely test it and report on your _actual _findings? Then we can clear all and any assumptions and even project it to other EagleTac lights with the energy savings feature.

Would be very useful and helpful to know for sure, thanks again for your review efforts!!


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## selfbuilt (Oct 3, 2013)

Ok, ok, I've gone back and tested it. I can confirm that the TX25C2 retains the memory of disabling of the energy saving feature upon turning off and back on of the light at the electronic switch. It is only a battery change that resets it to the default (which is turned on).


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## shelm (Oct 3, 2013)

selfbuilt said:


> Ok, ok, I've gone back and tested it. I can confirm that the TX25C2 retains the memory of disabling of the energy saving feature upon turning off and back on of the light at the electronic switch. It is only a battery change that resets it to the default (which is turned on).




Thanks so much for your word!!

Great test! :twothumbs

I am trying to retest it on my sample. It is quite difficult to disable the energy savings feature


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## Mr. Tone (Oct 3, 2013)

I just got this light yesterday and I really like it. It is very similar in throw and output to the G25C2 MKII and is noticeably more compact. This is a very impressive light and has a well thought out UI. Thanks for the great review.


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## tallboybass (Oct 4, 2013)

I asked this on the Thrunite Lynx thread, but here goes again...Selfbuilt, if you had tested the cool white version of the TX25C2 instead of the neutral white version, would it still be the brightest single 18650 light in your collection? Thanks.


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## selfbuilt (Oct 4, 2013)

tallboybass said:


> I asked this on the Thrunite Lynx thread, but here goes again...Selfbuilt, if you had tested the cool white version of the TX25C2 instead of the neutral white version, would it still be the brightest single 18650 light in your collection? Thanks.


Impossible to know without actually testing it. However, I doubt there is much of a difference.

To explain why I say that, I note that I did observe here that my TX25C2 was unusually bright for a Neutral white emitter. You'll see it is brighter overall than my Cool White GX25C2 (which based on report tint bin, would be expected to exceed). This makes me think that it is in fact a U2-bin (despite the spec sheet saying they are T6). I am noticing a lot of official U2-bin Neutral whites being reported lately, making me think that Cree was always making very high-performing Neutrals in the XM-L2 build.

And again, you are looking at the problem of n=1 per model in my hands, typically. It's hard to know how representational any of my samples are (i.e., you need to know both the average and the deviation around it, for the larger population of lights). :shrug:


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## GordoJones88 (Oct 4, 2013)

tallboybass said:


> Selfbuilt, if you had tested the cool white version of the TX25C2 instead of the neutral white version, would it still be the brightest single 18650 light in your collection? Thanks.



Typically, Cool White is 7% brighter than Neutral White, so it would be 965 ANSI lumens as Eagletac has estimated in their specifications page. SB estimated the Thrunite Lynx at 930 ANSI lumens, so the two lights are so close to brightness the comparison is moot. What is important is what you are going to use the light for. It's not just that the TX25C2 is the brightest 18650, it is also extremely compact with very good throw and a great pocket clip. I've been EDCing mine clipped to the inside of my front pants pocket for 7 months now. You cannot do that with the Lynx which is much bigger and heavier. However, it is obvious the Lynx UI is a very strong feature to be considered. The TX25C2 is essentially a 3-mode with with 10/500/1000 lumens, which works for me, but will certainly not work for everyone.


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## Mr. Tone (Oct 5, 2013)

GordoJones88 said:


> Typically, Cool White is 7% brighter than Neutral White, so it would be 965 ANSI lumens as Eagletac has estimated in their specifications page. SB estimated the Thrunite Lynx at 930 ANSI lumens, so the two lights are so close to brightness the comparison is moot. What is important is what you are going to use the light for. It's not just that the TX25C2 is the brightest 18650, it is also extremely compact with very good throw and a great pocket clip. I've been EDCing mine clipped to the inside of my front pants pocket for 7 months now. You cannot do that with the Lynx which is much bigger and heavier. However, it is obvious the Lynx UI is a very strong feature to be considered. The TX25C2 is essentially a 3-mode with with 10/500/1000 lumens, which works for me, but will certainly not work for everyone.



That is a good way of putting it. The size difference is big. I am still surprised at how compact this Eagletac is and yet it has great output and throw. The UI works for me very nicely. I have this Eagletac on my duty belt now since it is so much more compact than the G25CII MKII I was carrying. The G25CII MK II is now on my patrol rifle and it makes one heck of a weapon light.


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## brightnorm (Nov 1, 2013)

deleted


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## brightnorm (Nov 7, 2013)

11/7/13

I bought the light after all and found a way to make it easy to operate with one hand. Locate the point just before low transitions to bright. You can easily go from one level to the other with a very slight finger adjustment. Then you can use the press-to-bright from either of those positions. This makes the TX25C2 a one-hand light. Very convenient!

Brightnorm



11/1/13
I was eager to buy this light, but as a civilian, I wanted a "standard" UI. Too bad because this is clearly a great small light. 

Selbuilt, thanks for yet another superb review.

Brightnorm


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## Tybo22 (Nov 28, 2013)

Anyone know if orbtronic batteries will work in this light?


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## mikemild13 (Dec 16, 2013)

Tybo22 said:


> Anyone know if orbtronic batteries will work in this light?



I'm using orbtronic 3400mah in mine. Works great.


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## brightnorm (Jan 3, 2014)

BLUE LED said:


> I am tempted by the neutral white XM-L2 T6 version. Do you know what the colour temperature is on this version. I am hoping that it is on the cool side. If not I may need to sit it on copper and mod with a nice neutral XM-L2 i procured from Mouser.



I have both versions. I originally thought the cool white was brighter, but soon realized that only applied to white or very light surfaces. In general the neutral appears brighter than the cool white, and I now use it exclusively. 

Brightnorm


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## phantom23 (Jan 3, 2014)

Neutral is better in the woods, cool white in the city.


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## Torchguy (Jan 4, 2014)

Have you tried using cool white to check your meat on a barbeque


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## SCEMan (Jan 4, 2014)

Torchguy said:


> Have you tried using cool white to check your meat on a barbeque


Which is why my Weber BBQ handle light uses warm LEDs...:thumbsup:


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## Ryp (Feb 2, 2014)

How long is the light with each of the extenders?


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## ozzie_c_cobblepot (Jul 23, 2014)

The only thing this light is missing is a ~100 lumen "third" level, like the new T25C2.


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## phantom23 (Jul 23, 2014)

That's exactly what I'm saying since it came out.


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## ozzie_c_cobblepot (Jul 23, 2014)

Question: what happens if you single click repeatedly quickly? Does it just go on-off-on-off-etc?


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## selfbuilt (Jul 25, 2014)

ozzie_c_cobblepot said:


> Question: what happens if you single click repeatedly quickly? Does it just go on-off-on-off-etc?


Yes.


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## Viperbart (Jul 25, 2014)

Anybody know the internal dimensions of the reflector?


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## ozzie_c_cobblepot (Jul 27, 2014)

So I want either a 4-mode TX25C2, or a GX25C2 (a G25C2 Mkii with a side switch)


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## mikemild13 (Aug 6, 2014)

I've had this light for about 6 months and recently encountered an issue where the light will no longer go into turbo mode. I contacted Eagletac and through email discussions it was determined that one of the pins in the head are defective. There are two small grooves in the control ring which the rep at Eagletac said it not normal and said they must have been caused by the defective pin(s). Now I have the pleasure of shipping it to Hong Kong for repairs. Hopefully it won't cost to much.

Checking the G25C2 MKII, the pins contacting the control ring are very different. The TX25C2 has very small, ball point pen looking pins. The G25C2 has flat pins which seem to be a much better design.


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## InfinitusEquitas (Aug 7, 2014)

Shipping from the US will be $40-$45 tracked and insured. Do not sent without tracking!

Always better to purchase from reputable dealers here who can deal with these kinds of issues for you. You pay a premium at first, but it works out much better in the long run.

Selfbuilt, do you have any plans for testing an XPG2 Vinh modded version? I started using one recently and the throw is phenomenal for the size, over 50kcd if I had to guess, but it would be nice to know the real number.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 7, 2014)

InfinitusEquitas said:


> Selfbuilt, do you have any plans for testing an XPG2 Vinh modded version? I started using one recently and the throw is phenomenal for the size, over 50kcd if I had to guess, but it would be nice to know the real number.


No, that one is not on my radar at the moment ... but there will be a few other new lights come from Vinh.


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## InfinitusEquitas (Aug 7, 2014)

Any teaser information?


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## mikemild13 (Aug 7, 2014)

InfinitusEquitas said:


> Shipping from the US will be $40-$45 tracked and insured. Do not sent without tracking!
> 
> Always better to purchase from reputable dealers here who can deal with these kinds of issues for you. You pay a premium at first, but it works out much better in the long run.



Thanks for the info. I may have to live with a 2 stage light for a bit while I decide if it's worth the trouble. Learning a lesson with this light, that's for sure. Your advice is well received.


Update... after a long wait I finally heard back from the company I purchased the light from. US company and the warranty is covered.


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## JohnnyGalaga (Oct 12, 2014)

So do I understand correctly that with an 18650 at the highest brightness mode (965 lumens), after 200 seconds the light automatically shuts down to 965 x 75% = 724 lumens and that's all you get?

I was thinking of getting this for a bike light but that's a real bummer. If you go for a half-hour bike ride, the light is really only good for 724 lumens. So IO guess there no way to may it stay on 965 lumens continuously?


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## ozzie_c_cobblepot (Oct 12, 2014)

@JohnnyGalaga you have to turn it off then on to reset the timer, which may be a pain every 200 seconds.

One recommendation is the ZL SC600, and keep H2 on either the 670 or 356 level, where you can flip over to the 1100 H1 as your hi-beams, so to speak. The side switch probably is a better UI for the bicycle light as well. The runtimes are great too.


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## GordoJones88 (Oct 12, 2014)

JohnnyGalaga said:


> So do I understand correctly that with an 18650 at the highest brightness mode (965 lumens), after 200 seconds the light automatically shuts down to 965 x 75% = 724 lumens and that's all you get?





ozzie_c_cobblepot said:


> You have to turn it off then on to reset the timer, which may be a pain every 200 seconds.




No that is incorrect.
You only need to the press the button to reset the 200 second timer.
The light will continue to stay in Turbo without turning off.
You do not have to turn it off and then on.


However, you can disable the step-down from 25% to 10%.

"Enabled by default, this feature reduces output by 25% or 10% when disabled after 200 seconds at turbo mode."

Also:

"Low dropout voltage, enable circuit to current regulate even with a single 18650 for most of the runtime at turbo output."

http://www.eagletac.com/html/tx25c2/specs.html





JohnnyGalaga said:


> I was thinking of getting this for a bike light but that's a real bummer. If you go for a half-hour bike ride, the light is really only good for 724 lumens. So IO guess there no way to may it stay on 965 lumens continuously?




The TX25C2 is a very compact thrower.
It is small enough to fit in you pocket.
It is not intended to stay in Turbo for an extended period of time.
But without the extra mass to wick away the heat from the LED,
it cannot stay very bright without getting the LED too hot.

If you want a light to stay at 1000 lumens for 30 minutes,
the light will need to be much bigger mass in order to handle all the extra heat.
It will also need to have several 18650 batteries to maintain that much brightness.
This would be a fairly large bike light.
The Nitecore Tiny Monster series comes to mind.


The very idea of Turbo is a brief temporary extra burst of brightness.
Turbo is not meant to run continuously.
Hi mode is meant to be run continuously.
So you are look for a light that can do 1000 lumens for 30 minutes on Hi mode.


See the dotted purple line of the TX25C2 Turbo 'No Step".
It only stays at 965 lumens for a few minutes.
The battery cannot maintain that much brightness for very long.
It will continue to dim as the battery is drained.
Most 1x18650 lights have this same type of diminishing runtime curve at Turbo.


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## Ryp (Oct 22, 2014)

Ryp said:


> How long is the light with each of the extenders?


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## JohnnyGalaga (Oct 24, 2014)

Finally made a decision and ordered this light. Just got it yesterday with a pair of Eagle Tac 3400 18650s and the 4-cell extender. Is there an easy way to tell which energy saving mode you're on? 10% or 25%? I've toggled it back and forth a few times and forgot which one it's on. After waiting the 200 seconds it's hard to notice the difference.


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## JohnnyGalaga (Oct 25, 2014)

Ryp said:


> How long is the light with each of the extenders?



I got the 4-cell extender for $10 by itself without having to buy the more expensive kit. They call it a "4-cell extender" but it allows for 2 x 18650s if you'd rather not use 4 CR123As. Here's a few photos of what I got:











It looks about 8 inches long in the photo because of the angle (or lens distortion?), but it's really 7.5 inches.















.


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## BringerOfLight (Nov 21, 2014)

JohnnyGalaga said:


> Is there an easy way to tell which energy saving mode you're on? 10% or 25%? I've toggled it back and forth a few times and forgot which one it's on. After waiting the 200 seconds it's hard to notice the difference.


The light suffers from amnesia. If you change the battery (or just loosen the tailcap), you end up in the 25% mode. It forgets about the tactical mode setting as well and goes to the regular setting.


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## Ryp (Nov 21, 2014)

JohnnyGalaga said:


> I got the 4-cell extender for $10 by itself without having to buy the more expensive kit. They call it a "4-cell extender" but it allows for 2 x 18650s if you'd rather not use 4 CR123As. Here's a few photos of what I got:



Great photos, thanks a bunch!


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## CelticCross74 (Dec 7, 2014)

Eagletac TX25C2+Orbtronic 3600mah = awesome I love mine


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## recDNA (Dec 13, 2014)

CelticCross74 said:


> Eagletac TX25C2+Orbtronic 3600mah = awesome I love mine



Just got mine today. I like everything about it except the lowest mode. It is too bright for me. 11 lumens (eagletac claims 7)is too much. I like around 1 or 2 lumens. I don't need a real moonlight mode of .25 or less lumens but 11 is too much. I honestly don't know it til I see it. If I am looking at a specimen indoors this is just too bright. I have 2 infinitely adjustable flashlights I will continue to use in the lab. I had hoped to find one light bright enough for the field and dim enough for the lab. Not this one.


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## mikester (Apr 18, 2018)

5 years in with this torch now and no issues, still on the original 18650 too. At work it's still the brightest torch on the team, I'm always been asked to borrow it!


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## CelticCross74 (Jul 6, 2018)

I freaking LOST my TX25C2 gosh darn it!! That was one of the best lights I ever had!


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## aginthelaw (Jul 6, 2018)

CelticCross74 said:


> I freaking LOST my TX25C2 gosh darn it!! That was one of the best lights I ever had!



Are you sure you didn’t sell it to me?


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## CelticCross74 (Jul 11, 2018)

As far as I know. Gosh darn it. I got everthing ET makes for it as well. That thing cranked. Had the stainless steel bezel on it and all.


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