# 3xLED [email protected] Drop-in Shootout!



## donn_ (Dec 20, 2007)

Here's a mini-review/shoot-out, with lots of pics, between an Elektro-Lumens MT-3 and a Terralux TLE-300M.

The MT-3 sports 3x SSC P4 emitters in 20mm reflectors. EL calls it at 600 lumens. It runs on 4.5v, or a little less. I've run it well on a single Li-Ion cell.

The TLE-300 contains 3x Luxeon K2 emitters with TFFC "Flip Chip" LXK2-PWC4-0200. Terralux rates it at 600 initial lumens, dropping to 500. The dealer I bought it from says it can run on 6-24v, and the manufacturer's paperwork says 4-12v.

Here are the contestants:












The MT-3 is simply the three LEDS, in their reflectors, mounted to an aluminum dish-shaped heat sink.

The TLE-300M is a bit more complex, with the emitters in their optics, mounted to a PCB, which is in turn mounted to a heavier anodized aluminum slug heat sink.

Now to the weigh-in:











As you can see, the Terralux outweighs the Elektro-Lumens by half an ounce, or 45%.

I won't go into installation. Suffice to say, it's drop-dead (or in) simple for both units. The EL unit requires a bit of filing, on the very top of the battery tube, to remove the anodize. The Terralux unit does not snug up against the lens, which rattles loosely after installation. I'll have to figure out how to deal with that.

Here they are in their host [email protected]:






The Mt-3 is in a 3D with 3x fresh Duracells, for 4.5v. The TLE-300M is in a 3D with 3x freshly charged Li-Ion C cells, for 12.4v.

This is the best I can do for indoor beamshots. Range is 10 feet, and the wall is ivory in color:

MT-3:





TLE-300M:





CAUTION!! The rest of this review is subjective.

The differences between the two beams, indoors, is very apparent. The MT-3 has an incredibly well defined hotspot, and a good bit of spill. Compared to the TLE-300M its beam is pure white. The TLE-300M hotspot shows the shapes of the optics, and is very warm yellow in comparison, as close to an incandescent hotwire as I've seen in any LED light.

I took them both for a short stroll in the garden, and compared them at the longest ranges I have, possibly 50 feet. The color difference is as apparent as indoors. The Terralux drop-in is like a good 1164 hotwire (standard [email protected] head) in color, but with a much longer and tighter reach. The EL has much more close-in spill, less reach, and is very much whiter.

I'm still looking for a "flashlight range" where I can do beam shots at long ranges, over water. There are lots of them out on the bay, but getting good pictures from a rocking boat is difficult at best.

There may be more to come.


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## copperfox (Dec 20, 2007)

Very thorough so far, can't wait to see longer range beamshots :twothumbs


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## jasonsmaglites (Dec 21, 2007)

i could never show off the terralux with a beam like that!
holy crap. 
the ek has a beautiful beam. 
can you tell the same outside or do they smooth out?
which one is brighter overall to you?


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## PhantomPhoton (Dec 21, 2007)

Well I'm liking the Elektrolumens. Can't say the terralux is too appealing on a white wall. But I'd need to see some outdoor beamshots before passing a heftier judgment. The color and the beam profile reminds me of my Palmblaze K2 that I bought from BJ nearly a year ago.


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## robm (Dec 21, 2007)

Hi donn_ - thanks for the mini-review :thumbsup:



> The Terralux drop-in is like a good 1164 hotwire (standard [email protected] head) in color, but with a *much longer and tighter reach*. The EL has much more close-in spill, *less reach*,



Did I read this right :thinking: the EL has less reach/throw than the TLE?
I would have guessed the complete opposite from the wall shots - the EL appears to have a brighter and tighter hotspot (and so more throw)?

I have an EL MT-4 (6 x NiMH) - which is excellent (nice mix of throw and spill), but quite like(d) the idea of the TLE for the battery flexibility - not so sure now.


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## ace0001a (Dec 21, 2007)

While I can appreciate the aesthetics of how a beam can look on a white wall, I know in actual use that how good it can look on the wall doesn't necessarily translate and/or effect how well it works in general usage. From what I can tell from the pictures, it looks like the squarish profile of each individual beam on the Terralux isn't all that unusual considering that it is using optics instead of a reflector...and I believe the more narrow the focus of an optic is in relation to its size, the more squarish of a beam you will notice. The description page of the Terralux says it uses a 6 degree optic, which should also give it some good throw too. As for it out throwing the Elektrolumens MT-III, I actually don't find that too surprising. The MT-III uses 3 20mm IMS reflectors. From my experience with IMS 20mm and 17mm reflectors is that they generally give a really nice flood beam with SSCP4 LEDs (especially with the 17mm), but not as much throw as one would like. With that said, I'm not saying that the throw on the IMS20 is all that bad either as it is decent for a reflector of that size.

I too also own an EL MT-III and my Terralux TLE-300 is the mail to me as I type this. I know is MT-III is a well made product and from this mini-review, it looks like the Terralux is too.


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## vector_joe (Dec 21, 2007)

robm said:


> Hi donn_ - thanks for the mini-review :thumbsup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
My guess is, and it is purely a guess, is that the camera isn't on manual, so the exposure is being compensated automatically by the camera. If the TLE is brighter at the hotspot, it would explain why the rest of the room is darker. It is hard to compare the 2 different beam shots unless the aperature and exposure times are controlled.


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## taschenlampe (Dec 21, 2007)

vector_joe said:


> My guess is, and it is purely a guess, is ...


 

You are right – EXIF data says 

MT-3: Exposure Time 1/8 seconds
TLE-300M: Exposure Time 1/20 seconds


tl


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## robm (Dec 21, 2007)

Doh - I assumed that as these were comparison shots they would be the same settings 

(Now why didn't I think to check the EXIF tags :shakehead)

In that case then - it may very well be a TLE-300 for me


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## Zenster (Dec 21, 2007)

robm said:


> Doh - I assumed that as these were comparison shots they would be the same settings
> 
> (Now why didn't I think to check the EXIF tags :shakehead)
> 
> In that case then - it may very well be a TLE-300 for me


 
Yes, shame on Donn_ for violating the first Rule of Beamshots: "Camera settings must be the same for each shot or the comparison results are worthless".

I'd sure like to see some real comparison shots between those two drop-ins.


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## Alan B (Dec 21, 2007)

Zenster said:


> ... violating the first Rule of Beamshots: "Camera settings must be the same for each shot or the comparison results are worthless"...


 
Or, both beams in the same shot so the conditions are equal regardless of camera automation. Not all cameras have decent manual controls, not all users know how to use them.

-- Alan


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## robo21 (Dec 21, 2007)

Alan B said:


> Or, both beams in the same shot so the conditions are equal regardless of camera automation. Not all cameras have decent manual controls, not all users know how to use them.
> 
> -- Alan


 
Good points!


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## Nell (Dec 21, 2007)

Any chance you can take a reading of how many amps each unit is drawing? 
Wonder what the output would be like on the Terralux if it was running on a lower voltage situation. Is the yellowish output due to bin or voltage?

So far a very good read. I have the MT1 and really enjoy it and was on the fence on the MT3. You are helping me make up my mind fast.


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## KROMATICS (Dec 21, 2007)

Any outdoor beamshots?


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## donn_ (Dec 21, 2007)

:shakehead:nana:



Zenster said:


> Yes, shame on Donn_ for violating the first Rule of Beamshots: "Camera settings must be the same for each shot or the comparison results are worthless".
> 
> * I don't know about your house, but in my house, I make the only rules which mean anything.*
> 
> ...


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## Zenster (Dec 21, 2007)

donn_ said:


> :shakehead:nana:


 
I know I speak for all when I say that your efforts are appreciated, but posting misleading beamshots like that don't do anyone any good.

Sorry if you're offended by my simple comment, but if you really want to be of help to other members here on CPF, you might think of another "rule":
"Lead, follow, or get out of the way".

Because your beamshots are worthless, at this point, you're just "in the way".
If you didn't want to post proper comparison shots, then why did you go to the trouble of posting them at all?


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## robm (Dec 21, 2007)

donn_ - I honestly was not having a go at you.

Zenster - maybe a bit harsh?

Edit: my TLE-300 has been ordered btw


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## Zenster (Dec 21, 2007)

robm said:


> donn_ - I honestly was not having a go at you.
> 
> Zenster - maybe a bit harsh?
> 
> Edit: my TLE-300 has been ordered btw


 
I don't think harsh at all.

We're a community of like minded enthusiasts who depend upon each other for good information.

What is a beamshot at all if not to be used for DIRECT comparison of various lights. Lot's of people make buying decisions based on what members post here, so bad comparisons can lead to members wasting a lot of money. That aint' right.

How about, next April 1, I post several different beamshot comparison of all sorts of different lights I have, but intentionally change the settings from shot to shot?
I'll make the L2D-CD/Q5 look like it outperforms my DBS, my Maglite AA look like it outperforms my Tiablo A9s, and my CL1H look like it outguns my AE Xenide 25W.
In my case, it would be a joke, but how would you feel if you actually made purchases based on my bogus comparisons.

He even says after posting the beamshots; "CAUTION!! The *rest* of this review is subjective." as if to infer that the beamshots ARE accurate.

So harsh?... Nope. Not at all.


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## robm (Dec 21, 2007)

Fair point - but that would be deliberately misleading, whereas this (appears) to be an honest mistake/omission - and we all make those occasionally.

Also as you state 


> We're a community of like minded enthusiasts


and what we also do, is point out anomalies in the posts of others, for the greater good 

Anyway, a simple edit of the OP (specifically the beamshot picture descriptions) would probably make it all better 
:grouphug:


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## Zenster (Dec 21, 2007)

robm said:


> Fair point - but that would be deliberately misleading, whereas this (appears) to be an honest mistake/omission - and we all make those occasionally.
> 
> Also as you state
> and what we also do, is point out anomalies in the posts of others, for the greater good
> ...


 
Well, Donn_'s response in Post#15 was nothing but a smartass "screw you" response. That doesn't sound like it was a simple mistake; it sound more like he just doesn't give a damn about giving other CPF members good information.

A simple and honest edit of the information presented would do it for me.


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## donn_ (Dec 21, 2007)

Zenster said:


> Well, Donn_'s response in Post#15 was nothing but a smartass "screw you" response. That doesn't sound like it was a simple mistake; it sound more like he just doesn't give a damn about giving other CPF members good information.
> 
> A simple and honest edit of the information presented would do it for me.



No, it means your opinion of my post is less than meaningless to me. As far as I'm concerned, the beam shots amply illustrate what I discussed; the relative shape and color of the beams and the relative amount of spill. If you don't like my posts, I suggest you put me on your ignore list.


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## MattK (Dec 21, 2007)

Er back on topic...

I just tried the old 4C's into a 3D Mag body trick and of course it worked beautifully. 

In our dark warehouse the TLE-300 is best described as a Surefire L4 on crack - big 'ol wall of light, no hotspot to speak of just lightlightlight everywhere.

I also have a 2D set up with a 3 x CR123A>2D converter and that works perfectly too. 

Donn - since you have both drop-ins it would be simply awesome if you could take new pics with the exposure locked - that does provide a much fairer basis of comparison. Thanks in advance!


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 21, 2007)

I think I'd rather have the EL product, Thanks anyhow.


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## Cuso (Dec 21, 2007)

Easy just swap the funky optics for IMS reflectors , boom beamshot fixed...:naughty:


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## hank (Dec 21, 2007)

Don, you might post the EXIF data right with the beamshots, or replace them with a single photo of both together, appropriate to a 'shootout' -- a comparison made on equal terms. This is after all why dueling pistols and swords are presented in matched pairs, so one's not giving unfair advantage.

Your camera fooled you. This happens. Good it was caught early in the thread.


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## Zenster (Dec 21, 2007)

donn_ said:


> No, it means your opinion of my post is less than meaningless to me. As far as I'm concerned, the beam shots amply illustrate what I discussed; the relative shape and color of the beams and the relative amount of spill. If you don't like my posts, I suggest you put me on your ignore list.


 
Done.


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## KROMATICS (Dec 21, 2007)

Crap. Now I'm never going to see outdoor beamshots.


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## donn_ (Dec 22, 2007)

Once I find a location for outdoor beam shots, I'll provide them.

Swapping out the optics on the Terralux will not be an easy task. Each is heavily epoxied to the PCB.

I now have a third 3xLED drop-in to compare. It's pretty much a one-off German object, which started with 3x LuxIII emitters, but got upgraded to 3x Edison Opto KLC8 emitters. They are in rather wide-angle reflectors (~15-20°) and the unit is quite a flooder.


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## EntropyQ3 (Dec 22, 2007)

Zenster said:


> I know I speak for all when I say that your efforts are appreciated, but posting misleading beamshots like that don't do anyone any good.



I'm with Zenster on this one.
Anyone can make a mistake or have difficulties with their digicams.
But to not mention the different conditions at all, nor update the review post at all when the error is pointed out - that's simply being misleading on purpose.


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## donn_ (Dec 22, 2007)

EntropyQ3 said:


> I'm with Zenster on this one.



(Psst..this isn't a poll.) Go to my profile, and put me on your ignore list.


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 22, 2007)

donn, who pi&&ed in your corn flakes?

You seem to have your back up about this. It doesn't REALLY seem to be TOO much to ask for either side by side shot or re-shoot with the same camera settings.

Sure, the shots you posted DO show beam shape/quality. And based on that I would choose the EL product.

But it WOULD be nice to know how they relate to each other in brightness too.

Perty please?


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## donn_ (Dec 22, 2007)

PlayboyJoeShmoe said:


> It doesn't REALLY seem to be TOO much to ask for either side by side shot or re-shoot with the same camera settings.



Feel free to provide beam shots of your preference.:shakehead


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## Pokerstud (Dec 22, 2007)

donn_,

Thanks for the review and the picks, and for taking the time to do it all.



Zenster,

Please take this crap some where else!!!:thumbsdow


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 22, 2007)

Geez what a d*ichead.

I guess you haven't been around long enough to know there is pretty much NO WAY I'll ever have one or both of these items.

I tried Please and you not in so many words said pi&& off.

What an A hole!


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## KROMATICS (Dec 23, 2007)

donn_ said:


> Once I find a location for outdoor beam shots, I'll provide them.



Thanks.


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## jasonsmaglites (Dec 23, 2007)

i missed where this got so out of hand. 
donn, the beamshots are great. 
i can see the color difference and shape of the beam very well. 
both point me to the el III. 

since you have both, would you give me some subjective opinions. 
which one appears brighter overall in real life use. 

throw vs spill outside, how do the two compare?
which is better at which?

i'm not sure why so many are giving a reviewer such a hard time about an honest mistake. 
kind of makes a guy not want to try in my opinion.


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 23, 2007)

If it were an honest mistake I would have thought PLEASE would have gotten better than the equivalent of *eff u.

IF I were to be able to afford either of these I'd take EL as I just don't like optics.


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## PhantomPhoton (Dec 23, 2007)

In the spirit of the winter solstice let's move on. At least I know that the beamshots aren't for comparing brightness. I'd love to see some outdoor beamshots, so let's not get this thread closed.
Thanks

Also thanks MattK for the report back on the mod running options. Confirmation makes the Terralux more versatile than the stock EL.


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## ace0001a (Dec 23, 2007)

PlayboyJoeShmoe said:


> IF I were to be able to afford either of these I'd take EL as I just don't like optics.



Well nobody said this hobby was going to be easy on the wallet...as much as I try, I still end up spending quite of bit of $$$ being a flashaholic...then I look at one of my buddies who is an athletic shoe collector and how he drops $100-$300 on each pair of shoes he buys and I think I'm really not in it that bad...eh, but it's all relative.

I used to have the same view on optics. But after using a flashlight like the Coast Hokus Focus LED Lenser and trying out various other optics/systems for flashlights and mods, that view has changed. I do still have a preference for reflectors, but I think both light delivery systems have their own merits. I guess if your someone who has to have a good amount of spill in your flashlight beam, than optics are probably not something you would chose...at least that's how I look at it because I think in general, optics tend to emphasize a concentration of light (spot beam) better than a reflector does (especially if you use a low degree optic like 8 degrees or less). Sometimes, I like having a concentrated blob of light and that's generally where optics come into play.

Keep in mind though, that this Terralux is a Tri-emitter setup...so even if the optics it uses are optimized for a spot beam, there'll be plenty of light to illuminate a wide area, giving the appearance of a flood beam. Even MattK said said that it provides a good flood of light and from my recent experience multi-emitter setups, that is a characteristic of them.

What I do like about the Terralux is the electronics. I like the idea that it has regulation. Although some would argue that there's not really a big performance difference with regulation over direct drive, it's just my preference. I own the EL MT-III also and it's a direct drive setup...fine craftsmanship by EL and when used with NiMH batteries, offers excellent performance. 

Hopefully I'll get my TLE-300 on Monday as I can't wait to have another new drop-in to play with. :rock:


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## Alan B (Dec 23, 2007)

I'm looking for a floody pattern, which the EL-III seems to have and I like the electronics and mounting/heatsinking setup of the TLE-300. It would be nice if the optics on the TLE-300 were removable, or easily changeable. Nice to see some choices available in the market. 

Looking forward to any comparison beamshots.

I wonder if the maximum voltage on the TLE-300 is 12 or 24, there seems to be a discrepancy in that. Can anyone clarify?

Thanks for the information,

-- Alan


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## slo-ryd (Dec 23, 2007)

I just installed the TerraLux unit in a 3D Mag running 4C energizer cells. Works like a charm!

I was a bit concerned after seeing the beamshots posted here with no discernible hotspot. However, once you get outside this is defiantly a keeper. Matt's "wall of light" description seems fairly accurate. For me, it strikes a nice balance between throw and flood for tooling about on our property.


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## Alan B (Dec 23, 2007)

It would be nice to understand the intensity of the spill on the TLE-300. Perhaps compare it to some well known lights hotspots at reduced power, or compare to their spill. 

Glad to hear it has plenty of spill. Sounds good.

I would like to be able to put one of these lights on a tripod and use it for temporary area illumination, for example while setting up camp, or working on the car, etc. For these uses the hotspot is not needed but bright even spill is.

-- Alan


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## slo-ryd (Dec 24, 2007)

Alan, I'm sorry that I don't have many to compare it to. 
My P1D has a very distinct hotspot and cone of spill. This unit is not that way at all. It simply casts alot of light where you aim it. Point it at a group of trees 30 yards away and you get about a 20' diameter area of light.


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## ace0001a (Dec 24, 2007)

Like I said before, when it comes to most (if not all) multi-emitter setups that you will get a good flood of light just simply because there's more than one emitter. I have yet to come across a multi-emitter setup that doesn't. Because if you actually used medium beam optics (15 degree or more) or small reflectors (20mm or smaller), you're going to get more flood than you'd expect...so eventhough the Terralux uses narrow beam optics, it doesn't surprise me that there's plenty of flood.


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## MattK (Dec 24, 2007)

The TLE-300 has tons of spill. The sides of the optics are clear and at a distance the light has no discernable hotspot/s.

On a sidenote I managed to accidentally break off one of the optics- it seemed to come off easily enough but if you've seen/used the TLE-300 I don't think, despite any preconceived notions one might have. that you'll find it lacks in spill.

Regarding beam color; I haven't seen an MT-3 in action but I've seen plenty of SSC P4's. The TLE-300 has an excellent, warmer white color with much less blue shift than the SSC's - I'd be curious to hear Donn's opinion as I'm guessing the MT-3 reads as very blue compared to the TLE-300.


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## Alan B (Dec 24, 2007)

MattK said:


> The TLE-300 has tons of spill. The sides of the optics are clear and at a distance the light has no discernable hotspot/s.
> 
> On a sidenote I managed to accidentally break off one of the optics- it seemed to come off easily enough but if you've seen/used the TLE-300 I don't think, despite any preconceived notions one might have. that you'll find it lacks in spill.
> 
> Regarding beam color; I haven't seen an MT-3 in action but I've seen plenty of SSC P4's. The TLE-300 has an excellent, warmer white color with much less blue shift than the SSC's - I'd be curious to hear Donn's opinion as I'm guessing the MT-3 reads as very blue compared to the TLE-300.


 
I really like the way it mounts and heatsinks. Very nice mechanical design. It does not rely on the lens to hold it in. Glad to hear there's lots of spill, though the beamshots show quite a hotspot. 

No data on the voltage discrepancy yet.

I don't have any 4D M*gs, and not sure I want a light that long, so 3D options would probably be A123systems 26650M1 cells or 18650 li-ions. 3 would be around 10-11V so not pushing the 12V (or 24V?) rating.

The A123systems cells would be very interesting. About 2.3ah x 3.4v x 3 cells or 23 watt hours, so close to 2 hours runtime at 12 watts, call it 100 minutes or so for some margin. 18650 li-ions would be about the same, they have more energy but suffer more capacity degradation at high current.

My 3D M*g is very old, there seems to be fitting / size differences to the new ones. I don't have a newer one to compare. What are the differences? Will the TLE-300 fit an old 3D M*g or does it require a new one??

Thanks for the info, I need to go hide my wallet now.

-- Alan


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## V8TOYTRUCK (Dec 25, 2007)

Can someone calculate runtime of the Terralux in a 3D mag using
4Cs
9AA to 3D converter>?

The beam on this is very comparable to my M6 HOLA


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## Alan B (Dec 25, 2007)

V8TOYTRUCK said:


> Can someone calculate runtime of the Terralux in a 3D mag using
> 4Cs
> 9AA to 3D converter>?
> 
> The beam on this is very comparable to my M6 HOLA


 
TLE-300 12 watts

Alkaline 4C
1.25Vavg * 6AH * 4 = 30 watt-hours at low current
30/12 = 2.5 hours BUT this must be derated for the high current
Alkaline does very poorly at high current
1.25V * 4 = 5V
12W / 5V = 2.4A current drain
at that current drain the capacity will be reduced by approximately half
so estimated runtime 1.2 hours, 

9AA NiMH
assume 2500 mah NiMH
energy 1.2 * 9 * 2.5 = 27 watt-hours (very similar to alkaline)
since voltage is much higher current is much lower, and
in this case the NiMH handles the load current better so
runtime should be closer to 2 hours

Note - These estimates are based on some quick assumptions, not incredibly precise values. Your mileage may vary.

-- Alan


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## V8TOYTRUCK (Dec 25, 2007)

Thanks...I was hoping to run the 2000mah eneloops. 

Not too bad for 500 lumens..


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## ALWZWFO (Dec 26, 2007)

I'm very happy with my EL MT-III. I took out the stainless allen and replaced it with a piece of 12 gauge solid building wire in the plastic spacer. I measured 0.12 ohms on the allen bolt and found the resistance on the copper to be basically zero. I filed the ends flat on the wire. I don't know if it made much difference, but I "feel" better. All I can say this was a great addition to my 3D [email protected]! On fresh charged nimh, this puts out a great wall of light, I was easily lighting up lighter colored objects out to 300 feet. I was showing it to some non-flashoholic friends, they were blown away! Warning: you need to educate them, DO NOT try to focus it!


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## SEMIJim (Dec 26, 2007)

ALWZWFO said:


> I took out the stainless allen and replaced it with a piece of 12 gauge solid building wire in the plastic spacer. I measured 0.12 ohms on the allen bolt and found the resistance on the copper to be basically zero.


Yes, it was that to which I was referring in this post. What are the dimensional specs on that SS bolt, ALWZWFO? If I think about it and I'm feeling ambitious, maybe I'll pick up a nickel-plated equivilent and measure its resistance. I'm _guessing_ it'll be at or near zero, as well.

Of course the problem you'll have with unplated copper is that unless the contact surfaces are gas-tight seals (they won't be), you'll get oxidation and the resistance will raise appreciably at those two points, eventually exceeding the resistance of that SS bolt. The time to "eventually" will depend largely on environmental issues, but it will happen--unless you're storing and operating the light in a vacuum .

Jim


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## MattK (Dec 26, 2007)

Alan B said:


> I really like the way it mounts and heatsinks. Very nice mechanical design. It does not rely on the lens to hold it in. Glad to hear there's lots of spill, though the beamshots show quite a hotspot.
> 
> No data on the voltage discrepancy yet.
> 
> ...



The voltage tolerances posted on my site came straight from the mouth of the President of TerraLUX. I'm sure the unit would run warmer at higher voltages as it bucks the extra voltage but since it seems to be so well heatsinked I would not be overly concenred. I'll ask for further clarification but in your 3D package you'd be hard pressed to attain 24V short of using coin cells so I wouldn't worry too much. 

A123's are cool but there'd be a lot morechallenges with regards to fitment. Our 2>>1D adapters arrived today and the 3AA>1D adapters should arrive in another few weeks and I think those will be a great match - we also have special high discharge AA's that may offer some advantages compared to LSD or std NiMh cells.

The question of old mags came up a few weeks ago and TerraLUX told me that while they haven't tested on every generation of Maglite there's no reason it should not work on them all.


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## ALWZWFO (Dec 26, 2007)

SEMIJim said:


> Yes, it was that to which I was referring in this post. What are the dimensional specs on that SS bolt, ALWZWFO? If I think about it and I'm feeling ambitious, maybe I'll pick up a nickel-plated equivilent and measure its resistance. I'm _guessing_ it'll be at or near zero, as well.
> 
> Of course the problem you'll have with unplated copper is that unless the contact surfaces are gas-tight seals (they won't be), you'll get oxidation and the resistance will raise appreciably at those two points, eventually exceeding the resistance of that SS bolt. The time to "eventually" will depend largely on environmental issues, but it will happen--unless you're storing and operating the light in a vacuum .
> 
> Jim



I thought about that too, it's very dry where I live and I'll just have to keep an eye out for that issue if it ever comes up. The allen can be re-installed at any time if needed. I don't know the size of the allen. Maybe some sort of anti-oxidizing compound could be used effectively on the copper? I had it laying around already, so it was basically free. A lot of dissimilar metals will corrode if touching one another. Maybe you'll find the best material! :thumbsup:


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## Thujone (Dec 26, 2007)

donn_ said:


> Feel free to provide beam shots of your preference.:shakehead



We are better off without your 'contributions'



donn_ said:


> I suggest you put me on your ignore list.



Good suggestion :twothumbs

Consider it done.


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## ALWZWFO (Dec 26, 2007)

I was just thinking, I have some silver solder, I could "tin" the ends of the copper wire. Maybe that will help slow any electrolysis?


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## ALWZWFO (Dec 26, 2007)

I got the neighbors calipers, that allen bolt is .847" long and .110 across the threads. Hope that helps.


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## Alan B (Dec 27, 2007)

ALWZWFO said:


> I'm very happy with my EL MT-III. I took out the stainless allen and replaced it with a piece of 12 gauge solid building wire in the plastic spacer. I measured 0.12 ohms on the allen bolt and found the resistance on the copper to be basically zero. I filed the ends flat on the wire. I don't know if it made much difference, but I "feel" better.


 
I thought the stainless bolt was there to limit current into the LED array. If so, removing it may lead to excessive current and short lifetime of the LEDs.

-- Alan


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## ace0001a (Dec 27, 2007)

Finally got my TLE-300 today. The two knocks I put against it is the lens rattle and the ugly square beam pattern of the optics...and I held off on commenting negatively against the beam pattern until I finally got my hands on one. As for the way the TLE-300 fits into the flashlight, I can't say I'm too impressed with that either. Even when you tighten the module to the recommended amount, it doesn't make good contact with the flashlight body and you have to turn the head out until it makes contact with the heatsink of the module. I prefer the implementation of the Elektrolumen's MT-III module...solid heatsink that mounts firmly into the head with no lens rattle and I too now question the use of optics over reflectors. If anything, I would've went for an optic that puts out a round beam rather than a square one. Also feel that Terralux should've at least included a thick O-ring to secure the lens. The positives I like from this drop-in is the nicer tint that Luxeon's generally provide, it is really bright and I prefer regulation electronics over running direct drive. Now if someone could cross an MT-III with the TLE-300, then you'd have one top notch drop-in.


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## ALWZWFO (Dec 27, 2007)

Alan B said:


> I thought the stainless bolt was there to limit current into the LED array. If so, removing it may lead to excessive current and short lifetime of the LEDs.
> 
> -- Alan



I'm not worried at all. The switch probably has the greatest resistance in the whole circuit, and then the coil springs.


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## SEMIJim (Dec 27, 2007)

ALWZWFO said:


> I got the neighbors calipers, that allen bolt is .847" long and .110 across the threads. Hope that helps.


Close enough, thanks 

Jim


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## SEMIJim (Dec 27, 2007)

Alan B said:


> I thought the stainless bolt was there to limit current into the LED array.


Seems unlikely. That wouldn't be a very good design, IMHO. Not all SS is created equal. The resistance of SS can vary _greatly_, depending on a variety of factors. (Just try to find published resistance figures for "stainless steel." You can't. The best you can do is find values for a particular manufacturer's product or products, if that. That's the reason.) Now add to that the fact that the average hardware reseller may change its source for SS hardware at the drop of a hat. In short: There's nothing consistent, electrically, to which you can design.

Jim


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## Alan B (Jan 3, 2008)

A friend measured the EL-MT III yesterday. 350 lumens out the front, calibrated. 1.5A at the tailcap on 3D Alkalines.

-- Alan


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## copperfox (Jan 3, 2008)

Alan B said:


> A friend measured the EL-MT III yesterday. 350 lumens out the front, calibrated. 1.5A at the tailcap on 3D Alkalines.
> 
> -- Alan



Using what equipment? And were the cells new?


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## robm (Jan 3, 2008)

Received my TLE 300 today. Not sure what to think - yet, but have taken a few readings 

Compared to other similar lights:
Light - Lightbox output (approx lumens), max lux at 1m (equiv. throw distance ), tailcap current

TLE 300
4000 (approx 300 lumens)
6500 (80m)
1.66A

EL MT4
6600 (500 lumens)
5300 (70m)
1.4A

Lamp assembly from Ultrafire WF-500 3xXRE in the Mag body
5200 (400 lumens)
12000 (110m)
2A.

So the EL MT4 has the highest output and runtime (win/win), (has no driver losses) but only runs off 7.2V.
The UF 500 3xXRE has the highest throw, and multi levels but poor runtime, 7.2V only also (I think).
TLE-300 is in the middle somewhere, supports different battery combinations - but the lens rattles :shakehead, and to screw in the module it seems you have to use the optics themselves for leverage :thinking:.
Initially the 300 lumens (note these are my lumens :nana seems a bit low - but is probably about right for the quoted 500 lumen output, given optic losses.

And yes, I know I should do some beamshots....


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## Alan B (Jan 3, 2008)

copperfox said:


> Using what equipment? And were the cells new?


 
Cells new, had a few minutes of use. Equipment is that found in a lighting laboratory. Professional grade integrating sphere, etc, etc.

Working from current, 1.5A / 3 emitters = 500 mA per emitter;
500mA/350mA * 110 = 157 lumens per emitter; 
(assuming mid Q5 bin, linear interpolation)
157 * 3 = 471 total emitter lumens; 
350 / 471 = 74% out vs emitter lumens

-- Alan


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## Monocrom (Jan 7, 2008)

Things I've gotten out of this thread....

1 -
The out-the-front lumens numbers on the TLE-300. (Seems 300 was indeed the perfect designation for it).

2 - 
Seems that the drop-in doesn't fit without lens rattle being the result.

3 -
One of the optics broke off on MattK's sample, without too much force.

Much thanks to everyone who posted data and opinions after buying this drop-in. :thumbsup:

Overall: I think I'll pass on this one. Mainly because I already have an inexpensive light that puts out close to 300 lumens, and I want something a bit more bulletproof.


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## Zenster (Jan 7, 2008)

Monocrom said:


> Things I've gotten out of this thread....
> 
> 
> Much thanks to everyone who posted data and opinions after buying this drop-in. :thumbsup:
> ...


 
Then you've now come full circle back to the ElektroLumens MT-III.
Mine's been a stellar, rock solid illuminator from the moment I dropped it in my Mag3-D.
Just add batteries.


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## copperfox (Jan 7, 2008)

Does anyone besides me feel that 300 out-the-front (OTF) lumens is not enough for $100? For that price I think we should get at least 400 OTF lumens (if not 500). I know runtime would suffer, but given the large size of the D-cell maglite and it's difficulty to pocket, I expect at least twice the light that I can get from a significantly smaller light (my 200lm FC modded Coast Lenser comes to mind). If I am bothering to carry a big maglite around, I want LIGHT. Also, multiple modes would be great so that we can conserve battery life when maximum output isn't necessary; something like 100lm and 450lm.

Buyers understand that brightness and runtime are trade-offs. Give us a drop-in with two modes that let us choose which we need at the moment.


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## Patriot (Jan 7, 2008)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *donn_* 

 
_Feel free to provide beam shots of your preference.:shakehead_

We are better off without your 'contributions'

Quote:
Originally Posted by *donn_* 

 
_I suggest you put me on your ignore list._

Good suggestion :twothumbs

Consider it done.


Yeah, it's a great suggestion. The thread started with some great info, but once the unprovoked attitude surfaced I lost interest......:shakehead


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## Alan B (Jan 8, 2008)

copperfox said:


> Does anyone besides me feel that 300 out-the-front (OTF) lumens is not enough for $100? For that price I think we should get at least 400 OTF lumens (if not 500). I know runtime would suffer, but given the large size of the D-cell maglite and it's difficulty to pocket, I expect at least twice the light that I can get from a significantly smaller light (my 200lm FC modded Coast Lenser comes to mind). If I am bothering to carry a big maglite around, I want LIGHT. Also, multiple modes would be great so that we can conserve battery life when maximum output isn't necessary; something like 100lm and 450lm.
> 
> Buyers understand that brightness and runtime are trade-offs. Give us a drop-in with two modes that let us choose which we need at the moment.


 
Be nice if they were lower in cost. Multiple emitters do tend to drive the cost up.

I agree - I would also like several power level choices, that is very useful.

If that's 200 emitter lumens on the Coast, then it is about 140 out the front lumens at best. Likely even less unless it uses high grade extra clear anti-reflection coated lenses. I suspect both of these lights are measurably more than double the Coast out the front.

If 500 lumens out the front is desired, then 700 or more are required at the emitter.

700-1000 emitter lumen LED flashlights seem to cost between about $275 and $800 in the present market. It is a little early for the cost to come way down on these yet, apparently.

It will be great when it does...

-- Alan


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## robm (Jan 8, 2008)

Alan B said:


> If 500 lumens out the front is desired, then 700 or more are required at the emitter.
> 
> 700-1000 emitter lumen LED flashlights seem to cost between about $275 and $800 in the present market. It is a little early for the cost to come way down on these yet, apparently.
> 
> ...



Sounds like you are in need of an ElektroLumens MT-IV (Monster Throw IV) for $119, approx 800 emitter lumens, and 500 out the front (see my post #64 above)


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## copperfox (Jan 8, 2008)

Alan B said:


> If that's 200 emitter lumens on the Coast, then it is about 140 out the front lumens at best. Likely even less unless it uses high grade extra clear anti-reflection coated lenses. I suspect both of these lights are measurably more than double the Coast out the front.



FlashCrazy claims his modded Lenser delivers 1 amp to the emitter. According to the SSC z-power datasheet (page 7), this produces a luminous flux of 240lm. The lens is collimator type (no reflector), so it's probably either made of acrylic or polycarbonate. Molded acrylic averages 90% visible light transmittance and molded polycarbonate averages slightly less than that; 86.6%. Optimistically, this results in (240 x .9) = 216 lumens. However, I'm not that optimistic, so I'll just stick with an estimated 200lm. And of course, this light isn't regulated, so I only expect that output on fresh cells .

Ryan


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## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2008)

vector_joe said:


> It is hard to compare the 2 different beam shots unless the aperture and exposure times are controlled.




I too have this issue with my less-than-optimal digital camera... spec'd @ ISO 100 I must have both beam-shots in the SAME picture or the camera merely compensates by adjusting the brightness (regardless of NOT being set to auto)


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Jan 8, 2008)

The only way I can do meaningful shots is same pic shots. My camera is ancient and ain't good for much.


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## ALWZWFO (Jan 10, 2008)

Alan B said:


> A friend measured the EL-MT III yesterday. 350 lumens out the front, calibrated. 1.5A at the tailcap on 3D Alkalines.
> 
> -- Alan



On fresh charged Maha Powerex 11,000 mah Nimh, I measured my MT-III at 4.4 amps using a Fluke i410 and a 6 inch piece of 12 gauge solid copper wire in place of the tailcap. It settled down within about 20 minutes and remained within 3.25- 2.75 amps for hours!


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## mooman (Jan 10, 2008)

Just got my TLE-300. Set it up in a 2D mag running on 6 duracell nimh 2650 mah batteries. Pretty much saw the same things other people mentioned; lens rattle, having to use the fragile optics to twist the module into the head, not smooth beam on a white wall... But then I took it outside at night. Huge wall of light! Light everywhere! I will compare it to a ROP hi in heavy stippled reflector in a 2C mag with AW lithium batteries. Just need to charge the ROP batteries tonight.


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## chewy78 (Feb 11, 2008)

has anyone use a tle-300 in a 4d maglite with either 4alkalines or 4 hi capacity nimh d cells?


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## copperfox (Feb 12, 2008)

Moonman:

So how was the comparison against your ROP?


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## mvv (Jan 14, 2009)

does someone know the different between the TerraLux TLE-300M and TLE-300MR

TLE-300M is for 4D to 6D Mag and
TLE-300MR is for the Mag Charger

but the Mag Charger has 5 cells, so that the TLE-300M also must work in it


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Jan 14, 2009)

I used some electrical tape and a spacer to get my TLE-300MR fairly solid in my Magcharger.

With some more time I feel I could do a better job.

Yes the beam is weird on a white wall, but in the outdoors besides a blueish cast it puts out MUCHO light!


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## Mattiasdd (Feb 12, 2009)

Where can I buy a 3 x CR123A>2D. I'd like to put a TLE 300 in a 2D maglite.
grtz


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## houtex (Feb 12, 2009)

i used some PVC pipe,shorten the MAG spring and use four(4) 123's to power the TLE 300.


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Feb 12, 2009)

I ended up drilling and tapping a hole 4-40 to insert a screw to keep the head STILL on my magcharger.

That baby is solid now!

1" PVC holds C cells in a D light and 3/4" CPVC holds 123s and some tape around both pipes keeps rattles to a minimum.


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## Mattiasdd (Feb 15, 2009)

houtex said:


> i used some PVC pipe,shorten the MAG spring and use four(4) 123's to power the TLE 300.



All that in a 2D :huh:. So you're like using a [email protected] 8D on the tle300...
nice
What is the runtime?


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## Scooter68 (Dec 3, 2009)

I question your comparison since you used the Terralux in a flashlight it was not designed to be used for. The minimum reccomended is a 4 D cell light. So an off color is to be expected - it was underpowered. "Working" in a 3 cell flashlight is different from working properly with the proper number of cells.

As to fit - perhaps there is an issue but several other have commented that they had no problem so possibly a user issue, I've seen many a product badmouthed when users didn't follow instructions or use proper care. 

Lumen measurements seem to be all over the map here for this product and others as well. It it suggests a lack of uniform measurement procedures or equipment. How long was the light on before it was tested, was it properly seated (for heat dissipation and maintenance of light output (Since output is throttled back if temps get too high)) If I test a light in a cold lab or in a hot garage I can get different results. LOTS of things here suggest that all the reviews I am seeing are open to interpretation and less than completely objective. 

Sorry if I come across as contentious but when reviews are biased because of inappropriate use I see a real problem with the entire review then.

I'm not an employee, stock holder, or friend of Terralux but it bugs me when people throw darts at any product when they fail to adhere to design/use recommendations.

**********10 mins after writing the above. **********

OK Now I *HAVE* amend my words. 


Fit is not a problem - My TLE-300M upgrade literally just arrived after I posted the above. I have a brand new Maglite 4D flashlight. I opened the TLE-300M box and followed the instructions including inserting the supplied O-Ring between the TLE-300m unit and the lens. NO RATTLE - perfect fit first time.

Since it's daytime I can't do my personal and very subjective test outside so I stepped into a closet. WOW - Let there be light! 
I do see the reflector pattern is rather rough but then I am viewing the beam pattern at 2-3 feet out. So tonight I will light up the field outside and see how this thing works. Certainly this may not be the Mercedes Benz of LED lights but it lets me upgrade a modest, tried and true solid flashlight found in many homes and businesses with no fuss and no problems.

Purists may puke at my words but frankly I see this as a pretty good deal - In the eyes of Harry Homeowner or the local security guy/gal - Why go out and buy another flashlight if I already own a maglite. I can crank my existing light up and keep the same feel and look that I have had for years. it fits where the old light fit and in a pinch gives me a little club to boot, Hey the LED will probably survive as well.

Anyway - I'm a newby here and it just seems that a few folks are using very imperfect testing and comparison approaches and when I find on top of that that a person isn't using or installing the light per design... well it seems dumber than dirt to just accept those comments and not respond.


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## MattK (Dec 3, 2009)

Best n00b post ever!

Considered, informed thought out & logical.

:welcome:


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## Monocrom (Dec 3, 2009)

MattK said:


> Best n00b post ever!
> 
> Considered, informed thought out & logical.
> 
> :welcome:


 
Sorry Matt, have to disagree with you there.

Could have done without the rather subtle insults thrown by a first-time poster, who apparently thinks that those of us who have been part of the CPF community are too stupid to evaluate the drop-in properly.

Not what he said directly, but grab a shovel; and that's what you find after digging out the mountain of sugar-coating.


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## Scooter68 (Dec 3, 2009)

I Understand feeling like I'm stepping on toes but you know what. I'm not a flashlight expert and I installed the new LED in about 2 mins including semi-reading the instructions. NO problem whatsoever.

So it appears that experience doesn't automatically make one proficient nor and expert. I'm certainly not but I can see and understand poor test procedures when I read them. A bulb designed for 4 -6 D cells should be tested with 4 -6 D cells NOT 3. Doing so invalidates the test as test of a unit working properly. 

Try running your high performance automotive engine on less than the required Octane rated gas. It runs but....

Several others already mentioned problems but apparently only 'exprienced people are allowed to make comments on problems. 

That being said I appreciate the reports by the testers but the tests are flawed and therefore NOT fair tests.


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## Scooter68 (Dec 3, 2009)

Perhaps if I listed credentials of a EE degree and over 25 years of product design and testing you might accept what I said... Nah I doubt it.


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## MattK (Dec 3, 2009)

He was very polite about it though and you have to admit it was a pretty formidable 1st post. 

The original review is really quite out of date at this point; since that review was posted the 300M has had: an o-rings added to the package, an emitter upgrade and now has been discontinued in favor of the new TLE-300-MEX with new emitters, electronics (3 levels), etc.


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## Locoboy5150 (Dec 3, 2009)

MattK,

Do you see an increase in the light output from either your old TLE-300M or your new TLE-300M-EX when using rechargeable NiMH D batteries versus regular alkaline D cells? If so, what NiMH batteries do you recommend?

I'm trying to determine how to get the most amount of light out of my new Terralux TLE-300M-EX while keeping it powered by my Maglite's original 4 D cell configuration, if possible. Basically, I'd like to know if there is any return on my investment (increased lumens) in new D batteries compared to using a truckload of alkaline D cells that I have sitting on my shelf that I got for free.


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## MattK (Dec 3, 2009)

I haven't sone a side by side comparison with the EX's. I wouldn't expect a significant difference and even if alkaline started brighter they wouldn't stay that way for long. I'd personally choose NiMh because of their ability to deliver current which means better lumen maintenance and longer runtimes.

That said, if your usage will only be occasional and usually short runs, by all means use alkalines.


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## Scooter68 (Dec 4, 2009)

If you can find the TLE-300M on a clearance sale like I did, you can get it for a decent price ($50.00) whny not? It definitely out performs the 

Frankly after trying out my brand new upgrade this evening I'm very pleased. Not sure how you could get much better except for a focusing ability. 

Still out of the box this thing is giving me a pretty tight beam. On technical measurements I'm sure one can find faults but for real world use the questions are pretty simple:
1) Is it bright enough for my use?
2) Is the beam tight enough for my use
3) Is the battery life adequate?
4) Does the increased performance justify the price I have to pay?

You can throw all kinds of tests and technical questions out there but it really comes down to meeting the needs of the user. Does a police officer really care if the beam isn't perfectly round? Lots of questions can be asked if you want to delve into the tech specs area but let's not get lost in the forest. If the light meets the users needs does having an ragged beam edge matter? 

Would a average flashlight user, policeman, security officer, Harriet/Harry Homeowner be happy if they bought this upgrade for their basic Maglite 4-6 D flashlight. Can they get a significantly better performing upgrade for less or the same money from some other company?

Personally I'd love to have the brightest tightest focus beam on my flashlight but I'm not ready to spend over $100.00 for a flashlight. Practically speaking why would I unless I my life might depend on it. For me that isn't a valid question. I just want to be able to walk out of the house and see what made that noise or find that missing critter or object I misplaced. 

Here we are talking about the merits of various flashlight and flashlight upgrades but some of the questions are like that old theological question about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. While it makes for some interesting debate, practically speaking what is the value of that answer?

Better questions might be:
What percentage of units are flawed -unusable out of the box?
What is the battery life compared to similar performing lights?
What is the longevity of the light.
How many units fail in the first 10,30,90 365 days of use?
On a pure repeatable test, what is the light output from the light? (And you have to test all other lights in an identical manner without deviation.)

I know this forum is for folks into flashlights, just like the Mercedez Club I belonged to was for folks into all sorts of Mercedes. You can ignore and throw darts at folks like me wanting simple basic information and continue your fun and games modifying your toys and speculating about different things. That's your right or you could really contribute to others finding the best deal on a good product and avoiding the bad ones. 

I appreciate the information I found here but I have to say it's sad when folks try to shovel BS as facts and then get in a huff when someone questions the information. 

I'll leave you to go back to patting each other on the back or chewing on each other, whatever. I got the information I needed and I made my purchase. I just hope others who view this site aren't mislead by some of the bad or misleading information on this site.


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## Monocrom (Dec 4, 2009)

Scooter68 said:


> I'll leave you to go back to patting each other on the back or chewing on each other, whatever. I got the information I needed and I made my purchase. I just hope others who view this site aren't mislead by some of the bad or misleading information on this site.


 
Translation = _"I'm a troll."_

Oh well.

No one's going to miss you anyway.


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## [email protected] (Dec 4, 2009)

Monocrom said:


> Sorry Matt, have to disagree with you there.
> 
> Could have done without the rather subtle insults thrown by a first-time poster, who apparently thinks that those of us who have been part of the CPF community are too stupid to evaluate the drop-in properly.
> 
> Not what he said directly, but grab a shovel; and that's what you find after digging out the mountain of sugar-coating.




*+1* :thumbsup:

Bottom line the necro-mongering of that old product specific thread reeks of Trolling OR OGM tactics...


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## Scooter68 (Dec 9, 2009)

I guess you call a person a troll if they find a site with some useful information as well as some information of questionable accuracy and they speak out about it.

No I don't plan on hanging around this site forever. I found this site, as others have, while using the web to research a good flashlight/flashlight upgrade option.

In passing, as I read the original post on this tread, I found fault with some of it's content and assumptions. I guess that's not permissible for anyone who doesn't make a hobby out of buying and 'playing' with flashlights. 

I live in the real world and I things to do that are, for me, more important that sitting here debating all the values of all the different flashlights out there. I don't have hundreds or thousands of dollars to throw out there to 'experiment' with flashlights. Perhaps some of the faithful contributors on this site have nothing better to do than ponder the potential light increase available by cranking up the voltage or whatever. That's fine glad you enjoy doing that but calling a casual visitor to your site a troll.... that's lame folks. 

Having said that I'll leave you alone now. I have a garden to clean up for winter, wood to cut, a house I'm remodeling and a few other significant things to do. What you do on this site is up to you, I just hope you learn to act with a little more class and be honest when someone points out a problem or questions a product test or comparison. I didn't post on here to pick fight or belittle anyone. I appreciated the various objective comments and observations and I hope you folks have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

By the way for the record my TLE-300M upgrade is great, Does exactly what I wanted it to do. Lights up anything in the field in front of our house and the woods around our house. Our field is about 600 ft by 300 feet and nothing can hide out there with this light. Every street side, reflector etc within about 1/4 mile lights up quite nicely with this thing. Just have to be careful not to point at passing cars, we have enough wrecks on our road as it is.


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## Monocrom (Dec 9, 2009)

Casual visitors are treated with respect. Casual visitors often make a new topic to ask about a specific light that they're interested in. Or, they ask for help in picking a light to suit their needs. And with the friendly atmosphere that is shown to casual visitors, they get a ton of good replies. 

You, on the other hand, decided to insult an entire community during your very first visit. That, is what makes you a troll. Oh you insulted everyone in a very polite way, but I saw right through your disingenuousness. You know nothing about this community. Nothing about the people who enjoy coming here. Nothing about the generosity or sorrow that happens here. If I mentioned ksbman or DHart, you'd have no clue who they were. (At least not without having to take the time to use the search feature). I bet you don't even know their real names, and that you don't even care.

However, to clarify a few things ...

This site is made up of folks constantly experimenting to make lights better. Sometimes that means using a variety of different battery configurations. Using different hosts for drop-ins than the ones a flashlight company recommends. We have members who make high-quality custom bodies, tailcaps, even drop-ins. One of the reasons why Surefire is so popular is because of the HUGE variety of custom parts available.

It's not a site filled with morons who just toss whatever drop-in into whichever light to see if it works. But after reading a handful of posts, clearly that's the conclusion you automatically came up with. By the way, I own a TLE-300. Mine sits in a 4D Maglite. It's bright as Hell, but I'm not too thrilled with it due to the fact that it doesn't screw down far enough. Not TerraLux's fault. There's a limited amount of space in the stock Maglite bezel. A hard bump is enough to disrupt contact. Getting it to work means unscrewing the bezel ring, and using your fingertips to screw the drop-in back down. So, I'm less than happy with it; despite using it in the proper host. Since you were far more interested in insulting everyone than getting opinions about this drop-in, I didn't bother to post my impressions of it earlier.

You don't need hundreds of thousands of dollars to enjoy a variety of lights. There are no snobs in this community. (Something you'd know if you actually bothered learning about this site and its members). Many of the members here are just average, working stiffs. Including me. No one makes fun of what dollar amount you spend on a light. Doesn't matter if it's an Ultrafire or a McGizmo. 

I believe you when you say you didn't post here to pick a fight. I'm sure you weren't expecting someone to see right through you. If you actually appreciated all of the comments and observations from members of this site, then you wouldn't have tried to be so subtle in insulting everyone in this thread. I called you out on it, now you're angry. And just like a typical troll, you came back to a site after saying you got what you wanted from here and were leaving. 

And, just like a troll, we both know you'll be coming back to spew forth more insults at the members of this community. (A community that once again, you know nothing about. Well, expect for everything I just told you about). You can't help it. Every troll can't help themselves in getting the last word. It's a desperate need. Just like crackheads need crack. 

So here's my Christmas gift to you ... I'll let you have the last word. Yup, go ahead and post. I won't reply at all. That's a promise.

We treat casual vistors with respect. But this reminds me of an old episode of the Cosby Show. The one where Vanessa came back home after being away, and showed up married! Introduced everyone to her brand new husband for the very first time. He didn't get treated too well by the family during that introductory visit. At the end of the episode, Bill Cosby explained why he was treated in a less than friendly manner. Asked him what his favorite food was. The guy said "steak." Bill then tells him, he's going to serve him up a steak dinner with all the fixings. But he's not going to put it on a plate. No, he's going to go outside, grab a garbage can lid, turn it upside down, take that beautiful steak, place it on the underside of the garbage can lid, and serve that up to Vanessa's new husband. The guy says he wouldn't enjoy that one bit. Bill responds by saying that that's how Vanessa introduced him to the family ... on a garbage can lid.

That's how you introduced yourself to this community. On a garbage can lid.


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## boostax (Dec 9, 2009)

Hey,

I´m new here. :wave: I´m interested in the TerraLux Dropin.

can some guys help concerning the distance of the throw? Do you have beamshots. 
I already modded my 3D with a P7 but I´m looking for something that is replaceable if not needed. 
Does it burn if I use more than 12V to run it? 
Sorry for asking that much but I don´t know where to get informations and you use this dropin day by day
Sorry I´ve forgotten to say thanks


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 9, 2009)

Hi boostax!

I don't have all or even most of the answers. WELCOME anyhow!!!

I have a TLE300M-R in my Magcharger. It puts out a LOT of light! It has what I think are 8 degree optics. It will put a wall of light at the 100yds plus to my back gate and the treeline another 20yds or so.

I did not like my set up until I drilled and tapped and put a screw to hold the head of my light solid.

I THINK the drop in for regular Mags is held down by screwing the head tight. I know my EL MT3 works that way. By the way that has three SSC P4 leds and does not throw but is a fantastic close/medium range set up!

I do not Believe 12v is ok. My MT3 runs 3C NimH, my 300 runs 5 sub D Nimh, my P7 mag runs 3C and my Q5 mag runs 3D.

You could probably get Hella run time with three 18650 in parallel!!!


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## copperfox (Dec 9, 2009)

Monocrom you're out of line. So he made a mistake about the minimum spec - so what? It's easy to do because of the conflicting specs given by dealer and manufacturer. All he was saying is that reviews of an item should take place under the proper guidelines - that's all.

You keep claiming he insulted everyone in the thread but that's just not true. _Even if_ someone was insulted, it's donn, so let _him_ get offended; this isn't your fight. You seem to _want_ to be offended. Don't accuse someone of being a troll who is not. If you keep creating reasons to be offended and acting hostile towards new members for illegitimate reasons, then this forum really will turn into the very thing you claim it has resisted for so long.


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## pulstar (Dec 9, 2009)

boostax said:


> Hey,
> 
> I´m new here. :wave: I´m interested in the TerraLux Dropin.
> 
> ...



Hi, i did a small comparison between my lights a few months ago. I have the old, one-mode Terralux 300MR in my Magcharger, which puts out around 500-600 lumens. I've been using it for more than a year now, with zero problems. I highly recommend it to everyone, who want to easily update their Mags.

Here are the shots:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/245852&highlight=nitecore+extreme+magcharger

Have a nice day and :welcome:


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## Scooter68 (Dec 9, 2009)

pulstar - Excellent shot with the 300MR drop in - Exactly what I am getting from my 300M in a Mag 4D. The Spill is really a good thing for me when walking about in the woods with the light while still trying to spot something in the distance.


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## Monocrom (Dec 9, 2009)

boostax said:


> Hey,
> 
> I´m new here. :wave: I´m interested in the TerraLux Dropin.
> 
> ...


 
I have that drop-in. Here's my experience with it ...

It is designed for flood, not throw. It will light up a huge area right in front of you. Works better indoors than out. If you need a light designed for throw, the Dereelight DBS or Tiablo A9 would be better choices. I'm afraid I don't have beamshots. Sorry.

Since you already have a P7 Maglite, I'd suggest saving your money when it comes to this TerraLux drop-in.

Not a good idea to use more volts than what is recommended for a particular light or drop-in.

Using the CPF search function is a good bet for finding a variety of older threads concerning any specific light or drop-in. However, some models are more popular than others. Feel free to ask questions. 

I don't use my 4D Maglite with the TLE-300 every day. It's not reliable enough for that. The drop-in doesn't screw that far down into the stock Maglite head. A bump, sometimes not even a hard one, will cause the drop-in to pop out just a bit from the head. This is frustrating, since you can't just unscrew the head to tighten the drop-in back down. You have to unscrew the bezel ring. (Careful not to have the lens fall out). And then using just your finger-tips, tighten it back down. Barely any room to get a good hold of the drop-in with your finger-tips. It's bright, puts out a wall of floody light, but it's not the sort of light you want to use for a critical situation. For general purpose use or as a light for a Blackout, it's fine.

Also, ... :welcome:


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## Monocrom (Dec 9, 2009)

copperfox said:


> Monocrom you're out of line.


 
I disagree.

But that is your opinion, and you have every right to it.


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## Locoboy5150 (Dec 9, 2009)

One thing that I did to my Terralux TLE-300M-EX was I put a thick layer of Arctic Silver 5 thermal grease on the bottom of the head and on the top of the body tube where the drop-in's heat sink rests flush against. I literally covered that entire flat surface with the entire tube of Arctic Silver 5. That not only helped to transfer heat away from the TLE-300M-EX to the aluminum Maglite body, but it also helps to hold it in secure so it doesn't come loose.

So far, I've never had any problems with my Terralux drop-in coming loose in my 4 D cell Maglite. The tube of Arctic Silver 5 was expensive at $9.00 at Radio Shack, but it was money well spent in my opinion in the long run.


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## Monocrom (Dec 10, 2009)

Locoboy5150 said:


> One thing that I did to my Terralux TLE-300M-EX was I put a thick layer of Arctic Silver 5 thermal grease on the bottom of the head and on the top of the body tube where the drop-in's heat sink rests flush against. I literally covered that entire flat surface with the entire tube of Arctic Silver 5. That not only helped to transfer heat away from the TLE-300M-EX to the aluminum Maglite body, but it also helps to hold it in secure so it doesn't come loose.
> 
> So far, I've never had any problems with my Terralux drop-in coming loose in my 4 D cell Maglite. The tube of Arctic Silver 5 was expensive at $9.00 at Radio Shack, but it was money well spent in my opinion in the long run.


 
That actually sounds like a great idea. Just nine bucks to make the entire set-up more dependable would eliminate the biggest issue I've encountered with this drop-in.

Thank you for the heads-up.


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## boostax (Dec 10, 2009)

Thank you guys.

talking with you helps a lot in finding the best solution for oneself. I think I´ll be back if there come up any new questions

thank you so far.

br


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## Locoboy5150 (Dec 10, 2009)

You're welcome Monocrom & Boostax.

Monocrom, please let me know how well the Arctic Silver 5 works out for you in your Maglite. It worked great for mine! :twothumbs

One thing to be aware of is that if you use the whole tube like I did, it will make it somewhat hard to tighten the TLE-300M drop-in as its heat sink starts to get close to the Maglite's head and body tube. The Arctic Silver 5 is thick and gooey stuff! But, just keep turning the Terralux drop-in until it's nice, tight, and snug. Be sure to hold it tightly in place too as you then rotate the Maglite's head so it contacts the bottom of the drop-in's heat sink. The Arctic Silver 5 is so thick, it may cause the drop-in to rotate and loosen as you turn the Maglite's head. Just hold it in place securely with your fingers on one hand as you rotate the head with your other hand and you shouldn't have any problem.


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## Monocrom (Dec 10, 2009)

boostax said:


> Thank you guys.
> 
> talking with you helps a lot in finding the best solution for oneself. I think I´ll be back if there come up any new questions
> 
> ...


 
Happy to help. Feel free to post any questions you may have in the future.


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## Monocrom (Dec 10, 2009)

Locoboy5150 said:


> You're welcome Monocrom & Boostax.
> 
> Monocrom, please let me know how well the Arctic Silver 5 works out for you in your Maglite. It worked great for mine! :twothumbs


 
I will. I hope to pick up a tube by Monday. Thanks again for the advice.


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## MattK (Dec 10, 2009)

Monocrom said:


> I don't use my 4D Maglite with the TLE-300 every day. It's not reliable enough for that. The drop-in doesn't screw that far down into the stock Maglite head. A bump, sometimes not even a hard one, will cause the drop-in to pop out just a bit from the head.



Monocrom - did you install the big o-ring that came with the TLE-300?


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## Monocrom (Dec 10, 2009)

MattK said:


> Monocrom - did you install the big o-ring that came with the TLE-300?


 
Yes. 

The o-ring that came with the drop-in does an excellent job of eliminating lens rattle. But it doesn't prevent the drop-in from popping loose if the light gets bumped.


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## metlarules (Dec 10, 2009)

I don't know if anyone is aware of this so I'll just put it out there. I have the TLE300 in a 4d also. The other day I got the bright idea to try and run it on 3 nimh d cells. It killed off a lot of the light which made it usable around the house as a general purpose light.The really cool thing about this is it ran for 7 hours of initial brightness all the way to about 10 lumen's(estimated) till I stopped the test at 33 hrs.Kind of the best of both worlds. Need full power use 4 cells.Need general 
purpose around the house light with considerably longer runtime use 3 cells with a spacer. The spacers(dummy cell) that I used can be purchased from here.
http://www.flashlightking.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=SPECIALTY_ITEMS&cart_id=396263.1665


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## metlarules (Dec 10, 2009)

One more thing to add. I noticed that a few people have commented about the weird beam shape of the TLE300. I use a maglite plastic lens holder with a diffused lens from flashlightlens.com and it really smoothes out the beam. The cover slips on and off so you can go from spot to flood easy enough.


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## MattK (Dec 10, 2009)

Monocrom said:


> Yes.
> 
> The o-ring that came with the drop-in does an excellent job of eliminating lens rattle. But it doesn't prevent the drop-in from popping loose if the light gets bumped.



I cannot replicate this problem even throwing the thing at the floor.

There are multiple product generations with Maglites so it's possible your host is different. We've sold thousands of these and we've certainly had a few returns byt no pattern of the issue that you're having so it's not endemic to the product itself.

I think there could be a relatively easy solution to your problem. Basically you need to make a 'bulb extender' you need an insulating material with a conductive center; a dowel with a hold drilled through with wire passing through in essence. I would make the dowel from wood or plastic and use a brass finishing nail for the conductive center part. This sould also be engineered - though I hate to say it - with tape and a paperclip.


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## Monocrom (Dec 11, 2009)

MattK said:


> I cannot replicate this problem even throwing the thing at the floor.
> 
> There are multiple product generations with Maglites so it's possible your host is different. We've sold thousands of these and we've certainly had a few returns but no pattern of the issue that you're having so it's not endemic to the product itself.


 
By now I'm thinking that there might be something wrong with either my particular unit, or something wrong with the two different Maglite hosts I've used with it. 

The first was a black one purchased from Wal-Mart. The next was a blue one purchased from Home Depot. (I was having issues with the black model's bezel ring fitting properly). In the end, I decided to go with a two-tone host, instead of just all blue. Head and tailcap from the blue one, body tube from the black.

Matt, please don't take this the wrong way, I appreciate the suggestion. And I have nothing but respect for you. But I'd hate to use tape and a paperclip if I can avoid doing so.


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 11, 2009)

Seems to me Monocrom that whatever it takes to make it reliable is what needs to be done.

If you really don't want to mess with it, I have a couple Mags that aren't doing much and would be happy to give it a loving home....

Because the TLE300M-R in my MC is a bright mother!!!


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## MattK (Dec 11, 2009)

Admittedly the tape and paperclip is the mcgyver approac - mostly I'd use it for proof of concept and then do it right.

Since the bezel didn't fit right on the black one perhaps the issues resides in the ehad/bezel - have you tried using all of the parts from the blue one that seems, 'normal'?


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## Monocrom (Dec 11, 2009)

MattK said:


> Admittedly the tape and paperclip is the mcgyver approac - mostly I'd use it for proof of concept and then do it right.
> 
> Since the bezel didn't fit right on the black one perhaps the issues resides in the ehad/bezel - have you tried using all of the parts from the blue one that seems, 'normal'?


 
Yes, I tried out the drop-in in the blue one. Everything worked normally. The body tube of the black one was fine. No issues with it at all. In the end I decided to go with the two-tone look. Stock black bezel was fine with Maglite's reflector and lamp. I took the black one's bezel and tailcap, combined it with the blue one's body, and handed that light to my best friend as a gift ... He jokingly complained it wasn't an LED light. But his idea of LED are those .99 cent .5mm cluster lights. :sigh:

Hopefully the RadioShack grease will do the trick.


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## MattK (Dec 11, 2009)

I got that - I'm just wondering if the Mag could be the 'problem' here.


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## Monocrom (Dec 11, 2009)

MattK said:


> I got that - I'm just wondering if the Mag could be the 'problem' here.


 
It's definitely possible. I've had two Mini-Mags and one 3D model completely fail on me. Thankfully, not when I really needed them to work. Just while inspecting them to check if they needed fresh batteries. I have other Maglites, stock and modded, that have performed with no issues.

Wal-Mart is for cheap prices. I'm not surprised the black one wasn't perfect. It could be a coincidence that the blue one was better but also couldn't prevent the drop-in from popping loose if bumped. Maybe I got a couple of old Maglites that were collecting dust on the shelves. :shrug:


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## MattK (Dec 11, 2009)

It is certainly worth investigating - definitely woth doing so before blaming the TerraLUX unit...


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## Locoboy5150 (Dec 11, 2009)

By the way, this is the tube of Arctic Silver 5 thermal grease that I used on my Maglite:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2216879


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## Monocrom (Dec 12, 2009)

Thanks for the link.


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## Scooter68 (Feb 15, 2010)

Well it's been about 2 months since I upgraded my new Mag 4 D with the Terralux 300M and so far working great. 

Have dropped the flashlight 2-3 times now and no problems, no rattle or anything else.

Battery life is as expected, a little over 1 hour perhaps. Using Tennergy 10,000 Nimh batteries. The batteries are significantly heavier that the standard Nimh's from Engerizers. Hard to see if there is any drop in output due to thermal protection since we've had below freezing temps most nights since I got the unit. 

Overall still quite happy with the combination and no problems with any part except for the stupid spring that separates from the tailcap whenever I take out the batteries to recharge. Other than that a great light.

How is the newer 300 EX model doing or has anyone used that one yet? Have a security guard friend interested in this upgrade.


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## Monocrom (Feb 15, 2010)

Forgot about this thread.

I did end up getting the Arctic Silver 5 at RadioShack. The guy who helped me find it told me he had no clue what it does, but he knew where it was. Well, so far so good. But I'm not the type to intentionally bump or drop my lights. We'll see how it holds up. But I'm starting to think that perhaps my specific drop-in is defective, rather than the design itself being that way.


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## pulstar (Feb 15, 2010)

I use 300MR Ex in my Magcharger, and it works great. Three brightness settings are really useful! Lowest is around 20-30 lumens(a bit brighter than low on my LX2) and great for lightning a path or illuminating closer distances. It's a bit brighter than the old one (300MR) and has quite better tint. It's noticeably warmer than previous one. I highly recommend this dropin!

Take a look here (the old, 300MR dropin):

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/245852&highlight=nitecore+extreme+magcharger

And here(300MR ex):

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/3233742&postcount=29

***Sorry guys, i just noticed that two picture missing in the lower link. On imageshack they're there, uploaded, but i can't wiev them...what the hell....it worked flawlessly a few weeks ago....)


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