# A Tribute to Nitecore D10



## Zeruel (Jan 2, 2010)

A tribute, review, research and documentation weaved as one, this is a thread of threads in collating essential, basic information as well as trivial know-hows on Nitecore D10. It's not exactly a new light, but because of that, much has been explored. I also hope this serves as a wiki-platform for others who seek answers to common or recurring queries, to reach an informed decision, to solve issues and also for me to impart the joy of having this light. For the record, I have no affiliation with Nitecore or its dealers other than being a customer.

When I first joined CPF, like many, I sought for the first entry level edc to start on this path of no return. I wanted something handy, compact, affordable, easy-to-use, takes in universal AA, bright and definitely not the least, looks good. Seemed like a tall order, but I found Nitecore D10. That began my journey in exploring this innovation by Nitecore (established by Edgetac) & 4Sevens, and I ended up having a good time researching and reading up a wealth of information on this light.

It is exactly one year after I registered as a CPF member and all these while, like a boy in a candy store, I have eagerly bought and played with many lights. Some came and stayed and most sold to fund for newer and better stuff. But the D10 has stayed from day one, which I have come to depend on as an edc, a backup, a backup's backup, a backup's backup's backup, well, you know the drill. Should it come to pass I am to choose one and let the rest go (stock lights), I'll pick D10. Why do I like it so?


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*ADVANTAGES*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Based on my user experience, Nitecore D10 has the best balance of all features. It may not be the brightest (although it's still one of the brightest AA lights today), but it makes up through efficiency. It is not the smallest, so that it's at the right size to be grasped by my hand. It is not the most expensive, so it will not be a shelf queen. It is not rare, so that we can have more of it.

The qualities I treasure in D10 are many. I shan't go into the technical details for I defer to the experts here who have done a far greater job in sharing their reviews (links below). So, as a user who is technically challenged (numbers scare me), my reasons are thus...

On top of being my first edc (you remember your first love, don't ya), I always have a weakness for tubular form. That began with my earlier purchases besides D10; Maglite Solitaire, the Fenix L2P and Jetbeam E3P. There's always something appealing about the simple beauty of a tube and I'm glad D10 didn't go beyond that other than adding some very good knurling for a reassuring grip.

Also, D10 can be used as a twisty or a "clicky", both ways allow one-hand operation to control activation. One of the key features of D10 is that it employs the Smart Piston Drive (PD) System, a wonderful brainchild of McGizmo; the PD is a piston within the light body that houses the battery and depressing the switch (top part of the piston protruding out of the tail end) will activate the light through the switching mechanism in the head.







When I first received the D10, I wasn't accustomed to the PD system because, unlike the traditional clicky, it has a short traverse and doesn't resonate with a reassuring "click" to affirm activation. But very shortly after, I got used to it and grew to like this silent PD feature. In fact, it became my default light for that flashaholic's clicking fetish. 

In the absence of a traditional clicky switch, there are lesser parts to wear off and take care of. And naturally, I would think a metal switch would outlast a rubber boot (boot refers to the rubber cap of a switch) in extreme circumstances like fire, corrosive liquid spill, scraps, cuts etc. The flat tail end of D10 provides candle mode (tail-standing) capability, something I find essential for indoor usage. The PD also enhances switch reliability and reputed to be safe for activation in a flammable environment due to this electronic switching method. 

The light uses the ubiquitous AA battery of any kind, namely primary, alkaline, Nimh or Li-ion so there's no fear in finding spare batteries for this light virtually in any part of the world (unless you're lost in the woods). With a primary AA, the light can run up to an impressive 45 - 100 hours on minimum setting, depending on the D10 model. And it does notably run brighter (up to R2 XR-E) on rechargeable Li-ion than the rest (source) but take note of the minute size differences of different Li-ion brands, some are longer than others which might disable the function of the PD. On my end, I have no trouble using AW 14500. And also in the latest versions, running D10 on NiMH and Li-ion will not show much of a difference in output (approximately a difference of 8 lumens only).

This compact light can withstand lots of abuse, more abuse that I would have imagined when I bought it. You can view the video links below to attest to this. It's aggressive diamond-textured knurling maximizes grip and has an almost therapeutic effect to hold it in your hand. Needless to say, it also provides good grip to use the light as a twisty and unscrewing the body for battery replacement, such is a piece of cake for handling even for greasy or sweaty hands. However, the D10s in my possession show the knurling has lost a tad of bite in the later R2 version compared to the earlier Q5 and Golden Dragon Plus counterparts but seemed to revive the bite in the latest SP R2 version.

Last but not least are the many fine details that went into the construction of the light to ensure overall build quality. To name a few, solid aluminum reflector (tougher and better heatsink), diamond double-coated lens (impact resistant with anti-reflective), gold-plated battery contact spring (better conductivity) and solid brass contact ring (solidity and conductivity).


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*USER INTERFACE*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*D10 (R2 and earlier)*
The benefits of the PD system are many. By means of the micro processor in the head, the light output can by programmed by ramping to any value between 3 to 145 lumens, a low low, a bright bright and any level in-between. Function-wise, D10 gives you quick direct access to minimum or maximum output; Double click to get lowest, click and hold to get highest, or just hold down to ramp up or down to choose a brightness level (Infinitely Variable Digital-controlled Brightness System). Its memory mode enables the light to retain the last output setting. Pretty much a simple and easy-to-use interface. And there's no strobe and SOS mode to irritate the heck out of me. By untwisting the head simply by half a turn, it allows the PD to be used as a momentary switch. This also acts as a deterrent measure against accidental activation. 

Here's an explanatory video on the workings of the PD system (Ramping Versions). And further discussion of the system can be read here. 


*D10 SP (R2)*
The latest D10 SP R2 has deviated from the UI of the standard version to offer a further simplified UI and strobe/SOS to those who wished for it. It's updated with a XP-E R2 and a slightly more dimpled reflector, thereby enabling a buttery smooth beam profile. 

Besides using XP-E R2 emitters, it has replaced the ramping feature with a 3 pre-set outputs of 2 lumens (100 hours), 35 lumens (6 hours) and 130 lumens (1 hour). Compare that to D10 R2 which outputs 3 lumens (45 hours) to 145 lumens (50 minutes), I'd say there's a surprising improvement, ie twice the runtime on low mode! 

It also seems there were requests for SOS/Strobe which is now incorporated into D10 SP. Much to my relief, this feature is hidden, meaning the user doesn't need to cycle through SOS/Strobe modes to get to the regular output setting. I also applaud the implementation of the digital lock-out feature which prevents accidental activation.

I am surprised by the introduction of D10 SP, given that SOS/Strobe is generally not a popular feature (as far as I see) and the most unique part of the light, the ramping capability, to be replaced with 3 pre-set levels. However, the SP Edition does fill the need for some who wants simplicity and such strobe features. I certainly welcome the digital lock-out function and the buttery smooth beam profile of the XP-E R2. I'm glad to to have given SP the benefit of the doubt by trying it out. It turned out not too bad, contradicting my initial judgement.

Here's basically how the features work:

When light is on, press and hold to cycle through min, med and max to choose level. This step-up switching occurs less than a second, a good speed that enables accurate mode selection and also not too slow for cycling for the next loop. This mode selection can also be done when the bezel is loosen to enable momentary-on mode. However, even if it's termed as momentary-on, loosening the bezel only allows mode selection, the light cannot be used momentary-on because mode switching will activate in less than a second.

While the light is on, double-click to enter SOS or click and hold (1 click and hold down on the second click) to enter strobe mode. For my SP, the speed of the SOS seems odd. It goes through a cycle of 3 SOS. It starts off with a fast SOS, a slow SOS and then a fast SOS. The cycle then loops.

To avoid accidental activation, simply press and hold while the light is off. A short flash will indicate safety lock-out mode is enabled. Triple click the tail cap to activate the light again. I think this is the best new feature to be implemented.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*REVIEWS*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here're some in-depth reviews consisting runtimes, readings, part-by-part descriptions and opinions by the reviewers I mentioned earlier.

Selfbuilt's Reviews:
D10 SP
D10 GD+
D10 Q5

Unknown's Review:
D10 Q5

CPFreviews:
D10 Q5


*Mini Review of D10 SP*
There're 2 version of SP so far. For simplicity, I'll name them 1st and 2nd Editions. The 1st Edition has the same hardware as the ramping R2, the only physical difference as far as I can tell, is the marking on the head and the color of the circuit board.

Whereas for the 2nd Edition SP, the distinct physical change is the relocation of the piston o-ring and the recess in which this o-ring operates. The new position of the o-ring is supposedly to make activation easier compare to the previous versions with which users found it stiffer to depress. By comparing the activation between the old and new pistons, I feel no difference in the ease of activation. However, I did clean and lubricate the older pistons before using. The ease of activation from the new SP is evident out-of-the-box. However, doing a double click to get SOS and a click & hold to get Strobe require slightly more effort now because of a longer traverse and a sluggish reaction from the o-ring.

In terms of waterproofing, I believe there's an improvement over the older models. There is a what appears to be a 0.5mm gap between the piston button and the body for the previous D10 and this might allow smaller particles like fine sand to enter and settle in the space between the o-ring and the entry point. For the new piston system, the gap is almost negligible and with the o-ring higher up, chances of dirt and water residue remaining in the tail portion is minimized.

The 2nd Edition SP comes in 3 finishing; Camo, Dark Brown and Light Natural. For this thread, I've included the Light Natural version. Below are some images showing the physical differences of the old and new.





Camo, Light Natural & Dark Brown (never released)










Taller recess for the new o-ring position



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*VERSIONS*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a compiled list of all D10s from the past to the present, from the mass to the very limited.
1] Stock D10s
2] Hybrid D10s 
3] Special Anodized D10s
4] Custom-made Titanium D10
5] Limited Edition Titanium D10
6] D10 Tribute Edition
7] D10 SP Warm
8] Exotic Coated D10
9] Others


*1] Stock D10s*
These D10s are mass produced for the market and it started with the Q5 till today's R2 (XP-E). There is some confusion created by the newest because of custom-order by the Hong Kong distributor. This involved intermixing new hardware with previous software (which is more popular), but these "hybrids" are not mass-produced.

In order of release for stock D10s:
*Q5* – Black. Ramping UI.
*GD+* – Black. Ramping UI.
*R2 (XR-E)* – Black. Ramping UI.
*SP R2 1st Edition (XP-E)* – Black. New UI.
*SP R2 2nd Edition (XP-E)* - Light Natural, Camouflage & Dark Brown (never got released AFAIK). Revised PD system and New UI.

_Ramping = Infinitely Variable Digital-controlled Brightness System
Hybrid refers to new PD system (hardware) with original ramping user interface.
Emitters Q5, R2 (XR-E) and R2 (XP-E) are from LED manufacturer CREE.
Golden Dragon Plus is from OSRAM._

In terms of mass-produced D10s to date, there're 5 versions differentiated mainly by their emitters; Q5, Golden Dragon Plus (GD+), R2 (XR-E) and 2 versions of SP R2 (XP-E). 










*D10 Q5*
The introductory D10 uses the Q5 emitter. The original version has an inscription of "D10" on the head but the inscription has dropped down to the body section in later batches. The first batch of D10 has a very thin bezel rim which I have my doubt if it would survive a drop head on, so as to speak. This was later improved with thicker rims for subsequent batches till today. Type 3 hard anodizing appears very dark grey and has a very good grip provided by the aggressive knurling. This version has phased out and is discontinued, but are still available from less than a handful of dealers.

*D10 Osram Golden Dragon Plus (GD+)*
Body is similar to Q5's in terms of color and knurling. No markings of any sort to show it's GD+, just Smart PD D10. The most limited run of the 4, this version has phased out and is discontiunued. Once in a while, It might be available through WTS section in CPFMP.

*D10 R2 (XR-E*)
The latest regular version to date. The body of the R2 has thickened by 0.5mm to further strengthen the wall. That's a good consideration from Nitecore, but I found out it no longer fit into kydex holsters as easily as the former versions although soft holsters using nylon and leather are not a problem. Anodizing for earlier R2 batches appears black and knurling seems to have lesser grip than its predecessors. The later batches seemed to have reverted to knurling similar to Q5. The light has a R2 marking on the body. Leftover stock available from some Nitecore dealers although it's discontinued.

*D10 SP R2 (XP-E) 1st Edition*
This is marked with D10 SP R2. It has a somewhat rounder lip of the head and the knurling is similar to the aggressive texture of Q5's. The color of anodizing is closer to black than grey, but then this might differ from batch to batch. The traverse to activate the switch is the longest amongst all versions, seems like a modification is made to the switch ring to do that (furthest distance from the circuit board). D10 SP and later batches of D10 R2 have similar body characteristics. Stock available from some Nitecore dealers.

*D10 SP R2 (XP-E) 2nd Edition*
Physically similar to 1st Edition with the exception of using a new PD system and 3 anodizing options. Stock available from some Nitecore dealers (depending if the stock has been updated).



*2]Hybrid D10s*
These are customized limited runs requested by the distributor in Hong Kong. All hardware (including emitter & reflector), anodizing and packaging are identical to SP except for the UI, which uses the original ramping interface and this presents a best-of-both-worlds option for those who prefer ramping. Identify a hybrid by its marking (it should just read D10 R2), new piston o-ring position and a red circuit board (which is almost similar to SP's). This version comes in XP-E and XR-E. Since it's using identical emitter and reflector, the beam profile is similar to SP, but tint lottery is evident for both of my XP-Es where I have one slightly warmer than the other.

*R2 Hybrid (XR-E & XP-E)* - Black & Light Natural. Revised PD system with Ramping UI.
_Note that terms like "1st, 2nd Editions & Hybrid" are stated by me for simplicity and they are not official terms used by Nitecore or its dealers._











Available in Light Natural & Black only.







*3] Special Anodized D10 by Swissbianco (Limited Edition)*
This series of Limited Edition D10s are available with Q5 emitters employing first batch's body. Only 25 of each design are produced and they're serialized. Available from 4Sevens and selected CPF dealers (update: sold out). Anodizing was done by Swissbianco.













*4] Titanium D10 by JHanko (Custom-made)*
These are magnificent titanium versions of the light, pieces that D10, titanium and even tritium lovers would drool over. These titanium hosts are created by, what I would consider, a master at what he does. They are considered to be the holy grail of D10s, underlined by the rarity of AA titanium lights available. Shown here is the latest development employing "3D Tritiums", a smart innovation that later inspired many others. The convenient aspect of a titanium D10 is it uses the light engine from any stock D10, hence it can conveniently be replaced for fault remedy or for upgrades. If you get enough stock D10s (specifically the engines) and with one of these grails, you could literally use the light for a long time and maybe someday, hand it down to your kids.









Titanium D10s are designed and produced by Jhanko (aka Jeff). A great thanks to Jeff for the Ti D10 with ice blue trits.



*5] Titanium D10 by kuku427 (Limited Edition)*
This titanium D10 has identical design as the stock version. So far, only 10 are produced for this short run, each set includes the head, body and the tritium-slotted (1.5 x 5mm vial) piston. Due to popular demand, another set of titanium D10 was produced at a later stage. The only different between the first and second batches are the number of tritium slots on the piston; first batch has one whereas second batch has two. A beneficial difference from the stock is that it uses square threading for added strength. Likewise, it can take in light engine from any stock D10, including the latest SP.




Dealer for Titanium D10s is kuku427 (aka Steve).



*6] D10 Tribute Edition by Battery Junction*
This D10 is initiated by Matt (Battery Junction) as a Tribute light in tribute to this tribute thread. :laughing: To be precise, this is a D10 Hybrid with TRIBUTE laser engraved on it. Meaning it's using the new PD system, has a ramping UI, similar LED (R2 XP-E) & reflector and an identical smooth beam (see D10 SP R2 XP-E) to the Hybrid. Again, I find the initial ramping up a tad too fast, which is not as gradual as ramping down. But I think I'm just nitpicking. 

On top of being a limited edition (400 pieces in 2 separate batches of 200), like the Hybrid, it offers a best-of-both-worlds scenario for users who prefer the ramping UI encased in the new piston drive system. However, there're a few physical differences in this special package as shown in the following...

Once again, Nitecore has revised their packaging. I believe this is the 4th version (see "PACKAGING" for size comparison) for latest D10 in general and it's not for D10 Tribute per se since there's no printing indication to show this new packaging is exclusively for the Tribute. It has become shorter than the previous one, which I'm glad for as it's less cumbersome and better use of space. The vermillion (orangy red) band is now red. What was previously an internal paper tray is now a plastic-molded tray with a sponge inlet to cradle the light. I guess the reason for this change is the paper version distorts easily during packaging and transportation, causing the light within to be displayed off-side and it also doesn't really hold the light well. My Tribute package doesn't come with spare o-rings and lanyard, but IMO this is compensated by extra bonuses mentioned below.





Obviously, "TRIBUTE" is boldly laser-engraved on its body. I removed the clip to show it in its full glory. My sample has a slight anodizing discrepancy, head is dark gray and body is black. So I guess some buyers will get grey ones, some black ones and some others will get 2 tones.





The D10 Tribute comes with 2 bonuses; the nickel-plated clip already installed on the light and a piston with tritium slot (no tritium) for a 2x8mm tritium. :thumbsup:





Another subtle difference is the laser engraving for the "D10 R2" has increased in size.




D10 Tribute is available exclusively from Battery Junction (update: sold out). The review sample is kindly contributed by Battery Junction.

Update: Upon purchasing the D10 Tribute after the first batch was sold out, I noticed a production adjustment is made so that the engraved "TRIBUTE" isn't blocked by the clip by positioning it onto the head. The engraving also appears to be more pronounced.







*7] D10 SP Warm*
There is a substantial number of flashlight enthusiasts who prefer warm or neutral tint of LEDs. To cater to this demand, a batch of D10 is ordered from Nitecore using the warm Q3 (XR-E). The body is marked with D10 SP W. And since it's a SP, it is identical to all SP models with the exception of the emitter used. For a person who prefers the cooler tint, I find the warm tint appealing as it doesn't border on being too sickly warm. As far as I was informed, the Q3 will not be implemented in the ramping version. Available in black only (update: sold out).









D10 SP W is available from Light Junction.



*8] Coated D10s*
Cerakote – Samples of D10 with such hard coatings can be found here. The D10s are owned by jslappa.

Black Chrome D10 – A one-off limited release by 4Sevens, this edition was a fast sell-out the week it was launched, IIRC. Image and info contributed by LedTed, the color is deep black with a hint of purple. But the coating, albeit shiny, is not mirror finished.





OD Cerakote - I sent a D10 and a D11.2 to Bugsy for cerakoting, this is the nice, matt result.







*9] Others*
This is a run dedicated to 101st Airborne Division - the Screaming Eagles.




Image Source: Edgetac



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*BEAMSHOTS*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Primary batteries were used for these shots.





















*D10 Q5*
The whitest beam of the 5 emitters. The beam has minimal artefacts that are extremely faint to the point of unnoticeable unless one scrutinizes it very closely on a white wall. This emitter is for those who prefer the whitest beam with least artefact at the slight sacrifice of output (compare to R2, but it's just only a tad lower).

*D10 GD+*
The smoothest beam profile of the 5, on par with D10 SP R2 (XP-E) I would say. From the hot spot, it transits to a slightly warm corona and graduates off to a white spill with a tinge of purple. This emitter is for those who prefer the smoothest beam profile at the sacrifice of tint.

*D10 R2*
The last ramping version and also the brightest (about 10% more than Q5) but with the most Cree rings. A dealer reported majority of the R2 batch has a warmer tint than Q5. This tallied with some owners as well and what's shown here. This emitter is for those who prefer the best throw at the sacrifice of a smooth beam profile.

*D10 SP R2 (1st Edition)*
This latest version shares very similar traits with GD+ where beam profile is concerned, ie it transits smoothly to a slightly warm corona and graduates off to a white spill with a tinge of purple. But SP has a slightly warmer and purple tints in the graduation compare to GD+. Although the SP is rated to max at 145 lumens similar to R2, but the R2 has a slightly brighter and more defined hotspot but with a downside of CREE rings. On the other hand, the SP has a significant brightest low of the 5 versions. This emitter is for those who prefer a balance between output and smooth beam profile at the sacrifice of tint.

*D10 SP R2 (2nd Edition)*
I would have thought it will have an identical beam shot as the 1st Edition, however, I see a slightly bigger hotspot that's ring-free and it's a tad warmer than the 1st Edition. In terms of lux, the 1st Edition is visibly higher, meaning it'll have a better throw than the latter.

*In a nutshell*
*Best Throw* – Without a doubt, R2 (XR-E).
*Best Tint *– R2 (XR-E) although this is subjective. But it's has the slightest warmth (consistently throughout) without the minute color cast (green, blue, purple) that comes with other versions.
*Best Beam Profile* – GD+ is as smooth as a baby's bottom. Close runner-up is R2 (XP-E).
*Whitest & Cleanest Beam* - Q5. Like snow.

Do note tint lottery exists for some batches.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*PACKAGING*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Composite for size comparison.





*1st Edition* 
The D10 package comes with a quality paracord lanyard amongst 2 spare o-rings, a warranty card (plastic for Q5 & GD+, paper for R2) and a manual. Color of the lanyard may vary.






*2nd Edition* 
This packaging, which caters for both the older and SP D10s, carries similar accessories to its predecessor with a fold-out for a user guide instead of the previous booklet form. This is the most space efficient size of the three.






*3rd Edition* 
The D10 SP R2 package has the same set of accessories in a flashier box. It uses paper board tray to hold the light as well as its accessories. While this is more environmentally-friendly, but it does a poor job of holding the light in place and runs into the danger of the light falling out should the buyer pull the tray out facing down.






*4th Edition*
See VERSIONS: D10 Tribute for description.







---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*ACCESSORIES*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1] Nickel-plated Clip
2] Titanium Clip
3] Piston with Tritium Slot
4] Headband
5] Red Filter & Wand
6] Tritium Vials
7] Glow-in-the-dark Fobs & Lanyard
8] Other Glow-in-the-dark
9] Holsters
10] Unofficial Lens Cap & Diffuser


*1] Nickel-plated Clip*
For pocket carry, a nickel-plated clip is sold seperately. The purchase includes the clip with back plate, a hex key and 4 screws for installation. Available at selected CPF dealers or simply Google for more dealers who carry this.






*2] Titanium Clip*
A full titanium version of the clip. The purchase includes the clip with back plate (both titanium), a hex key and 2 titanium screws for installation. Available from kuku427 (aka Steve) at CPFMP (update: sold out).






*3] Piston with Tritium Slot*
On the right is the piston with tritium slot to replace the stock piston for both Standard and SP (1st Edition) Editions. This enables a tritium vial of 2 x 8mm (see below) to be installed, thereby allowing the light to be easily located in the dark. Slotted pistons are available from less than a handful CPF dealers and they are usually highly sought after. JHanko also custom-made this in limited titanium runs employing 1.5 x 5mm vials.






*4] Headband*
For added versatility, this headband allows free positioning of the light with the choice of 4 separate rings; 2 on top and each on the side. And at the back is a reflective strip for easy spotting, can be an important safety feature especially for night cycling. I would imagine it will be reassuringly bright if 3 x D10s are mounted and activated at the same time, or leaving 2 off just for weight balance and as back-ups. A later updated version is available in blue/yellow. Available from Nitecore authorised dealers.




Image Source: Nitecore


*5] Red Filter & Wand*
This set provides 4 uses; a red filter, a red wand, a white wand and a spare battery holder.




Image Source: Nitecore


*6] Tritium Vials*
Glow-in-the-dark (GITD) accessories help the user to locate the flashlight in the dark, like in the event of a blackout, groping for the light in the backpack or even searching for the light if it happens to fall to the ground at night. Besides the practical reasons, I have to say it looks cool too.

A tritium vial is a glass vial painted with phosphors and energized by a bit of tritium gas sealed inside, thereby activating a glow. D10 slotted piston takes 2 x 8mm tritium vials with installation via clear epoxy. Tritium vials can be ordered at CPFMarketPlace (CPFMP) under Other Personal Type Lights. Stock and colors will depend on availability.





Here, a modified piston with 2 slots milled to install 2 shorter red tritium vials (1.5mm x 5mm). Modification by Sabrewolf.





When one sets his imagination and skills to work, glowing wonders can be achieved. Such is the case here where cutting, drilling, milling and polishing give a new perspective to the exciting ways one can display the seemingly suspended vials. Modification by Pugga. 




Image courtesy: pugga


*7] GITD Fobs & Lanyard*
Similarly, you can attach tritium or glow-in-the-dark (GITD) fobs to the light or its lanyard for a similar purpose. The paracord lanyard shown here is custom-made (by Tekno Cowboy). Lanyards (of various length, knots and colors) and GITD fobs can be ordered at CPFMP. Titanium tritium fobs (aka TiGlow) can be ordered at CPF Custom/Mod B/S/T from [email protected] and other forms of fob are available at CPFMP. All items depend on availability.






*8] Other GITD*
Cheapest alternatives are to use GITD o-ring in the tailcap recess (18mm o-ring) or simply adhere GITD tape. GITD tape is sold in a roll at art supplies or DIY stores. O-rings are easily found, notably at CPFMP / WTS: Other Personal from Sigman, Deal Extreme, Lighthound and some DIY stores.






*9] Holsters*
If you don't wish to pocket carry it, the D10 will fit most holsters meant for single AA lights. 




People have asked me about the holster on the right, it's a (dual) kydex holster from LCG Gear (Korea). It was originally holstering a Jetbeam when I got it from CPFMP. 


*10] Unofficial Lens Cap & Diffuser*
Plastic bottle caps can be trimmed to become D10's lens cap and diffuser. Not only does it serve to protect the lens from damage and dirt, its function as a diffuser eliminates hotspot and creates a soft flood. If you can find colored bottle caps, then you have yourself red, green and blue filters (I bet you know which soft drinks to get them from). The inner lining of most standard caps should fit snugly or tightly onto D10's head. If it's loose, just heat the lip slightly and mold the fitting tighter. It's not even cheap, it's free. (source)







---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*DURABILITY*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here're some amazing videos in which the users have the "pleasure" to abuse D10. These are solid testimonies to the durability and toughness of the light.

Boiling Test

Runover Test

Water-proofing with Activation Test

Drop, Kick & Slam Tests

Dunking Test

The hardy traveling companion testimonial - Climate Test 
During it's introductory stage, this was stated by CPFreviews:
_This review is a result of more than 150 days of EDC carry. During this period, the flashlights were carried through 2 continents and 6 different locations. Some of the locations were environmental extremes. The flashlights went through temperatures as high as 50° Celsius in the dry desert environment to as low as 6° Celsius winter; with relative humidity of tropical environment in excess of 90% RH to as low as 10% RH in the desert. The flashlights were subjected to sand storms, rain & thunderstorms. NiteCore Smart PD D10 was one of the flashlight that faced all environmental extremes with relative ease. For those, who cant wait to go through full review, rest assured that the Smart PD Design has proven itself to be very reliable if used carefully. NiteCore Smart PD D10 falls in one of the best in its class category._


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*ISSUES*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like any other brands, Nitecore D10 had its fair share of problems since inception. Rare problems from earlier batch include piston and body fractures and LED flickering etc. All of which were teething problems or occurred in isolated cases. These specific issues were duly addressed with preventive / corrective measures in subsequent batches and should be considered nothing more than footnotes in the pages of the light's history except for rare cases which slipped through QC filtering. If that happens, the user should inform the dealer from which the light came from. If inspection or a repair is needed, it might take some time before the light is returned. This depends if spare parts are lacking or if the light needs to be sent back to the factory. The quickest solution is a replacement, but that is done at the sole discretion (probably at a loss) of the dealer or if the light is beyond repair.


*Stiff Switch*
A little advice for new purchases. This will be the first thing the buyer notice, the switch has much resistance for activation. This is NOT a switch fault. I assume the factory has generously lubricated the piston and o-ring to ensure maximum protection for storage, taking into account of the unpredictable time the light has to stay on the shelf before it gets sold. To solve the resistance issue, simply remove the piston and wipe it clean, then lightly lubricate the o-ring attached (with nyogel or other non-corrosive lubricant, I find NanoLubes work best) and insert the piston back. It should work smoother now. Some may find the short traverse and non-existant clicky feel a bother, this isn't a problem, it's an inherent feature of the light. Get the SP edition for the longest traverse and if it still a bother, then perhaps D10 is not the choice for you. That said, the new PD system of SP 2nd Edition and Hybrids enables the light to be easy to click out-of-the-box.


*Clickity*
In few cases, the user might hear clicking or experience erratic mode switching, that would mean the brass contact ring is somewhat stuck. I have not experienced this issue before but the solution is simply to "unstuck" the contact ring by gently pulling it back into position using a pair of tweezers. Similarly, you could also use the tweezer to rotate the ring until it pops right back into place. In the absence of a tweezer, one could use any sharp object small enough to push the tiny gap of the contact ring, this includes the fingernail of your little pinky. 


*Ramping*
Some cited the speed of ramping makes it hard to pinpoint the level the user wishes to select. A test on Q5, GD+ and R2 (no ramping feature for SP) shows ramping down is at a good, stately speed, whereas ramping up is a tad too fast for the R2 and newer Q5 (GD+ perfect). Although this isn't a fault, but I'm hoping the consistency in speed can be uniformed for the next release of Standard Edition.

A "ramping bug" can happen to some older models of D10. It occurs when the light is set at either it's maximum or minimum brightness setting, a short cut to the opposite brightness setting and follow immediately with a press-and-hold for ramping, ramping will not occur unless the pressing is released and press-and-hold again. However, the issue does not occur if the press-and-hold is not activated immediately after the short cut, say give it 3 seconds and it'll ramp as usual.


*Battery Drain*
There is also the infamous concern; battery drain when off. Such miniscule drainage is essential to keep the light ready to be activated. I did a 7-day drain test with a 1.5v primary battery in D10 R2, battery voltage is measured once every 24 hours. 

Battery Drain Report:
Day 1 - 1.449v
Day 2 - 1.446v
Day 3 - 1.442v
Day 4 - 1.440v
Day 5 - 1.437v
Day 6 - 1.436v
Day 7 - 1.434v
Based on the result, it showed a drainage so insignificant, it will take about 420 days for full depletion (if all conditions stay constant). So, any concern in this area is, in my opinion, deem unnecessary. Any full drainage that occurs much lesser than this period would most probably mean the D10 or the battery is faulty.


*Accidental Activation*
Some users have noted the ease in accidental activation when the light is pocket carried (applies for Standard Editions). This can be simply solved by untwisting the head with half a turn. Even so, accidental activation might still occur if the switch is pushed deep enough (because the light is in momentary switch mode), but it will most likely deactivate immediately as the tension of the battery spring will force it to break contact. Nitecore has answered the call to this problem by introducing a digital lock-out feature in D10 SP.


*Emitter Whine*
There are a few cases of emitter whining incident. Such whining isn't obvious but to the sensitive or when the light is close enough to the ears. The interesting thing about it is it happens when the battery level is low. This is especially the case when it's at the minimum setting (for Standard Editions). However, I will see this as an plus as it acts as a pseudo-indicator for battery level. For that matter, my SP has whining for low and med levels only which is common for other brands as well.


*Reverse Polarity Protection*
Reverse polarity protection refers to the design of the circuitry or hardware that prevents a short circuit, in this case, the flashlight's circuitry when the battery is inserted the wrong way in. Because of the lack of this feature in D10, inserting a battery wrongly will fry your light engine almost immediately when you activate the light. The outcome might vary, but mostly involves the noxious smell of the fried circuitry. So, until Nitecore produces a new generation of D10 with reverse polarity protection, one has to practice caution in battery insertion, especially in the dark.


*Clip Installation*
Although most users have no problem whatsoever, there are a few reports in the difficulty of installing the clip. My first attempt was 3 hours itself. I found the solution to be very simple. Bend the clip head slightly prior to installation. Screw in the pair of screws alternately, make sure the first screw is secured to the thread before going to the next screw. But don't secure the first screw all the way as you need to give the second some leeway to screw in. And lastly, there're 4 screws provided, try the rest if one doesn't work. 



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*MODIFICATION*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1] D10 MC-E
2] D10 R5 (XP-G)
3] D10/"D5" CR2
4] D10 with D11V2 Light Engine

A few adventurous CPFers have modified their D10s to their preferences. Most users favor warmer or neutral tints and thus, some (here & here) have done emitter swaps to achieve that. The illumination from such emitters has a warmer tone, thereby enhances the colors of objects and surrounding. The stock emitters, on the other hand, are whiter and slightly brighter in comparison.

Here's a step-by-step procedure for those who wish to do a simple mod or emitter swap. (Note that by doing so, you're voiding the warranty of your light)
(1) With the circuit board facing up, insert one leg of a fine tweezer (or any similar sharp tip) underneath the switch ring, preferably near the gap where it's easier to push.
(2) Gently push the ring away from the circuit board. Take extra caution not to damage any of the chips in the process.
(3) While pushing, lift the ring up. It should be lifted away from the board and proceed to do this gently and slowly in a clockwise manner.
(4) With the ring removed, the rest would be easy. Use needle-nose plier to unscrew the light engine to remove it
(5) Again, use needle-nose plier to remove the reflector and the lens can easily be tapped out.

Here's a step-by-step video.


*1] D10 MC-E*
And for those who like things a little brighter, here's a working mod; D10 MC-E (warmwhite).





Heatsinking is the greatest consideration for such a venture, to the point of being an "impractical" modification. However, it isn't possible to expand the heatsink without compromising the stock size or light engine. Nonetheless, the result is surprising. Using a God-given hi-tec equipment like my hand, I had the light set on maximum in room temperature. The hand meter measures heat ranging cool > warm > hot > untouchable.
1 - 5 mins = cool
6 - 10 mins = warm
11 - 20mins = warm
21 - 30mins = warm
31 - 40mins = warm
41 - 50mins = warm
51 - 60mins = warm

I stopped at 1 hour. Impressive, it seems as if even the heatsinking is regulated, but then again, I'm sure the real reason is because the LED is under-driven. Having said that, it's still a bright flood (more than R2 naturally) albeit the usual quad-die donut beam on white wall. A point to highlight is ramping with MC-E works without a hitch, hence brightness, runtime and heat can be "controlled" by ramping down to a lower output. Hence now, the "impractical" has become the possible. MC-E modification was done by Sabrewolf.

*Beam Shots*
A "donut" or "crosshair" beam is common for lights using quad die emitters such as MC-E or SSC P7, especially when used close-up indoors.












*2] D10 R5 (XP-G)*
I've swapped a D10's Q5 with the latest CREE R5 on a 10mm board. The emitter is pretty small set against the original reflector meant for a Q5, nonetheless, it still works on all levels.





*Beam Shots*
Generally, the R5 projects a pretty smooth profile, giving it lesser throw but a bigger hotspot and spill. As shown, it also has a slight greenish cast (typical of R5) to it with a very smooth transition from hotspot to corona to spill, almost as buttery smooth as R2 (XP-E). Below is a comparison between R5 (XP-G) and R2 (XR-E). R2 (XR-2) is still the clear winner for throw.











*3] D10/"D5" CR2*
This project is initiated by ma-sha1 in hope to create, perhaps the world's smallest piston drive light. This is done by modding D10 to take in C2. It made me realized the diameter of a CR2 battery is almost similar to an AA. And it also certainly realized the desire of carrying a D10 on a keychain (although some may find it a tad thicker than AAA lights). It is very difficult to find a CR2 that's a clicky, let alone having one that provides the benefits of a piston drive. With the availability of ramping or 3-modes, strobe, digital lock-out and a long runtime on low, it'll almost make a perfect back-up on keychain or as a spare in bag. (source)

*
4] D10 with D11V2 Light Engine*
D11 and D11V2 have been released for some time now. In comparison, Nitecore has made some definite improvements like a thicker body, a deeper switch traverse, additional modes, switch lock-out system, a more efficient emitter and flat sides for anti-roll (albeit rather ineffective if you ask me). And somewhat importantly, I suspect Nitecore has taken our "suggestions" into consideration and decided to throw shortcuts to high and low back into the light that is now the D11V2.

Call me old school, but I still find D10 to be classier and more appealing. Perhaps it's the simple but effective form of the knurled tube without any grooves and awkward anti-roll feature. Or perhaps it's the original one that I really like and has been using hard. Or perhaps because that I would really like to use an EDC with a clip. Or perhaps I just want some mesmerizing trits on the pistol switch. Well, probably all of the above. 

But I must say I would prefer the light engine of D11V2 now that it has a brighter R5 XP-G with hidden blinky modes and digital lock-out. So I would have me the best of both worlds by replacing the guts of D10 with D11V2's. I'm using a spare D10 titanium shell for this which is identical to stock D10s if you wish to do the same operation.






D11V2 and an empty titanium host






The most difficult process is the removal of the brass ring. Great care needs to be taken not to damage the chips.






After the brass ring is removed, all else can be easily screwed out. Congratulations, your warranty is now void. Note that the brass ring must be formed back to shape if it's distorted during removal or there'll be difficulties in ring operation later on.






Reverse the process when installing the guts into D10. Ta-dah.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*IMAGES*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feast your eyes on a multitude of pictures contributed by D10 owners.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*CONCLUSION*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not saying D10 is for everyone, but with the price point and what it can offer, it is an AA light to be reckoned with and is worthy of consideration for those who wants an entry light. Love it or hate it, as far as I see, it's a matter of the user getting past the initial oddity of the PD function. 

It came as a surprise and much to CPF users' disappointment when Nitecore discontinued the standard ramping user interface of the original D10. By itself, I can't say the SP is that bad, but it has certainly lost the familiar workings of the original that I've grown attached to. Personally, I would prefer a hybrid of the two*; Ramping user interface with hidden strobe activation and the digital lock-out. As mentioned, reverse polarity protection should have been included as well but didn't. Only time will tell if I can get use to SP and any possible newer versions. But since there are still original versions floating in the market, options are available for buyers.... at the moment.

Hopefully soon, the next batch involves an emitter update with XP-G R5 or even S2. It would be nice if Nitecore expand the D10 range to include different finishings (Olive Drab, Red, Gray etc) and materials (Titanium, Stainless Steel, Chrome etc). As though reading my mind, Nitecore recently released new D10s with Light Natural, Dark Brown and Camo options after I penned this.

Unless Nitecore steamlined D10s down to EZ AA size (which I hope though unlikely), I don't foresee a significant overhaul with a new hardware design. Then again, like the discontinued UI, you'll never know. But I do hope they will continue to uphold the quality and user-friendliness in their new releases, in the same class as D10, which has successfully crystalized efficiency in form and function, a testimony supported by its popularity long after its inception.


_*NiteCore did eventually release D11 and D11v2 that employ a hybrid of the two._


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 2, 2010)

Reserved for more findings.


----------



## hyperloop (Jan 2, 2010)

EXCELLENT round up! Thanks!


----------



## octaf (Jan 2, 2010)

Hey, Zeruel !

Now it makes sense why you have 2 of Ku's Ti-D10.
Wonderful view of D10. 

Do you own that Jhanko's D10 with red trits?
What a beauty. :thumbsup:


----------



## JaguarDave-in-Oz (Jan 2, 2010)

Crikey mate, you get my award for product review of the century. That's as extensive a dissertation on any singular product as I've ever read. Bravo.

To add two aspects of my own excperience of my D10 R2 Ramping version, the O ring had a tendency to swell with the lubricant supplied and whilst I could get the thing cleaned and lubricated well enough to work smoothly when used a fair bit, I could not stop it getting ever so slightly stuck (sticktion?) after being left idle for a day or two and to solve that I ended up replacing the ring with a smaller one which improved the tactile feel and consistency immensely.

Also the business with the switch ring getting stuck or not returning in my own particular case was not to be fixable by rotating the ring or opening the split with a screwdriver blade but instead turned out to be the big return spring underneath it getting stuck on the barrel of the inner head unit so I had to take it apart and smooth a burr of the end of the spring coil and de-tension it a bit as well as lubricate the spring slightly.

It's still my favourite "feeling" light. Despite my one having needed a little fine tuning to perfect it, the solidity, depth of knurling, totally business like shape and heft and the beautiful high tech looking switch button and clip fastening combine with an impressive brightness for such a small package to make it the best light I've bought.

You've done a great review for a great product.


----------



## Norm (Jan 2, 2010)

Great post, I think you've covered it all. :goodjob::thanks:


Zeruel said:


> *D10 Q5*
> The whitest beam of the 5 emitters.



I don't have a D10 but I do have what was a Q5 EX 10 the worst tint of just about any Cree I've owned, I had the light about 10 minutes before modding with a Q3 5A (at least these lights are very mod friendly), I also had to change the piston O ring to get the switch action smooth, I was also lucky enough to pick up one of Jeff Hanko's pistons with a blue 5mm trit, it is now one of my favorite small lights. I listened to the hype about these lights for over a year and didn't purchae one until 47s put the Q5s on clearance, I'm really pleased I own one now.
Norm


----------



## DimeRazorback (Jan 2, 2010)

Excellent post!

Thank you for all of that effort!

A great read.


:thumbsup:


----------



## zoelou (Jan 2, 2010)

EXCELLENT!!!! THANKS ZERUEL!!!! :twothumbs  :thumbsup:


----------



## compasillo (Jan 2, 2010)

Absolutely excelent review Zeruel.
Thanks so much
:twothumbs


----------



## Dioni (Jan 2, 2010)

Wow!!! 

It's the greatest review of D10. Huge work!

Thanks Zeruel!


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Jan 2, 2010)

Nice work.

Bill


----------



## JJV (Jan 2, 2010)

Great review! Now I am REALLY mad that the battery blew mine up!


----------



## Sector7 (Jan 2, 2010)

Excellent job, this is a D10Wiki for sure! :thumbsup:


----------



## NutSAK (Jan 2, 2010)

Well done! Very comprehensive. An excellent tribute to a light that I just can't seem to replace in my EDC. I've tried with several models, but the feel and convenience of the original D10 just can't be surpassed, IMO.

One thing you might mention is that the first batch had a bezel that was machined much thinner. It bends easily compared to the later batches, and doesn't protect the window nearly as well when the light is dropped.


----------



## KuKu427 (Jan 2, 2010)

Bravo!!!


----------



## minitech17 (Jan 2, 2010)

nice compilation - a real hard work.


----------



## CLBME (Jan 2, 2010)

Well done! :twothumbs I've been on the fence for one but this review pushed me over. Thank you very much and Happy New Year!


----------



## Arnulf (Jan 2, 2010)

Awesome....wish I had your enthusiasm for anything. :thumbsup:


----------



## computernut (Jan 2, 2010)

Nice work!


----------



## waddup (Jan 2, 2010)

but you cant buy them anymore.


----------



## JWRitchie76 (Jan 2, 2010)

I would like to add that I have a D10 SP 1st edition. As you had mentoned about battery whine mine whines constantly on high, strobe and SOS. On high the whine only lasts a couple seconds then dies out. On strobe and SOS it beacons every time the emitter flashes. Link provided here for another common D10 problem; the switch ring sticking! This one was just started by me but I think it's worth noting in the review. https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/255598


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 2, 2010)

Thanks all for kind and encouraging words, guys. :twothumbs
Hope you'll find this thread useful.

Special thanks have to go to 4Sevens, Jhanko, Kuku, Sabrewolf and contributors from the other threads.




NutSAK said:


> One thing you might mention is that the first batch had a bezel that was machined much thinner. It bends easily compared to the later batches, and doesn't protect the window nearly as well when the light is dropped.



I had thought of mentioning that, but I gather there might not be many who owns the very first lot. But since you do noticed that, I'll add it in. 


lovecpf


----------



## Bass (Jan 2, 2010)

Fantastic write up and pictures Zeruel. Must have taken a great deal of time - but worth it. You can tell it was written by a loving fan :twothumbs

The D10 mods / Titanium / tritium pictures are works of art. Where can I get myself a Ti version?

Great work!


----------



## LG&M (Jan 2, 2010)

Outstanding work! Thanks. I also have been EDCing my D10 sense it came out and have not found a light that will replace it. I should get a back up D10.


----------



## sORe-EyEz (Jan 2, 2010)

great pics Zeruel! 

hmmmm, now i really want 1...


----------



## lrp (Jan 2, 2010)

Great review, one of the best I've ever seen!! I have one and it is indeed a good light!


----------



## starburst (Jan 2, 2010)

The Q5 early model I have has worked flawlessly.
Is there anywhere to get another one? I went to 
4 Sevens, said out of stock and no back order.

starburst


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 2, 2010)

Starburst, you might need to ask the dealers. The last time I asked around, only 2 were having them and one of them had sold out. The other is fusion gear from Australia which I'm not sure if they have any more stock. Seems like 4Sevens (Canada) has it too. You can also start by putting a WTB in MP perhaps?


----------



## Henk_Lu (Jan 2, 2010)

Great tribute for a great light! :wave:

I discovered them recently only, but they keep coming. Just wonder where my body from Kuku427 stays... :sigh:


----------



## TONY M (Jan 2, 2010)

Thanks Zeruel! A super and fun read.

Nice work.


----------



## csshih (Jan 2, 2010)

you sir, are insane!
beautiful work!


----------



## guiri (Jan 2, 2010)

Holy crap! I bet that took five minutes or more to write.

Damn! I think you like the D10.

Super job and now you got me all hot and bothered about getting a couple more of them...THANKS PAL! 

Great job though


----------



## skyfire (Jan 2, 2010)

wow whata tribute!!

lots of great info and details for anyone not sure which model to get.

although my D10 R2 sits on my nightstand and is my least used light, i still like it very much. 
my mom asked if she can have a light, cause of her poor vision, i was going to give her the D10, but its alittle to complicated for her to make full use of it, and i didnt want to give it up  so i got her a quark mini AA instead.

and that custom d10 by jhanko is really gorgeous!


----------



## swissbianco (Jan 2, 2010)

thanks for the great post.

to add is that we did make some single pcs in different colors too:







http://s355.photobucket.com/albums/r469/swissbianco-flashlights/splashed flashlights/?start=all

+B 
swissbianco.com


----------



## Zendude (Jan 2, 2010)

Like others have said: Wow!

Gotta say though, my GDP has the D10 engraving on it. Maybe it was early in the release.:thinking:


----------



## Brasso (Jan 2, 2010)

Ooooh. That gold one is awesome.


----------



## JWRitchie76 (Jan 2, 2010)

Aren't those EX10's? That Blue/stonewash one in the middle is the heat! Can those still be had somewhere?



swissbianco said:


> thanks for the great post.
> 
> to add is that we did make some single pcs in different colors too:
> 
> ...


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 2, 2010)

swissbianco said:


> thanks for the great post.
> 
> to add is that we did make some single pcs in different colors too:
> 
> ...




Here's the man!

These are EX10, me want D10. 
Any pic for me to add on? If you will. :naughty:


----------



## SFfanman (Jan 2, 2010)

:twothumbs:twothumbs:bow: Such as awesome comprehensive review if I ever saw one!


----------



## pm91 (Jan 2, 2010)

I was all set to purchase one of these and now I can't find them anywhere (that I trust). Do you think they are coming out with a new model? I think the brightest is the R2(XR-E).


----------



## deKatt (Jan 2, 2010)

I bought my son a D10 for Christmas. Obviously I made the right choice! :thumbsup:

Except, I probably should have bought one for myself, too.


----------



## alfreddajero (Jan 2, 2010)

Nice collection of D10's......love to see the whole family of D10's in one location.


----------



## Lite_me (Jan 2, 2010)

Are you freakin' kidding me! I've been around awhile, and seen some hellacious reviews... 

...but Dude! 

That is just... ! 

I'm going now to find my D10 and play with it!

And, thanks! ..for all that work. :wave:


----------



## Woods Walker (Jan 2, 2010)

This is a great thread and thanks for the info on the D10 SP. Like my EX10 so one of these days going to get a D10.


----------



## tucolino (Jan 2, 2010)

beautiful light and beautiful review!!!!!!!

thaks a lot.


----------



## DHart (Jan 2, 2010)

Zeruel... hey buddy! Fantastic work... really amazing. And as a D10 lover, I share your enthusiasm. I've been away from here for awhile and it's mind boggling to see the new stuff that's going on with D10s and other torches.


----------



## Ajay (Jan 2, 2010)

Excellent work amigo!
I am glad to see I am not the only one that's thrilled to own a D10. Fantastic lights.


Long live Nitecore.


----------



## applevision (Jan 2, 2010)

Outstanding!

Really fantastic and you've just raised the bar!

Thank you *Zeruel*!


----------



## Roberts30 (Jan 2, 2010)

Awesome! This makes me feel proud to own a Nitecore. lovecpf


----------



## alfreddajero (Jan 2, 2010)

I still have one from the first batch and the light is still going strong, when im out and about its on my hip in its holster. Just love it, though im thinking about getting an R2 version.


----------



## GhostReaction (Jan 2, 2010)

Great reivew thread!
D10 sounds like a great light for EDC. 
Those Ti D10 are growing on me everytime I look at it


----------



## Rexlion (Jan 3, 2010)

A job well done, Zeruel. You rock! 

Strangely, I've had better luck with the protected Trustfires in the D10, they work fine for me.

A quad die in the D10, now that's tempting. :naughty: I could get used to one of those.


----------



## Dioni (Jan 3, 2010)

Thread subscribed!


----------



## caltemus (Jan 3, 2010)

To be 100% clear, the R2 SP has no ramping, but the better low mode? I am looking at buying one and 4sevens.ca has the original 
(http://www.4sevens.ca/product_info.php?cPath=244&products_id=1239) and the SP edition (http://www.4sevens.ca/product_info.php?cPath=244&products_id=1889) and I am more interested in the one with the ramping more than the SOS/strobe feature but if the low mode runtime is worth it than i might consider. The main difference is the price on 4sevens, the original is 59 and the SP is 79. They do have both accessories though!


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 3, 2010)

DHart said:


> Zeruel... hey buddy! Fantastic work... really amazing. And as a D10 lover, I share your enthusiasm. I've been away from here for awhile and it's mind boggling to see the new stuff that's going on with D10s and other torches.



Hey buddy! Thanks, so glad you're back! :grouphug:
Yeah, lots of new stuff now, boggle your mind away. oo:





caltemus said:


> To be 100% clear, the R2 SP has no ramping, but the better low mode? I am looking at buying one and 4sevens.ca has the original
> (http://www.4sevens.ca/product_info.php?cPath=244&products_id=1239) and the SP edition (http://www.4sevens.ca/product_info.php?cPath=244&products_id=1889) and I am more interested in the one with the ramping more than the SOS/strobe feature but if the low mode runtime is worth it than i might consider. The main difference is the price on 4sevens, the original is 59 and the SP is 79. They do have both accessories though!



Nope, R2 SP does not have ramping. But the low is spec to have 100 hours whereas ramping version has 45 hours. Follow the golden rule of CPF.....


----------



## cal..45 (Jan 3, 2010)

@ zeruel,

what a great write up and a first class tribute indeed :twothumbs

since i got my D10 in 2008, i'm simply not interested in another EDC anymore. for me the D10 is just as perfect as a EDC can be and i hate it to see that on the new models nitecore let the ramping feature go for the strobe/sos nonsense. i hope my D10 will live long enough to bring nitecore back to their senses and go back to the roots, because no matter how much i love this light, i most definitaly won't buy one with strobe/sos.


cheers


----------



## Swedpat (Jan 3, 2010)

Hi Zeruel, and thanks for an excellent report about this flashlight! :thumbsup:

I have Nitecore D10 GD, and this is one of my favourite lights. One reason is the great grip with it's aggressive knurling. I don't understand why don't all lights have similar? 

I have came to the personal conclusion that it doesn't matter what kind of tint or beamprofile a light has; I don't want to use it if it's slipper and uncomfortable to hold. One thing I hate is a slipper body with a stiff clicky which makes the light glide away in the hand when put it on. I just can't stand that. Nitecore D10 is the opposite; it's one of the best existing when it comes to holding comfort. A wonderful "no-nonsense" design which works great. 

Regards, Patric


----------



## NutSAK (Jan 3, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> Nope, R2 SP does not have ramping. But the low is spec to have 100 hours whereas ramping version has 45 hours. Follow the golden rule of CPF.....



Is this possibly because the original uses PWM regulation and the SP uses current regulation? 

I know my original D10's runtime is not very good compared to my current-regulated lights.


----------



## MattK (Jan 3, 2010)

EPIC REVIEW!
:bow::bow::bow:

Zeruel - that was clearly a labor of love. 
What's next?


----------



## NutSAK (Jan 3, 2010)

MattK said:


> EPIC REVIEW!
> :bow::bow::bow:
> 
> Zeruel - that was clearly a labor of love.
> What's next?



You tell us. Where's the new NiteCore AA light with the ramping UI?

 :nana:


----------



## Tomahawk23 (Jan 3, 2010)

First off excellent review! I too love this light. 

I've been edc'ing the original D10 @ work for over a year now. I bought the R2 as a backup just in case I couldn't find another when this thing died. I've dropped the original at least a dozen times on concrete with no ill effects. I'm amazed every time I pick it up and it still works. 

Lastly, where did you find the holster with the battery holder? I've been using the one from Fenix, but I'd love to get my hands on the one as pictured. 

Thanks again for a very informative review. I've already bookmarked it!


----------



## wacomme (Jan 3, 2010)

Are there any good after Christmas deals on this light?


----------



## Glow Bug (Jan 3, 2010)

Nice work. I had 2 original versions and lost one. I am glad I thought to have a backup!


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 3, 2010)

MattK said:


> Zeruel - that was clearly a labor of love.
> What's next?



I will choose the light and in return, the light must choose me. (inspired by Avatar :laughing




Tomahawk23 said:


> Lastly, where did you find the holster with the battery holder? I've been using the one from Fenix, but I'd love to get my hands on the one as pictured.



It's a kydex holster. I got it from Lightknot at MP. He used it to holster Jetbeam CL-E originally. Warren from Litemania is selling all sorts of kydex holsters here. Not sure if he has an identical one as mine, you might want to ask him or if he has any that fits D10.


----------



## Simon520 (Jan 4, 2010)

*I HAVE AN XPE-R2 "SP" THAT HAS ORIGINAL UI!!!*

Just received 3 D10's.

External packaging clearly states it is "MODEL: D10*sp* (R2 VERSION)", which is why I got so worked up at the seller for sending me SP's when I wanted the original UI. I paid $62 each shipped, and I was cracking mad that I had gotten SP's when I wanted the original UI.

I figured I would fire up the light and check out the new UI. I was amazed to see it ramping and had the same UI as my old D10.

I decided to take apart the light and see what was up.
They are second edition "SP" versions that are natural color HAIII.

Lettering on the unit is "SMART PD D10 R2" (WITHOUT THE "SP")

Light engine has a red circuit board like the picture of the SP, but the components are different from either the red or green board pictured on this site.

Piston is the updated second edition SP type with the smaller O-ring on the button of the piston, not the larger piston itself. Out of the box, it's easier to push.

Enclosed product warranty card states it is *D10 XP-E R2* serial number C1218HK 000085

I'm very happy. I had previously emailed 4Sevens and even Nitecore directly, stating I could sell 100 of the original UI lights to customers and friends and wondered if I could special-order the original UI. The feedback I got from Nitecore was that they were going with the SP UI and that was that. 4Sevens couldn't help since they were out of stock.

I'm pretty stoked, since it appears I have a second edition SP version with the functional updates and the original UI. I'll have pictures of the unit and packaging later tonight when I get home. 
:thumbsup::thumbsup::nana::nana::nana:


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Jan 4, 2010)

Simon520, do they have the R2 XP-E?

Bill


----------



## Simon520 (Jan 4, 2010)

Yes, it's an XP-E R2. It even looks like one. I updated my post to add that info, so thanks for pointing out the deficit. 

If it's a Chinese counterfeit, it's a pretty darn good one and I'd buy more.


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 4, 2010)

I've received the same report from another CPFer, pugga.

Not sure what's going on, but will wait and see what turns up. Or if any CPF/Nitecore dealers could shed some light on the matter....


----------



## pugga (Jan 4, 2010)

Hi Zeruel, i just posted instead of clogging up your fantastic tribute, i will try to get some pics up later. 
Cheers pugga


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 4, 2010)

It's not clogging at all. 
It's an interesting update.

Anyway, I've shot Nitecore an email with this matter. 
Let's see if there's development... or not.


----------



## supasizefries (Jan 4, 2010)

Wow, a very well thought out and informative post! :twothumbs I carry my JHanko made Ti D10 wherever I go. It's just so darn handy and useful....and pretty!


----------



## Fenris (Jan 4, 2010)

The pictures at battery junction have shown the XP-E's for a at least a few weeks.


----------



## Simon520 (Jan 4, 2010)

Here are the pictures of the SP 2nd edition that has the ramping (old) UI; I hope I'm not thrashing your thread, Zeruel. Feel free to delete these pics or move them if you'd like.

The new "SP" 2nd edition XP-E R2 that has the old ramping UI is on the right, and the last of the pre-SP D10 XR-E R2 is on the left. You can clearly see the new "SP" model has the 2nd edition piston. Both have light engine PC boards that are darn near identical save for the color. No, it's not photoshopped. The new model has the more OP reflector as well. I bought these new "SP" (that aren't SP) from a seller in Hong Kong via that auction site that shan't be named and had them shipped here. I assume the HK in the serial number means Hong Kong version. Yes, the black D10 is dirty and it's my EDC. :green:


----------



## RocketTomato (Jan 5, 2010)

I purchased a Nitecore D10 R2 recently and received the upgraded XP-E R2 version as well. However, it is has the old style piston but a newer body, similar to the SP ver1 body with the rounder lip on the head.

Sounds like Simon250's version is contained in a SP ver2 body.
Product Name on my Warranty Card is D10 XR-E R2.


----------



## pugga (Jan 5, 2010)

Mmm interesting my new D10 R2 is the same as Simon520 but it has the XR-E R2 from the first pic not the XP-E R2.


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 5, 2010)

I've received a reply from Nitecore.
They confirmed they only release D10 SP at the moment.

Apparently, this run with the ramping UI in the new body and packaging is a *customised order from the distributor*.
I have bought one from ebay which I hope is this hybrid version for me to include in a review update. :sweat:

They have also stated the ramping UI is discontinued for D10 but will be implemented in their future products.

Update: Ebay seller confirmed it's the hybrid that I'm going to receive. Although he calls it "olive" instead of "Light Natural". Yay! for me. Gulp! for review update.


----------



## pm91 (Jan 5, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> Update: Ebay seller confirmed it's the hybrid that I'm going to receive. Although he calls it "olive" instead of "Light Natural". Yay! for me. Gulp! for review update.


 
Hello Zeruel,
I'd like to purchase one, would you please share the name of the eBay seller?

Thanks,
p


----------



## jblackwood (Jan 5, 2010)

Norm said:


> I don't have a D10 but I do have what was a Q5 EX 10 the worst tint of just about any Cree I've owned, I had the light about 10 minutes before modding with a Q3 5A (at least these lights are very mod friendly) . . .



Yeah, my Q5 D10 has one of the worse green tints of all the AA lights I own, except for the Quark AA Ti R5 I have. Neither compare to the white i've gotten from other manufacturers. Heck, they all get their emitters from the same place, though, I guess some manufacturers go through them with a little more scrutiny? 

The only reason I haven't traded out my Q5 is because it's one of four that have come through my hands that doesn't have inductor whine. That trumps any tint considerations I may have. No problems with either piston travel or function with either my Q5 or my GDP (I love it's profile, but the tint is violet, about the same as my LS20).


----------



## Thujone (Jan 5, 2010)

Amazing compilation. Thanks for putting this together!

I would like to add that I think abandoning the ramping UI is a tragedy.


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 5, 2010)

jblackwood said:


> Yeah, my Q5 D10 has one of the worse green tints of all the AA lights I own, except for the Quark AA Ti R5 I have. Neither compare to the white i've gotten from other manufacturers. Heck, they all get their emitters from the same place, though, I guess some manufacturers go through them with a little more scrutiny?



You've lost out in a lottery. Better luck next time. 




Thujone said:


> I would like to add that I think abandoning the ramping UI is a tragedy.



Mostly agree. I'm still attached to the instant high (click + hold) and instant low (double click) instead of the tendency to cycle twice to confirm I get the highest, medium or lowest. But like I said, SP isn't too bad, just a matter of getting use to and for others who prefer a simpler setup.





pm91 said:


> Hello Zeruel,
> I'd like to purchase one, would you please share the name of the eBay seller?
> 
> Thanks,
> p




I'd suggest you wait for my confirmation that it's the hybrid version when it arrives.

Or we could ask Simon520 here who obviously has it in hand.


----------



## Simon520 (Jan 5, 2010)

I promise; no more threadjacking.

[email protected] seller is "hkequipment"


----------



## Winx (Jan 5, 2010)

$56.99 at their website.


----------



## pm91 (Jan 5, 2010)

Winx said:


> $56.99 at their website.


 
Are you referring to their eBay store/website? I didn't see any for $56.99, much less the one that Simon520 purchased. I think he REALLY got lucky!
I'm not found of ordering direct from China and I'm not even sure what I'm getting. Really interesting though!

Great thread!

Thanks,
p


----------



## RocketTomato (Jan 5, 2010)

I have a few D10s and started to examine the serial numbers looking for a pattern. I did not want to start a new thread for this and decided to post it in this tribute thread to keep all the version data toghether.


First or Second Batch D10 Q5- Ramping "Bug" UI, Green Circuit Board (from US retailer):
Name: D10 Serial: NCD10BUS XXXXX

D10 R2, Ramping UI, Green Circuit Board (from Hong Kong retailer):
Name: D10 R2 Serial- C*0331*CNSY XXXX

D10 R2, Ramping UI, Green Circuit Board (from US retailer):
Name: D10 R2- Serial: C*0729*US XXXXXX

Later Batch D10 Q5, Ramping UI, Green Circuit Board (from US retailer):
Name: D10 Serial: C*0810*US XXXXXX

Hybrid XP-E R2, Ramping UI, Red Circuit Board (from Hong Kong retailer):
Name: D10 XP-E R2 Serial: C0*1028*CNDY XXXX

D10 SP R2, 3-level UI, Red Circuit Board (from US retailer):
Name: D10 SP XP-E R2 Serial: C*1123*US1 XXXXX

I highlighted what I believe are the dates of manufacture in bold for each light. You can see that the newer lights were manufactured later in the year. The original batch does not have a manufacturing date.

If others can post the serial numbers from their warranty cards, I think we can get a good picture of how many different batches were made for each type of D10.


----------



## pugga (Jan 5, 2010)

Hi all same place as Simon but i didn't get the newer XP-E R2 led.


----------



## JaguarDave-in-Oz (Jan 5, 2010)

pm91 said:


> Are you referring to their eBay store/website? I didn't see any for $56.99, much less the one that Simon520 purchased. I think he REALLY got lucky!
> I'm not found of ordering direct from China and I'm not even sure what I'm getting. Really interesting though!


 
I haven't looked in his shop but on ordinary ebay hkequipment lists NiteCore D10 SP Cree XP-E R2 Smart PD LED AA Torch and shows a bunch of pics of the thing looking exactly as per the ones with XP-E R2 put up by simon520 in this thread. SP's are usually marked SP and these aren't. The description states XP-E R2 and ramping and the pics show a unit quite different to the last of the original ramping ones I got in R2 which was XR-E not XP-E (difference is obvious looking at the emitter). For what it's worth I've bought stuff twice from this particular mob before and they've been completely reliable so I wouldn't be too afraid to order again. Delivery time to rural Australia for my stuff was nine and eleven days. They list them at US$61.


----------



## jslappa (Jan 5, 2010)

Who's got the list of owners from the D10 EX10 registration thread? That may contain a wealth of information too.


----------



## solloron1 (Jan 6, 2010)

Not to hijack from this great thread but I just bought:

http://hkequipment.net/index.php?sp...t0=1&id=336&cat1=13&cat0=1&new=&more=&lang=en

hope it is the one that simon520 got. I'm sure I will be happy either way though


----------



## Mr. Shawn (Jan 6, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> I've received a reply from Nitecore. They confirmed they only release D10 SP at the moment. *They have also stated the ramping UI is discontinued for D10 but will be implemented in their future products.*



Although I also think it's a major blunder to discontinue the D10 with ramping, I'm excited to see what new lights will feature it. Matt at Battery Junction had previously acknowledged the use of ramping in future products.


----------



## Bass (Jan 6, 2010)

solloron1 said:


> Not to hijack from this great thread but I just bought:
> 
> http://hkequipment.net/index.php?sp...t0=1&id=336&cat1=13&cat0=1&new=&more=&lang=en
> 
> hope it is the one that simon520 got. I'm sure I will be happy either way though


 
It looks to be a XP-E in the slideshow pictures but another image shows the older type piston. The XP-E version, in simon520 post, has the re-designed SP piston; o-ring on the tail.

It is a different piston, so I can't call it. Either way, you will be happy. Good price too :thumbsup:


----------



## Simon520 (Jan 6, 2010)

Do an Ebay search on this exact phrase:

NiteCore D10 Cree XP-E R2 Smart PD LED AA Flashlight

and choose the seller Hkequipment. Make sure it's a non-SP light. I can't link the auction because it has expired. The seller actually verified each and every light he sent me (there were more than one..:twothumbs) to make sure they were the old UI.


----------



## sledhead (Jan 6, 2010)

Outstanding! Cannot imagine the time that went into this! 

Now I have to buy a D10.:thumbsup:


----------



## Sector7 (Jan 6, 2010)

Simon520 said:


> I promise; no more threadjacking.
> 
> [email protected] seller is "hkequipment"


 
Is your D10 SP edition with fast ramping or the classic 1st gen normal ramping?


----------



## jslappa (Jan 6, 2010)

I know many here are grabbing those "unholy SP D10's", but I wanted to let everyone know that you CAN take the guts out of your old D10 and put them in the new one. Just keep the SP guts as backup if the D10 ever completely gets retired.

I was able to take the guts from a D10 Q5 and put them in the camo D10 SP body.


----------



## Sector7 (Jan 7, 2010)

Winx said:


> $56.99 at their website.


 
The website shows no stock on the XP-E version... :sigh:
*note: I've since emailed and got the updated link with XP-E stock so I'll wait and see if all is well...


----------



## JaguarDave-in-Oz (Jan 7, 2010)

jslappa said:


> but I wanted to let everyone know that you CAN take the guts out of your old D10 and put them in the new one.........
> I was able to take the guts from a D10 Q5 and put them in the camo D10 SP body.


Now you're talkin'. I think I'm gunna order up a new SP Camo and put my R2 Ramper innards in him..


----------



## pugga (Jan 7, 2010)

I would have done this already especially the trit version but i'm just not sure in the camo/snake skin look. Some pics make the finish look pretty average like it is an after thought. I might wait a bit to see if anyone brings out a black or natural SP with the trit.


----------



## timbo114 (Jan 7, 2010)

Simon520, thank you for posting.

I was starting to wonder if I had been hornswoggeled by Hkequipment , until I just read this thread.
I had been comparing and getting a bit angered ...as I had specifically requested a *NON SP* unit from seller.

Just today, I received a *'hybrid'* version of the D10 XP E R2.
I have the 'SP' specific holograghic box - with 'SP' specific details - but a D10 XP E R2 warranty card serial # C1225HK 000124. 

Operator's manual states D10 & EX10 - nothing about 'SP' or SOS/strobe.

My torch is *Olive HA* - body states *Smart PD D10 R2*.
Mine ramps and has direct access to hi/lo - no SOS/strobe functions.

After seeing your photos, my unit is identical save for the Olive coloring.

I feel much better now, and I'll consider this as maybe a _*'limited production'*_ find and be happy.
$53.94 shipped (after BCB on eBay) 

 _Dispatch, January 02, 2010, 9:12 pm, HONG KONG / received Jan 7, 2010 Pa USA - incredible delivery time!_


----------



## jslappa (Jan 7, 2010)

Very nice indeed Timbo. I think that you have the best of both worlds with your light. You get the updated piston, for better button-pressin' action, and the ramping of the previous model.

If you have time, I would love to see your Olive D10. We need more pics here! I just sent 2 of my D10's and 7 of my EX10's out for a nice new coat of color. Can't wait to see them. Here are the colors:

Dark Earth
Hidden White
Lolipop Purple
Titanium Blue
orangish/red
Desert Khaki


----------



## timbo114 (Jan 7, 2010)

I just took a few snaps - my CFL bulbs are washing out the color.
I'll take some better snaps tomorrow in daylight, outdoors.


----------



## jslappa (Jan 8, 2010)

That's a good lookin' light right there, I don't care who you are!
"in my best southern drawl"


----------



## timbo114 (Jan 9, 2010)

Ultimate Nitecore piston care ...

Polish with one fingertip full of this ... then lube the o ring with Krytox 50/50 = absolute *mirror* finish and ultimate buttery smoothness :twothumbs

I just did this in 2 minutes w/my finger, and wiped away the residue with a paper towel.
Check out that mirror finish and my fingernail reflection -_ I know I see the smudge too._














_Billet Metal Polish takes our world famous metal polish technology to a whole new level. State of the art cleaners and cutting edge formulation give your billet, forged and finely cast aluminum, brass and other polishable metals the absolute finest finish available—guaranteed._

_*polish should turn as black as coal when being rubbed in - this IS normal._


----------



## Henk_Lu (Jan 9, 2010)

Unfortunately it isn't possible to polish the inside of the body (as it is too small for a long enough finger)...

I guess the result would be better if you polished both sides of the potential contact surfaces!


----------



## pm91 (Jan 9, 2010)

I've never used Billet before. Is it about the same as Flitz or is something different (better)?

Thanks,
p


----------



## timbo114 (Jan 9, 2010)

I think it's much better.
It has the look, feel, and consistency of Noxema skin cream.
Very light and a little goes a long way.

Mothers unconditionally guarantees Billet is the best polish you'll ever use on any polishable metal surface.

I can vouch for that statement. *Search Google for it and read the reviews.


----------



## Bass (Jan 9, 2010)

Just received a response from HKequipment. The latest batch of D10 XP-E (not SP) are now black, not olive.


----------



## Phantom502 (Jan 9, 2010)

Bass said:


> Just received a response from HKequipment. The latest batch of D10 XP-E (not SP) are now black, not olive.



That is what another seller in the area told me also when I placed my order. I got an email back saying he only had black and was waiting for the color I ordered which was ??Olive?? I was hesitant to except black but was assured it was the same and I like black. Time will tell. My light was just shipped on the 7th of January. Hope to receive the light by the end of the month.


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 12, 2010)

Info updated on the introduction part under "VERSIONS".


----------



## Illumination (Jan 12, 2010)

Awesome review; thanks! 

This one gave me a walk down memory lane. My old D10 Q5 is my most used light, not withstanding it's crappy beam profile with all it's Cree rings (I usually use a Poland Spring water bottle makeshift diffuser.). I just love the Piston design - smaller than a clickie, quiet and durable. Bravo Don!

I never realized that the designation SP was used before the new UI came along. I don't mind the new UI as I was never a fan of continuous variable output. 

Has anyone heard of any plans to offer this in XPG-R5? Maybe it is finally time to shed the rings.


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 12, 2010)

Illumination said:


> Has anyone heard of any plans to offer this in XPG-R5? Maybe it is finally time to shed the rings.



Check out the beam shots, the rings have been eliminated with XP-E and revised reflector. :naughty:

But yeah, we still hope it's going to be updated to R5 too.


----------



## Kenix (Jan 13, 2010)

How often do you guys perform routine maintenance on your D10s?


----------



## Henk_Lu (Jan 13, 2010)

Kenix said:


> How often do you guys perform routine maintenance on your D10s?



Until now I've done it each time I got another D10... 

In future, it'll be done when I feel or see it's needed. Depends on how the light is used, EDC, pocket carry, dirty conditions or just in the house.

Best is probably, to have a look at the threads and inside the head when you change the battery, the same time you can check how easy the piston moves or take it out and inspect it. The o-ring doesn't need much lube to work, if you overlube, it'll stick on top of the body, less is more here!


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 13, 2010)

:welcome: Kenix.

Out of habit and necessity, once a new D10 is in my hands, I'd remove the factory lubricant and lightly lube the piston's o-ring for smoother operation. There's no particular interval for maintenance, sometimes I'll just lube the threads and o-rings if I see them dried up or when the contact ring has some residue from its contact with the body. Actually, I find it an enjoyment, and not a chore, to do maintenance on lights.


----------



## NutSAK (Jan 13, 2010)

I replace the factory grease also. I have a D10 from the first batch that I carry almost daily, and after removing the factory grease and substituting Nano-Oil, I haven't had to do anything but clean the dust off and apply more lube to the o-ring at the head. I check to see that the oil is still there on the piston o-ring on occasion, and I have never had to add any.


----------



## Kenix (Jan 13, 2010)

Thanks for the welcome! I found my way over here from bladeforums -> edcforums -> CPF 

Still on the fence about my first serious light. I'm liking the D10 for its size, aesthetics, and most importantly DEEP pocket clip. Can't stand the ones that 4sevens is putting on the Quarks. Just have to decide whether or not I should jump on the last of the ramping UIs, or just opt for the SP. Third option would be to wait for the XP-G I suppose, but I could always follow rule #1...

On a side note, where can the lowest price for the D10 clips be found? Shine on :twothumbs


----------



## timbo114 (Jan 13, 2010)

Zeruel,

Thank you for this thread.
Your encyclopedic info and photos are the reason I purchased my D10


----------



## jslappa (Jan 13, 2010)

Kenix said:


> On a side note, where can the lowest price for the D10 clips be found? Shine on :twothumbs


 
Battery Junction has them for $5


----------



## FAAbUlights (Jan 13, 2010)

Great job! I do have to say the D10 has yet to be out done by another light for my EDC needs. Especially since the Piston design allows for safer operation in Hazardous Locations. I am an aircraft mechanic and this particular light is so nice to have while performing maintenance.


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 14, 2010)

Thanks all for the encouragement. 
Hope it's as informative to you as it is enjoyable for me putting it together.

Incoming are some purchases for distributor's hybrid D10s. 
Will report if there're any big differences.


----------



## the.Mtn.Man (Jan 15, 2010)

What are the actual OTF lumens of the SP 2nd edition?


----------



## Prat (Jan 15, 2010)

Simply superb job Zeruel! :thumbsup: Instant subscription thread, especially as I am looking to perhaps purchase one of these beauties.


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 17, 2010)

"Hybrid" D10 is added to "VERSIONS".


----------



## emitor (Jan 17, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> "Hybrid" D10 is added to "VERSIONS".



Dear Zeruel,

thank You very much for Your great revision about D10s. Based on it I chose my first D10 (and my second flashlight at all).
Thank You.

Now please be so nice and tell us what the difference between these two versions is:
SP R2 1st Edition (XP-E) – Black. Ramping UI.
R2 (XP-E) – Black. Ramping UI. (Limited run ordered by distributor)

Is it only the red circuit board?


And on the beginning of the review you write:
The 1st Edition has the same hardware as the ramping R2, the only physical difference as far as I can tell, is the marking on the head and the color of the circuit board.

I guess another difference is the emitter (XP-E R2, while in the ramping R2 was the XR-E R2).


Oh and one more question:
Is the runtime of the "hybrid" identical to the SP 2nd edition? I mean the low low brightness setting - whether it is 50 hours or 100 hours...


Thank You for Your great review.


----------



## pm91 (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks from me as well. I didn't buy a D10, but I bought a Nitecore Defender Infinity (not sure how much difference there is) and I just bought a regular production model from Battery Junction.


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 18, 2010)

emitor said:


> Now please be so nice and tell us what the difference between these two versions is:
> SP R2 1st Edition (XP-E) – Black. Ramping UI.
> R2 (XP-E) – Black. Ramping UI. (Limited run ordered by distributor)


 I meant to say SP R2 1st Edition (XP-E) – Black. New UI. It's updated.




emitor said:


> Is it only the red circuit board?


All the newer D10s (after SP is introduced) have red circuit boards, even the hybrids.




emitor said:


> And on the beginning of the review you write:
> The 1st Edition has the same hardware as the ramping R2, the only physical difference as far as I can tell, is the marking on the head and the color of the circuit board.
> 
> I guess another difference is the emitter (XP-E R2, while in the ramping R2 was the XR-E R2).


Yup, although there's a batch of XR-E for Hybrid D10s using the new hardware. (see list)




emitor said:


> Oh and one more question:
> Is the runtime of the "hybrid" identical to the SP 2nd edition? I mean the low low brightness setting - whether it is 50 hours or 100 hours...


According to Nitecore, the SP generates 100 hours (primary) and Ramping version gives you 45 hours.




pm91 said:


> Thanks from me as well. I didn't buy a D10, but I bought a Nitecore Defender Infinity (not sure how much difference there is) and I just bought a regular production model from Battery Junction.


D10 and NDI are two different lights although both uses AA and contact ring in the head. D10 operates everything through its piston drive system (one-hand operation) whereas NDI uses the conventional clicky (with rubber boot) and requires head loosening/tightening for mode switching (two-hand operation).


----------



## pm91 (Jan 19, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> D10 and NDI are two different lights although both uses AA and contact ring in the head. D10 operates everything through its piston drive system (one-hand operation) whereas NDI uses the conventional clicky (with rubber boot) and requires head loosening/tightening for mode switching (two-hand operation).


 
Oh great, I "biffed" that up. I wanted a Piston Drive. No wonder why everyone buys so many different lights. I hope I can leave the head in one mode/position.


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 20, 2010)

That said, NDI is also a great light. :thumbsup:
It's good if you always need it for single mode with the flexibility to adjust output and activate strobe only when you need it. I also find the the military design and crenelated bezel to exude character. The only gripe I have is that it doesn't come with a clip. D10 appeals in a different way, basically 2 sides of the same coin.


----------



## pm91 (Jan 20, 2010)

Zeruel, thanks for your input. I guess I didn't make a terrible bad decision. I like the D10 very much, but I think my next light is 2x123 with 200+ lumens, I have no idea which one and NiteCore doesn't make one. Does a lithium AA and a 2x123 lithium have the same or similar storage life when installed in a flashlight? Thanks, paul


----------



## Henk_Lu (Jan 20, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> The only gripe I have is that it doesn't come with a clip. D10 appeals in a different way, basically 2 sides of the same coin.



I want to have clips on all my D10 (and EX10), unfortunately, only the new special versions come with a clip installed.

While I mounted a few of these clips already without major problems, the last 3 ones drove me mad!  I tried during an hour to install each clip, until the threads of the backplates were definetely killed. I just never came to the point where one screw was fixed enough not to jump out again, but not that far to not let the second one engage the threads. You really have to fumble around with those tiny little screws, but surprisingly my first clips were on after a few minutes.

My flashlight dealer's so king to send me a few spare backplates, I hope those will be better! The material is too soft, so that threads eventually get killed. I also guess that I couldn't just get the right angle for the second screw to get a grip, applying force to press the clip (which hasn't the right shape for any of the lights) against the body didn't work either, good-bye threads... 

They really should offer all the lights with clips installed, taking them off is quite easy!


----------



## Zeruel (Jan 20, 2010)

My gripe with the clip refers to NDI, ie their lack of a clip. :duh2:

For your difficulty in D10's clip installation, all you have to do is to slightly bend the circumference of the clip's top portion (not the back-plate), then try to install again, should be easier.


----------



## computernut (Jan 20, 2010)

Thanks for the great review Zeruel! I've now hinted for a D10 from my fiancee for my birthday in March


----------



## jslappa (Jan 20, 2010)

computernut said:


> Thanks for the great review Zeruel! I've now hinted for a D10 from my fiancee for my birthday in March


 
You won't regret it! Even the SP versions available right now are actually not bad lights (UI-wise). I have so many D10's and EX10's (at least 20 now) that I had to buy a Pelican 1510 case to house them all.
we want pics when you get it!


----------



## MattK (Feb 5, 2010)

OK guys - this thread got me going...

We have a special version coming for you guys - about 1 week. 

*D10 Tribute Edition*
-R2
-Ramping UI
-Tritium Slot
-Clip included/installed

Zeruel - PM me your address/email and you get one for review and as a thanks for the inspiration.


----------



## Simon520 (Feb 5, 2010)

WOOO HOOO!!!

Whut color is the new D10 Tribute gonna be?
:twothumbs


----------



## LED_Thrift (Feb 5, 2010)

MattK said:


> OK guys - this thread got me going...
> We have a special version coming for you guys - about 1 week.
> *D10 Tribute Edition*
> -R2
> ...


Way to go Matt. Nice gesture!


----------



## NutSAK (Feb 5, 2010)

MattK said:


> OK guys - this thread got me going...
> 
> We have a special version coming for you guys - about 1 week.
> 
> ...



Excellent Matt, thank you!. BatteryJunction rocks! :rock:


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 5, 2010)

MattK said:


> OK guys - this thread got me going...
> 
> We have a special version coming for you guys - about 1 week.
> 
> ...



Nice!


----------



## pm91 (Feb 5, 2010)

Way cool! Thanks Matt!


----------



## MattK (Feb 5, 2010)

Sure thing


----------



## pm91 (Feb 5, 2010)

Matt,
Do you know if the R2 version is brighter than the GDP+ version? Are there any GDP+ around and are they worth purchasing?
Thanks,
Paul


----------



## MattK (Feb 5, 2010)

That's a question for someone like Zeruel. I know the factory still has GDP's and I know no one has ever asked us for one since we took over in the USA so....


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Feb 5, 2010)

What's ..... GDP ..... in flashlight speak

It's not Gross domestic product


----------



## MattK (Feb 5, 2010)

Golden Dragon Plus - an Osram LED that was in the 100L/W range.


----------



## Zeruel (Feb 5, 2010)

pm91 said:


> Matt,
> Do you know if the R2 version is brighter than the GDP+ version? Are there any GDP+ around and are they worth purchasing?
> Thanks,
> Paul



The technical specs for GD+ is 130 lumens and 145 lumens for R2. And visually, R2 appears just a tad brighter because of a better focused hotspot. If you prefer a smooth beam, then GD+ is worth getting over the R2, which is better for throw. However, the latest batches of D10 are using R2 XP-E, whose smooth beam profile is almost on par with GD+'s. I would say it falls somewhere in-between GD+ and R2 (XR-E). 







But GD+ is no longer available unless Matt decides to get some in. Alternatively, you can look out for it in MP.


----------



## richardh (Feb 5, 2010)

MattK said:


> OK guys - this thread got me going...
> 
> We have a special version coming for you guys - about 1 week.
> 
> ...



Oh that's great. I just ordered a D10 SP after emailing BatteryJunction and asking them if they will have a ramping version and not getting a response. I like my D10. I'd rather have the ramping version or at least a version with the quick access to low and max. :sigh:

Maybe I'll get another one with the money I was saving for a Quark. :mecry:

Richard


----------



## Light11 (Feb 7, 2010)

MattK said:


> OK guys - this thread got me going...
> 
> We have a special version coming for you guys - about 1 week.
> 
> ...


:twothumbs Matt, that's a nice gesture.


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 11, 2010)

Any updates yet on when we can order?


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 11, 2010)




----------



## joepa150 (Feb 11, 2010)

Igor Porto said:


>


 
Is that the new special edition ramping D10?


----------



## Sector7 (Feb 11, 2010)

I don't think so, the hybrid special order by dealer with ramping is labeled "Smart PD D10 R2"


----------



## guiri (Feb 11, 2010)

Nice gesture indeed. I wish more people would do this (and I'm sure some do but I haven't really seen it before). Some of the guys here put an incredible amount of time into reviews and stuff.

Matt, any linky to this new light?

George


----------



## MattK (Feb 12, 2010)

No - the TRIBUTE edition is plain dark HAIII, and has a SS clip installed - plus the trit slot.

As Sector 7 noted it's marked 'Smart PD D10 R2' on one side and 'TRIBUTE' on the other.

Arrived today BTW.


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Prices and pics Matt?

George


----------



## csshih (Feb 12, 2010)




----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Craig, eating all that popcorn is gonna make you fat :green:


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Feb 12, 2010)

Naaa ..... he'll just be lite and Fluffy .


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Like Gabriel Iglesias...?

I'm not fat, I'm fluffy...


----------



## Moonshadow (Feb 12, 2010)

Matt - is the R2 LED an XP-E or XR-E ?


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 12, 2010)

joepa150 said:


> Is that the new special edition ramping D10?



No, this one has the new interface, which I don't like. You can buy it and swap the circuits/emitter, but I've always been afraid of disassembling my Nitecores.
But you can still find the ramping UI interface in a couple of stores and eBay, although they all have the new XPE-R2 LED.


----------



## Surnia (Feb 12, 2010)

Henk_Lu said:


> Do I need this light? No, not at all!
> 
> I'll place my order tomorrow...
> 
> ...



So the tritium slot is a 2x8mm? 

Which piston design is it, is it the newer one with the o-ring around the button piece, or is it the older design with the o-ring around the piston?

...I'm so tempted to hit that purchase button....

*edit* alright I hit the purchase button...
anyone have a trit colour recommendation? I'm leaning to ice blue, white or yellow...


----------



## itora (Feb 12, 2010)

Matt, just purchased my D10. What color are they?


----------



## MattK (Feb 12, 2010)

Moonshadow said:


> Matt - is the R2 LED an XP-E or XR-E ?


XP-E



Igor Porto said:


> No, this one has the new interface, which I don't like. You can buy it and swap the circuits/emitter, but I've always been afraid of disassembling my Nitecores.
> But you can still find the ramping UI interface in a couple of stores and eBay, although they all have the new XPE-R2 LED.


The TRIBUTE Edition is ramping.



itora said:


> Matt, just purchased my D10. What color are they?


Dark HA - they call it dark brown but it looks black to me. NC has 2 standard HA colors - a lighter gray HA and the dark one these have


----------



## Dioni (Feb 12, 2010)




----------



## ironhorse (Feb 12, 2010)

How fast is the ramping on the D10 Tribute? Is it as fast as the original R2?


----------



## MattK (Feb 12, 2010)

It's the exact same circuit.


----------



## Light11 (Feb 12, 2010)

Is there gonna be an Ex10 Tribute ?


----------



## Henk_Lu (Feb 12, 2010)

Surnia said:


> So the tritium slot is a 2x8mm?



No, the slot is much bigger, otherwise it would be impossible to fit a vial of 2x8mm in! 



> Which piston design is it, is it the newer one with the o-ring around the button piece, or is it the older design with the o-ring around the piston?



It is the new design, the only "old" thing on it is the ramping UI. I wish they would make old style pistons with trit slots, I'd be in for a few of them!



> ...I'm so tempted to hit that purchase button....
> 
> *edit* alright I hit the purchase button...
> anyone have a trit colour recommendation? I'm leaning to ice blue, white or yellow...



I recommend green and ice-blue and nothing else!


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 12, 2010)

Where would one buy the tritium vials?


----------



## Light11 (Feb 12, 2010)

I recommend Ice blue .


----------



## F250XLT (Feb 12, 2010)

What a kick *** OP, bravo to you for one of the best threads EVER :twothumbs


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 12, 2010)

Order just placed :thumbsup:


----------



## maskman (Feb 12, 2010)

I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever pull the trigger. Hooray!



joepa150 said:


> Order just placed :thumbsup:


----------



## Henk_Lu (Feb 12, 2010)

Henk_Lu said:


> I recommend green and ice-blue and nothing else!





joepa150 said:


> Where would one buy the tritium vials?



That was my point : I know of no other place than [email protected]'s Tritium Thread on the MP to buy them and today he posted that the factory had lost his mails and that he reordered (a few more...).

There'll be green and ice-blue, but it'll take a while, a few weeks or a little longer. [email protected] will give us an ETA as soon as he has it. I hope my Norland61 will survive until then... :sigh:


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 12, 2010)

maskman said:


> I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever pull the trigger. Hooray!


 
I know me too.

Now I have to figure out what battery and charger to get.


----------



## nakahoshi (Feb 12, 2010)

Order Placed this morning, and I already got my shipping notice:naughty:

I just want to say that this is one hell of a thread, Zeruel, GREAT JOB!:twothumbs
Thanks for answering my questions, and thanks for pointing me in the right direction to purchase a ramping R2 D10 

haha... I procrastinated for too long, and then Matt came to rescue!

Thanks to Zeruel and MattK! 

lovecpf




-Bobby


----------



## gunga (Feb 12, 2010)

So just checking, the tribute D10 is basically a hybrid D10 with the new body, original circuit, and slotted piston with o-ring in new place?

Pretty neat, too bad about the shipping options to Canada...


----------



## Surnia (Feb 12, 2010)

Henk_Lu said:


> That was my point : I know of no other place than [email protected]'s Tritium Thread on the MP to buy them and today he posted that the factory had lost his mails and that he reordered (a few more...).
> 
> There'll be green and ice-blue, but it'll take a while, a few weeks or a little longer. [email protected] will give us an ETA as soon as he has it. I hope my Norland61 will survive until then... :sigh:



yup I just saw that one... looks like it'll be ice blue when [email protected] gets the order in!

now I need to get myself some norland61.... and tomato has just run out...

*edit* forgot to say thanks Henk for the information above!



gunga said:


> *snip*
> 
> Pretty neat, too bad about the shipping options to Canada...



I'm from Canada as well, but I went with the shipping anyway, as I need more Eneloops as well! Costco's changed their eneloop package and I certainly don't need 6 more AA cells (I need the AAAs, which the package only has 2 of...)


----------



## RocketTomato (Feb 12, 2010)

And I just ordered a Camo D10 SP.  I have a feeling these are going to go really quick. PP incoming.

Henk Lu, I have some Norland 61 that is 6 months past its labeled expiration date and it is still usable.


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 12, 2010)

So [email protected] is the only source of Tritium Vials? Why would Nitecore put a slot there for Tritium Vial but only one source to buy the vials from? There has got to be another way of getting them.

I guess I will wait for [email protected] but when I ordered the D10 Tribute Edition, I figured I can go only and have a dozen or so places I can buy them from.


----------



## Surnia (Feb 12, 2010)

joepa150 said:


> So [email protected] is the only source of Tritium Vials? Why would Nitecore put a slot there for Tritium Vial but only one source to buy the vials from? There has got to be another way of getting them.
> 
> I guess I will wait for [email protected] but when I ordered the D10 Tribute Edition, I figured I can go only and have a dozen or so places I can buy them from.



oddly enough I just googled "tritium 2x8mm" and came up with a ton of places talking about it from various forums.... but they all link back to [email protected] as a source for their vials.


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Question from a dumba$$

I have the original D10 and love the ramping interface as it's simple enough for me to use. This one has the SAME interface, right?

Can I put in the vial myself and also, is there someone I could ship the light to to put the vial in for me?

How much are vials?

Would someone be interested in my original D10 (should I decide to pull the trigger on this one)? If so, PM me with an offer. It's in good to great condition and barely used. Any wear on it would be from sitting on the counter and being picked up and put down on the counter. Hell, I might keep it but the problem is, money 
Gettin' ready to clear out my whole collection and to be more selective with my purchases in the future. Generally, no lights that don't have a super low mode and simple interfaces other than of course if I buy something really high powered.

By the way, how is output and runtime with eneloops compared to protected lithium-ion R14500's?

George


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 12, 2010)

Surnia said:


> oddly enough I just googled "tritium 2x8mm" and came up with a ton of places talking about it from various forums.... but they all link back to [email protected] as a source for their vials.



I am still researching. Once we get the tritium vial, it doesn't seem so simple to install properly. It looks like a lot of people are using Norland 61 which is about $30 if you buy it. You can buy some from a CPF member RocketTomato starting at $7.50 but right now he is all out.

I am excited for my Tribute D10 but it seems like the Tritium insert is not the easiest thing to do. At first I thought the Tribute edition was going to come with it in already. Now I find out that there is very few sources to buy the vials from. Now I find out that you can't just use any old glue/epoxy but the $30 kind.


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Booo, that puts a damper on my order too but I'm still interested.

Could I get a reply on my questions by someone please as I may want to order one of these and by the way, I just sold my D10 or rather, it's spoken for if I decide to get one of these as as soon as I get a confirmation on the questions I have.

THanks


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 12, 2010)

I could be wrong so don't go by what I have to say.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as far as buying the tritium, and installing it?


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Yeah, tritium guidance please.

From what I understand, it IS the same interface so just need tritium info myself and just for the hell of it, the 14500 question.

By the way, will the 14500's work in the original D10?


----------



## Surnia (Feb 12, 2010)

yes original D10s could use 14500, its one of those flashlights I've been wanting for a while but could never justify purchasing one beyond the tk-566 I have... until the tribute came out. I still can't justify it fully, aside from it being my birthday last week. Now I just need to figure out if I want a D20, LF3XT + 2AA tube, or an iTP SA2 for my bike.... 

I think the tritium thing has always been like that, It just so happens that BOTH suppliers for both materials just happen to have ran out before MattK could get the Tribute out.


----------



## Sector7 (Feb 12, 2010)

guiri said:


> By the way, will the 14500's work in the original D10?


 
Yes


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Thank you boys. Now all I have to do is find someone to cram that trit in the D10 for me and I'll order one


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Feb 12, 2010)

But some PRO-tected 14500's were said to be too long , and caused malfunction problems of the piston/button ... so be aware . I found Eneloop NiMh cells to be just as bright as 14500's .

Study the Old original D10 threads to discover what cells caused problems and how they could be overcome with modifications.

I expect the cycle of questions/problems/help me post's to start again ... unless they study the past .

All your answers are in those previous D10 threads. (I use a DLG non-protected 14500 cell.) Shorter cells work the best for proper piston travel .
.


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Well, if my eneloops work great in my current D10, they should do the same in this one ,right?

Now all I have to do is find someone to trit the hell outta it for me


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Feb 12, 2010)

Yes ... eneloops work ... but seem slightly longer than 14500's .


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Still bright enough for me but yeah, this is cool. I love my D10 by the way. Just want one of these for the trit


----------



## Surnia (Feb 12, 2010)

TooManyGizmos said:


> Yes ... eneloops work ... but expect dimmer than 14500's .




I'm already fully set up with eneloops + a Maha C9000, and I've never used a Lithium cell... never having played with them, the Eneloops are bright enough for me!


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Yeah, I have something like 100 eneloops and 7 chargers so I'm set too 

Matter of fact, trying to find someone that wants to trade a few AAA's for chargers. I don't have enough AAA's

So, eneloops don't necessarily have to have the eneloop chargers?


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Feb 12, 2010)

SORRY .... I'd like to correct myself......

I just went and checked again ... I WAS WRONG .

You'll be glad to know I saw NO diff. in brightness between Eneloops and 14500 .

Going back to EDIT my previous post .... now .
.


----------



## guiri (Feb 12, 2010)

Cool, and yes, it does make me happy since I have so many eneloops 

Thanks


----------



## RocketTomato (Feb 13, 2010)

guiri said:


> Now all I have to do is find someone to trit the hell outta it for me



PM Sent.

One important thing to note is that it is illegal to distribute tritium within the United States without the proper certification. That is why the US version is sold with the slot empty. Outside of the US, you can buy the camo SP D10 version with the tritium pre-installed, although I think they only offer green trits.

Also, you do *not* need to use Norland to install the tritium. You can use Devcon 30 minute epoxy as well or some other clear epoxy. Norland is preferred because it does not yellow over time and is extremely clear. Norland, among its many uses, is normally used to bond optical lenses together where optical purity is of paramount importance.


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Feb 13, 2010)

My shortest unprotected 14500 is DLG(blue) Flattop ... so Flat-top's work.

Unprotected UltraFire 14500(blue) ... will work .

BUT PROtected UltraFire 14500(gray) ... WON'T work ... it is too long.

All my NiMh rechargeables work just fine .
.


----------



## guiri (Feb 13, 2010)

Thanks Rocket


----------



## Surnia (Feb 13, 2010)

guiri said:


> Yeah, I have something like 100 eneloops and 7 chargers so I'm set too
> 
> Matter of fact, trying to find someone that wants to trade a few AAA's for chargers. I don't have enough AAA's
> 
> So, eneloops don't necessarily have to have the eneloop chargers?



not at all, they absolutely love the Maha (with the exception that the negative terminal side seems to love peeling the battery label slightly on the AAs). I have one of those MQN-06 chargers, and I dont like the idea that they'll be unbalanced if i don't track them properly. My memory is horrible, and I'd rather not have premature cell death...


----------



## guiri (Feb 13, 2010)

Well, I just charge and go on. I know I shouldn't but hell, I'm too disorganized and too stupid to do anything else.


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 13, 2010)

RocketTomato said:


> PM Sent.
> 
> One important thing to note is that it is illegal to distribute tritium within the United States without the proper certification. That is why the US version is sold with the slot empty. Outside of the US, you can buy the camo SP D10 version with the tritium pre-installed, although I think they only offer green trits.
> 
> Also, you do *not* need to use Norland to install the tritium. You can use Devcon 30 minute epoxy as well or some other clear epoxy. Norland is preferred because it does not yellow over time and is extremely clear. Norland, among its many uses, is normally used to bond optical lenses together where optical purity is of paramount importance.




How yellow is yellow?

How long would that take?

If it was 15 years from now then who cares. If it was 5 years from now then that would matter to me if it gets noticeably yellow.


----------



## Henk_Lu (Feb 13, 2010)

gunga said:


> Pretty neat, too bad about the shipping options to Canada...





nakahoshi said:


> Order Placed this morning, and I already got my shipping notice:naughty:



I placed my order yesterday and still got no shipping notice! 

While placing the order, I also hesitated, the shipping costs are OK if you buy two lights or more, but they are really huge for one single light. I really would preffer a cheaper option, knowing that it increases delivery time and potential risks... :candle:


----------



## guiri (Feb 13, 2010)

Henk, how much did they charge you for shipping to Lux?


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 13, 2010)

Matt,

Just saw the pics on your website! I can't wait to get it. I looks sweet.


----------



## guiri (Feb 13, 2010)

Matt's right. I'm a foreigner and I've had this problem for many years. It's always a pain


----------



## Surnia (Feb 13, 2010)

Hack On Wheels said:


> Interesting, but understandable. I was looking at buying a clip for my D10 but noticed the shipping cost would dwarf the cost of the clip. Would it be more hassle than it's worth to make exceptions and ship small items like that first class uninsured? [On that note, do you know when you will have the clips back in stock?]
> 
> Also, great job getting the ramping UI available on the D10 again! Is this a very limited thing or will this be available for a while?




I believe mattK mentioned that the initial run would be 100 units, and a second run for another 100...


----------



## Hack On Wheels (Feb 13, 2010)

Surnia said:


> I believe mattK mentioned that the initial run would be 100 units, and a second run for another 100...



Thanks! Must have missed that when I read through earlier.


----------



## RocketTomato (Feb 14, 2010)

joepa150 said:


> How yellow is yellow?
> 
> How long would that take?
> 
> If it was 15 years from now then who cares. If it was 5 years from now then that would matter to me if it gets noticeably yellow.



In regards to the Devcon epoxy, I am not 100% sure but likely much less then 5 years. It really depends on how much heat and UV it is exposed to. (Heat and UV make the Norland stronger and it will not yellow.) I read on the web somewhere a while ago a fisherman using the Devcon for making lures. IIRC, he mentioned it would yellow over the course of the summer or two.

Maybe someone who has used Devcon or other epoxies can comment on this.

Also, you do not need to install a trit. Glow powder is also a nice alternative. [email protected]'s trits are awesome though, and you will not be disappointed if you get one.


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Feb 14, 2010)

Can the newly designed pistons be used in the original design bodies ? ( O-ring location)

In other words - Are ALL D-10 parts interchangeable ( no matter when it was made ? )

Does this also include ALL pistons slotted for trits ? (different manufacturers/tolerences)

Have any measurements been changed over time ?

Can there eventually be FIT issues due to interchanging parts ?

.


----------



## RocketTomato (Feb 14, 2010)

TooManyGizmos said:


> Can the newly designed pistons be used in the original design bodies ? ( O-ring location)
> 
> In other words - Are ALL D-10 parts interchangeable ( no matter when it was made ? )
> 
> ...



No, the new pistons cannot be used in the old bodies and vice-versa.

The heads, however, are interchangeable.


----------



## hapsen (Feb 14, 2010)

wow... nice light

for someone who is new to the whole flashlight world, its quite hard to decide which light to get :mecry:


----------



## Henk_Lu (Feb 14, 2010)

RocketTomato said:


> No, the new pistons cannot be used in the old bodies and vice-versa.
> 
> The heads, however, are interchangeable.



So, the question is how much a body with a piston would cost, if they can be sourced from Nitecore?

I see a huge market on CPF for slotted pistons though, they were available once, but I don't know if they were done by Nitecore or modded by someone else...

Whatever, I'd be in for 1 x D10 (piston or body with piston) and 4 x EX10 piston with a trit slot, no matter the size of the slots!


----------



## guiri (Feb 14, 2010)

hapsen said:


> wow... nice light
> 
> for someone who is new to the whole flashlight world, its quite hard to decide which light to get :mecry:



That's why you do what everyone else does, buy'em all! :devil:

Oh, and if you think I"m kidding, check out the lists of what some of the more hardcore guys have... :naughty:


----------



## hapsen (Feb 14, 2010)

the problem is the money..
my budget right now is max 200$ and i cant even decide what type of flashlight i want :green:


----------



## LG&M (Feb 14, 2010)

I would love to get the tribute D10. I wish I could swing the money right now. Thanks for the thread and the tribute light. I love the one D10 I do have.


----------



## guiri (Feb 14, 2010)

Hapsen, you can get quite a bit of stuff for 200 bucks


----------



## computernut (Feb 14, 2010)

My fiancee got me a D10 Camo Edition for Valentine's Day. I'm really liking it, I EDC'd it all day and probably used it about 10 times. I would prefer a beacon instead of the strobe. I've accidently locked it out a couple of times but a quick triple-tap unlocks it. Perfect size and fits well clipped on my front pocket. Overall I'm quite impressed!

After my next paycheck I'll probably put in an order for a Tribute Edition to try out the ramping.

lovecpf


----------



## hatman (Feb 15, 2010)

gunga said:


> So just checking, the tribute D10 is basically a hybrid D10 with the new body, original circuit, and slotted piston with o-ring in new place?
> 
> Pretty neat, too bad about the shipping options to Canada...




Has anyone been able to verify that the Tribute is a hybrid, with new body and original circuit?


----------



## Henk_Lu (Feb 15, 2010)

hatman said:


> Has anyone been able to verify that the Tribute is a hybrid, with new body and original circuit?



I'm pretty sure Matt verified upon receiving the lights...


----------



## jslappa (Feb 15, 2010)

Yes, MattK verified that it's the old UI (tribute) and the new piston.


----------



## hatman (Feb 15, 2010)

jslappa said:


> Yes, MattK verified that it's the old UI (tribute) and the new piston.



Old UI, new piston, plus installed clip -- what's not to like!


----------



## nakahoshi (Feb 15, 2010)

I will have one in hand tomorrow

Cant wait!
-Bobby


----------



## MattK (Feb 15, 2010)

*Confirmed: New piston/physical design + old UI + clip + tritium slot*


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Feb 15, 2010)

Hi MattK,

How or why is the new piston design better than the old piston design ? Why did they change it ?

Would this give us incentive to buy the "Tribute" model , even if we still have the original model ?

I never understood why they changed the placement of the O-ring on piston .
.


----------



## MattK (Feb 15, 2010)

Let me quote from the bible on this one.. 



Zeruel said:


> Whereas for the 2nd Edition SP, the distinct physical change is the relocation of the piston o-ring and the recess in which this o-ring operates. The new position of the o-ring is supposedly to make activation easier compare to the previous versions with which users found it stiffer to depress. By comparing the activation between the old and new pistons, I feel no difference in the ease of activation. However, I did clean and lubricate the older pistons before using. The ease of activation from the new SP is evident out-of-the-box. However, doing a double click to get SOS and a click & hold to get Strobe require slightly more effort now because of a longer traverse and a sluggish reaction from the o-ring.



Remember these notes refer to the SP version - the TRIBUTE has no SOS/Strobe. Your clicking repeatedly only for 'instant' access to bottom or top output levels.


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks Matt ........

"supposedly to make activation easier"

I guess they never made an official explanation .

I guess it had nothing to do with water-proofing .
.


----------



## bansuri (Feb 16, 2010)

*Nitecore D10 Tribute?*

I saw this on BatteryJunction and was considering it as a future purchase as I miss my D10-R2. I can't see anything to indicate that it is anything more than the normal D10-R2 with a clip and trit tube. Anyone buy this yet?
I'd hate to get it and it would instead be the new UI or be refurb.
They'll probably be gone by the time I get the cash but I miss the old D10 and this one comes with clip AND trit slot!
I can't imagine the day too soon where this light seems quaint and old-timey like the lights of 3 or 4 years ago, but I could be wrong. Will 145 lumens out of an AA ever seem weak?
Oh well, just wondering if anyone has bought this yet and if they'd care to share their impressions.


----------



## Hack On Wheels (Feb 16, 2010)

*Re: Nitecore D10 Tribute?*

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/255627&page=8

My understanding is new body/piston with XP-E emitter, old ramping UI... and, of course, the trit slot and clip.


----------



## bansuri (Feb 16, 2010)

*Re: Nitecore D10 Tribute?*



Hack On Wheels said:


> https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/255627&page=8
> 
> My understanding is new body/piston with XP-E emitter, old ramping UI... and, of course, the trit slot and clip.



LOL! I had read that thread when it first came out and it started as a Tribute to the D10. The Tribute _version_ hadn't been released yet and the first post hadn't been updated to show any impressions. The 2 links that came up from a search of nitecore tribute didn't have anything useful in the preview.
My bad.
Anyway, thanks for the link, Hackonwheels. It looks like it may be a good opportunity to get a D10 before the old style is all gone.


----------



## Zeruel (Feb 16, 2010)

On top of ease of activation, I believe the water-proofing is slightly better too.
Upon inspection, there is a what appears like a 0.5mm gap between the piston button and the body for the previous D10. This might allow smaller particles like fine sand to enter and remain in the space between the o-ring and the entry point. For the new piston system, the gap is almost negligible and with the o-ring higher up, chances of dirt and water residue remaining in the tail portion is minimized.


----------



## Zeruel (Feb 16, 2010)

*Re: Nitecore D10 Tribute?*

Bansuri, the Tribute Edition will be identical to the hybrids. 
This D10 is not a totally new model, but Matt's gracious gesture to a tribute and for CPFers who desire the ramping UI. So, it will not have the "new UI" (SP).

But if you're require a review, I'll be updating the post with my impression once I get it.


----------



## bansuri (Feb 16, 2010)

*Re: Nitecore D10 Tribute?*



Zeruel said:


> But if you're require a review, I'll be updating the post with my impression once I get it.



I looked around on the thread, looks like a great buy. You've got one coming, eh? :twothumbs I'll be ordering one also if they're still around next week.

It's been discussed ad nauseum, but once you've tasted variable output it's hard to go back to fixed. Flashlights aid me when I work on things at the shop or at home and being limited to fixed outputs is a bother. For the most part I've pared it down to lights with variable outputs, but the full body knurling and quick access to ramping makes the D10 a winner. 
Foolishly sold my first one thinking I was making a step up. Was wrong.


----------



## eyeeatingfish (Feb 16, 2010)

*Re: Nitecore D10 Tribute?*

Im still waiting for over 2 months to get my D10 back from warranty repair....


----------



## jslappa (Feb 16, 2010)

*Re: Nitecore D10 Tribute?*



eyeeatingfish said:


> Im still waiting for over 2 months to get my D10 back from warranty repair....


 
Holy Fish...eye....eating Batman! 2 months is a long time to wait. I suggest you buy a Tribute to hold you over until your precious returns.


----------



## jslappa (Feb 16, 2010)

I was 2 days late to the party in ordering the Tribute, and I was hoping to see a real-life shot of the Tribute in this thread already. Zeruel, still waiting on yours too? 

Oh, and I've gotta say thanks to Nick, who added the CPF discount to my order without my knowlege. Nice little bonus there. We are already getting the clip AND a slotted piston that cost $20 elsewhere. I may have to buy 5 or 6 more. 

Wait until you see the new paint job on some of m D10's and EX10's. They are amazing. The Flat Dark Earth D10 is one hot number!


----------



## guiri (Feb 16, 2010)

Yeah, I didn't even think about the CPF discount! 

I'm a moron. I do this all the time


----------



## Sector7 (Feb 17, 2010)

guiri: PM MattK with your order number, perhaps he can provide some help...


----------



## guiri (Feb 17, 2010)

Nah, it's ok. If your a dumba$$, you pay the price. Don't want to bother people with it. Thanks though

Like I said, I do this all the time. Got a Visa $50 prepaid card as some kind of rebate and never did anything with it until it had expired


----------



## Moonshadow (Feb 17, 2010)

I reckon the change in O-ring position might also have something to do with machining tolerances.

Remember those cases where the piston broke at the o-ring slot ? Milling a groove into the wall of the battery chamber leaves only a very thin layer of material. Moving it to the tailcap neatly avoids that problem.


----------



## Henk_Lu (Feb 17, 2010)

Moonshadow said:


> I reckon the change in O-ring position might also have something to do with machining tolerances.
> 
> Remember those cases where the piston broke at the o-ring slot ? Milling a groove into the wall of the battery chamber leaves only a very thin layer of material. Moving it to the tailcap neatly avoids that problem.



The groove was always milled in the part the piston was solid, but perhaps sometimes too near to where the tube begins and thus leaving only a very thin portion of metal between the actual tube and the groove.

This can't happen anymore with the actual design, that's right, but what about the EX10, why didn't they change it as well? There's also an advantage for lubing the o-ring, the lube stays on until it reaches its destination. With the o-ring on the piston itself, it has to travel all the way up to its working position, leaving the lube on the walls of the tube...


----------



## jslappa (Feb 17, 2010)

It's unfortunate to hear about the fire at BatteryJunction. I guess I'm not too worried about why my Tribute hasn't shipped yet. I know the fire was at like 3am, so I hope MattK or no one else was injured.


----------



## guiri (Feb 17, 2010)

Me too and like I told them in my reply e mail, I'd rather wait for my light. Hope they are doing well.


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 18, 2010)

Hope they are doing well also.

I wonder if my D10 shipped. USPS hasn't updated anything in 2 days. This is all that is listed

Detailed Results:










Processed through Sort Facility, February 16, 2010, 8:22 pm, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104



Electronic Shipping Info Received, February 15, 2010


----------



## Flucero28 (Feb 18, 2010)

So if I am not mistaken, there is not a cree XR-E R2 version with the new SP UI!? This would be my ideal light, as im a throw junkie and would like strobe mode. Can anyone verify this for me before I pull the trigger and have to settle for the XP-E SP version with less throw!?

Thanks guys.

Frank

P.S. Am I the only one that would like the option of an XR-E R2 with the new SP UI!? Please feel free to convince me that the XP-E would be better....


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 18, 2010)

I've just received two Nitecore D10 with XP-E R2 and ramping UI.

I already have a XR-E R2, and I must admit:

These XP-E R2 are TERRIBLE 

The tint is purpleish and there's no hotspot whatsoever. The LEDs are off center, the plastic cover around them don't cover everything they should and the reflector has an ugly texture. I'm so disappointed with the new D10s :mecry:

I wish I could find the old XR-E R2 to buy, or even the Q5.

Why Nitecore changed to these new LEDs, why?


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 18, 2010)

Igor Porto said:


> I've just received two Nitecore D10 with XP-E R2 and ramping UI.
> 
> I already have a XR-E R2, and I must admit:
> 
> ...



Are these the Tribute editions?


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 18, 2010)

No, the standard edition. But I guess the tribute will use the same reflector and LED...


----------



## Flucero28 (Feb 18, 2010)

Igor Porto said:


> I've just received two Nitecore D10 with XP-E R2 and ramping UI.
> 
> I already have a XR-E R2, and I must admit:
> 
> ...



This is exactly what I was afraid of! I really like the hotspot/throw of the XR-E R2. I suppose the only way to obtain my ideal light(XR-E R2+SP UI) is to swap the SP light engine into my XR-E D10. Sorry for your disappointment Igor.

Frank


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 18, 2010)

I was afraid of that too, but I thought: Nitecore wouldn't "upgrade" to the XPEs for no reason, there must be a reason. I was wrong. They're not more efficient and they're not brighter. Now I've got two new D10s that I don't like and only one that I like and must baby it forever because I cannot buy one of those anymore.

Thinking about another EDC as good as the old D10s :thinking:


----------



## Flucero28 (Feb 18, 2010)

Well you've got a couple options. If the reflector is a recycled one from the XR-E/Q5 builds, It would be rather easy to swap out the XP-E for an XR-E! Or you could post them for sale on the BST section (marketplace) and they will sell quickly. Maybe someone would want to trade an older XR-E D10 for your new XP-E version?


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 18, 2010)

The reflectors are different, so exchanging the XPE for a XRE is kinda difficult.


----------



## jslappa (Feb 18, 2010)

If you already have an XR-E R2, then you probably have the reflector too. So swap out the LED AND the reflector. They are both interchangeable.


----------



## maskman (Feb 18, 2010)

USPS tracking indicates my D10 is out for delivery this morning. I suspect many Tributes will arrive to their destinations today. I'm expecting a quality product, but I'm still not sorry I ordered only one to start with. I'm not a big fan of banner's and excessive logo's so I'll see how I feel about the Tribute name printed on the D10. Just a quirk I've got I guess.


----------



## Flucero28 (Feb 18, 2010)

Happy to hear Maskman, is this ur first D10?


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 18, 2010)

I've just noticed that the new XPE-R2 reflector has a lot of artifacts on the spill. The old XRE-F2 is extra smooth compared to it.


----------



## Flucero28 (Feb 18, 2010)

Thats strange Igor, everyone speaks so highly of the XP-E's smooth beam pattern!


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 18, 2010)

The center is smooth, with a very small hotspot and a big corona. The corona edges are not round, they are irregular. The spill has artifacts all over them. It's not the XPE fault's, it's the reflector's. The orange peel is rougher than the XRE versions, and the opening hole around the LED is not cut smooth, thus the irregularities in the beam.

I'll try to get pictures later.


----------



## maskman (Feb 18, 2010)

+1... Do the reflector swap and see what the results are. While the reflector is out would be a good time to get a close look at the emitter. Might be some flux or heat sink compound on the dome.



jslappa said:


> If you already have an XR-E R2, then you probably have the reflector too. So swap out the LED AND the reflector. They are both interchangeable.


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 18, 2010)

Does anyone has a tutorial to disassemble the D10? I'm really afraid of messing it up, although I can disassemble my other lights just fine.


----------



## Flucero28 (Feb 18, 2010)

Try this one. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVlBqFSgAxE

Its actually pretty easy.


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 18, 2010)

Awesome, thanks! I actually have one of those pliers/tweezers in my workshop


----------



## Flucero28 (Feb 18, 2010)

Perfect! Maybe it was meant to be after all! Now if I can find an XR-E version reflector, I will get the SP version and swap emitters! There has to be someone out there wanting to upgrade to an XP-E that would trade reflectors!


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 18, 2010)

Yes, the problem is the reflector. The new ones have a smaller diameter center hole, and there's no way to open it neatly without a lathe and some skill.

I wish I could buy a lot of old reflectors and a few XRE-R2


----------



## vali (Feb 18, 2010)

I think the problem could be the reflector like stated. All of my XP-E powered lights have smooth beams with no artifacts at all, whereas only one of my XR-E lights have a ringless beam (oddly enough it is a cheap one, a SAIK RC-A3)


----------



## Flucero28 (Feb 18, 2010)

I would love to get my hands on an old reflector as well. If your successful in finding some please let me know!


----------



## Sector7 (Feb 18, 2010)

My experience is similiar to Vali, all my XP-E hybrid editions have smooth artifact free hotspot and smooth spill, contrastly the XR-E version has a ringy hotspot.


----------



## F250XLT (Feb 18, 2010)

All hail the White Wall Hunters.....


----------



## timbo114 (Feb 18, 2010)

Sector7 said:


> My experience is similiar to Vali, all my XP-E hybrid editions have smooth artifact free hotspot and smooth spill, contrastly the XR-E version has a ringy hotspot.



x2

Got my D10 Tribute today.
Tribute logo is placed and partially hidden under the clip ...:thinking:
Same sweet smooth beam as my hybrid ... but it looks a bit more neutral in direct comparison (which is never a bad thing):devil:
Fit and finish look excellent.

HAIII is really nice and even - it's also definitely very* black*.

Now I just need to get my [email protected]'s trit :naughty:


----------



## nakahoshi (Feb 18, 2010)

Ive had mine for a few days and I really like the Tribute D10. I might go for another one soon. Not sure if You can find these again. 

The tint is Very white, and the beam is nice and smooth.

Also:

The ramping seams to be improved over the XR-E R2 model, it is the same speed in both Directions, with more time added. the XR-E Model Goes really fast in one direction, and slower in the other. These lights are a built a bit thicker, and they feel tough. These are great. 

Thanks MattK lovecpf

-Bobby


----------



## F250XLT (Feb 18, 2010)

timbo114 said:


> Now I just need to get my [email protected]'s trit :naughty:



I know it is listed here somewhere, but I did not see it....what size trit does it accept please?


----------



## timbo114 (Feb 18, 2010)

F250XLT said:


> I know it is listed here somewhere, but I did not see it....what size trit does it accept please?



2x8mm

Another really nice item about this Tribute is ..
the 2 halves of the torch screw together and the name labeling lines up perfectly .. at least on my unit.
My hybrid doesn't line up ... I know .. anal about the details.


----------



## F250XLT (Feb 18, 2010)

timbo114 said:


> 2x8mm



:thumbsup:



timbo114 said:


> Another really nice item about this Tribute is ..
> the 2 halves of the torch screw together and the name labeling lines up perfectly .. at least on my unit.
> My hybrid doesn't line up ... I know .. anal about the details.



I wondered about the as well, not sure why they were not even close on the other models.


----------



## oly (Feb 18, 2010)

My tribute is due to arrive today and you guys got me on a roller coaster ride as to what to expect. :thinking:


----------



## maskman (Feb 18, 2010)

I haven't trimmed my spring yet, but I immediately found out my Tribute only works with primaries. Glad I read the thread about 14500's being too long or spring too long, which ever way you see it, on some of the newer D10's. I'll feed the Tribute one primary before I put the snippers to the spring and use 14500's after that. That's my plan anyway. If someone else runs into this issue you can check it out here. https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/248070


----------



## oly (Feb 18, 2010)

Maskman,

Were you using AW 14500's on the Tribute or a different brand?




maskman said:


> I haven't trimmed my spring yet, but I immediately found out my Tribute only works with primaries. Glad I read the thread about 14500's being too long or spring too long, which ever way you see it, on some of the newer D10's. I'll feed the Tribute one primary before I put the snippers to the spring and use 14500's after that. That's my plan anyway. If someone else runs into this issue you can check it out here. https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/248070


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 18, 2010)

maskman said:


> I haven't trimmed my spring yet, but I immediately found out my Tribute only works with primaries. Glad I read the thread about 14500's being too long or spring too long, which ever way you see it, on some of the newer D10's. I'll feed the Tribute one primary before I put the snippers to the spring and use 14500's after that. That's my plan anyway. If someone else runs into this issue you can check it out here. https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/248070



So do Eneloops work?? You stated only primaries.


----------



## maskman (Feb 18, 2010)

Sorry, but yes it was an AW black label I tried. I also had a Trustfire pcb laying around I tried and it was a no go as well. An L91 is shorter and worked just fine. I couldn't get the piston to accuate with the 14500's. The light just stays on, no ramping, no/off, just no piston control. I'm not aware of this anomaly on all newer D10's, just some. Anyway, it's fixable or so I read. 

I don't run any eneloops so I can't try one nor measure. I understand it all has to do with length of battery vs. length of piston spring.



oly said:


> Maskman,
> 
> Were you using AW 14500's on the Tribute or a different brand?


----------



## Surnia (Feb 18, 2010)

hm, my eneloop is approximately 50.5mm long (eyeballing on a ruler, i have no caliper...), do you have a length for your AW 14500 cell? as well as your primary cells... I can't seem to find measurements with google.

Oh and I hope batteryjunction gets back on their feet soon!


----------



## oly (Feb 18, 2010)

I just received my Tribute and it's JET BLACK! me likey so far cosmetic wise! The word Tribute is hidden behind the clip on mine as well like someone else already mentioned... and ya it's cool that the words finally line up on both pieces.

I tried two AW 14500's and one eneloop and they all worked fine with ramping on my Tribute. The tribute feels even thicker than my SP camo. The piston is a bit stiff but I expected that. So far I am very happy! The ramping is cool beans! :twothumbs

-Oly


----------



## timbo114 (Feb 18, 2010)

Oly,
*Jet black* is good eh?

Remove the piston and wipe it down.
Mine had the blue lube smeared all over it.
I polished my piston while it was out - then dropped a dab of Krytox 50/50 on the O ring only - WOW! Smooooooth like butta. :twothumbs

Do your AWs have the button top?


----------



## oly (Feb 18, 2010)

Timbo,

Thanks for the tip, I'll try that out.

Nope, no new "button up" versions on my AW 14500's, I still have the old style. Maybe I just got lucky. My AW's are tiny bit longer than my eneloops and they all work on the Tribute and my SP camo, I guess YMMV.

Oly


----------



## maskman (Feb 18, 2010)

Button top AW I have measures 51.4mm +/- a smidge. My L91 measures right at 50mm. It's good to hear oly's D10 works fine. Hopefully you won't have any issues either. I knew several Tributes were finding a home today and tomorrow and posted just trying to give a heads up. I figured a person could relax, knowing there was a solution, if they found that 14500 batteries caused a piston problem. Your eneloop will probably work fine once you get your light. If not there is a solution.

This has convinced me to head to the garage to find my side cutters and get er done.



Surnia said:


> hm, my eneloop is approximately 50.5mm long (eyeballing on a ruler, i have no caliper...), do you have a length for your AW 14500 cell? as well as your primary cells... I can't seem to find measurements with google.
> 
> Oh and I hope batteryjunction gets back on their feet soon!


----------



## maskman (Feb 18, 2010)

Update; my D10 Tribute works fine with 14500's now and *without* any spring cutting. I pulled the spring with a dental pick prior to searching for my side cutters. I saw the spring is already extremely short in length as is and couldn't imagine it needing to be any shorter. I simply used my fingers to push the top down through the base of the spring and inverted it a couple of times. This compressed the spring so that it was shorter in height when it was relaxed. I put the spring back in the piston and tried a 14500. Wa La... success. It now ramps, accepts clicks to change from high to low, etc. Hopefully no one else has this issue, but at least there is a simple solution. :wave:


----------



## oly (Feb 18, 2010)

That's wonderful news and will really help those who may end up with the same problem!!! I'm excited for you and glad you didn't have to do any surgery to the little guy... now go enjoy your new Tribute with the extra juice! :thumbsup:




maskman said:


> Update; my D10 Tribute works fine with 14500's now and *without* any spring cutting. I pulled the spring with a dental pick prior to searching for my side cutters. I saw the spring is already extremely short in length as is and couldn't imagine it needing to be any shorter. I simply used my fingers to push the top down through the base of the spring and inverted it a couple of times. This compressed the spring so that it was shorter in height when it was relaxed. I put the spring back in the piston and tried a 14500. Wa La... success. It now ramps, accepts clicks to change from high to low, etc. Hopefully no one else has this issue, but at least there is a simple solution. :wave:


----------



## mikeymoto (Feb 18, 2010)

I got my Tributes today and I am extremely pleased. :twothumbs The AW black 14500s fit fine and the switch works great with the head screwed all the way on.

I have one of the anodized D10s from 4sevens and on that one the black wrapped AW 14500 doesn't fit right. With the head screwed on all the way the button does not press. Easy solution for me was to back off the head about a turn and then it works fine.

Now to wait and get some trits for these!


----------



## Igor Porto (Feb 19, 2010)

Well, last night I played with the new D10 and compared to the old one. Actually I liked the results, when I first turned it on during the day and did a wall comparison I didn't like it. But when I fired it in my backyard using a 14500 it lit up the whole area very nicely (30m by 20m), that big corona IS very useful. Maybe I'm getting older and starting to like flood? :shrug:

It doesn't have that big hotspot as the old ones, but the big corona turns itself into a "hotspot". It can reach as far as the old D10 can, though. Verdict: I liked it, but the beam has artifacts.

And the low is even lower 

I couldn't get it to work properly with the 14500. I cut the spring to the minimum length I could, but to activate the light it needs to be pressed very hard. I use Trustfire 14500s. They are a bit long. Are the AWs shorter?


----------



## hatman (Feb 19, 2010)

Out of the box, the Tribute works fine with AWs. Ramping is easy and feels more confident than with original D10R2. 

Color looks slightly darker (i.e. blacker) than older model and finish just looks better; my original has arguably the worst finish of any of my lights. This was one of my first lights and the dealer initially convinced me that there was nothing unusual about a flakey and spotty finish.....I certainly know better today, and the Tribute proves that Nitecore can do better.

The Tribute is a big improvement on just about all fronts, save one: the pre-installed clip is just a bit slanted....Still, it's good not to have to go through that business of trying to install it myself again.



Note: I may have received one of the last Tributes before Battery Junction temporarily suspended sales following the early morning fire at its building on 2/17.

Recovering from fire damage is no easy matter; best wishes to all the folks there who have done so much to support us and this site. Hopefully, they will reopen soon so that we can return the favor.


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 19, 2010)

Just received mine today :twothumbs



oly said:


> I just received my Tribute and it's JET BLACK! me likey so far cosmetic wise! The word Tribute is hidden behind the clip on mine as well like someone else already mentioned... and ya it's cool that the words finally line up on both pieces.
> 
> -Oly



My D10 isn't quite Jet Black. I would call it dark dark grey or light black. Maybe it could be that my Husky is shinier that gives the Husky the Jet Black color and makes the Nitecore looke lighter.








timbo114 said:


> Oly,
> *Jet black* is good eh?
> 
> Remove the piston and wipe it down.
> ...



So if I wipe off the blue lube and smear it with another lube it should be smoother? 

Would Break Free or gun oil work? The manual says silicon based.

What do you mean by polished the piston exactly (car polish?)?


----------



## timbo114 (Feb 19, 2010)

joepa150 said:


> So if I wipe off the blue lube and smear it with another lube it should be smoother?
> 
> What do you mean by polished the piston exactly (car polish?)?



Wipe off any blue lube residue and *do not* re lube the outer shell of the piston. Only put a dot of lube on the O ring.

*THIS* type of polish will make the piston very smooth, as seen in my photos.


----------



## oly (Feb 19, 2010)

joepa150 said:


> Just received mine today :twothumbs
> 
> 
> 
> My D10 isn't quite Jet Black. I would call it dark dark grey or light black. Maybe it could be that my Husky is shinier that gives the Husky the Jet Black color and makes the Nitecore looke lighter.




ok ok, it's not jet black. it's light black. sheesh...its black. I unboxed mine in a dark lit environment (coming home from work) thinking the Tribute would be a light grey since that's what it looked like on the BJ's site. I'm just happy it's black. I'm sharing my enthusiasm for this little black wonder, can you tell?


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 19, 2010)

timbo114 said:


> Wipe off any blue lube residue and *do not* re lube the outer shell of the piston. Only put a dot of lube on the O ring.
> 
> *THIS* type of polish will make the piston very smooth, as seen in my photos.


 
Nice piston! 

I pulled my piston out and examined it and pushed it back in. It already is operating smoother. I will try your recommendation.


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 19, 2010)

oly said:


> ok ok, it's not jet black. it's light black. sheesh...its black. I unboxed mine in a dark lit environment (coming home from work) thinking the Tribute would be a light grey since that's what it looked like on the BJ's site. I'm just happy it's black. I'm sharing my enthusiasm for this little black wonder, can you tell?


 Yeah its is black. No matter what shade of black we call it, it looks sweet


----------



## oly (Feb 19, 2010)

joepa150 said:


> Yeah its is black. No matter what shade of black we call it, it looks sweet



AGREED! :thumbsup::twothumbs:thumbsup:


----------



## computernut (Feb 22, 2010)

I'm really liking my new D10 SP R2 Camo that I got a week ago.

Battery - I've been using an L91 mostly on high for brief periods with occasional usage of low/med. I noticed yesterday that if I had the light on high previously that I had to press the light multiple times for it to come on. Finally last night I noticed that high was hardly brighter than medium so that's when I realized that the battery was getting low. Putting a new L91 in fixed everything.

Clip - Love the clip, I've caught the odd thing on it but it fits well clipped on my front right pocket.

Size - I find lights have to be 4-5" to fit in my hand nice and the D10 is almost perfect, I could go for another .5" but then I'd probably complain it was too long in my pocket :shrug:

Interface - Not minding the 3-levels. Sometimes I would like it to come on low as a default but then other times I don't mind it remembering the last mode used. The strobe has turned out to be a great hit with my coworkers who like to flash each other with it. I'll probably pick up a D10 Tribute Edition to try out the ramping interface. I would rather have a beacon mode that the strobe.

Switch - I'm loving the PD switch. First thing I did was put Nyogel 790ZC on the o-rings and 760G on the threads. I'm now thinking I'm going to pick up a D20 for camping!

Anodizing - I had my D10 fall over on my desk and it either came in contact with my knife or the desk surface and a small piece of anodizing chipped off on of the lanyard holes. I don't think the HA is as durable as Surefire's but I think it's tougher than my Leatherman S3 which is almost like paint.

Noise - There is a faint whine in low and medium (loudest at medium), high sometimes has a little whine when you first turn it on. Nothing major but you can hear it if you hold it up to your year or the room is quiet.

Beam - The beam has a nice hotspot that blends in quite well with the spill. The tint is not blue or green, maybe slightly to the purple side but it's actually one of the nicest beams of any of my LEDs for my purposes. I actually have to stare at the beam to figure out what tint it is so I'd say it's nice!

So I'd like to say "Thanks!" :twothumbs to Zeruel for putting me onto these great lights with his Tribute thread. lovecpf


----------



## blub (Feb 22, 2010)

I just ordered a Camo D10 R2 from Light Junction and used the coupon CPFSAVE12 for an extra 12% off, can't wait.


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 22, 2010)

blub said:


> I just ordered a Camo D10 R2 from Light Junction and used the coupon CPFSAVE12 for an extra 12% off, can't wait.




I used CPF2009 and only received 5% off??

I just tried your CPFSAVE12 and it didn't work??


----------



## blub (Feb 22, 2010)

Hmmm, I don't know why, I just used it this morning, CPFsave12. I used it last night too. Maybe you went to Battery Junction instead of Light Junction?

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=181841


----------



## Dioni (Feb 22, 2010)

blub said:


> Hmmm, I don't know why, I just used it this morning, CPFsave12. I used it last night too. Maybe you went to Battery Junction instead of Light Junction?
> 
> http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=181841


 
Or to LightHound as me! LOL


----------



## joepa150 (Feb 23, 2010)

blub said:


> Hmmm, I don't know why, I just used it this morning, CPFsave12. I used it last night too. Maybe you went to Battery Junction instead of Light Junction?
> 
> http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=181841



You right. I assumed you meant battery junction.


----------



## Henk_Lu (Feb 23, 2010)

joepa150 said:


> Just received mine today :twothumbs
> 
> My D10 isn't quite Jet Black. I would call it dark dark grey or light black. Maybe it could be that my Husky is shinier that gives the Husky the Jet Black color and makes the Nitecore looke lighter.
> 
> ...




I received mine as well, smoking fast (sorry... :whoopin: ), sent out on 16th february!

The color isn't as black as former D10, as Matt told us, they say it is grey, lighting on it I can confirm it.

After performing the usual operations on a new Nitecore PD light, it works butterly smooth. That means : Wiping off the sticky, stinking blue lube completely (no alcohol involved though), clean the o-rings, clean the threads, relube everything with Nyogel, getting the brass-ring off the light engine and clean with Deoxyd Gold, same for the contact plate and finally shortening the spring for good 14500 operation.

I like the beam of the XP-E. The hotspot is more or less washed out, it has a bright spill, reminds me about the GDP, but much brighter, well floody. The XR-E have a more defined hotspot, probably more throw and less flood. I would say the Tribute is the best D10 I have so far, I just can't wait to install a 2x8mm trit into the piston canyon! :twothumbs

I polished a piston of an EX10 to try, my polish blackened my hands but doesn't work as good as the one proposed here. Anymway, the piston was shinier and smoother afterwards, but I didn't notice much better action. The piston of my Tribute is not very smooth, but the light oprates well now. I don't recommend polishing the piston in consequence, much work and much dirt for not much result. If you want it bright and shiny though, go ahead, it can't harm...


----------



## Zeruel (Feb 24, 2010)

D10 Tribute is added to "VERSIONS".
Thanks again, Matt, for your contribution.


----------



## hunter306 (Feb 24, 2010)

I had know idea that there were so many revisions of the D10. I've been considering buying one of the ramping ones for quite a while, this thread has been VERY informative in helping me decide.

Great Read, thanks for all the hard work on this!


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Feb 24, 2010)

Great informative thread. I just got my 3rd D10.

I just got my D10 SP edition and it's not black like my D10 R2.
Also my R2 slotted piston doesn't fit in the new SP 2nd revision.

Does anyone know a dealer who is selling the first revision of the SP which has the same piston or someone who sells a slotted piston that fits the 2nd revision? 

Thanks.


----------



## MattK (Feb 24, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> D10 Tribute is added to "VERSIONS".
> Thanks again, Matt, for your contribution.



Sure thing - thanks for the inspiration and epic post!


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Feb 24, 2010)

Looks like I'll have to order a D10 Tribute edition.
But will have to wait for Batteryjunction to start taking orders again. 
Let me know when you guys start taking orders again. Thanks.


----------



## Zeruel (Mar 12, 2010)

#7 D10 SP *Warm* is added to "VERSIONS".


----------



## eala (Mar 12, 2010)

Seriously huge thanks to Zeruel for this thread and post. I bought a D10 SP because of it and I have no idea how I overlooked this light for so long.

It is truly amazing. It is a great combination of quality, beam, size, interface and switch.

What I don't get is how much brighter it seems than my Quark MiNi AA cool white. Perhaps the battery life is shorter than the Quark. I haven't checked.

Thanks again.

eala


----------



## Zeruel (Mar 13, 2010)

You're welcome, eala. Hope it'll give you more use in years to come. Try the ramping version if you wish to get another (Tribute or Hybrid). Different UI but just as good, if not better for you.


----------



## jslappa (Mar 18, 2010)

Glad to see Zeruel keeping up with the new versions. Zeruel, what's the scoop on your chrome D10? I think I read someone was making one for you.


----------



## Rion (Mar 19, 2010)

It's been a while since I last visit cpf. just been to 4sevens and notice that the whole range of nitecore (less 1 model) is off the shelf. That is why i pop in to cpf to check out what happened. not a good feeling to know that d10s are no longer produced. had one ever since late 2008 till now, still functioning very well.

Anyway, might have to start reading reviews again to decide which edc light to get next.


----------



## Zeruel (Mar 19, 2010)

jslappa said:


> Zeruel, what's the scoop on your chrome D10? I think I read someone was making one for you.



Modamag is doing the exotic coating for people who had sent in their beauties. We're waiting with anticipation.... 




Rion said:


> That is why i pop in to cpf to check out what happened. not a good feeling to know that d10s are no longer produced. had one ever since late 2008 till now, still functioning very well.



Hi Rion, D10s are still being produced. In fact, more versions than ever, just that they're not carried by 4Sevens. Check post #1 for all versions.


----------



## jslappa (Mar 20, 2010)

Rion said:


> It's been a while since I last visit cpf. just been to 4sevens and notice that the whole range of nitecore (less 1 model) is off the shelf. That is why i pop in to cpf to check out what happened. not a good feeling to know that d10s are no longer produced. had one ever since late 2008 till now, still functioning very well.
> 
> Anyway, might have to start reading reviews again to decide which edc light to get next.


 

Are you trying to start a panic like the original broadcast of "War of the Worlds"? Sheesh, I almost jumped out a window:candle:

Here is my newest addition to the D10 family. Thanks again JHanko. 20 trits in all (10 in piston, 10 in body)


----------



## mr_maurice (Mar 21, 2010)

jslappa said:


> Thanks again JHanko. 20 trits in all (10 in piston, 10 in body)


This is awesome disco craze :wow:


----------



## guiri (Mar 21, 2010)

Holy crap that's, well, radioactive!


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Mar 21, 2010)

jslappa said:


> Are you trying to start a panic like the original broadcast of "War of the Worlds"? Sheesh, I almost jumped out a window:candle:
> 
> Here is my newest addition to the D10 family. Thanks again JHanko. 20 trits in all (10 in piston, 10 in body)



Are those Fruity pebbles that the light is laying on? lol


----------



## jslappa (Mar 21, 2010)

I needed a black light for the right effect. But who doesn't like Fruity Pebbles?


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Mar 21, 2010)

Now that's a balanced breakfast.


----------



## timbo114 (Mar 21, 2010)

[]... while the Calypso was on an expedition to Portugal, Jean-Michel Cousteau and myself were in search of the elusive and quite dangerous Portuguese Rainbow JelLEDfish.
Below you will see what few other humans have laid eyes on, as deep, deep beneath the salty breezes and gently lapping waves lurks this beautiful, deadly creature. 
So dangerous is it's touch - that it can cause immediate and irreparable addiction.
Having been aware of the danger, we sent the Calypso's Oberon into the hellish blackness to view the beast from safety. ...




[]


----------



## guiri (Mar 21, 2010)

Yes, always use caution...


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Mar 31, 2010)

Just ordered a D10 Tribute from Batteryjunction.com now that they are back up and running. Looking forward to receiving it. 
Now all I need is a tritium vial for it.


----------



## jslappa (Mar 31, 2010)

Yes sir, I finally received my shipping notice today too. However, I received 4 emails, and two different tracking numbers for the same order (which I only ordered 1 Tribute light). 

If I get two, I'll have to see if I was billed twice. With as many orders as they were sitting on, there are bound to be a few snafu's and fubar's. But I am glad to hear they are up and running again.


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Mar 31, 2010)

If anyone knows where to get a 2nd version slotted piston, do share...


----------



## sonicj (Mar 31, 2010)

LESLIEx317537 said:


> Just ordered a D10 Tribute from Batteryjunction.com now that they are back up and running. Looking forward to receiving it.
> Now all I need is a tritium vial for it.


ditto! mine shipped today!  

holla if you happen to locate a source for proper fitting trits! 

btw, of the 2 gitd keychain thingies i got from you, the one on my keyring is still alive and kickin'! unfortunately, my pup got a hold of the other so i tossed it. 
-sj


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Mar 31, 2010)

Cool, well you can always order another if you want. I still have them. 

Bart should be getting 2x8mm trits in the 2nd week of April I think.


----------



## guiri (Mar 31, 2010)

LESLIEx317537 said:


> Just ordered a D10 Tribute from Batteryjunction.com now that they are back up and running. Looking forward to receiving it.
> Now all I need is a tritium vial for it.



I've got mine shipped to one of the guys here to have him fit a trit in it and then ship to me 

Never seen a trit in my life


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Mar 31, 2010)

Tritium is very cool. It's radioactive gas enclosed inside a glass vial that is coated with stuff that reacts with the radiation and glows. The coating is what determines the color it glows.


----------



## guiri (Mar 31, 2010)

I'm looking forward to getting mine


----------



## smokey616 (Mar 31, 2010)

I placed an order on Monday and have yet to receive a shipping notice. I figure they're probably still catching up with old orders or are maybe treating overseas orders last.

Luckily I'm a patient man.


[edit]
heh, got the shipping notification not an hour after posting that message.


----------



## AnotherADDiction (Mar 31, 2010)

I ordered Monday, shipped Tuesday - hope it is waiting at home for me!

BTW - Since we all need to wait for the correct size trits, what is everyones favorite color? I have a white now on my D10, just because it was the only available. Now, I am wondering to go blue or the brighter green - thoughts?

And does anyone do milling or have pistons for the D20? - for adding a trit, of course

Cheers,
AnotherADDiction


----------



## ma_sha1 (Mar 31, 2010)

Here are two of my Nitecore D5, the Camo one has a trit mini piston.


----------



## guiri (Mar 31, 2010)

I was gonna go with ice blue or something but the dude (RocketTomato) that was gonna do it for me here in CPF only had a green in stock and since its' supposed to be brighter anyway, I went with that.


----------



## jslappa (Mar 31, 2010)

ma_sha1 said:


> Here are two of my Nitecore D5, the Camo one has a trit mini piston.



My favorite characters from the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory were the Oompa Loompa's, so it's no surprise that I really dig those little Nitecores. Well done.


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Apr 5, 2010)

I got my Tribute on Friday, but it's defective or something.
I have to press it really hard to turn on and off so I am requesting a RMA to exchange it for another.
Anyone else find there D10 hard to press to work?
My other three D10s were not like that.


----------



## Surnia (Apr 5, 2010)

battery spring maybe? I find the resistance is significantly higher when there's a battery loaded in there, due to the spring for the battery (mind you the stronger spring does keep it in contact better, so on drops the battery won't go flopping around)


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Apr 5, 2010)

I tried my other heads and switched the body and the problem is in the head.


----------



## joepa150 (Apr 5, 2010)

LESLIEx317537 said:


> I got my Tribute on Friday, but it's defective or something.
> I have to press it really hard to turn on and off so I am requesting a RMA to exchange it for another.
> Anyone else find there D10 hard to press to work?
> My other three D10s were not like that.



I was under the impression that they are stiff in the beginning but will become easier. Especially if you wipe the blue grease off and replace it with another lube.


----------



## Snipe315 (Apr 5, 2010)

Well I also order one of the Nitecore D10 Tribute Editions from Battery Junction over the weekend.

If it works out, it might replace my Fenix L1D as my EDC primary light.

So... where do I get a Tritium vial for this thing?!?! Is there someplace I can order it from without having to send them my light??

TIA

:wave:


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Apr 5, 2010)

I tried removing the grease, and that didn't help.
I then tried another body from my other D10 and it also needed a hard press.
I'm 100% positive it's the head from diagnosing it.
The head has a outer copper ring that squeezes together and something is making it hard to connect or something and since I just got it, I don't wanna mess with it when I can exchange it for a properly working one.
Just waiting for a reply now, I sent a email to [email protected] and hope to get a reply soon.


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Apr 5, 2010)

Snipe315 said:


> Well I also order one of the Nitecore D10 Tribute Editions from Battery Junction over the weekend.
> 
> If it works out, it might replace my Fenix L1D as my EDC primary light.
> 
> ...



You can get them from bart, he hopefully will have 2mmx8mm vials in about a week. I used norland optical glue to glue mine in.


----------



## Xcel (Apr 5, 2010)

Correct me if I'm wrong. Isn't the runtime a product of the upgraded LED, the R2, not the new SP UI?

In others words, the D10 Tribute is going to have the same Nitecore factory quoted specs as the D10 SP with its ~2 lumens for ~100 hours to 50%.

Or does the change from the ramping UI to the steps have something to do the runtimes?

Regards.


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Apr 11, 2010)

FYI: Bart has 2mmx8mm Ice Blue and Green Tritiums now for $11 each.
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=222461


----------



## Surnia (Apr 11, 2010)

Xcel said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong. Isn't the runtime a product of the upgraded LED, the R2, not the new SP UI?
> 
> In others words, the D10 Tribute is going to have the same Nitecore factory quoted specs as the D10 SP with its ~2 lumens for ~100 hours to 50%.
> 
> ...


Efficiency of the driver in producing that level of light has to be factored in as well, the wide output range of the ramping UI is partially what led to the 50hr runtimes at low.


----------



## Xcel (Apr 11, 2010)

Surnia said:


> Efficiency of the driver in producing that level of light has to be factored in as well, the wide output range of the ramping UI is partially what led to the 50hr runtimes at low.


 

Excellent! Thank you.


----------



## socal8080 (Apr 12, 2010)

Z,
first off amazing review, you went above and beyond by a mile bro. You are full on hardcore to the bone!! Secondly i kinda stumbled onto the the D10 about ten days ago from another thread, and saw that the Tribute had the trit cut in the piston. I had a ex10 with a blue trit in it, till i lost in in Big Bear and am now with my backup without a trit.  Its weird reaching for a "dark" light on the nightstand, and fumbling around is a pisser to say the least. 
So, did the research.....1) picked up a vial of norland from Tomato 2) got a Tribute from BatteryJunction (thanks soooooo much Matt, i really love the ramping action, have from day one) 3) and now have place my order for the trits from [email protected]. Only problem is that i'm afraid that i'm gonna have to order a few more Tributes to set my extra Trits in. Either way, from playing with the Tribute for a few days now, what i really like about it is that it is AA, and if i gift these then they'll have an easy time to replace the batteries.
I'm just sooooo stoked to be able to fabricate these lights....with all the threads and people here......ya'll make it really easy to do. Thanks to all who make this happen.....Z, Tomato, Matt, Bart.....ya'll rock. 
Can't wait for the trits, and just gotta scrape together some more funds this week for more Tributes..........
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


----------



## jslappa (Apr 12, 2010)

socal8080 said:


> ....and if i gift these then they'll have an easy time to replace the batteries.


 
In my opinion (humble as it may be), I would recommend gifting the SP models. We flashaholics may love the ramping UI, but most non-flashaholics I know prefer the SP. Case in point: I had about 40 extended family members over to my house for a little party. After seeing my collection or D10's and EX10's, I showed them how to operate them, and all but one of them preferred to hold the piston down to cycle through the 3 levels of the SP. 

Also, order your 2mmx8mm trits from [email protected] soon, his sales thread is on fire. People aren't just buying one each.


----------



## socal8080 (Apr 12, 2010)

Got 5 2x8 trits coming in the mail. One question is with the new SP UI, do any of them come with a slotted piston to fit my trits? JS, thanks for the tip on non-flashaholics. I think that's the way I'd go, but wanna hook em up with the trit ends- I guess without buying tributes and regular SP d-10's and swapping guts out to make it a normal SP with a slotted piston? Hopefully that made sense- if anyone can help me out with my options? Thanks


----------



## jag-engr (Apr 12, 2010)

I got a NiteCore EX10 Q5 and D10 GD+ when they first came out. I foolishly traded the D10 toward a D20, which I ended up hating. I miss the D10, despite the infamous purple ring (from the GD+ emitter).

Recently, I got one of the D10 TRIBUTE version from Battery Junction and I was rather disappointed. The new D10 is as thick as the original EX10, the switch travel is longer and clunkier (also very hard to use as a twisty), and the LED tint is one of the worst I have ever seen (quite blue).

What happened NiteCore?


----------



## jslappa (Apr 12, 2010)

socal8080 said:


> Got 5 2x8 trits coming in the mail. One question is with the new SP UI, do any of them come with a slotted piston to fit my trits? JS, thanks for the tip on non-flashaholics. I think that's the way I'd go, but wanna hook em up with the trit ends- I guess without buying tributes and regular SP d-10's and swapping guts out to make it a normal SP with a slotted piston? Hopefully that made sense- if anyone can help me out with my options? Thanks



At this time, the only ramping D10 with a slotted piston is the Tribute. The camo D10 has the SP UI, and comes with the slotted piston too. Keep in mind, you can swap light engines between the two styles......but you cannot swap pistons. Only a small batch of SP D10's were made with the old piston. This was likely just to deplete the supply chain of the old style pistons.


----------



## socal8080 (Apr 12, 2010)

So, I guess my only real option would be to post for a swap or trade the ramping Tribute head with a 3 stage SP d-10 head. This way I would be able to achieve the SP UI, and keep new style piston with o-ring at top of button & have the trit installed? JS or Z, let me know if I'm on the right track here.


----------



## jslappa (Apr 12, 2010)

No sir. Both the tribute and all new SP d10's will have the new piston with the o ring on the button. I meant to say there are two different D10's that come with a slotted piston. But both DO have the new o ring design.
1. Tribute (ramping)
2. Camoflauge D10 (SP)

No other color or model D10 has a slotted piston stock.


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Apr 12, 2010)

I'm still waiting for BJ to send me a replacement tested D10 Tribute since mine was faulty. My Trits are in the mail from Bart.
I have a old Nitecore with the old style piston with a Green Trit in it since I ordered that from 4sevens a while back.
I still have yet to find a place I can get a new style piston with a Trit slot in it, without ordering the whole Tribute light.


----------



## socal8080 (Apr 12, 2010)

Exactly Les. So the heads are interchangeable to convert the ramping Trib into a SP and vice versa- just to make the Tribute into a 3 stager with the trit piston. That'll work correct? Thanks for the piston lowdown JS, and ikve seen your posts on Bart's page also Les.


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Apr 12, 2010)

What I'm doing is I have a SP D10 Nitecore with the same style new piston as the Tribute only it is olive greenish in color.
I'm going to just take the Tribute piston and use it for my SP and put the regular piston in the Tribute and keep that in my car for emergency use.
But yes you can swap the internal head out and stuff too I'm pretty sure.


----------



## socal8080 (Apr 12, 2010)

I hear ya Les & I'd probably do the same, but I only currently have one D-10 and its the Tribute model. You can switch em around but still are just left with the Tribute piston that is slotted for a trit. Bottom line is to find someone that can mill out the slot on a SP. Anyone know if someone is doing this? Thanks


----------



## LA OZ (Apr 13, 2010)

I gave my D10 away and never knew that I have missed it so much. I end up buying another one through Ebay. Not sure why 4sevens not stocking them anymore.

I love the piston system and the ramping UI.


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Apr 13, 2010)

Check ... HERE for slotted buttons for D10

Maybe Steve can help you ?


----------



## ninemm (Apr 13, 2010)

TooManyGizmos said:


> Check ... HERE for slotted buttons for D10
> 
> Maybe Steve can help you ? (Shining Beam) (Lightbug)
> .



I just contacted Steve a few days ago asking about slotted D10 pistons. They are currently out of stock and are not planning another run at this time.:mecry: He said they are focusing on production of their own Ti flashlight.


----------



## sonicj (Apr 14, 2010)

sonicj's D10 Tuning Tip #1

As mentioned many times before, the stock o-ring often offers less than desirable operation of the piston on the newer style D10s. Left over flashing and/or a slightly large OD will cause drag on the piston giving it a tough sluggish feel. Instead of scouring the earth in search of the elusive perfect o-ring, you can simply tune up one of your factory o-rings! its easy & likely free! 

The picture likely explains the process close enough to repeat, but I'll give a step by step anyways. 

First step, slide a clean o-ring over a dowel, pen, or other round object slightly larger than the ID of the o-ring. I found the end of a fine point sharpie works well as it keeps the o-ring from rolling. Confirm that the o-ring is not twisted; a subtle ridge or flashing from the molding should be visible around the outermost diameter. Ok, so now we'll turn the pen/dowel while lightly pinching a piece of 400 (+/-, see note below) grit sand paper against the o-ring. Continue turning 5 or so rotations, then reverse. I can't say how many turns are required... this all depends all your o-ring, sand paper abrasiveness, and how hard you're pinching. The best advice i can give here is to start out slow, clean, relube and test fit. You'll quickly get a feel for how much more the o-ring needs to be turned down. Mine was maybe 20 complete turns against 400.

Lube with your favorite non-petroleum based lube, re-install and thats it! Enjoy your free custom tuned o-ring & your new drag free D10! 







*Edit* After revisiting my workbench I realized the sandpaper I had used for the o-ring was used previously on another project. So... I tried some fresh 400 on another stock Nitecore o-ring (this one was a little softer) and noticed it left the surface a little rough. A quick twice over with 800 grit smoothed it nicely. Anywho, I would recommend starting with maybe 600 or 800 with a light squeeze and if its not cutting fast enough for you, drop down in grit. Finish up with 800 or 1000. 

It should also be noted that this mod likely affects the pressure rating for liquids breaching the case. I personally doubt any will have a problem unless you use you light underwater or your light accompanies you for showers.  Attempt at your own risk, i cannot be held responsible for damages to equipment or person, and as always YMMV!

400 grit





800 grit


----------



## ninemm (Apr 14, 2010)

Thanks for the tip! :thumbsup:


----------



## LedTed (Apr 14, 2010)

LESLIEx317537 said:


> I tried removing the grease, and that didn't help.
> I then tried another body from my other D10 and it also needed a hard press.
> I'm 100% positive it's the head from diagnosing it.
> The head has a outer copper ring that squeezes together and something is making it hard to connect or something and since I just got it, I don't wanna mess with it when I can exchange it for a properly working one.
> Just waiting for a reply now, I sent a email to [email protected] and hope to get a reply soon.



It's a little harder to actuate the piston on my Tribute Edition D10 than on my SP R2.

Also, "*(batteries should not exceed 50mm in length or it may interfere with its operation)*"

Hope this helps,


----------



## MattK (Apr 15, 2010)

socal8080 said:


> ...got a Tribute from BatteryJunction (thanks soooooo much Matt, i really love the ramping action, have from day one) 3) and now have place my order for the trits from [email protected]. Only problem is that i'm afraid that i'm gonna have to order a few more Tributes to set my extra Trits in.... Thanks to all who make this happen.....Z, Tomato, Matt, Bart.....ya'll rock.
> Can't wait for the trits, and just gotta scrape together some more funds this week for more Tributes..........
> :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:



Thanks and enjoy!

Don't wait too long if you're looking for more Tributes - they've been flying out lately.


----------



## timbo114 (Apr 15, 2010)

*Re: Nitecore D10 Tribute?*



bansuri said:


> I saw this on BatteryJunction and was considering it as a future purchase as I miss my D10-R2. I can't see anything to indicate that it is anything more than the normal D10-R2 with a clip and trit tube. Anyone buy this yet?
> I'd hate to get it and it would instead be the new UI or be refurb.
> They'll probably be gone by the time I get the cash but I miss the old D10 and this one comes with clip AND trit slot!
> I can't imagine the day too soon where this light seems quaint and old-timey like the lights of 3 or 4 years ago, but I could be wrong. Will 145 lumens out of an AA ever seem weak?
> Oh well, just wondering if anyone has bought this yet and if they'd care to share their impressions.



I have one.
Inside, it's exactly as my _*OD hybrid*_ ... original variable ramping UI w/ new style piston.
I really like it.
I moved the clip away from the Tribute etching, and my trit is on the way from [email protected] :devil:


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Apr 15, 2010)

LedTed said:


> It's a little harder to actuate the piston on my Tribute Edition D10 than on my SP R2.
> 
> Also, "*(batteries should not exceed 50mm in length or it may interfere with its operation)*"
> 
> Hope this helps,



I use the same rechargable AW cells in my D10s.
I actually got a exchange unit back today and it works perfect like my other D10s. Thanks BatteryJunction.
Now to glue in the trit once I get it from bart.


----------



## Rawk (Apr 20, 2010)

This thread is simply awesome. Thank you very much !
Got a new D10 SP, i think it's a great flashlight for outside and the car.
Sometimes i'm thinking of worst case, because accidents happen every day. 
If there's an emergency strobe/sos can help you get attention.
For self-defense, i'd use the highest setting instead of strobe, in my eyes it's more annoying. 



MattK said:


> Thanks and enjoy!
> 
> Don't wait too long if you're looking for more Tributes - they've been flying out lately.


Hope there's one left in 3 days...waiting for my paypal receive money.
:candle:
Hey is this CPF2009 coupon code still working or is there a new one ?


----------



## LA OZ (Apr 24, 2010)

Received my black D10 R2 today with the ramping UI. It is one nice light. It is better in a few way over the first version. This will be my EDC.


----------



## jhc37013 (Apr 24, 2010)

I bought a D10 SP Camo with blue trit from the Marketplace received it today and love it. It's much brighter on 14500 than I anticipated. The only negative thing and it's really just a nit pick is it requires quite a bit of pressure to keep it in mode change and the slightest bit of letting off messes up the mode change.

This is with 14500 and with regular AA it's much easier. The light is brand new out of box so maybe a little usage will loosen it up.


----------



## JeffSim (Apr 27, 2010)

Fellow D10 owners,

I've received my D10 Tribute from Battery Junction and am waiting on my trit vials from Bart. I'm running it on Eneloop. I'm a newbie and would like to seek your enlightment on:

1. Is it much better to run D10 on 14500? If so, which brand and charger?

2. The PD is bit stiff. Which lube is better for the o-ring on the tail cap - Krytox or Nyogel?

Thanks in advance.
Jeff


----------



## Henk_Lu (Apr 28, 2010)

JeffSim said:


> Fellow D10 owners,
> 
> 
> 2. The PD is bit stiff. Which lube is better for the o-ring on the tail cap - Krytox or Nyogel?
> ...



I use Nyogel 760 on my pistons, but nothing speaks against Krytox of course. Just try which one gives you a better feeling. It didn't even come to my mind switching to Krytox, the pistons all have a slightly different feedback and the lube won't change much if we assume that it is lubed correctly by now.

Don't overlube, clean teh tube and the piston first, apply thin lube on the o-ring (I clean away everything that dropped onmetal), stick the piston in, action, take it out again and relube in the same way. You then should have enough lube, take care that no lube moves to the top of the piston, it will stick on the top of the body and make the piston even stiffer. That's why the first cleaning inside the tube is so important, mostly that sticky, stinky blue stuff is already all around...

I have become an expert, yesterday evening I did it half a dozen of times with my titanium, where the o-ring sticked to the body after not having used the light for a moment, I always had to break it free unscrewing the light a few turns and operate the piston a few times. Eventually I found an o-ring that doesn't present that behaviour, changing the o-ring may also help thus!

You may try to cut down the spring, if you want to use a 14500 it may be that you even have to, because those are slightly longert than Eneloops and piston action becomes stiffer, sometimes they won't operate anymore. I cut nealry all of my springs, outer ring, just as much that the second last ring doesn't sit on the last one anymore when the spring compresses.

What may also work is taking the spring out and remove a little bit of tension by stretching it gently in the other direction, not quite easy with your fingers, but it eventually works!

EDIT : Forget about the o-ring and lubing for the new version with the o-ring on top!!!


----------



## jslappa (Apr 28, 2010)

You could also try nano oil. It comes in different viscosities. Colder climates tend to thicken the lube, making the piston stick a bit more.


----------



## compasillo (Apr 28, 2010)

For me the best results about getting a smooth switch action come
from changing the o-ring for a new one a bit thinner as most of the times
the o-ring is the cause of the switch stiffness (you can try this by removing it
to find out how smooth is the action).

I've tried lightly lubing the tube and o-ring with nyogel 760 and nano-oil 10w but 
didn't work as expected either, so I keep the battery tube and the 
body inside as clean as possible. Only lube a very very little the o-ring,
taking it apart before. 

Just my experience.


----------



## jag-engr (Apr 28, 2010)

When I originally jumped on the Nitecore wagon, I got the EX10. I really appreciate it's low MIN and the trit slot for nightstand use. I also really appreciate the fact that it can also function as an easy-to-use twisty.

The new D10 Tribute that I got does not work as a twisty at all. Comparing the two lights, I noticed that the head of the EX10 screws _*into*_ the body, whereas the head of the D10 screws down _*over*_ the body.

I looked at several other lights that I had and it seems that lights that are built for the head to screw into the body work better as twisties and are smaller in diameter (as the threads don't overlap around the battery).

It seems that the new D10 have been made thicker due to the body tubes breaking at the base of the threads. My new D10 is now as thick as my first generation EX10. It seems like they could have achieved a stronger design by simply screwing the bezel down into the body tube without increasing the diameter. Does anyone understand why the D10 is constructed this way?


----------



## compasillo (Apr 28, 2010)

Most of my twisties have the threads to screw into the head
and they work great (Qminis, L0D's, ITP's, Maratacs...)

However, my EX10's are pretty hard to use as twisties. :thinking:


----------



## Lobo (Apr 28, 2010)

jag-engr said:


> When I originally jumped on the Nitecore wagon, I got the EX10. I really appreciate it's low MIN and the trit slot for nightstand use. I also really appreciate the fact that it can also function as an easy-to-use twisty.
> 
> The new D10 Tribute that I got does not work as a twisty at all.


Interesting. I thought the Tribute would work as the original D10. But you're saying it's not possible to use it as a twistie at all? 
I just don't get why?


----------



## Lobo (Apr 28, 2010)

Another interesting thread with interesting statement from 4seven about the reliability. Just think it's odd, since there haven't been that many reports of faulty D10s? Or have I been away too long from here?
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=224077


----------



## sjmack (Apr 28, 2010)

I just got my Patriot Edition D10, and I have to say I absolutely love the interface. Its a bit scary to see 4sevens talking about how bad the failure rate is, though. It seems like such a solid design.


----------



## Henk_Lu (Apr 28, 2010)

Lobo said:


> Another interesting thread with interesting statement from 4seven about the reliability. Just think it's odd, since there haven't been that many reports of faulty D10s? Or have I been away too long from here?
> http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=224077



While I actually remember a few reports of faulty D10 (or EX10), most could be repaired by the user as dirty contacts were the problem.

The Nitecore piston drive lights are not easy lights, you have to worship them a lot to kep them working perfectly. 4Sevens speaks of poofed electronics though, a problem which suddenly appears on a working light and means the end of the light. He also claims Nitecore sends them back non-working. I guess we have to know that 4Sevens doesn't sell Nitecore lights anymore, I doubt that business ended on a friendly basis. So, there's teh possibility, 4Sevens sees more dead lights as there really are. If the new distributor for Nitecore lights reads this, he may chime in, 4Sevens also told us he doesn't service Nitecore lights anymore... 

I haven't had a poofed light yet, let's hope it stays that way. Currently, I see how much sticky o-rings I have and I try to change them all to non-sticky ones. That's not an easy task, they all seem to be more or less sticky, especially if you haven't used the light for a while. The system of a pidton drive isn't really a good one, for flashaholics only!


----------



## jimmy1970 (Apr 28, 2010)

sjmack said:


> I just got my Patriot Edition D10, and I have to say I absolutely love the interface. Its a bit scary to see 4sevens talking about how bad the failure rate is, though. It seems like such a solid design.


Whilst there have been some reports of faulty drivers etc, in my experience, I have only had problems with the D20 model - the D10 & EX10 models have been faultless.

I agree with the comment from the OP that a lot of consumer problems can be traced back to dirty postive terminals and signal rings. This is almost always caused in no small part to excess lube working its' way down to the electronics board that in turn traps dirt etc.

I use nanolube in my Nitecores (sparingly) and have had no problems. The PD system is reliable - but you do have to lubricate the piston every 6 months or so to ensure smooth operation of the piston - if that is beyond the call of duty for casual users (non flashoholics) then a clicky light is the way to go.

P.S. All light manufacturers are going to have problems - I am currently waiting for Surefire to send me a replacement U2A tailcap - even Surefire can get it wrong sometimes.

James....


----------



## sjmack (Apr 29, 2010)

jimmy1970 said:


> Whilst there have been some reports of faulty drivers etc, in my experience, I have only had problems with the D20 model - the D10 & EX10 models have been faultless.
> 
> I agree with the comment from the OP that a lot of consumer problems can be traced back to dirty postive terminals and signal rings. This is almost always caused in no small part to excess lube working its' way down to the electronics board that in turn traps dirt etc.
> 
> ...



Yeah, I understand that all manufacturers have failures. I mean, it's inevitable to have failures, but when a former supplier comes out and claims the failure rate is 3-4x the amount of other brands they carry it is odd. 

I don't doubt user error is a problem with the piston design. So far it seems like a solid light, and like you said, simple upkeep should keep it running smoothly. Until I experience otherwise, I am confident in my D10. 

I still can't get over how awesome the UI is. :twothumbs


----------



## CaNo (Apr 29, 2010)

I definitely enjoyed reading this thread. Makes me regret selling my D10!


----------



## jag-engr (Apr 29, 2010)

compasillo said:


> Most of my twisties have the threads to screw into the head
> and they work great (Qminis, L0D's, ITP's, Maratacs...)



On AAA lights, there seems to be less difference between the two thread layouts. On larger lights (AA or CR123), they may work fine in the other layout, but, all other factors being equal, they seem to be smoother on the inside. At any rate it still results in a smaller overall diameter for the light.




compasillo said:


> However, my EX10's are pretty hard to use as twisties. :thinking:



Which generation are they? Mine is a first generation Q5. I found it worked better with the slightly-longer slotted trit piston than the stock piston, too.


----------



## Surnia (Apr 29, 2010)

sjmack said:


> I don't doubt user error is a problem with the piston design. So far it seems like a solid light, and like you said, simple upkeep should keep it running smoothly. Until I experience otherwise, I am confident in my D10.
> 
> I still can't get over how awesome the UI is. :twothumbs


I agree on user error, whenever I hand people the D10 to play with, they take a bit to figure out how to turn it on, due to the slightly stiff piston and the trit vial in it! I also think it doesn't help that I leave it on minimum all the time, so they're slightly underwhelmed by it until I shortcut to max and they're temporarily blinded by the reflection 

The UI is simply great, it is a shame they took it out officially...


----------



## compasillo (Apr 29, 2010)

jag-engr said:


> On AAA lights, there seems to be less difference between the two thread layouts. On larger lights (AA or CR123), they may work fine in the other layout, but, all other factors being equal, they seem to be smoother on the inside. At any rate it still results in a smaller overall diameter for the light.



I'm not sure about that. Thinking about my Qmini 123 and CR2, wich are pretty fatter than AAA's, the twist action is butter and they have the threads outside...




jag-engr said:


> Which generation are they? Mine is a first generation Q5. I found it worked better with the slightly-longer slotted trit piston than the stock piston, too.



Mine are XP-E R2 but don't know what have to do the LEDs with the threads, as the LE is basically the same (or not?)


----------



## jag-engr (Apr 29, 2010)

compasillo said:


> Mine are XP-E R2 but don't know what have to do the LEDs with the threads, as the LE is basically the same (or not?)



I think they made minor changes to the the lights between different versions.


----------



## soniclove (May 1, 2010)

I got mine the other day...love the piston and the UI...great light...

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3313/macrosunny380.jpg
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7006/macrosunny379.jpg

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/3675/macrosunny375.jpg
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5835/macrosunny369.jpg


_Over sized images changed to links_


----------



## Surnia (May 1, 2010)

Very nice images soniclove, also a very nice camera! 

Here's the pics of my D10, finally with the trit installed. Managed to trap a small air bubble under the vial, its a little annoying but nothing I can do about it...







Also a more magnified one so you can see the dust in the tail area.





Yes I did cheat a bit, dark room + long exposure to bring out the tritium glow xD

Question for other tribute owners, is the tail end of your piston turning dark? seems to be turning... black slowly, like tarnish on silver.

*edit* I just realized both my images are JUST under 800px. That's one lucky coincidence...


----------



## sjmack (May 1, 2010)

The tritium looks amazing on D10s. I'm going to go to the machine shop Monday and see if any CNC mills are open.


----------



## soniclove (May 1, 2010)

Surnia said:


> Very nice images soniclove, also a very nice camera!


 

thanks!! your trit mod looks amazing...I'd love to shoot it with my 5D MkII with some low light long exposure photos to bring out the goodness!!

cheers


----------



## Zeruel (May 2, 2010)

socal8080 said:


> Z,
> first off amazing review, you went above and beyond by a mile bro. You are full on hardcore to the bone!!
> 
> I'm just sooooo stoked to be able to fabricate these lights....with all the threads and people here......ya'll make it really easy to do. Thanks to all who make this happen.....Z, Tomato, Matt, Bart.....ya'll rock.
> ...





Rawk said:


> This thread is simply awesome. Thank you very much !





CaNo said:


> I definitely enjoyed reading this thread. Makes me regret selling my D10!



Thanks for your thanks, guys. 




JeffSim said:


> Fellow D10 owners,
> 
> I've received my D10 Tribute from Battery Junction and am waiting on my trit vials from Bart. I'm running it on Eneloop. I'm a newbie and would like to seek your enlightment on:
> 
> ...



Some prefer to run on 14500 for the boost in output and longer runtime on low. However, when a light gets brighter, that'd mean it gets hotter at the same time. AW batteries and the Pila charger are some preferred brands here.

As I've mentioned on the first post, I'm using nano-oil as it is thinner oil and doesn't make it sluggish compare to using "creamy" lubes. But YMMV. However, the thing with nano oil is that it tends to "evaporates" faster and I'll need to re-lube more frequent than other lubes. I'll probably try a heavier weight of nano oil next time.




Lobo said:


> Another interesting thread with interesting statement from 4seven about the reliability. Just think it's odd, since there haven't been that many reports of faulty D10s? Or have I been away too long from here?
> http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=224077



As I've mentioned, all brands produce faulty lights once in a while. It could be caused by a lack of QC, flukes, users or simply the circumstances around which the lights are used. Faults are usually amplified in CPF and I don't defend a light blindly simply because I like it, I do state the faults, what might have caused them and what has or hasn't been done to rectify them. As to my own experience, I've own over 20 D10s and have not come across any faults at all for the time being. And I'm not too worry if any of them goes  on me one day as I have confidence in the dealer and manufacturer to set things right.





Surnia said:


> Here's the pics of my D10, finally with the trit installed. Managed to trap a small air bubble under the vial, its a little annoying but nothing I can do about it...
> 
> Question for other tribute owners, is the tail end of your piston turning dark? seems to be turning... black slowly, like tarnish on silver.



You could remove the Norland and re-install again if the bubble irritates you. And yes, I've come across a D10 button that turned dark after using some time. My guess it's caused by the sweat on thumb. It's rather cool if you ask me.


----------



## sjmack (May 2, 2010)

Would you happen to know what the measurements of Nitecores cut outs for the tritium are?


----------



## Zeruel (May 2, 2010)

The cut-out holds 2x8mm trit vials. The old piston's measurements are about 2.2mm x 10mm and the new one is slightly wider by about 1 or 2mm.


----------



## Henk_Lu (May 2, 2010)

I hope that pugga doesn't mind if I use his pictures from the his thread on the BST on the marketplace, but I think they belong here and I can't take such quality pictures with my lousy Olympus MJU 725 SW :






Those are my pistons he did, all in the row on top are old style D10, the bottom row are EX10.


He did a terrific work, milling huge slots and installing 10 x 2,5mm trits. There's one EX10 piston where he needn't cut through as either the trit was a little shorter or the piston top a bit larger. The tops were polished before milling the slots. One D10 piston also got a 6 x 2mm trit, quite a difference...

A view on the working ends :






I think his work is GREAT!!! :wave:


----------



## mr_maurice (May 2, 2010)

Henk_Lu said:


> The tops were polished before milling the slots.


Wow..
Are those stock D10 pistons ? How do you manage to get such a shiny effect ?


----------



## Henk_Lu (May 2, 2010)

mr_maurice said:


> Wow..
> Are those stock D10 pistons ? How do you manage to get such a shiny effect ?



Yes, all are not quite new stock D10 & EX10 pistons!

As for the shiny polish, you have to ask pugga, he's the artist, I have no idea how he did it, I can only tell you that he has access to a milling machine and also to tools used to manufacture jewellery...

He already has presented a new idea, once again I have to take a picture of his thread :






I don't know more about those rings as you can see by now, it seems you can attach the clips on them and the tails get even more shiny.


----------



## sjmack (May 2, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> The cut-out holds 2x8mm trit vials. The old piston's measurements are about 2.2mm x 10mm and the new one is slightly wider by about 1 or 2mm.



Thanks a bunch


----------



## Shardak (May 3, 2010)

Nice review.

My original D10 Q5 died over the weekend thanks to a leaking AW 14500. I also have a EX10 but it is currently missing in action. 

So for now I am back to my Nitecore DI. 

If I cant find my EX10 I will be hunting for a ramping D10.


----------



## bansuri (May 3, 2010)

The Tributes have been discontinued. 
:thumbsdow


----------



## Shardak (May 3, 2010)

bansuri said:


> The Tributes have been discontinued.
> :thumbsdow



Well that is unfortunate. Perfect timing for my D10 Q5 to die.

Is this the only available version that still has the ramping UI?

http://hkequipment.net/index.php?p=6&lang=en&id=433


----------



## Surnia (May 3, 2010)

bansuri said:


> The Tributes have been discontinued.
> :thumbsdow



Well it was mentioned that they were a 200 unit limited production... I'm surprised they lasted that long.


----------



## supasizefries (May 3, 2010)

I'm loving those pistons from Pugga!


----------



## dieselducy (May 3, 2010)

i just bought a patriot. is that rare??


----------



## Zeruel (May 3, 2010)

Surnia said:


> Well it was mentioned that they were a 200 unit limited production... I'm surprised they lasted that long.



I think 200 was the first wave. This batch that's out is the second wave, not sure how many, might be another 200. Only Matt can tell and if he's going to get some more.... or not.




dieselducy said:


> i just bought a patriot. is that rare??


Only 25 made.


----------



## jhc37013 (May 3, 2010)

dieselducy said:


> i just bought a patriot. is that rare??



When you get it post back and lets us know how you like the UI and everything. The finish is special made by member Swissbianco and their super nice, a shelve queen IMO.


----------



## ninemm (May 3, 2010)

jhc37013 said:


> When you get it post back and lets us know how you like the UI and everything. The finish is special made by member Swissbianco and their super nice, a shelve queen IMO.



I definitely feel that way about my Sunspot and Whetstone. I'm dying to get my hands on a Magma. :sigh:


----------



## jslappa (May 4, 2010)

The Magma has also eluded me. I missed 2 in the MarketPlace, and haven't seen any more since. It's the only one I don't have. The Magma sold out first, followed by the Sunspot, then Whetstone, and I believe the Patriot was still available for about $80ish at 7777's a couple weeks ago. Your Patriot will have the Q5 Cree LED in it. Enjoy it, you are only one of a few to possess that light.


----------



## Henk_Lu (May 4, 2010)

dieselducy said:


> i just bought a patriot. is that rare??



They produced 25 pieces of each light and they are numbered "xy/25". There are however 50 lights with each finish, as there are 25 x D10 and 25 x EX10...


----------



## calipsoii (May 4, 2010)

4sevens still shows the Patriot as available, so either there are a couple for sale there, or their inventory never got updated. http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?products_id=621


----------



## ninemm (May 4, 2010)

calipsoii said:


> 4sevens still shows the Patriot as available, so either there are a couple for sale there, or their inventory never got updated. http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?products_id=621



The below message was from 4sevens when I emailed them a week ago as to their stock of Patriots.

The Nitecore D10 we only have 6 units left.The EX10 we only have 8 units left.


----------



## Surnia (May 4, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> I think 200 was the first wave. This batch that's out is the second wave, not sure how many, might be another 200. Only Matt can tell and if he's going to get some more.... or not.



Well then, I was proven wrong xD
We'll see how it goes in the future.


----------



## BillMPL (May 4, 2010)

Zeruel, wow!!!  What a fantastic tribute thread! Incredibly thorough covering every aspect and detail of one of the best and most useful lights ever made.

I just discovered this thread, (I've been hanging out at the marketplace lately), and I can't believe the amount of work that went in to this. 

I have quite an affinity for the D10. When I first discovered it, (original Q5), I completely stopped even looking at other lights. I even went on hiatus from CPF for many, many months. I'm glad I returned to find this thread.

This is an incredible resource that I immediately bookmarked and will reference often. 

THANK YOU!!! :twothumbs


--Bill

BTW, I have not accepted any payment from Zeruel for making this post.
(although I'm willing to if he offers. )


----------



## MattK (May 5, 2010)

The ones we just sold out of were the 2nd batch. There will not be a third batch.

There may be some available from the first batch soon but they're tied up in an insurance claim at the moment.


----------



## ky70 (May 5, 2010)

MattK said:


> The ones we just sold out of were the 2nd batch. There will not be a third batch.
> 
> There may be some available from the first batch soon but they're tied up in an insurance claim at the moment.


 
Thanks Matt. What's the difference between batch 1 and 2?
 
Sidebar: Question for anyone with knowledge...what is different about the internals of the D10 v. EX10 where the EX10 reportedly has an increase in lumens output on high with the use of a 3.7v lion, but the D10 does not but reportedly gets a longer runtime on high with the 3.7v lion?


----------



## jslappa (May 5, 2010)

I know MattK said that Nitecore would probably use the ramping UI in another light down the road, but it now looks like the only ramping D10/EX10 LE's are now whatever is left in current supply chain channels. 

I finally have a 2mm x 8mm ice blu trit in my Tribute. Thanks for making those 2 batches available MattK. We all appreciate the old ramping coupled with the better piston design.


----------



## sonicj (May 5, 2010)

Henk_Lu said:


> I hope that pugga doesn't mind if I use his pictures from the his thread on the BST on the marketplace, but I think they belong here and I can't take such quality pictures with my lousy Olympus MJU 725 SW :
> 
> Those are my pistons he did, all in the row on top are old style D10, the bottom row are EX10.
> 
> ...


those look incredible! photographing polished metals is difficult. the camera doesn't capture the returned light the way our eyes do. i'm sure they look ever better in person!

i polished mine with a dremel. it turned out alright.... the tooling marks are gone, a hint of orange peel remains, definitely much shinier. 
-sj


----------



## sonicj (May 5, 2010)

anyone know the size of the hex heads on the bolts included with the clip? im sureprise it didn't come with a little wrench. 1.0mm is too small, 1.5mm too big... 1.3mm maybe??
-sj


----------



## goldenlight (May 5, 2010)

Shardak said:


> Nice review.
> 
> My original D10 Q5 died over the weekend thanks to a leaking AW 14500. I also have a EX10 but it is currently missing in action.
> 
> ...



You can still find them at reasonable prices on Ebay, but they ship from Hong Kong, so the shipping time is a bit long.

Replacing the ramping UI, with the POC SP version (WOW, it has a tacticool STROBE!!) was a VERY bad idea, IMHO.

Did NiteCore think they were going to get a lot of police/military contracts for their single AA flashlight, if they added a STROBE, and SOS function.  oo: :laughing:  :hahaha:


----------



## Gazerbeam (May 5, 2010)

sonicj said:


> anyone know the size of the hex heads on the bolts included with the clip? im sureprise it didn't come with a little wrench. 1.0mm is too small, 1.5mm too big... 1.3mm maybe??
> -sj


 
A Torx T6 fits perfectly. After snugging the screws down tight with a T6 I no longer feel the need to use loctite, the clip feels secure and presses firmly against the body now.


----------



## ky70 (May 6, 2010)

Bump, bump



MattK said:


> The ones we just sold out of were the 2nd batch. There will not be a third batch.
> 
> There may be some available from the first batch soon but they're tied up in an insurance claim at the moment.





ky70 said:


> Thanks Matt. What's the difference between batch 1 and 2?





ky70 said:


> Sidebar: Question for anyone with knowledge...what is different about the internals of the D10 v. EX10 where the EX10 reportedly has an increase in lumens output on high with the use of a 3.7v lion, but the D10 does not but reportedly gets a longer runtime on high with the 3.7v lion?


----------



## MattK (May 6, 2010)

ky70 said:


> Thanks Matt. What's the difference between batch 1 and 2?



The only difference is the name printing - on the 2nd batch we moved the TRIBUTE name etching to the other side so that the slip wouldn't cover the center of it.


----------



## Zeruel (May 6, 2010)

You will see an increase in output for both D10 and EX10 when li-ion is used. Whose D10 has a report contrary to that? :duh2:


----------



## ky70 (May 6, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> You will see an increase in output for both D10 and EX10 when li-ion is used. Whose D10 has a report contrary to that?


 
Sorry, I'll be more specific. Though both the D10 and EX10 are listed (in the details on the various vendor websites) as having max outputs of 145 lumens on a 3.7v Li-on, I've only seen the EX10 reported as having 200+ lumen output on high using the li-on (source is the Mev's review post of the Ex10 on the light-reviews forum and discussed in the thread I started *here*).

In my research (which includes this thread and specific searches on "14500" and "D10" here and on google) I have not been able to find any confirmation that the D10 puts out more lumens on high than the listed 145 lumens. When I add that to the fact that the D10 is listed as having a longer run time on a 14500 than the other AA forms (per the various vendor sites), I jumped to the conclusion that the D10 does not get the same boost as the EX10 when using a 3.7v lion. Can you confirm the Max output of the D10 using a 14500? And is it possible for the D10 to have more power AND longer runtime using a 14500 when compared to other AA forms? Thanks.


----------



## Zeruel (May 6, 2010)

I'm afraid only someone with the sphere can test if it's 200 lumens. But when I compare both EX10 and D10 visually, my D10 is strangely brighter by a bit, at the hotspot and spill. Both are using 3.7v li-ion and emitters are R2 XR-E.

As to the comparison of runtime with other AAs, you'll have to check out the 1xAA review by Selfbuilt.


----------



## Igor Porto (May 6, 2010)

Both my D10 and EX10 (both have XRE-R2) using Li-Ion are identical in brightness. My guess is they're around 200 lumens.


----------



## ky70 (May 6, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> I'm afraid only someone with the sphere can test if it's 200 lumens. But when I compare both EX10 and D10 visually, my D10 is strangely brighter by a bit, at the hotspot and spill. Both are using 3.7v li-ion and emitters are R2 XR-E.
> 
> As to the comparison of runtime with other AAs, you'll have to check out the 1xAA review by Selfbuilt.


 
Thanks Zeruel. Selfbuilt's review has a similar outcome as is listed on the vendor websites.
Selfbuilt lists the following runtimes on High:
* AA Duracell = 36 minutes to 50%
* Eneloop = 42 minutes to 50%
* AW 14500 = 64 minutes to 50%

There's probably a simple explanation that my newbiness does not know, but I'm confused how a light can get a bump in both power and runtime when going from say a NIHM AA to a 14500. In my limited experience I expect a bump in power to translate to a decrease in runtime...it plays out this way on the listed runtimes for the EX10 using a li-on, but not so for the D10.

I really want to thank you folks for confirming that the D10 output on 3.7v is the same as the EX10. That mystery was drving me crazy and I was only considering the EX10 because I thought it was brighter, but now I can look at the D10 as well. Thanks again!!


----------



## Surnia (May 6, 2010)

ky70 said:


> Thanks Zeruel. Selfbuilt's review has a similar outcome as is listed on the vendor websites.
> Selfbuilt lists the following runtimes on High:
> * AA Duracell = 36 minutes to 50%
> * Eneloop = 42 minutes to 50%
> ...


I do believe one of the reasons why you see two increases is not only because the voltage allows the light to go brighter, but it also bypasses the circuits used to boost the AA voltage up to the LED's, which tend to be slightly inefficient. I do believe some people in this thread notice more heat generation with the NiMHs vs. the Li-ions, and it was attributed to this circuit.


----------



## e1sbaer (May 6, 2010)

I'm torn between the ramping (xp-e r2) version and the new sp version. 
With the ramping UI, double click is low, double click and hold is max. If I read correctly the ramped level will not be memorized if you switch to min of max afterwards right?


----------



## Zeruel (May 6, 2010)

It will remember whatever the setting you've switched off with, ie if you switch to low/max and turn it off, the next time you turn it on, it'll be low/max.


----------



## e1sbaer (May 6, 2010)

Zeruel thx, I thought so. A bit different from the jetbeam I just got where twisting the head lets you select the ramped up level. The nitecore on the other hand lets you select min and max directly which is really nice too.

Reading the opening post over and over again the hybrid d10, ramping UI with XP-E R2 is what I want. Ordered!
Love this thread.


----------



## ninemm (May 6, 2010)

e1sbaer: Where did you place your order for the Hybrid D10 R2?


----------



## compasillo (May 6, 2010)

ninemm said:


> e1sbaer: Where did you place your order for the Hybrid D10 R2?




This link may help

http://hkequipment.net/index.php?p=1&cat0=1&cat1=13&lang=en


----------



## e1sbaer (May 6, 2010)

ninemm said:


> e1sbaer: Where did you place your order for the Hybrid D10 R2?



On ebay ( NiteCore D10 Cree XP-E R2 Smart PD LED AA Flashlight).
Since my jetbeam order from the US I've learned that orders like this will be from Europe or HongKong, due to local carrier charges which are, unfortunately, insane.


----------



## ky70 (May 6, 2010)

Zeruel,

I want to thank you putting together this wonderful thread :twothumbs. This thing is invaluable to folks like me who are trying to find out what all the buzz is about. I'll be oredering me a D10 or EX10 tomorrow (still haven't decided which one)

BTW, I see that a 18mm GITD o-ring fits in the the D10 recess area around the psiton, will the same size work for the EX10 or would a larger o-ring be needed? Thanks again.


----------



## ResQTech (May 6, 2010)

e1sbaer said:


> Zeruel thx, I thought so. A bit different from the jetbeam I just got where twisting the head lets you select the ramped up level. The nitecore on the other hand lets you select min and max directly which is really nice too.
> 
> Reading the opening post over and over again the hybrid d10, ramping UI with XP-E R2 is what I want. Ordered!
> Love this thread.



By "Hybrid" do you mean the D10 "Tribute" with the ramping UI, pocket clip and trit slot on the piston? As far as I know, the D10 comes in either the "Tribute" or "SP" version with 3 preset levels and strobe. I have not heard of a "Hybrid" D10...


----------



## ninemm (May 6, 2010)

ResQTech said:


> By "Hybrid" do you mean the D10 "Tribute" with the ramping UI, pocket clip and trit slot on the piston? As far as I know, the D10 comes in either the "Tribute" or "SP" version with 3 preset levels and strobe. I have not heard of a "Hybrid" D10...




On the first page of the thread the OP talks about the "hybrid" version. Basically it has the new piston design and ramping instead of the 3 preset levels. No trit slot in the piston.


----------



## sonicj (May 6, 2010)

goldenlight said:


> Replacing the ramping UI, with the POC SP version (WOW, it has a tacticool STROBE!!) was a VERY bad idea, IMHO.
> 
> Did NiteCore think they were going to get a lot of police/military contracts for their single AA flashlight, if they added a STROBE, and SOS function.  oo: :laughing:  :hahaha:


if they seriously considered the strobe a self defense feature, they would have made it easier to get to. ie: click, click, click instead of click, click, hold. it is excellent as a attention getter! SOS might seem a novelty... until the day you need it.

i ordered the tribute after reading so many stories about how it was the only way to go. after a shipping mishap (that was quickly resolved by battery junction) i ended up with a SP that i couldn't help but play with while waiting for my tribute to arrive. after using the tribute for a bit, i ended up keeping the SP mostly due to my preference of the interface. 

quick access to low, med, high is a huge convenience for me. i really don't foresee a situation where one of the 3 wasn't suitable for the task at hand. strobe isn't a big to do imo, but fun to play with. with sos, its completely out of the way for normal operation and its nice to know its there in case i ever need it. i don't find the need for lockout necessary with the light clipped in my pocket, but but for a backpack, purse, or in my pocket w/o clip, etc...

i never thought i would prefer the SP after all the research i did prior to the purchase... caught me by surprise!
-sj


----------



## e1sbaer (May 7, 2010)

ResQTech said:


> By "Hybrid" do you mean the D10 "Tribute" with the ramping UI, pocket clip and trit slot on the piston? As far as I know, the D10 comes in either the "Tribute" or "SP" version with 3 preset levels and strobe. I have not heard of a "Hybrid" D10...



By Hybrid I mean the new D10 hardware with the old software (ramping UI). 
(It's mentioned on the first page indeed).


----------



## Zeruel (May 7, 2010)

ky70 said:


> Zeruel,
> 
> I want to thank you putting together this wonderful thread :twothumbs. This thing is invaluable to folks like me who are trying to find out what all the buzz is about. I'll be oredering me a D10 or EX10 tomorrow (still haven't decided which one)
> 
> BTW, I see that a 18mm GITD o-ring fits in the the D10 recess area around the psiton, will the same size work for the EX10 or would a larger o-ring be needed? Thanks again.



You're welcome. I apologize for terrorizing your wallet.

D10 and EX10 appear to use the same-sized o-ring and it's about 15mm. So if 18mm fits _your_ D10, it should be able to for the EX10 too.




ResQTech said:


> By "Hybrid" do you mean the D10 "Tribute" with the ramping UI, pocket clip and trit slot on the piston? As far as I know, the D10 comes in either the "Tribute" or "SP" version with 3 preset levels and strobe. I have not heard of a "Hybrid" D10...



Hey Res, on the first post, I've explained that the term "Hybrid" is a term I created to explain D10 that uses the new PD system but retaining the old user interface. Since Nitecore didn't give it a name for such a model, I took the initiative to give it an unofficial term so as to avoid confusion over the old D10 and the new SP. The Tribute is a Hybrid with "Tribute" laser engraved on it.


----------



## ky70 (May 7, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> You're welcome. I apologize for terrorizing your wallet.
> 
> D10 and EX10 appear to use the same-sized o-ring and it's about 15mm. So if 18mm fits _your_ D10, it should be able to for the EX10 too.


 
D10 Camo and trit vial incoming...thanks for all your help.


----------



## ky70 (May 11, 2010)

I got my D10 Camo (SP R2) yesterday from lightjunction (ordered on Friday, received on Monday...WOW) and I'm very, very pleased with this light. It's difficult to see the boost in power when comparing the light on high using a 14500 vs. a NIHM...but this light is plenty bright enough either way. 

In comparing the D10 with my Zebralight SC50 with both lights powered by a 14500, the SC50 has a slight brightness edge which I can't quantify, but I'll estimate that the SC50 appears spprx. 10% brighter (the SC50 puts out a reported 193 lumens on high). But when you throw a NIHM AA in both lights, the D10 easily outshines the SC50 on high (and the D10 definitely has the whiter beam). I love the layers in this UI (3 set modes, non ramping version) with the hidden (yet easily accessible) blinky modes, momentary on capability, and lock out feature. It does have an annoying whine in medium mode and if you listen closely, a very quiet whine sound in low mode...but it doesn't really bother me very much while I'm using the light.

In short, I love the D10. I'll do a comparison review of the D10 to the SC50 when I get time as these are 2 great lights that are really close in terms being the best option for an EDC.


----------



## gnicky11 (May 11, 2010)

ky70 said:


> I got my D10 Camo (SP R2) yesterday from lightjunction (ordered on Friday, received on Monday...WOW) and I'm very, very pleased with this light.


 

I also received my Camo yesterday from lightjunction. 7 left now, so we must have gotten the #8 & #9 inventory. I really like the light so far - waiting on the 14500s.


----------



## entoptics (May 11, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> You will see an increase in output for both D10 and EX10 when li-ion is used. Whose D10 has a report contrary to that? :duh2:





ky70 said:


> In my research (which includes this thread and specific searches on "14500" and "D10" here and on google) I have not been able to find any confirmation that the D10 puts out more lumens on high than the listed 145 lumens...Can you confirm the Max output of the D10 using a 14500? And is it possible for the D10 to have more power AND longer runtime using a 14500 when compared to other AA forms? Thanks.



Here's a time lapse video I made that appears to answer this question definitively

The still images were a smidge over exposed at the center, but judging by the spill, there is absolutely NO difference between the 14500 and the NiMH in terms of brightness for the Tribute D10. My testing shows the 14500 (~75 min) to last 2/3 longer than the NiMH (~45 min), which is consistent with the manufacturer's quoted stats.


----------



## Zeruel (May 11, 2010)

entoptics said:


> Here's a time lapse video I made that appears to answer this question definitively
> 
> The still images were a smidge over exposed at the center, but judging by the spill, there is absolutely NO difference between the 14500 and the NiMH in terms of brightness for the Tribute D10. My testing shows the 14500 (~75 min) to last 2/3 longer than the NiMH (~45 min), which is consistent with the manufacturer's quoted stats.



Seems like a cause for investigation. I've placed 2 Tributes side-by-side to compare output between a Eneloop and a AW. Very close, but AW is just a tad brighter but not obvious unless one scrutinizes closely. This seems to coincide with Selfbuilt's lux report for the SP whose readings showed a higher figure for AW than Eneloop although by a mere 8 lumens thereabouts which of course, could very well mean no difference in the real world.

The same experiment is done between 2 D10 R2 (XR-E). The difference is more obvious. :shrug: So I guess my impression of D10 getting higher visible output for sure stems from the Q5 and R2 XR-E days.


----------



## ky70 (May 11, 2010)

entoptics said:


> Here's a time lapse video I made that appears to answer this question definitively
> 
> The still images were a smidge over exposed at the center, but judging by the spill, there is absolutely NO difference between the 14500 and the NiMH in terms of brightness for the Tribute D10. My testing shows the 14500 (~75 min) to last 2/3 longer than the NiMH (~45 min), which is consistent with the manufacturer's quoted stats.


 
Thank you!!  That does line up with my naked eye comparison last night as I was unable to see a noticeable difference in output from the D10 when using a 14500 vs. a NIHM. It also lines up with the increased runtime when using the 14500 as I couldn't understand how this light could have an increase in both runtime and output (of any significance) at the same time.

The really good news is the D10 gives great output on a NIHM battery so there is not a "need" to tun this on a 14500...but if you have 14500s in your possesion, go ahead and use them and enjoy the bump in runtime. I'll run mine on a 14500 because I have one available, but the fact that I won't lose any significant output when using a NIHM, I won't hesitate to throw a fresh Dura loop in from time to time.:twothumbs



gnicky11 said:


> I also received my Camo yesterday from lightjunction. 7 left now, so we must have gotten the #8 & #9 inventory. I really like the light so far - waiting on the 14500s.


I'm really impressed with the light. I was pleasantly surpised to find that the base color of the camo is brown. It is very handsome light in person...I just keep staring at it.


----------



## BillMPL (May 12, 2010)

gnicky11 said:


> I also received my Camo yesterday from lightjunction. 7 left now, so we must have gotten the #8 & #9 inventory. I really like the light so far - waiting on the 14500s.


I just received my camo yesterday and now they have 6 left, so I must have lucky number 7. :twothumbs

I'm really pleased with its looks, ringless beam, whiteness and brightness, but, I'm getting a high pitched whine when on medium. :thumbsdow 
I think I can live with it, but it is rather annoying.

Another issue is the switch pressure. I cleaned, lubed and shortened the coil. It will be very smooth at first, but after a while, even if it's not being used, it becomes rather stiff again. I'm wondering if it needs a smaller o-ring?

Are others who are purchasing from this same batch experiencing any of these issues?


--Bill


----------



## jslappa (May 12, 2010)

Bill, 
the piston itself needs to be dry and free of lube. Also, depending on your climate, you'll have to find a lube that doesn't thicken or change it's viscosity. As a former Marine, I use CLP for all my guns, but if I use it in my lights, I get the same issues you experience. I use the low weight nano-oil and my D10's action is smooth, whether I use it daily or once a month.


----------



## BillMPL (May 12, 2010)

I had cleaned the piston, added a light coating of SuperLube grease, and then wiped it off leaving a very, very light coating. It still had the same issue. Finally I took the o-ring off and it works beautifully, so I'm guessing the o-ring was a little too large. I will try getting a smaller o-ring and see what happens. I also ordered some SuperLube oil too.

BTW, how do you remove the o-ring without ruining it?


--Bill


----------



## jslappa (May 12, 2010)

Bill,

toothpick. Use the toothpick to get underneath the o-ring, then just roll it off.


----------



## ky70 (May 12, 2010)

BillMPL said:


> I just received my camo yesterday and now they have 6 left, so I must have lucky number 7. :twothumbs
> 
> I'm really pleased with its looks, ringless beam, whiteness and brightness, but, I'm getting a high pitched whine when on medium. :thumbsdow
> I think I can live with it, but it is rather annoying.


 
Bill, I get the whine on medium too. If you put the light close to your ear and listen closely, it also has a lesser whine on low mode. It doesn't bother me though as I don't notice it much in use.

Thankfully, I don't have any of the piston issues you're reporting...hopefully you can get that resolved and have your light functioning smoothly.


----------



## Henk_Lu (May 12, 2010)

jslappa said:


> Bill,
> 
> toothpick. Use the toothpick to get underneath the o-ring, then just roll it off.



That's a good method, but first I try to tweak the ring with my finger, so that it lifts up in between. Then I either grab the ring with my fingers or use the toothpick.

If you speak about the small ring on the piston-top, it'll be trickier I guess, I didn't remove one yet, as you can't tweak it and the toothpick probably breaks. I suggest needle-nose tweezers, but be carefull!


----------



## BillMPL (May 12, 2010)

Yes, I'm referring to the o-ring at the piston top. I used a micro screwdriver but ended up tearing the ring in two.



ky70 said:


> Bill, I get the whine on medium too. If you put the light close to your ear and listen closely, it also has a lesser whine on low mode. It doesn't bother me though as I don't notice it much in use.
> 
> Thankfully, I don't have any of the piston issues you're reporting...hopefully you can get that resolved and have your light functioning smoothly.


I hadn't even noticed the whine on low but you're right, it is there.


--Bill


----------



## Surnia (May 13, 2010)

There's very minor whine on my D10, but only audible if you put your ear right up against it, and are in a completely silent room. 

I actually just used my fingernail for the piston O-Ring... I consider it less abrasive than a toothpick, and less sharp than tweezers. 

I used the aerosol superlube (decade+ vintage! ) by first removing all O-Rings then wiped all the old stuff off. Sprayed the superlube in (and on a separate paper/plastic sheet), let the petroleum products evaporate, then replace O-Rings. The extra superlube on the plastic/paper was for coating the outside edge of the O-Ring (as there's no lube on it anymore, and you don't want those petroleum products to eat away at the O-Ring). 

I've done this for both of my lights, and they're now VERY smooth. However, I do use the original lube for about a month so that it can hopefully pick up some metal and use that to polish the threads before I get rid of it (kinda like how car oil works when you buy a new car; the extra bits of metal left over from manufacturing get sheared off, and used to polish the parts up for better performance). The D10 really didn't need it at all, but the SA2 severely benefited from it.


----------



## BillMPL (May 13, 2010)

Does anyone know the size of the new style piston o-ring?


----------



## Igor Porto (May 13, 2010)

I don't remember the inner diameter, but the ring diameter is 1.4mm so the piston works correctly. The original o'ring is larger and therefore the piston gets stuck.


----------



## JeffSim (May 16, 2010)

Hi Zeruel & those who have both D10 Tribute and D10 Camo SP,

I've a spare 2mmx8mm Tritium Vial (from [email protected]), after installing one in my D10 Tribute, and am planning to install it on another new light. I noticed that only the D10 Camo SP, besides the Tribute, comes with a slot on its tail cap. Is the tritium slot on the D10 Camo same size as the Tribute, i.e. it will take the 2mmx8mm vial? If so, where is the best place to get the Camo? As for UI, does the SP goes through the 2 levels continuously, i.e. low-med-high-med-low-med..., as long as the cap is pressed?

Or is there another production light, other than Nitecore D10, that has a slot that can take the 2mmx8mm vial?

Regards,
Jeff


----------



## Zeruel (May 16, 2010)

JeffSim said:


> Hi Zeruel & those who have both D10 Tribute and D10 Camo SP,
> 
> I've a spare 2mmx8mm Tritium Vial (from [email protected]), after installing one in my D10 Tribute, and am planning to install it on another new light. I noticed that only the D10 Camo SP, besides the Tribute, comes with a slot on its tail cap. Is the tritium slot on the D10 Camo same size as the Tribute, i.e. it will take the 2mmx8mm vial? If so, where is the best place to get the Camo? As for UI, does the SP goes through the 2 levels continuously, i.e. low-med-high-med-low-med..., as long as the cap is pressed?
> 
> ...



Yes, only Tribute's and Camo's pistons come with a slot. Both takes 2x8mm vials. Best place to get Camo is subjective, the price is pretty much the same everywhere so it boils down to the reliability of the dealer's services. If you're from US, Battery Junction and Light Junction are 2 Nitecore dealers I know of.

No, the SP UI goes like this: low-med-hi-low-med-hi etc.

There were individual pistons with slot sold for the old D10, but they have been sold out in most, if not all, the places I came across. Maybe you can have some luck in the MP.

Oh, one more thing you can do. Send Pugga your piston to have it milled and "tritted". See first post under ACCESSORIES for pic.


----------



## e1sbaer (May 16, 2010)

My nitecore came in yesterday in a dark gray color. It's the new hardware, xp-e R2 with the old software (ramping UI). I wasn't sure at first whether the new UI with the three preprogrammed output levels might be easier to operate but as it turns out the ramping UI works really conveniently. The lanyard that came with it has a nice clip but a crummy cord. I combined the D10 clip with the cord of the jetbeam which works really well for me. This is going to be the edc. Only thing next is to find out how to come by a slotted piston.


----------



## JeffSim (May 17, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> No, the SP UI goes like this: low-med-hi-low-med-hi etc.


 
Thanks, Zeruel, for sharing your valuable knowledge.
I've another question regarding the SP UI. If a Strobe or SOS short-cut is activated, will it remember the previous setting of low,med or high level the next time it is turned on normally? Or does it go to Strobe or SOS?

Cheers
Jeff


----------



## ky70 (May 17, 2010)

JeffSim said:


> Thanks, Zeruel, for sharing your valuable knowledge.
> I've another question regarding the SP UI. If a Strobe or SOS short-cut is activated, will it remember the previous setting of low,med or high level the next time it is turned on normally? Or does it go to Strobe or SOS?
> 
> Cheers
> Jeff


I really enjoy this UI Jeff...it remembers your last regular mode (l,m or h) before you accessed SOS/strobe and goes into that mode when you cut it off from SOS/strobe and cut it back on.


----------



## jimmy1970 (May 18, 2010)

JeffSim said:


> Thanks, Zeruel, for sharing your valuable knowledge.
> I've another question regarding the SP UI. If a Strobe or SOS short-cut is activated, will it remember the previous setting of low,med or high level the next time it is turned on normally? Or does it go to Strobe or SOS?
> 
> Cheers
> Jeff


 Whilst the light is on, if you press & hold the piston, the light will alternate from low, medium & high, low, medium & high until you let go of the button. It will stay on the output level that it was at when you let go of the button.

If you turn the light off, and then back on, it will come on at the last level so yes, it does remember the last output level.

You only access strobe or sos by a press, release & hold or a quick double click whilst on. If you turn the light off, then back on, the light comes on to the last steady output mode (ie. low, medium & high) - it is a great UI.

- It more simple than it sounds....:naughty:

James....:twothumbs


----------



## JeffSim (May 18, 2010)

Thanks to Zeruel, ky70 & jimmy1970 for clarifying on the SP UI.

ky70, do you like your D10 Camo? Do you think it's worth getting it?

Jeff


----------



## ky70 (May 18, 2010)

JeffSim said:


> Thanks to Zeruel, ky70 & jimmy1970 for clarifying on the SP UI.
> 
> ky70, do you like your D10 Camo? Do you think it's worth getting it?
> 
> Jeff



I really like the camo and I'm usually not a camo guy but this camo has a rich looking brown as the base color and to me this doesn't look like any camo I'm used to but looks more like an artistic design.

The other reason I selected this light was the milled slot in the piston which I will install a 2x8 trit vial when it arrives. The only con for me on this light so far is the whine the light makes in medium (also makes a lower whine sound in low mode but is hardly noticeable) but it doesn't bother me much.

Best deal on the camo is at lightjunction with the CPF discount.


----------



## gnicky11 (May 18, 2010)

+1 on the camo D10 - great light (haven't noticed any whine). May I ask where I can purchase a 2x8 trit vial?




ky70 said:


> I really like the camo and I'm usually not a camo guy but this camo has a rich looking brown as the base color and to me this doesn't look like any camo I'm used to but looks more like an artistic design.
> 
> The other reason I selected this light was the milled slot in the piston which I will install a 2x8 trit vial when it arrives. The only con for me on this light so far is the whine the light makes in medium (also makes a lower whine sound in low mode but is hardly noticeable) but it doesn't bother me much.
> 
> Best deal on the camo is at lightjunction with the CPF discount.


----------



## ninemm (May 18, 2010)

gnicky11 said:


> +1 on the camo D10 - great light (haven't noticed any whine). May I ask where I can purchase a 2x8 trit vial?



Place to get 2x8 tritium vials is Bart on the Marketplace. http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=222461

He is currently having some paypal issues and isn't able to accept payment, but he is taking orders. I got the tritium vials for my lights through him. Great guy and product. 

The blue trit on the right is a D10, Green is an EX10 and the left is a 1.5x5mm trit on a Liteflux LF2XT.


----------



## gnicky11 (May 18, 2010)

Thanks ninemm - I'll try to get the trit from Bart. Green may go best with the Camo...


----------



## goldenlight (May 19, 2010)

e1sbaer said:


> My nitecore came in yesterday in a dark gray color. It's the new hardware, xp-e R2 with the old software (ramping UI). I wasn't sure at first whether the new UI with the three preprogrammed output levels might be easier to operate but as it turns out the ramping UI works really conveniently. The lanyard that came with it has a nice clip but a crummy cord. I combined the D10 clip with the cord of the jetbeam which works really well for me. This is going to be the edc. Only thing next is to find out how to come by a slotted piston.



Slotted pistons are extremely difficult to find, now.

Why not just put a glowring on the lanyard? It's cheap, easy, and makes the light even more visible.


----------



## BillMPL (May 19, 2010)

So does anyone know the exact size of the o-ring that fits on the new style piston and the size of the allen wrench that fits the screws on the clip. The one supplied with the clip is a bit too small and strips the screws.

Finally, I can't find them locally so does anyone know where I can get these things? :thinking:


----------



## Igor Porto (May 19, 2010)

Bill, as I said before, the correct thickness of the o'ring is 1.4mm. The internal diameter I don't remeber and doesn't have one here to measure, but should be easy to find out if you have a D10 to measure. My D10s have the older style pistons.

The correct allen wrench I couldn't find because the size is not standard (it's smaller than 1.5mm and bigger than 0.050"), so I made one. I got a 1.5mm wrench and filed down each side so that it fit the screws without stripping them.


----------



## BillMPL (May 19, 2010)

Igor Porto said:


> Bill, as I said before, the correct thickness of the o'ring is 1.4mm. The internal diameter I don't remeber and doesn't have one here to measure, but should be easy to find out if you have a D10 to measure. My D10s have the older style pistons.
> 
> The correct allen wrench I couldn't find because the size is not standard (it's smaller than 1.5mm and bigger than 0.050"), so I made one. I got a 1.5mm wrench and filed down each side so that it fit the screws without stripping them.


Yes, I believe you're right about the thickness of the o-ring because I was able to find some 1.4mm rings and they seemed just right. Unfortunately, they were the wrong diameter. So I can check with my micrometer for the correct size, but where is the best place to get them domestically?


----------



## e1sbaer (May 19, 2010)

goldenlight said:


> Slotted pistons are extremely difficult to find, now.
> 
> Why not just put a glowring on the lanyard? It's cheap, easy, and makes the light even more visible.



I might just do that. Have to do some more reading though about which is best.


----------



## ninemm (May 19, 2010)

e1sbaer said:


> I might just do that. Have to do some more reading though about which is best.




If you can live without your light for awhile then you can send your piston to be slotted. Pugga on the marketplace might be able to do it for you.


----------



## ky70 (May 19, 2010)

gnicky11 said:


> Thanks ninemm - I'll try to get the trit from Bart. Green may go best with the Camo...


 
I have the green trit coming for my camo light, but in looking at the light, there is actually no green anywhere on the light (and the design really doesn't look like camo). I got the green because it's the brightest of the trits but if I were attempting to coordinate with the light I would go with orange (which is only 40% brightness compared to green) or white (60%).


----------



## ky70 (May 19, 2010)

How do you folks use these wrist lanyards? Is the light in your pocket with the lanyard attached or is lanyard on your wrist with the light hanging. 

I can't picture the uses for the wrist lanyard and I assume it just adds bulk in the pocket.


----------



## ninemm (May 19, 2010)

I don't use the lanyard on my Nitecores. But when I carry my M4 on evening walks with the dog I slide the lanyard around my wrist so that I don't drop the precious (precious = M4 and not the dog :laughing.

Edit: As for the color of the trit I think you will like green. I have green and ice blue and in person the ice blue is noticeably dimmer. The difference between green and orange would be profound. Plus, Bart only has 2x8 in green and ice blue anyway. So the point is moot.


----------



## ky70 (May 19, 2010)

ninemm said:


> I don't use the lanyard on my Nitecores. But when I carry my M4 on evening walks with the dog I slide the lanyard around my wrist so that I don't drop the precious (precious = M4 and not the dog :laughing.
> 
> Edit: As for the color of the trit I think you will like green. I have green and ice blue and in person the ice blue is noticeably dimmer. The difference between green and orange would be profound. Plus, Bart only has 2x8 in green and ice blue anyway. So the point is moot.


 
Thanks ninemm!!

About the trit, maybe he'd like the smaller trit in his piston slot...he could smash 1 orange and 1 white in there :naughty:. J/K, I did forget that only 2 colors where available in 2x8.


----------



## ninemm (May 19, 2010)

ky70 said:


> Thanks ninemm!!
> 
> About the trit, maybe he'd like the smaller trit in his piston slot...he could smash 1 orange and 1 white in there :naughty:. J/K, I did forget that only 2 colors where available in 2x8.




I've seen some pistons that have two slots side by side for the smaller trits. Can't recall who had them done or if they were even on a D10. I do wish that Bart had orange in 2x8. Would have looked sweet on my Sunspot D10.


----------



## ky70 (May 19, 2010)

ninemm said:


> I've seen some pistons that have two slots side by side for the smaller trits. Can't recall who had them done or if they were even on a D10. I do wish that Bart had orange in 2x8. Would have looked sweet on my Sunspot D10.



Love that Sunspot and the EX10...did you install the trit on your own? I've got some 5 minute permapoxy and I'm wondering if that's enough time to get it right.


----------



## ninemm (May 19, 2010)

ky70 said:


> Love that Sunspot and the EX10...did you install the trit on your own? I've got some 5 minute permapoxy and I'm wondering if that's enough time to get it right.



Thanks! And no, I didn't install them myself. I had them done by someone with a lot more skill and practice at doing it. https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/3371543&postcount=1


----------



## joepa150 (May 20, 2010)

Love everything about my Tribute Edition D10 except that it is kind of hard to press the pistion in. I expected it to be a smoother easier action not a stiff hard to push action. I have tried wiping the grease off and using silicon grease and i also tried using break free but none of those smooth the piston action


----------



## Henk_Lu (May 20, 2010)

joepa150 said:


> Love everything about my Tribute Edition D10 except that it is kind of hard to press the pistion in. I expected it to be a smoother easier action not a stiff hard to push action. I have tried wiping the grease off and using silicon grease and i also tried using break free but none of those smooth the piston action



What I did was taking the spring out and pushing it inside out with my fingers a few times. That may help a little bit, but no miracles.

First, install the piston without the o-ring and check how much of the stiffness comes from the o-ring. Then install the spare o-ring and try if it's better. If you dare, send an o-ring down a little bit. Last possible action is cut the spring at the base, that's recommended if you use 14500, not necessary with AA, but it will soften the spring of course...


----------



## gnicky11 (May 20, 2010)

ky70 said:


> I have the green trit coming for my camo light, but in looking at the light, there is actually no green anywhere on the light (and the design really doesn't look like camo). I got the green because it's the brightest of the trits but if I were attempting to coordinate with the light I would go with orange (which is only 40% brightness compared to green) or white (60%).


 
green trit on it's way from [email protected]. Now to read the posts on how to install...

on another note - my piston is a bit harder to push down that I'd like. Compressing the spring did help, but I think that the o-ring could be a little slimmer ( I likely over lubricated and caused some swelling).


----------



## maskman (May 20, 2010)

+1 for compressing the piston spring for improved piston action on the D10. I think you will be pleasantly surprised if you remove the piston spring and push the top of the spring down through the base to invert it. It takes a bit of physical force to do this. Below is a photo of a stock D10 spring (left) as it came from the factory. On the right is a D10 piston spring I tuned. The spring on the right was not cut. It was only inverted with force from an unsharpened pencil. Cutting the spring shorter is final. Compressing the spring allows you make further adjustments to tune it to your liking. Good luck!


----------



## gunga (May 20, 2010)

Some tricks to improve piston feel:

Clean off all lube, add only a little lube on the o-ring (I used no-oxit, a waxy lube, but have also use superlube liquide before). Make sure you don't have lube on any contact surface or between piston and body at the tail end of the light.

Bend spring a bit to soften feel. (see above post).

Cut off some of the spring at the end (1/4 - 1/2 coil) to prevent overlap of end coils. This also helps increase travel of the piston.

What I do, to increase piston travel and (sometimes) allow me to use a glow ring, is file the end of the piston so it is almost (but not quite!) flush with the body. THis is extreme, so do this at your own peril. You can usually shave off a tiny bit (less than 1/2 mm), and it cna greatly increase piston travel and improve feel. If you file too short, the light will only work as momentary and not turn on. If you do this, you have to file the body down a tiny bit till the piston extends past again. Don't ask me how I know this...




Also, make sure you clean the piston end and contact ring. Alcohol or de-oxit work. I have also taken the contact ring off and cleaned underneath, also lube the spring in the head. THese require you to remove the brass ring though, so may not be for everybody.

Overall, you can do a lot to improve feel. It is not always easy or safe to do however. The D10 is nice, but is not always great for those faint of heart.


----------



## zbad (May 21, 2010)

D10 is a masterpiece of EDC flashlight.. There will no need for replacement except newer better D10 itself. (i want an led upgrade, with more efficient ramping ciruit, thicker titanium body w trit, optimize PD, waterproof more than RA)


----------



## Henk_Lu (May 21, 2010)

gunga said:


> What I do, to increase piston travel and (sometimes) allow me to use a glow ring, is file the end of the piston so it is almost (but not quite!) flush with the body. THis is extreme, so do this at your own peril. You can usually shave off a tiny bit (less than 1/2 mm), and it cna greatly increase piston travel and improve feel. If you file too short, the light will only work as momentary and not turn on. If you do this, you have to file the body down a tiny bit till the piston extends past again. Don't ask me how I know this...



You already told me that half a year ago, but I just wasn't ready for such an operation... :candle:

Today my heart felt strong and I attacked the piston of my Sunspot, which has still had a too little travel, despite screwing the reclector down as far as it can go. I took 600 to do the job and 1200 for the finish, I chose those as I don't have any other at home by now.

I just laid the sandpaper face up, placed the piston on it and moved it around for an even result. Each 30 seconds or so I checked the height ans stopped at the right moment, there's about 1/8th turn left now when the light goes on and the travel of the piston has become much more comfortable when it's screwed together.

Just do it! :wave:

EDIT : I just did 2 more lights and the feeling is improved as well, I nearly get the travel like it is on the new ones now, where you don't have to sand anything. I continued my work on the first one, just a tiny little bit, even better!


----------



## compasillo (May 21, 2010)

I did it!!!

And works great. Thanks Henk_Lu.


----------



## Surnia (May 21, 2010)

ky70 said:


> How do you folks use these wrist lanyards? Is the light in your pocket with the lanyard attached or is lanyard on your wrist with the light hanging.
> 
> I can't picture the uses for the wrist lanyard and I assume it just adds bulk in the pocket.



I have an old lanyard on a split ring from a dead coleman 3xAAA light that I use as a main tether for stuff in my pocket (wrapped around my belt). A small carabiner is then used to link up anything else, such as my tank007 (battery carrier) and the wrist lanyard for the D10 (as well as work ID, and a photon freedom micro UV). It does add a bit to my pocket, but the overall length is long enough that I can use the flashlight at chest height with the opposite hand and still have it tethered down.


joepa150 said:


> Love everything about my Tribute Edition D10 except that it is kind of hard to press the pistion in. I expected it to be a smoother easier action not a stiff hard to push action. I have tried wiping the grease off and using silicon grease and i also tried using break free but none of those smooth the piston action


I think that's mainly the battery spring, I tried the tribute without a battery in it, and it felt really easy and smooth (but made me worry about accidental presses). Plugged the Eneloop in and pressure required went up by a lot (however accidental presses are next to impossible). I also found the end of the battery spring to be causing a slight scratchy feeling on compression (it probably twists a bit against the piston body), but I haven't gotten around to sanding that smooth yet.


----------



## gunga (May 21, 2010)

Henk_Lu said:


> Just do it! :wave:
> 
> EDIT : I just did 2 more lights and the feeling is improved as well, I nearly get the travel like it is on the new ones now, where you don't have to sand anything. I continued my work on the first one, just a tiny little bit, even better!


 

Glad you got to try it out! I see the new ones have more psiton travel to begin with, so I sand them down to get more travel and so I can fit a glow ring in the bezel (it is fatter than the stock o-ring).

Good stuff!

:wave:


----------



## Zatoichi (May 21, 2010)

I can't remember if I posted on this thread before, but anyway... I must have had my D10 over a year now, I EDC'd it quite a bit and it still gets used a lot. I've never had a problem with it, and I've only cleaned it several times. It's still in my good books.


----------



## gnicky11 (Jun 4, 2010)

OK, so I installed a green trit on my D10 Camo with the Norland Optical adhesive and it turned out great (thanks [email protected] & rocketomato). 

Meanwhile, after being enlightened to the benefits of warmer tints, I ordered a warm tint XR-E version, recieved it, and I love it. I was worried about the ring, but I'm very happy and think the superior tint and throw far outweigh the ring I see when I inspect drywall.

Here is where I have a question. The new light has much much less travel in the switch and than my camo version tha has a lot of travel in the switch. The difference is all in the head unit which I verified by swapping the heads. Can this be adjusted??? The depth of the contact point in the new light is clearly less than in the camo light, causing far less travel.

BTW, I also ordered the headband and filter/diffuser accessories, which are both awsome. The filter/diffuser also fits my Mini123.


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Jun 4, 2010)

Does your warm edition have the same battery piston as the camo one?
I have a older D10 and it has the old style piston and the head has less travel than the newer versions.


----------



## gnicky11 (Jun 4, 2010)

LESLIEx317537 said:


> Does your warm edition have the same battery piston as the camo one?
> I have a older D10 and it has the old style piston and the head has less travel than the newer versions.


 
The pistons appear identical to each other (other than the trit slot on the camo) and are the newer ones with the o-ring on the top/narrow part of the piston. They are interchangeable.


----------



## LedTed (Jun 4, 2010)

ninemm said:


> If you can live without your light for awhile then you can send your piston to be slotted. Pugga on the marketplace might be able to do it for you.


 
I got my the piston of my SmartPD D10 SP R2 slotted locally. I then put one of [email protected]'s 2X8mm Green Trits in the slot. Now the FL is super easy to see in my EDC bag and super coolier to boot!


----------



## maskman (Jun 4, 2010)

See post 482 for the answer.



gnicky11 said:


> Here is where I have a question. The new light has much much less travel in the switch and than my camo version tha has a lot of travel in the switch. The difference is all in the head unit which I verified by swapping the heads. Can this be adjusted??? The depth of the contact point in the new light is clearly less than in the camo light, causing far less travel.


----------



## gnicky11 (Jun 4, 2010)

maskman said:


> See post 482 for the answer.


 
Thank you maskman, I read that, but I actually like the shorter travel and would like to decrease the travel on my camo D10. I'm guessing the answer is that the head cannot be adjusted.


----------



## mr_maurice (Jun 9, 2010)

to those who consider shortening the piston:
you might only need very little sanding to gain a lot of piston travel, I gave a total of about 10-12 circles (6-7cm wide) to get a result.

I don't know how to explain this, but there was no way I could distinguish a difference in length just by comparing how much it protrudes out of the body, but it felt like there was more than 1mm extra travel, which to me makes a noticeable difference.
It went to completly stuck when the head is fully tightened to just the amount of travel I like.

It was a worthwhile cheap little mod.


----------



## pmek5 (Jun 18, 2010)

Just a Tribute to this thread - What a great wealth of information on a great flashlight. Installed my trit, cleaned the piston tube of all lube except for just the O-ring, and the thing works perfect.


----------



## sjmack (Jun 19, 2010)

I'm probably going to be getting another D10 soon. The first one I bought was a patriot edition that I found and ended up really liking, but I would hate to EDC it and ruin such a badass light, so if I can find one of the older versions with the ramping UI I will be picking it up.

Anyone know offhand where I can get one of the old versions new?


----------



## timbo114 (Jun 19, 2010)

sjmack said:


> ...Anyone know offhand where I can get one of the old versions new?


*VERY* hard to find from a stocking dealer now.
*BJ* just sold out of the *Tribute Edition *D10s:shakehead

here
here


----------



## Zeruel (Jun 20, 2010)

The Hybrids are still available here and there. (ramping UI with new PD system)


----------



## sjmack (Jun 20, 2010)

timbo114 said:


> *VERY* hard to find from a stocking dealer now.
> *BJ* just sold out of the *Tribute Edition *D10s:shakehead
> 
> here
> here



Thanks for the links. I'm not really an ebay guy so I'm going to keep looking, but I knew I should have jumped on them at Battery Junction. 



Zeruel said:


> The Hybrids are still available here and there. (ramping UI with new PD system)



Yeah, its a shame they are so hard to fine. I love 'em.


----------



## Monocrom (Jun 20, 2010)

Damn! Looks like I'll have to get one to keep my EZ AA company.


----------



## yowzer (Jun 21, 2010)

I got a D10-R2 shortly after they came out. It was my first good flashlight small enough to carry in a pocket, and it's lived there ever since as my usual EDC, a bit worn in the anodizing, but still working as well as the day I got it. Haven't yet found a light that can take its place... The D10 works so well and just feels right. The only way it could be better is with a neutral/warm tinted LED.


----------



## compasillo (Jun 22, 2010)

Here are some slotted pistons


----------



## entoptics (Jun 22, 2010)

compasillo said:


> Here are some slotted pistons



Nice tritium. 

I see you have the longitudinal crack in the pocket clip on the middle light. NiteCore assured me that this was a freakish incident unique to me. Seems that isn't actually the case after all...


----------



## compasillo (Jun 22, 2010)

entoptics said:


> I see you have the longitudinal crack in the pocket clip on the middle light. NiteCore assured me that this was a freakish incident unique to me. Seems that isn't actually the case after all...



Yes. I have 8 clips and this is the only one I got cracked so let's say it's a 12,5 %...
Not freakish incidental issue IMO.


----------



## sjmack (Jun 22, 2010)

compasillo said:


> Here are some slotted pistons




Wow :thumbsup:


----------



## pugga (Jun 22, 2010)

:devil:nice to see them back in there bodies, glad you like.:thumbsup:


----------



## MAILLIW (Jul 26, 2010)

Please help! picked up a nitecore D10 SP, using normal duracell alk. the light turns on by itself in lock-out mode and also when it is bumped on the bottom. attached is a video of it happening any ideas? thank you all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCmpeV0dTFs


----------



## jslappa (Jul 26, 2010)

I watched your video. Thanks for the visuals. 

Lately, Nitecore has been shipping thir new D10's with a not-so-viscous blue lube all over the piston of the D10 and EX10. Based on the extremely light tap you gave the light to get it to turn on, I would try two things before you think about sending it back. 

1st. Take the light apart and completely remove all the lube from the entire piston, AND the inside of the light body. Then just put a very small dab of lube on the o-ring only. There is absolutely no need for lube on the piston itself. Put the light back together and try it out. 

2nd. If the above does not solve the problem, I would take the light apart and, using a pair of needle nosed pliers, pull the spring from the piston. Measure the spring's length, then stretch it out anoter 1/4 inch. Put the spring back in the piston, put the light back together, and run it through it's paces. 

Can't think of anything else to try right now. I have a few D10's, and that's what I would try first.


----------



## MAILLIW (Jul 26, 2010)

Hey jslappa

thanks a lot for the advice, I'll give it a try


----------



## bobjane (Jul 27, 2010)

compasillo said:


> Here are some slotted pistons


 
I like the chrome outer ring on the middle and right hand side lights. Do the screws poke through or are they nicely hidden?


----------



## CaNo (Jul 27, 2010)

compasillo said:


> Here are some slotted pistons
> 
> Did you make these yourself? The ring surrounding the piston looks great!


----------



## compasillo (Jul 27, 2010)

bobjane said:


> I like the chrome outer ring on the middle and right hand side lights. Do the screws poke through or are they nicely hidden?



The screws keep hidden.

The rings are made by pugga (as the slotted pistons also).


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 14, 2010)

D10 Titanium clip is now added to the ACCESSORIES section.


----------



## DHart (Aug 19, 2010)

*QUESTION FOR THE D10 Faithful...*

I have a D10 R2 that I bought perhaps a year and a half ago or so. I found that mine required a bit more pressure to actuate than I preferred... so I took the usual steps: cleaned, light lube, trim the battery spring just a little, use shorter li-ions, even went to using an Eneloop which was a little shorter than the li-ions. With that, it still takes a bit more pressure to access functions than I prefer and for that reason I just grab other lights instead. Turning on and off isn't difficult, but the more subtle presses needed for instant min or instant max are a bit harder to do because of the pressure required. Maybe I just prefer easier-to-actuate switches (LF3XT is so sweet) and that's all there is to be said. I do LOVE the D10. So I want to ask, are the newer D10's any easier to actuate than they were a year and a half ago? If I was to replace mine with a newer model, what model D10 would be most likely to be easier to actuate than my D10 R2?

EDITED TO ADD:

I decided to try the light with the o-ring removed from the sleeve. VERY NICE! I like it. Perhaps I should just run it without the o-ring, or need to find a thinner o-ring. The operation is wonderful now. This is very encouraging, it operates like a completely different light now... very easy to use. I like it so much now that I'm just going to have to cast a vote as a "Must Have" for the D10.

Still curious, are the new ones easier to actuate?


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Aug 19, 2010)

~

Dhart ,

If you don't require that it be waterproof (used inside only) ....

You might try removing the O-ring from the piston , just to see if that reduces the pressure more to your liking.

Could you trim your spring just a hair more ?

Try some experimentation with it.

~


----------



## DHart (Aug 19, 2010)

TooManyGizmos said:


> ~
> 
> Dhart ,
> 
> ...



TMG... yes, I removed the piston o-ring and WOW. It is exactly as I want it to be now. I guess I might try to find a thinner o-ring just to add in a little water tightness, but this isn't a light that I would generally use in the rain anyway, so I guess the o-ring is not important to me. The easy operation is!

I think my much-loved Quark AA may possibly be displaced by a light I owned before the Quark existed, but took until now to appreciate! ;-)


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Aug 19, 2010)

~

Well Damn ... Dhart !

I just noticed you were EDITING TO ADD; while I was typing .......

And you were adding just what I was tellin you to do !

I KNEW YOU WOULD LIKE IT !

Thats what I did to mine just after I got it long ago.

GOOD for you !

~
Why didn't you just ask me about this a year ago ?
Have you read my improvement mods to the LF2XT button also ?


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 19, 2010)

*Re: QUESTION FOR THE D10 Faithful...*



DHart said:


> Still curious, are the new ones easier to actuate?



:wave: DHart, the new piston drive has the (smaller) o-ring higher up on the "swtich" portion, thereby requiring lesser force than it's predecessor to actuate. But hey, whatever works for you. :naughty:


----------



## DHart (Aug 19, 2010)

*Re: QUESTION FOR THE D10 Faithful...*



TooManyGizmos said:


> ~
> 
> Well Damn ... Dhart !
> 
> ...



Had I thought to ask you a year ago, I sure would have my friend! And you are SO right, I do LOVE IT.

And yes, what have you done to your LF2XT? I haven't been using mine as I've been preferring the AA and 123 sized lights more lately. (Can't WAIT for Liteflux to come up with a AA light that's designed after the LF3XT!)



Zeruel said:


> :wave: DHart, the new piston drive has the (smaller) o-ring higher up on the "swtich" portion, thereby requiring lesser force than it's predecessor to actuate. But hey, whatever works for you. :naughty:



Hey buddy... was it you who said you felt the change didn't really amount to a very noticible difference in required pressure? I recall reading that somewhere.

Anyway... now that I'm loving my D10 R2 so MUCH... if you were to recommend another D10 to me, which one would it be? Please don't make me read all 18 pages of this thread... much as I would enjoy it... don't have time! Ha.


EDITED TO ADD.... I can't stop playing with my D10 R2 now... love the way the switch works without the o-ring!


----------



## AAROSOL (Aug 19, 2010)

*Re: QUESTION FOR THE D10 Faithful...*



DHart said:


> I have a D10 R2 that I bought perhaps a year and a half ago or so. I found that mine required a bit more pressure to actuate than I preferred... so I took the usual steps: cleaned, light lube, trim the battery spring just a little, use shorter li-ions, even went to using an Eneloop which was a little shorter than the li-ions. With that, it still takes a bit more pressure to access functions than I prefer and for that reason I just grab other lights instead. Turning on and off isn't difficult, but the more subtle presses needed for instant min or instant max are a bit harder to do because of the pressure required. Maybe I just prefer easier-to-actuate switches (LF3XT is so sweet) and that's all there is to be said. I do LOVE the D10. So I want to ask, are the newer D10's any easier to actuate than they were a year and a half ago? If I was to replace mine with a newer model, what model D10 would be most likely to be easier to actuate than my D10 R2?
> 
> EDITED TO ADD:
> 
> ...



That's exactly what I did. I had the original Q5 (I think it was) and straight out of the box, it was buttery smooth, never even took off the lube from Nitecore (or 4sevens), but then I bought the Tribute Edition, and I almost returned it because it was so difficult to press the piston, even after removing all the blue gunk, cleaning the tubes/piston, even buying an expensive tube of Krytox... it still SUCKED. Then I finally just went to my local Lowes and bought some different sized 0-rings and downsized just a little bit and ... just like that, my favorite light again!


----------



## Glenn7 (Aug 20, 2010)

this might have to be a tribute to the D10/D11 thread soon :twothumbs


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 20, 2010)

*Re: QUESTION FOR THE D10 Faithful...*



DHart said:


> Hey buddy... was it you who said you felt the change didn't really amount to a very noticible difference in required pressure? I recall reading that somewhere.



Yup, I mentioned that in the first post, but it's referring to old PD o-ring with proper cleaning + lubing versus new PD o-ring out of the box. After I've cleaned and lightly lube the new o-ring, works like a charm. But YMMV.




DHart said:


> Anyway... now that I'm loving my D10 R2 so MUCH... if you were to recommend another D10 to me, which one would it be? Please don't make me read all 18 pages of this thread... much as I would enjoy it... don't have time! Ha.



That would be the D10 TRIBUTE. 
At the moment, I'm waiting for D11 to be released, within 2 weeks if the dealer I've contacted is accurate. 




DHart said:


> EDITED TO ADD.... I can't stop playing with my D10 R2 now... love the way the switch works without the o-ring!



Join the club, you have gotten the fetish too. :hahaha:




Glenn7 said:


> this might have to be a tribute to the D10/D11 thread soon :twothumbs



Will do a comparison and perhaps post in Post #2 or a new thread altogether.


----------



## DHart (Aug 20, 2010)

Oh man.... I haven't been staying in touch here lately (too much time on the shotgun forums!). 

So, there's a D11 about to come out? 

Guess I'd better hold off on getting another D10 until the word on the street is out on the D11. Is there any pre-release info available?

(Yes, you're right, I'm a D10 freak now that the o-ring is gone... s-w-e-e-t!)

EDITED TO ADD:

Oh... I see... found info on the D11. Not happy that you can't double press for min or double press hold for max. Doing that with the D11 goes to strobe mode... yippie skippy. (What is it with these flashlight makers that makes them think everyone wants strobe in their flashlights? Sheesh!) But the rest of the info on the light looks great. I can see one joining my D10!


----------



## Glenn7 (Aug 20, 2010)

If its any help you can pre-order them here


----------



## DHart (Aug 20, 2010)

So it looks like the D11 will again offer continuous ramping output from min to max... NICE! I much prefer that to three pre-set levels.
I guess the D10 SP would not be for me anyway, with it's 3 pre-set levels.

Looks like the most noteworthy differences will be, pretty much, runtime is a fair bit longer due to the XP-G R5 efficiency.

The current XP-E R2 beam is beautiful, even if with an ever so-slight donut at close range, perhaps. And I'm guessing the XP-G beam will have a somewhat less intense central beam (not that the R2 version is a much of a thrower anyway - which is fine by me for a light of this type) and probably a little smoother/broader?

I see the D10/D11 light as an ideal all purpose pocket light, best served by a broad, soft beam (as is characteristic of the XP-G).

Min is now stated as 3 lumens vs. 2 lumens for the R2 version... so probably no noticible difference in min output, but a significantly longer runtime on min.

Yeah, the D11 is looking good from a prelim-standpoint. Really glad the continuous ramping is coming back. Wish the strobe was hidden and the old double tap for min, double tap/press for max was in use. I wonder how the piston is going to feel... any word on that from anybody? That's a biggie for a lot of folks!


----------



## Henk_Lu (Aug 20, 2010)

DHart said:


> TMG... yes, I removed the piston o-ring and WOW. It is exactly as I want it to be now. I guess I might try to find a thinner o-ring just to add in a little water tightness, but this isn't a light that I would generally use in the rain anyway, so I guess the o-ring is not important to me. The easy operation is!



I don't use mine in wet conditions either, but I don't like the idea of no o-ring for some reason...

I simply tried out different o-rings on my lights and eventually found one that works well in each light. If you have two lights, switching the o-rings may halp already.

There is another possibility however : Gently sand your o-ring a bit down. I haven't tried it yet, but it should work well, there was someone who did and gave instructions. He used 400/800 grid and put the o-ring on a thick pen or something similar to do it.

That way you can have an o-ring to prevent metal sliding over metal, there's still some water tightness and action will be soft. :wave:


----------



## DHart (Aug 20, 2010)

Henk Lu.... I'm with you. Same considerations... I want some buffer there, some moisture protection. I've heard of people sanding o-rings, so I think
I'll give that a go. I also have a bunch of other lights, many which came with extra o-rings, so I really should sort through all of those and try them out to see if I can find one that's a bit thinner. That would bring about the perfect resolution to this. 

I'm so glad I finally yanked that danged o-ring, because now I can't put this great light down... it just feels so good, as it really should! And reading about newer versions which don't ramp, and the D11 which only has shortcuts to a light show, instead of to min or max, makes me really appreciate this earlier D10 R2 version I have even more. It's a keeper for sure.


----------



## LESLIEx317537 (Aug 20, 2010)

D11 - seems like the best of both the regular and SP. Will ramp and also do strobe and SOS.
Wonder if the piston will be the same as the late model D10s.
Would hate to have to redo Tritium.


----------



## CaNo (Aug 21, 2010)

DHart said:


> I think my much-loved Quark AA may possibly be displaced by a light I owned before the Quark existed, but took until now to appreciate! ;-)



+1

I'm with you on this one D!


----------



## kaptain_zero (Aug 21, 2010)

Henk_Lu said:


> There is another possibility however : Gently sand your o-ring a bit down. I haven't tried it yet, but it should work well, there was someone who did and gave instructions. He used 400/800 grid and put the o-ring on a thick pen or something similar to do it.
> 
> That way you can have an o-ring to prevent metal sliding over metal, there's still some water tightness and action will be soft. :wave:



There' probably more than one set of descriptions to doing this as I found the idea on this board, then went ahead and did it myself. 

Post #5 of this thread is my description: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/285336

Regards

Christian


----------



## DHart (Aug 21, 2010)

Much as I appreciate my many Quarks in so many different configurations.... when it comes to a single AA light, my original D10 R2 DEFINITELY trumps the Quark. 

I must have seven or eight various Quarks and just one D10, but as I said, for general purposes, AA powering from li-ion to alkaline, the original D10 R2 light that I have is KING. It easily does everything I would want it to do. 

• Momentary - can do. 
• Candle mode - can do. 
• Continuous ramping - can do. 
• Instant (and very low) minimum output - can do. 
• Instant (and very good) MAXIMUM output - can do. 
• Gorgeous beam - check! 
• Great neutral tint color - check! 
• Silent and easy operation - check! 
• Tidy, easy to carry form factor - check! 
• Amazing variety of powering options - check! 
• Durable, ergonomic design - check! 

This is truly a monumental light. I seriously regret that Nitecore felt compelled to muck with the UI for the D11, that was a big mistake in my view. 
I do NOT want a Shanghai light show immediately available with a couple of quick presses. Just min and MAX is all that's truly NEEDED in shortcut mode.
Strobes and SOS, sheesh, please give us a break!

I searched through the various boxes of numerous lights that I have bought and in the box for my Jet I Pro I found two red o-rings of two different sizes. The smaller one takes the place of the D10 piston o-ring perfectly and is just smaller-enough to make for easy operation of my D10 while still affording what seems to be a decent seal against moisture. PERFECT RESULT! And since my Jet I Pro sees close-to-no use, I will not mind using it's spare o-ring to make my cherished D10 run like a top!

My D10, now after well over a year of ownership (but little use), has finally come into it's own, claiming its rightful position as my trusted EDC light. It is not likely to be dethroned ANYtime soon... even by the D11. Now, I only wish I could find another D10 R2 as a back up! :candle:

Yes, the early D10 R2 is that good!


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 21, 2010)

A man after my own heart. 

I was about to suggest a few places to get it for your back-up, but just found out they're sold out.....


----------



## DHart (Aug 21, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> A man after my own heart.
> 
> I was about to suggest a few places to get it for your back-up, but just found out they're sold out.....



DANG! 

PM me if you find a connection???


----------



## Glenn7 (Aug 21, 2010)

same here - originally I bought 2 EX10's then popularity wained for them because of the never ending new lights that keep coming out  - I gave one away to the mother in law (which she thinks is the greatest thing since sliced bread) - now after owning heaps of other lights I realize that these are truly a great lighting system so I bought a D10 R2 tribute and now I am getting a D11.
some points I like for these way under rated lights.
one of the (if not the) most reliable switches out there (custom manufacturers excluded) even if it is a bit stiff for some - I know lots dont like the interface but if you can use a phone you can learn to use this IU  
Intrinsically safe which for me is important 
no rubber button to wear out or tear
tail stand - which I use all the time
no bare threads to oxidize or raise resistance making output lower 
great balance between output and run time
IMO still is one of the easiest and most versatile IU's to date because it can be a twisty with momentary on with lockout or be variable with memory and short cuts to high or low (strobe or SOS) 
brass heatsink for good heat management 
made from 7075 alu which stronger than the normal T-6061 that most if not all light manufacturers use (so they can make them smaller/lighter) and T-7075 dissipates heat better than 6061 
I know some of the lights out there boast that they can be thrown against the wall for hours and still work but here are some fairly abusive tests which for me is way strong enough for my needs - besides I dont have the need or time to throw my lights against the wall for hours and at nearly 2-3 times the price  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhCgscIx4zg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIZQdqKhjyM&feature=related 

I know most of these are probably common knowledge to some but I dont remember all being mentioned and it might help some people who dont want to read the whole thread.


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 21, 2010)

DHart said:


> DANG!
> 
> PM me if you find a connection???



Sure will. 




Glenn7 said:


> I know most of these are probably common knowledge to some but I dont remember all being mentioned and it might help some people who dont want to read the whole thread.



And I was hoping I've covered them all in the first post.... :thinking:


----------



## DHart (Aug 21, 2010)

Let us pray that Nitecore will see the error of their ways and produce a D11 version with the original D10 UI. PLEASE, light Gods, PLEASE.


----------



## DHart (Aug 21, 2010)

kaptain_zero said:


> There' probably more than one set of descriptions to doing this as I found the idea on this board, then went ahead and did it myself.
> 
> Post #5 of this thread is my description: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/285336
> 
> ...



Thanks, Christian, I'm using another o-ring now, but may decide at some point that I need to sand my original D10 o-ring and will reference your info to do so. Thanks, again,

Don


----------



## faf1837 (Aug 21, 2010)

MattK said:


> The ones we just sold out of were the 2nd batch. There will not be a third batch.
> 
> There may be some available from the first batch soon but they're tied up in an insurance claim at the moment.



Did Matt ever say what happened to the rest of these Tributes? Were they ever made available? I always thought about getting a third Tribute. I even have a spare trit.


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 21, 2010)

faf1837 said:


> Did Matt ever say what happened to the rest of these Tributes?


They are sold out and now discontinued.



faf1837 said:


> Were they ever made available?


They were made available for some time at Battery Junction till the 2 batches were sold out. I think they started selling right after my Tribute review was up. See VERSIONS (D10 Tribute Edition) in first post to see the 2 batches of Tributes.



faf1837 said:


> I always thought about getting a third Tribute. I even have a spare trit.


As Matt said, there isn't going to be a third. I hope there is though.... :sigh:


----------



## calipsoii (Aug 21, 2010)

DHart said:


> DANG!
> 
> PM me if you find a connection???



I may be able to help you guys out on this one. 

There are currently two sites that stock Nitecore D10's with the original ramping UI:

1. http://www.flashaholics.co.uk/nitecore/nitecore-d10.html
I haven't purchased from these guys specifically, but they carry the old ramping UI D10's in both Q5 and R2 emitters. Someone on EDCForums purchased one last week for $81USD and confirmed it's a hybrid that arrived. Pictures of what arrived can be seen here: http://edcforums.com/showthread.php/75665-Old-style-D10?p=935414&viewfull=1#post935414

2. http://www.shenzhen-wholesale.com/nitecore-d10-cree-r2-led-flashlight_sku1800.html
I purchased a D10 R2 from these guys a few weeks ago. I will warn you right now, shipping is incredibly expensive at $32USD, but I paid it because I was insanely curious if they really did have them in stock. I chose DHL Express from the options and it arrived in 3 days. I wish there was a way to get it shipped slower for cheaper. With shipping the light cost $100USD and is an older R2, pictures can be seen here: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/3485004&postcount=56

So if you're willing to spend $80+ USD, you CAN still get ramping D10's. The ones from Flashaholics come in black ano, the one I received from Shenzhen-Wholesale is a gorgeous olive color. Good luck all!


----------



## CaNo (Aug 21, 2010)

Question. Sorry if this is out of topic, but the little brother the EX10... my version seems to be ringy... is that normal? Can it be fixed? :shrug:


----------



## compasillo (Aug 21, 2010)

CaNo said:


> Question. Sorry if this is out of topic, but the little brother the EX10... my version seems to be ringy... is that normal? Can it be fixed? :shrug:



If you mean there's a center tight hot spot and a well defined side spill then it's "normal" in an XR-E LED (not in an XP-E).


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 28, 2010)

An ice-blue JHanko Titanium D10 is now added to *VERSIONS*.

If you own one of his creations, you'll understand the superb quality in the finishing as well as the ingenuity of his tritium application. Such a beauty cannot be fully appreciated until one gets to hold and use it. The piston is perfectly tuned for an activation that requires an easy amount of force and at the right traverse distance. The body is meticulously machined to create a refined, smooth finishing to it. It is indeed the holy grail of D10s. 

A *BIG THANK YOU* to JHanko for such an outstanding piece of work.


----------



## compasillo (Aug 28, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> An ice-blue JHanko Titanium D10 is now added to *VERSIONS*.
> 
> If you own one of his creations, you'll understand the superb quality in the finishing as well as the ingenuity of his tritium application. Such a beauty cannot be fully appreciated until one gets to hold and use it. The piston is perfectly tuned for an activation that requires an easy amount of force and at the right traverse distance. The body is meticulously machined to create a refined, smooth finishing to it. It is indeed the holy grail of D10s.



100% agree. 
JHanko's creations are simply works of art.
A big cheers to one of the best flashlight craftsmen in the world
and a great person. :thumbsup:


----------



## DHart (Aug 28, 2010)

Thanks to calipsoii, I was able to still find and order another of my favorite lights, the discontinued D10 R2. I went with Flashaholics. 

Having only one D10 R2 and with the changes Nitecore has made since that model, I really wanted a second one before they were all gone for good. I'll chime in again when I receive it.

Thanks, calipsoii!


----------



## Henk_Lu (Aug 28, 2010)

compasillo said:


> 100% agree.
> JHanko's creations are simply works of art.
> A big cheers to one of the best flashlight craftsmen in the world
> and a great person. :thumbsup:



+1!!!

I got my EX10 yesterday, with green trits, the twin sister for my D10 with blue trits. Have a look at those two neauties, though my crappy picture doesn't do those great lights justice :





Jeff is a great person to deal with as well! :wave:


----------



## Glenn7 (Aug 29, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> An ice-blue JHanko Titanium D10 is now added to *VERSIONS*.
> 
> If you own one of his creations, you'll understand the superb quality in the finishing as well as the ingenuity of his tritium application. Such a beauty cannot be fully appreciated until one gets to hold and use it. The piston is perfectly tuned for an activation that requires an easy amount of force and at the right traverse distance. The body is meticulously machined to create a refined, smooth finishing to it. It is indeed the holy grail of D10s.
> 
> A *BIG THANK YOU* to JHanko for such an outstanding piece of work.



Hmmm unfortunatly Zeruel you have violated rules posting this here and subsequently I am going to have to confiscate this light as a lesson not to put such pictures in the future - this is for your own good and its going to hurt you more than its going to hurt me.

















 :naughty:


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 29, 2010)

Truth be told, JHanko's D10 is da bomb. Well.... I guess it could be *sinfully* wrong... :thinking:

For more sins, see first post... :devil:


----------



## DHart (Aug 30, 2010)

Thanks to calipsoii, the D10 R2 I ordered from Flashaholics in England last week just arrived at my door in Washington State. 

And as with his experience, this light came in an "SP" box, but the body of the light itself is labeled "D10 R2".

While it operates like a D10 R2 (ramping and such), the emitter is noticibly smaller than the emitter in my first D10 R2. And the PCB is apparently the SP edition, being red, rather than green.

Any idea what this smaller emitter would be? 

Output of the new light is about .1EV to .2EV less than the other light, as measured by ceiling bounce. 1EV = a doubling or halving of measured light. The measured difference in output between the lights is not apparent to the eye. (Same AW 14500 li-ion used in each light for testing.)

Other differences, as compared to my last years D10 R2, is the black ano is ever so very slightly not quite as jet black, the reflector is somewhat shinier (not quite as matte) as the version I bought last year, and it has a 2nd Edition SP piston, with the piston's o-ring on the narrower (button) part of the sleeve, making operation a little bit lighter in feel.

This new light is indeed a "ramping hybrid"... incorporating elements of the older D10 R2 (UI) and the later D10 SP R2 (PCB and piston). Still wondering what the smaller emitter is.

Thank you calipsoii for helping me find a backup D10 R2.


----------



## Moonshadow (Aug 30, 2010)

DHart said:


> And as with his experience, this light came in an "SP" box, but the light is labeled D10 R2 and while it operates like a D10 R2 (ramping and such), . . .



Yes, my heart sank when I saw "SP" on the box, but mine is also the ramping hybrid. Many thanks to Antony and Flashaholics for getting these in.



DHart said:


> . . .the emitter is noticibly smaller than the emitter in my first D10 R2. And the PCB is red, rather than green. Could this be an XP-G emitter?



Count the segments on the LED - three rather than four means it's the XP-E.


----------



## DHart (Aug 30, 2010)

Had an emitter question... got the answer from the first post.


----------



## gunga (Aug 30, 2010)

The left is Cree XR-E, the right is Cree XP-E.


----------



## DHart (Aug 30, 2010)

Thanks gunga... obviously I'm not very intimate with my emitters! I'm guessing they are likely to both be R2 output bin? Tint bin looks very close to my eyes.

Any idea what the tint bin is on these?


----------



## gunga (Aug 30, 2010)

THe XR-E will either be Q5 or R2 depending on the model, age etc. IF it is not marked on the body, it is likely Q5. The XP-E is R2.

Both are cool white, likely WC tint.

Both are great once modded to neutral tints.

:naughty:


----------



## DHart (Aug 30, 2010)

gunga said:


> THe XR-E will either be Q5 or R2 depending on the model, age etc. IF it is not marked on the body, it is likely Q5. The XP-E is R2.
> 
> Both are cool white, likely WC tint.
> 
> ...



Hmmmm... how about a mod to an XP-G... would that be a straightforward mod with these D10's? I'd love to have that wide, soft, neutral look of an XP-G R4.


----------



## gunga (Aug 30, 2010)

DHart said:


> Hmmmm... how about a mod to an XP-G... would that be a straightforward mod with these D10's? I'd love to have that wide, soft, neutral look of an XP-G R4.


 

I have 3 modded D10s. 1 has a high CRI seoul, lower output, but great, floody beam, the other 2 have neutral XP-Gs. Yes, more floody, smoother beam, with either reflector. Less throw tho, but I don't mind...

They are not a ton of fun to take apart, but I've had much, much worse. I'vce also heard the drivers are flaky and can die for no reason, but none for me so far (knocks on wood).

I also have trits in all of mine. The trit pitsons are just TOO COOL!


----------



## Glenn7 (Aug 30, 2010)

The emitter in your new D10 is an XP-E R2

EDIT: hmmm it was already answered - slow mail response.


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 30, 2010)

DHart said:


> Hmmmm... how about a mod to an XP-G... would that be a straightforward mod with these D10's? I'd love to have that wide, soft, neutral look of an XP-G R4.



See *MODIFICATIONS* of first post. 
However, it's not neutral.


----------



## DHart (Aug 31, 2010)

Zeruel... YOU are amazing. This is such an awesome thread. Had I RE-referenced the first post of this thread, my questions on emitter would have been instantly answered. Makes me feel like a dweeb, for sure... oh well, it is what it is!

Now I have to go back and RE-read (for perhaps the third time since you started this amazing thread) the first post! My memory doesn't seem to want to retain nearly as much as I wish it did! And thanks again for this thread. :twothumbs


----------



## compasillo (Aug 31, 2010)

DHart,

Please, can you resize your pic on post #552 to fit the 800x800 max size
according to the rules?.
It's a bit annoying the horizontal scroll to read posts (yes, I have a 4:3 monitor yet :sigh

EDIT:

Many thanks DHart


----------



## Mr. Shawn (Sep 21, 2010)

Zeruel, please forgive me if this topic has been mentioned already in this awesome thread, but have you considered adding the "ramping bug" issue in early D10s (and EX10s) to your "Issues" section? I know it was a concern of many D10 users, and it's explained rather well in post #253 of this link: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/201684&page=9


----------



## DHart (Sep 21, 2010)

Just goes to show that you can teach on old dog new tricks...  

I've had my first D10 for about a year and a half and haven't carried it much because I preferred something smaller and lighter in my pocket... and clips didn't really appeal to me for some odd reason. I just recently decided that getting a clip for it _would_ be a good thing! My clips arrived (one for each of my D10's) today and the clip has totally transformed my D10! I don't know why it took me so long to discover the utility of a clip on a light, but now I really understand it. For years I carried my knives and flashlights at the bottom of my pockets and I'm just now using clips for both. What a nice change. 

Part of why I never liked clips with flashlights is because many of them aren't deep pocket carry, like my Quarks hung the whole tailcap outside of the pocket - something that never appealed to me. 

Anyway, as probably everyone here already knows well, the D10 clip allows for DEEP pocket carry and makes the D10 such a superb carry light. Wonderful! Now I finally feel like a true, full-fledged member of the "D10 society". Ahhhh... it's nice!  Long live the D10.


----------



## Starchaser (Sep 21, 2010)

DHart said:


> Just goes to show that you can teach on old dog new tricks...  I've had my first D10 for about a year and a half and haven't carried it much because I preferred something smaller and lighter in my pocket... and clips didn't really appeal to me for some odd reason. I just recently decided that getting a clip for it _would_ be a good thing! My clips arrived (one for each of my D10's) today and the clip has totally transformed my D10! I don't know why it took me so long to discover the utility of a clip on a light, but now I really understand it. For years I carried my knives and flashlights at the bottom of my pockets and I'm just now using clips for both. What a nice change.



Welcome to the world of pocket clip carry DHart! 

Isn't it great... I've always liked to carry my knives clipped to my pocket. I love it because it makes for easy, quick access when needed, and enables you to grab it the same way every time for easy deployment. It also keeps it snug against you, instead of bouncing around in your pocket with whatever else you have there.

Like you, I also like deep carry pocket clips, especially with my knives. Deep pocket carry may make it a little harder to pull out at times, but I'll sacrifice that to have discreet carry. 

My knife clipped to right front pocket, and flashlight clipped to left front pocket works great for me. The little lights I don't mind on my keychain. 

Now all I need is for NiteCore to put out the D11 version with XP-G R5, ramping UI with shortcuts to min/max, and hidden strobe/sos... so I can become a member of the D11 society.


----------



## DHart (Sep 21, 2010)

Starchaser said:


> My knife clipped to right front pocket, and flashlight clipped to left front pocket works great for me.



Just the way I like it as well!


----------



## Mr. Shawn (Sep 22, 2010)

DHart said:


> Anyway, as probably everyone here already knows well, the D10 clip allows for DEEP pocket carry and makes the D10 such a superb carry light.



Welcome to the clip club, DHart! When I think of DEEP pocket carry, I think of lights like the iTP A series lights whose clips allow the light's tail to ride flush against the top of the pocket. To me, the D10 clip allows for deep_*er*_ pocket carry when compared to the Quarks you mentioned.

I also prefer discreet carry, which is why I prefer Spydercos with wire clips that allow for deep carry.

And I also carry a knife in my front right pocket and a light in my front left pocket. Great minds...:thumbsup:


----------



## DHart (Sep 22, 2010)

Mr. Shawn said:


> I also prefer discreet carry, which is why I prefer Spydercos with wire clips that allow for deep carry.
> 
> And I also carry a knife in my front right pocket and a light in my front left pocket. Great minds...:thumbsup:



Oh you're preachin to the choir on Spydercos with wire clips, my friend. They are my favorites, especially the G-10 UKPK with it's SV30 steel, wire clip, G-10 scales... so sleek, slim, unassuming, and sharper than a freakin' razor blade. And, interesting tidbit, a bent wire clip is more expensive to make than a stamped metal clip. Gotta love the Spydies with wire clips!



http://s397.photobucket.com/albums/pp59/zmonki/Daily Carry/?action=view&current=DailyCarry.jpg


----------



## Starchaser (Sep 22, 2010)

DHart said:


> Oh you're preachin to the choir on Spydercos with wire clips, my friend. They are my favorites, especially the G-10 UKPK with it's SV30 steel, wire clip, G-10 scales... so sleek, slim, unassuming, and sharper than a freakin' razor blade. And, interesting tidbit, a bent wire clip is more expensive to make than a stamped metal clip. Gotta love the Spydies with wire clips!



You said it... I love Spyderco, the wire clips are really nice, and their knives always come razor sharp.

G-10 are my favorite scales, and Spyderco does such a good job with it. I used to go for the bigger knives, but right now I'm loving my little Dragonfly. Small little knife you don't even know it's there, but holds and cuts like a much bigger knife.

Ok hehe... back to the D10. :wave:


----------



## DHart (Sep 22, 2010)

Mr. Shawn said:


> Welcome to the clip club, DHart! When I think of DEEP pocket carry, I think of lights like the iTP A series lights whose clips allow the light's tail to ride flush against the top of the pocket. To me, the D10 clip allows for deep_*er*_ pocket carry when compared to the Quarks you mentioned.



I forgot to reply to this part and YES, you are so right, the D10 clip isn't DEEP, but it is more like DEEP-er pocket carry!  

I had to discover the wonders of clips from starting to carry my knives with them before I could recognize their merits on flashlights. My favorite clips are definitely wire clips.


----------



## Zeruel (Sep 22, 2010)

Mr. Shawn said:


> Zeruel, please forgive me if this topic has been mentioned already in this awesome thread, but have you considered adding the "ramping bug" issue in early D10s (and EX10s) to your "Issues" section? I know it was a concern of many D10 users, and it's explained rather well in post #253 of this link: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/201684&page=9



I've tested all the ramping models; first release Q5, stock Q5, Swissbianco Q5, GD+, R2 (XR-E) and Hybrid R2 (XP-E). The only ones exhibiting this issue are GD+ and Swissbianco Q5, not for the rest. If your model is not one of these 2, that would mean it's a lottery for the early D10s. I've not heard from anyone else having this issue with newer D10s (R2 XR-E & XP-E), so I'm guessing the issue has been fixed.

On another note, whenever I experience ineffective ramping, it's usually because I didn't press the piston down firmly enough.

Will add this to ISSUE.


----------



## gunga (Sep 22, 2010)

All very early D10/EX10s had this "bug" It was fixed around the time the R2 model first came out (I think 5 months later?). 

GD+ was part of this run with the bugs.

They also changed the ramping speed, making it faster and a lot herder to access lower levels.


----------



## Zeruel (Sep 22, 2010)

gunga said:


> All very early D10/EX10s had this "bug" It was fixed around the time the R2 model first came out (I think 5 months later?).



Some of my Q5s work fine. Perhaps it was fixed for the later Q5 batches. I'm not sure myself since one of the working Q5 belongs to the early batch. :thinking:


----------



## DHart (Sep 22, 2010)

Zeruel said:


> On another note, whenever I experience ineffective ramping, it's usually because I didn't press the piston down firmly enough.



My experience as well.


----------



## oxepyonxo (Sep 23, 2010)

Thank god I found this thread. I couldnt figure out why my new d10 SP would sometimes not want to turn on and it was driving me nuts. I couldnt read the chinese instruction manual to figure this out. Im replacing a 1st generation golden dragon which is lost in the house somewhere. I miss having ramping.


----------



## Glenn7 (Sep 23, 2010)

Is this going to be a tribute to the D11 as well? I really like the D11 I bought :wave:


----------



## Mr. Shawn (Sep 23, 2010)

Glenn7 said:


> Is this going to be a tribute to the D11 as well? I really like the D11 I bought :wave:



It's a good question, Glenn7, but I just don't see the D11 reaching the same cult status as the D10, one reason being the changing of the shortcuts from low and high to strobe and SOS, which turned off many fans, myself included. :thumbsdow But perhaps a special edition of the D11 might earn its own tribute one day.


----------



## Glenn7 (Sep 23, 2010)

Short cuts aside if you get a chance to use one they are a different feel than the D10 with their flat sides and cut outs for your thumb to activate the button better, also the spring in the piston has way better feed back IMO and the beam is again IMO brilliant with the xpg a good mix of flood and throw (the best I have seen in a small reflector) and the best thing is with a 14500 it's like it's on steroids as in I would put it at over 200 lumens otf - the tribute D10 I have is in no way as bright a difference with a 14500 as is with the D11.


----------



## wyager (Sep 23, 2010)

I love my D10... but I want to swap out the XR-E R2. Any ideas, anybody? It can be my first "custom" light.


----------



## compasillo (Sep 24, 2010)

wyager said:


> I love my D10... but I want to swap out the XR-E R2. Any ideas, anybody? It can be my first "custom" light.



You can easily swap it with an XP-E R2 or an XP-G R5/R4 on a 16mm board.


----------



## wyager (Sep 24, 2010)

compasillo said:


> You can easily swap it with an XP-E R2 or an XP-G R5/R4 on a 16mm board.



Yep-I've decided on XP-G R4 outdoor or XP-G R5 cool, but where can I buy them on a 16mm board? I can't find any sellers.


----------



## DHart (Sep 24, 2010)

compasillo said:


> You can easily swap it with an XP-E R2 or an XP-G R5/R4 on a 16mm board.






wyager said:


> Yep-I've decided on XP-G R4 outdoor or XP-G R5 cool, but where can I buy them on a 16mm board? I can't find any sellers.






I would love to take one of my D10's to an XP-G, but I'm not so sure I could do it myself... :sigh:


----------



## gunga (Sep 24, 2010)

It's not too bad to do. I've done at least 1/2 dozen D10s. The toughest part is centering the emitter on the older XR-E reflectors. The beam pattern is more floody, but had a nice broad spot, it's a drop in for the newer XP-E models, but I reflow the emitter onto the stock XP-E board. That is less fun.

Oh, also, removing the brass rings can be a real pain sometimes.



I know that Teckno Cowboy no longer does nitecore mods because he states the boards are flaky. I've had no issues with EX10/D10s (so far, knock on wood). Done about 10-12 total.


----------



## wyager (Sep 24, 2010)

DHart said:


> I would love to take one of my D10's to an XP-G, but I'm not so sure I could do it myself... :sigh:



It's really pretty easy to take apart, and LEDs are pretty tough... I just need to find the emitter soldered to the right PCB! Anyone?


----------



## iqwozpoom (Sep 25, 2010)

I just got one of the 4sevens d10gs's and all I can say is wow! I like it so much I got an extra le reflector kit. I want to make sure it stays working since this model's discontinued. Being relatively new to the light scene I wasn't expecting to blown away by an older light like this. I feel like I've been chasing dragons after looking for the latest x-pg. The combination of throw and spill on this light is fantastic. Hi-low and the ability to set a usable level and momentary on..... I know I'm preaching to the choir, it's just WOW! Oh, thank you for the tip about the split ring rotation (I don't know who suggested it originally but it works:thumbsup


----------



## Demon27 (Sep 30, 2010)

Awesome thread Zeruel! Does anyone know if LCG Gear has a US distributor or if I can order from them without speaking Korean? It looks like they make some pretty cool holsters.


----------



## Lucciola (Sep 30, 2010)

Unfortunately I don't speak Korean, but there's a guy called "Nestor" in the German knife forum who makes custom made kydex sheaths and holsters. You can see samples of his work in this thread.

I have not the slightest idea about the prices he charges. I don't actually need a holster as I carry a small EDC bag anyway which contains all I need. But I really love the orange kydex holster with the holes in it. 

I don't know whether Nestor alias Mr. Wolter speaks English but I'd say chances are pretty good. If you are interrested and need help to establish a contact just send me a PM (German is my mothertongue).

Lucciola


----------



## Zeruel (May 12, 2011)

It's been a while since D11 and now D11V2 have been released. In comparison, Nitecore has made some definite improvements like a thicker body, a deeper switch traverse, additional modes, switch lock-out system, a more efficient emitter and flat sides for anti-roll (albeit rather ineffective if you ask me). And somewhat importantly, I suspect Nitecore has taken our "suggestions" into consideration and decided to throw shortcuts to high and low back into the light that is now the D11V2.

Call me old school, but I still find D10 to be classier and more appealing. Perhaps it's the simple but effective form of the knurled tube without any grooves and awkward anti-roll feature. Or perhaps it's the original one that I really like and has been using hard. Or perhaps because that I would really like to use an EDC with a clip. Or perhaps I just want some mesmerizing trits on the piston switch. Well, probably all of the above. 

But I must say I would prefer the light engine of D11V2 now that it has a brighter R5 XP-G with hidden blinky modes and digital lock-out. So I would have me the best of both worlds by replacing the guts of D10 with D11V2's. I'm using a spare D10 titanium shell for this which is identical to stock D10s if you wish to do the same operation.






D11V2 and an empty Ti host






The most difficult process is the removal of the brass ring. Great care needs to be taken not to damage the chips.






After the brass ring is removed, all else can be easily screwed out. Congratulations, your warranty is now void. Note that the brass ring must be formed back to shape if it's distorted during removal or there'll be difficulties in ring operation later on.






Reverse the process when installing the guts into D10. Ta-dah.


_Added to OP (Modification)_


----------



## compasillo (May 13, 2011)

I wish I had a spare D10 Ti shell to do the same... 

Good work, as always :thumbsup:


----------



## Nicrod (Jun 11, 2011)

Here's my ex10 and d10 tribute.


----------



## ckcheung (Jun 21, 2011)

Zeruel said:


> It's been a while since D11 and now D11V2 have been released. In comparison, Nitecore has made some definite improvements like a thicker body, a deeper switch traverse, additional modes, switch lock-out system, a more efficient emitter and flat sides for anti-roll (albeit rather ineffective if you ask me). And somewhat importantly, I suspect Nitecore has taken our "suggestions" into consideration and decided to throw shortcuts to high and low back into the light that is now the D11V2.
> 
> Call me old school, but I still find D10 to be classier and more appealing. Perhaps it's the simple but effective form of the knurled tube without any grooves and awkward anti-roll feature. Or perhaps it's the original one that I really like and has been using hard. Or perhaps because that I would really like to use an EDC with a clip. Or perhaps I just want some mesmerizing trits on the piston switch. Well, probably all of the above.
> 
> ...


 
isn't the reflector of the D11.2 glued tightly in the bezel?
Mine is glued tightly and my tweezers bend before i can get it out.


----------



## Romanko (Aug 21, 2011)

There is no modification step-by-step video in the thread head. Please upload it again.


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 21, 2011)

Romanko said:


> There is no modification step-by-step video in the thread head. Please upload it again.


 
Unfortunately, the OP of that video has removed it. Here's another which I'll link it to my original post.


----------



## Zeruel (Sep 25, 2011)

Added to VERSIONS of OP.

*8]Coated D10s*

Black Chrome D10 – A one-off limited release by 4Sevens, this edition was a fast sell-out the week it was launched, IIRC. Image and info contributed by LedTed, the color is deep black with a hint of purple. But the coating, albeit shiny, is not mirror finished.


----------



## compasillo (Sep 26, 2011)

Zeruel,

I've got a couple custom anodized D10's and a bare Al host from 4Sevens you might add to this thread

Silver splash ano on orange background











Royal blue splash ano on a slate gray/blue









Bare unanodized


----------



## Zeruel (Sep 26, 2011)

Neat. Can you provide a little more information on the splash ano ones? Who did that (Swissbianco?) and for who?


----------



## compasillo (Sep 26, 2011)

Sorry, I have no further information. No serial number or mark on the lights.
They both have a Q5. 
I'll email 4Sevens and try to know something about their story behind.


----------



## F250XLT (Sep 26, 2011)

I'm still looking to upgrade my Ti D10 with the guts from the D11v2, I think I currently have a GD LE?


----------



## F250XLT (Dec 29, 2011)

BUMP for my favorite EDC


----------



## tobrien (Dec 29, 2011)

this thread is awesome! that was such a good post!!! 

thanks a lot!


----------



## Chip (Dec 31, 2011)

Ive had my D10 since early 2010 - tribute edition. It's my EDC. This thread got me excited again to find a Ti D10 with the guts from the D11v2 somewhere. Every time I go looking for a new EDC, nothing comes close to the D10. I'm considering the D11.2. Also this thread helped me fiGure out the issue w the o ring I had ever since using silicone. Whoops. I emailed nitecore tonight and for $8 they are shopping me a new set of o rings. I'll be sure to use the correct lube this time. Thanks!


----------



## Chip (Dec 31, 2011)

Ive had my D10 since early 2010 - tribute edition. It's my EDC. This thread got me excited again to find a Ti D10 with the guts from the D11v2 somewhere. Every time I go looking for a new EDC, nothing comes close to the D10. I'm considering the D11.2. Also this thread helped me fiGure out the issue w the o ring I had ever since using silicone. Whoops. I emailed nitecore tonight and for $8 they are shipping me a new set. I'll be sure to use the right lube this time. Thanks!!


----------



## Zeruel (Dec 31, 2011)

Great to use a Tribute edition, isn't it? I consider it to to be the best of the stock series, thanks largely in part to Matt from BJ, who specially ordered this for us CPFers with our preferences. I'm glad this thread serves its purpose to excite and helps you to make your edc a better tool/toy to use.


----------



## Chip (Jan 3, 2012)

compasillo said:


> Here are some slotted pistons



So, i just ordered a trit for my D10 Tribute Edition, I was wondering about the install. I have the proper optical glue on order, so do i put the glue in first and drop the trit in, or do i drop it in, and then put glue over the top of it?


----------



## badtziscool (Jan 3, 2012)

Chip said:


> So, i just ordered a trit for my D10 Tribute Edition, I was wondering about the install. I have the proper optical glue on order, so do i put the glue in first and drop the trit in, or do i drop it in, and then put glue over the top of it?



I think the idea is to avoid having as much air bubbles as possible, so although I've never done it myself, this is what I would do. Layer a little of the norland into the slot. Enough to approximately be half the thickness of the trit. Doesn't have to be exact. Then place the trit in the slot and let it settle. Then slowly add the rest of the norland to fill the slot. That should allow for the least amount of air bubbles to be trapped in the fluid. Then hit it with a uv light or leave it out in the sun to cure.


----------



## calipsoii (Jan 3, 2012)

Chip said:


> So, i just ordered a trit for my D10 Tribute Edition, I was wondering about the install. I have the proper optical glue on order, so do i put the glue in first and drop the trit in, or do i drop it in, and then put glue over the top of it?



The slot is deep enough that you can put the NOA61 both underneath and above the trit, so fill it partway, place trit, fill it the rest of the way. Work very slowly - the glue will not dry on you so take your time. Rushing will just introduce bubbles into the adhesive and they're very difficult to remove. If you have a fine pair of tweezers, they'll come in handy for dropping the trit in and positioning it. I'd suggest filling the adhesive level with the piston surface or you'll feel the groove under your thumb (you may even want to have it bulge a little bit). If you don't have a proper UV light, sit it outside in the sunlight for a couple hours with a clear drinking glass over it to keep the dust from blowing onto it. Don't test for dryness by gouging it with your fingernail, just dangle a fine thread on it or something.


----------



## tobrien (Jan 3, 2012)

calipsoii said:


> The slot is deep enough that you can put the NOA61 both underneath and above the trit, so fill it partway, place trit, fill it the rest of the way. Work very slowly - the glue will not dry on you so take your time. Rushing will just introduce bubbles into the adhesive and they're very difficult to remove. If you have a fine pair of tweezers, they'll come in handy for dropping the trit in and positioning it. I'd suggest filling the adhesive level with the piston surface or you'll feel the groove under your thumb (you may even want to have it bulge a little bit). If you don't have a proper UV light, sit it outside in the sunlight for a couple hours with a clear drinking glass over it to keep the dust from blowing onto it. Don't test for dryness by gouging it with your fingernail, just dangle a fine thread on it or something.


even though that wasn't my question, thanks for that informative post, i'll do that for mine!


----------



## Myrakas (Jan 3, 2012)

What is the color temperature of D10 R2? It has cool white beam so it must be around 6k or so?


----------



## compasillo (Jan 4, 2012)

Myrakas said:


> What is the color temperature of D10 R2? It has cool white beam so it must be around 6k or so?



That's right. Around 6000 ºK


----------



## Chip (Jan 4, 2012)

Thank you badtziscool and calipsoii for your responses! Very helpful. I'll post back my results in a few weeks when its done.


----------



## Chip (Jan 5, 2012)

TooManyGizmos said:


> ~
> 
> You might try removing the O-ring from the piston , just to see if that reduces the pressure more to your liking.
> 
> ~



So I'm going through this thread and i'm glad glad i found it.... 

WOW!!! THANK YOU! I am waiting for a replacement o ring from nitecore, because i used the wrong lube and messed up the o ring... the light was becoming very annoying to use because i couldn't do the double clicks, it was too tight. I never thought about taking the o ring out, and I just tried it.... WOW! I agree with you guys, what a difference! I'm in love all over again with this light! I will try sanding it down next because i agree that there should be something there in case i drop it in some water. I can't wait to install my new cool blue trit! Thanks for this post!


----------



## DHart (Jan 5, 2012)

Over the last year or so, on a number of occasions, I would survey the new crop of single-AA lights that have just arrived on the scene, some of them quite enticing, making me edge close to hitting the "Buy Now" button. 

Then I'll pause for a moment, consider the two D10 R2's that I alternate for daily carry, pull one out of my pocket, handle and operate it for a few moments, consider how a new single-AA light would compare to the D10/14500 combo, and soon... the urge to buy another single-AA light quickly fades... the money stays in my pocket, and a D10 R2 stays in my pocket as well.

The day that Nitecore produces a new "D x" model that is a worthy successor to the D10 R2, I will buy one. Until then, I'm happy as a clam with the barely aging, yet perfectly contemporary D10 R2 as my EDC light. I raise a toast to the "Tribute to the Nitecore D10". Awesome light that still today, in spite of a number of new and wonderful single-AA models, has yet to be quite equalled.


----------



## Chip (Jan 5, 2012)

DHart said:


> Over the last year or so, on a number of occasions, I would survey the new crop of single-AA lights that have just arrived on the scene, some of them quite enticing, making me edge close to hitting the "Buy Now" button.
> 
> Then I'll pause for a moment, consider the two D10 R2's that I alternate for daily carry, pull one out of my pocket, handle and operate it for a few moments, consider how a new single-AA light would compare to the D10/14500 combo, and soon... the urge to buy another single-AA light quickly fades... the money stays in my pocket, and a D10 R2 stays in my pocket as well.
> 
> The day that Nitecore produces a new "D x" model that is a worthy successor to the D10 R2, I will buy one. Until then, I'm happy as a clam with the barely aging, yet perfectly contemporary D10 R2 as my EDC light. I raise a toast to the "Tribute to the Nitecore D10". Awesome light that still today, in spite of a number of new and wonderful single-AA models, has yet to be quite equalled.



I couldn't have said it better, the EXACT SAME THING happens to me, now I have trained myself to "feel" the urge coming on and I do the same thing. The only think I might buy is another D10 Tribute Edition. I run mine with a 14500 and just can't find anything better.

In fact, the reason I bought it was because when I was reading a review and it talked about the design idea of the piston drive, I said, "Those guys over there at nitecore are smart, and innovative" And i love to support smart and innovative people, I bought it just because it was such a cleaver design! "no parts to wear out" was a huge selling point for me. I love stuff that is made to last. Better light would be, brighter on the same battery, maybe 220 lumens on 14500? I actually dont know the actual lumen output on 14500. But just the other day, my buddy at work showed me some CR123 and it was only "slightly" brighter than my D10 R2 Tribute with 14500. 

I am seriously considering buying a spare now.


----------



## Steve Cebu (Jan 5, 2012)

I carry my D10 everyday and I have since I got it in 2008. It's a true classic and I'm glad I have it. I do need to buy a larger light for other things but the D10 is the one I like to carry. It still blows peopel away with how bright it can get as well as how dim it can get. I use sanyo eneloops in it. They work for me.


----------



## DHart (Jan 5, 2012)

Chip said:


> I couldn't have said it better, the EXACT SAME THING happens to me, now I have trained myself to "feel" the urge coming on and I do the same thing. The only think I might buy is another D10 Tribute Edition. I run mine with a 14500 and just can't find anything better.
> 
> 
> I am seriously considering buying a spare now.



Chip... a little over a year ago I started getting nervous about having only one D10, so I sought out another new one. THe only one I could find was being sold by a vendor in england. The seller had good reviews and I wanted another D10 pretty seriously, so I ordered it and received it sooner than I expected with no problems at all. Having a spare D10 R2 gives me a good feeling!

There are some cool new single AA lights out these days, but the output level (on 14500 li-ion), beam, tint, interface and design of the D10 R2 equals or exceeds (in terms of my illumination needs from a pocket EDC light) anything new in a single-AA light on the market today.


----------



## Chip (Jan 9, 2012)

calipsoii said:


> The slot is deep enough that you can put the NOA61 both underneath and above the trit, so fill it partway, place trit, fill it the rest of the way. ...



Okay, so once the NOA61 glue dries, can it be sanded or buffed smooth? I was thinking if there was a slight bump I could polish it down with some high grit sandpaper, like 900? I've heard about these Ti mods where they "polish it" and make it flush with the surface.


----------



## kkeyser (Jan 10, 2012)

DHart said:


> There are some cool new single AA lights out these days, but the output level (on 14500 li-ion), beam, tint, interface and design of the D10 R2 equals or exceeds (in terms of my illumination needs from a pocket EDC light) anything new in a single-AA light on the market today.



I'm a big fan of the d10, but this statement is nowhere near correct, not even close.


----------



## calipsoii (Jan 10, 2012)

Chip said:


> In fact, the reason I bought it was because when I was reading a review and it talked about the design idea of the piston drive, I said, "Those guys over there at nitecore are smart, and innovative" And i love to support smart and innovative people, I bought it just because it was such a cleaver design!



We should also give the nod to the guy who actually came up with the original piston drive design. 



Chip said:


> Okay, so once the NOA61 glue dries, can it be sanded or buffed smooth? I was thinking if there was a slight bump I could polish it down with some high grit sandpaper, like 900? I've heard about these Ti mods where they "polish it" and make it flush with the surface.



I suppose you could with a sufficient high grit sandpaper. I wouldn't worry about a slight bump in the Norland - my D10 has raised bumps for both of the trit slots and they're not noticeable or uncomfortable.


----------



## DHart (Jan 10, 2012)

kkeyser said:


> I'm a big fan of the d10, but this statement is nowhere near correct, not even close.



I'm sorry, but it's impossible for you to refute my opinion of what suits MY illumination needs and preferences for pocket carry, just as it's impossible for me to refute what you feel suits your needs best. My statement (perhaps you may wish to read it more closely) is absolutely correct.


----------



## jondotcom (Jan 10, 2012)

kkeyser said:


> I'm a big fan of the d10, but this statement is nowhere near correct, not even close.



Most polite TC ever?:shrug:


----------



## kkeyser (Jan 10, 2012)

DHart said:


> I'm sorry, but it's impossible for you to refute my opinion of what suits MY illumination needs and preferences for pocket carry, just as it's impossible for me to refute what you feel suits your needs best. My statement (perhaps you may wish to read it more closely) is absolutely correct.



I read the statement, I just didn't buy it.

Are you saying you have never, ever, needed/wanted more than 100 lumens? 200 lumens?

I find that difficult to believe, but if that's what you want to maintain, have at it. There really isn't any point in arguing it. Just like there wouldn't be really any point in arguing if you had said you just ate some skunk eggs with a side of sheet metal for breakfast, and that it met/exceeded all of your nutritional needs more than any other combo of food on the planet.

I think the d10 is an outstanding light, and obviously, so do you.


----------



## DHart (Jan 10, 2012)

kkeyser... I dont know what your needs are from a pocket edc light, nor do I care. You want an argument, but there's nothing to argue about. You know nothing about me and you don't have a clue what my needs and preferences are in an EDC pocket light.

This is what I said and it is exactly what I mean. This is a truth for me. What suits anyone else's particular needs in a pocket EDC light is a different matter entirely.

"There are some cool new single AA lights out these days, but the output level (on 14500 li-ion), beam, tint, interface and design of the D10 R2 equals or exceeds *(in terms of my illumination needs from a pocket EDC light)* anything new in a single-AA light on the market today."

End of subject.


----------



## Mr. Shawn (Jan 10, 2012)

I understand what you meant, DHart. Different strokes for different folks.


----------



## Mr. Shawn (Feb 24, 2012)

Here's a bump for the all-time best thread for my favorite light. Zeruel, you are awesome!


----------



## DHart (Feb 24, 2012)

Hear, hear! Zeruel is the mas-tah of the well-loved D10.


----------



## phosphor (Feb 24, 2012)

I never could get mine to function reliably. I tried all of the 'tricks of the trade', so to speak; I fiddled and fiddled, and then gave up and passed it on. I will say mine had one of the nicest beams of any light I've owned. I envy the majority who received working lights.


----------



## Chip (Feb 26, 2012)

I just got a zebralight SC600 - and as much as i love the ZL, if i had to pick one light, it would be the nitecore D10. The extra brightness of the 750 lm is nice, but its too bright in day to day things. The ZL would be great for camping, or as a nightstand light, but as EDC, its just too bright for my needs. The D10 with a 14650 gives a consistant bright smooth, perfect white beam. I actually like the ZL has a green tint in all the brightness levels. Also, the ZL has a rubber button that can wear out, the D10's "button" will virtually never wear out. The next time i see a tribute edition, i think i will buy a 2nd one just as a backup.


----------



## Zeruel (Feb 26, 2012)

Mr. Shawn said:


> Here's a bump for the all-time best thread for my favorite light. Zeruel, you are awesome!





DHart said:


> Hear, hear! Zeruel is the mas-tah of the well-loved D10.




Thanks for your encouragement and kind words, guys. :grouphug:


----------



## Racer (Feb 26, 2012)

Zeruel, 

Thank you! That was an amazing post!

Now I want one of these again. I have admired this light since I first became a flasaholic. I'm still not going to play the lottery with a new D11.2, but I think someday I'm going to want a customized D10. Wow, thanks again, Zeruel.


----------



## Mr. Shawn (Feb 26, 2012)

Mr. Shawn said:


> Here's a bump for the all-time best thread for my favorite light. Zeruel, you are awesome!



Actually, this is my favorite thread here on CPF!


----------



## DHart (Feb 26, 2012)

Chip said:


> I just got a zebralight SC600 - and as much as i love the ZL, if i had to pick one light, it would be the nitecore D10. The extra brightness of the 750 lm is nice, but its too bright in day to day things. The ZL would be great for camping, or as a nightstand light, but as EDC, its just too bright for my needs. The D10 with a 14650 gives a consistant bright smooth, perfect white beam. I actually like the ZL has a green tint in all the brightness levels. Also, the ZL has a rubber button that can wear out, the D10's "button" will virtually never wear out. The next time i see a tribute edition, i think i will buy a 2nd one just as a backup.



Chip... I feel the same way. As I mentioned earlier, the D10 R2 meets my EDC pocket carry needs as well or better than any new light on the market. It has all the brightness that I need, the versatility, the beam, the tint, the UI, the wonderful form factor in the pocket, great powering alternatives, etc. When I realized this a year and a half or so, I sought out a second D10 R2 to have as a backup because I had the sense that by the time my first D10 R2 went belly up or got lost, I would want to replace it with another D10, not with a new light. I do have a wide variety of other lights that I use for different applications, but for EDC pocket carry, I still prefer the venerable D10 R2.


----------



## calipsoii (Feb 26, 2012)

Nitecore pulled both the D11 and D11.2 so I'd bet they're working on a 1xAA to replace it.

I'm holding out hope they'll realize what a goldmine they had on their hands with the D10 R2. It's one of those designs they never should have fooled with, save for emitter upgrades and bug fixes.

That said, my honest feeling is that Nitecore has been putting out some real rubbish lately (the T0) and their quality control has never been worse.

I really hope they get that all figured out before putting out the D12, because I don't want a crappy D10 R2 clone, I'd like them to take the proper time and care with it.


----------



## DHart (Feb 26, 2012)

Oh yeah... a new D12 with an updated emitter of neutral tint and creamy beam quality, harkening back to all the essential greatness of the venerable D10 R2 would be wonderful. 

We can hope. And until then (and beyond), we hold dear to our D10 R2's.


----------



## Mr. Shawn (Feb 26, 2012)

calipsoii said:


> Nitecore pulled both the D11 and D11.2 so I'd bet they're working on a 1xAA to replace it.



At the time of my communication with the NiteCore service center early this month (2/7), there was no plan to discontinue the D11.2 yet. Have you heard otherwise?


----------



## calipsoii (Feb 27, 2012)

Mr. Shawn said:


> At the time of my communication with the NiteCore service center early this month (2/7), there was no plan to discontinue the D11.2 yet. Have you heard otherwise?



According to the Nitecore website it's still an active item, but most retailers are showing: This item has been discontinued.


----------



## Racer (Feb 27, 2012)

Maybe the retailers are shying away from it because of its tarnished reputation and not because they stopped producing it. 

Seriously though, they could raise the price $10 or $15 and make sure every single unit goes out the door perfect, and I think they would come out ahead and everyone would be happy. It probably wouldn't be too bad to hire all those sweatshop children that make our shoes to do some QA.


----------



## Moonshadow (Feb 27, 2012)

Let's face it, all they really need to do is to go back to the original D10 body and piston and stick an XP-G in it with a choice of cool or neutral. Sorted.

And while they are at it - how about a 2xCR123 version of the EX series ? The D20 was too long, but an EX20 would be spot-on.


----------



## jorgen (Feb 27, 2012)

I believe the D11.2 has an updated version with a slotted piston. That's what Light Junction is now selling


----------



## Zeruel (Mar 6, 2012)

Racer said:


> I'm still not going to play the lottery with a new D11.2, but I think someday I'm going to want a customized D10. Wow, thanks again, Zeruel.



Here's what you can do. Send one to Bugsy for a nice, clean cerakote. 





Updated in OP under VERSIONS [8]





Mr. Shawn said:


> Actually, this is my favorite thread here on CPF!



Thanks again, Mr. Shawn!





DHart said:


> Chip... I feel the same way. As I mentioned earlier, the D10 R2 meets my EDC pocket carry needs as well or better than any new light on the market. It has all the brightness that I need, the versatility, the beam, the tint, the UI, the wonderful form factor in the pocket, great powering alternatives, etc. When I realized this a year and a half or so, I sought out a second D10 R2 to have as a backup because I had the sense that by the time my first D10 R2 went belly up or got lost, I would want to replace it with another D10, not with a new light. I do have a wide variety of other lights that I use for different applications, but for EDC pocket carry, I still prefer the venerable D10 R2.



Don't worry, DHart, if you need another one, I can find one for you.





calipsoii said:


> It's one of those designs they never should have fooled with, save for emitter upgrades and bug fixes.


Couldn't agree more, and perhaps circuit upgrade to support the emitter upgrade. Do we hear a D10 XM-L?


----------



## Chip (Mar 6, 2012)

I can't help but think, if these are so popular, why wont they make a new run?


----------



## DHart (Mar 6, 2012)

Chip said:


> I can't help but think, if these are so popular, why wont they make a new run?



Hear, hear!

Zeruel,,, thanks, buddy.


----------



## shaneotool (Mar 6, 2012)

I've got one of the original issue EX10's.
That really was a light ahead of it's time IMO.
Quick access to high or low, and a sweet ramp to anything in between.
I recently bought a Fenix PD20 and I prefer the EX10 to it.

Edit - Just noticed I'm at one post per year!


----------



## Monocrom (Mar 6, 2012)

Chip said:


> I can't help but think, if these are so popular, why won't they make a new run?



If you find a light that works best for you . . . Immediately buy at least one more just like. Since it's only a matter of time before the company making it decides to either discontinue or (far worse) "improve" it into something quite different.

(I was fortunate to get one of the very last original versions of the Nitecore EZAA. Unfortunately, timing can be a *****. I count myself lucky to have gotten one of the very last of the breed, brand new.)


----------



## DHart (Mar 6, 2012)

Monocrom said:


> If you find a light that works best for you . . . Immediately buy at least one more just like. Since it's only a matter of time before the company making it decides to either discontinue or (far worse) "improve" it into something quite different.



Hey buddy... long time! :wave:

Good advice... I did that with my D10 R2, except I didn't do it immediately... I waited until after it was discontinued... and it was a much more difficult to find another new one, because I waited.


----------



## Monocrom (Mar 6, 2012)

DHart said:


> Hey buddy... long time! :wave:
> 
> Good advice... I did that with my D10 R2, except I didn't do it immediately... I waited until after it was discontinued... and it was a much more difficult to find another new one, because I waited.



Always good to encounter you here on CPF as well. 

Yeah, sometimes if an opportunity presents itself; you have to go for it. Even if the timing isn't quite right. Not a good idea to do that all the time. But every now and then, it's worth it. Otherwise the opportunity to acquire another one might not present itself soon or even at all down the road. If it does, the condition or price might be less than spectacular.


----------



## LedTed (Mar 8, 2012)

My wish would be for a D12 with: D11 V.2 interface, XM-L emitter, take a single 18650, and have a deep reflector. One can only dream.


----------



## LedTed (Mar 8, 2012)

My wish would be for a D12 with: D11 V.2 interface, XM-L emitter, take a single 18650, and have a deep reflector. One can only dream. Sorry for the double post.


----------



## e1sbaer (Apr 7, 2012)

A D12 with XML-U2 would be nice indeed. Also some improved quality control. I turn mine off by twisting the head. If I use the piston, it will drain the battery. Still, it' a great little light that I got because of this thread


----------



## Romanko (Jul 5, 2012)

On the homepage of nitecore is no information about PD series. What do they decided?


----------



## Zeruel (Jul 5, 2012)

e1sbaer said:


> A D12 with XML-U2 would be nice indeed. Also some improved quality control. I turn mine off by twisting the head. If I use the piston, it will drain the battery. Still, it' a great little light that I got because of this thread





LedTed said:


> My wish would be for a D12 with: D11 V.2 interface, XM-L emitter, take a single 18650, and have a deep reflector. One can only dream. Sorry for the double post.



A D12 with XM-L would be sweet. In fact, I'm tempted to mod a D11.2 or D10 to XM-L.





Romanko said:


> On the homepage of nitecore is no information about PD series. What do they decided?



Purely a speculation on my part, I'm guessing there would not be new development for the PDs for a while since they have spent a better part of the time developing the Tiny Monster and Explorer Series. 
Even if there's new development, I hope they would go through a more stringent QC process and beta testing, this goes with other manufacturers. I'm tired of manufacturers coming out with updated version(s) to correct what they should have done with the first batch.


----------



## Romanko (Jul 6, 2012)

If to compare PD EX10 driver circuit to other current(for example Zebralight SC31) the driver is not so efficient? And what do you think if to upgrade with nichia will it give more lumens?


----------



## Knifemaster (Jul 7, 2012)

My D10 died I'm so so sad I loved it when it worked.


----------



## Mr. Shawn (Jul 7, 2012)

Knifemaster said:


> My D10 died I'm so so sad I loved it when it worked.



Have you considered shipping your D10 to NiteCore for repair? My D10 R2 has been acting up for a while, so I plan on shipping it soon.


----------



## jlomein (Jul 7, 2012)

Is the EX10 Golden Dragon Plus worth anything? I keep it because of it's nice transition from hotspot to floodbeam, beautiful beam with no rings, and because I don't think there's any buyers. However I don't carry it because I prefer higher output now from my EDC.


----------



## Zeruel (Jul 8, 2012)

Romanko said:


> If to compare PD EX10 driver circuit to other current(for example Zebralight SC31) the driver is not so efficient? And what do you think if to upgrade with nichia will it give more lumens?


I don't claim to be a technical expert so led gurus do correct me if I'm wrong. Apart from the circuit, there is also the efficiency and luminous efficacy of the emitter themselves. It depends how much any type of emitter can produce lumens per watt. If you refer to the first post, a D10's XR-E has been replaced by a MC-E, the result is a much brighter output albeit lesser throw. Likewise, should it be possible to install a 5mm nichia led into it, the output will be much lesser regardless of the same circuit it uses.




Knifemaster said:


> My D10 died I'm so so sad I loved it when it worked.


Have you found the source of the fault? Have you clean all contacts and such? As Mr. Shawn mentioned, if all else fails, contact Nitecore or the dealer you bought from for assistance.


----------



## ffemt6263 (Jul 8, 2012)

Zeruel said:


> A D12 with XM-L would be sweet. In fact, I'm tempted to mod a D11.2 or D10 to XM-L.
> 
> I modded 2 d10's with neutral xm-l's and theyre sweet. Quite a nice increase in output and great tint.


----------



## Zeruel (Jul 8, 2012)

jlomein said:


> Is the EX10 Golden Dragon Plus worth anything? I keep it because of it's nice transition from hotspot to floodbeam, beautiful beam with no rings, and because I don't think there's any buyers. However I don't carry it because I prefer higher output now from my EDC.



During the XR-E period, the GD+ was prized due to the ring-less beam profile it produces. But these days, beams without artifact are a norm. I guess it depends on the number of EX10 fans who are looking for another EX10, GD+ or otherwise. While I prefer higher output EDCs too, I'd still carry D10 as my main or backup EDC.


----------



## Zeruel (Jul 8, 2012)

ffemt6263 said:


> I modded 2 d10's with neutral xm-l's and theyre sweet. Quite a nice increase in output and great tint.



I can relate to that, that's how I felt when I first turned on a D10 MC-E. Guess it's time for a D11.2 XM-L!


----------



## phantom23 (Aug 4, 2012)

Has anyone tried to swap XR-E to XP-E in D10? I know XP-G gives much more floody beam and reduces throw but XP-E is different emitter. I have D10 Q5 and it's great light but Q5 is a little bit obsolete these days so I'm thinking about the swap but I don't want to loose nice throw of Cree XR-E.


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 4, 2012)

It's probably going to look like the stock D10 with R2 XP-E (maybe just a tad dimmer?), beam shots shown in first post.


----------



## compasillo (Aug 4, 2012)

Zeruel said:


> It's probably going to look like the stock D10 with R2 XP-E (maybe just a tad dimmer?), beam shots shown in first post.



Exactly. I've tried that mod and works fine, though the reflector hole in the XR-E is wider and aesthetically could be an issue for some users (nothing important in practice).


----------



## phantom23 (Aug 4, 2012)

Thanks for good news. I was pretty worried because XR-E and XP-E reflectors are completely different:







@copasillo, is it comparable with XR-E? ('Zeruel' mentioned it could be a little bit less bright)

PS. XP-G2 is out, some say it's as throwy as XP-E... Or maybe wait for XP-E2? Decisions, decisions:thinking:


----------



## compasillo (Aug 5, 2012)

phantom23 said:


> @compasillo, is it comparable with XR-E? ('Zeruel' mentioned it could be a little bit less bright)



XR-E has a concentrated spot with a defined and darker side spill. The hotspot on the XP-E is less defined and the XP-G is even more flood with a smoother transition to the smaller side spill. These different beam patterns could give the appearance of "less" bright for the XP-E and XP-G... I think that's what Zeruel meant to say.


----------



## nightshade (Aug 5, 2012)

Thanks to Zeruel for a awesome compilation of all things D10. The D10 is one of the few lights that I still own several copies of. I am patiently waiting for emitters to evolve so that I can upgrade the stock emitter in each. It's getting closer.


----------



## briteflite (Aug 9, 2012)

Just wanted to say thank you for compiling this thread. I was able to bring my D10 R2 back to life and now it is my EDC light, bumping out my HDS rotary. I had fussed with the D10 several times before but never could get it to work consistently so it went back on the shelf. A little deoxit, fiddling with the brass ring, lightly sanding the o-ring and cleaning out the goopy lube did the trick.


----------



## Zeruel (Aug 10, 2012)

nightshade said:


> Thanks to Zeruel for a awesome compilation of all things D10. The D10 is one of the few lights that I still own several copies of. I am patiently waiting for emitters to evolve so that I can upgrade the stock emitter in each. It's getting closer.





briteflite said:


> Just wanted to say thank you for compiling this thread. I was able to bring my D10 R2 back to life and now it is my EDC light, bumping out my HDS rotary. I had fussed with the D10 several times before but never could get it to work consistently so it went back on the shelf. A little deoxit, fiddling with the brass ring, lightly sanding the o-ring and cleaning out the goopy lube did the trick.



Appreciate your kind words, guys. I'm glad you gave D10 another chance, briteflite. It does need a little bit more fussing than most lights due to the piston and brass ring, but it's a joy use in return once you get it going.


----------



## Romanko (Sep 1, 2012)

Maybe someone know where to buy D10 with ramping interface and XP-E (not XR-E)?


----------



## phantom23 (Sep 1, 2012)

Zeruel said:


> *It does need a little bit more fussing than most lights* due to the piston and brass ring, but it's a joy use in return once you get it going.


Well, not really  I use mine (almost) every day for over 3 years and it works fawlessly without any special treatment.


----------



## Pima Pants (Sep 1, 2012)

I have had a D10 for a few years now. It stopped working about a year ago. No matter what I do, i.e. fiddling with the brass ring, cleaning everything, etc. it wont work. I contacted the manufacturer and they advised me to send it back to them in China. No thanks. I'll just throw it in my junk drawer.


----------



## compasillo (Sep 2, 2012)

Romanko said:


> Maybe someone know where to buy D10 with ramping interface and XP-E (not XR-E)?



There's quite a bunch of dealers. Just do a search in the net


----------



## Romanko (Sep 2, 2012)

I am searching for about 2 weeks and as a result i didn't find. Only SP version.


----------



## Zeruel (Sep 2, 2012)

Romanko, you may want to extend your search by putting up a WTB over at CPFMP. I'm already seeing one up for sale, but it's a XR-E Swissbianco version. Here.

Edit: oops, the Swissbianco does not come with the pill.


----------



## ffemt6263 (Sep 3, 2012)

Does anyone know if the LE from a d11 will work in a d10?


----------



## Phantom309 (Sep 3, 2012)

And I thought I was a big D10 fan, you sir have us all beat. I stumbled accross this thread, read the entire thing, then joined just to join in. I bought my first D10 several years ago. It is a GD+. I have carried it since, daily. As an electrician, you can imagine that I use it frequently. Several times a day, everyday. It still has the factory lube and o rings. Now and then I wipe the dirt out of the gap between the piston and the body. I have had to tweak the spring a few times, but otherwise trouble free. I began shopping for a spare shortly after buying the first. They had already made the switch to SP2, so I searched high and low till I found an ebay deal with one D10 R2, and one D10 R2 SP2 that didn't work. After some tinkering (battery had leaked) I had it working 90% of the time. The 3 level UI is horrible after having infinite control, and flash/sos is useless. I gave that one to my 13 y/o. He keeps it running most of the time. I dread the day that my GD lets go. And keep my spare in a drawer with no battery, in waiting. I have considered a D11, but I am annoyed by the useless features that I don't want. The newer version sounds better, I'll have to reasearch it further. Glad to find this thread with so much info, and mods. It gives me hope I can frankenstien my parts together for the forseeable future till they offer what I want agian. Shame I missed the tributes. I would have had a few of those in the drawer too.


----------



## Phantom309 (Sep 3, 2012)

And could someone clear up the UI on the D11.2? This quote is from the Battery Junction description of the D11.2, and seems contradictory.

The interface is simple: pressing the switch one will activate constant output. Once on, pushing and holding the switch will cause the brightness to ramp up/down. The Strobe and SOS functions can be activated from any brightness level. SOS is selected with the light on by quickly double clicking the switch. With the light on, Strobe is activated with a quick click and hold.

For the D11.2 version, the lowest mode can be selected with the light on by double clicking the tailcap. Quickly clicking and holding the tailcap with the light turned on is a shortcut the highest mode.

Where are the flash and sos "hidden"? And how easy is it to activate accidentlly?


----------



## Phantom309 (Sep 3, 2012)

Back once more to answer my own question. My last comment is still out for review since I'm a newbie, so I can't edit it. This video answers the UI questions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww80SV04Ygc Double click, and double click/hold access High/low when the light is already on, and sos strobe, when the light is off.


----------



## Flying Turtle (Sep 4, 2012)

Phantom309 said:


> And could someone clear up the UI on the D11.2? This quote is from the Battery Junction description of the D11.2, and seems contradictory.
> 
> The interface is simple: pressing the switch one will activate constant output. Once on, pushing and holding the switch will cause the brightness to ramp up/down. The Strobe and SOS functions can be activated from any brightness level. SOS is selected with the light on by quickly double clicking the switch. With the light on, Strobe is activated with a quick click and hold.
> 
> ...



Some of this is correct, but not concerning Strobe and SOS. They are activated from the "off" position by a click and hold or a double click. I don't see accidental activation very often, but because of the strong spring you must click like you mean it.

I really like the D11.2, and would recommend it. Be aware that some had switching troubles, like the first one I tried. I'm glad I didn't give up on it.

Geoff


----------



## Soltani231 (Sep 4, 2012)

New to the forum and really impressed with the knowledge and passion in these pages.


----------



## Zeruel (Sep 5, 2012)

ffemt6263 said:


> Does anyone know if the LE from a d11 will work in a d10?



I've tried, no can do for mine. Same size but it seems the threading isn't identical. However, it's strange that the D11.2 pill can fit into Kuku's D10 Ti shell. Btw, you can lego D11.2's head onto a D10 body and they match and work.




Phantom309 said:


> And I thought I was a big D10 fan, you sir have us all beat. I stumbled accross this thread, read the entire thing, then joined just to join in. I bought my first D10 several years ago. It is a GD+. I have carried it since, daily. As an electrician, you can imagine that I use it frequently. Several times a day, everyday. It still has the factory lube and o rings. Now and then I wipe the dirt out of the gap between the piston and the body. I have had to tweak the spring a few times, but otherwise trouble free. I began shopping for a spare shortly after buying the first. They had already made the switch to SP2, so I searched high and low till I found an ebay deal with one D10 R2, and one D10 R2 SP2 that didn't work. After some tinkering (battery had leaked) I had it working 90% of the time. The 3 level UI is horrible after having infinite control, and flash/sos is useless. I gave that one to my 13 y/o. He keeps it running most of the time. I dread the day that my GD lets go. And keep my spare in a drawer with no battery, in waiting. I have considered a D11, but I am annoyed by the useless features that I don't want. The newer version sounds better, I'll have to reasearch it further. Glad to find this thread with so much info, and mods. It gives me hope I can frankenstien my parts together for the forseeable future till they offer what I want agian. Shame I missed the tributes. I would have had a few of those in the drawer too.



Glad you could join us.  Try a D11.2, it's way better than the SP version IMO. Or you could keep your eyes peeled for a Tribute (or two) over at the MP.





Phantom309 said:


> Back once more to answer my own question. My last comment is still out for review since I'm a newbie, so I can't edit it. This video answers the UI questions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww80SV04Ygc Double click, and double click/hold access High/low when the light is already on, and sos strobe, when the light is off.



Glad you found answers to your question, but it is as Flying Turtle said regarding hidden modes and accidental activation.


----------



## E_Lumin_Audi (Sep 27, 2012)

I've got a D10 R2 for sale with a 14500, clip, and charger. I'll put up pictures and an ad in the for sale section soon. I'm wondering what I should ask for it. I loved it, but I got heavily into cycling and I'm going to get a long life 2 or 3 CR123 cell light that I handlebar mount. THat'll be my bicycle/satchel light and my E05 is my EDC keychain light. The D10 won't be used, so it'll go to a good home


----------



## H7o Global (Dec 5, 2012)

Thank you for the write-up.


----------



## jondotcom (Jan 4, 2013)

Sure wish they'd bring back the d10 with an XML.


----------



## nightshade (Jan 4, 2013)

I can't decide which emitter I like most in the D10. I have modded one of mine with a 219 at first, then a XM-L and currently a XP-G2. All of these emitters have produced such different yet pleasing results that it's a tough decision. The original Q5 reflector works well with the varied emitters with minimal fuss, imo.


----------



## vestureofblood (Dec 16, 2013)

Zeruel said:


> *1] Nickel-plated Clip*
> For pocket carry, a nickel-plated clip is sold seperately. The purchase includes the clip with back plate, a hex key and 4 screws for installation. Available at selected CPF dealers or simply Google for more dealers who carry this.
> 
> 
> ...




Does anyone happen to know where I can still pick up a belt clip like that? preferably the Ti one?


----------



## badtziscool (Dec 16, 2013)

vestureofblood said:


> Does anyone happen to know where I can still pick up a belt clip like that? preferably the Ti one?



Those kuku ti clips are near impossible to come by. Many have posted WTB for those clips and I haven't seen anyone come through. I would be in for a few myself if they were available again.


----------



## jondotcom (Dec 16, 2013)

badtziscool said:


> Those kuku ti clips are near impossible to come by. Many have posted WTB for those clips and I haven't seen anyone come through. I would be in for a few myself if they were available again.



The screw spacing is nearly identical on the eagletac d25a and d25c mini/clicky and d25c2 mini. You can interchange those clips if you don't have a nitecore one.


----------



## shine brighter (Dec 17, 2013)

Wow, I just might have to get me one of these! :huh:


----------



## compasillo (Dec 17, 2013)

With permission of Zeruel, this thread should have been included the great EX10 in the tittle since it's been a continuous improved design over the D10, keeping all their features though (IMHO).


----------



## Demon27 (Apr 18, 2014)

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but it's a terrific one. I was shocked to find a D10 in a store outside Memphis today and I got a great deal ($15). It seems kind odd to me though - It is an SP R2 with stepped UI, Light Natural, Red circuit board, but it has an old style piston. I know NITECORE mixed up some models and features on the D10 but has anyone else run across one like this?


----------



## DHart (Apr 18, 2014)

No apologies needed for resurrecting this thread. It's a classic thread, for lights that continue to serve magnificently well and will continue to do so for years to come.


----------



## zs&tas (Apr 19, 2014)

Demon27 said:


> Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but it's a terrific one. I was shocked to find a D10 in a store outside Memphis today and I got a great deal ($15). It seems kind odd to me though - It is an SP R2 with stepped UI, Light Natural, Red circuit board, but it has an old style piston. I know NITECORE mixed up some models and features on the D10 but has anyone else run across one like this?



Hi, i have a camo D10 Sp R2, whats the older piston like ?


----------



## Zeruel (Apr 19, 2014)

Demon27 said:


> Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but it's a terrific one. I was shocked to find a D10 in a store outside Memphis today and I got a great deal ($15). It seems kind odd to me though - It is an SP R2 with stepped UI, Light Natural, Red circuit board, but it has an old style piston. I know NITECORE mixed up some models and features on the D10 but has anyone else run across one like this?



It's probably the earlier SP batches before they've updated the piston. Still, at $15, that's a great catch!





DHart said:


> No apologies needed for resurrecting this thread. It's a classic thread, for lights that continue to serve magnificently well and will continue to do so for years to come.



For sure, it's still serving me very well till this day. :thumbsup:





zs&tas said:


> Hi, i have a camo D10 Sp R2, whats the older piston like ?



It's all in the first post.


----------



## zs&tas (Apr 19, 2014)

Zeruel said:


> It's probably the earlier SP batches before they've updated the piston. Still, at $15, that's a great catch!
> 
> 
> It's all in the first post.



yep mine has piston mk2

dont use it often but i like it, its my only AA torch. its there if and when i need it. I do use a EX11 everyday. i love piston drive and wish they would bring it back and make a 18650 version 

great catch at $15 id have bought a few !


----------



## LedTed (Apr 19, 2014)

I'd also like an EX11 with: 18560 battery sized piston, XML-2 Emitter, and a SS or slightly thicker Ti clip. Let's call it the EX12 and start petitioning to get a batch made!

Who's with me?


----------



## zs&tas (Apr 20, 2014)

nichia ?


----------



## Tacitus (Apr 21, 2014)

Just found this thread. Thanks to Zeruel and others for all of the information! I may try to update my emitter.


----------



## phantom23 (Apr 21, 2014)

What emitter do you have now?


----------



## Tacitus (Apr 23, 2014)

phantom23 said:


> What emitter do you have now?



Me=Q5. Thanks!


----------



## TIP AND RING (May 2, 2015)

Still love the D10. I just received a Nightshade D10 mod. Warm, XML-L2, custom made reflector, turned and threaded, copper light engine, custom springs. And re-flashed for a slower ramping sequence.
Easily my favorite light, ever. Amazed at the combination of flood and throw. Warm 500 lumens on a 14500. :thumbsup:












Nitecore could do so much with the PD design if they just could get manufacturing tolerances and QC under control. A 18650 PD would be very nice, and a CR2 PD would be nice and a.........


----------



## Nicrod (May 2, 2015)

Tip and Ring

Those are some really cool mods, you have :thumbsup:

the D10 is an all time favorite EDC. NiteCore COULD do a lot with the design Agreed!


----------



## snowlover91 (May 2, 2015)

That's an awesome mod for the D10 and I love these lights! Where were you able to get all those mods done, I haven't had much luck finding someone to do something like that. I really wish Nitecore would revisit this light and make an 18650 model also..


----------



## snowlover91 (May 22, 2015)

Anyone know where the nightshade mod can be acquired? I contacted Nitecore about bringing this series back and they stated that they didn't have plans to do that at this time but it might be possible if enough interest was expressed. Really wish they would bring it back or someone as it UI is great and when you get a sample that works properly it's extremely intuitive and tough to beat as an EDC light. Still use an EX11.2 which sees more daily use than any of my other lights including an SC62, SC5, SC32, Romisen RC-G2, Nitecore SRT5 and a few others. The D10 was my EDC for about 5.5 years until the lens finally broke and I retired it and purchased 3 of the EX11.2 to hopefully last me for many years to come.


----------



## DHart (May 23, 2015)

An updated D10 to the latest emitter and, possibly, an 18650 cell would be such an amazing light! Nitecore... do you see the genius of such a concept?


----------



## vestureofblood (May 23, 2015)

DHart said:


> An updated D10 to the latest emitter and, possibly, an 18650 cell would be such an amazing light! Nitecore... do you see the genius of such a concept?



Yes. But NO other changes. NO Flats or any other shapes, humps or "add ons". Just the old school awesomeness, and new gen emitter and cell size option. Personally I'd still be down for a CR123 size too.

If this light did come they could probly sell the first thousand pieces on CPF alone!


----------



## pote (Sep 13, 2015)

I have the R2 version. Bought it when it first hit the market and immediately liked it. The UI is great and the infinite ramping is brilliant. I have only one complaint. Unless I unscrew the head as a sort of lockout, it will have horrible parasitic drain and it will drain a new battery in a matter of days. Maybe I have one that's unique in this aspect, but nonetheless it will eat a battery while off in less than a week. So now I'm just in the habit of unscrewing the head a few turns if I'm going to let it set for any duration at all. Other than that, I too wish they'd bring it back. Great old review.


----------



## snowlover91 (Sep 13, 2015)

My original D10 from 2009 works great and I swapped the emitter out for an XM-L2 with 4500k tint. I've collected several over the years and also have a few D11.2 models as well as the EX10 and EX11.2 lights. Wish they would bring them back or someone like foursevens would try to license and make them. An 18650 PD light with the D10 body design would be an impressive light.


----------



## ForrestChump (Sep 13, 2015)

First "Real" light for me. Had 2 with modes.


----------



## LedTed (Sep 13, 2015)

snowlover91 said:


> (EDITED) An 18650 PD light with the D10 body design would be an impressive light.



I miss my D10 with XP-E R2. But my D11.2 with XP-L and 14505 rocks pretty hard. Though, I too would love to see and updated D10 or D11 utilizing an 18650.


----------



## Nicrod (Sep 14, 2015)

pote said:


> …I have only one complaint. Unless I unscrew the head as a sort of lockout, it will have horrible parasitic drain and it will drain a new battery in a matter of days. Maybe I have one that's unique in this aspect, but nonetheless it will eat a battery while off in less than a week.…



I have this same problem. D10 Tribute with Steve Ku's Ti clip, one of the greatest EDC lights ever! But I keep the head unscrewed too, and I only use AW 14500's 
I Got sick of burning thru the E Lithiums when I was barley using the light.


----------



## snowlover91 (Sep 14, 2015)

Ironic but none of mine have demonstrated this behavior except the one I modded with a neutral tint emitter. Not sure why since I never had drain issues before but after switching to the neutral emitter that one D10 will drain a battery in about 3 weeks.


----------



## Nicrod (Sep 15, 2015)

snowlover91 said:


> Ironic but none of mine have demonstrated this behavior except the one I modded with a neutral tint emitter. Not sure why since I never had drain issues before but after switching to the neutral emitter that one D10 will drain a battery in about 3 weeks.



Indeed, that's very strange! I wish it wasn't so...but :shakehead

Does the XML fit into the reflector on its own, without being modified?
what about shimming for focus? 
Thanks,

Nick


----------



## snowlover91 (Sep 15, 2015)

Used an XM-L2 in the light and it fit perfectly. Used a 14mm star and no issues at all. Only thing is the driver can't push the necessary voltage on the highest setting and the light turns itself off after about 10 seconds. It doesn't damage the light just won't last long. However at the medium setting it's brighter than before with the cool white LED so not a big deal. I do plan to replace it with an XP-G2 which won't push the driver as hard and should allow the driver to maintain the turbo setting without shutting the light off.


----------



## hatman (Sep 17, 2015)

Terrific review - thanks. The entire thread is valuable and fun to read.

I kind of soured on my D10s when I started buying more powerful lights. Still, I kept mine powered with AW 14500s and ready to go.

But, because of those more powerful lights -- ZebraLights and EagleTacs -- my D10s just sat there among my earlier and seldom-used lights.

After re-reading this thread, I got out my D10s again. The little devils filled my hand and I remembered one of the reasons I had fallen in love with them: They have a certain tactile feel that is pleasing.

In one sense, they reminded me of one of my favorite EDC pocket-knives -- the Strider PT, smallest of the Strider folder series.

Most of my PTs have taken months to fully break-in. But they are a great fit for my hand and the tactile feel is addicting. I can't stop playing with them!

Ahem...well, the D10 is similar. It's a combination of size, weight and knurling, I imagine. It just feels right.

I've recently been using Eneloops in some of my AA-size lights. I replaced the AW 14500s in my D10s with Panasonic Eneloops. I'm recharging the AWs now -- wonder if they're still good? (They're too expensive these days to buy new ones!)

Meanwhile, those Eneloops provide plenty of light for the original purpose for my D10s -- as pocket EDCs and backups.

The Eneloops also should stay ready to use longer than the AWs.


----------



## snowlover91 (Sep 17, 2015)

Agreed with your comments about the D10. It was my first real flashlight and I love the feel of it. It's simple, has good knurling and is a great EDC size. While it doesn't have the design like a Zebralight or more modern flashlights it still gets the job done. I use the D11.2 as my EDC now, one website still sells them. The piston system also made it unique because you didn't have to worry about a mechanical switch failing or an electronic one due to the spring inside the head. At that point the only failure point is the LED or circuit board.

The brightness on Eneloops is probably 140-150 lumens which is more than enough for most EDC tasks. I also love the fast shortcuts to high/low and the ramping feature. I only wish Nitecore would update and bring these back again. Adding these with modern emitters, circuit boards and a 18650 version would be excellent. They could keep the same form factor and design just update the internals. I've emailed Nitecore about it but they'll probably never bring these back... If only...


----------



## hatman (Sep 17, 2015)

Agreed -- after years of using only 14500s I find the Eneloops bright enough in my D10s for just about any EDC task.

I have one early D10 and a Tribute. Both are marked R2. I was surprised that the tint from the Tribute is so different -- it's much whiter than that of my early D10.


----------



## sphere (Oct 7, 2015)

Several yards of an unnecessary quote were removed. ...Bill



Can we get hold of the *Titanium D10 still ?*




.


----------



## Nicrod (Oct 7, 2015)

sphere said:


> Can we get hold of the *Titanium D10 still ?*



Only on the secondary market. They are very rare, and almost never come up.


----------



## HB 88 (Oct 7, 2015)

I adore this discontinued design. I can easily understand both sides of any argument for or against this torch. Love or hate both serve this device. The driver and design are genius. Does anyone know the name of the engineer(s) who created the interface and driver? I know from this thread that McGizmo and 4-Sevens brought the piston into the design. But who created the driver?


----------



## Zeruel (Oct 7, 2015)

You can try contacting JHanko to get one done.




sphere said:


> Can we get hold of the *Titanium D10 still ?*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Hiro Protagonist (Oct 25, 2015)

One of my favorite threads!


----------



## Nicrod (Oct 25, 2015)

Me Too! One of the first lights I ever started carrying religiously. 

Great photo Hiro- D10


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Oct 25, 2015)

Yes, I too would like to see an updated D10, ramping, better LED, and lower battery drain. Am going to pull it out of my collection and start using mine again. Has anyone really determined that unscrewing the head would reduce, or remove the battery drain? Selfbuilt, in his review of the D10, said that a push on the tailcap switch, with the head turned almost off. would turn on the light.

Bill


----------



## snowlover91 (Oct 25, 2015)

Bullzeyebill said:


> Yes, I too would like to see an updated D10, ramping, better LED, and lower battery drain. Am going to pull it out of my collection and start using mine again. Has anyone really determined that unscrewing the head would reduce, or remove the battery drain? HJK, in his review of the D10, said that a push on the tailcap switch, with the head turned almost off. would turn on the light.
> 
> Bill



As far as I know it should fix the issue. What I do is turn mine on then unscrew it enough until the light shuts off, usually a half turn to full turn depending on your light. I had one which would drain a battery in a few weeks and by using this the battery is still fine several months later. I still use my D10/D11.2 lights on a daily basis and wish Nitecore would revisit these again. Imagine an 18650 version the potential it would have.


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Oct 25, 2015)

snowlover91 said:


> As far as I know it should fix the issue.



Thanks. Not sure I would go for an 18650; too unweldly for an EDC. 200 plus lumens in the D10 package would be good for me.

Bill


----------



## HB 88 (Oct 25, 2015)

I have acquired and repaired a few very well used D10's. The seller (eBay) sold them as parts only. There was no love lost, deep distain for the lights. Most suffered from alkaline leaks, excessive lubrication and very compressed springs , etc.etc.
All of my examples, that work, consume 470-530uA of standby current at 1.2vdc. What are the measurements from the lights that are depleting batteries so rapidly?


----------



## snowlover91 (Oct 26, 2015)

Bullzeyebill said:


> Thanks. Not sure I would go for an 18650; too unweldly for an EDC. 200 plus lumens in the D10 package would be good for me.
> 
> Bill



Agreed. I updated most of mine now to neutral emitters and the one that seems to work best is the XP-G2 in it. I would estimate I'm getting 160-175 lumens out of my samples with the newer LED, plus it's a nice neutral/warm. 

HB88, I can try to measure my standby current but I'm not sure how to on the D10. Could you explain the process for that and I'll give it my best shot to see.


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Oct 26, 2015)

snowlover91 said:


> HB88, I can try to measure my standby current but I'm not sure how to on the D10. Could you explain the process for that and I'll give it my best shot to see.



I have not measured standby current. Selfbuilt found his D10's at about 500uA, which is quite high. 

Bill


----------



## snowlover91 (Oct 26, 2015)

Bullzeyebill said:


> I have not measured standby current. Selfbuilt found his D10's at about 500uA, which is quite high.
> 
> Bill



Its a shame they won't release one to fix these issues and use a modern LED. I emailed them about it and referenced this thread but they said they didn't currently have plans to bring it back. Maybe one day but I'm doubtful. It's a fantastic light if you have a good one and the UI is tough to beat.


----------



## WarriorOfLight (Oct 27, 2015)

The D10 and also EX10 were both the most innovative Nitecore Lights. The D11.2 was also not bad if I remember correctly. I gave my D11.2 a friend as a present, therefore I do not have it anymore... The only weak thing was the high drain over the time. Depending on the light the battery worked 6 month to 1 year in a light.
I do not own any Nitecore Lights anymore, except a number of D10s and EX10s including the Kuku Titanium versions.  This Smart Piston Drive Nitecore Lights were really something special.


----------



## Sean Rorie (Oct 27, 2015)

I read this thread years ago it's still great.I pulled both of my D10s out tonight both work like a dream one still had plenty of power from the eneloop as the head was unscrewed a little


----------



## snowlover91 (Oct 27, 2015)

WarriorOfLight said:


> The D10 and also EX10 were both the most innovative Nitecore Lights. The D11.2 was also not bad if I remember correctly. I gave my D11.2 a friend as a present, therefore I do not have it anymore... The only weak thing was the high drain over the time. Depending on the light the battery worked 6 month to 1 year in a light.
> I do not own any Nitecore Lights anymore, except a number of D10s and EX10s including the Kuku Titanium versions.  This Smart Piston Drive Nitecore Lights were really something special.



If you put a neutral emitter in them like Nichia or xp-g2 you get great tint with excellent performance and increased lumens also.


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Oct 27, 2015)

I also pulled out my two D10's, one with a XP-R and the other with what looks like a GDP. Tried them both with an AW Li-Ion and both refused to ramp up or down, They stayed at one level. Put Eneloops back in and everything is normal.

Bill


----------



## phantom23 (Oct 27, 2015)

I'm using my D10 Magma almost every day since day one (using 14500) and it works like a charm.


----------



## snowlover91 (Oct 27, 2015)

Bullzeyebill said:


> I also pulled out my two D10's, one with a XP-R and the other with what looks like a GDP. Tried them both with an AW Li-Ion and both refused to ramp up or down, They stayed at one level. Put Eneloops back in and everything is normal.
> 
> Bill



This was an issue caused by the spring being a little too long in the early D10 series. There are two fixes, you can either cut the spring shorter in the piston tube or if you can find a shorter 14500 (usually unprotected and about the same length as Eneloops) will work also. It's an issue caused when a 14500 is too long, the spring isn't short enough so the piston is in constant contact thus not allowing the light to ramp. I had one with the same issue and fixed it by slightly trimming down the spring.


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Oct 27, 2015)

Thanks. Will that affect the use of Eneloops?

Bill


----------



## snowlover91 (Oct 27, 2015)

Bullzeyebill said:


> Thanks. Will that affect the use of Eneloops?
> 
> Bill



It will if you trim off too much. The easiest/safest solution is to find a shorter 14500 battery. Usually an unprotected one with a button top should work well, it needs to be around 50mm in length. Most protected 14500 batteries are around 53-55mm which is a little too long. I would try getting hold of a shorter one around 49-50mm which is the same length as an Eneloop. I know Efest has a few in their lineup about that length.


----------



## pugga (Nov 10, 2015)

Bump to guys that have modded, what LED have you used. I have a member that is interested in my Ti EX10 but wants to mod to a neutral led (4500 -5000 or 219)


----------



## snowlover91 (Nov 11, 2015)

pugga said:


> Bump to guys that have modded, what LED have you used. I have a member that is interested in my Ti EX10 but wants to mod to a neutral led (4500 -5000 or 219)



I have a D10 modded with XP-L HI and another with Nichia if anyone wants to see pics?


----------



## LedTed (Nov 11, 2015)

snowlover91 said:


> I have a D10 modded with XP-L HI and another with Nichia if anyone wants to see pics?



Yes, please!


----------



## snowlover91 (Nov 14, 2015)

As promised here are a few pics of my modded D10 with beam shots. One is a 4500k XM-L2 and the other is a XP-L HI at 5000k. You can see the improved, tighter hotspot offered by the HI emitter. I'm working on a few tweaks to possible increase throw a little more. Btw the light with the XM-L2 is my original D10 that I used as EDC for over 6 years. The glass lens broke from a drop and the inside reflector was scratched up a good bit before I finally located a replacement lens for it. Still works great! 

XP-L HI






XM-L2





Now for the beam shots..
XP-L HI





XM-L2


----------



## Bullzeyebill (Nov 14, 2015)

Is the lux more pronounced with these two emitters compared to the stock XR-E.

Bill


----------



## Nicrod (Nov 14, 2015)

Wow great images. Thanks Snowlover, those emitters and beamshots look great.


----------



## snowlover91 (Nov 14, 2015)

Bullzeyebill said:


> Is the lux more pronounced with these two emitters compared to the stock XR-E.
> 
> Bill



It's not a huge difference but it is noticeable. The XM-L2 beam pattern is similar to the original emitter in regards to the beam profile it produces. In the pics I posted you can see a bit tighter and brighter hotspot coming from the HI emitter. Definitely worth the upgrade for the improved tint and slightly better throw. 

The original emitter actually was what prompted me to switch them, instead of a nice cool white one of them had a terrible purple tint to it! I'll try to get a few pics of the Nichia 219b I have in another D10. I'm considering getting a few 219C to upgrade them with but haven't decided yet.


----------



## Hiro Protagonist (Nov 14, 2015)

Awesome mods on your D10s! Now I'd like to get a XP-L Hi in a D10 as well.


----------



## snowlover91 (Nov 14, 2015)

Hiro Protagonist said:


> Awesome mods on your D10s! Now I'd like to get a XP-L Hi in a D10 as well.



Yes it's a great upgrade! Nice neutral tint, noticeable throw improvement and probably a few extra lumens too. For those who like the beam profile of the Zebralights, the XM-L2 in the D10 provides an identical beam shape and profile. I compared my ZL with my modded D10 side by side and couldn't tell the difference except the ZL was obviously a little brighter.


----------



## snowlover91 (Nov 19, 2015)

My D10 Camo with Nichia 219b emitter. Not quite perfectly centered but close enough for me. I plan to upgrade it to the 219c at some point soon anyway.


----------



## Brangdon (Jan 2, 2016)

I'm today retiring my D10. I'm not sure which version it is, except that it's old and doesn't have a strobe. I've been carrying it every day for about 7 years, so it's a bit beat up, but its only actual fault is that it gets a bit noisy on the higher settings. I came on here to find out more about my new light (a floody Zebralight SC5 Fw), and was gladdened to find this thread still talking about the D10.


----------



## kreisl (Jan 24, 2016)

Does NE1 know if the BG Convoy clip fits on the D11.2 flashlight, i mean the nuts?

The BG Neitcore clip is fugly and does not come with nuts. For the D11.2 one needs to have M2.0 nuts.

I have the FT clip on order and it is taking ages to reach me and it's yet unclear if that clip is _really _M2.


----------



## gunga (Jan 24, 2016)

All the ones I've seen are M2 nuts


----------



## kreisl (Jan 24, 2016)

Thanks, sounds promising.

And gunga, can you reconfirm that M2 nut fits in that tail groove of D11.2 flashlight?


----------



## snowlover91 (Jan 24, 2016)

kreisl said:


> Does NE1 know if the BG Convoy clip fits on the D11.2 flashlight, i mean the nuts?
> 
> The BG Neitcore clip is fugly and does not come with nuts. For the D11.2 one needs to have M2.0 nuts.
> 
> I have the FT clip on order and it is taking ages to reach me and it's yet unclear if that clip is _really _M2.



I tried both of these clips on my D11.2 and was unsuccessful in getting them to work. The shorter clip from bang good will work on the Ex11.2 but not on D11.2 lights. Neither will the convoy clip, unfortunately. The only other option I have found is a snap on clip that works decently well but not that great.


----------



## gunga (Jan 25, 2016)

I have never had a d11 so cannot comment on the clips. I have used m2 nuts and bolts with a lot of lights but never a d11.


----------



## LedTed (Jan 25, 2016)

gunga said:


> I have never had a d11 so cannot comment on the clips. I have used m2 nuts and bolts with a lot of lights but never a d11.



I believe the "Stainless Steel Clip Attachment Add-on" from FastTech will directly bolt on to a D11. Of course, you'll need a micro-bit set for the bolts. But one of the flats of each of the nuts will rest against the flashlight's body.


----------



## kreisl (Jan 25, 2016)

Thanks guys. Today i received the FT clip. The nuts fit easily in the tail groove (and i am sure that a flat M2.5 nut would not fit!), the M2.0 is just perfect for this application, thanks FT for the wise choice of parts!!






Here some detail shots, i really wanted to share the happy ending:






The following 2 pics show well the angle which the 2 screw lines form with each other:











The total length of the screws were 6.00mm, so i had to file them down to 5.75mm:
















It is possible to tighten the screws with full force, only the 1 FT allen key is needed for the tightening. No need to be afraid that the screw male threads (or nut female threads) would strip:






Sorry for the redundancy in the pics but better safe than sorry :nana:


----------



## gunga (Jan 25, 2016)

Good stuff. Send me your light to get that trit installed properly!


----------



## jimtesla (May 26, 2016)

And have Gunga modify yours

Here is his version The Gunga D10

Note the unique color, trit piston, afterflow green

Not sure what the LED was, Gunga?


----------



## gunga (May 26, 2016)

Likely Nichia 219B.


----------



## snowlover91 (May 27, 2016)

I still think the Nitecore D10 was one of the best lights they ever made.. They had some quality control issues that were never really dealt with but the ones that worked as intended are tough to beat. Even today put a Nichia 219 in one and you get a great little light with an intuitive UI, compact and simple design and ~140 lumens.


----------



## benlg (May 27, 2016)

I loved my D10 but sadly it crapped out in under 6 months, with very light usage too. After that, I just avoided the Nitecore name because reliability is most important to me. They just do not seem to be on the level of Surefire or Fenix, or even other less known but more reliable brands.


----------



## Rawk (Oct 17, 2016)

It's nice to see that people still use this great little flashlight !
I'm still very happy with my D10 Tribute, from all cool white lights I own, it has the best tint.
Most of my other lights have higher output but can't match the tint quality.

I like the idea of using Nichia 219B with it...but cause of everyday usage, the body doesn't look flawless anymore...
Can you recommend any other light, similar to the D10, that can be modified with Nichia 219B and tritium ?


----------



## ninemm (Mar 15, 2019)

Gosh...thinking back to lights past I might miss the Nitecore D10 the most. Perfect size to output ratio. Great construction, nifty switch mechanism... what a light!


----------



## badtziscool (Mar 15, 2019)

ninemm said:


> Gosh...thinking back to lights past I might miss the Nitecore D10 the most. Perfect size to output ratio. Great construction, nifty switch mechanism... what a light!



Indeed. I never should have sold off my initial collection. Totally regretting it now. I'm trying to start it back up again, and though I have more models of the D10 (and EX10/11) now, nearly all of them have some sort of use or wear on them. My initial collection were all new condition lights. Oh well. Makes the chase more interesting, I guess. Thanks for bringing this thread back up.


----------



## ninemm (Mar 15, 2019)

badtziscool said:


> Indeed. I never should have sold off my initial collection. Totally regretting it now. I'm trying to start it back up again, and though I have more models of the D10 (and EX10/11) now, nearly all of them have some sort of use or wear on them. My initial collection were all new condition lights. Oh well. Makes the chase more interesting, I guess. Thanks for bringing this thread back up.



I was looking at the swissbianco pics in this thread and remembering how I used to have a few of em back in the day. Cest la vie! Hope to grab one to fiddle around with again for nostalgia sake. Good luck in your hunt!


----------



## jorn (Mar 15, 2019)

Stilk use mine. Led is a neutral xp-l hi.


----------



## DHart (Mar 15, 2019)

Reminds me, I need to pull my D10s out, dust 'em off, and enjoy them once again!


----------



## Snapper314 (Mar 19, 2019)

Reminds me that I need to contact Nitecore to see if they can repair my damaged D10.


----------



## ninemm (Mar 20, 2019)

jorn said:


> Stilk use mine. Led is a neutral xp-l hi.



Gorgeous!!!


----------



## Omega Man (Apr 15, 2019)

Love mine, but last week it stopped working. When tightend down it givesnoff a brief flash then does not power on. The first time it happened it was flashing every 10 seconds but now it only gives the one flash and then refuses to turn on. Nitecore CS says it cannot help since it’s not in production. I took it apart, wiped piston, wiped o ring, cleaned inside of body , tried removing the o ring, pushed around the brass ring.... nothing has helped.
Im sad at the loss of this light, one of my favorites with my Zebralight, another old schooler at this point. Any thoughts before selling for parts on EBay?


----------



## Paul6ppca (Apr 15, 2019)

From what I’ve read it’s not that hard to modify. Could be just to solder joint. Take it apart whatever you got to lose


----------



## archimedes (Apr 17, 2019)

No worries, I'll tidy up the thread later.

Hopefully, CPF can help get this nice torch fixed up for you 

EDIT - several off-topic posts were removed, linking to a "Good Deal" that had expired


----------



## jon_slider (Apr 25, 2020)

Omega Man said:


> Love mine, but last week it stopped working.



consider buying an EX11.2 model and swapping drivers to your D10. It looks like the electronics are the same, there is just a difference in the diameter of the driver, that could be adjusted.. (I have not tried yet)





the 11.2 driver has a wider output range than the 10.0 models. And the lower low of the D version on AA, is directly related to the battery voltage.






…

fwiw, this video showing how to remove the pill of a D10 makes the process more difficult than necessary, and does not work for EX models.. 

these are the techniques that work best, for me:










D10 pill removal:

It is quite simple to unscrew the pill without removing the contact ring first:




…


Seeking help locating Battery Springs, as used in version 10 lights.






The gold plated spring on the right is from an EX10 Ti and is softer than the nickel plated spring used in the EX11.2 models

For me, the softer spring from Version 10 lights, is much nicer to use, and it works with protected batteries. It is not necessary to limit the Piston Drive lights to unprotected batteries, when using the softer spring.

In my experience, the resistance of the piston in the 11.2 models is not fixed by lubrication of the piston sleeve.. the battery spring is the primary source of the piston resistance.


----------



## DHart (Apr 25, 2020)

This, my annual reminder to dust off one of my D10s and enjoy it for a bit!


----------



## Flying Turtle (Apr 25, 2020)

Was using my D11.2 tonight. It's one my older lights that's always primed and ready to flash. I especially like its true moonlight level.

Geoff


----------



## DoctorMemory (Apr 26, 2020)

Thanks! 

I have three of the camo lights, all unique patterns and colors, amazing how they did that.

The only problem I have had is cell length. They are very fussy about the AAA length, have to find ones that work well.


----------



## badtziscool (Apr 26, 2020)

I love seeing this thread revived. Even if it’s just for a little bit. Thanks for the contribution jon_slider. Wonderful post. 

Zeruel. Not sure if you’re still around the forums but if you see this, so you think we can somehow repost the pics to preserve this wonderful thread? I’d be willing to help with that somehow. Not sure how though.


----------



## jon_slider (Apr 26, 2020)

DoctorMemory said:


> The only problem I have had is cell length.


I believe that issue is because of the stiffer spring in the v11 and v11.2... wish I could find a source for the original v10 springs
post pics of your SwissBiancos 



badtziscool said:


> I love seeing this thread revived.


thanks for all your support.. you have a pm from me


----------



## 1936jdb (May 6, 2020)

Glad to see there is still some interest in my all time favorite light. I found a few in a drawer last week.. I need to get them out and see if they still work. I switched to an MH20 for work just because I like the extra everything, and easy charging. But no light feels so right in my hand, or UI so perfect. I wish someone would make a D10 with an 18650 but last I spoke to Nitecore, the designs are all tied up in some legal action...? Maybe someday, I can dream. :sigh:


----------



## jon_slider (May 6, 2020)

Hanko D10 w N219b 4500k 9080 :twothumbs


----------



## F250XLT (May 6, 2020)

jon_slider said:


> Hanko D10 w N219b 4500k 9080 :twothumbs



That's a damn perdy light, right there.


----------



## jon_slider (May 7, 2020)

F250XLT said:


> That's a damn perdy light, right there.



I was in awe. Finest fit and finish of any light I have handled. And every moving part, including the threads, are smooth as butter.

Next I put an sw45k into a D10:


----------



## archimedes (May 7, 2020)

jon_slider said:


> I was in awe. Finest fit and finish of any light I have handled. And every moving part, including the threads, are smooth as butter....



Smooth threads in titanium are really something, huh ?


----------



## jon_slider (May 10, 2020)

archimedes said:


> Smooth threads in titanium are really something, huh ?



yes, seems there is "as machined" titanium, 
and then there is Polished Titanium :thumbsup:

Nitecore D10 AA lights are rare as hens teeth.
there is a similar, more plentiful CR123 model: 
the EX11.2 being discussed in this other thread.


----------



## WarriorOfLight (May 11, 2020)

jon_slider said:


> Nitecore D10 AA lights are rare as hens teeth.


Yes Nitecore D10 lights are not that often offered in the WTS section anymore.... It is a great "classic" flashlight from the good old days. 

I like your Hanko D10, it is a cool design :thumbsup:


----------



## DHart (May 11, 2020)

I'm thinking of having my D10 R2 modded. I would like a floody, creamy beam, about 4000k, without an intense hot spot. 

Can this be done relatively simply? New emitter. Would a new reflector also be needed?

Anyone know how to convert the light to running Anduril? (I know that someone has done this before.)


----------



## WarriorOfLight (May 11, 2020)

Replscing the LED is easy. If you have the LED on a small PCB than you only need to un solder the wires replacing the PCB with the LED and re-soldering the wires.
The easiest way on getting a beam without hotspot is sanding the reflector, paint the refle tor White or use some transparent tape on the lens.
Regarding changing the UI, the controller of the D10 can be reflashed. Unfortunately I do not remember anymor what contoller was used in the D10. It is years ago when I disassembled the electronics. But I would stay at the ramping UI, it is perfect, at least to ne.


----------



## DHart (May 13, 2020)

WarriorOfLight said:


> Replscing the LED is easy. If you have the LED on a small PCB than you only need to un solder the wires replacing the PCB with the LED and re-soldering the wires.
> The easiest way on getting a beam without hotspot is sanding the reflector, paint the refle tor White or use some transparent tape on the lens.
> Regarding changing the UI, the controller of the D10 can be reflashed. Unfortunately I do not remember anymor what contoller was used in the D10. It is years ago when I disassembled the electronics. But I would stay at the ramping UI, it is perfect, at least to ne.



Thank you... I will give that a try. What emitter would you choose? And - no problems fitting in the hole of the reflector? I was thinking perhaps Nichia 219BT 3500k. 

Would it be better to have dome on the emitter, or dome-less?


----------



## WarriorOfLight (May 13, 2020)

I would choose something warm like the 219B 3500k you mentionen. At all the 219b should fit perfect if your D10 has a XP-G LED. There are also XR E LED D10 Lights with a different reflector. But anyway in both cases a 219B or something with the same dimensions will fit well.


----------



## DHart (May 13, 2020)

WarriorOfLight said:


> I would choose something warm like the 219B 3500k you mentionen. At all the 219b should fit perfect if your D10 has a XP-G LED. There are also XR E LED D10 Lights with a different reflector. But anyway in both cases a 219B or something with the same dimensions will fit well.



Excellent - I think a nice warm, floody Nichia would completely refresh my interest and appreciation in my D10s. Just the ticket!

I have option of 10mm or 16mm base, and need about 14mm - 10mm would work fine (being fairly small in the larger space?). Or should I get 16mm and Dremel down the base diameter?


----------



## jon_slider (May 13, 2020)

depending which D10 version you have (some D11.2 owners call them D10), the LED replacement strategy does or does not involve using a replacement MCPCB






the driver with XP-G (on right, Red) is version 11.2. It does not require a new mcpcb to use Nichia. These models have blinkies from Off, that I find a bit problematic. I prefer the version 10 driver, but it is slightly more challenging to get the LED centered.




I reflow the Nichia onto the stock mcpcb on the v 11.2 lights, in order to retain the ability to use the stock centering ring, as on the right:





this Hanko D10 host has D11.2 driver, you can see the XPG I removed, it is now using a 219b and has an excellent beam. The Nichia LED was reflowed onto the stock 11.2 mcpcb





no need to shave the dome to use Nichia 219b

the Version 10 lights, with older LEDs
require replacing the mcpcb, and centering the LED manually.. and possibly also require raising the LED to meet the reflector, depending on what the original LED was.

if you use a 10mm board, the centering can be adjusted. That is the simple approach, that I would use, if the original LED is mounted at the same height.

if you use a 16mm board you would need to reduce its size and in that process it is possible to shape it just right, to get the LED to be centered.. this shaping is more difficult, but also potentially more precise as far as centering, and offers a larger thermal contact to shed heat, theoretically better.

In my experience the 10mm board works fine at shedding heat.. even with LiIon, though I prefer the regulated output from Primaries.

customized mcpcb on left, stock 11.2 on right


----------



## DHart (May 13, 2020)

Jon... these are my two D10s, both are marked "D10 R2" - but they are slightly different.











Would either of these be a better candidate for swapping in a Nichia 219BT? I think what's in there are an XP-E R2 in the light with the green driver and XR-E R2 in the light with the red driver.


----------



## Lithium466 (May 13, 2020)

The one on the right would be a direct swap!
The other one would be a little bit trickier to get the led centered, but that's totally doable too.


----------



## DHart (May 13, 2020)

jon_slider said:


> Seeking help locating Battery Springs, as used in version 10 lights.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm right there with you, Jon, on desiring a softer spring in the D10. Both of mine require a considerable amount of pressure to operate. I just don't need that much stiffness! For my purposes, a nice light touch would be fine and not present any problems.

Any ideas on replacement springs?

Can you tell from the emitters in my photos if the Nichia and new board would have to be raised? I think what's in there are an XP-E R2 in the light with the green driver and XR-E R2 in the light with the red driver.


----------



## DHart (May 13, 2020)

Lithium466 said:


> The one on the right would be a direct swap!
> The other one would be a little bit trickier to get the led centered, but that's totally doable too.



Very good. Thanks.


----------



## jon_slider (May 13, 2020)

DHart said:


> II think what's in there are an XP-E R2 in the light with the green driver and XR-E R2 in the light with the red driver.


great photos and info, thanks, I trust Lithium466 knows his stuff, when he talks, I listen.



Lithium466 said:


> The one on the right would be a direct swap!
> The other one would be a little bit trickier to get the led centered, but that's totally doable too.



so nice to see you here, thanks for the confirmation that a 219b can replace the XP, keeping the stock mcpcb and centering ring

curious, to replace the XR.. would you lift a new 10mm mcpcb with the new LED, using copper washers?

kaidomain will put a 2700k LH351d onto a 10mm mcpcb.. so DHart would only need to solder wires, no LED reflow task.. 

I have only modded models with XP LEDs and have not figured out how to tackle one of my XR lights.. tips appreciated


----------



## DHart (May 13, 2020)

jon_slider said:


> great photos and info, thanks, I trust Lithium466 knows his stuff, when he talks, I listen.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm ok with replacing an emitter with a new emitter on a new board. I'm not comfortable taking on reflowing an LED to an existing board. SO... I hope I can just swap in a new board with an emitter already on it!


----------



## ninemm (May 13, 2020)

DHart said:


> Very good. Thanks.



Hi Dhart! I recently modified two D10s with modern emitters. Really rejuvenated the lights and turned them into something truly enjoyable to use. I did a domeless XPL HI and a Nichia 219C 4k. Sold the XPL and kept the Nichia. 

This was the thread I referenced and also added to with some pics of my own. Mike/calipsoii was very helpful: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/v...bute-with-a-Nichia-219-HCRI-emitter-pic-heavy


----------



## jon_slider (May 13, 2020)

DHart said:


> I'm ok with replacing an emitter with a new emitter on a new board. I'm not comfortable taking on reflowing an LED to an existing board.


to be accurate, the one on the right, red board, looks like XPG to me, and uses the same solder pad design as Nichia 219b..

if youre lucky, the new 10mm board that comes with an LED already reflowed, will be the same thickness as the one coming out, and the centering ring will fit the same as w the stock star

for future skill development
reflowing is easier than soldering those tiny wires in small spaces


----------



## DHart (May 13, 2020)

ninemm said:


> Hi Dhart! I recently modified two D10s with modern emitters. Really rejuvenated the lights and turned them into something truly enjoyable to use. I did a domeless XPL HI and a Nichia 219C 4k. Sold the XPL and kept the Nichia.
> 
> This was the thread I referenced and also added to with some pics of my own. Mike/calipsoii was very helpful: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/v...bute-with-a-Nichia-219-HCRI-emitter-pic-heavy



Fantastic, 9mm! Thanks for the great info!

Color me .40S&W!


----------



## DHart (May 13, 2020)

jon_slider said:


> to be accurate, the one on the right, red board, looks like XPG to me, and uses the same solder pad design as Nichia 219b..
> 
> if youre lucky, the new 10mm board that comes with an LED already reflowed, will be the same thickness as the one coming out, and the centering ring will fit the same as w the stock star
> 
> ...




Wow... I guess I need to get a lot more familiar with reflowing!

I do understand the reluctance to doing such tiny soldering work. I've done a LOT of soldering work modding my guitars, but the connections are in much more open confines and making larger-size solder connections.


----------



## jon_slider (May 13, 2020)

ninemm said:


> Mike/calipsoii was very helpful: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/v...bute-with-a-Nichia-219-HCRI-emitter-pic-heavy
> ...



that helps me too, thanks for the great info
fwiw, it is not necessary to remove the split gold ring at all, pill unscrews with split ring installed

question on that MTN 16mm mcpcb, did you use any centering ring?



DHart said:


> Wow... I guess I need to get a lot more familiar with reflowing!



I think this board and LED might work in your XR light with the green driver, based on the great post by ninemm.

or you could get a warm Nichia 219c (not my fave) on 16mm...

I have similar board in a D10 I received with an XP-L Hi, same as ninemm, now modded to 219b. It seems to use the stock white plastic XR centering ring/reflector spacer, you pictured with your green driver on the left above.

for those interested in learning to modify their LEDs, here is some of the kit I put together, with the advice of several mentors:



pic is a link to the reflow hotplate


----------



## DHart (May 16, 2020)

I found an XP-L HI V2 5A domeless emitter, that I bought a few years ago from Mtn. Electronics. On a 16mm MCPCB. 

I decided to take the plunge with the green driver I posted above. Desoldered the XP-E MCPCB, popped it out, dropped in the XP-L HI V2 5A (domeless) emitter, soldered it up, and works fine. Warmer, softer, floodier than the old XP-E - exactly what I wanted! Perfect for around the house at night.

I'm going to order up a Nichia 219C 4000k 90CRI from Mtn Electronics and pop it in my other D10. Finally, my unused D10s have my interest and use again!


----------



## Lithium466 (May 16, 2020)

jon_slider said:


> great photos and info, thanks, I trust Lithium466 knows his stuff, when he talks, I listen.
> 
> curious, to replace the XR.. would you lift a new 10mm mcpcb with the new LED, using copper washers?
> 
> ...


Oh oh, it's been so long I wouldn't listen to myself 
Plus I only ever had a D11.2, back in the day I had put a Nichia 219A in it!
2700°K LH351d sure sounds interesting...I have Novatac and HDS that could use a led update.

As for replacing a XR...it's been way too long for me to remember properly. The reflector has a wider opening but if well design to avoid the "Cree ring" it shouldn't need to have the led sit too high. Back in the day replacing XR-E with XM-L was pretty straightforward, using only a 1,5mm thick mpcb, but hey, was I picky like today (with all the great options out there) regarding the beam? Not sure.

Using the Sinkpad 10mm (they are slightly thicker at 1,65mm) and trial and error to see if washers are needed or not? But the contacts would probably be begging to short on the reflector, so it might be easier keeping a 12 or 16mm board...Sinkpad if you go the Nichia route, as they are slightly thicker (unless there are other options nowadays!).
I remember centering rings that would fill the "XR-E openings" of XR-E designed reflectors and center a 3535 led, a bit like this one maybe :

http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=25_82&product_id=242

But I'm not sure that would work well with a Nichia led, so perhaps it would be better to use one of these "butterfly" centering things, that would allow the reflector to sit lower?


----------



## jon_slider (May 16, 2020)

DHart said:


> XP-L HI V2 5A … On a 16mm MCPCB…works fine



congrats! 

I would also recommend new thermal paste under the mcpcb

ninemm did the same mod, and I also have a D10 with that same 16mm board, that came with the XP-L Hi NW. I reflowed a Nichia, to get High CRI.

fwiw, your LED names are reversed, your green driver had the XR LED
as pictured on left. On the right is the 16mm board you just installed.






Your red driver has an XP-G. I would reflow a new LED directly onto the stock mcpcb on your Red driver, pictured on the right: (I added the LED names to your photo)


DHart said:


>


(I would omit the piece of black tape with a hole in the middle)

but I know you enjoy skipping reflowing if possible, so no harm trying the 16mm mountain board.. it will work the same, if it is the same thickness as the stock board.

otherwise, you can practice reflowing the LED off the 16mm mountain board, and onto the stock board on your Red driver..

I look forward to your succes! 




Lithium466 said:


> I remember centering rings that would fill the "XR-E openings" of XR-E designed reflectors and center a 3535 led



I have some, they are pretty tall, and not needed for the XR mod to 16mm MTN board. DHart, ninemm, and I, are all successfully using 16mm MTN boards to replace the XR LEDs in D10 lights.. with no added centering rings or spacers.




Lithium466 said:


> perhaps it would be better to use one of these "butterfly" centering things



I do not think DHart will need a butterfly spacer for his second mod. More likely the stock mcpcb on his red driver is thinner than the 16mm MTN board. If that is true, then reflowing onto the stock mcpcb in the Red driver light would be the way to maintain stock pill to reflector spacing.

Whenever I have the option to reflow a new LED onto a stock mcpcb, I go that route, instead of replacing the mcpcb, (unless they are the same thickness, and are compatible with the same centering ring).

On the D11.2 I just reflow, I do not replace the MCPCB, because the centering ring in those models has posts that go through holes in the MCPCB.

on left is the 16mm MTN board in a D10 that was XR equipped. had the same XP-L Hi DHart just installed. I reflowed a 219b in place of the Low CRI XP-L Hi. On right is the stock D11.2 mcpcb and centering ring.. I reflowed a 219b to replace the Low CRI XPG.


----------



## DHart (May 16, 2020)

jon_slider said:


> congrats!
> 
> I would also recommend new thermal paste under the mcpcb
> 
> ...



Jon... I watched a video on reflowing an LED and I'm fine with doing that. One question on that, though, when you put the solder paste on the MCPCB board contacts, before setting the LED on top, wouldn't the solder paste, when heated to flow, liquified short out across the + and - contacts on the board, under the LED?

Also, what would you recommend for solder paste and what's the purpose of flux? Do I need some flux too?

Regarding my two D10 LEDs - thanks for correcting me on them - the green driver is a D10 R2 which originally HAD an XR-E emitter. The red driver is a D10 R2 Hybrid (smaller switch O-ring like the S2) and has an XP-E emitter.

I'm fine with re-flowing a Nichia 219 onto the original D10 MCPCB, to replace the XP-E.

Lastly - dome vs. domeless? The XP-L HI 5A that I just installed in my D10 R2 was domeless - what difference would I see if it had a dome on it?


----------



## jon_slider (May 16, 2020)

DHart said:


> wouldn't the solder paste, when heated to flow, liquified short out across the + and - contacts on the board, under the LED?



solder paste magically gets sucked and pools onto the metal contact pads when it flows.. like oil drops pull together on water 

I tap the LED to make excess solder squirt out the sides.. it is demonstrated in the video I posted above.. where he uses the word Boing to describe an LED that gets sucked into alignment when the solder holding the LED wets (melts)



DHart said:


> what would you recommend for solder paste



its against the rules to post where to buy links on CPF, there are suggestions in the video I posted above

you might not need solder paste to reflow an LED onto the stock XP-E mcpcb, because it already has solder on it. But it is better to use solder paste on a brand new LED that has never had solder on the pads.

another option is add solder to the mcpcb solder pads using a soldering iron whose tip you have added solder to, so there will be plenty for the matching solder pads on the LED

you want a very thin layer of solder, so tapping the LED to squeeze out excess is a good practice imo
watch the video I posted above, it will all make sense


==

happy for you to embrace reflowing, its not hard, and creates a lot of modding options

it will be good practice to experience the XP-E come free of the mcpcb when the solder melts.. 

I would then remove the mcpcb from the hoptlate, let it cool.. apply a dab of flux on the old solder, and place the LED on the flux..

if you are lucky, the existing solder will be sufficient to bond to the LED

you may want a DMM to confirm correct polarity when placing the LED..
in the case of the 219b you can use the dark triangular notch as the marker for where the negative wire goes… hope that helps



DHart said:


> what's the purpose of flux?



It makes solder joints shiny

it washes oxide off of solder pads and wires so they melt together properly and leave a shiny joint

so before I unsolder wires to remove an mcpcb, I put flux on them, and then apply the soldering iron to release the wire from the mcpcb.. 

same in reverse when reattaching wires.. flux on the solder pad and wire, heat so the joint melts to finish with a nice shiny blob


----------



## DHart (May 17, 2020)

Many thanks, Jon!


----------



## Orbital Rotation (Dec 28, 2020)

A question for the group: does anyone have any resources on getting a D10 back up and running?

This used to be my daily carry for years. It's given me hundreds and hundreds of hours of marvelous light. Right now, the piston will click, but no response from the unit, no flicker, no light, no noises. I looked through it, and I don't see any obvious signs of a damaged component or connection. If anyone has a suggestion on what I should look for next, or can recommend anyone who offers repair services, I'm all ears, thanks!


----------



## jon_slider (Dec 29, 2020)

Welcome to the forum

well done posting photos

sorry your light stopped working
at least we can be glad you enjoyed it for a long time

I dont see anything obviously wrong with the LED, or I would suggest replacing it.

I know no source for D10 replacement parts.

the only thing I see that gives me pause, is some white stuff near the red wire.. I dont know if thats battery chemical corrosion, or just some thermal paste. If it is corrosion, I would clean it off with alcohol, just in case it is causing a short circuit to the body. If it is just thermal paste, that is non conductive, so nothing to be concerned about.

The only Nitecore Piston lights I know of that are available now, is not an AA light, it is the CR123 powered Nitecore EX11.2.. you can find them on ebay, and I also have a couple with LED swaps for sale.


----------



## calipsoii (Dec 29, 2020)

Ensure that the driver PCB (the green circuit board) is inserted fully into the brass driver pill. Gently but firmly press on the PCB to ensure it's properly resting on the brass shelf hidden inside the pill.

The D10 is an electronically-switched light and requires a constant power supply to operate. The ground connection is made by the PCB pressing against the brass driver pill. If there's even a tiny gap between PCB and pill then things won't work.


----------



## badtziscool (Dec 29, 2020)

Bring back the D10!!!!!


----------



## Mgizler (Dec 29, 2020)

I agree. I loved my old d10. I wish I could find another one. It was a great time edc light.


----------



## jabe1 (Dec 29, 2020)

Surprisingly, there’s a pd20 for sale on blf...


----------



## Orbital Rotation (Jan 1, 2021)

jon_slider said:


> Welcome to the forum
> 
> well done posting photos...
> 
> the only thing I see that gives me pause, is some white stuff near the red wire.. I dont know if thats battery chemical corrosion, or just some thermal paste. If it is corrosion, I would clean it off with alcohol, just in case it is causing a short circuit to the body. If it is just thermal paste, that is non conductive, so nothing to be concerned about...





calipsoii said:


> Ensure that the driver PCB (the green circuit board) is inserted fully into the brass driver pill. Gently but firmly press on the PCB to ensure it's properly resting on the brass shelf hidden inside the pill....



Thanks for the welcome and the suggestions guys. Unfortunately the white substance is not corrosion or conductive, it's some kind of glue/caulk/sealant (it literally looks like bathroom caulk) that was pressed up from under the board. As the sole owner of this light, and never having opened it before, I'm certain it was applied at the factory.

No joy with a loose PCB either. Looks like I'll just have to shelf this one as a deceased relic. Appreciate ya'll!


----------



## the.Mtn.Man (Jan 2, 2021)

I regret not buying a D10 when I had the chance. I got the D20 instead, and it was junk. The piston was sticky, the switch was flaky, and it had a nasty habit of suddenly turning on by itself and going to full brightness, and I wouldn't realize it until I felt my leg burning through my pocket.


----------

