# XP-G for under $23, good deal or more junk?



## RedForest UK (Feb 7, 2010)

I'd been eyeing this up on DX for a while and having read quite a few good reviews rook the plunge a few days ago and ordered it along with a couple of 18650's and a charger, it will my first 18650 light and i'm hoping the the xp-g r5 module will really be able to put that extra power to good use :devil: 

Im just wondering if any other cpfers had bought or had any personal experience with one of these lights:

sku.32721

or the 5 mode version:

sku.32749


----------



## sol-leks (Feb 7, 2010)

They look ok but if you look at the threads at the bottom people have had some issues with them. They seem to break quite easily. Also one of them appears to be an xp-g r4 not r5.


----------



## Fichtenelch (Feb 7, 2010)

This belongs more into the new Budget-Section. From the outside look the light is a copy of the LumensFactory Seraph, but propably the driver will be crap. There are reports that these xp-g (which are basically rare everywhere) come with drivers, which pull around 2.3A, which is far away from beeing efficient. So, if you want to leave it as it is, then i wouldn't buy it. If you plan to modify it anyways, why not?


----------



## RedForest UK (Feb 7, 2010)

Yes, the ultrafire is advertised as an R4 but all of the recievers that have posted back on DX say they got it with an R5 marked led, although i guess thats no proof really.

And yes, i would have thought so too, but according to some peoples feedback on runtimes and current draw it does seem to be pretty close the the 1000/1200mah specified.. which seems a bit too good to be true if i'm honest, i guess i'll have to wait and see really.


----------



## sol-leks (Feb 7, 2010)

I know its not an 18650 light, but maybe you should get a quark mini. For 35 bucks its a damn good quality xp-g light. It's also highly unlikely that these two lights are anywhere near 300 lumens


----------



## RedForest UK (Feb 7, 2010)

Yeah, i have been looking at the quark mini's for a while, but with import tax and insurance they come to about $55 posted to my door, and if i'm honest i was looking for something with a bit more oomph.. I'm hoping this will be close to it's rated lumens. Though as you say, for the price, i'm not holding my breath.

Someone on DX had done some lux tests though, and it came out at 740lux at 1 metre at a current draw of 1.15amps in comparison to the Aurora P7's 600lux at 1 metre at a draw of 2.1amps, i'm just hoping mine turns out to perform as well..


----------



## sol-leks (Feb 7, 2010)

RedForest UK said:


> Yeah, i have been looking at the quark mini's for a while, but with import tax and insurance they come to about $55 posted to my door, and if i'm honest i was looking for something with a bit more oomph.. I'm hoping this will be close to it's rated lumens. Though as you say, for the price, i'm not holding my breath.
> 
> Someone on DX had done some lux tests though, and it came out at 740lux at 1 metre at a current draw of 1.15amps in comparison to the Aurora P7's 600lux at 1 metre at a draw of 2.1amps, i'm just hoping mine turns out to perform as well..



I've had good luck with DX myself so I wish you luck too. I would go with the 1 mode version though, I feel like its less chance for error yknow?


----------



## LeifUK (Feb 7, 2010)

sol-leks said:


> I know its not an 18650 light, but maybe you should get a quark mini. For 35 bucks its a damn good quality xp-g light. It's also highly unlikely that these two lights are anywhere near 300 lumens



Sadly in the UK that $35 translates to ~£35 including postal insurance, VAT and £8 Royal Mail extortion. Good value if it does get through customs without charge though.


----------



## RedForest UK (Feb 7, 2010)

Yeah, thats what i thought too, so i went for the single mode, it doesnt have as many reviews, and is uniquefire instead of skyray, but as they appear to be made in the same factory i thought single mode would be the safest way to go.. 

The one i bought was $22.44 i think, so well under the level of import duty. I also ordered the 18650's and charger separately to keep both packages under import costs, dx does like to label all it's products as 'gifts', technically upping the price at which tax applies to £36, but i'm never confident thatll pass in customs so i don't like to take the risk..


----------



## Jay R (Feb 7, 2010)

Been ordering weekly from DX ( Or Fifth Unit as it used to be known years ago ) and I've never had to pay import on one yet. And I do mean weekly for years.


----------



## fa__ (Feb 8, 2010)

I have the 5 modes one.
It works very well, I do not tell it's durable or robust, I don't know 
It puts out as much light as the D26 XPG R5 dropin in my dereelight javelin.
Mechanically speaking, the host seems good and well fabricated.
For this price, I'd say it's a good light, but use it when reliabilty is not a crucial point.


----------



## rizky_p (Feb 8, 2010)

I have the one from KD, its a flood-tipe beam and boy it is bright comparable to Single 18650 P7 light and color is on a cool side with a hint of blue.


----------



## T0RN4D0 (Feb 8, 2010)

I'm waiting for one too. I would take the single mode, but being a flooder it will be used indoor, in a car, tent and applications like that where max output is rarely used. The reviews seem decent i i fianally got the flooder i wanted. 

I do plan to take it apart before use tho, im about 90% sure that thermal conductivity will be crap, but i'll find a way around that. :]


----------



## B12 (Feb 8, 2010)

I have the Ultrafire 502b XP-G R5 from KD. It works, is very bright, feels solid, looks good and has a P60 type module for future updates.

In mid it puts out pretty much the same lumens as my Akoray 106 on high (with 14500). On high it is much brighter, not very far from MTE P7. Draws over 2 amps so propably would burn out soon if used continuously and explains the extreme brightness. I mostly use it on my bicycle on mid (~800mA). I modded the heat sinking path with the alu foil trick, pimped it with orange switch cap, and burned the bezel to orange color to match my Crescent MTB.

For $22 you don't have much to lose and you get the latest and greatest emitter. With a more sane driver it would be a blast and that is easily corrected for couple of bucks if you can and/or will to tinker a little bit.


----------



## T0RN4D0 (Feb 8, 2010)

I wonder if the "seraph" version 5 mode driver will draw 2 amps too. The no mode version reviews say it draws normal current. I hope this one does too.


----------



## RedForest UK (Feb 13, 2010)

Right guys, I recieved the light yesterday, and i haven't got my 18650's yet, but on 2 RCR123's this thing is amazing :twothumbs 

The output blows everything else i have away, and the throw is great for an XP-G from what i've heard as well, it rivals my TK20's. The built quality seems good, especially for the price, and the light is a perfect white, no green tint as i've been hearing from other peoples experiences of the new R5s. On the whole, great light, and for the price it's a steal :thumbsup:


----------



## Ecolang (Feb 14, 2010)

T0RN4D0 said:


> I wonder if the "seraph" version 5 mode driver will draw 2 amps too. The no mode version reviews say it draws normal current. I hope this one does too.



On two IMR 16340s it did. Briefly.

It pulled about 1.4A from an 18650, but is now direct drive I'd guess.


----------



## T0RN4D0 (Feb 15, 2010)

Doesn't the 5 mode version have 4.2V max input?


----------



## Ecolang (Feb 15, 2010)

T0RN4D0 said:


> Doesn't the 5 mode version have 4.2V max input?



Yes. But it was far from clear that this was the case when the caption said 2xRCR as did the line above 4.2V max voltage.

Hence the brief brightness.

Now appears to be a direct drive single mode.


----------



## mfm (Feb 15, 2010)

The SKYRAY S-R5 5-mode has 8.4V max.


----------



## Fichtenelch (Feb 15, 2010)

mfm said:


> The SKYRAY S-R5 5-mode has 8.4V max.



If you're talking about the Skyray S-R5 (sku.32749), then i have to admit, that it's propably a cree r4, not r5...


----------



## herulach (Feb 15, 2010)

Ecolang said:


> Yes. But it was far from clear that this was the case when the caption said 2xRCR as did the line above 4.2V max voltage.
> 
> Hence the brief brightness.
> 
> Now appears to be a direct drive single mode.


Oh well, modes are a waste of time anyway!


----------



## T0RN4D0 (Feb 17, 2010)

Far from it. :] For no modes you could get the 1 mode version that actually can take 2x 16340s  Still haven't received mine tho. They packed it and sent it out in 2 days, but those Chinese always mess with me, so it took them like 10 days at the HKP to ship out


----------



## LightJaguar (Feb 20, 2010)

I got this flashlights some weeks ago and I must say that its a good flashlight for the money. Its much better then any of the Ultrafire p60 hosts.
The drop in is well built and the threads are nicely done. The rubber rings around the flashlight look sturdy unlike the Ultrafire C1 (surefire C2 clone) which looked cheap and ripped off easily. 
The finish on the flashlight appears well done and even. Even the logo looks good, since I'm sick and tired of the Ultrafire, Superfire, Spiderfire lights. 
On High the flashlight amp draw was 1A from an 18650 at 4.0 volts.
The one big complain I have about this light is that the switch on mine is a bit flaky. Sometimes it tends to stick when clicking it. The light turns on but it will get a bit stuck and then switch to the next level when it fully activates. 
Also at the top of the flashlight there is no O ring between the "assault" crown and the glass. One direct hit to that crown and it may shatter the glass.


----------



## T0RN4D0 (Feb 23, 2010)

I finnally got this thing after god knows how long.  Love the design. Finish is nice, didn't notice any scratches or dents. Threads aren't as smooth as i'd like them to be, must grease em up a bit. Nice wide beam, but not pure flood. I'd put up some beamshots, but my camera is broken. 

The P60 dropin is marked as R5, altho the light is advertised as R4. Who knows, who cares.  Thermal conductivity is a disaster if left stock. I stashed a bunch of alu foil arond it so its now a tight fit. I guess it can't be worse then it was before. 

1.4A current pull on high
540mA med
190mA low
700mA fast strobe, and my DMM can't make heads or tails out of the slow strobe. 

For the price i would recomend it.


----------

