# Nitecore TM15 (3xXM-L U2, 4x18650, 8xCR123A/RCR) Review: RUNTIME, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO +



## selfbuilt

*Warning: pic heavy, as usual.*











The TM15 is a latest member of the ‘Tiny Monster’ series from Nitecore. It is a high-output, 3xXM-L, 4x18650 (8xCR123A/RCR) light with a built-in recharging dock for 18650. Let's see how it compares to other recent lights in this class that I've reviewed recently …. 

*Manufacturer's Specifications:*
_Note: as always, these are only what the manufacturer reports. To see my actual testing results, scroll down the review._


3x CREE XM-L U2
Uses 4 x 18560, or 8 x CR123A batteries (Batteries not included)
Can run on 1 x 18650, or 2 CR123 batteries in case of emergency
Output and Runtime: (runtime based on 4x 2600mAh 18650)
Turbo: 2450 lumens (1 hour)
High: 1300 lumens (3 hours, 10 minutes)
Mid: 570 lumens (8 hours, 20 minutes)
Low: 300 lumens (16 hours, 30 minutes)
Lower: 95 lumens (52 hours)
Maximum Throw: 1,190 feet (363 m)
Peak Beam Intensity: 33,000 candela
Impact Resistant to 4.9 ft. (1.5 m)
IPX-8 Water Resistant
Integrated thermal protection prevents overheating
Compatible with both 18650 Li-Ion and CR123A Batteries
Intelligent charging circuit with status detection recharges the light easily, safely, and quickly
Exceptionally long run times
Innovative power indicator light displays remaining battery power
Single button two-stage switch provides a user-friendly interface
Coated mineral scratch-resistant glass lens
Aluminum reflector ensures consistent and powerful beam
Constructed from military grade HA Type III hard-anodized aluminum alloy
Dimensions: Length: 6.22" (158 mm), Bezel Diameter: 2.36" (60 mm), Body Diameter: 1.96" (50 mm)
Weight (Excluding batteries): 15.76 oz. (447 g)
Accessories: Charger, holster, lanyard, and spare O-ring
MSRP: ~$300






Packaging is a cardboard box with built-in packaging foam. Inside you will find the light, belt holster, extra o-ring, simple wrist lanyard (with threading wire), manual and AC charging cable. My sample came with the standard North American 110V AC charging plug. 













From left to right: AW Protected 18650; Nitecore TM15, TM11; Sunwayman T60CS; Thrunite TN30. 

All dimensions are directly measured, and given with no batteries installed:

*Nitecore TM15:* Weight: 450.6g (634g with 4x18650). Length 158mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm
*Nitecore TM11*: Weight: 342.6g (526g with 8xCR123A), Length 135.3mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm 
*Sunwayman T60CS:* Weight: 338.9g (est 477g with 3x18650), Length: 145.0mm, Width (bezel): 60.0mm
*Thrunite TN30*: Weight: 468.2g (est 620g with 3x18650), Length: 179mm, Width (bezel): 64.3mm, Width (tailcap): 49.0mm 
*Xtar S1 Production*: Weight: 876.0g (est. 1028g with 3x18650 protected), Length: 240mm, Width (bezel): 83.4mm
*Olight SR51*: Weight: 405g, Length: 190mm, Width (bezel) 62.0mm

The TM15 is definitely a longer light than the TM11, but otherwise looks very similar in build. In fact, the battery handle appears to be virtually identical – the difference is all in the head.














As with the TM11, anodizing is a flat black, and seems in excellent shape on my sample. There is some knurling on the head and body, of reasonable aggressiveness. Overall grip is certainly decent, despite the cylindrical shape.

Body labels are rather extensive as before – in additional to the usual maker and model information, you also have a 5-point series of warnings about the light (in a very tiny, but legible, font).  The light can tailstand. 

Battery handle is quite compact, and easily houses 4x18650 or 8xCR123A/RCR. The battery compartments are molded right into the aluminum, with a common negative terminal contact plate. You don't need to fill all the wells for the light to work, but should expect lower runtime (and Turbo mode is not recommended on anything but the full complement of cells). Again, scroll down for more info.

As before, screw threads are anodized for lock-out. :thumbsup:

Inside the head, there are two raised contact rings for the positive and negative current paths. These appear the same as the TM11, and are quite solid (likely gold-plated brass?).

The switch design has changed a little bit from the TM11. It is still a two-stage (two-pressure) electronic switch, but the button projects out a little further now. The ring around the switch now uses a blue LED instead of red to signal the state of the light (i.e., battery status, voltage, and standby modes). Scroll down for an explanation of the interface. 










The TM15 has an AC charging cable that connects on the back of the head. The connection point has a small rubber cover, held down with a screw. Not sure how durable or water resistant this will be long-term. Note the charging solution is to be used ONLY with 18650 cells. 

Nitecore estimates it will take about 7 hours to full charge the cells this way, which seems a reasonable estimate (i.e., it took just over 6 hours for my relatively low capacity 2200mAh 18650 cells). My somewhat used cells all came out ~4.14-4.15V in my testing, which is a nice conservative level (i.e., just ~0.01-0.02V less than my Pila charger on these same cells).

There is also a tripod attachment mount nearby, with uses the standard tripod screw diameter (presumably 1/4-20 UNC). Note that I found some of inexpensive tripod mounts were a bit loose when screwing into the TM15 (e.g., gorilla-pods), but seemed stable enough in the end. Professional tripods mounts fit stably and securely. The mount seems a little far forward on the light, given that a lot of the weight is in the battery handle.










TM15 has the same size bezel opening as before, and comes with a stainless steel bezel ring, slightly scalloped. The screw-on bezel diffuser from the Eagletac M2- and M3- series lights works as before. 

The TM15 uses 3x cool white XM-L emitters as before. However, the TM15 has much deeper reflector wells than the TM11, as illustrated below:

TM11 on the left, TM15 on the right:








Scroll down for beam pic comparisons. 

*User Interface*

The TM15 uses an updated version of the TM11’s innovative two-stage electronic switch. 

Like before, for Turbo output, press the switch all the way and release (for constant on), or press firmly and hold for momentary on. What's new is that this "Turbo" set also has a slightly lower Hi mode, which you can switch to and from (when locked on in Turbo) by half-pressing the switch and releasing. There is no mode memory on this mode set – the light always comes on in Turbo. Turn off by a full press and release.

For the lower "Daily" modes, only partially press the switch from off (again, hold for momentary, release quickly for locked-on). Light will come on in the memorized lower output mode. As described above, to switch modes when on, simply half-press and quickly release the switch again. The light will advance to the next output, in repeating sequence of Lower > Lo > Med > Hi. The light has memory on this mode set, and will retain the last lower output used. Turn off by a full press and release.

Along with the raised switch, the pressure required to activate the various modes has changed slightly from the TM11, but you quickly get used to it. 

The light will read-out the voltage of the cells when you first connect the head, by a series of blue flashes around the on-off switch. After the initial voltage read-out, the light will then flash once every three seconds (when off), to let you know you are in standby mode. The indicator stays constantly illuminated when the light is on. It will start to flash as the batteries begin to drain, at increasing frequency. 

A "hidden" strobe mode can be accessed by two rapid full presses of the switch from On. Turn off or double-click again to return to constant output modes.

There is a switch lock-out mode that prevents accidental activation (and lowers the standby current, see below). Press the switch all the way down and hold for more than one second. When you release, the light will turn off and enter the lockout mode. To exit the lockout mode, simply press and hold the switch firmly for more than one second.

The charger plugs in under the rubber cover on the back of the head. The blue indicator light comes on during charging, flashing twice a second. Once the charge is complete, the indicator shows solid blue. My sample charged to a reasonably full level.

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



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

*PWM/Strobe*

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






As you can see above, the TM15 has a true variable frequency strobe. In my testing, the time between pulses varied from ~75 to ~200 msecs (or 5 to 13 Hz). 

*Standby Drain*

Due to the electronic switch, the TM15 will always be drawing a small current when the body/carrier is connected to the head. I measured this current as 790uA (although it would periodically spike every couple of seconds to ~3.6mA for a fraction of a second, when the signal flash occured). 

Going with an "average" current of ~1mA, and assuming four times 2600mAh capacity batteries, that would give you a little over 1 year and 2 months before four fully charged batteries would be completely drained (given the parallel cell arrangement). This is about twice the current of my TM11, but it's certainly not bad.

Note there is always an electronic lock-out mode, to lock-out the switch and reduce the standby current. I don't know how much this lowers the current, but it likely to be significant. You can also break this current completely by turning the head a quarter turn (due to the anodized threads).

*Beamshots:*

And now, what you have all been waiting for.  All lights are on their respective max rechargeable battery sources (i.e., 18650s), about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences. 





























































The TM15 clearly has a much narrower spillbeam than the TM11, due to the deeper reflectors. oo: In fact, both overall output and throw have increased on the TM15, compared to the earlier TM11. 

Despite how it may look above, there is no artifact near the hotspot on my TM15 (rather, that faint line seems to be a mark on my white wall ). 

In my experience, these sorts of deep well 3xXM-L lights tend to have a lot of "daisy flower" artifact effects in the spillbeam. But the TM15's reflector design is remarkably good – I see very little evidence of artifacts in this case. Much better than most lights in this class.

To show the spill a little better, here are some side shots on my famed "integrating carpet". 














Again, the TM15 is far more focused for throw than most other 3xXM-L lights.

For outdoor beamshots, these are done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground). Please ignore the red-tint in the lower-right corner these shots (I was wearing a brighter-than-usual red headlamp during this excursion ). Zoomed-in pics of the hotspots are also included.










Here is how the TM15 compares directly to the TM11:










I know it can be a bit hard to compare, given the slight variation in angling of the lights and the tint differences. But as you can probably tell, the TM15 is a greater thrower than the TM11. The TM15 is generally comparable in throw to the Thrunite TN30.

*Testing Method:* 

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

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

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*

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






Turbo output is quite high – similar to my other recent 3xXM-L lights (i.e., the Sunwayman T60CS and Thrunite TN30). Throw is higher on my sample than the Nitecore specs indicate.

Here is how the TM15 compares to the TM11 in terms of relative level spacing.






Nitecore's lumen specs seem to be pretty accurate. 

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*

_Note: All my 18650 runtimes are done using AW protected 2200mAh._










The TM15 shows excellent efficiency for this class, in keeping with the current-controlled circuit. Output is flat-regulated at all levels, very similar to the TM11. 






There was a step-down from Turbo to Hi on 8xCR123A after ~20 mins runtime. I suspect this was the thermal sensor kicking in to limit output. Note that primary CR123As tend to get a lot hotter than 18650 under high drive currents, which may be why I didn't observe any step-down effects on the 18650 runs (all runs above done under a cooling fan, as always). 

As you will recall from my earlier TM11 review, there was some variability initially in the thermal sensitivity of the step-down control circuit of that model, even on 18650 (i.e. that light always stepped down eventually, even with cooling). I'm guessing the larger head of the TM15 has also allowed from improved heatsinking.

Since most of you are not likely to be running your lights under a cooling fan, I did an analysis of what happens if you run the light without any cooling whatsoever, on 4x18650. I also attached a thermal probe on the surface of the head of the light, just above the switch. 






As you can see above, the rise in temperature triggered a step-down from Turbo to Hi on 18650 after about ~20 mins of runtime. The surface of the light was definitely quite warm by this period, but cooled down quickly once the output stepped down. 

With 4x18650, the output remained stably at this Hi level for the rest of the run. This is in contrast to the gradual partial recovery of output on 8xCR123A as the temperature dropped, but that may reflect differences in the internal resistance of the different chemistries. I am happy to report there is no sign of the rapid cycling in output I observed on the early TM11 samples. 

In case you are curious, here is how the TM15 compares to other lights in estimated lumens:






*Potential Issues*

Due to the overlapping reflector design, there are bound to be some artifacts in the periphery of the spillbeam. However, I find them to be surprisingly minor in this case. The light is a lot "throwier" than the TM11 (by design), with a much narrower spillbeam.

Due to the electronic switch in the head, the light has a stand-by current when waiting to receive a button press. This current is reasonably low (~1mA, on average). You can lower this standby current further by locking out the switch. You can also completely break this current by loosening the head from the body.

The charging dock cover feels a little flimsy, but has held in fine during my testing so far. Note the charger is meant _only_ for 18650 cells - do not attempt to charge other kinds of batteries inside the light.

The raised switch - and increased sensitivity - may result in greater accidental activations on the TM15, compared to the earlier TM11. I do find the new sensitivity easier to use in practice, though.

*Preliminary Observations*

The TM15 is an impressive update to the Tiny Monster series of Nitecore lights. As many of you may recall, there were a number of initial circuit and soldering issues at the time of the TM11 launch. Nitecore seems to have these now well in hand, judging by my one TM15 sample – it performed consistently and reliably throughout my testing.

There are some minor circuit and user interface tweaks from the earlier TM11, as described earlier in this review. These are relatively minor, although I personally prefer the new raised switch and feel. I am glad to see they have kept the standby current to an acceptably low level, and have provided a variety of lock-out options.

Overall output/runtime efficiency and regulation pattern remain excellent.  The thermal sensor-driven step-down on Turbo worked exactly as I would have expected, with a reasonable set point and sensitivity (i.e., there was none of the repeated "cycling" pattern I observed on the early TM11 samples). 

The build is very similar to the TM11, and continues to feel solid and robust. As before, those with smaller hands may find it a bit awkward to carry for extended periods. It is also heavier now, thanks to the greater heatsink and deeper reflector wells.

On that point, I am impressed with the quality of the beam. The TM15 is much "throwier" than the TM11, but without the usual heavy spill artifacts I've noticed on previous on 3xXM-L designs. Clearly, a lot of work went into this reflector. oo:

As before, the light has considerable battery flexibility by running the four wells in parallel. You can thus run the light in 1x, 2x, 3x, or 4x 18650 configurations (or 2x, 4x, 6x, 8x CR123A/RCR). Although I haven't tested it here, I recommend you don't try to run Turbo on anything less than the full 4x/8x complement of cells (or Hi on anything less than 3x/6x). Although in a pinch, I'm sure you could get by with an IMR-18650 or two (if you had ones that were long enough to activate the light). 

The other new addition here is the built-in battery charger option. My testing showed this charger worked as expected, with a nice conservative termination level (i.e., didn't over-charge my cells). I can't easily determine if it terminates completely at the end of a charge, but Nitecore assures me that it is "intelligent automatic" like their i4 charger, and will terminate charging immediately. Note that the i4 charger actually has a low uA current once charging is complete, but it is so low as to be close enough to full termination (i.e., it is definitely not a trickle charge). If it is the same here, then there is nothing to worry about.

All told, the TM15 is a nice addition to the Tiny Monster line. The circuit tweaks are really more evolutionary than revolutionary, and the built-in charger worked well in my testing. But to me, the main advantage of this light over the TM11 is the much greater throw. :wave:

----

TM15 provided by Nitecore for review.


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## sidecross

I did contact Nitecore about the cover for the charging port and they replied: "As to the charging cover, is it necessary to prepare a spare 
one? For example, I don't see mobile phones prepare spare covers."

I have two TM11's Version 3 and I have one of the TM15 too. 

This is a good step in this light's development and NITECORE wrote they plan on continuing making the TM11. :thumbsup:


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## Bwolcott

another excellent review Im sure a ton of people were waiting for! thank you


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## oKtosiTe

sidecross said:


> I did contact Nitecore about the cover for the charging port and they replied: "As to the charging cover, is it necessary to prepare a spare
> one? For example, I don't see mobile phones prepare spare covers."



My (waterproof) Xperia Active actually *did* come with a spare back cover, which I thought was a very nice touch. The second cover was white, as opposed to the preinstalled black cover.





And thanks for another epic review, selfbuilt! :twothumbs


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## Yourfun2

108g heavier than the TM11. Makes me glad I went with the 11. 

Nice Review!

Thanks for getting it out so quickly.


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## sidecross

Yourfun2 said:


> 108g heavier than the TM11. Makes me glad I went with the 11.
> 
> Nice Review!
> 
> Thanks for getting it out so quickly.



I agree with your comment; I have both the TM11 & TM15 and I am pleased that NITECORE will still make the TM11.

The TM15 has an advantage of a lower out put, but it extra size makes the TM11 a first choice. :thumbsup:


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## brightnorm

Selfbuilt,

Your superb review was such an enticing appetizer that I just ordered the main $$ course!

Brightnorm

BTW, does the charging port and circuitry add length to the light?


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## brightnorm

Yourfun2 said:


> 108g heavier than the TM11. Makes me glad I went with the 11.



Fully loaded the difference is nearly 6 ounces. (Might be more or less with 4x18650 in the TM11)

TM15: 634g with 4x18650).
TM11: 476g with 8xCR123A
158g (5.57oz)


Brightnorm


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## sidecross

4 18650's @3100mAh weigh more 8 Surefire.


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## brightnorm

You're right:

TM15: 634g with 4x18650).
TM11: 476g with 8xCR123A
158g (5.57oz)


4x18650: 186.4g (3100mah Redilast)
8xcr123: 132.8g (Duracell)
 53.6g

TM11: 344.8g without batteries (slightly more than Selfbuilt's figure)
 +186.4g
 530.2g Total with 4x1850 3100's

TM15: 634g with 4x18650
TM11: 530g with 4x18650
 104g (3.7oz)

So, with 4x18650's in each light, the TM15 is 104g/3.7oz heavier than the TM11. This is still a noticeable but not unduly burdensome difference. (Selfbuilt's 2200 Mah 18650s will be lighter than the 3100s, but I don't have any 2200's available
for weighing)

Brightnorm


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## selfbuilt

brightnorm said:


> TM15: 634g with 4x18650
> TM11: 530g with 4x18650
> 104g (3.7oz)


Pretty close - I just went and measured to confirm, and my TM11 comes up as 526g with 4x18650 AW 2200mAh installed. As you would expect - the TM15 base unit is 108g heavier than the TM11. I've updated the review with the weight, to allow you to directly compare to other lights measured with the same AW 2200mAh cells.



brightnorm said:


> BTW, does the charging port and circuitry add length to the light?


Presumably that is part of it - but Nitecore has taken advantage of the opportunity to extend the reflector depth. It seems a reasonable size, all things considered.


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## Ualnosaj

sidecross said:


> I did contact Nitecore about the cover for the charging port and they replied: "As to the charging cover, is it necessary to prepare a spare
> one? For example, I don't see mobile phones prepare spare covers."
> 
> I have two TM11's Version 3 and I have one of the TM15 too.
> 
> This is a good step in this light's development and NITECORE wrote they plan on continuing making the TM11. :thumbsup:



The TM15 neutral I have comes with a spare rubber cover.

On a side note, the button now is much more sensitive than the TM11 meaning accidental presses are easy with the holster or in general. Do you see the same thing on the copy supplied to you Selfbuilt?


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## jorgemac

Very good review. Thanks.
TM15 is a very goog light, but Fenix Tk75 on paper seems a lot better, and US100 cheaper.


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## Yourfun2

Bigger different style loght and almost 60g heavier.


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## shelm

review, written, concise, concealing, favorably, cajoling, as, to, be, expected, lovecpf


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## flashlove

jorgemac said:


> Very good review. Thanks.
> TM15 is a very goog light, but Fenix Tk75 on paper seems a lot better, and US100 cheaper.




Not bad, just the size, and the D Battery really...If I were Arnold Schwarzenegger, I would buy for sure... Too big to handle it...


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## flashlove

TM15: 158*60*50mm


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## xed888

flashlove said:


> Not bad, just the size, and the D Battery really...If I were Arnold Schwarzenegger, I would buy for sure... Too big to handle it...



What D battery? It's not the TK70.


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## candle lamp

Excellent review. Selfbuilt! Thanks a lot for your time & effort as always. :thumbsup:

It's certain that TM15 is upgraded light of the TM11. The light shows a better regulation stably in temperature.

By the way, I'd like to know the test room temperature, the point on the light where the thermal probe were set in pace in detail, and whether you open the window during the test or not.
(Maybe I escaped your note! )


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## DeepR

Great review thank you for your time and work


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## CouldUseALight

Do the LEDs in your unit glow in pitch dark with the light off and on standby? Some reports of this, and my TM 15 does it. The glow is even across all three LEDs, no flicker.

Interested in NiteCore's response to this; unsure if it is a bug.


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## _UPz

Nice review, Thanks SB!


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## Bwolcott

CouldUseALight said:


> Do the LEDs in your unit glow in pitch dark with the light off and on standby? Some reports of this, and my TM 15 does it. The glow is even across all three LEDs, no flicker.
> 
> Interested in NiteCore's response to this; unsure if it is a bug.




nitecore has already said that its a bug


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## Skelt11

Bwolcott said:


> nitecore has already said that its a bug



Is this to be a concern? I wouldn't imagine it doing much in the way of battery consumption. I just ordered a TK15 so I'm curious. 

BTW, new here and long time lerker. Tons of great info here. Thank you very much to the OP for the review. Its one of the reasons I ordered the TK15.


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## brightnorm

I ordered the T15e even though I have the excellent Thrunite TN30 which appears to have a slightly longer throw The appeal over the TN30 is a shorter body and longer runtime.

Brightnorm


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## selfbuilt

Thanks for the support everyone. Glad you are enjoying the review :grouphug:



Ualnosaj said:


> On a side note, the button now is much more sensitive than the TM11 meaning accidental presses are easy with the holster or in general. Do you see the same thing on the copy supplied to you Selfbuilt?


I haven't tried carrying it in the case, but I can believe it would be more likely to come on accidentally (as it protrudes more now). I like the increased sensitivity for handling (i.e. just a light touch for Daily modes now, before on the TM11 I tended to press too hard and get Turbo inadvertently). But it's true this could be an issue.



candle lamp said:


> By the way, I'd like to know the test room temperature, the point on the light where the thermal probe were set in pace in detail, and whether you open the window during the test or not.
> (Maybe I escaped your note! )


Room temp was about 21 degrees C, the surface probe read 24 degrees C at start. Probe placement was just above the switch, but below the fins (i.e., the same as my TM11 review). There is no open window, and my lightbox is in a cramped corner of my room (i.e., no airflow without a fan).



CouldUseALight said:


> Do the LEDs in your unit glow in pitch dark with the light off and on standby? Some reports of this, and my TM 15 does it. The glow is even across all three LEDs, no flicker. Interested in NiteCore's response to this; unsure if it is a bug.


No signs of that on mine. I would definitely consider that a bug, and would request a RMA if mine did it.



brightnorm said:


> I ordered the T15e even though I have the excellent Thrunite TN30 which appears to have a slightly longer throw The appeal over the TN30 is a shorter body and longer runtime.


The difference in throw between the TM15 and TN30 is not significant. I personally prefer the TM15 beam pattern as it is "prettier", with less artifacts (e.g., look at the 1/100sec white wall shots of the two lights). Overall spillbeam width is narrower on the TM15, though.


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## Sysmax Ind.

Hello Bwolcott,

We don't think it can be regarded as a bug. 

After receiving feedback, we checked our stock immediately and found it true that there is a small quantity of TM15 have the glow situation. From then on, we strengthened our QC in this aspect. At the same time our Research and Inspection departments immediately looked into the situation, and found that the glow result from one component, as some units from that batch of component is not funtioning stably. But it would not influence the performence and duration of TM15.

We are sorry to cause inconvinience to those customers who got a glow light, and would be very pleased to make replacement to them if they need. For more information about TM15, customers can write to our service email box, and we will reply in a prompt way. [email protected]

Here we would like to say "thank you" to all the buddies showing their supports and attention on NITECORE, and wish you all can continuously keep your attention on NITECORE flashlights.


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## Sysmax Ind.

Skelt11,

No worries. Please contact our local dealer for a new replacement. 

And we promise that, the glow will not influence the performence and duration of TM15.

Have a nice day!

NITECORE service




Skelt11 said:


> Is this to be a concern? I wouldn't imagine it doing much in the way of battery consumption. I just ordered a TK15 so I'm curious.
> 
> BTW, new here and long time lerker. Tons of great info here. Thank you very much to the OP for the review. Its one of the reasons I ordered the TK15.


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## flashlove

xed888 said:


> What D battery? It's not the TK70.



Yep, I think I mixed up with TK75, u r right, 4*18650 for TK70, then it's more obvious TM15's size is... u know TM15 also use 4*18650 even has the rechargeable function...That's the kind I'm looking for, small size but powerful...Save $...


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## shelm

Sysmax Ind. said:


> From then on, we strengthened our QC in this aspect. At the same time our Research and Inspection departments immediately looked into the situation,


Honestly I dont know what to think of your QC department, Inspection department, Research department, however you call it.
Is it true that Sysmax released 3 different versions (also called improved, corrected _official hardware revisions_ or _reiterations_) of the predecessor product *TM11*? I got no problem with that. Zebralight does it all the time too, and Nitecore did the same thing with


Sysmax Intellicharge i4 V1 => Nitecore Intellicharger i4 V2 
Nitecore D11 => Nitecore D11.2 
Nitecore EX11 => Nitecore EX11.2 
Nitecore TM11 V1 => TM11 V2 => TM11 V3 (exact version number called: v1.12-1111) 







So i am wondering if there will be updated i.e. improved/corrected/official hardware revisions of the TM15, too, in future :thinking:

Well, we dont know this kind of info for sure at this early point in time, right? And the integrated charger charges only up to 4.14-4.15V, what's up with that? The Intellicharge i4 V2 charges to 4.20V, exactly. That's perfect and exact. The TM15's integrated charger doesnt work as perfect and exact, seems like! :sick2:



Sysmax Ind. said:


> We are sorry to cause inconvinience to those customers who got a glow light, and would be very pleased to make replacement to them if they need.



That sounds great, thanks! There is no hurry, is there? According to the NITECORE Warranty Terms, users who got a glow light have *18 months time* to send in the light under a warranty claim and ask for a replacement, am i right?

(_Btw, sorry for giving you a hard time.. but you're on the line here so._ )


----------



## Eurard

Hi Everyone,

Newb here and got into the flashlight scene a while ago, with my first and only true LIGHT (Fenix TK45).

I recently saw the Nitecore TM11 and thought OMW, this is the one to have and then, well my eyes caught the little numbers 15. Now I just had to have it and bought one Thursday on EBay, the wait continues.

Thanks for these reviews they are by far the best on the net and makes understanding actually FUN.

Soon my Tk will be lying next to Tm, might need to grow that family some more!

Cheers


----------



## Bwolcott

Sysmax Ind. said:


> Hello Bwolcott,
> 
> We don't think it can be regarded as a bug.
> 
> After receiving feedback, we checked our stock immediately and found it true that there is a small quantity of TM15 have the glow situation. From then on, we strengthened our QC in this aspect. At the same time our Research and Inspection departments immediately looked into the situation, and found that the glow result from one component, as some units from that batch of component is not funtioning stably. But it would not influence the performence and duration of TM15.
> 
> We are sorry to cause inconvinience to those customers who got a glow light, and would be very pleased to make replacement to them if they need. For more information about TM15, customers can write to our service email box, and we will reply in a prompt way. [email protected]
> 
> Here we would like to say "thank you" to all the buddies showing their supports and attention on NITECORE, and wish you all can continuously keep your attention on NITECORE flashlights.





if its doing something that it shouldnt be doing then what else would you call it lol


----------



## sidecross

Bwolcott said:


> if its doing something that it shouldnt be doing then what else would you call it lol




I lock out power to my TM11 & TM15 when not in use so if I had this problem (which I do not) I would not be sure if I would return it to NITECORE for a replacement.

It is my understanding that NITECORE will replace the light at the source of purchase within 18 months.


----------



## davpet

Hi guys!

I've only started reading this forum two weeks ago (selfbuilt's excellent videos got me here  ), and I am already holding a TM11 and a TM15 in my hands. Nice job guys 

Since I only received my TM15 a few hours ago, I made some quick subjective comparisons to the TM11 that I would like to share with you:

First of all, the on/off switch: I don't really care if it's red or blue, but I like it that on the TM15, the blinking light stays on for a longer time. It also seems to be a bit brighter. However I think the switch itself is better on the TM11. On the TM15, the button is stiff, if you start pressing it, there is no "elastic movement", it immediately turns the light on. Even when fully depressed, the button is higher than the sides that house the switch. On the TM11, you have to press the button much deeper for the light to activate, even in normal mode. This means it is very hard to turn it on accidentally.

Output: unfortunately I don't have any measuring equipment, but after countless "subjective ceiling bounce" tests, I see absolutely no improvement in brightness on the TM15 over the TM11. The only difference I see is that the TM11 has a more greenish color.

A few days ago I came across subwoofer's review, where he measures the TM11's max output to be 2447/2457 lumens, which is "much" higher than selfbuilt's estimate. I am wondering if Nitecore has increased the output on version 1.12-1111 slightly, and this is the reason why I don't see improvement in brightness.

Selfbuilt, do you happen to have a latest generation TM11 lying somewhere, that you could compare to the older models in terms of output? 

Oh, one last thing: my TM15 also has the glowing leds when turned off... even in lockout mode. (all 3)

Cheers


----------



## CouldUseALight

I appreciate Sysmax's response here. They are taking responsibility for support and tighter QC.

Takes guts and a willingness to stand behind your products, to not blame some supplier or bad luck! I don't know if many manufacturers would be so professional. 

After living with this light for awhile, it's my favorite for garage/barn applications....the low could be lower, but the runtime and stability are great. I'm using it outside, and it's cold, but no heat issues. 

Getting a battery voltage reading every time you the handle back in is REALLY nice.


----------



## sidecross

CouldUseALight said:


> I appreciate Sysmax's response here. They are taking responsibility for support and tighter QC.
> 
> Takes guts and a willingness to stand behind your products, to not blame some supplier or bad luck! I don't know if many manufacturers would be so professional.
> 
> After living with this light for awhile, it's my favorite for garage/barn applications....the low could be lower, but the runtime and stability are great. I'm using it outside, and it's cold, but no heat issues.
> 
> Getting a battery voltage reading every time you the handle back in is REALLY nice.



My TM11 & TM15 are both great lights and they are the ones that get used the most for long run time. 

I agree too that a voltage read out is a great feature of this light. :thumbsup:


----------



## Skelt11

If it is an issue, I will be sure to do so. Thank you! Monday can't come soon enough. Darn ground shipping 



Sysmax Ind. said:


> Skelt11,
> 
> No worries. Please contact our local dealer for a new replacement.
> 
> And we promise that, the glow will not influence the performence and duration of TM15.
> 
> Have a nice day!
> 
> NITECORE service


----------



## selfbuilt

shelm said:


> Well, we dont know this kind of info for sure at this early point in time, right? And the integrated charger charges only up to 4.14-4.15V, what's up with that? The Intellicharge i4 V2 charges to 4.20V, exactly. That's perfect and exact. The TM15's integrated charger doesnt work as perfect and exact, seems like! :sick2:


No, I would say the charger response is appropriate. The cells I used for testing here are older, and should terminate at a slightly lower voltage than brand new cells. There is bound to be some variability from one charger to the next, but I prefer to see ones on the lower end of "typical". It is far better to under-charge your cells by a couple of tenths of a volt than to over-charge. But again, you would need to try a number of charger samples to know what average is. 



davpet said:


> Selfbuilt, do you happen to have a latest generation TM11 lying somewhere, that you could compare to the older models in terms of output?


No, I have not reviewed a TM11 sample in over a year. It is quite possible that output on the TM11 has increased from that time. But as a general rule, it is a challenge to directly compare output of lights with a more floody beam (i.e., TM11) vs a more throwy one (i.e., TM15) by eye alone.


----------



## BLUE LED

I am really tempted by the TM15, but I am not too enamoured by the charging port. I would have preferred it without this feature. How do I walk away from this amount of throw :O


----------



## Bwolcott

BLUE LED said:


> I am really tempted by the TM15, but I am not too enamoured by the charging port. I would have preferred it without this feature. How do I walk away from this amount of throw :O



you wait for the tk75


----------



## davpet

I have made some ceiling bounce measurements with a lux meter, comparing the TM15, and the newest version of the TM11.
I used different setups, but as a general rule, positioned the lights close enough to the ceiling, not to let any spill beam escape on the side walls. The light meter was either positioned sensor up, facing the ceiling, or facing a side wall, away from the lights.

My results in all setups - and at least 40 measurements per light - show that turbo output is the same on the newest version of the TM11 and the TM15.


----------



## selfbuilt

I just made it out for some outdoor beamshots. Please ignore the red-tint in the lower-right corner these shots (I was wearing a brighter-than-usual red headlamp during this excursion ). Zoomed-in pics of the hotspots are also included.











Here is how the TM15 compares directly to the TM11:










I know it can be a bit hard to compare, given the slight variation in angling of the lights and the tint differences. But as you can probably tell, the TM15 is a greater thrower than the TM11. The TM15 is generally comparable in throw to the Thrunite TN30.


----------



## oKtosiTe

That road has to be pretty low on traffic if you can set up a tripod or two there and take these pictures.


----------



## selfbuilt

oKtosiTe said:


> That road has to be pretty low on traffic if you can set up a tripod or two there and take these pictures.


Extremely so, as it was closed to vehicle traffic over 15 years ago. 

More details on the location are provided in my outdoor beamshot round-ups.


----------



## ZRXBILL

Just ordered mine this morning and I'm really looking forward to it.


----------



## [email protected]

Ordered mine earlier this week.... 

Anyone know the maximum protected cell length and diameter it will accept? 

I will be running AW 3100's, but am planning on a set of 3400's to cycle though soon after. 

Cheers!


----------



## [email protected]

Ordered mine earlier in this week too and wished I had logged onto this forum before to find the best price possible... :huh:


----------



## selfbuilt

davpet said:


> I have made some ceiling bounce measurements with a lux meter, comparing the TM15, and the newest version of the TM11.
> I used different setups, but as a general rule, positioned the lights close enough to the ceiling, not to let any spill beam escape on the side walls. The light meter was either positioned sensor up, facing the ceiling, or facing a side wall, away from the lights.
> My results in all setups - and at least 40 measurements per light - show that turbo output is the same on the newest version of the TM11 and the TM15.


Interesting, thanks for sharing.


----------



## Yourfun2

Measuring light output sure is some tricky business. I was out tonight shining my TM11 on the hillside way across the valley. Not sure how one would determine the distance. Far enough away that I could see a big hole in the middle of the beam. Took my TN31 out and filled the hole and was surprised by how much surrounding throw the TM11 has. Got me to thinking that it may be when people measure throw, they are just looking at the center of the beam. Causing one to think a light doesn't have much throw. If I had more lights, I would probably be digging out the light meters in my old SLR camera bags.


----------



## levelflight

selfbuilt, it would be useful to know if the light can be charging while it is in operation. Could you test this potential capability and let us know?


----------



## Chicken Drumstick

Thanks for the review. I see the Sky Ray King is listed in your comparison tables, does this mean a review of SRK is on it's way too?


----------



## selfbuilt

levelflight said:


> selfbuilt, it would be useful to know if the light can be charging while it is in operation. Could you test this potential capability and let us know?


No, you can't run the light when it is charging. If the light is on when you plug the charger in, it shuts off. If it is charging, pressing the button simply reads out the voltage. 



Chicken Drumstick said:


> Thanks for the review. I see the Sky Ray King is listed in your comparison tables, does this mean a review of SRK is on it's way too?


No. 

I don't plan to review the Sky Ray King because there is no consistent manufacturer or distributor for this light. It is quite possible that what you get from one source could be quite different from another (especially over time). I recently had the opportunity to handle a given SRK sample, so added it to the summary tables for comparison purposes. But I'm afraid that's all I plan to do.


----------



## levelflight

selfbuilt said:


> No, you can't run the light when it is charging. If the light is on when you plug the charger in, it shuts off. If it is charging, pressing the button simply reads out the voltage.
> 
> 
> Thank you for confirming, so I'd be correct to conclude it does not matter what the output setting is, the light is switched off as soon as the charging jack is inserted. Good to know.


----------



## gravitysux

I got the TM15 after reading this review, great job, much appreciated! I'm very happy with the light so far, only disappointment was that the belt holster was a bit too big so the light tends to drop a bit too low in the holster and is hard to get out in a hurry.

I'm wondering about one aspect that has not been mentioned as far as I can see, about the built-in charging in the light - The 4 18650 cells sit in electrical parallel inside the light, so there is no way for the charging circuitry to know the individual status/voltage of the cells. Since they sit in parallel they will balance between themselves in use and as long as the tailcap is closed, and the voltage will be the average across 4 cells. But if one cell starts failing (changing internal resistance due for example) the charger will be unable to compensate for this, and I think it could then theoretically over or undercharge the remaining cells depending on how the degraded cell behaves.

I'm not very worried about it but I think it's a good idea to keep the same 4 cells in the light at all times so they get equal charge and usage, and hopefully degrades in a similar matter, and also if needed replace all 4 at the same time.

Any other views on this?


----------



## brightnorm

I don't have the expertise to answer your question, but I always charge my LiONs in PILA chargers, even when internal charge is an option for a particular light. I trust those chargers, they're faster than some internal chargers and the light is always available for use.

Brightnorm


----------



## selfbuilt

gravitysux said:


> I'm wondering about one aspect that has not been mentioned as far as I can see, about the built-in charging in the light - The 4 18650 cells sit in electrical parallel inside the light, so there is no way for the charging circuitry to know the individual status/voltage of the cells. Since they sit in parallel they will balance between themselves in use and as long as the tailcap is closed, and the voltage will be the average across 4 cells. But if one cell starts failing (changing internal resistance due for example) the charger will be unable to compensate for this, and I think it could then theoretically over or undercharge the remaining cells depending on how the degraded cell behaves.


It's a good question, but it's really one for discussion in the batteries and electronic subforum here. I'm not sure how how the charging circuit would interpret this in practice (in this specific case), and protected cells have both over-charge as well as over-discharge protection. But as always, I wouldn't want to rely on that - it is always best to charge cells individually, in good quality charger, and verify the voltage before and after charging manually with a DMM.


----------



## gravitysux

selfbuilt said:


> and protected cells have both over-charge as well as over-discharge protection. But as always, I wouldn't want to rely on that - it is always best to charge cells individually, in good quality charger, and verify the voltage before and after charging manually with a DMM.



Ah - That the cells are protected is a good point, thanks! I'm new to these formats of batteries, and forgot about the internal cell protection. As I understand it the protection should stop any critical (High current / voltage delta) balancing between cells, when charging or in case of a failing cell during storage or use. I think that I can safely use the built-in charger for daily use (I cannot bring a external 18650 charger with me everywhere) and then do a full external charger cycle and status of the cells when practical.


----------



## selfbuilt

gravitysux said:


> I think that I can safely use the built-in charger for daily use (I cannot bring a external 18650 charger with me everywhere) and then do a full external charger cycle and status of the cells when practical.


That seems a reasonable approach to me. As long as balanced cells go into the light, and all are making good contact, then you should be fine to use the built-in charger for periodic use. But it is good to verify voltage and charge individually when you can.


----------



## dailydR1ver

Does anyone know if the car charger for the nitecore i4 will fit the TM15's charging port? 

If it fits, or any other 12v car charger for that matter, I would assume that it would work because the rated output on the wall chargers seems to also be 12v. 

Any thoughts?


----------



## ZRXBILL

Lanyard question. How does this thing work? It just goes into a piece of plastic with nothing to push unlike others I have. Not sure how it's to be used.:thinking:


----------



## selfbuilt

ZRXBILL said:


> Lanyard question. How does this thing work? It just goes into a piece of plastic with nothing to push unlike others I have. Not sure how it's to be used.:thinking:


Ah yes, it's not immediately intuitive. You use the small thin wire to thread a loop of the larger lanyard through the light, then pass pass the lanyard through itself to hold on. 

Varuscelli posted some pics in my TM11 thread on how to do it. Please see his post #6 in that thread.


----------



## ZRXBILL

selfbuilt said:


> Ah yes, it's not immediately intuitive. You use the small thin wire to thread a loop of the larger lanyard through the light, then pass pass the lanyard through itself to hold on.
> 
> Varuscelli posted some pics in my TM11 thread on how to do it. Please see his post #6 in that thread.




Thanks. I was thinking you had to cut it, sure glade I didn't. Also glad I didn't throw the small thin string away.


----------



## ZRXBILL

Looks like mine's going back. When I hard press the the switch I get turbo but when I release it goes off. The only way I get constant turbo is to soft press after I'm in a lower mode.


----------



## selfbuilt

ZRXBILL said:


> Looks like mine's going back. When I hard press the the switch I get turbo but when I release it goes off. The only way I get constant turbo is to soft press after I'm in a lower mode.


Hmmm, is it a question of timing? You need to do a quick press-release for it to register as a click. Otherwise, it behaves as momentary, and shuts off upon a slow press-release.


----------



## ZRXBILL

selfbuilt said:


> Hmmm, is it a question of timing? You need to do a quick press-release for it to register as a click. Otherwise, it behaves as momentary, and shuts off upon a slow press-release.




What would we, or at least me, do without you here. That's it, I was holding it too long. Works fine with a quick full press. Once again thanks.


----------



## levelflight

Selfbuilt,
I can hear a sound / tone coming from the switch of the TM15 on your video. Is this just the way your mic picked it up, or does the button actually emit that pinging sound?


----------



## sidecross

ZRXBILL said:


> What would we, or at least me, do without you here. That's it, I was holding it too long. Works fine with a quick full press. Once again thanks.



I agree selfbuilt is one of a few people that keep me checking this web site everyday. :thumbsup:


----------



## selfbuilt

ZRXBILL said:


> What would we, or at least me, do without you here. That's it, I was holding it too long. Works fine with a quick full press. Once again thanks.


No worries, just glad I was able to help clear that up. All electronic switches (that offer both momentary and locked on) will take some getting used to. Some seem to have more intuitive "muscle motor timings" to start with, but each really does require some conditioning of the user's responses.



levelflight said:


> I can hear a sound / tone coming from the switch of the TM15 on your video. Is this just the way your mic picked it up, or does the button actually emit that pinging sound?


There is a subtle sound when pressing the switch, hadn't really thought much of it. The camera may be accentuating it a bit.


----------



## levelflight

OK, thank you Selfbuilt....I guess I'll find out in a week or so......looking forward to it.

I was just thinking, if you keep one of every light you test (just guessing here) then you are probably looking at a significant cost in shelving as well as batteries.....maybe you need two funds.









And it must be very tough for you to decide which light to take out for a walk!


----------



## SRB

selfbuilt said:


> *Warning: pic heavy, as usual.*
> 
> The TM15 shows excellent efficiency for this class, in keeping with the current-controlled circuit. Output is flat-regulated at all levels, very similar to the TM11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> First off, thanks for another highly informative review. Your reviews have cost me tremendous hours of sleeplessness; to say nothing of the financial aspects of being so well informed. I usually lurk but the CR123 runtime chart has me puzzled. The graph seem to indicate that the T60CS has a lesser halflife than the TM15; but the legend would suggest a nearly hour and a half to half power on high with CR123s. I may be misinterpreting the graph, and hate to even mention it. My Tiny Monster is on order and I have another sleepless night to your credit. I thought this sickness would end once I had the ARC LSH-P and LSL-P. Keep up the awesome work and I will go to the grave broke, but happy.
> 
> Sincere Thanks,
> SRB
Click to expand...


----------



## selfbuilt

SRB said:


> The graph seem to indicate that the T60CS has a lesser halflife than the TM15; but the legend would suggest a nearly hour and a half to half power on high with CR123s. I may be misinterpreting the graph, and hate to even mention it.


Not at all, thanks for the catch. That's an error in the figure legend - the T60CS gave me 1hr 1min time to 50% on CR123A, not 1hr 29min. I've updated the graph in the review with the correct legend.

Cheers!


----------



## Bwolcott

SRB said:


> selfbuilt said:
> 
> 
> 
> *Warning: pic heavy, as usual.*
> 
> The TM15 shows excellent efficiency for this class, in keeping with the current-controlled circuit. Output is flat-regulated at all levels, very similar to the TM11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> First off, thanks for another highly informative review. Your reviews have cost me tremendous hours of sleeplessness; to say nothing of the financial aspects of being so well informed. I usually lurk but the CR123 runtime chart has me puzzled. The graph seem to indicate that the T60CS has a lesser halflife than the TM15; but the legend would suggest a nearly hour and a half to half power on high with CR123s. I may be misinterpreting the graph, and hate to even mention it. My Tiny Monster is on order and I have another sleepless night to your credit. I thought this sickness would end once I had the ARC LSH-P and LSL-P. Keep up the awesome work and I will go to the grave broke, but happy.
> 
> Sincere Thanks,
> SRB
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I agree it looks like they are switched
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


----------



## selfbuilt

levelflight said:


> ... then you are probably looking at a significant cost in shelving as well as batteries.....maybe you need two funds.


Well, I did ask Santa for some new closet organizers for Christmas. :laughing:



Bwolcott said:


> I agree it looks like they are switched


No, the figure legend was in error. It's been corrected in the review.


----------



## drsgbriggs

I have two of both the 11 and 15's, and don't find the extra weight at all objectionable. The 15's benefits much outweigh the relatively small increase in cost and size, IMHO. But both are excellent quality torches, and likely to last a long time, with minimal size for brightness. I think I'll use the TM-11's on the bicycles (BTW, glamenz in Germany has a 3D printer and makes and excellent handlebar mount that will work equally well with 11 or 15, see https://www.youtube.com/user/glamenz?feature=results_main) and the 15's for everything else. Both these lights will illuminate the interior of a tent trailer or tent extremely well. One last thing, my TM-15's came from China, and the charger had the two cylindrical AC plugs. I had to get the north american adaptor, but this did work just fine.


----------



## gravitysux

dailydR1ver said:


> Does anyone know if the car charger for the nitecore i4 will fit the TM15's charging port?
> 
> If it fits, or any other 12v car charger for that matter, I would assume that it would work because the rated output on the wall chargers seems to also be 12v.
> 
> Any thoughts?



It should be just a matter of having the right plug and polarity. Any 12v source should do as long as it can supply sufficient current. 

I can test the other way around, I have the i4 and the charger that came with the TM15, but I've not tried to plug it in. As far as I can remember the TM15 charging plug is a smaller diameter than the i4 12V, but I'll try to measure tonight to be sure.


----------



## gravitysux

> Originally Posted by *dailydR1ver*
> 
> 
> _Does anyone know if the car charger for the nitecore i4 will fit the TM15's charging port?
> 
> If it fits, or any other 12v car charger for that matter, I would assume that it would work because the rated output on the wall chargers seems to also be 12v.
> 
> Any thoughts?_



The i4 and TM15 12V charger plugs are not compatible. The i4 charger has a much larger 12V socket. The TM15 uses a small 4mm diameter plug and will not fit. See pics. The TM15 charger plug needs to be as long as 13,5mm to make contact in the light socket as it's a bit recessed. 

You will need either two different car chargers, or one with interchangeable tips.

The TM15 charger plug is 13,5mm long and 4mm outer diameter. Specs on the charger are 12V switchmode, 1000mA, positive center.

i4 + TM15 charger






TM15 charger


----------



## davpet

Just for comparison, here are my estimated lumen calculations, based on my ceiling bounce measurements. Originally I assumed, that the TM15 would output 2450 lumens on turbo, after 1 minute.


*Mode
**TM11
**TM15
*Low
 250
325
Medium
 625
575
High
1250
1300
Turbo
2450 (1 min)
2450 (1 min)


----------



## shelm

tm15 has 5 brightness levels. not 4.
nice try tho


----------



## Landshark99

Now that I own both, I like both, great lights


----------



## davpet

shelm said:


> tm15 has 5 brightness levels. not 4.
> nice try tho



Since the lowest setting on the TM15 is so low that it wouldn't register on my lux meter in a ceiling bounce test, I couldn't include it. I think everybody knows that the TM15 has 5 brightness levels, mr wise guy.


----------



## shelm

davpet said:


> mr wise guy.



i dig that title


----------



## davpet

shelm said:


> i dig that title



time to change your nick


----------



## davpet

Guys, I saw something interesting on Nitecore's website. In support - download - 2012 Nitecore flyer, the TM11 and TM15 are both mentioned to have six brightness modes. Now, if we assume that one brightness mode is the strobe, I am still missing one on the TM11. Is it a typo, or have they updated the TM11 once again?


----------



## Wol9296

As usual excellent informative review for a great amount of light in a handy package


----------



## levelflight

My first order went missing (via DHL), so I'm patiently waiting for the second one to make it through the USPS Christmas snarl









Just curious to know how many TM15s have so far been acquired by viewers of this thread, so how about posting a confirmation of either your pending order (like me) or from the lucky sods who are playing with theirs already!

So how many TM15s are now in use? Post your count here:

In hand:
On order:


----------



## davpet

levelflight said:


> My first order went missing (via DHL), so I'm patiently waiting for the second one to make it through the USPS Christmas snarl
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just curious to know how many TM15s have so far been acquired by viewers of this thread, so how about posting a confirmation of either your pending order (like me) or from the lucky sods who are playing with theirs already!
> 
> So how many TM15s are now in use? Post your count here:
> 
> In hand:
> On order:



Went missing via DHL? Wow, that's sad. I pre ordered a Zebralight S6330, and chose DHL over USPS (a $24 extra). Hope it was the right decision.. Actually ordering online kinda sucks, 'cause you have to wait (even a few days feel like a lot  ), and if there is a problem with your light.... I purchased my TM11 in a shop 10 minutes walk from where I live, after comparing cool whites and neutrals. With the TM15, I was impatient, so I ordered it online. It took one week to arrive. And guess what, by the time it arrived they had it the shop as well.


----------



## levelflight

Funny how it goes. I live rurally so online is the only way to purchase for me.
What are your thoughts comparing the 11 to the 15?

So the count is...

In hand: 1
On order: 1


----------



## Patriot

levelflight said:


> So how many TM15s are now in use? Post your count here:
> 
> In hand:
> On order:



I'm not sure that would be fair to Selfbuilt and this wonderful review thread.


----------



## levelflight

Fair enough, and probably the wrong place to start this, I won't pursue it further.
That said it would be nice to know how popular the TM15 is.....doesn't seem to be much uptake here in any case.


----------



## Yourfun2

Everyone is out happily using their lights. I have both and they both work fine. If people were having trouble or questions, then you would see this thread lite up.


----------



## sidecross

levelflight said:


> Fair enough, and probably the wrong place to start this, I won't pursue it further.
> That said it would be nice to know how popular the TM15 is.....doesn't seem to be much uptake here in any case.



I use both the TM11 and TM15 and they are outstanding lights. :thumbsup:


----------



## levelflight

OK, this has me wondering.....so let me ask this question. If you owned the TM15 first, would you consider purchasing the TM11 after that?
It's the question I'm asking myself because I love the smaller size of the TM11....it's tough to beat, but the 1/4" socket, greater output, and additional levels pushed me to the TM15.


----------



## Yourfun2

I bought the TM11 first and I prefer the smaller package. I put the TM15 in the holster for my TN31 an put it under my front seat. I may sell it depending on the EA4 reviews. The TM15 has more features and is brighter but I like the flood and lighter weight. The TM11 also fits in coat pocket and has much warmer tint. My TN31 and TM15 are just over the edge of how big a light I want to carry. Both are fine if you are just having around the house or in the car. My neutral TM15 is not warm at all. At first we thought it might be a cool white until we put next to a cool white TM15 which is a bit blue. The tripod mount and the built in charger are nice to have. I foresee wanting to use both at some point. But duct tape and my other charger may have to do. The low level on my TM11 appears about the same as low level on the TM15. It is all in the tint. If you are a cool white person then the TM15 probably has more appeal. I hope this helps.


----------



## levelflight

Yes, very good feedback, thank you. My preference is for 65K (cool white) tinted lights, fwiw.
The more lights I buy online from reading reviews and user feedback etc. the more I am getting to think this isn't the right way for me to purchase lights, at least not for my budget and environmental perspective. Manufacturing does pollute after all. It would be a very nice thing to attend a large flashlight trade show with an empty Visa card....hmmm, NOW I know what I want for Christmas.

Because I just finish buying what I think is the latest and greatest for my needs and then another better one comes along! Thankfully I made my choice to stick with 18650 compatible lights, but it makes you wonder what the E4 could do on two of those because it looks like they would fit into the form factor.
Nitecore and ZL have certainly become companies to watch.


----------



## Yourfun2

If you are sticking with 18650, you may want to check out the Crelant 7G9.


----------



## davpet

levelflight said:


> OK, this has me wondering.....so let me ask this question. If you owned the TM15 first, would you consider purchasing the TM11 after that?
> It's the question I'm asking myself because I love the smaller size of the TM11....it's tough to beat, but the 1/4" socket, greater output, and additional levels pushed me to the TM15.



I also made some remarks about these two lights in the TM11 thread, but to sum it up, (for me), the TM15 is better because: somewhat better UI, blue blinking led is much better in the dark, larger heat sink, rechargeable, lower low mode. The TM11 is better, because: it's smaller, somewhat lighter, switch is more recessed, so accidental activation is less likely.

As I've mentioned before, I can't measure any output difference on turbo between the two lights. But that doesn't mean too much. At these levels, a cc 400 lumen difference wouldn't be too noticeable anyway if they had exactly the same head. So, it comes down to personal preference: are you willing to sacrifice some throw on the altar of spill beam: (or vice versa) 

Answering your question, I may not have purchased the TM11, if I had the TM15 first. But that's only because I always want the newer stuff.


----------



## levelflight

Yourfun2 said:


> If you are sticking with 18650, you may want to check out the Crelant 7G9.



Too big, but thank you for bringing it to my attention.
It looks like a well made light although I didn't check into the review very deeply as I'm looking for higher output in a smaller form factor, which pretty much rules out the 7G9.


----------



## levelflight

davpet said:


> I also made some remarks about these two lights in the TM11 thread, but to sum it up, (for me), the TM15 is better because: somewhat better UI, blue blinking led is much better in the dark, larger heat sink, rechargeable, lower low mode. The TM11 is better, because: it's smaller, somewhat lighter, switch is more recessed, so accidental activation is less likely.
> 
> As I've mentioned before, I can't measure any output difference on turbo between the two lights. But that doesn't mean too much. At these levels, a cc 400 lumen difference wouldn't be too noticeable anyway if they had exactly the same head. So, it comes down to personal preference: are you willing to sacrifice some throw on the altar of spill beam: (or vice versa)
> 
> Answering your question, I may not have purchased the TM11, if I had the TM15 first. But that's only because I always want the newer stuff.



Well stated, and it pretty much makes the case for each light. With the ZL 6330 and probably a number of other lights in various production pipelines the TM11, as it stands, will be facing some serious competition.


----------



## Yourfun2

levelflight said:


> Too big, but thank you for bringing it to my attention.
> It looks like a well made light although I didn't check into the review very deeply as I'm looking for higher output in a smaller form factor, which pretty much rules out the 7G9.


The 18650 light I will probably buy next is the Eagletac G25C2 MKII. At least that is what I keep telling myself. Could change by the next credit card cycle.


----------



## levelflight

Yes, it looks like an interesting iteration of the genre. I'll be watching it too.


----------



## brightspark1967

Do you know anything about the Sky Ray King XML T6 flashlight as sold by T Mart? http://www.tmart.com/SKY-RAY-SK-KING-XML-T6-15W-3000-4200LM-5-Mode-Flashlight_p141642.html I have to say I am a little concerned, as I have just splashed out nearly £240 on a Nitecore TM15 here in the UK only to see this torch, that looks apart from the body colour, identicle to the TM15 including similar output specs, yet selling for a sixth of the price at under £40!!!! Is the Sky Ray a counterfeit of a TK15 or have I just been a mug spending all my hard earned cash on the TK15 when I could of got something almost identicle for a fraction of the price??


----------



## Bwolcott

brightspark1967 said:


> Do you know anything about the Sky Ray King XML T6 flashlight as sold by T Mart? http://www.tmart.com/SKY-RAY-SK-KING-XML-T6-15W-3000-4200LM-5-Mode-Flashlight_p141642.html I have to say I am a little concerned, as I have just splashed out nearly £240 on a Nitecore TM15 here in the UK only to see this torch, that looks apart from the body colour, identicle to the TM15 including similar output specs, yet selling for a sixth of the price at under £40!!!! Is the Sky Ray a counterfeit of a TK15 or have I just been a mug spending all my hard earned cash on the TK15 when I could of got something almost identicle for a fraction of the price??




the tm15 is brighter and throws further, also has a way different UI


----------



## levelflight

If the lowest setting on the SkyRay is 3000 lumens it won't be much good for daily use, I expect.

Selfbuilt, one of our small cadre of trusted CPF reviewers who handles more flashlights than most of us put together perhaps said it best when stating that knock-off manufacturing often has quality control issues, along with significant variation in the overall UI reliability and ease of use.
Paying for the TM15 guarantees you a quality product....I don't feel you'll be sorry about paying a fair price for this solid performer. The i4 charger seems good value as well. I notice on the Flashoholics site you can buy a nice DC charging cord for this light, whereas the Nitecore website doesn't even list it as an accessory.

I got my TM15 yesterday and took it for a midnight walk in the woods and was glad I had it. We have cougars here and when I doubled back I saw fresh tracks across mine heading in the same direction, so it was comforting to have a light canon in hand on the way home....got me to thinking I'd use the strobe if it came down to claws and teeth.






I frequently compared it to my ZL SC600 on max output and there is, as you would expect, a world of difference. The TM15 is a solid little brick and a bit heavy for regular belt carry, but I'm sure it will find a useful place in your home. I'm glad I have one.

I'm thinking NiteCore would be smart to bring out a three cell version and reduce the overall diameter and length. I would be very interested in a light of similar output with reduced run times to gain real portability, so either the TM11 or the TM15 could be reconfigured as a three cell 18650. Now that would be one tiny light blaster!


----------



## Bwolcott

levelflight said:


> If the lowest setting on the SkyRay is 3000 lumens it won't be much good for daily use, I expect.
> 
> Selfbuilt, one of our small cadre of trusted CPF reviewers who handles more flashlights than most of us put together perhaps said it best when stating that knock-off manufacturing often has quality control issues, along with significant variation in the overall UI reliability and ease of use.
> Paying for the TM15 guarantees you a quality product....I don't feel you'll be sorry about paying a fair price for this solid performer. The i4 charger seems good value as well. I notice on the Flashoholics site you can buy a nice DC charging cord for this light, whereas the Nitecore website doesn't even list it as an accessory.
> 
> I got my TM15 yesterday and took it for a midnight walk in the woods and was glad I had it. We have cougars here and when I doubled back I saw fresh tracks across mine heading in the same direction, so it was comforting to have a light canon in hand on the way home....got me to thinking I'd use the strobe if it came down to claws and teeth.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I frequently compared it to my ZL SC600 on max output and there is, as you would expect, a world of difference. The TM15 is a solid little brick and a bit heavy for regular belt carry, but I'm sure it will find a useful place in your home. I'm glad I have one.
> 
> I'm thinking NiteCore would be smart to bring out a three cell version and reduce the overall diameter and length. I would be very interested in a light of similar output with reduced run times to gain real portability, so either the TM11 or the TM15 could be reconfigured as a three cell 18650. Now that would be one tiny light blaster!



those specs are wrong on the skyray king, the gold version max is slightly over 2000 lumens low I think is 400


----------



## Kango

I just got my TM15 and returning TN30 after having battery contact issues. I love TM15 for it's feel and beam pattern compared to TN30. But I need to ask... I noticed that the front glass looks hazy when I have the light on its highest mode. No matter how much I clean it... its there. Looks clean when the light is off but when it's on... I see the hazy and I do not see that on TN30. How about you guys?


----------



## Timothybil

> I'm thinking NiteCore would be smart to bring out a three cell version and reduce the overall diameter and length. I would be very interested in a light of similar output with reduced run times to gain real portability, so either the TM11 or the TM15 could be reconfigured as a three cell 18650. Now that would be one tiny light blaster!



I think you would really be pushing the edge of the envelope with that setup. Per Nitcore, each emitter pulls 3A, for a total of 9A, in Turbo mode. Spreading that across four cells gives a load of about 2.25 A per cell - a reasonable draw. Spreading it across three cells would result in a 3A draw - doable, but a much heavier load on the cells. I am not that knowledgeable about 18650s, but increasing the load by almost 50% would have to have some sort of detrimental effect on the cell lifetime. How much I will look to others more knowledgeable to supply.


----------



## levelflight

It's not much of an issue since you can run the T15 on 1-4 cells with full function as may be required. Granted, you don't want to find yourself relying on turbo mode with only one or two cells.

FWIW Zebralight will shortly be delivering their light in this (3 cell) configuration, the SC6330.

Has anyone noticed you can't charge the TM15 when it is in lockout mode? At least the indicator light doesn't function so I'm presuming no light = no charging. Interesting...


----------



## Matjazz

brightspark1967 said:


> Do you know anything about the Sky Ray King XML T6 flashlight as sold by T Mart? http://www.tmart.com/SKY-RAY-SK-KING-XML-T6-15W-3000-4200LM-5-Mode-Flashlight_p141642.html I have to say I am a little concerned, as I have just splashed out nearly £240 on a Nitecore TM15 here in the UK only to see this torch, that looks apart from the body colour, identicle to the TM15 including similar output specs, yet selling for a sixth of the price at under £40!!!! Is the Sky Ray a counterfeit of a TK15 or have I just been a mug spending all my hard earned cash on the TK15 when I could of got something almost identicle for a fraction of the price??



I knew about SkyRay King and I red a lot about it. In the end I got TM11 because:

it's waterproof 
has more modes with better UI 
is current regulated (King has nasty PWM) 
has voltage indicator 
has durable positive contact ring. 
has lockout mode 
And I don't regret it


----------



## davpet

Kango said:


> I just got my TM15 and returning TN30 after having battery contact issues. I love TM15 for it's feel and beam pattern compared to TN30. But I need to ask... I noticed that the front glass looks hazy when I have the light on its highest mode. No matter how much I clean it... its there. Looks clean when the light is off but when it's on... I see the hazy and I do not see that on TN30. How about you guys?



Hi!

Yes, I also noticed the haze on my TM15's glass. Actually, I just switch it on the lowest mode, and can still see it. If I try to wipe it with a cloth, it stays clean for a second, then this mysterious fog returns. I even tried washing it, then wiping it dry, but no matter what I do, the haze comes back.


----------



## davpet

levelflight said:


> It's not much of an issue since you can run the T15 on 1-4 cells with full function as may be required. Granted, you don't want to find yourself relying on turbo mode with only one or two cells.
> 
> FWIW Zebralight will shortly be delivering their light in this (3 cell) configuration, the SC6330.
> 
> Has anyone noticed you can't charge the TM15 when it is in lockout mode? At least the indicator light doesn't function so I'm presuming no light = no charging. Interesting...



Yes, you have to long press the switch for it to start charging, if the light was in lockout mode. The other interesting thing is if you do so, after disconnecting the cable, the light will turn on... okay, I just tried this again, to be certain.


----------



## sidecross

Does anyone have information if the built in TM15 charger balances the charge of the four 18650 batteries?


----------



## Kango

davpet said:


> Hi!
> 
> Yes, I also noticed the haze on my TM15's glass. Actually, I just switch it on the lowest mode, and can still see it. If I try to wipe it with a cloth, it stays clean for a second, then this mysterious fog returns. I even tried washing it, then wiping it dry, but no matter what I do, the haze comes back.


Yup. thats exactly what happens to my TM15's lens. It's weird. I've had other 2000+ lumen flashlights like Olight SR90 and TN30 and non of them have this haze issue.


----------



## Chowderhead72

My tm15 just showed up, I have inserted 4 aw3100's less than 10 minutes off the Pila and when I tighten the battery tube to the head I get nothing no pretty blue lights nor any other signs of life. DOA or am I missing something? It almos seems that aw3100's are to short.


----------



## ZRXBILL

Chowderhead72 said:


> My tm15 just showed up, I have inserted 4 aw3100's less than 10 minutes off the Pila and when I tighten the battery tube to the head I get nothing no pretty blue lights nor any other signs of life. DOA or am I missing something? It almos seems that aw3100's are to short.



Try tightening it just a little more if possible.


----------



## Chowderhead72

Did that. The problem was the aw's have a flush button top. I wrinkled the button a little and it works fine. 

Could someone advise me of a 3100 that will work correctly? All my cells are aw 3100. Should I try a drop of solder on the cells?


----------



## selfbuilt

Chowderhead72 said:


> Did that. The problem was the aw's have a flush button top. I wrinkled the button a little and it works fine.
> Could someone advise me of a 3100 that will work correctly? All my cells are aw 3100. Should I try a drop of solder on the cells?


You will to have to do something to raise the positive contact height above the wrapper, if you want to use the AW cells. Otherwise, you can never trust all the cells are making contact - in your example above, you quite likely did not have all four cells engaged. This would be very bad for the few cells that did make contact, when run on higher outputs.

You should really only use 18650 cells with a raised positive contact in the TM15. Those AW cells are only suitable in lights with a single raised contact post or spring in the head.


----------



## Chowderhead72

Do you have a 3100 recommendation?


----------



## selfbuilt

Chowderhead72 said:


> Do you have a 3100 recommendation?


They are pretty much all fine, as they are built around the same Panasonic NCR18650A core. Some may have better quality circuitry, but runtime performance is not going to be hugely different. You just need to get ones that the have the positive contact point above the wrapper (i.e., small or wide button tops).


----------



## levelflight

davpet said:


> Yes, you have to long press the switch for it to start charging, if the light was in lockout mode. The other interesting thing is if you do so, after disconnecting the cable, the light will turn on... okay, I just tried this again, to be certain.



I guess that means the switch is still 'functioning' even though the charging cord has been inserted.

After using this light for a while now I am left wondering what the Standby mode is all about. While finding the UI generally very practical for field use, I'm unsure of when to use this mode, it doesn't make any sense to me. Anyone?


----------



## selfbuilt

levelflight said:


> After using this light for a while now I am left wondering what the Standby mode is all about. While finding the UI generally very practical for field use, I'm unsure of when to use this mode, it doesn't make any sense to me. Anyone?


Standby is an integral part of how the light functions - because you don't have a physical clicky switch, the electronic always has to be drawing a small amount of power. The flashing indicator is just to let you know that this is occurring (and doubles as a "night light" feature, to help you find the light in the dark).

Or do you mean in comparison the the soft lock-out mode? The point there is to prevent accidental activation of the switch by requiring a specific press sequence. The advantage to this mode is that is can lower the standby current (since it doesn't need to respond as rapidly to as many different kinds of situations), and thus not require the standby indicator.


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## levelflight

selfbuilt said:


> Standby is an integral part of how the light functions - because you don't have a physical clicky switch, the electronic always has to be drawing a small amount of power. The flashing indicator is just to let you know that this is occurring (and doubles as a "night light" feature, to help you find the light in the dark).
> 
> Or do you mean in comparison the the soft lock-out mode? The point there is to prevent accidental activation of the switch by requiring a specific press sequence. The advantage to this mode is that is can lower the standby current (since it doesn't need to respond as rapidly to as many different kinds of situations), and thus not require the standby indicator.



Well I guess that's it, a terminology issue. I think of Standby as 'off' and lockout as a button function 'Lockout.'


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## Chowderhead72

Eagletac 3400's inbound.. Thank guys. Now back to topic.


----------



## officermartinez

Last night, I did a little comparison of my TM15 vs my police spot light that is mounted on my patrol car. This comparison was done around 8:30pm last night, just prior to a large storm hitting our area. The building that I am pointing at is the side of a movie theater.

Control shot:








Police car mounted spot light:







TM15:


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## levelflight

That's almost funny. Yup, the TM15 output and beam pattern is hard to beat........I love the result of the effort Nitecore put in to perfecting it.


----------



## levelflight

I have a runtime question....at what voltage will the TM15 stop putting out useful light?
I'm curious to know at what point I definitely need to charge the batteries.


----------



## Yourfun2

If you care about your batteries, pull them when the light starts a fast flash.


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## levelflight

So far I haven't let them run down that low, but did you happen to check what the voltage was when the flashing started?


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## selfbuilt

officermartinez said:


> Last night, I did a little comparison of my TM15 vs my police spot light that is mounted on my patrol car. This comparison was done around 8:30pm last night, just prior to a large storm hitting our area. The building that I am pointing at is the side of a movie theater.


Thanks for sharing, interesting comparison.



levelflight said:


> I have a runtime question....at what voltage will the TM15 stop putting out useful light?
> I'm curious to know at what point I definitely need to charge the batteries.


One practical answer would be once the Turbo and Hi modes are no brighter than the Med mode ... by that point, I would think it's definitely time to recharge (if not earlier). It doesn't hurt Li-ions to be frequently topped-up, so you are best to recharge early. I don't have any specific resting voltages to recommend, but would personally re-charge by the time voltage drop into the low 3+ V range.


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## levelflight

Thank you for the info selfbuilt. Out of curiosity is there any risk of running Li-ion cells to a flat state....not that I plan on doing it, but as my LiPo cells (different beasts, I know) don't like going below 20% of rated capacity....I am just wondering where the safety line is for Li-ion chemistry.


----------



## levelflight

Packaging, or more correctly stated 'packing' appears to me an obvious oversight on the part of many manufacturers. Let's take Nitecore as a prime example, although they are certainly not alone as I could easily list off half a dozen others, and there may be more.

When I opened the box containing my TM15 I had to lift off a piece of foam which protected it from bangs when the box would be upside down. Ditto for all four sides; decent foam of reasonable thickness to protect it from bangs and such. I lift out the light and look on the bottom of the box, the most likely point of impact, and what do I find? Nothing! No packing material of any kind. Just thin cardboard on which the light rests, ready to accept all the bangs and bruises of international shipping.

C'mon you guys, give this one second of thought and put a little piece of foam on the bottom of the box (underneath the light), just like you have on the top so that my $300 flashlight will actually be protected. I wonder how long this innovation will take to implement......?


----------



## Yourfun2

Uh! My Tm11 and TM15 both had foam all the way around including the bottom.


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## ZRXBILL

Yourfun2 said:


> Uh! My Tm11 and TM15 both had foam all the way around including the bottom.



So did mine.


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## makapuu

Yourfun2 said:


> Uh! My Tm11 and TM15 both had foam all the way around including the bottom.





ZRXBILL said:


> So did mine.



Same here, nicely packed.


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## Wiking

Yourfun2 said:


> Uh! My Tm11 and TM15 both had foam all the way around including the bottom.





ZRXBILL said:


> So did mine.





makapuu said:


> Same here, nicely packed.



And mine too, protected 360° sort of.


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## levelflight

Interesting and good to hear. Both my boxes had no foam on the bottom, so perhaps I drew too sweeping a conclusion.


----------



## brightspark1967

selfbuilt said:


> *Warning: pic heavy, as usual.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The TM15 is a latest member of the ‘Tiny Monster’ series from Nitecore. It is a high-output, 3xXM-L, 4x18650 (8xCR123A/RCR) light with a built-in recharging dock for 18650. Let's see how it compares to other recent lights in this class that I've reviewed recently ….
> 
> *Manufacturer's Specifications:*
> _Note: as always, these are only what the manufacturer reports. To see my actual testing results, scroll down the review._
> 
> 
> 3x CREE XM-L U2
> Uses 4 x 18560, or 8 x CR123A batteries (Batteries not included)
> Can run on 1 x 18650, or 2 CR123 batteries in case of emergency
> Output and Runtime: (runtime based on 4x 2600mAh 18650)
> Turbo: 2450 lumens (1 hour)
> High: 1300 lumens (3 hours, 10 minutes)
> Mid: 570 lumens (8 hours, 20 minutes)
> Low: 300 lumens (16 hours, 30 minutes)
> Lower: 95 lumens (52 hours)
> Maximum Throw: 1,190 feet (363 m)
> Peak Beam Intensity: 33,000 candela
> Impact Resistant to 4.9 ft. (1.5 m)
> IPX-8 Water Resistant
> Integrated thermal protection prevents overheating
> Compatible with both 18650 Li-Ion and CR123A Batteries
> Intelligent charging circuit with status detection recharges the light easily, safely, and quickly
> Exceptionally long run times
> Innovative power indicator light displays remaining battery power
> Single button two-stage switch provides a user-friendly interface
> Coated mineral scratch-resistant glass lens
> Aluminum reflector ensures consistent and powerful beam
> Constructed from military grade HA Type III hard-anodized aluminum alloy
> Dimensions: Length: 6.22" (158 mm), Bezel Diameter: 2.36" (60 mm), Body Diameter: 1.96" (50 mm)
> Weight (Excluding batteries): 15.76 oz. (447 g)
> Accessories: Charger, holster, lanyard, and spare O-ring
> MSRP: ~$300
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Packaging is a cardboard box with built-in packaging foam. Inside you will find the light, belt holster, extra o-ring, simple wrist lanyard (with threading wire), manual and AC charging cable. My sample came with the standard North American 110V AC charging plug.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From left to right: AW Protected 18650; Nitecore TM15, TM11; Sunwayman T60CS; Thrunite TN30.
> 
> All dimensions are directly measured, and given with no batteries installed:
> 
> *Nitecore TM15:* Weight: 450.6g (634g with 4x18650). Length 158mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm
> *Nitecore TM11*: Weight: 342.6g (526g with 8xCR123A), Length 135.3mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm
> *Sunwayman T60CS:* Weight: 338.9g (est 477g with 3x18650), Length: 145.0mm, Width (bezel): 60.0mm
> *Thrunite TN30*: Weight: 468.2g (est 620g with 3x18650), Length: 179mm, Width (bezel): 64.3mm, Width (tailcap): 49.0mm
> *Xtar S1 Production*: Weight: 876.0g (est. 1028g with 3x18650 protected), Length: 240mm, Width (bezel): 83.4mm
> *Olight SR51*: Weight: 405g, Length: 190mm, Width (bezel) 62.0mm
> 
> The TM15 is definitely a longer light than the TM11, but otherwise looks very similar in build. In fact, the battery handle appears to be virtually identical – the difference is all in the head.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As with the TM11, anodizing is a flat black, and seems in excellent shape on my sample. There is some knurling on the head and body, of reasonable aggressiveness. Overall grip is certainly decent, despite the cylindrical shape.
> 
> Body labels are rather extensive as before – in additional to the usual maker and model information, you also have a 5-point series of warnings about the light (in a very tiny, but legible, font).  The light can tailstand.
> 
> Battery handle is quite compact, and easily houses 4x18650 or 8xCR123A/RCR. The battery compartments are molded right into the aluminum, with a common negative terminal contact plate. You don't need to fill all the wells for the light to work, but should expect lower runtime (and Turbo mode is not recommended on anything but the full complement of cells). Again, scroll down for more info.
> 
> As before, screw threads are anodized for lock-out. :thumbsup:
> 
> Inside the head, there are two raised contact rings for the positive and negative current paths. These appear the same as the TM11, and are quite solid (likely gold-plated brass?).
> 
> The switch design has changed a little bit from the TM11. It is still a two-stage (two-pressure) electronic switch, but the button projects out a little further now. The ring around the switch now uses a blue LED instead of red to signal the state of the light (i.e., battery status, voltage, and standby modes). Scroll down for an explanation of the interface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The TM15 has an AC charging cable that connects on the back of the head. The connection point has a small rubber cover, held down with a screw. Not sure how durable or water resistant this will be long-term. Note the charging solution is to be used ONLY with 18650 cells.
> 
> Nitecore estimates it will take about 7 hours to full charge the cells this way, which seems a reasonable estimate (i.e., it took just over 6 hours for my relatively low capacity 2200mAh 18650 cells). My somewhat used cells all came out ~4.14-4.15V in my testing, which is a nice conservative level (i.e., just ~0.01-0.02V less than my Pila charger on these same cells).
> 
> There is also a tripod attachment mount nearby, with uses the standard tripod screw diameter (presumably 1/4-20 UNC). Note that I found some of inexpensive tripod mounts were a bit loose when screwing into the TM15 (e.g., gorilla-pods), but seemed stable enough in the end. Professional tripods mounts fit stably and securely. The mount seems a little far forward on the light, given that a lot of the weight is in the battery handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> TM15 has the same size bezel opening as before, and comes with a stainless steel bezel ring, slightly scalloped. The screw-on bezel diffuser from the Eagletac M2- and M3- series lights works as before.
> 
> The TM15 uses 3x cool white XM-L emitters as before. However, the TM15 has much deeper reflector wells than the TM11, as illustrated below:
> 
> TM11 on the left, TM15 on the right:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> Scroll down for beam pic comparisons.
> 
> *User Interface*
> 
> The TM15 uses an updated version of the TM11’s innovative two-stage electronic switch.
> 
> Like before, for Turbo output, press the switch all the way and release (for constant on), or press firmly and hold for momentary on. What's new is that this "Turbo" set also has a slightly lower Hi mode, which you can switch to and from (when locked on in Turbo) by half-pressing the switch and releasing. There is no mode memory on this mode set – the light always comes on in Turbo. Turn off by a full press and release.
> 
> For the lower "Daily" modes, only partially press the switch from off (again, hold for momentary, release quickly for locked-on). Light will come on in the memorized lower output mode. As described above, to switch modes when on, simply half-press and quickly release the switch again. The light will advance to the next output, in repeating sequence of Lower > Lo > Med > Hi. The light has memory on this mode set, and will retain the last lower output used. Turn off by a full press and release.
> 
> Along with the raised switch, the pressure required to activate the various modes has changed slightly from the TM11, but you quickly get used to it.
> 
> The light will read-out the voltage of the cells when you first connect the head, by a series of blue flashes around the on-off switch. After the initial voltage read-out, the light will then flash once every three seconds (when off), to let you know you are in standby mode. The indicator stays constantly illuminated when the light is on. It will start to flash as the batteries begin to drain, at increasing frequency.
> 
> A "hidden" strobe mode can be accessed by two rapid full presses of the switch from On. Turn off or double-click again to return to constant output modes.
> 
> There is a switch lock-out mode that prevents accidental activation (and lowers the standby current, see below). Press the switch all the way down and hold for more than one second. When you release, the light will turn off and enter the lockout mode. To exit the lockout mode, simply press and hold the switch firmly for more than one second.
> 
> The charger plugs in under the rubber cover on the back of the head. The blue indicator light comes on during charging, flashing twice a second. Once the charge is complete, the indicator shows solid blue. My sample charged to a reasonably full level.
> 
> For information on the light, including the build and user interface, please see my new video overview:
> 
> 
> 
> As always, videos were recorded in 720p, but YouTube typically defaults to 360p. Once the video is running, you can click on the configuration settings icon and select the higher 480p to 720p options. You can also run full-screen.
> 
> *PWM/Strobe*
> 
> There is no sign of PWM on any level – I believe the light is current-controlled, as expected.
> 
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> 
> As you can see above, the TM15 has a true variable frequency strobe. In my testing, the time between pulses varied from ~75 to ~200 msecs (or 5 to 13 Hz).
> 
> *Standby Drain*
> 
> Due to the electronic switch, the TM15 will always be drawing a small current when the body/carrier is connected to the head. I measured this current as 790uA (although it would periodically spike every couple of seconds to ~3.6mA for a fraction of a second, when the signal flash occured).
> 
> Going with an "average" current of ~1mA, and assuming four times 2600mAh capacity batteries, that would give you a little over 1 year and 2 months before four fully charged batteries would be completely drained (given the parallel cell arrangement). This is about twice the current of my TM11, but it's certainly not bad.
> 
> Note there is always an electronic lock-out mode, to lock-out the switch and reduce the standby current. I don't know how much this lowers the current, but it likely to be significant. You can also break this current completely by turning the head a quarter turn (due to the anodized threads).
> 
> *Beamshots:*
> 
> And now, what you have all been waiting for.  All lights are on their respective max rechargeable battery sources (i.e., 18650s), about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences.
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> The TM15 clearly has a much narrower spillbeam than the TM11, due to the deeper reflectors. oo: In fact, both overall output and throw have increased on the TM15, compared to the earlier TM11.
> 
> Despite how it may look above, there is no artifact near the hotspot on my TM15 (rather, that faint line seems to be a mark on my white wall ).
> 
> In my experience, these sorts of deep well 3xXM-L lights tend to have a lot of "daisy flower" artifact effects in the spillbeam. But the TM15's reflector design is remarkably good – I see very little evidence of artifacts in this case. Much better than most lights in this class.
> 
> To show the spill a little better, here are some side shots on my famed "integrating carpet".
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> Again, the TM15 is far more focused for throw than most other 3xXM-L lights.
> 
> For outdoor beamshots, these are done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground). Please ignore the red-tint in the lower-right corner these shots (I was wearing a brighter-than-usual red headlamp during this excursion ). Zoomed-in pics of the hotspots are also included.
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> Here is how the TM15 compares directly to the TM11:
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> I know it can be a bit hard to compare, given the slight variation in angling of the lights and the tint differences. But as you can probably tell, the TM15 is a greater thrower than the TM11. The TM15 is generally comparable in throw to the Thrunite TN30.
> 
> *Testing Method:*
> 
> All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.
> 
> I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lightbox values to Lumens thread for more info.
> 
> *Throw/Output Summary Chart:*
> 
> My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables. Effective July 2012, I have updated all my Peak Intensity/Beam Distance measures with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter (orange highlights).
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> Turbo output is quite high – similar to my other recent 3xXM-L lights (i.e., the Sunwayman T60CS and Thrunite TN30). Throw is higher on my sample than the Nitecore specs indicate.
> 
> Here is how the TM15 compares to the TM11 in terms of relative level spacing.
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> Nitecore's lumen specs seem to be pretty accurate.
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> *Output/Runtime Comparison:*
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> _Note: All my 18650 runtimes are done using AW protected 2200mAh._
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> The TM15 shows excellent efficiency for this class, in keeping with the current-controlled circuit. Output is flat-regulated at all levels, very similar to the TM11.
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> 
> There was a step-down from Turbo to Hi on 8xCR123A after ~20 mins runtime. I suspect this was the thermal sensor kicking in to limit output. Note that primary CR123As tend to get a lot hotter than 18650 under high drive currents, which may be why I didn't observe any step-down effects on the 18650 runs (all runs above done under a cooling fan, as always).
> 
> As you will recall from my earlier TM11 review, there was some variability initially in the thermal sensitivity of the step-down control circuit of that model, even on 18650 (i.e. that light always stepped down eventually, even with cooling). I'm guessing the larger head of the TM15 has also allowed from improved heatsinking.
> 
> Since most of you are not likely to be running your lights under a cooling fan, I did an analysis of what happens if you run the light without any cooling whatsoever, on 4x18650. I also attached a thermal probe on the surface of the head of the light, just above the switch.
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> As you can see above, the rise in temperature triggered a step-down from Turbo to Hi on 18650 after about ~20 mins of runtime. The surface of the light was definitely quite warm by this period, but cooled down quickly once the output stepped down.
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> With 4x18650, the output remained stably at this Hi level for the rest of the run. This is in contrast to the gradual partial recovery of output on 8xCR123A as the temperature dropped, but that may reflect differences in the internal resistance of the different chemistries. I am happy to report there is no sign of the rapid cycling in output I observed on the early TM11 samples.
> 
> In case you are curious, here is how the TM15 compares to other lights in estimated lumens:
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> 
> *Potential Issues*
> 
> Due to the overlapping reflector design, there are bound to be some artifacts in the periphery of the spillbeam. However, I find them to be surprisingly minor in this case. The light is a lot "throwier" than the TM11 (by design), with a much narrower spillbeam.
> 
> Due to the electronic switch in the head, the light has a stand-by current when waiting to receive a button press. This current is reasonably low (~1mA, on average). You can lower this standby current further by locking out the switch. You can also completely break this current by loosening the head from the body.
> 
> The charging dock cover feels a little flimsy, but has held in fine during my testing so far. Note the charger is meant _only_ for 18650 cells - do not attempt to charge other kinds of batteries inside the light.
> 
> The raised switch - and increased sensitivity - may result in greater accidental activations on the TM15, compared to the earlier TM11. I do find the new sensitivity easier to use in practice, though.
> 
> *Preliminary Observations*
> 
> The TM15 is an impressive update to the Tiny Monster series of Nitecore lights. As many of you may recall, there were a number of initial circuit and soldering issues at the time of the TM11 launch. Nitecore seems to have these now well in hand, judging by my one TM15 sample – it performed consistently and reliably throughout my testing.
> 
> There are some minor circuit and user interface tweaks from the earlier TM11, as described earlier in this review. These are relatively minor, although I personally prefer the new raised switch and feel. I am glad to see they have kept the standby current to an acceptably low level, and have provided a variety of lock-out options.
> 
> Overall output/runtime efficiency and regulation pattern remain excellent.  The thermal sensor-driven step-down on Turbo worked exactly as I would have expected, with a reasonable set point and sensitivity (i.e., there was none of the repeated "cycling" pattern I observed on the early TM11 samples).
> 
> The build is very similar to the TM11, and continues to feel solid and robust. As before, those with smaller hands may find it a bit awkward to carry for extended periods. It is also heavier now, thanks to the greater heatsink and deeper reflector wells.
> 
> On that point, I am impressed with the quality of the beam. The TM15 is much "throwier" than the TM11, but without the usual heavy spill artifacts I've noticed on previous on 3xXM-L designs. Clearly, a lot of work went into this reflector. oo:
> 
> As before, the light has considerable battery flexibility by running the four wells in parallel. You can thus run the light in 1x, 2x, 3x, or 4x 18650 configurations (or 2x, 4x, 6x, 8x CR123A/RCR). Although I haven't tested it here, I recommend you don't try to run Turbo on anything less than the full 4x/8x complement of cells (or Hi on anything less than 3x/6x). Although in a pinch, I'm sure you could get by with an IMR-18650 or two (if you had ones that were long enough to activate the light).
> 
> The other new addition here is the built-in battery charger option. My testing showed this charger worked as expected, with a nice conservative termination level (i.e., didn't over-charge my cells). I can't easily determine if it terminates completely at the end of a charge, but Nitecore assures me that it is "intelligent automatic" like their i4 charger, and will terminate charging immediately. Note that the i4 charger actually has a low uA current once charging is complete, but it is so low as to be close enough to full termination (i.e., it is definitely not a trickle charge). If it is the same here, then there is nothing to worry about.
> 
> All told, the TM15 is a nice addition to the Tiny Monster line. The circuit tweaks are really more evolutionary than revolutionary, and the built-in charger worked well in my testing. But to me, the main advantage of this light over the TM11 is the much greater throw. :wave:
> 
> ----
> 
> TM15 provided by Nitecore for review.


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## brightspark1967

Can anyone tell me if they have had problems getting their TM15 to run with 18650 batteries? I have just been fortunate to get one along with a set of Rechargeable Senybor protected 18650s (2800mah) The torch works fine with the supplied non rechargeable Nitecore cr123s but nothing at all with the Senybors. I have tested each of the new Senybors 18650s in my Zebralight SC600 and no problems at all? Any ideas anyone please?


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## xed888

senybors might be too long.

when you screw it on, the body and head might not be in contact to complete the circuit


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## brightspark1967

xed888 said:


> senybors might be too long.
> 
> when you screw it on, the body and head might not be in contact to complete the circuit


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## brightspark1967

Not sure if it might be the other way and they are too short. I've just noticed that Nitecore state their 2600mah 18650s are 70mm long, whereas the Senybors are quoted as 69.2mm. Guessing it might be an expensive mistake and I'm gonna have to fork out £40 for the Nitecore 18650s!


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## officermartinez

Hmmmmm.. Well, I own the Nitecore TM15 and I run Orbtronics 3100mAh 18650 cells in mine without ANY issues. Orbtronics lists their cells as being 68.9mm (+ or - 0.3mm). I have 12 of the Orbtronics and each one works just fine in my Nitecore TM15. Is it possible the Senybors have any issues? Possibly the TM15 itself has any issues? Have you tried any other brand of 18650's in your TM15? Also, not sure if it's worth mentioning, but I do have some older Panasonic 18650's WITHOUT the button top. I just confirmed that those do NOT work in my TM15. Do your Senybors have the button tops on them? If not, that might be the issue.


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## BVH

Has anyone done a comparison of the TM15 and the Firefoxes III HID? I know the FF3 produces close to twice the Lumens but it's generally thought of as a "floodier" light than a thrower. I'd love to see a throw comparison like those that Selfbuilt does.


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## Patriot

BVH said:


> Has anyone done a comparison of the TM15 and the Firefoxes III HID? I know the FF3 produces close to twice the Lumens but it's generally thought of as a "floodier" light than a thrower. I'd love to see a throw comparison like those that Selfbuilt does.



Bob, the FFIII hits between 185,000 - 225,000 lux depending on owner readings. The TM15 hits 46,500 lux according to Selfbuilt, so these two lights are really in different categories. Pros going to the TM15 would be run-time, mode flexibility, choice of tint, and instant on. 

The Fenix TK75 really sets the bar for compact triple-XM-L's at 90,000 - 108,000 lux, depending on owner readings.


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## CouldUseALight

Having decided to keep only 1 multi-emitter....I sold my Fenix TK75 and kept my Nitecore TM15. :thinking:

What sealed it for me, is that the TM15 performs ridiculously well on however many batteries you happen to have! :twothumbs

I don't advise this, but on a single very good 18650, the TM15 will run 15+ minutes on Turbo, followed by an 90+ minutes of graceful stepping-down. 

The charge port and voltage indicator mean the light always has 4 fully charged batteries on the shelf...and if I need to scavenge one, or two, or even three, the light is still useful. 

To me, equipment you might grab in an emergency should adapt this way.:candle:

It also means that as batteries improve, the TM15's performance will too. 

IMO, there are inherent design conflicts in using built-in timers or minimum cell #s, in conjunction with ever-improving interchangeable batteries... 

The TM15 won't always be the brightest but its runtime and flexibility will always match whatever batteries you care to jump for, now or in a few years. :rock:


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## brightspark1967

officermartinez said:


> Hmmmmm.. Well, I own the Nitecore TM15 and I run Orbtronics 3100mAh 18650 cells in mine without ANY issues. Orbtronics lists their cells as being 68.9mm (+ or - 0.3mm). I have 12 of the Orbtronics and each one works just fine in my Nitecore TM15. Is it possible the Senybors have any issues? Possibly the TM15 itself has any issues? Have you tried any other brand of 18650's in your TM15? Also, not sure if it's worth mentioning, but I do have some older Panasonic 18650's WITHOUT the button top. I just confirmed that those do NOT work in my TM15. Do your Senybors have the button tops on them? If not, that might be the issue.




Yep, they are button tops! Ironic thing is the the TM15 will work with a single Senybor 18650 but not 2, 3, or 4 of them, so am wondering if the fault is with the TM15. I am sending it back anyway, as with others all 3 LEDs glow when the light is switched off, which could pose probs when I decide to sell it in a couple of years time to upgrade, as well as a couple of nasty scratches on the Stainless Steel tactical ring/bezel where it looks like someone at the factory has crudely tightened it up with a pair of needle nose pliers! Very poor quality control indeed from Nitecore, esp for a £240 torch!! I am seriously considering alternative manufacturers!!


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## sbbsga

brightspark1967 said:


> as with others all 3 LEDs glow when the light is switched off



I just realized that the LED's on my TM15W glows very dimly when off as well but only during the voltage readings - switch lock-out and body reconnection.

They appear to have a slow ramp-up when on and a sudden drop when off.


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## 1TrueKevin

I made this my first multi-emitter. You know what they say about your first! 

Selfbuilt is a god of reviewing. Many thanks!


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## selfbuilt

1TrueKevin said:


> I made this my first multi-emitter. You know what they say about your first!
> Selfbuilt is a god of reviewing. Many thanks!


Thanks. :laughing:

And :welcome:


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## brightspark1967

sbbsga said:


> I just realized that the LED's on my TM15W glows very dimly when off as well but only during the voltage readings - switch lock-out and body reconnection.
> 
> They appear to have a slow ramp-up when on and a sudden drop when off.



Apparently Nitecore have admitted that glowing LEDs was a problem not picked up by their quality control on earlier production runs of the TM15 and have said that should anyone have the glowing LEDs that they will be happy to replace them free of charge. This would prob be a wise move for anyone with a TM15 that glows in the dark when switched off, as I know what the first question I would ask anyone selling a secondhand one....... and of course, who's going to want to buy a secondhand TM15 if it has an LED manufacturing fault, I for one would avoid it like the plague!!!!!


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## sidecross

brightspark1967 said:


> Apparently Nitecore have admitted that glowing LEDs was a problem not picked up by their quality control on earlier production runs of the TM15 and have said that should anyone have the glowing LEDs that they will be happy to replace them free of charge. This would prob be a wise move for anyone with a TM15 that glows in the dark when switched off, as I know what the first question I would ask anyone selling a secondhand one....... and of course, who's going to want to buy a secondhand TM15 if it has an LED manufacturing fault, I for one would avoid it like the plague!!!!!




Personally I have TM11’s and TM15’s and lock out the tail cap when not in use.

I am sure if you use stand-by mode this would be a concern.


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## sbbsga

brightspark1967 said:


> Apparently Nitecore have admitted that glowing LEDs was a problem not picked up by their quality control on earlier production runs of the TM15 and have said that should anyone have the glowing LEDs that they will be happy to replace them free of charge. This would prob be a wise move for anyone with a TM15 that glows in the dark when switched off, as I know what the first question I would ask anyone selling a secondhand one....... and of course, who's going to want to buy a secondhand TM15 if it has an LED manufacturing fault, I for one would avoid it like the plague!!!!!



Yes but on mine, they only glow during the readings. They are off the rest of the time - lock out or not. I do not consider it as a problem, my earlier statement was only meant as an information.


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## brightspark1967

sbbsga said:


> Yes but on mine, they only glow during the readings. They are off the rest of the time - lock out or not. I do not consider it as a problem, my earlier statement was only meant as an information.



Maybe not a problem for you, but it is certainly a manufacturing fault otherwise Nitecore would never admit to it and also get their quality control department to reject any glowing LEDs they find from now on, as well as offer to replace the faulty ones that glow for free! If I wanted to buy a faulty flashlight I'd go to a reject shop!


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## sbbsga

brightspark1967 said:


> Maybe not a problem for you, but it is certainly a manufacturing fault otherwise Nitecore would never admit to it and also get their quality control department to reject any glowing LEDs they find from now on, as well as offer to replace the faulty ones that glow for free! If I wanted to buy a faulty flashlight I'd go to a reject shop!



The reason is because both my Nitecore EA4's have similar glow during the same events too. I guess load is necessary to measure voltage. Hopefully electronics experts are reading and could confirm this.


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## RCTPAVUK

Hi.
I'd like to know if the light steps down to lower modes during a battery discharge, OR it drops from turbo to high because of thermal protection, and slowly dies(dims) after...
I know that Fenix tk75 has this step-down feature, and i was wondering if TM15 has the same.


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## levelflight

"What sealed it for me, is that the TM15 performs ridiculously well on however many batteries you happen to have! :twothumbs
I don't advise this, but on a single very good 18650, the TM15 will run 15+ minutes on Turbo, followed by an 90+ minutes of graceful stepping-down. "

Interesting test and thank you for sharing. Can you tell me what capacity 18650 you used for this test?


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## skeeterbait

Absolutely, the lights parallel operation just makes sense, multiple battery types, 18650, CR123a, RCR123 and multiple battery numbers, 1-4 18650 or 2-8 CR123a RCR123 makes the light very adaptable when it is really needed. Onboard charging AC or DC is also adaptive for different scenarios. Good compromise between throw and flood makes it a highly useful real world 100 meter light with the ability to reach further if needed. Integrated battery housing means less parts to loose or break. Fit, finish and design are exceptional on mine.


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## selfbuilt

RCTPAVUK said:


> I'd like to know if the light steps down to lower modes during a battery discharge, OR it drops from turbo to high because of thermal protection, and slowly dies(dims) after...
> I know that Fenix tk75 has this step-down feature, and i was wondering if TM15 has the same.


Look at the runtime graphs in the review. They show you exactly what to expect for the TM15, at various levels.


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## RCTPAVUK

Well, i do have to say, that it isn't good at all to keep the flashlight in dying mode... It'll short it operation modes significantly... I do like the TK75 system that automatically down-step from Turbo to Low step by step, BUT i don't like the next:
(mid-charged batteries) when you operate your flashlight on MID-Hi modes, you can turn Turbo, but it'll down-step
(low-charged batteries) the same procedure, but the flashlight turns off permanently, and you have to unscrew the battery cup and replace it again in order to light it again.
I'd like to know if TM15 has the same issue, or it'll block (skip) turbo mode when the battery pack isn't able to give the required current. The same thing for the High mode... Are you able to operate between only lower-low-mid levels with low batteries?

I hope i explained ok for the person without Engineer but with Law degree 
And i'd like to add that 300$ is a price which i would pay for really "smart" and well built flashlight, and implementing all this features isn't that hard for any manufacturer...


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## Yourfun2

If I remember right it will perform up to the highest mode possible and step down from there. No need to unscrew the battery tube.


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## selfbuilt

RCTPAVUK said:


> (low-charged batteries) the same procedure, but the flashlight turns off permanently, and you have to unscrew the battery cup and replace it again in order to light it again.
> I'd like to know if TM15 has the same issue, or it'll block (skip) turbo mode when the battery pack isn't able to give the required current. The same thing for the High mode... Are you able to operate between only lower-low-mid levels with low batteries?


AFAIK, the TM15 does not have a circuit cut-off feature for low voltage. So the light should activate on relatively low-charge-remaining batteries. What you are likely to find is that the Turbo/Hi modes are no brighter than the lower modes in that situation (i.e., you will still cycle through them, but the brightness will be the same as Med or Lo). 

I have not verified this in the TM15's case, but that is what usually happens with most current-controlled defined-level lights - you loose the higher output levels, but you still cycle through all modes (they just aren't as bright on the highest levels).


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## CouldUseALight

levelflight said:


> Interesting test and thank you for sharing. Can you tell me what capacity 18650 you used for this test?



I was using a Dark Matter 3400 18650 tested at 3260 mAh. I don't advise anyone to repeat the test! oo:

The TM15 on-switch rapid flashes frenetically when voltage gets low; you should recharge if possible at that point. Some batteries will overheat. The TM15 continues to put out light as long as voltage remains; protected 18650s will eventually hit the low-voltage cutoff on the battery to finally shut the flashlight down (avoid if possible!). 



RCTPAVUK said:


> I'd like to know if the light steps down to lower modes during a battery discharge, OR it drops from turbo to high because of thermal protection, and slowly dies(dims) after...



On partial batteries, the turbo-to-high stepdown appears to be prompted by heat. The light slowly fades thereafter in response to voltage drop, the output doesn't step down to defined levels. As batteries continue to die Turbo, then High, then Medium, become unavailable. Low lasts as long as your batteries do. :thumbsup:


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## CouldUseALight

BVH said:


> Has anyone done a comparison of the TM15 and the Firefoxes III HID?


Not a comparison, just some _terrible _pics... TM15 on top, FF3 below.....EDIT: TK75 bottom 
*TM15*:





*FF3 Beercan-Size BeastMonster*:




The TM15 is _infinitely _more practical, what with levels and runtime and all, but every flashaholic should play with a FireFoxes3! 
EDIT: Adding *Fenix TK75* pic:


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## RCTPAVUK

CouldUseALight said:


> On partial batteries, the turbo-to-high stepdown appears to be prompted by heat. The light slowly fades thereafter in response to voltage drop, the output doesn't step down to defined levels. As batteries continue to die Turbo, then High, then Medium, become unavailable. Low lasts as long as your batteries do. :thumbsup:



It's true, but it'll drain batteries faster. Not all people would be able to notice lumen drop from 1000 to 600 for example... But switching to that 600 will grant more light run... It's always better to have this option, because i'd say that having light operating on 1 set of batteries is better than having dead batteries after 2-3 hours...
I'd say that even with low mode outputs like 100 Lum you're still useful with this light, and can cover more area than having intense hi-lum outputs which can drain all power in few hours...

Maybe it's just mine opinion, and others can say that you can have other set of batteries, or just switch instantly to low, but this isn't the ideal option... When you have turbo for fixed 1 hour, and with step-down function you'd have another fixed 30 minutes in high, 30 in med, and 30 in low, it'll give you fixed 2.5 hour of effective operating time. 
Otherwise, you can have from 1.5 to Max 2 hours of operating time, and less covered area... If we have 1000 lum mode and next one is 600, we'll get half of turbo mode power consumption till the lum level gets to that 600... and after we have only 10 min of operation which causes completely dead batteries...

Suit yourself... I do want to have current-controlled-step-down flashlight in my hands when i go somewhere where i don't see any light for a very long time... And it's a perfect charge-monitor. You always know how long to expect your light to operate if it steps down to high or med level...


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## Bucur

I want to warmly thank Selfbuilt for this wonderful review (and for other wonderful reviews) as well as all the members who contributed with their comments. My TM15 arrived today. Without this review, I would be quite depressed when placing an international online order for such an expensive flashlight, without actually seeing and touching it. Knowing a product so well, before buying it, is too good to be true. Thank you, once again, Selfbuilt and thanks to all the members who contributed with their comments. 

I was almost familiar with the TM15 when opening the box but this did not scale-down my excitement. To the opposite, this was almost like a dream becoming true. 4 x 3400 mAh EagleTac 18650 batteries were accompanying my order and the first thing I did was inserting them one by one into the TM15 for verifying that every single cell made contact. The blue voltage indicator revealed that 3 of them were around 3,6V while one was singled out at around 4V. Then, my multimeter showed that the 3 were identical at 3.57V and the other one was at 3.97V. 

For the time being, I depend on the in-built charger of my TM15 for 18650 batteries. I wanted that they all start their first charge at exactly the same voltage. I put the high-volt battery in the TM15 and started to play with its features. I discovered that the button is a bit too sensitive for me. I was pleasantly surprised that the TM15 accepted all modes but Turbo with a single cell. I checked battery voltage via the blue indicator every minute at High mode. Once it indicated 3,6V, I started to check with my multimeter every 30 seconds until I got 3,57V. In a while, the battery recovered a bit but eventually, I got 3,55V just after removal and steady at 3,57V like the others. I reckon this was the best I could do, other than buying a charger with individual slots. I think, I should discharge the battery at a lower rate but this would take too long... 

Then, I put a little bit of extra Nyogel 670G lube on the treads and I started charging the batteries. I am eager to see what the Tiny Monster will do with fully charged batteries. The overall feel of quality is better than I expected. 

While the batteries are charging, I simply wanted to acknowledge my gratitude to Selfbuilt in particular and to CPF in general.


----------



## selfbuilt

Bucur said:


> I discovered that the button is a bit too sensitive for me. ... I am eager to see what the Tiny Monster will do with fully charged batteries. The overall feel of quality is better than I expected.


Thanks sharing, glad the light met (or exceeded) your expectations based on the review. I can see that the switch is more sensitive than many might expect (certainly more senstive than the original TM11). And sounds like a reasonable plan to ensure your cells are all well balanced to start (having a DMM is key to happy Li-ion use!).


----------



## Chowderhead72

Has anyone come up with a alternate holster arrangement that doesn't stick on the way out. I can't afford to use a light that requires two hands to access. Is there any aftermarket support? I would love to have molded leather holsters for all of my bigger lights: TN30, T60cs, TM15, deciding on next light; will be either the tk75 or the zebra 6330. So far my favorite is the Sunwayman so I am leaning more toward the Zebralight but that also lack a holster altogether. 

Any holster solutions?


----------



## skeeterbait

sew the rim of the holster into the back of the holster to tighten the rim just a bit so the light does not slide down past the cooling fins. It does not stick then.


----------



## shelm

(double post)


----------



## shelm

Thanks for the review, great work as always!

Hmm.. i think i have a defective charging adapter: i get a weirdly pulsating Ampere signal and most of the time it's plain 0.00A.


----------



## Nicolas

TM15 just reduced to $249.94 on Amazon, a drop of $40.06 in one day.


----------



## helixpteron

*Re: Nitecore TM15 / X40 testing equipment*

This is a bit annoying - I just ordered a Supbeam X40 yesterday, which might be considered no-name compared to the TM15

Supbeam published a picture of their testing equipment:
http://www.supbeam.com/en/supbeam-led-flashlight-x40
http://www.hopoo.lightstrade.com/view/100364/Hopoo_LED-photoelectric-tester.html
http://www.hopoo.lightstrade.com/view/62421/Integrating-sphere.html

Does anyone know this spectrometer and how accurate this is? Would the TM15 be tested with something equivalent ?
I'm just interested if I will get something disappointing or equivalent (plus parallel charing port) with the X40.

Rob.

PS: Great Review - thanks Selfbuilt.​


----------



## selfbuilt

shelm said:


> Hmm.. i think i have a defective *charging adapter*:


Hmmm, have you tried asking in the electronics subforum? Not sure what a pulsating current signal would indicate, one of the experts over there may be able to help troubleshoot.



helixpteron said:


> Does anyone know this spectrometer and how accurate this is? Would the TM15 be tested with something equivalent ?
> .​


I have no knowledge of what the various makers are using as their calibration equipment, and can't really hazard an opinion having never handled as Supbeam. But if it is of quality manufacture, there is no reason why it couldn't match the output of the TM15.


----------



## tungo

Can someone tell me if I'm doing something wrong? 

To go along with my sweet TM15, I purchased 4 Ultrafire 1860 3000mah rechargeable batteries, and with the built-in adapter to charge the batteries, I opted to not go with the Nitecore i4 Intellicharge charger.

Plugging the adapter in the first time, the batteries charged up fine and was indicated by the solid blue LED around the power button.

This happened only one time. Since then, I've attempted to recharge it, once overnight and another for 2 days straight, and for some reason, the blue LED will only flash to show that it is charging, but will never indicate that it is fully charged and when I attempt to power it on, nothing occurs as if the batteries are dead. I had the batteries tested and they have a ton of life left. The flashlight Adapter just won't charge the batteries. They are new batteries. Purchased January 14. 

Any help is appreciated.


----------



## selfbuilt

tungo said:


> To go along with my sweet TM15, I purchased 4 Ultrafire 1860 3000mah rechargeable batteries,... when I attempt to power it on, nothing occurs as if the batteries are dead. I had the batteries tested and they have a ton of life left.


How did you test the batteries? Do you have a DMM (digital multimeter), to directly measure the voltage? Have you tried the batteries one at a time in the light, and use the built-in voltage tester?

I am sorry to say, but Ultrafire is not a quality brand - you may not have gotten what you expected (i.e., there are plenty of stories of used, nearly dead laptop-pulls being rebranded under ultrafire wrappers). Without more information, I would lean toward thinking you are having a battery issue.

Oh, and :welcome:


----------



## tungo

selfbuilt said:


> How did you test the batteries? Do you have a DMM (digital multimeter), to directly measure the voltage? Have you tried the batteries one at a time in the light, and use the built-in voltage tester?
> 
> I am sorry to say, but Ultrafire is not a quality brand - you may not have gotten what you expected (i.e., there are plenty of stories of used, nearly dead laptop-pulls being rebranded under ultrafire wrappers). Without more information, I would lean toward thinking you are having a battery issue.
> 
> Oh, and :welcome:



I dont have a multimeter. I actually took them to Batteries Plus to have them tested and they rated fine. I don't know what they used to test the batteries. 

Ultrafire wasn't my first choice. I actually preferred to go with Tenergy instead. However, the representative from Battery Junction recommended them and in addition to that, they had the highest rated capacity that I could find and I wanted a long lasting battery. 

Thank you for the heartwarming welcome. I have quite a few flashlights, thanks to your reviews. They helped me with my choices. Your reviews go a long way for us members. Please continue to do them. In my arsenal are the Sunwayman T60CS, TM11, TM15, JetBeam PC10, and an EagleTac I gave to my dad. All from your reviews. 

What would you recommend I do Selfbuilt? Just eat the loss and order a new set of 4 batteries? Not Ultrafire this time.


----------



## selfbuilt

tungo said:


> I dont have a multimeter. I actually took them to Batteries Plus to have them tested and they rated fine. I don't know what they used to test the batteries.
> What would you recommend I do Selfbuilt? Just eat the loss and order a new set of 4 batteries? Not Ultrafire this time.


Hmm, I'm puzzled as what is going on - the light won't come on at all? As long as one of the batteries has some charge on it, the light should activate. Any chance you are having a contact issue? 

Have you tried the cells in another light? Since you have other 18650 lights, what are you using the charge the cells? If the batteries work fine in other lights, there is some sort of issue with the TM15 to sort out.


----------



## tungo

I am just as stumped. When plugged into the AC adapter with the 18650's, the blue indicator around the button will flash to show that it's charging. However, it will never turn a solid blue to show that it's fully charged. I let it sit overnight last night and it never turned over. Attempted to fire it up this morning after the overnight charge and nothing. I think the contact is fine. Tightened it as much as I could. The batteries are brand new from Battery Junction. 

I'm almost certain it's not the flashlight. However, the batteries are fine. Already called Battery Junction, but they are closed due to inclement weather and also emailed NiteCore to see if they can diagnose the issue. 

On a plus side, the TM26 was just released! I'm eyeing that as a new asset into my collection.


----------



## james22

I'm still not done kicking my own butt for this but I got my tm15 accidentally activated in turbo mode in my backpack. It was in lockout mode but not unscrewed to the point of complete deactivation. It was in the manufacturer included holster which has three clear rings melted into it where the strap sits over the leds and reflector recesses. That entire area of the holster is heat damaged. the batteries, which were nitecore 2300s, are non functional but not physically damaged. The light, however, still works. 

I want to know how much damage to the leds or other parts this may have done. I know the light is regulated and steps down to prevent heat damage but it was insulated under some shirts and inside the holster. I've also read that the more you allow a light to heat all the way up, relying on the circuitry to moderate outpu,t even under ideal circumstances, the shorter the life of the leds will be. I know the harm can also include performance drop long before actual failure. 

Does anyone have a realistic measure of what kind of damage I may have done or how much one can cut into the life of these xml leds by running them hot?

btw, that was an excellent review. I am constantly impressed with the level of time and thoughtful research people here contribute to the forum without expecting anything in return


----------



## selfbuilt

james22 said:


> I'm still not done kicking my own butt for this but I got my tm15 accidentally activated in turbo mode in my backpack. It was in lockout mode but not unscrewed to the point of complete deactivation.
> 
> Does anyone have a realistic measure of what kind of damage I may have done or how much one can cut into the life of these xml leds by running them hot?


Sorry to hear about the damage to the cells and holster. Just to clarify - you had the electronic soft-lock out engaged, but did not physically lock out by twisting the head? If so, that illustrates the problem with a one-second soft lock-out feature ... a sustained press could activate the light. :sigh:

As for damage to the LEDs, that's hard to say. I would certainly monitor the LEDs carefully for the next little while, to make sure output remains well balanced between them, with no apparent damage (i.e., no burnt out dark spots on the die). You have likely shortened their lifespan somewhat, but it seems to be exceedingly rare for an LED to spontaneously fail in a light (i.e., the circuit will typically die long before LED life is reached). If the light and LEDs still behave normally for the next little while, I suspect you are fine in terms of the LEDs long-term performance in the typical life-span of a light - but again, that's hard to say. 

As for the batteries, I'm presuming they simply ran down to their protection circuits cut-offs? You might want to check with the gurus in the batteries/electronics subforum on the best way to proceed here. 

Good luck!


----------



## skeeterbait

Test the batteries with a multimeter. If they read much less than 3 mAh then throw them away and do not charge them. Internal resistance could make them dangerous to charge. Chalk it up to a learning experience. Now if they read absolutely 0 mAh then probably the protection circuitry has just tripped and you need to wake the battery back up by resetting the circuitry. Sometimes the charger will wake it back up. Start by putting each battery in the charger seperately for 5 minutes. Take it out and check it with a multimeter. If it reads 3+ mAh then proceed and charge it up. If it still reads 0 then hook it with short wires to another known good and charged battery in parallel, + to + and - to - for about 2-3 seconds. Check it with a multimeter and again if it reads 3+ mAh then proceed to charge it. Do this with each battery. If they won't reset you may have to discard them.


----------



## coldstar

Very good review, tks!  But I think the light is too big to handle, not my type.


----------



## james22

Thanks for the information. I was not thorough describing the batteries. The nitecore wrapping split all the way up the side of each battery. One actually read 3.2 volts and three read nothing, but then when I put them on the charger (nitecore intellicharger) for a short time, they all started reading around 3.5v. After a few hours though, the charger got warm and smelled a little like burning. It wasn't hot but it was warmer than I recall it getting even though the batteries gave off no detectable heat. I guess I'll retire these batts anyway. 

I'm not sure my miltimeter measures mah. I still don't fully understand the relationship between voltage, resistance and draw so I know I have some research to do. Does this sound like my batteries are damaged even though the pcb reset and they provide charge? I'll be researching in the battery section anyway. i understand this probably isn't the right thread to continue talking about my situation. 

Powerful statement about the light though. It melts nylon.


----------



## selfbuilt

james22 said:


> Thanks for the information. I was not thorough describing the batteries. The nitecore wrapping split all the way up the side of each battery. One actually read 3.2 volts and three read nothing, but then when I put them on the charger (nitecore intellicharger) for a short time, they all started reading around 3.5v. After a few hours though, the charger got warm and smelled a little like burning. It wasn't hot but it was warmer than I recall it getting even though the batteries gave off no detectable heat. I guess I'll retire these batts anyway.


Discard the batteries immediately, do NOT try to charge them again.  If the wrapping is split on a battery, that's a sure sign of excessive heat damage - it is not worth attempting try to recover the cells, just recycle them and move on. You run a considerable risk trying to recharge damaged cells. But I agree, any further discussion of batteries should take place in the batteries forum.


----------



## james22

It's done. Thank you for the warning. I have aw 3100s on the way anyway.


----------



## audio8

*Loose part in (TM15)...?*

Hi,

I am new to this forum (great info!). I just received my TM15 and I noticed that there is a loose part in the head - something (sounds like a small piece of plastic/metal?) is moving around/ratting in there when I shake the light, like a broken off piece or an "extra" part... :-( Is there a way to remove the capsule (or whatever it is called - the part that says "sysmax" on it) to check out what is happening, or I will have to return it? It seems to function correctly, but I don't like "extra moving parts" making noise in my flashlight :-(

I really hope there is a way to remove it and see if it is just a harmless extra piece that got in there (and hopefully not something broken off) because I got mine from overseas and returning it would mean I will be without it for a month or so...

Thanks!


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: Loose part in (TM15)...?*



audio8 said:


> I am new to this forum (great info!). I just received my TM15 and I noticed that there is a loose part in the head - something (sounds like a small piece of plastic/metal?) is moving around/ratting in there when I shake the light, like a broken off piece or an "extra" part... :-( Is there a way to remove the capsule (or whatever it is called - the part that says "sysmax" on it) to check out what is happening, or I will have to return it? It seems to function correctly, but I don't like "extra moving parts" making noise in my flashlight :-(


Unfortunately no, the head is not meant to be user-serviceable. The only thing I can suggest is to unscrew the bezel ring, to see if the rattle is coming from the bezel/lens area. Failing that, if the rattle persists, you'll have to decide whether or not it is of sufficient annoyance to return for a replacement. Sorry I couldn't offer better news.

Oh, and :welcome:


----------



## skeeterbait

*Re: Loose part in (TM15)...?*

On the reflector there are three black diamonds. There are screws under there. A few people reported having a screw backed out and rattling. They were successful in taking the bezel and lens off, lifting the diamonds carefully and rethreading the screws. Is it perhaps this what you are hearing?


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: Loose part in (TM15)...?*



skeeterbait said:


> On the reflector there are three black diamonds. There are screws under there. A few people reported having a screw backed out and rattling. They were successful in taking the bezel and lens off, lifting the diamonds carefully and rethreading the screws. Is it perhaps this what you are hearing?


A good idea, it's worth trying (while you have the bezel/lens off anyway).


----------



## audio8

*Re: Loose part in (TM15)...?*



skeeterbait said:


> On the reflector there are three black diamonds. There are screws under there. A few people reported having a screw backed out and rattling. They were successful in taking the bezel and lens off, lifting the diamonds carefully and rethreading the screws. Is it perhaps this what you are hearing?



Thanks skeeterbait! I looked at the black plastic diamond shaped things and I have no idea how to remove them "carefully" (without damaging them) as I don't know how they are held in place. Do you have any links or info on those who already did this - I definitely agree that it's worth a try, but I don't want to damage them and possibly lose my warranty.

Thanks!

PS. when I submit a post, I don't see any indication that it was actually submitted. There is also a captcha on top of the post - when I last posted, I didn't fill it out and received no error message - everything looked the same as when I submitted the post with the captcha filled out. This is a bit confusing :thinking: - do I need to fill out the captcha with every post? Am I posting duplicate messages when I try to re-submit because I'm not sure if it was submitted...?


----------



## skeeterbait

It was discussed here
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ecore-TM15-bad-quality-control&highlight=tm15
and here
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?344327-Nitecore-TM15-2450-lm/page8&highlight=tm15

I haven't had to do it so you might PM some of these guys and ask about removing them.


----------



## audio8

skeeterbait said:


> It was discussed here
> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ecore-TM15-bad-quality-control&highlight=tm15
> and here
> http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?344327-Nitecore-TM15-2450-lm/page8&highlight=tm15
> 
> I haven't had to do it so you might PM some of these guys and ask about removing them.



Thanks a lot skeeterbait - I did what they said there and found that I had the same problem - one of the screws was loose inside. I threaded it in, and voila, problem solved.

I managed to scratch the top of all 3 of the small plastic tabs in the process, while trying to get them our with a tweezer (so if someone has the same problem and you are worried about your warranty, this solution may not be for you). I am not too worried about the small scratches - I bought the flashlight as a functional tool, not an exhibition piece, and I am very happy with it.

Thanks for helping me solve this - this is an awesome forum!!!


----------



## brightnorm

The TM15 is a terrific light, but at the risk of seeming unduly harsh I have to say that for my personal use I must rate it as unacceptable. This is because of the combination of a protruding "hair trigger" switch combined with an ineffective, easily triggered by accident UN-lockout. The TM11's UNlock system of three quick clicks was very effective and almost impossible to accidentally trigger. Unfortunately, for reasons I don't understand, Nitecore abandoned that approach for the current problematic one.

Additionally, the protruding easily-triggered switch should either have been partly recessed, or encompassed by a raised "surround". I modded my Fenix TK75's protruding switch with a raised Velcro surround which solved a similar problem, without compromising easy access to the switch, even when wearing gloves.

Despite the TM11's less sophisticated UI, I feel much more at ease carrying it, than the TM15. 

PS: Does anyone know why Nitecore switched from their previous excellent 3-click unlock to the current system? 

Brightnorm


----------



## Rafael Jimenez

Very good review. Great flashlight. But i'll stay with my TM11.


----------



## vulkans

i just bought this flashlight and it's so nice! anybody can help me about the maintenance i should know? i am very new in flashlight.. thx


----------



## oKtosiTe

brightnorm said:


> The TM15 is a terrific light, but at the risk of seeming unduly harsh I have to say that for my personal use I must rate it as unacceptable.


Couldn't you still do a hard lockout (anodized threads)?


----------



## weklund

I have nothing but good things to say about my TM15. A true workhorse. Rock solid construction and plenty of output options. Great utility. I really like the tripod 1/4" dia. threaded mount option. Great for photo light or hands free illumination. Optional flip diffuser. Built in charger is extremely handy and allows for use to charge spare 18650's while on the go. 

Just an awesome light in my opinion.


----------



## sidecross

weklund said:


> I have nothing but good things to say about my TM15. A true workhorse. Rock solid construction and plenty of output options. Great utility. I really like the tripod 1/4" dia. threaded mount option. Great for photo light or hands free illumination. Optional flip diffuser. Built in charger is extremely handy and allows for use to charge spare 18650's while on the go.
> 
> Just an awesome light in my opinion.



I have the same light and diffuser set up minus the use of the tripod option and I totally agree with you. :thumbsup:


----------



## ven

Love the set up,how do i go about finding a similar fitting for 1/4" tripod mount,cant seem to find anything,any help would be much appreciated,cheers


----------



## ven

Is it a swivel sling mount for a rifle ?


----------



## kreisl

ven said:


> Love the set up,how do i go about finding a similar fitting for 1/4" tripod mount,cant seem to find anything,any help would be much appreciated,cheers



i made my own tm15 tripod mount with erh .. a cheap ebay tripod mount.

hope this helps!


----------



## Dubois

kreisl said:


> i made my own tm15 tripod mount with erh .. a cheap ebay tripod mount.
> 
> hope this helps!



That's a neat idea - it might work on my Niwalker FA-02. I need to get my tape measure out. Thanks.


----------



## ven

kreisl said:


> i made my own tm15 tripod mount with erh .. a cheap ebay tripod mount.
> 
> hope this helps!



Thats a cool idea,like it,the tm15 has the thread for tripod,its the fitting in that to attach too(looks like a threaded loop).Think i have it sussed ,just cant find a nice alloy one yet.


----------



## Eddie C-clamp

Just ordered a tm15 from fleebay. 225 delv w 4 nitecore batts........fair price I suppose


----------



## ven

Is that $ i presume,i managed $185 without batteries by TNT delivery.............still waiting though:thumbsdow as will be 2 weeks soon.
I bought 4x xtar 2600 protected in UK for £25 delivered,these were with me in 2 days.They need a home:laughing:


----------



## Eddie C-clamp

yes friend that is USD....forget that we're international here sometimes....good luck w yours!


----------



## ven

About same price then............2 good deals imo 

Cheers,yours too,will get some pics up "when it arrives" :twothumbs
Out of interest eddie,why did you choose the tm15 over the 11 and 26,my reasons were the charging option over the tm11(was a close call though)and little extra size.Although the 26 is a beast,the use of a diffuser would be a little issue and not over struck on look(personal pref,i know not too important but parting with my hard earned i want it to look good as well as perform good) thats just me though:thinking:


----------



## Eddie C-clamp

Ven- I really liked the TM11 but the separate charger turned me off a bit. Then the price, the tm15 with batts at 225 is cheeper than any price I saw for a TM 11 batts and charger. The 26 is just too much money for a flashlite on my budget.....I should be receiving mine in 2 days cant wait.


----------



## ven

:thumbsup: fare enough,great stuff,well i am slower than presumed at recieving mine(typical with the 1 flashlight i am really looking forward to being the 1 time i have an issue).
In short i sent message about post as over 2 weeks,reply was waiting for money,copy of paypal payment on 19th Oct to prove,follower by an apology its now just posted.Checked today with TNT tracking No provided and its on its way to me..............give up
My xtar 4x 18650s are charged and ready to go,my thrunite flip defuser in works locker.........ready to go.

So 5-7 working days if lucky,maybe back end of next week now,but hey i try and look at the "bright" side........still got something to look forward to in post:laughing:


----------



## Eddie C-clamp

Well got the unit in less than a week. This bear I built to last. Its a bit heavier than I thot it would be but that's not a problem. Definitely the best thrower I own and also the mot expensive flashlite I ever bought, if the Mrs ever knew what I paid there'd be hell to pay......I'm very impressed with this bad boy....


----------



## ven

:twothumbs eddie nice 1,glad happy.
Should have mine early next week according to my tracking No
I bought a thrunite flip for it,they are 58mm but fit snug on my ea8 which is same size head.Tried on ea8 and like so getting another for the tm15.Check the bay out,can be found for around $17 which is good value to me.
Pic on the ea8




Will update with a pic when i get the tm.


----------



## ven

Well it arrived just after i left work on Friday,so picked up this morning very happy with it.Surprised how small it is too......and powerful as its the most powerful light i have at present.Threads were dry ,only nitecore i have had thats come this way,have to excuse the crap pics as on phone .



So put some lube on,xtar 2600 in and ready to go








Tried flip diffuser on







Using small string i pulled the wrist strap through




Will get replaced at some stage,maybe a mount similar weklund as really like that set up.
Little size comparison with ea4/p25/m15/ea8 







Little nitecore collection


----------



## SuperTrouperLee

Creative review:thumbsup:

There is no need to quote the entire review just to a a two word response, - Norm


----------



## oKtosiTe

SuperTrouperLee said:


> Creative review:thumbsup:


Sometimes it's better not to quote the original post... :welcome:


----------



## DT1

Vin, where did you get the flip diffuser for your TM? I have a TM15 and I'm looking for a flip diffuser for it. 

Thanks!


----------



## ven

Hi there DT1,presume me its a Thrunite Catapult V3 white diffuser,its actually 58mm but fits nicely.

Will fit 60mm head on other lights too.I got it from the thrunite_shop on ebay.

It was 1/2 price of other shops asking $35,i paid $17 or in my money £10. Compared to my nitecore 60mm diffuser its far better made,fits more secure.......ironically i prefer the nitecore diffuser for........well diffusing:laughing: just(not technical here) has no imperfections on a wall or indoors(cant notice outdoors so not really important).
I would recommend it anyway,does its job well.


----------



## harrycolez

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, 
Does this light throw enough for looking around outside in the desert, maybe 200m?
Thanks for your time


----------



## ven

On 1st page,selfbuilt has shots of 100yds so tad less than 1/2 your req distance,the nitecore spec is 363m so if you 1/2 that could say not far off.I can light trees up at 150m over the back of me but not tried any further.The reflectors are deeper then the tm11 version so more throw, so i would say yes......

Is this an excuse to go outside and see dont have a desert though.........brb


----------



## ven

Not 100% accurate but can see around that distance ok.


----------



## harrycolez

Thanks! That was all I needed to hear


----------



## shelm

harrycolez said:


> Does this light throw enough for looking around outside in the desert, maybe 200m?



Depends.

ANSI throw distance is a technical measure which measures the min amplitude of the light waves AT THE DISTANCE (in theory). But it does not measure the light traveling back to your eyes. Clearly, if you point at my eyes FROM 200m, then *I* can see your TM15 well. But if it's dark and my clothes are black, then *YOU* will not be able to see me, because the light gets fully absorbed by my black clothes.

Vice versa, if you shine at a white-painted big wall in a dark surrounding, then *YOU* will be able to see the reflected light from 1000m or even 2000m distance on a clear day (no fog).

So it really depends on what you're looking at. On a lake or in the ocean at midnight, you won't get visibility of black ducks beyond 50m with the TM15. All light gets absorbed by the dark water, and the beam hotspot absorbed by the black duck.

An object is bright and visible not because your light is powerful and throwy but because it reflects the light back to your eyes. If an object does not reflect any light, you won't see anything. All you see is black.


----------



## DT1

Yes Ven! Terribly sorry......Thanks for the info!



ven said:


> Hi there DT1,presume me its a Thrunite Catapult V3 white diffuser,its actually 58mm but fits nicely.
> 
> Will fit 60mm head on other lights too.I got it from the thrunite_shop on ebay.
> 
> It was 1/2 price of other shops asking $35,i paid $17 or in my money £10. Compared to my nitecore 60mm diffuser its far better made,fits more secure.......ironically i prefer the nitecore diffuser for........well diffusing:laughing: just(not technical here) has no imperfections on a wall or indoors(cant notice outdoors so not really important).
> I would recommend it anyway,does its job well.


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## ven

No probs,welcome


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## schism70

Everyone still happy with this light? Was thinking about grabbing one.


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## ven

schism70 said:


> Everyone still happy with this light? Was thinking about grabbing one.



I am 100%,no issues,love the size and output along with the in house charging option.Instead of holding the power button for 2 seconds to turn off i just lock it out with approx 10mm of twist on the body

When i power it up it still puts a little smile on my face

There are some updated tm coming out,not sure if the latest are out yet or not so maybe worth grabbing 1 of those.The update for the tm15 is not much imo,but the tm11 has jumped to 2500lm and double the cd to 40,000.The tm11 is smaller than the tm15 so worth doing a little research into before handing your hard earned over:thumbsup:

http://nitecore.com/UploadFile/Files/download/1-1_NC2014_Catalog_En_1312_web.pdf


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## schism70

Thanks for the link. Looks like the new models are using the XML2 LED. Still, I can get the current model for around 2 bills.


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## ven

schism70 said:


> Thanks for the link. Looks like the new models are using the XML2 LED. Still, I can get the current model for around 2 bills.




With the difference on the new tm15 i dont think you would be able to notice too much,either way on turbo its plenty bright the biggest difference is the tm11,500lm more but it doubles the cd from 20 to 40,000.

You wont be disappointed,its 1 of my fav lights,feels well made,heavy/solid build.I have no regrets at all


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## RemcoM

Hi Selfbuilt,

why is it, that the fenix TK75 remains the same intensity while the batteries are almost empty/drained, the light still remains the same intensity at turbo, while the TM15, and the new TM36, has lost intensity at turbo, with the batteries almost empty?

Is the TM15 and the TM36 not currently controlled?


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## oKtosiTe

RemcoM said:


> Hi Selfbuilt,
> 
> why is it, that the fenix TK75 remains the same intensity while the batteries are almost empty/drained, the light still remains the same intensity at turbo, while the TM15, and the new TM36, has lost intensity at turbo, with the batteries almost empty?
> 
> Is the TM15 and the TM36 not currently controlled?


It would seem to me like the TK75 has a much larger head with more clearly defined heat-dissipation features then the TM15, allowing it to stay cool for longer at the expense of compactness. As for the TM36, since it has only one LED, heat dissipation becomes more difficult that way.

As far as I'm aware, all Tiny Monsters are current controlled.
*
EDIT: *I just realized you are talking about the output at different discharge levels, not about timed/thermal stepdown. Different current-controlled flashlights use different methods to drive batteries at different voltages, and different ways to warn users about low voltage. Me, I like a flashlight that does a clear stepdown when it's starting to be time to think about recharging as opposed to going from turbo to nothing in a very short time.


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## Richwouldnt

A new model of the TM15 is now out using XM-L2 LEDs per the Nitecore web site. Output has been increased from 2450 to 2650 Lumens with similar percentage increases across the board for all output levels. A minor change and I am surprised that it took so long for Nitecore to do the upgrade. Most dealers do not have the new version in yet per my checks.


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## ven

TM15 now with handle kit fitted
Angled away from power button for easier use(not much room to mode change when holding handle)




Fitted square to button




More pics here
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?390056-Nitecore-TM-series-Handle-Kit


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## Neilbenecke

selfbuilt said:


> *Warning: pic heavy, as usual.*
> 
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> The TM15 is a latest member of the ‘Tiny Monster’ series from Nitecore. It is a high-output, 3xXM-L, 4x18650 (8xCR123A/RCR) light with a built-in recharging dock for 18650. Let's see how it compares to other recent lights in this class that I've reviewed recently ….
> 
> *Manufacturer's Specifications:*
> _Note: as always, these are only what the manufacturer reports. To see my actual testing results, scroll down the review._
> 
> 
> 3x CREE XM-L U2
> Uses 4 x 18560, or 8 x CR123A batteries (Batteries not included)
> Can run on 1 x 18650, or 2 CR123 batteries in case of emergency
> Output and Runtime: (runtime based on 4x 2600mAh 18650)
> Turbo: 2450 lumens (1 hour)
> High: 1300 lumens (3 hours, 10 minutes)
> Mid: 570 lumens (8 hours, 20 minutes)
> Low: 300 lumens (16 hours, 30 minutes)
> Lower: 95 lumens (52 hours)
> Maximum Throw: 1,190 feet (363 m)
> Peak Beam Intensity: 33,000 candela
> Impact Resistant to 4.9 ft. (1.5 m)
> IPX-8 Water Resistant
> Integrated thermal protection prevents overheating
> Compatible with both 18650 Li-Ion and CR123A Batteries
> Intelligent charging circuit with status detection recharges the light easily, safely, and quickly
> Exceptionally long run times
> Innovative power indicator light displays remaining battery power
> Single button two-stage switch provides a user-friendly interface
> Coated mineral scratch-resistant glass lens
> Aluminum reflector ensures consistent and powerful beam
> Constructed from military grade HA Type III hard-anodized aluminum alloy
> Dimensions: Length: 6.22" (158 mm), Bezel Diameter: 2.36" (60 mm), Body Diameter: 1.96" (50 mm)
> Weight (Excluding batteries): 15.76 oz. (447 g)
> Accessories: Charger, holster, lanyard, and spare O-ring
> MSRP: ~$300
> 
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> 
> Packaging is a cardboard box with built-in packaging foam. Inside you will find the light, belt holster, extra o-ring, simple wrist lanyard (with threading wire), manual and AC charging cable. My sample came with the standard North American 110V AC charging plug.
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> From left to right: AW Protected 18650; Nitecore TM15, TM11; Sunwayman T60CS; Thrunite TN30.
> 
> All dimensions are directly measured, and given with no batteries installed:
> 
> *Nitecore TM15:* Weight: 450.6g (634g with 4x18650). Length 158mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm
> *Nitecore TM11*: Weight: 342.6g (526g with 8xCR123A), Length 135.3mm, Width (bezel): 59.5mm
> *Sunwayman T60CS:* Weight: 338.9g (est 477g with 3x18650), Length: 145.0mm, Width (bezel): 60.0mm
> *Thrunite TN30*: Weight: 468.2g (est 620g with 3x18650), Length: 179mm, Width (bezel): 64.3mm, Width (tailcap): 49.0mm
> *Xtar S1 Production*: Weight: 876.0g (est. 1028g with 3x18650 protected), Length: 240mm, Width (bezel): 83.4mm
> *Olight SR51*: Weight: 405g, Length: 190mm, Width (bezel) 62.0mm
> 
> The TM15 is definitely a longer light than the TM11, but otherwise looks very similar in build. In fact, the battery handle appears to be virtually identical – the difference is all in the head.
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> As with the TM11, anodizing is a flat black, and seems in excellent shape on my sample. There is some knurling on the head and body, of reasonable aggressiveness. Overall grip is certainly decent, despite the cylindrical shape.
> 
> Body labels are rather extensive as before – in additional to the usual maker and model information, you also have a 5-point series of warnings about the light (in a very tiny, but legible, font).  The light can tailstand.
> 
> Battery handle is quite compact, and easily houses 4x18650 or 8xCR123A/RCR. The battery compartments are molded right into the aluminum, with a common negative terminal contact plate. You don't need to fill all the wells for the light to work, but should expect lower runtime (and Turbo mode is not recommended on anything but the full complement of cells). Again, scroll down for more info.
> 
> As before, screw threads are anodized for lock-out. :thumbsup:
> 
> Inside the head, there are two raised contact rings for the positive and negative current paths. These appear the same as the TM11, and are quite solid (likely gold-plated brass?).
> 
> The switch design has changed a little bit from the TM11. It is still a two-stage (two-pressure) electronic switch, but the button projects out a little further now. The ring around the switch now uses a blue LED instead of red to signal the state of the light (i.e., battery status, voltage, and standby modes). Scroll down for an explanation of the interface.
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> The TM15 has an AC charging cable that connects on the back of the head. The connection point has a small rubber cover, held down with a screw. Not sure how durable or water resistant this will be long-term. Note the charging solution is to be used ONLY with 18650 cells.
> 
> Nitecore estimates it will take about 7 hours to full charge the cells this way, which seems a reasonable estimate (i.e., it took just over 6 hours for my relatively low capacity 2200mAh 18650 cells). My somewhat used cells all came out ~4.14-4.15V in my testing, which is a nice conservative level (i.e., just ~0.01-0.02V less than my Pila charger on these same cells).
> 
> There is also a tripod attachment mount nearby, with uses the standard tripod screw diameter (presumably 1/4-20 UNC). Note that I found some of inexpensive tripod mounts were a bit loose when screwing into the TM15 (e.g., gorilla-pods), but seemed stable enough in the end. Professional tripods mounts fit stably and securely. The mount seems a little far forward on the light, given that a lot of the weight is in the battery handle.
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> TM15 has the same size bezel opening as before, and comes with a stainless steel bezel ring, slightly scalloped. The screw-on bezel diffuser from the Eagletac M2- and M3- series lights works as before.
> 
> The TM15 uses 3x cool white XM-L emitters as before. However, the TM15 has much deeper reflector wells than the TM11, as illustrated below:
> 
> TM11 on the left, TM15 on the right:
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> Scroll down for beam pic comparisons.
> 
> *User Interface*
> 
> The TM15 uses an updated version of the TM11’s innovative two-stage electronic switch.
> 
> Like before, for Turbo output, press the switch all the way and release (for constant on), or press firmly and hold for momentary on. What's new is that this "Turbo" set also has a slightly lower Hi mode, which you can switch to and from (when locked on in Turbo) by half-pressing the switch and releasing. There is no mode memory on this mode set – the light always comes on in Turbo. Turn off by a full press and release.
> 
> For the lower "Daily" modes, only partially press the switch from off (again, hold for momentary, release quickly for locked-on). Light will come on in the memorized lower output mode. As described above, to switch modes when on, simply half-press and quickly release the switch again. The light will advance to the next output, in repeating sequence of Lower > Lo > Med > Hi. The light has memory on this mode set, and will retain the last lower output used. Turn off by a full press and release.
> 
> Along with the raised switch, the pressure required to activate the various modes has changed slightly from the TM11, but you quickly get used to it.
> 
> The light will read-out the voltage of the cells when you first connect the head, by a series of blue flashes around the on-off switch. After the initial voltage read-out, the light will then flash once every three seconds (when off), to let you know you are in standby mode. The indicator stays constantly illuminated when the light is on. It will start to flash as the batteries begin to drain, at increasing frequency.
> 
> A "hidden" strobe mode can be accessed by two rapid full presses of the switch from On. Turn off or double-click again to return to constant output modes.
> 
> There is a switch lock-out mode that prevents accidental activation (and lowers the standby current, see below). Press the switch all the way down and hold for more than one second. When you release, the light will turn off and enter the lockout mode. To exit the lockout mode, simply press and hold the switch firmly for more than one second.
> 
> The charger plugs in under the rubber cover on the back of the head. The blue indicator light comes on during charging, flashing twice a second. Once the charge is complete, the indicator shows solid blue. My sample charged to a reasonably full level.
> 
> For information on the light, including the build and user interface, please see my new video overview:
> 
> 
> 
> As always, videos were recorded in 720p, but YouTube typically defaults to 360p. Once the video is running, you can click on the configuration settings icon and select the higher 480p to 720p options. You can also run full-screen.
> 
> *PWM/Strobe*
> 
> There is no sign of PWM on any level – I believe the light is current-controlled, as expected.
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> As you can see above, the TM15 has a true variable frequency strobe. In my testing, the time between pulses varied from ~75 to ~200 msecs (or 5 to 13 Hz).
> 
> *Standby Drain*
> 
> Due to the electronic switch, the TM15 will always be drawing a small current when the body/carrier is connected to the head. I measured this current as 790uA (although it would periodically spike every couple of seconds to ~3.6mA for a fraction of a second, when the signal flash occured).
> 
> Going with an "average" current of ~1mA, and assuming four times 2600mAh capacity batteries, that would give you a little over 1 year and 2 months before four fully charged batteries would be completely drained (given the parallel cell arrangement). This is about twice the current of my TM11, but it's certainly not bad.
> 
> Note there is always an electronic lock-out mode, to lock-out the switch and reduce the standby current. I don't know how much this lowers the current, but it likely to be significant. You can also break this current completely by turning the head a quarter turn (due to the anodized threads).
> 
> *Beamshots:*
> 
> And now, what you have all been waiting for.  All lights are on their respective max rechargeable battery sources (i.e., 18650s), about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences.
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> The TM15 clearly has a much narrower spillbeam than the TM11, due to the deeper reflectors. oo: In fact, both overall output and throw have increased on the TM15, compared to the earlier TM11.
> 
> Despite how it may look above, there is no artifact near the hotspot on my TM15 (rather, that faint line seems to be a mark on my white wall ).
> 
> In my experience, these sorts of deep well 3xXM-L lights tend to have a lot of "daisy flower" artifact effects in the spillbeam. But the TM15's reflector design is remarkably good – I see very little evidence of artifacts in this case. Much better than most lights in this class.
> 
> To show the spill a little better, here are some side shots on my famed "integrating carpet".
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> Again, the TM15 is far more focused for throw than most other 3xXM-L lights.
> 
> For outdoor beamshots, these are done in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up review. Please see that thread for a discussion of the topography (i.e. the road dips in the distance, to better show you the corona in the mid-ground). Please ignore the red-tint in the lower-right corner these shots (I was wearing a brighter-than-usual red headlamp during this excursion ). Zoomed-in pics of the hotspots are also included.
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> Here is how the TM15 compares directly to the TM11:
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> I know it can be a bit hard to compare, given the slight variation in angling of the lights and the tint differences. But as you can probably tell, the TM15 is a greater thrower than the TM11. The TM15 is generally comparable in throw to the Thrunite TN30.
> 
> *Testing Method:*
> 
> All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.
> 
> I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lightbox values to Lumens thread for more info.
> 
> *Throw/Output Summary Chart:*
> 
> My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables. Effective July 2012, I have updated all my Peak Intensity/Beam Distance measures with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter (orange highlights).
> 
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> Turbo output is quite high – similar to my other recent 3xXM-L lights (i.e., the Sunwayman T60CS and Thrunite TN30). Throw is higher on my sample than the Nitecore specs indicate.
> 
> Here is how the TM15 compares to the TM11 in terms of relative level spacing.
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> Nitecore's lumen specs seem to be pretty accurate.
> 
> *Output/Runtime Comparison:*
> 
> _Note: All my 18650 runtimes are done using AW protected 2200mAh._
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> The TM15 shows excellent efficiency for this class, in keeping with the current-controlled circuit. Output is flat-regulated at all levels, very similar to the TM11.
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> There was a step-down from Turbo to Hi on 8xCR123A after ~20 mins runtime. I suspect this was the thermal sensor kicking in to limit output. Note that primary CR123As tend to get a lot hotter than 18650 under high drive currents, which may be why I didn't observe any step-down effects on the 18650 runs (all runs above done under a cooling fan, as always).
> 
> As you will recall from my earlier TM11 review, there was some variability initially in the thermal sensitivity of the step-down control circuit of that model, even on 18650 (i.e. that light always stepped down eventually, even with cooling). I'm guessing the larger head of the TM15 has also allowed from improved heatsinking.
> 
> Since most of you are not likely to be running your lights under a cooling fan, I did an analysis of what happens if you run the light without any cooling whatsoever, on 4x18650. I also attached a thermal probe on the surface of the head of the light, just above the switch.
> 
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> As you can see above, the rise in temperature triggered a step-down from Turbo to Hi on 18650 after about ~20 mins of runtime. The surface of the light was definitely quite warm by this period, but cooled down quickly once the output stepped down.
> 
> With 4x18650, the output remained stably at this Hi level for the rest of the run. This is in contrast to the gradual partial recovery of output on 8xCR123A as the temperature dropped, but that may reflect differences in the internal resistance of the different chemistries. I am happy to report there is no sign of the rapid cycling in output I observed on the early TM11 samples.
> 
> In case you are curious, here is how the TM15 compares to other lights in estimated lumens:
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
> *Potential Issues*
> 
> Due to the overlapping reflector design, there are bound to be some artifacts in the periphery of the spillbeam. However, I find them to be surprisingly minor in this case. The light is a lot "throwier" than the TM11 (by design), with a much narrower spillbeam.
> 
> Due to the electronic switch in the head, the light has a stand-by current when waiting to receive a button press. This current is reasonably low (~1mA, on average). You can lower this standby current further by locking out the switch. You can also completely break this current by loosening the head from the body.
> 
> The charging dock cover feels a little flimsy, but has held in fine during my testing so far. Note the charger is meant _only_ for 18650 cells - do not attempt to charge other kinds of batteries inside the light.
> 
> The raised switch - and increased sensitivity - may result in greater accidental activations on the TM15, compared to the earlier TM11. I do find the new sensitivity easier to use in practice, though.
> 
> *Preliminary Observations*
> 
> The TM15 is an impressive update to the Tiny Monster series of Nitecore lights. As many of you may recall, there were a number of initial circuit and soldering issues at the time of the TM11 launch. Nitecore seems to have these now well in hand, judging by my one TM15 sample – it performed consistently and reliably throughout my testing.
> 
> There are some minor circuit and user interface tweaks from the earlier TM11, as described earlier in this review. These are relatively minor, although I personally prefer the new raised switch and feel. I am glad to see they have kept the standby current to an acceptably low level, and have provided a variety of lock-out options.
> 
> Overall output/runtime efficiency and regulation pattern remain excellent.  The thermal sensor-driven step-down on Turbo worked exactly as I would have expected, with a reasonable set point and sensitivity (i.e., there was none of the repeated "cycling" pattern I observed on the early TM11 samples).
> 
> The build is very similar to the TM11, and continues to feel solid and robust. As before, those with smaller hands may find it a bit awkward to carry for extended periods. It is also heavier now, thanks to the greater heatsink and deeper reflector wells.
> 
> On that point, I am impressed with the quality of the beam. The TM15 is much "throwier" than the TM11, but without the usual heavy spill artifacts I've noticed on previous on 3xXM-L designs. Clearly, a lot of work went into this reflector. oo:
> 
> As before, the light has considerable battery flexibility by running the four wells in parallel. You can thus run the light in 1x, 2x, 3x, or 4x 18650 configurations (or 2x, 4x, 6x, 8x CR123A/RCR). Although I haven't tested it here, I recommend you don't try to run Turbo on anything less than the full 4x/8x complement of cells (or Hi on anything less than 3x/6x). Although in a pinch, I'm sure you could get by with an IMR-18650 or two (if you had ones that were long enough to activate the light).
> 
> The other new addition here is the built-in battery charger option. My testing showed this charger worked as expected, with a nice conservative termination level (i.e., didn't over-charge my cells). I can't easily determine if it terminates completely at the end of a charge, but Nitecore assures me that it is "intelligent automatic" like their i4 charger, and will terminate charging immediately. Note that the i4 charger actually has a low uA current once charging is complete, but it is so low as to be close enough to full termination (i.e., it is definitely not a trickle charge). If it is the same here, then there is nothing to worry about.
> 
> All told, the TM15 is a nice addition to the Tiny Monster line. The circuit tweaks are really more evolutionary than revolutionary, and the built-in charger worked well in my testing. But to me, the main advantage of this light over the TM11 is the much greater throw. :wave:
> 
> ----
> 
> TM15 provided by Nitecore for review.




You know I did a beam comparison between the T11 and the T15 some close some med and some further away nothing heavy or to formal it was really just a knee jerk reaction in response to my wife saying she prefers the TM11 over the TM15 and both are the new upgraded version flashlights. I suddenly find myself perplexed because of color difference and intensity. I am not going to base to much off this at this point and I am tired have a head ache but suddenly I found my self, perplexed the overall assumption is that the smaller is lesser than the next up and so forth much like it is in the fire arm world which is much that way and one which I have extensive experience but I am becoming very aware that this is a whole different kettle of fish. I have so much to learn it is actually scary lol. 


Sent from my iPad using Candlepowerforum


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## ven

No need to quote the whole review
The original tm11 was around 2000lm,shallow reflectors so more floody,the tm15 had slightly deeper reflectors and 2450lm. Now with the upgrade the tm11 is around 2500lm and tm15 around 2650lm so not much in it . However the tm15 still will out throw with higher kcd and has built in charger. This makes the tm15 larger(still a compact search light) over the tm11 so i guess its down to what suits needs/requirements Admittedly the choice now for me, would be far more difficult choosing out of the tm11 and tm15 now. I originally chose the tm15 for its charge,slightly better throw and little more size(believe or not)but it was a close call at the time


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## Timothybil

I bought my TM11 before the others came out, so there was no indecision there. It was just a matter of do I want to spend that much money on a light? Quite frankly, while I like the TM11, if the EA4 would have been out then, I would have bought it instead, as it satisfies my jones for a insanely bright light. If I was buying now, I would still go for the EA41 first, but I would be thinking seriously about the TM36.


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## ven

I have the ea4 also so even thought the buttons and UI is improved on the ea41 I can't justify a similar light. I do enjoy the ea4,it's a great light for its nice compact size,but when I need a monster the tm15 comes out(well just to name one) 

The tm36 is another ball game,huge light,pretty awesome tbh but quite costly too and my thrower is the tk61vn and openly admit I don't get hardly any use out of it. Me....I am more for flood or a mix of flood and throw,find it more useful personally than trying to see 1km away which my eyes won't do :laughing:

Imho if it's one thing nitecore did right, it's all the tm series of lights,I love them  and would happily own any if I could justify more .

:thumbsup:


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## Neilbenecke

Timothybil said:


> I bought my TM11 before the others came out, so there was no indecision there. It was just a matter of do I want to spend that much money on a light? Quite frankly, while I like the TM11, if the EA4 would have been out then, I would have bought it instead, as it satisfies my jones for a insanely bright light. If I was buying now, I would still go for the EA41 first, but I would be thinking seriously about the TM36.



Insanely bright? I haven't seen anything as small and powerful as the MM15 It is a flooders but over 5000 for real Lm that is insane especially once vin gets his magic mod wand . The Tm36 is a big thrower for sure but less than half the Lm depends what you want I got the TM26 before the other two TM's and in my opinion neither are in the same galaxy. I gave something On order that was pricy but my next torch after that is another flooder the king of flood MM15vn 


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## Neilbenecke

But having said that I will at some stage I may get the Tm36 v but what I am getting I don't think I will need it. God this stuff gets complex man it really does. Just when you think you got it down something new comes out. It'd as bad as computers.


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## ven

Neilbenecke said:


> But having said that I will at some stage I may get the Tm36 v but what I am getting I don't think I will need it. God this stuff gets complex man it really does. Just when you think you got it down something new comes out. It'd as bad as computers.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Candlepowerforum




Worse :laughing: you have throwers to flooders,to multi led and cells,tints then materials,design....never ends finding the ultimate flashlight but that's part of the fun

Don't go just off lumens though it's about the reflector too,depth,width and of course the led inside ;-)


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## Neilbenecke

ven said:


> Worse :laughing: you have throwers to flooders,to multi led and cells,tints then materials,design....never ends finding the ultimate flashlight but that's part of the fun
> 
> Don't go just off lumens though it's about the reflector too,depth,width and of course the led inside ;-)



Lmao thanks Ven I feel so much better now lmao, I seriously had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into but I guess that's what makes it even more fun and more additive and thank god there are you guys and wealth of resources on this site 



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## Reji22

I got my TM15 as a replacement of my faultyTM11. Now I feel that the TM15 is of the older version. The output is white light with bluefish tint whereas my TM 11 was warm tint. Please help me to identify whether I am having the latest version of TM 15 or not.
Thanks in advance. 


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## ven

A picture of the leds should help:thumbsup: Mine is very cool,definitely 6500k+ from my eyes anyway. I presume your testing against a wall,sometime better to try outside as then you get a real perspective on tint and none of the artefacts that become obvious on a white wall for example


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## utahfuntimes

I have a question:

Brand new 3400 cels, fully charged. When I put the light into turbo mode it stays on for about 5 seconds and then the entire thing shuts off. I can put it into a dimmer mode and it will stay on with no problems. I get 4 blinks from the light when I first turn it on indicating the batteries are charged to 4v. and when I plug in the charger the light goes solid to indicate they are charged.


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## selfbuilt

utahfuntimes said:


> Brand new 3400 cels, fully charged. When I put the light into turbo mode it stays on for about 5 seconds and then the entire thing shuts off. I can put it into a dimmer mode and it will stay on with no problems. I get 4 blinks from the light when I first turn it on indicating the batteries are charged to 4v. and when I plug in the charger the light goes solid to indicate they are charged.


Sounds like a battery issue. If the in-light charger won't charge further, they should be at a resting voltage of ~4.2V (not 4.0V). What brand of cells are you using, and where did you get them from?


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## utahfuntimes

They are orbtronic... based on panasonic cells with button tops and protection. They are listed to specifically be compatible with the TM15, and based on my research people seem to have good things to say about them. The CR123 were all brand new duracells.


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## selfbuilt

utahfuntimes said:


> They are orbtronic... based on panasonic cells with button tops and protection. They are listed to specifically be compatible with the TM15, and based on my research people seem to have good things to say about them. The CR123 were all brand new duracells.


Hmmm, good battery brand. Have you tried each one in another heavily-driven light to make sure they are all working ok? Ideally, would be good if you could try another set of 18650s in your TM15, to rule out a battery issue. Otherwise, it could be a problem with your flashlight. But I expect the manufacturer will want you to confirm with another batch of batteries before sending in for repair.


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## NoNotAgain

Try using a pencil eraser on the battery body contact plates. They oxidize rather easy. Then while you still have the batteries out of the light, screw the battery tube down till its tight and place a mark on the side noting where it screwed to. Place batteries inside and try the same thing again. The marks should align. If not you could be not making good contact and when the light has a high draw arcs to break contact.


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## Reji22

I had a similar problem with my TM11. As soon as the light is put on, the low battery indicator used to flash. But on checking the voltage of the batteries they were full. Finally, I got a replacement TM15 from the vendor as he didn't have another TM11. 


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## Reji22

My TM 15 was being charged by the supplied charger for quite some time. Yesterday, after charging them full, I removed the batteries from the body and placed it on my D4 charger. To my surprise, 2 of them showed almost full charge while the other 2 were at 3.74 V. Is this a common phenomenon?


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## selfbuilt

Reji22 said:


> My TM 15 was being charged by the supplied charger for quite some time. Yesterday, after charging them full, I removed the batteries from the body and placed it on my D4 charger. To my surprise, 2 of them showed almost full charge while the other 2 were at 3.74 V. Is this a common phenomenon?


Yes, it's a potential issue with all in-light chargers. Over time, discrepancies can crop up between the cells. These get magnified on each subsequent re-charge, eventually leading to a situation when some cells are consistently under-charged. Doing a periodic recharge of the cells outside the light should set everything straight again.


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## Timothybil

selfbuilt said:


> Yes, it's a potential issue with all in-light chargers. Over time, discrepancies can crop up between the cells. These get magnified on each subsequent re-charge, eventually leading to a situation when some cells are consistently under-charged. Doing a periodic recharge of the cells outside the light should set everything straight again.


That's one of the reasons I am not enamored of lights with built-in chargers. The other is that when I am using it as a charger, I can't use it as a flashlight, and if I need that light right then, it won't be completely charged so I won't know how much I can rely upon it.


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## kreisl

selfbuilt said:


> My somewhat used cells all came out ~4.14-4.15V in my testing, which is a nice conservative level (i.e., just ~0.01-0.02V less than my Pila charger on these same cells).


nice random post kreisl , my abused NCR18650GA come out at 4x *4.108V*, which is about 4x *235mAh *short to 4.20V (mc3k). I've been using the light for many years regularly as work light (cleaning, vacuuming, work) and been enjoying the third-party accessories/ecosystem for it (Thrunite flipup diffuser, tripod mount ring, color filters, NHM10 mount handle, sturdy wrist strap, quality holster). The internal charging electronics once broke down but warranty covered it; since then i didn't make use of the recharging capability also because i needed a recharge only once every 2 weeks, so it was no big deal to fast-charge the batts at 4x *1.75A* externally (mc3k). over the years the light has held up well, no complaints. It's a pity that the construction is so picky about the battery length; i must use my unprotected 4x NCR18650GA with *neodym *magnets :ironic:. And i always lock out the light mechanically after work; no big deal, and good to have that mechanical lock out option.

After the *recharging capability* of two other daily-much-use lights broke on me (cheap fragile construction ports, had to retire those lights what a shame) i am substituting now the TM15. It is going to light on the 600lm mode for several hours everyday and be recharged with its built-in charger *everynight*. Four things could break again as witnessed on my other rechargeable lights: the charging adapter's electronics, the charging adapter's physical build (cable, solder, internal construction), the light's charging port (socket breaking loose or off, or just failing), or the light's recharging electronics. But at this point i don't expect that any of the four will fail, let's have some trust in de Nietcore 

Interestingly the TM15 is still in the web catalog and available from several sources, not a discontinued model unlike the infamous TM11, the first popular beast of its kind! (EDIT: by now the Nietcore product webpage says "TM15 (Discontinued)" :laughing Not long ago the TM15 was sold off at 80usd or 80-90eur, special offer on various sites; i am thinking that i should have bought another unit at that price as spare. ( Fortunately i already have an Imalent 5-mode version DT70 as spare work light, yet for good reasons i won't use its micro-USB imacr*p recharging socket, too poorly built :sick2: - i like imalent otherwise  )

Fingers crossed that both the TM15 and the DT70 keep serving me well for countless years to come. As long as i don't drop these heavy lights on the floor (fall impact), there *should *be no reason for failure imho. Other lights like Surefire, Elzetta, Maglite, Prometheus don't fail either! :thumbsup:

Here more charge and discharge tests for my abusted NCR18650GA in the TM15 voltage operation range:
2019-12-23 test2. 7h42min08sec from 4x 2.998V to 4x 4.114V in TM15
2019-12-28 test3. 7h48min31sec from 4x 2.892V to 4x 4.114V in TM15
2020-01-04 test4. 4x 2863mAh in 6h30min from 4x 2.85V to 4x 4.11V in mc3k @1750mA\0.01A (average numbers)
2020-01-05 test5. 4x 2807mAh in 6h18min from 4x 4.11V to 4x 2.85V in mc3k @-500mA\-0.01A (average numbers), so mc3k charge efficiency is over 98.0%


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## kreisl

kreisl said:


> Four things could break again as witnessed on my other rechargeable lights: the charging adapter's electronics, the charging adapter's physical build (cable, solder, internal construction), the light's charging port (socket breaking loose or off, or just failing), or the light's recharging electronics. But at this point i don't expect that any of the four will fail, let's have some trust in de Nietcore


i knew that it could happen but i didn't expect it to happen. i've been recharging the TM15 on a daily basis, to which purpose i never shut the charging socket with the rubber plug: all the plugging and unplugging day in day out seems unnecessary if i recharge the light every night. so i leave the rubber unplugged. fine.
in the unplugged position, however, i cannot easily plug in the charging plug because the rubber plug is in the way. as intended by the manufacturer, one must bend the rubber plug such that the charging plug can be inserted without obstruction.
one doesn't need to use 2 hands or a hand for that matter, the entire plugging can be done single-handedly, no problem.
in any case, the rubber gets bent by 90° or up to 180°. and after repeated bendings, the material fails. boo-hoo. nothing surprising, nothing new. rubber gets consumed, rubber ages, rubber fails, rubber is not built for repeated bendings.
I just wanted to document in picture that this kind of failure is real and even happens with posers who baby/pet their lights:


















Fortunately the accessory bag came with a replacement rubber iirc. But it would be a poor idea to perform the 1:1 replacement, after a year the substituted rubber plug would be broken like that too! I would like to add that the rubber material is made of the cheapest friable quality, disgustingly cheap quality. The material fails not because of all the minor bending but because it is sh*t quality. 

What's the rubber plug good for? Protection against humidity, water ingress, dirt, dust, dandruff? Maybe. But since i use this worklight indoors only, i can just shut the opening with a piece of masking tape or whatever, for the day. And indoors, usually it is not necessary to seal the charging port, me thinks.

A: _watt? you still got the honky old TM15 and still use it?_
B: _yee. and how's your wife doing?_
A: _touché 
_B: _and btw the bump got 37.5k views, so somebody must be interested in reading_


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