# 4Sevens Maelstrom S18 (SST-90, 6xCR123A/RCR) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS and more!



## selfbuilt (Aug 1, 2011)

*Warning: pic heavy, as usual. *











The S18 is a new offering in the Maelstrom line from 4Sevens, clearly designed to compete the other "big gun" SST-90 lights. This review is of an engineering sample, but the shipping lights should have the same performance and features.

*Manufacturer's Specifications:*

LED: Luminus SST-90
Hi: 1200 OTF Lumens, 0.6 hours runtime
Med: 400 OTF Lumens, 3.5 hours runtime
Lo: 80 OTF Lumens, 17.5 hours runtime
Strobe: 1200 lumens, 1.5 hours runtime
SOS: 2.5 hours runtime
Battery: 6xCR123A or 6x3.7V RCR Li-ion
Operating Range: 4.5V~8.4V (reviewer note: I presume this refers to each of the 3 channels in the carrier)
Body Material: Type-III hard-anodized aircraft-grade aluminum
Bezel Material: Stainless steel strike-Bezel
Lens Material: Optical-grade hardened glass lens with external sapphire coating to resist scratches and internal anti-reflective coating to maximize output
Smooth reflector
Water Resistance: IPX-8
Included Accessories: Holster, instruction manual, 6xCR123A batteries, and spare o-rings
Dimensions: Length 9.3 in, Diameter (Body) 1.8in, Diameter (Head) 2.48 in, Weight (without battery): 24.5 oz
MSRP: $259 (before discounts)
Packaging is unknown, since I only had the light to go by. But I expect it will be fairly typical for the 4Sevens Maelstrom line. 









From left to right: CR123A, 4Sevens X7, X10, S18, Olight SR90, Thrunite Catapult V3

All dimensions are given with no batteries installed, unless otherwise stated:

*4Sevens S18*: Weight: 700g (800g with 6xCR123A), Length: 233mm, Width (bezel) 63.0mm, (tailcap) 25.6mm
*4Sevens X10*: Weight: 156.9g (245.7g with 1x26650), Length: 135.5mm, Width (bezel): 46.0mm
*Olight SR90*: Weight: 1.6 kg (with battery pack), Length: 335mm, Width (bezel): 97mm 
*Catapult V3*: Weight: 434.8g (500g with 4xCR123A), Length: 254mm, Width (bezel) 58.0mm, (tailcap) 35.1mm.

The S18 is a lot smaller and lighter than the SR90, and even smaller than the SR91 (which I don’t have, but is rated at 1.2 kg with battery pack, 286mm length, and 76mm bezel width).


























The S12 is a hefty light (reminds me of a small mace ). Black anodizing (manufacturer claims type III = HA) is slightly glossy on the smooth areas, very much like the X10 and the rest of the Maelstrom line. Knurling is of reasonable strength (not overly aggressive), but there is a good amount of it. I found the grip to be very good. 

Lettering is bright and clear on the body, but less distinct on the tailcap (may be due to my engineering sample, though).

One of the most distinctive things about this light is the battery carrier – it is integrated into the tailcap. oo: Although the tailcap superficially looks a lot like the X10 I reviewed recently, the S18 uses an actual clicky switch (press for momentary, click for locked-on). Traverse is deeper than typical for a clicky switch, and this one feels very substantial. The whole tailcap/holder assembly has a very solid feel.

The holder fits six cells, is a 3x2 configuration. Both primary CR123A and protected 16340 (RCR) fit and work in the light. Note the light cannot take 3x18650. Contact points between the carrier and the head seem robust.

Light uses square-cut machinist threads, which are anodized. Threads feel somewhat gritty and stiff to me. Note that it takes a full one-and-a-quarter turn to lock out the light at the tailcap (i.e. the switch is internal to the battery carrier assembly, so you need the further distance to break the contact in the head). The tailcap remains firmly attached to the light at this distance. :thumbsup:

Let’s take a closer look at the mode-selection aspect of the switch:










The tailcap is actually in two portions – the bottom portion (including the tailcap switch) can rotate relative to the rest of the carrier and base. The feel is not really a detent per se, but you will feel a slight click when the mode changes. Note the ring is quite stiff to turn, so you won’t be accidentally changing modes. 

Scroll down to my UI section for a discussion of how it works.









The S18 uses the Luminus SST-90 emitter, well centered on my sample, with a smooth reflector (although there are some fine concentric rings in it). There were a few specs of dust inside the head on my sample, but that may also be due to the engineering sample nature of the light they sent me.

Here is how it compares to the Olight SR90:






And now the white-wall beamshots.  All lights are on their respective rechargeable Li-ion battery source, except for the S18 which is on 4Sevens brand CR123A. Lights are 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. 

Let’s start with the Hi outputs:

































Despite only using six CR123A, output on the S18 is pretty close to the Olight SR90 (which uses a custom battery back consisting of 6x18650). Note that on 6xRCR, the S18 is pretty equivalent to my SR90 in output.

Of course, the S18 doesn’t throw as far with the smaller head (i.e. the SR90 has a much more tightly-defined hotspot). I don’t have one to compare, but I imagine the S18 probably has a fairly similar beam to the Olight SR91. 

To better compare to other lights, here is a comparison with the S18 on Med and the SR90 on Lo, compared to the X10 and TK35 on Hi:





























































_UPDATE AUGUST 21, 2011: I have now done 100-yard outdoor beamshots, in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up reviews._






*User Interface*

The S18 uses a forward-style clicky switch, with a longer than typical traverse. Press for momentary, click for locked-on. :thumbsup:

Mode switching is controlled by turning the selection ring/tailcap relative to the rest of the carrier handle. Line up the arrow on the base with the appropriate pictogram on the carrier handle. Lo/Med/Hi are represented by the size of the solid dot on the carrier handle portion, Strobe is the lightning bolt, and SOS is self-explanatory. 

*PWM/Strobe*

I could detect no sign of PWM on any constant-output mode, leading me to conclude the S18 is current-controlled on its Lo/Med modes. 






Strobe frequency is 9.5 Hz in my testing.

*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.

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

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*

*Effective November 2010, I have revised my summary tables to match with the current ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.sliderule.ca/FL1.htm for a description of the terms used in these tables.*

 _ It’s hard to accurately measure overall output on the SST90-based lights, as the heads are too large to fit in my lightbox. I have adjusted my lightbox relative output values to compensate for the lost output (based on a comparison of all my ceiling bounce numbers). But for lumen estimates, I have little comparison data at these levels, *so take these lumen "guestimates" with a very BIG grain of salt.* While the relative differences should hold pretty well, I have no data on absolute lumen values taken in a properly calibrated sphere at this range. I have rounded my Max "(est)" estimates to +/- 50 lumens, but accuracy should NOT be inferred to this level of precision - rely on those with properly calibrated spheres for that._ :tinfoil:






On 4Sevens brand CR123A, max output on the S18 seems to be at least as good as the manufacturer’s spec of 1200 lumens (I "guestimate" above 1300 lumens at activation). RCR is even brighter, over the first minutes at least (I guestimate over 1400 lumens at activation). This puts RCR output pretty much bang on with the Olight SR90. But of course, all of these lights drop in output over the course of their runs (i.e. even by ANSI FL-1 standard 3 mins, as shown the table above). Scroll down to the output/runtime graphs for a much better idea of what this looks like over time.

Throw is good for the size, but of course the S18 can’t throw as far as the much larger SR90 (or even a really well-focused XM-L light, like the Catapult).

Any way you slice it, the S18 definitely puts out a lot of light! oo:

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*

_Note: Unlike the Summary tables above, my runtime graphs are all based the actual relative output of my lightbox. However, my relative output scale is not linear for output across this range (which is why I convert to estimated lumens for the Summary tables). And again, since the large heads of the S18 and SR90 don’t fit in my lightbox, I have had to adjust my lightbox calibration to compensate for the lost output (based on a comparison of my ceiling bounce numbers). _

As a reminder again, all my runtimes are done under a cooling fan. Primary CR123A runtimes are done on Titanium Innovations cells.











The S18 seems to use a very similar regulation/thermal step-down feature as the X10 I reviewed recently. On 6xCR123A on Max, there is little evidence of the thermal management cutting in, except at the very end of the "regulated" run (but again, this is under a cooling fan). On 6xRCR, the pattern is very similar to the X10 - output is initially a bit higher, until the first thermal step-down occurs.

Like the X10, 4Sevens seems to be conservatively using the lowest “regulated” lumen level for their specs on this light, even though it spends most of the time above this level. :thumbsup: But again, that is with a cooling fan – it’s likely output would have dropped more if I was hand-holding, or using no external cooling. And again, I don’t have a calibrated integrating sphere to provide exact numbers. 

*Potential Issues*

18650 cells cannot be used in the light, only CR123A and 16340 (RCR). Since the light doesn’t use a custom battery pack, it is critical the user ensure that all cells are of comparable quality, capacity and charge state (at all times). 

Mode selection ring is stiff to turn, and lacks defined detents (although you will feel a slight "click" as it enters each mode).

Tailcap needs to be turned at least one-and-a-quarter full turns to lock out the light. But there are still plenty threads at this length, so the light remains securely assembled when locked out. 

The S18 is a hefty light to carry around. There is no wrist/shoulder lanyard attachment point for carry.

The light cannot tailstand.

*Preliminary Observations*

The S18 is a powerhouse light. oo: 

On 6xRCR on Max, output matches my SST-90-based Olight SR90 (although of course, runtime is far less). 6xCR123A Max output is a slightly lower, but not by much – and runtime is noticeably improved. Although throw is of course less on the S18 (due to the smaller head – think SR91 for a comparable), this level of performance on standard batteries is amazing.

The S18 superficially resembles the S12/X10, but on a much larger scale. More importantly, the switch button conceals an actual clicky switch here (press for momentary, click for locked-on). :thumbsup: One of the main complaints on the S12/X10 was the pressure-switch-only option. 

The other issue on the S12/X10 was the Hi/Lo user interface. I am happy to report the S18 also has multiple modes (including blinky modes for those who like them ), all easily accessible from a turn of the labeled tailcap control ring. I actually like the fact the selection ring is stiff on my sample, it reduces the risk of accidental mode changes. 

I originally wondered why there were so many threads to screw this light together, but it quickly became apparent – in order to lock out the light, you need to move the whole battery carrier away from the contact plate in the head. Since that takes a full one-and-a-quarter turns of the tailcap, you want to make sure the light is still securely held together at this distance (which it is). Threads are fairly stiff and gritty on my sample, but I found the lock-out to work reliably. 

While I always recommend you lock-out you lights when not in use, I’m thinking it is even more critical than usual here - due to the user-controlled six-cell arrangement. A custom rechargeable battery pack (as Olight developed for the SR50/90 series lights) adds to cost and limits flexibility, but it does offer the safety of balancing circuitry. On the S18, it is up to the user to ensure the cells are all from the same batch of the same brand (important for age, chemistry, etc), with comparable charge state, at all times. :candle:

I am sure one of the main selling features of this light for "search and rescue" will be the ability to use standard CR1213A cells. Max output on 6xCR123A is comparable to the thermally-regulated level of the 6xRCR configuration - and the runtime is impressive. Again, just make sure you use quality cells, ideally those already balanced and packaged in pairs (and all from the same batch). It's too bad the light can't take 18650, but I guess 3x sources just weren't sufficient to power the light.

In summary, the S18 is an impressive light, well suited to its intended S&R role. Built around commonly available CR123A and RCR cells, it pretty much matches the Olight SR90/91 series in overall output, while being only 1/2 to 2/3rds the weight of the SR90 and SR91, respectively. I can’t think of anything else quite like it on the market at the moment. 

----

S18 provided by 4Sevens for review.


----------



## tab665 (Aug 1, 2011)

that didnt take long. nice review selfbuilt!


----------



## AardvarkSagus (Aug 1, 2011)

Very nicely done Selfbuilt. I can't wait to see this one. The tailcap selector ring concept has been too long in coming.


----------



## luceat lux vestra (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanks Selfbuilt great review as usual
Now I want another flashlight:shakehead


----------



## Haesslich (Aug 1, 2011)

Holy crap. Does this have a wall of light, or more a 'wide beam' in terms of how it throws, Selfbuilt?


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 1, 2011)

AardvarkSagus said:


> The tailcap selector ring concept has been too long in coming.


Agreed, this is a much better way to control a light. As mentioned in the review, mine is fairly stiff (which I actually like).



Haesslich said:


> Holy crap. Does this have a wall of light, or more a 'wide beam' in terms of how it throws, Selfbuilt?


That's hard to answer. The hotpot is fairly broad, so it illuminates a reasonably good area in the distance. I would say it throws well without being "throwy", if you catch my meaning (i.e. not a dedicated thrower like the SR90). Spillbeam width is not as wide as the SR90, but still lights up a lot of the near space.

As always, the 100-yard beamshots will show more. Should have those done within a couple of weeks.


----------



## vinhnguyen54 (Aug 1, 2011)

:-( Arghhh not not 3*18650 or at least 3*17670 :-(


----------



## StandardBattery (Aug 1, 2011)

I really like the size and look of this light, but the runtime graphs indicate it's electronics package is not up to snuff. Maybe they will come out with an 18650 tube as well, my M6 is the only light I'm ever going to own that takes 6 CR123 cells. I guess really I just like the looks, and it seems to end there. Oh well right now the only blasters I'm considering are the TK70 (I have no idea why, maybe just to use those big D cells), and upgrading my Eagletac to the M3C4 since I like that package. 

Really great you got the review up so fast. Thanks!!


----------



## 276 (Aug 1, 2011)

Looks like it comes with a Hard case for it, they show a photo of it on 4sevens under S18 images.

I really wish it could use 18650's or even there 26650's


----------



## tre (Aug 1, 2011)

Great review (As always). 6 cr123a or rcr123 cells is the deal killer for me. I'm not sure I like the big SST-90 in a "small" reflector either.

I would love it if 4sevens had an XML version of this light over driven to 1000 OTF lumens that could use 3 18650 cells. That I would buy is a second.


----------



## Haesslich (Aug 1, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> That's hard to answer. The hotpot is fairly broad, so it illuminates a reasonably good area in the distance. I would say it throws well without being "throwy", if you catch my meaning (i.e. not a dedicated thrower like the SR90). Spillbeam width is not as wide as the SR90, but still lights up a lot of the near space.
> 
> As always, the 100-yard beamshots will show more. Should have those done within a couple of weeks.


 
You know, between the X10 and this... I think I'll pick this, since it does use 'regular' CR123's, so I have an option when rechargeables aren't available (or ready). Would you say the beam's more like a slice of light then, due to the wide hotspot? like an arc of light, or more of a pie section?


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 1, 2011)

vinhnguyen54 said:


> :-( Arghhh not not 3*18650 or at least 3*17670 :-(





StandardBattery said:


> Maybe they will come out with an 18650 tube as well, my M6 is the only light I'm ever going to own that takes 6 CR123 cells.





276 said:


> I really wish it could use 18650's or even there 26650's


Just guessing here, but I presume the problem is driving the SST-90 on anything less than 6 cells. It may not be a coincidence than the SR90/91 basically uses a 6x18650 pack to achieve the comparable output - it may be too hard to get a circuit to boost 3x18650. :shrug: I'd have to let David or someone else with more knowledge of circuitry comment.



StandardBattery said:


> I really like the size and look of this light, but the runtime graphs indicate it's electronics package is not up to snuff.


Just curious, but could you explain what you mean a little further? I don't know the exact capacity of the cells in the S90/91, but it seems to me the S18 runtime on 6xCR123A is reasonable by comparison (i.e. taking in capacity differences between a primary CR123A and a typical 18650). And while the 6xRCR runtime is less, it is hard to find six well-balanced RCRs in my stockpile of testers (i.e. all it takes is one to trip to shut the light down). Is there some specific aspect to the runtime traces that suggests a problem to you?

BTW, all my CR123A runtimes were done with Titanium Innovations cells, as usual in my reviews. 4Sevens included three sets of shrink-wrapped 2xCR123A 4Sevens cells, but I used those for general handling and for the beamshot and output testing.



tre said:


> I would love it if 4sevens had an XML version of this light over driven to 1000 OTF lumens that could use 3 18650 cells. That I would buy is a second.


Do I smell demand for a "X16" in the future? :laughing:



Haesslich said:


> Would you say the beam's more like a slice of light then, due to the wide hotspot? like an arc of light, or more of a pie section?


Sorry, it's getting hard to compare the beams in words - I think the outdoor beamshots (still to come) will have to do the talking. Personally, I prefer the beam on ths S18 over the X10 (for the extra output and cleaner profile with no tint shifting on my sample). I also like the S18's control ring interface better.

That said, the S18 is also more than 3 times the weight of the X10, and nearly twice as long.  If I was going for a trek in the woods, I'm pretty sure I've grab the X10 first. The X10 really is an incredible amount of light in a tiny package - you'll notice the effect of lugging the S18 around pretty fast. But the option to use standard CR123A on the S18 is clearly part of its appeal.


----------



## Haesslich (Aug 2, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> Sorry, it's getting hard to compare the beams in words - I think the outdoor beamshots (still to come) will have to do the talking. Personally, I prefer the beam on ths S18 over the X10 (for the extra output and cleaner profile with no tint shifting on my sample). I also like the S18's control ring interface better.
> 
> That said, the S18 is also more than 3 times the weight of the X10, and nearly twice as long.  If I was going for a trek in the woods, I'm pretty sure I've grab the X10 first. The X10 really is an incredible amount of light in a tiny package - you'll notice the effect of lugging the S18 around pretty fast. But the option to use standard CR123A on the S18 is clearly part of its appeal.



So you'd say the S18's SST-90 gives it a better overall flood beam with a bit of punch, versus the X10's 'wall'? Mind you, this ring sounds a lot better than some of the interfaces I've seen involving seven or eight double-clicks...

As for the weight, given it's 800g with batteries, it looks like it's almost 3 times the weight of an LD40 or TK35. But I wonder how much of that weight's from the heatsinking, versus the battery tube. And yes, the standard batteries fulfill a wish I've had for years with the Maelstroms - the ability to use primaries in a pinch, especially if you'll be away from a charger for more than 4 hours.


----------



## mhphoto (Aug 2, 2011)

Great review. Out of curiosity, why can they put a forward click switch on this light but not on the S12 and X10? I remember something about too much current for it to be reliable. If they can put one on this it seems like they should be able to stick on on the other lights.


----------



## jhc37013 (Aug 2, 2011)

mhphoto said:


> Great review. Out of curiosity, why can they put a forward click switch on this light but not on the S12 and X10? I remember something about too much current for it to be reliable. If they can put one on this it seems like they should be able to stick on on the other lights.


 
+1

Exactly what I want to know?


----------



## Fatso (Aug 2, 2011)

Great review. Looking forward to the outdoor beamshots!


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 2, 2011)

Haesslich said:


> So you'd say the S18's SST-90 gives it a better overall flood beam with a bit of punch, versus the X10's 'wall'?


No, that's not really it. The XM-L based X10 has a "throwier" beam, in the sense of the relative amount of light in the hotspot compare to the spillbeam. In this sense, the S18's SST-90 gives you more of a "wall" of light (i.e. there is more light in spill area, relative to the hotspot). And although the S18 has a more itense hotspot than the X10 at medium range, I am not sure how well it will really throw into the distance - I can't tell that in my suburban neighborhood of homes everywhere. That comparison will have to wait until I make my next trek to my 100-yard beamshot site.

As a comparison, the discussion threads on the S12 vs the X10 might give you a better feel for the difference (although I don't have a S12 to compare). I expect the S18 has higher output and a more focused hotspot, but the relative relationship between hotspot and spill is probably fairly close between the S12 and S18.



mhphoto said:


> Great review. Out of curiosity, why can they put a forward click switch on this light but not on the S12 and X10? I remember something about too much current for it to be reliable. If they can put one on this it seems like they should be able to stick on on the other lights.





jhc37013 said:


> +1


+2 

I suspect it has more to do with adding length, but clearly it should be possible. Curious to hear they say as well ...


----------



## Outdoorsman5 (Aug 2, 2011)

Great review Selfbuilt. 
Question: How does the light stay within the 4.5v - 8.4v operating voltage even though it uses six 3v CR123s or six 4.2v RCR123s?


----------



## HKJ (Aug 2, 2011)

Outdoorsman5 said:


> Question: How does the light stay within the 4.5v - 8.4v operating voltage even though it uses six 3v CR123s or six 4.2v RCR123s?


 
The batteries are in parallel, 3 stings of two batteries each.


----------



## Outdoorsman5 (Aug 2, 2011)

HKJ said:


> The batteries are in parallel, 3 stings of two batteries each.



So, in other words, each pair must be within 4.5v-8.4v? 
Multiply that by three sets means the total voltage must be within 18v-25.2v?
Am I understanding this right?


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 2, 2011)

Outdoorsman5 said:


> Question: How does the light stay within the 4.5v - 8.4v operating voltage even though it uses six 3v CR123s or six 4.2v RCR123s?





HKJ said:


> The batteries are in parallel, 3 stings of two batteries each.


Yes, that is the only conclusion I can draw as well (i.e. 2s3p arrangement). The voltage range is thus specific for each of the 3 channels (i.e. for each pair of batteries).

Incidentally, I see there is some consternation floating around in other threads about support for RCR and not 18650. On this front, I would note the original specs for the S18 _were for 6xCR123A only_. The support for 6xRCR seems to have been a very recent change, likely to help meet the rechargeable concerns of members here. Again, I'm only guessing, but I suspect they weren't able to get the circuit to work <4.5V per channel. :shrug:


----------



## HKJ (Aug 2, 2011)

Outdoorsman5 said:


> So, in other words, each pair must be within 4.5v-8.4v?
> Multiply that by three sets means the total voltage must be within 18v-25.2v?
> Am I understanding this right?


 
Mostly, you can not talk of a higher voltage when running in parallel. Each slot in the battery cassette must have exactly the same voltage and it must be between 4.5 and 8.4 volt. You could probably also run the light with only one slot filled (but only on low).


----------



## Outdoorsman5 (Aug 2, 2011)

I understand better now....thanks.


----------



## Volvo (Aug 2, 2011)

Tnx for a nice review. 
Too bad about that short runtime on high. 
Is it because of the batteryconfiguration?


----------



## Rolex John (Aug 2, 2011)

Nice job Selfbuilt as usual on the review - mine is over in the LED forum:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...rom-S18-Tactical-Flashlight-gt-gt-gt-gt-gt-gt


----------



## calflash (Aug 2, 2011)

HKJ said:


> You could probably also run the light with only one slot filled (but only on low).



My guess is this is correct. The battery carrier looks like it uses a similarly designed cradle for the batteries as the Olight SR50 6x123 battery carrier. (At least the contacts of the carrier are similar.) The SR50 can run with only one battery slot filled (two batteries).


----------



## SHADE02 (Aug 2, 2011)

Can somebody help me with this doubt.

How dangerous is to use it in 6 rcr123 batteries??

i have a few lights that use 2x 18650, and even if i charge it, at the same time, my 2x 18650 never get the same voltage.

So.. how many difference betwen the volts(in each rcr) can be in a safe area


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 2, 2011)

HKJ said:


> You could probably also run the light with only one slot filled (but only on low).


Confirmed, the light illuminates on 4xCR123A or 2xCR123A. I wouldn't want to try and push this past the Lo mode, though (and before anyone asks, no, I'm not going to try it on Hi this way ). 



SHADE02 said:


> How dangerous is to use it in 6 rcr123 batteries??


It's a good question, and one I'd like to see the battery experts chime in on. As always, I expect the risk is relatively low (especially with good quality cells), but it stands to reason the risk increases the more cells are involved (hence my warning in the review). 

It my testing, using recent good quality AW protected RCRs, I noticed the residual resting voltages coming out of the light at the end of a run were pretty comparable among the cells (in the low 3V range). Of course, I made sure they were the same going in! But note that as cells age, the maximum resting voltage when fully charged drops somewhat (i.e. may be 4.22V hot off the charger when new, 4.14V after six months). I made a point of ensuring all my cells were 4.16-4.18V going in for the runtime test.


----------



## Erzengel (Aug 2, 2011)

I think that some two cell lights are more dangerous. The current is distributed between the three stacks and therefore it should be rather low. I don't know the current rating, maybe someone else can clarify this.


----------



## jhc37013 (Aug 2, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> It's a good question, and one I'd like to see the battery experts chime in on. As always, I expect the risk is relatively low (especially with good quality cells), but it stands to reason the risk increases the more cells are involved (hence my warning in the review).
> 
> It my testing, using recent good quality AW protected RCRs, I noticed the residual resting voltages coming out of the light at the end of a run were pretty comparable among the cells (in the low 3V range). Of course, I made sure they were the same going in! But note that as cells age, the maximum resting voltage when fully charged drops somewhat (i.e. may be 4.22V hot off the charger when new, 4.14V after six months). I made a point of ensuring all my cells were 4.16-4.18V going in for the runtime test.



So it stands to reason it's a always a good idea to own a multimeter but even more so if you plan on owning a S18, if you take a little extra time and and check your rcr123's voltage after they are depleted and then again after charging this can help keep everything safe. Check that your cr123's volatge matches up before mixing them together.

If it was me I would check the rcr123's voltage after you run the S18 for 30mins or so to make sure the capacity of all 6 are matching up ok, I would probably do this 3 or 4 times before I get confident with the cells but I would always do the checks before and after charging.

I'm really not sure either but I've never mixed cells with a voltage difference of >.1v, I would like to learn more if anyone knows any good "rules of thumb".


----------



## JeffInChi (Aug 3, 2011)

Too soon to ask if there is a belt holster out there that would fit?


----------



## jhc37013 (Aug 3, 2011)

JeffInChi said:


> Too soon to ask if there is a belt holster out there that would fit?



I don't think so but I know Dan (Hogokansatsukan) would make a high quality leather one for you.

For reference- http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?318852-Holster-for-my-SC600!


----------



## rickypanecatyl (Aug 3, 2011)

Can you change mode levels with the tail cap selector ring while the light is on? For instance on the thrunite scorpion it doesn't do anything to the mode you are in to twist the tail cap ring with the light on - you have to turn it off and then turn it back on again to see the switch. But of course the G5 Maelstrom the modes change while the light is on as you rotate the head.


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 3, 2011)

JeffInChi said:


> Too soon to ask if there is a belt holster out there that would fit?


Judging from the pics 4Sevens has released, it looks like it comes with a basic model hoslter (open in the bottom).



rickypanecatyl said:


> Can you change mode levels with the tail cap selector ring while the light is on? For instance on the thrunite scorpion it doesn't do anything to the mode you are in to twist the tail cap ring with the light on - you have to turn it off and then turn it back on again to see the switch. But of course the G5 Maelstrom the modes change while the light is on as you rotate the head.


Yes, you can change the output mode while the light is on. It is not like the Scorpion - the S18 works "on the fly", as you would expect. Basically, it works just like all the magnetic control rings (e.g. Eagletac, JetBeam, Nitecore, Sunwayman, etc.), just without any obvious detents (aside from the audible click as the mode changes). I have no idea how the switch works, but it feels somewhat mechanical (judging by the stiffer resistance and click).


----------



## SHADE02 (Aug 3, 2011)

Erzengel said:


> I think that some two cell lights are more dangerous. The current is distributed between the three stacks and therefore it should be rather low. I don't know the current rating, maybe someone else can clarify this.


 
So.. still nobody know how dangerous is to used it in 6 rcr? any answer to this manner?,I hope somebody could enlight me with this 2 things,because I really consider buy this light ,
but am afraid of 

due to hard task to maintain all batteries to the exact same volts:sick2:


----------



## Cruiser40 (Aug 3, 2011)

Great review selfbuilt. I just bought the X10 and love it (except for the switch). May have to get the S18 also. Can always use, well want, another light.


----------



## tre (Aug 3, 2011)

Volvo said:


> Too bad about that short runtime on high.
> Is it because of the batteryconfiguration?


 
Yes. 1 rcr123 cell only has 600mAh (despite the sticker on the cell that says slightly more). 2 rcr123a cells are roughly the size of one 18650. An 18650 with 2900mAh has much more capacity than 2 rcr123 cells with 1200mAh.

Primaries are a bit better. You get 1500mAh but you get less voltage than a lithium rechargeable cell so a single 18650 still has more capacity than two primary cr123a cells.

That is why you only get 35 min of run time using rcr123 cells in this light.


----------



## dosenfisch (Aug 3, 2011)

Does a 18650 fit in the battery holder? If this is possible, are you able to put the battery holder with 2 18650s back in the light?
Then its maybe possible to use this light with 2 18650s if you insulate 2 contacts and connect the batteries with a wire to put them in series.


----------



## SHADE02 (Aug 3, 2011)

tre said:


> That is why you only get 35 min of run time using rcr123 cells in this light.


 
TKS, and what about the cr123, how many minutes will be for real??


----------



## xtestifyx (Aug 3, 2011)

dosenfisch said:


> Does a 18650 fit in the battery holder? If this is possible, are you able to put the battery holder with 2 18650s back in the light?
> Then its maybe possible to use this light with 2 18650s if you insulate 2 contacts and connect the batteries with a wire to put them in series.


 Nope, unfortunately the market for this light is more dedicated to LEO, where they need to use CR123's.

I find it sad too but we'll have to live with that. One would hope 4Sevens will make a special carrier, but I know the space is limited within the body


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 3, 2011)

dosenfisch said:


> Does a 18650 fit in the battery holder? If this is possible, are you able to put the battery holder with 2 18650s back in the light? Then its maybe possible to use this light with 2 18650s if you insulate 2 contacts and connect the batteries with a wire to put them in series.


No, 18650 will not physically fit in the holder - it is clearly designed to NOT accept this size battery. 

Given the popularity of 18650, it stands to reason this was a very conscious design choice by 4Sevens (i.e. they could not design a circuit that would accept three parallel 18650s). IN THEORY, if you could jury-rig two 18650s in series (presumably would need to dremel away plastic, block contacts, and re-wire the carrier, etc.) you should be able to get the light to activate.  But I can only presume that it would be dangerous on anything other than the lowest output mode, especially on non-IMR cells. If they could have safely driven an SST-90 at over 1200 lumens on only two standard 18650 batteries, I'm sure they would have offered that.

I realize many here are disappointed about lack of 18650 support in the circuit. Given that, I'm actually _glad _the carrier won't physically take 18650. Otherwise, it would encourage people to try and mod the carrier for 2x18650, which would likely lead to unsafe current drains on Hi. :shakehead Again, I urge everyone to step back and consider what they are playing around with. This light is designed for 6x primary CR123A, with the rechargeable option of RCRs only. 



SHADE02 said:


> TKS, and what about the cr123, how many minutes will be for real??


The "real" runtimes are shown in the graphs in the review - they are what I actually measured in my lightbox, at the Med and Hi levels on both 6xRCR and 6xCR123A. The graphs show relative output (on the Y-axis, or vertical scale) over time (on the X-axis, or horizontal scale). 

As you will see, on primary CR123A, the S18 runs at a regulated level for the first ~50 mins or so on Hi, followed by a slow drop-off in output. On Med, you get 3 hours before the drop-off occurs. On protected RCR (which shuts down abruptly as the cells near exhaustion), I got 36 mins to shut down on Hi, and just under 2 hours on Med.


----------



## SHADE02 (Aug 3, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> The "real" runtimes are shown in the graphs in the review - they are what I actually measured in my lightbox, at the Med and Hi levels on both 6xRCR and 6xCR123A.


 
am sorry SELFBUILT but, i just don't really understand your graph,
why you write: 6cr123 HI = 1hr 4min to 50%??
what does the last part mean(to 50%)??


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 3, 2011)

SHADE02 said:


> am sorry SELFBUILT but, i just don't really understand your graph,
> why you write: 6cr123 HI = 1hr 4min to 50%??
> what does the last part mean(to 50%)??


"xx min to 50%" means the time it takes for the light to drop to 50% of its original output in that mode.

Before the ability to actually graph the output over time (as I do in my reviews), people had to make due with a single piece of information. Time to 50% original output became something of a standard, to facilitate comparisons between lights. It is arbitrary though (e.g. ANSI FL-1 uses time to 10% as its measure, which favours lights that use alkaline cells, due to their slow drop-off). 

I only include the time to 50% to facilitate comparisons for people who want to know how long one light last compared to another (or one mode/battery source to another in a given light). But you are much better off looking at the actual runtime graphs - it tells you a lot more about how the light behaves over time (i.e. how output changes over time).

Basically, how "tall" the top of the lines are on the graph tell you how much relative light is made, and how "wide" the graphs are before they drop down tell you how long they last.


----------



## SHADE02 (Aug 3, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> Basically, how "tall" the top of the lines are on the graph tell you how much relative light is made, and how "wide" the graphs are before they drop down tell you how long they last.


 
Thank you selfbuilt for the explanation

I hope not to be so noob a long time, to truly understand all that info that you kindly give us..:thumbsup:


----------



## rickypanecatyl (Aug 3, 2011)

tre said:


> Yes. 1 rcr123 cell only has 600mAh (despite the sticker on the cell that says slightly more). 2 rcr123a cells are roughly the size of one 18650. An 18650 with 2900mAh has much more capacity than 2 rcr123 cells with 1200mAh.



It does have more but it does not have 29/12ths more capacity as (2) rcr's have right? As (2) rcr's would have double the volts making it more like 29/24ths more capacity?


----------



## Colonel Sanders (Aug 3, 2011)

ricky, you can't multiply both the voltage and the mah X 2. If they are in series then you have double the voltage with the same mah or if they are in parallel then you have double the mah but the same voltage. So, it works like this.

A 2900mah 18650 is 2.900A x 3.7v = 10.73
2 x 750mah RCRs is 1.5A x 3.7v = 5.55 _if they are in parallel_ *OR*
2 x 750mah RCRs is .750A x 7.4v = 5.55 _if they are in series_

So, any way you try to slice it, a single 2900mah cell has 93% more capacity than two 750mah cells.


----------



## Swedpat (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks for the review Selfbuilt!

S18 seems to be a nice light. But personally I wish the Hi and Med outputs should have been: 800 OTF lumen and 300 OTF lumen. 
800lm would likely provide 1+ full hour runtime, which is my personal desire of shortest runtime at the highest brightness.


----------



## rickypanecatyl (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks for the clarification Colonel! Wow didn't realize how much more efficient the 18650's were! Kind of like looking at the numbers on NiMH AA's vs D size batteries at wal mart where they are both the same but the AA's of course are so much smaller!


----------



## nidhoggr (Aug 5, 2011)

I love all your reviews, very informative. I had a few questions on your s18 numbers. In comparison to the SR90, your numbers and charts show they put out very similar levels of light. The SR90 is according to olight's numbers doing 2200 lumens on high and the 4sevens should be doing just under half that at 1200. What do you think might be causing the sr90 to rate so lowly or is the S18 just vastly under rated?


----------



## liquidwater (Aug 5, 2011)

nidhoggr said:


> I love all your reviews, very informative. I had a few questions on your s18 numbers. In comparison to the SR90, your numbers and charts show they put out very similar levels of light. The SR90 is according to olight's numbers doing 2200 lumens on high and the 4sevens should be doing just under half that at 1200. What do you think might be causing the sr90 to rate so lowly or is the S18 just vastly under rated?


 

olight sr90, has 2200 lumens at the emitter. otf(real lumens) it has i think around 1500 at start up and after 3 min, goes down to low 1300s. s18 is otf lumens 1200. so around the same.


----------



## 276 (Aug 5, 2011)

I got mine yesterday its pretty sweet light, bigger than i thought. Cool thing i found out is my Olight diffuser for my SR51 fits on perfectly. Anybody notice that if you in between modes and you click on the light you get strobe in low mode for some reason.


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 5, 2011)

nidhoggr said:


> The SR90 is according to olight's numbers doing 2200 lumens on high and the 4sevens should be doing just under half that at 1200. What do you think might be causing the sr90 to rate so lowly or is the S18 just vastly under rated?





liquidwater said:


> olight sr90, has 2200 lumens at the emitter. otf(real lumens) it has i think around 1500 at start up and after 3 min, goes down to low 1300s. s18 is otf lumens 1200. so around the same.


Yeah, I don't think anyone believes the "2200" estimate is actual out-the-front lumens for the SR90. And 4Sevens can be conservative in lumen ratings. Basically, the S18 seems to driven almost as hard as the SR90. The difference between them is pretty negligible, both by eye and by ceiling bounce in my testing.

Note however that my runtimes are all done under a cooling fan. I would expect a more significant drop-off in output on the S18 with just hand-holding.



276 said:


> Anybody notice that if you in between modes and you click on the light you get strobe in low mode for some reason.


Hmmm, I hadn't noticed that on mine.

_EDIT:_ Confirmed, I am able to get mine to do this as well. There is a narrow range between modes where you elicit strobe. Easiest to find it you turn just enough to "click" into the next level, and then slightly turn back. I hadn't noticed this in regular testing, though.


----------



## nidhoggr (Aug 6, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> Yeah, I don't think anyone believes the "2200" estimate is actual out-the-front lumens for the SR90. And 4Sevens can be conservative in lumen ratings. Basically, the S18 seems to driven almost as hard as the SR90. The difference between them is pretty negligible, both by eye and by ceiling bounce in my testing.
> 
> Note however that my runtimes are all done under a cooling fan. I would expect a more significant drop-off in output on the S18 with just hand-holding.
> 
> ...


 

I figured Olight was using emitter lumens not otf. I just wouldn't have though that the difference was so vast or that 4sevens would be underestimating their otf lumens by so much. Thanks for the quick response everyone, I think I'm definitely going to get this baby!


----------



## Necroskull (Aug 6, 2011)

Awesome review bro, The s18 looks to be an awesome light, Alittle big for my tastes but It would be an awesome light for when the power goes out and you need to see ALOT lol.

Jim


----------



## SHADE02 (Aug 8, 2011)

hi 
it worth to pay the extra cash for the s18, or you recomend me to buy the sr51 instead?
range, brighter?


----------



## ganymede (Aug 10, 2011)

selfbuilt said:


> _EDIT:_ Confirmed, I am able to get mine to do this as well. There is a narrow range between modes where you elicit strobe. Easiest to find it you turn just enough to "click" into the next level, and then slightly turn back. I hadn't noticed this in regular testing, though.



Can elaborate a bit on this preflash?


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 10, 2011)

ganymede said:


> Can elaborate a bit on this preflash?


It's not a preflash - it's a sustained strobe mode, same as if you had the dial set to strobe. For some reason, if you position the dial just right in-between the constant output modes while off (i.e. Lo/Med/Hi), the S18 activates in the strobe mode instead. Turning the dial into one of the defined output modes restores constant output. 

Note that this doesn't happen when switching between modes when the light is on - there is no sign of strobe then while switching between the constant output modes.


----------



## SHADE02 (Aug 11, 2011)

it's true that the olight sr51 has the same throw than the s18, and more deffined?


----------



## Got Lumens? (Aug 19, 2011)

mhphoto said:


> Great review. Out of curiosity, why can they put a forward click switch on this light but not on the S12 and X10? I remember something about too much current for it to be reliable. If they can put one on this it seems like they should be able to stick on on the other lights.


Mh,
I just got mine. I think it has to do with size of the switch required. The Diameter of the Tailcap on the S12/X10 is ~35mm. The Diameter of the Tailcap on the S18 is ~45.5mm, substantially larger and easily has room for the larger switch needed to carry the current. Just my guess.
GL


----------



## HKJ (Aug 20, 2011)

Got Lumens? said:


> Mh,
> I just got mine. I think it has to do with size of the switch required. The Diameter of the Tailcap on the S12/X10 is ~35mm. The Diameter of the Tailcap on the S18 is ~45.5mm, substantially larger and easily has room for the larger switch needed to carry the current. Just my guess.
> GL


 
The switch is not that large, somebody has dismantled a S18 tailcap here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...2-Maelstrom-S18-Flashlight-and-Tailcap-W-Pics
But maybe the switch on the S18 just activates an electronic switch?


----------



## Got Lumens? (Aug 20, 2011)

HKJ said:


> The switch is not that large, somebody has dismantled a S18 tailcap here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...2-Maelstrom-S18-Flashlight-and-Tailcap-W-Pics
> But maybe the switch on the S18 just activates an electronic switch?


Thanks HKJ! Your reply has helped me :thanks:
AveragGuys post above clearly shows that it uses a forward clickie switch :thumbsup:
Got Lumens?


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 21, 2011)

_UPDATE AUGUST 21, 2011: I have now done 100-yard outdoor beamshots, in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up reviews._


----------



## Claireandtim (Aug 28, 2011)

I haven't been keeping an eye on all of the S18 threads, so if this has already been discussed please forgive the re-hashing... 

I wanted to advise every e what I've been getting for runtimes using Trustfire 16340's.. With a fully charged set of batteries the S18 will run for just about 15 minutes on high. The light will then just completely shutoff. Most of the time I can wait about 5 minutes and get the light to come on, on low. I can then kick it into medium for a few minutes before shut down, however trying to step into high results in full, immediate shut down. 

I have no idea as to if AW cells would perform much better. I have done this test with 2 sets of the mentioned 16340's and results have been similar. Not that it may be of surprise but worth noting, my runtimes on the 4sevens primary cells were noticeably better. I didn't time those cells but am positive on the runtime being longer. Again, the capacity of the primaries is a lot higher so I expected results like this. Also, when running he primaries, the light would begin to blink as a warning when the juice was almost dry... No such event on the 16340's. From a cost perspective I really like the 16340's but they come at a price, fairly soft runtimes in my opinion... So I carry 3 sets of the TF's with me in case I start liquidating cells.


----------



## Claireandtim (Aug 28, 2011)

Sorry about the typos.... iPad is not the easiest to type sometimes.


----------



## ti-force (Aug 28, 2011)

Claireandtim said:


> I haven't been keeping an eye on all of the S18 threads, so if this has already been discussed please forgive the re-hashing...
> 
> I wanted to advise every e what I've been getting for runtimes using Trustfire 16340's.. With a fully charged set of batteries the S18 will run for just about 15 minutes on high. The light will then just completely shutoff. Most of the time I can wait about 5 minutes and get the light to come on, on low. I can then kick it into medium for a few minutes before shut down, however trying to step into high results in full, immediate shut down.
> 
> I have no idea as to if AW cells would perform much better. I have done this test with 2 sets of the mentioned 16340's and results have been similar. Not that it may be of surprise but worth noting, my runtimes on the 4sevens primary cells were noticeably better. I didn't time those cells but am positive on the runtime being longer. Again, the capacity of the primaries is a lot higher so I expected results like this. Also, when running he primaries, the light would begin to blink as a warning when the juice was almost dry... No such event on the 16340's. From a cost perspective I really like the 16340's but they come at a price, fairly soft runtimes in my opinion... So I carry 3 sets of the TF's with me in case I start liquidating cells.


 
Your run time on RCR Li-ions is very poor, and not like my results at all. I would guess that the poor quality of your cells is to blame. I didn't test mine with RCR's because I don't have 6 of them, however, I did test with 6X AW IMR 16340's, which actually have a higher capacity than RCR's, even though RCR's are rated as having higher capacity. You can revisit my S18 review to see my results on AW IMR cells. The light was still going strong at 30 minutes into the run time, but I shut it down to test cell voltage at the 30 minute mark (this was before I knew for sure that the light would shut off before damaging the cells, since 4sevens doesn't actually advertise the use of IMR cells). I only buy and use AW brand Li-ion cells (with the exception of 4sevens' 26650 Li-ion's). If you test again with higher quality cells and your results are similar, then I would look at the light for possible problems.


----------



## Got Lumens? (Aug 28, 2011)

ti-force said:


> Your run time on RCR Li-ions is very poor, and not like my results at all. I would guess that the poor quality of your cells is to blame. If you test again with higher quality cells and your results are similar, then I would look at the light for possible problems.


Hi Ti-Force & ClaireandTim,
I have 6 AW RCR123As 750mAh, and six more will arrive tommorow. I will see what I get for run time on them today and post back. Should be late this afternoon.
Got Lumens?


----------



## xtestifyx (Aug 28, 2011)

Claireandtim said:


> I wanted to advise every e what I've been getting for runtimes using Trustfire 16340's.. With a fully charged set of batteries the S18 will run for just about 15 minutes on high. The light will then just completely shutoff.


 

Are you aware that TrustFire's cells are UltraFire's factory seconds?


----------



## Got Lumens? (Aug 28, 2011)

xtestifyx said:


> Are you aware that TrustFire's cells are UltraFire's factory seconds?


I was not, Thank You for sharing that tid bit of info . 
I have some no brand Blue cover LC 16340's that are labeled 1300mAh(Ya Right) that seem to work very well that were purchased off Ebay about a year ago. I will try a test with those as well as the AW 750mAh's.
GL


----------



## xtestifyx (Aug 28, 2011)

I also wanted to point out that most if not the majority of "UltraFire" branded batteries on online shops such as DX and KD are counterfeit. 

I spoke with UltraFire(Wa Fat) and they are not distributing their products through KD or DX, there's also counterfeits of their flashlights that are slightly modified and then sold as a different model that does not exist, crazy ain't it!


----------



## Got Lumens? (Aug 28, 2011)

Deleted per Selfbuilt's suggestion


----------



## selfbuilt (Aug 28, 2011)

I recommend battery discussions be taken to the electronics/batteries included subforum, as there are many there with a great deal of experience of the various brands.

In your case Claireandtime, I agree with TiForce that the problem is likely the cells. My runtimes on standard AW protected RCRs are given in the review runtime graphs (e.g. 36 min on high before shut-down)


----------



## andromeda.73 (Sep 27, 2011)

good job!


----------



## TEEJ (Feb 1, 2012)

I have an inbound S18, but no batteries for it. I can find 3.0-ish volt batteries with 800-900 mAh, and 3.7 v with 750 mAh ratings. (Looking at rechargables) 

For the S18, what would the higher or low volts due for me, and would the added voltage compensate for the lower mAh? (Better brightness/less run time?)

If I just go by the volts and mAh, can I assume that CR123a and 16340 RCR are exactly the same/synonyms for the same battery?


----------



## selfbuilt (Feb 1, 2012)

TEEJ said:


> I have an inbound S18, but no batteries for it. I can find 3.0-ish volt batteries with 800-900 mAh, and 3.7 v with 750 mAh ratings. (Looking at rechargables)
> For the S18, what would the higher or low volts due for me, and would the added voltage compensate for the lower mAh? (Better brightness/less run time?)
> If I just go by the volts and mAh, can I assume that CR123a and 16340 RCR are exactly the same/synonyms for the same battery?


CR123A designates the primary lithium battery (i.e. non-rechargeable). 16340, RCR, and RCR123A are all synonyms indicating a rechargeable form of lithium-ion. 

There are a number of different chemistries for Li-ions, but the most common is lithium cobalt oxide (i.e. LiCoO2, or ICR). Unless specified otherwise, most 16340/RCR batteries are ICR chemistry and are 3.7V nominal voltage (~4.2V fully charged). Other popular variants are lithium manganese oxide cells (LiMn2O4, better known as IMR) and lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, sometimes called IFR). IMR cells typically have similar voltage ranges to ICR, but LiFePO4 batteries are lower (i.e., likely those 3V nominal cells you were referring to).

Each chemistry has specific advantages/disadvantages that you can read up on in the batteries sub-forum. In this multi-cell setup (that accepts both 3V CR123A and 4.2V ICR), it really comes down to overall capacity for a given chemistry. Unfortunately, you can't easily equate rated capacity specs between different chemistries. The runtime graphs here will you give you an idea how a typical CR123A and common ICR-RCR will perform. For more information on the other battery types, I suggest you check out the batteries sub-forum. :wave:


----------



## TEEJ (Feb 1, 2012)

oops, left off the R in front of the RCR123A


----------



## Scenic (Feb 17, 2012)

Just picked up one of these for on sale for only 151$. Seems like a great price for such a powerful light. I think there sales on select 4sevens lights because they are changing their logo and these ones still have the old logo, but otherwise same light. Can't wait to get this in the mail. My goal was to find something that could out-shine my current king: TN11.


----------



## Claireandtim (Feb 17, 2012)

Yes... I had talked to Kyle @ GG today and he advised that they were blowing through them pretty quickly but that they had received about 16 more in stock today.. the light used to be $250 @ GG, that means that its 40% off right now.. nuts! Plus GG has free shipping and those guys are awesome to deal with (no I don't work there, etc..) You know, another thing about the S18 for $150 is that the light has a 10 year warranty... I don't recall what everyone else offers but if I remember correctly, the warranty of the foursevens lights is longer than my Nitecore, Jetbeam and Spark lights, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on that.


----------



## Brianmp929 (May 10, 2012)

Got the last S18 from GG. Light has been amazing thus far


----------



## Tete (May 13, 2012)

Got this a while ago from 4Sevens with the 30% discount. I'd been wanting this light since it came out, but waited to get the price down a bit, because I knew I have to pay the 23% VAT when getting it through customs.
I'm very happy with it and like the UI very much. Only downside is that the Xtar RCR's I have, don't fit to the battery holder..:mecry:
But thankfully the 4Sevens CR123's aren't all that expensive...


----------



## TEEJ (May 13, 2012)

Tete said:


> Got this a while ago from 4Sevens with the 30% discount. I'd been wanting this light since it came out, but waited to get the price down a bit, because I knew I have to pay the 23% VAT when getting it through customs.
> I'm very happy with it and like the UI very much. Only downside is that the Xtar RCR's I have, don't fit to the battery holder..:mecry:
> But thankfully the 4Sevens CR123's aren't all that expensive...



Better stock up fast on cells, the shipping bans' about to go into effect!


----------



## anthony lumens (May 14, 2012)

Tete said:


> Got this a while ago from 4Sevens with the 30% discount. I'd been wanting this light since it came out, but waited to get the price down a bit, because I knew I have to pay the 23% VAT when getting it through customs.
> I'm very happy with it and like the UI very much. Only downside is that the Xtar RCR's I have, don't fit to the battery holder..:mecry:
> But thankfully the 4Sevens CR123's aren't all that expensive...



Eagletac rcr123s Also fit in this light


----------



## Tete (May 17, 2012)

TEEJ said:


> Better stock up fast on cells, the shipping bans' about to go into effect!



So, what is this exatly? Is it going to be impossible to order lithium cells from anywhere? Because one U.S. place I tried to order some lithium AA's replied saying they can't ship them via airmail, so they don't ship them outside U.S. at all... And from couple other places, i.e. 4Sevens, they do?:thinking: 



anthony lumens said:


> Eagletac rcr123s Also fit in this light



Maybe I have to try them then.. They seem to be quite reasonably priced too.


----------



## TEEJ (May 17, 2012)

The ban, when it goes becomes active, will stop legal shipping of lithium cells overseas...until it kicks in, of course, some suppliers will still ship, while others have already stopped in anticipation.


----------



## Tete (May 17, 2012)

Damn! Here for example the CR123's can cost up to 6 euros a piece, so it has been quite good way to aquire them...


----------



## Labrador72 (May 17, 2012)

Tete said:


> Damn! Here for example the CR123's can cost up to 6 euros a piece, so it has been quite good way to aquire them...


From what I read the shipping ban is from the US to overseas: you can buy them from many EU countries from 1.5 to 2 euros each depending on the brand.


----------



## snoopy8622 (May 18, 2012)

It will be even nicer, if it can take 2x 26650 battery instead of 6xcr123. I will definitely get one for such a great light with good throw. :thumbsup:


----------



## tobrien (Dec 15, 2012)

does it make sense to buy this light nowadays? it's only about 1.5 years old as a model (came out in August 2011 right?) so not too bad. is it worth spending the cash on?


----------



## TEEJ (Dec 15, 2012)

tobrien said:


> does it make sense to buy this light nowadays? it's only about 1.5 years old as a model (came out in August 2011 right?) so not too bad. is it worth spending the cash on?



I was wondering that the other day.

It is a great light...but, as with all LED lights now a days....progress marches on.


----------



## tobrien (Dec 15, 2012)

TEEJ said:


> I was wondering that the other day.
> 
> It is a great light...but, as with all LED lights now a days....progress marches on.



yeah man, i'm just stuck between this and a Malkoff triple XP-G2 Wildcat as my next high end light. dang


----------

