# SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone - UPDATED



## selfbuilt (Dec 26, 2007)

This is a quick review of the new “MRV-clone” light, the 18650-only Smartfire V-68C Q5. The body design appears to be a knock-off of the MRV, but with some important differences. I got mine from Kai Domain, but I know DX also sells it.

For a detailed comparison to all the other thrower lights in my collection, please see:
Thrower review: DBS, Spear, MRV, Tiablo, Regal & clones: THROW, RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS! 

_*UPDATE 2/7/08:* After isolating the contacts around the emitter pill, the "flickering" issue in my low mode and strobe modes has been resolved. This is the minimum required fix for all users of this light - failure to do so could result in shorting out the emitter fairly quickly (including upon initial activation!). Buyer beware ..._

*The contenders*:

On the left, the Smartfire V-68C, on the right, Lumapower MRV (2nd Gen), 







*Weight:*
Lumapower MRV: 195g
Smartfire V-68C: 137g

As you can see from the non-battery weights, the light is not going to be as substantial as a MRV.

_*I’ve saved beamshots for the end, after the discussion of build quality.*_

*Measurement Method:*Throw values are the square-root of Lux measurements taken at 1m using a light meter. Note that my lightmeter tends to report lower absolute values than most, but I have verified it is linearly responsive over the range of intensities in question.

*Smartfire V-68C “Q5” (18650-only) Throw Lux @ one meter:*
18650 x 1 on high *with stock lens*: 15,000 Lux
18650 x 1 on high *with MRV lens*: 16,300 Lux
18650 x 1 on high *with UCL-AR lens*: 17,000 Lux
18650 x 1 on low: 6,000 Lux
*MRV 1st Generation with DX Cree Q5 WG mod - Q5 Throw Lux @ one meter:*
18650 x 1 on high: 11,800 Lux
18650 x 1 on low: 8,500 Lux
CR123A x 2 on high: 18,200 Lux
CR123A x 2 on low: 8,500 Lux
*Dereelight DBS 3-Stage - Q4 (18650-only) Throw Lux @ one meter:*
18650 x 1 on high: 21,200 Lux
18650 x 1 on medium: 10,500 Lux
18650 x 1 on low: 1,830 Lux
*DX WF-600 (18650-only) - Q2 Throw Lux @ one meter:*
18650 x 1 on high: 16,300 Lux
18650 x 1 on low: 3,600 Lux
*Throw observation:*

At first glance, the V-68C throws the same as the Q2 WF-600 on 18650 on Hi - despite the Q5 label on the V-68C. :thinking: However, I believe this light does indeed contain a Q4 or Q5 emitter (scroll down to build quality for a discussion). 
Throw improves with a better quality lens (see my discussion in post #36 here). 

*Runtimes:*
Runtimes charts are slightly different from my other reviews - since my home-made milk carton lightbox doesn't accurately capture overall output on these intense throwers, I have adjusted all my relative output numbers to initial throw (measured as the squareroot of Lux @1m). This allows you to directly compare the relative throw of each light over time on the graphs below (although you can't directly compare these graphs with my other reviews).






*Runtime observation:*

Again, the V-68C performs exactly the same as the Q2 WF-600 on 18650 on Hi. And again, see below for a potential explanation why.

*Build Quality:*

Let’s start at the top, the source of the throw problem: the V-68C (left) lacks an o-ring around the lens in the bezel.

*EDIT:* You can solve this problem with a 40mm x 1.5mm o-ring available from oringsusa.com. Once you add the o-ring, waterproofness should be halfway decent.






The light seems to use a similar-size reflector as the MRV, and the head/bezel has the exact same dimensions. But since the o-ring is missing, the reflector “wobbles” loosely inside the head unless you have it screwed all the way tight against the body *so that the actual emitter seems to be holding the reflector firmly in place*. This is obviously a huge potential problem, since if the aluminum reflector touches the Cree contacts you could short the emitter. 

Are the contacts protected? Let’s take a look under the hood.






Note that I have not removed anything – this is exactly what you see when you unscrew the head (i.e. unlike the MRV, there is no plastic insulating disk around the emitter). And that’s got to be one of the worse soldering jobs I’ve seen in awhile – note the bare exposed copper wiring at the –‘ve terminal. :green: So why is the light not completely shorting out in my sample? Simple reason – the reflector is not screwing down quite far enough to touch the contacts, even with the bezel fully tightened.

_*EDIT:* On further testing, it seems I was getting some shorting across the contacts initially. This was manifesting as a "flicker" on my low mode and strobe modes that was immediately resolved when I isolated the contacts from the reflector with some kapton tape._

In any case, the emitter is not properly focused within the reflector, leading to reduced throw. :duh2: My measurements of overall output tell me the light is putting out more than my Q2-based lights – but throw @1m is no better than a Q2. See Beamshots below for a fuller depiction of the problem.

How about the further down the body? Here’s a shot of the contact board in the head (looking down the battery tube, since there’s no heatsink to unscrew). Hard to see, but there’s a rather messy soldering job in there. 






And here are the tailcap threads. A bit messy, but they are anodized allowing tailcap lockout. 






And finally the switch mechanism:






FYI, either my switch is unreliable or the emitter is shorting out on the reflector, as occasionally the light wouldn’t come on in my early testing - only flicker once upon pressing the switch and then go off.

I haven’t bother taking any additional body pics, but the type II anodizing is chipped off in numerous places along a lot of the edges of my sample, showing bare aluminum. The lettering is clear (although there is too much of it – every flat surface has writing on it).

*Beamshots:*

Quick and dirty comparison at ~1 meter from a wall, to show you the different overall spillbeam patterns. V-68C on the left (on 18650), Lumapower MRV Q2 (on primaries) on the right, both on Hi. 


















As you can see, beam profile is similar, but with a slightly wider hotspot and more defined corona on the V-68C. But that's not a good thing, as you'll see in the next couple of pics chosen to show you the effect of the de-focused reflector. These are taken close up at ~0.3 meters from the wall, on Low, to better show the hotspot.










As you can see, the reflector isn't properly focussed, even when screwed down all the way. :sigh:

*User Interface*

According to Kai's website, it's supposed to Hi - Lo - Strobe - SOS - off, accessed by clicking the switch in sequence. In fact, mine is *Hi - Lo - slow strobe (2.5Hz) - medium strobe (5Hz) - off*, with no SOS mode
Light uses PWM for low mode, at a fairly high frequency of 467 Hz. But my light originally had a horrible low freq flicker on the low mode, separate from PWM pulsing. :green: It seemed to be due to a shorting issue, as once I isolated the pill from the aluminum reflector the problem disappeared.
The strobe modes are also very unsual - at first, they struck me as "reverse strobes" (i.e. rather being in "off" mode most of the time and flashing "on" for brief periods - like most lights - these strobes seemed to be "on" most of the time with a partial dimming "off" during the strobe sequence). However, after isolating the contacts from the reflector, this effect has gone away. :sweat: 
Instead, I now realize that the duty cycle is exactly 50:50 on/off for both of the strobe modes (i.e. light is on half the time, off half the time). This is an unsual strobe mode, and not likely to lead to signficant improvement in runtime.
There is no memory mode as such. If you wait more than 2 secs between clicks, light will revert to Hi mode.

_*Conclusions:*_

I cannot recommend this light for someone looking for a turn-key solution to work well out of the box - it's going to require some effort to turn it into a useful light.
Most important fix is to isolate the contacts around the emitter pill. My light had noticeable flickering issues on low and strobe modes that disappeared once this was corrected. Note that at least one user has reported frying his emitter on first use, due to a contact issue. :thumbsdow
Adding a lens o-ring would be a good second step. The 40 MM X 1.5 MM BN70 from oringusa.com is a good fit.
You might also want to replace the lens with a UCL AR-coated one for improved light transmission. The 41.8mm UCL lens from flashlightlens.com is a perfect fit (it was developed for the MRV), and adds an additional ~2000 lux to the peak throw in my testing (i.e. UCL produces 17,000 lux @1m, compared to stock 15,000 lux).
Replacing the circuit board might also be a good idea (if you can access it - I haven't tried). The two low freq strobe modes may not be very useful for most.
Emitter is not well focussed in the reflector, as compared to the MRV lights on which this is based. The result is a slight-to-severe "donut" effect in the center, depending on your sample.
Rear clicky doesn't seem very reliable in my sample.
The body has a lot of superficial nicks, but does come with anodized tailcap threads (useful feature).
Heatsinking is a big unknown (can't access it separately), but we can expect it to be nowhere near the capabilities of the excellent (and heavy) MRV heatsink.
As shipped, I'm afraid this light needs a little more work before it is ready for prime time. :candle:

But after isolating the contacts, replacing the lens and adding a lens o-ring, it is not a bad inexpensive thrower light. However, it remains to be seen if the heatsinking is adequate over a prolonged period of time.


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## selfbuilt (Dec 27, 2007)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

I see Ernie has beat me to the punch: his V-68C review here.

Note that his light seems to have a similar build, but a different circuit.


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## woodrow (Dec 27, 2007)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Wow, those wonderful Chinese... no copyright or patent infringement rules apparently.

Thanks for the review. It was very hard for me to spend the money for my MRV SE when there were so many other great throw lights out there for less. This one appears not to be one of them though.


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## ace0001a (Dec 27, 2007)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



woodrow said:


> Wow, those wonderful Chinese... no copyright or patent infringement rules apparently.
> 
> Thanks for the review. It was very hard for me to spend the money for my MRV SE when there were so many other great throw lights out there for less. This one appears not to be one of them though.



And yet the Lumapower is also a Chinese light. :naughty:


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## Rzr800 (Dec 27, 2007)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Nice job as always, selfbuilt. :thumbsup:


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## selfbuilt (Dec 28, 2007)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



Rzr800 said:


> Nice job as always, selfbuilt. :thumbsup:


My pleasure ... not a lot of time these days, but I thought it was important to get this review up. I imagine a lot of people will be attracted to the price tag of this light, but they need to realize what they are in for.

I'm hoping to fix up a number of the problems with this light, and see if I can't turn it into something half-way decent. But I've got a couple of higher end lights in the review pipeline right now.


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## Pathlight (Jan 1, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Hi Selfbuilt,

Thanks for your review. Hope you get those problems fixed & retested, soon
as you can. I plan to buy this light or the WF-600; which seems to be a bet-ter light; & a little brighter (with a Q2 bulb). I like both, but the V-68C is 3 oz.
lighter & a little smaller. Which is important to me. With a Q5 it should be br-
ighter than the WF-600. I really like your reviews. Wish I had more time and
money to expand my hobby. Happy New Year. Gordon


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## bspofford (Jan 2, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

I ordered a couple and fried the emitter when I first turned it on. I looked under the hood and found that the MRV-style reflector shorted out the emitter. I put an insulator ring over the second, and it is bright and has a nice tint. Anybody know where I can find a GITD or other MRV-size o-ring?


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## Rzr800 (Jan 2, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



bspofford said:


> I ordered a couple and fried the emitter when I first turned it on. I looked under the hood and found that the MRV-style reflector shorted out the emitter. I put an insulator ring over the second, and it is bright and has a nice tint. *Anybody know where I can find a GITD or other MRV-size o-ring*?


 
Mine isn't here; yet should I (obviously) find an o-ring somewhere also before the same thing happens? (not really certain how to prevent this otherwise). Also, are these o-rings something special material or shape-wise that can't be found at the local indutrial supply house? 

Thanks for the heads up, bspofford.


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## selfbuilt (Jan 2, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



Rzr800 said:


> Mine isn't here; yet should I (obviously) find an o-ring somewhere also before the same thing happens? (not really certain how to prevent this otherwise). Also, are these o-rings something special material or shape-wise that can't be found at the local indutrial supply house?


Not sure where to find the right o-ring size (should be ~42mm, but I haven't double-checked). If anyone knows of a source, I'm sure we'd all be happy to hear it.

But it is more critical to insulate the contacts around the emitter. I use kapton tape ("kaptan" at DX), which is heat-resistant. But you could try the clear plastic cover from a microwave dinner - I remember StefanFS using that in one of his D-mini mods (just cut a small round hole the right size to fit snugly around the emitter ring).


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## ernsanada (Jan 2, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

My V-68C came with a plastic cover for the emitter. It fits loose not secured. Once the bezel lens is screwed down the pressure from the reflector holds it down.

You maybe able to cut something similar to this.


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## asturianin (Jan 4, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Thanks for all this information, great job!!


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## Marlite (Jan 5, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



woodrow said:


> Wow, those wonderful Chinese... no copyright or patent infringement rules apparently.
> 
> Woodrow
> You got that right. They have the Wild, Wild East. The D-Mini and MRV which we both have, started the Pocket Rockets and Throw Monsters. The blatant counterfeit even uses the shortened name "_Lpower MRV (type)_" adds nothing but cheapness and the clones find willing buyers. Lumapower, JetBeam, Fenix and Surefire and others get also get copied.
> ...


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## selfbuilt (Jan 5, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



ernsanada said:


> My V-68C came with a plastic cover for the emitter. It fits loose not secured. Once the bezel lens is screwed down the pressure from the reflector holds it down.


Thanks Ernie, glad to hear your's came with one. But I suspect a lot will be like mine and bspofford's - at high risk of shorting out.

It's certainly an easy fix to fasten some sort of heat-resistant plastic or tape over the contacts. I would recommend anyone who has bought one of these to check under the reflector before you try to turn it on for the first time - you don't want to fry the emitter! :sweat:


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## asturianin (Jan 7, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

So, do you think that dealextreme`s version is a good purchase? It looks nice, Q5 cree, multiple modes, good prize... or would it have any problem, like kaidomain´s one?


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## selfbuilt (Jan 8, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



asturianin said:


> So, do you think that dealextreme`s version is a good purchase? It looks nice, Q5 cree, multiple modes, good prize... or would it have any problem, like kaidomain´s one?


Typically, DX and Kai use the same suppliers, so there's no guarantee one will be better than the other. 

Whichever one you get, I would just recommend looking under the reflector before turning it on to make sure the contacts are protected.


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## TITAN1833 (Jan 8, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Hi guys have a look here for O-RINGS.
Scroll down on page two you will find 42.5 there.
http://www.oringsusa.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=488&osCsid=412753b8b73acba3ce70a327689c8ae1



selfbuilt said:


> Not sure where to find the right o-ring size (should be ~42mm, but I haven't double-checked). If anyone knows of a source, I'm sure we'd all be happy to hear it.
> 
> But it is more critical to insulate the contacts around the emitter. I use kapton tape ("kaptan" at DX), which is heat-resistant. But you could try the clear plastic cover from a microwave dinner - I remember StefanFS using that in one of his D-mini mods (just cut a small round hole the right size to fit snugly around the emitter ring).


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## selfbuilt (Jan 9, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



TITAN1833 said:


> Hi guys have a look here for O-RINGS.
> Scroll down on page two you will find 42.5 there.
> http://www.oringsusa.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=488&osCsid=412753b8b73acba3ce70a327689c8ae1


Thanks Titan ... I've measured the lens, it is is definitely less than 42mm (closer to 41mm). Also, I suspect the thinner ones will work better (more than ~1.5mm thickness, and I doubt they will fit under the lip).

I've just placed an order for a number of different sizes, and will post my results here once I receive them. Hopefully one of them will fit well!


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## Stereodude (Jan 9, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Which way does the reflector need to move to properly focus the light? 

I wonder why different people are getting seemingly different lights. :thinking:


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## ernsanada (Jan 9, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



Stereodude said:


> Which way does the reflector need to move to properly focus the light?
> 
> I wonder why different people are getting seemingly different lights. :thinking:




I noticed on my MRV the Cree sits higher in the reflector. The MRV reflector works with the clone. THe beam quality with the MRV reflector is better. My clone has a large ring which is off center. The MRV reflector straightens out the ring.

I tried shaving down the reflector to see if I could get the Cree to sit higher in the reflector. The MRV reflector looks thinner where the Cree comes through the reflector. Shaving down the reflector did not help. I did shave down the reflector to the same thickness as the MRV reflector.


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## selfbuilt (Jan 9, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



ernsanada said:


> I noticed on my MRV the Cree sits higher in the reflector.


Yes, I've noticed the same thing. If you wanted to improve the V-68C focus, you would need to lower the reflector a little further down (i.e. make it so the Cree emitter sits slightly higher in the reflector). I haven't tried modding my reflector yet.

Basically, the current situation with my V-68C is similar to what you would see if you defocussed the MRV reflector slightly (i.e. "unscrewed" it slightly so that it sat higher up on the reflector). It's not a huge mis-alignment, but it is noticeable in the up-close shots.


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## Volny (Jan 18, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Is it possible to adjust the focus to get a wider beam with this flashlight?


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## selfbuilt (Jan 18, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



Volny said:


> Is it possible to adjust the focus to get a wider beam with this flashlight?


No, all you can do is slightly defocus the hotspot by loosening the bezel head - but that will just make the reflector rattle. The overall spillbeam width won't change.


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## Volny (Jan 19, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

okay, another questiopn. Is it possible to use it without the whole reflecotrhead? So it will give light to 180 degrees?


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## selfbuilt (Jan 19, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



Volny said:


> okay, another questiopn. Is it possible to use it without the whole reflecotrhead? So it will give light to 180 degrees?


Yup, that you can do - you can run the light without the head/reflector attached (like in my pic showing the emitter). 

I would recommend you place something non-conductive around the emitter contact, to make sure you don't accidentally short the light (in case it falls over, etc.).


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## phreeflow (Jan 30, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



selfbuilt said:


> I see Ernie has beat me to the punch: his V-68C review here.
> 
> Note that his light seems to have a similar build, but a different circuit.



Hi , 

This is my first post but I've been learning quite a bit and reading/learning a ton of info on this forum for a few months now. Just wanted to thank Selfbuilt, Ernsanada, and Bessiebennie for the great reviews :bow: and for taking the time to help out the rest of the community. You guys are really turning me into a flashaholic...my wife thinks I'm nuts :naughty: 

I already purchased a few EDC's that I really like, MTE Rebel 100 5 mode, MTE SSC P4, Ultrafire C3 5-mode (my favorite), and a Romisen. They're all great lights but I'm really looking for a super powerful light using a single Q5. I've heard some mixed reviews but overall I think I may end up going for this Smartfire V68C light. 

However, I'm confused as to why Ernsanada's Smartfire V68C from DX measured 8,888 lux at 1 meter and why yours from Kai measured a whopping 15,700 lux at the same distance. Am I reading these measurements correctly and am I right in thinking that the Kai light is going to be waaay brighter even though it's the same exact torch??? 

Please help...there's so many variables and so many new lights, that I just can't seem to make the right decision :thinking:. Basically, I'm looking for a Q5 thrower under $30 that's truly utilizing the Q5 (super bright) and has decent runtime (18650-only preferable, RCR123's ok)...any other suggestions beside V68C?

Sorry for long post.


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## ernsanada (Jan 30, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

My SmartFire V-68C Q5 MRV Clone has a hole in it's beam. At 1 meter my light my light starts showing the hole. Any closer the hole gets worse. Maybe that is why my reading is so much diffferent.


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## selfbuilt (Jan 30, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



ernsanada said:


> My SmartFire V-68C Q5 MRV Clone has a hole in it's beam. At 1 meter my light my light starts showing the hole. Any closer the hole gets worse. Maybe that is why my reading is so much diffferent.


Sounds like the likely issue - mine doesn't really show the hole in the center at 1m, but at shorter distances (as you can see in my beamshots). Also, Ernie's light meter tends to report a little lower than mine in most cases as well (there's lots of variabilty between light meters).

Phreeflow, the light should probably work fine for you as as long as you take care to insure the emitter contacts are isolated from the reflector, as discussed above. But you might also want to look at the reviews around here for the Q5 Aurora throwers at DX/Kai for a comparison.

Incidentally, my o-ring order from oringusa.com is still on back order. When it gets in, I'll let you know if any fit the head opening ...


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## selfbuilt (Jan 30, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Well, what do you know - UPS just showed up with my o-ring order from oringsusa.com.

The best fit was with the 40mm x 1.5mm BN70

Fit in nicely between the glass and the front of the bezel. I had already covered the contacts with kapton tape, so it's looking pretty spiffy now with the o-ring in place. 

Thanks again for the suggestion Titan!


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## phreeflow (Jan 30, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Wow, thank you both for the extremely quick feedback :thumbsup:. I've been watching the Aurora Q5 with the 18650-only circuit, but it's always out of stock and I need a light ASAP so I've started looking at other options. 
Here is short list of lights I'm currently considering : 
Trustfire T1 Q5: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10659
Aurora Q5 2-mode: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10637
Smartfire Q5 V68C: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10301
VB-16 Q5: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.9741
Ultrafire C2 Q5 5-mode: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10853

Any help making a final decision would be greatly appreciated as the more I read, the more variables I discover that I didn't initially put in the equation . Seems to be a never ending quest. Once again, my criteria is a light that is utilizing that Q5 to it's fullest potential...brightest and best of the bunch. It will be for mid to far-range work. I'm assuming build and runtime are all pretty similar, and I have plenty of rechargeables, so they are secondary for me. 

What would be the best two torches at this price range?? Thanks again!!!


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## selfbuilt (Jan 31, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



phreeflow said:


> What would be the best two torches at this price range?? Thanks again!!!


The ultrafire C2 and VB-16 are both very popular all-purpose lights around here (i.e. decent throw, but not throw monsters). I tend to prefer the VB-16, as I like the low levels. The Trustfire is new, but initial reports have been quite favourable (i.e. similar to first edition dereelight/huntlights).

Throwers are tough, since stock availability and build variability are both issues. The V-68C is a fine light if you willing/able to do some upgrades (i.e. isolate contacts, add o-ring, etc). Personally, I prefer the overall build quality of the Aurora's (but they are bulkier, lack tailcap lockout, etc.).

Hmm, don't know if that helps you much ... all are fairly decent budget choices, as long as you have reasonable expectations of what you will receive.

Good luck!


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## selfbuilt (Jan 31, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

deleted - double-post.


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## selfbuilt (Feb 8, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*

Just updated the main post with some additional comments now that I've fixed a number of issues with the stock light.

PWM freq is a respectable 467 Hz in low mode. The annoying "flicker" effect I noted on low and in the strobe modes is now gone - it was resolved by isolating the pill contacts from the reflector. Note that I recommend this be your first course of action on receiving this light - otherwise, you risk frying it in short order.

I've swapped the lens with a UCL AR-coated one from flashlightlens.com (41.8mm size), and throw has increased by 2000 lux at center peak. Looks a lot clearer now too.

:wave:


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## bspofford (Feb 9, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



selfbuilt said:


> I've swapped the lens with a UCL AR-coated one from flashlightlens.com (41.8mm size), and throw has increased by 2000 lux at center peak. Looks a lot clearer now too.:wave:


 
I'm amazed by this and checked into getting UCL AR-coated glass for a number of my lights with only uncoated plain glass lenses. I tried to independently verify your results, and one other member on CPF didn't seem to think it would make much difference. Can you see a subjective increase in output with the UCL?


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## StefanFS (Feb 10, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



bspofford said:


> I'm amazed by this and checked into getting UCL AR-coated glass for a number of my lights with only uncoated plain glass lenses. I tried to independently verify your results, and one other member on CPF didn't seem to think it would make much difference. Can you see a subjective increase in output with the UCL?


 
I'd like to answer that too. Sorry about the invasion selfbuilt.
It does make a difference on all lights with low quality and/or uncoated glass lenses. It has made a difference varying from ~1500 Lux to ~3000 Lux in throw for my following lights: MRV, Tiablo A8/A9, D-mini and lots of D size Maglites. It might be observable, but probably it's not. It's only about 8-10% more output. But keep in mind that the increase just about equals the output from a number of AA or CR123 pocket lights.
Stefan


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## selfbuilt (Feb 12, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



StefanFS said:


> I'd like to answer that too. Sorry about the invasion selfbuilt.


No problem - happy to help! 

I've just tested my UCL lens vs stock MRV vs stock V-68C on different batteries. Note that for % differences, I'm comparing the squareroots of peak lux, since that is more appropriate than raw lux.

Throw:
UCL vs V-68C on 18650: 17,000 lux vs 15,000 lux = *2000 lux difference*, or *6.5%*
UCL vs stock MRV (Q5-mod) on 18650: 10,800 lux vs 10,300 lux = *500 lux difference,* or *2.4%*
UCL vs stock MRV (Q5-mod) on RCR: 18,700 lux vs 18,000 lux = *700 lux difference*, or *1.9%* 

As you can see, the UCL lens had much less of impact on my MRV. 

So I decided to swap my MRV lens into my V-68C to compare:
MRV lens vs stock V-68C on 18650: 16,300 lux vs 15,000 lux = *1,300 lux difference* or *3.9%*

As you can see, the MRV lens performs much better than the stock V-68C. This tells me than the UCL lens is a significant upgrade for a cheap lens (like the stock V-68C, 6.5%), but only a small 2.0-2.5% throw upgrade for a decent lens like the MRV. 

Note that those results are is in terms of throw only. I also measured overall output using my lightbox and ceiling bounce measure, and the difference between the MRV lens and stock V-68C was only about ~1%. The UCL lens versus stock V-68C or MRV was typically in the 2.5-4.0% range, but there's a lot more variability here than in the throw numbers (which I tend to trust more).

In terms of subjective impressions, I certainly can't see a difference between the UCL and MRV lens. But the V-68C looks a lot better (i.e. the previous lens was slightly cloudy, and seemed to accentuate the slightly purplish ~WQ tint). Not sure if I can really notice the 6.5% throw difference, but the tint and lens opacity certainly look better to my eye.


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## bspofford (Feb 12, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



selfbuilt said:


> No problem - happy to help!
> 
> I've just tested my UCL lens vs stock MRV vs stock V-68C on different batteries. Note that for % differences, I'm comparing the squareroots of peak lux, since that is more appropriate than raw lux.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for all the info! Based on your report, I decided to upgrade 12 lights, including my V-68C, with UCL glass. I don't know if one lens at Flashlightlens is free shipping, but I got free shipping with my order. Prices for these upgrades were quite reasonable. Unfortunately, my o-rings for the V-68C are on backorder.


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## selfbuilt (Feb 13, 2008)

*Re: SmartFire V-68C "Q5" MRV-clone*



bspofford said:


> Thanks for all the info! Based on your report, I decided to upgrade 12 lights, including my V-68C, with UCL glass. I don't know if one lens at Flashlightlens is free shipping, but I got free shipping with my order. Prices for these upgrades were quite reasonable. Unfortunately, my o-rings for the V-68C are on backorder.


Wow, 12 lights? I thought I had a lot of throwers lying around. 

I must say, I'm liking this V-68C a lot more with the o-ring and new lens installed (and after cleaning and isolating contacts).


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## layzieyez (Feb 15, 2008)

I also jumped at replacing the lens in my V-68C with the UCL lens, and it certainly does look better all around. Not bad for a $6 upgrade. I'll see about getting measurements for the rest of these cheap lights I have.


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## LukeA (May 20, 2008)

Sorry for bringing this thread from the dead, but I received this light today. I really like it. It's quite a performer for the price. It slightly outthrows my 7060 on high.

Mine has an LOP reflector, greased tailcap threads (the head and bezel threads were dry but well-formed) and fairly clean soldering to the emitter. The soldering of the board to the body is marginal, and the lens has a medium-sized crack. As this will be somewhat of a beater light for me, I'll either be cutting down a spare mag lens or getting some 1/8" polycarbonate to replace the glass. An intact, slightly less efficient lens is worth more to me than shards of a clear lens.

For $50 including charger and a pair of 18650s, this is a great deal.


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## selfbuilt (May 21, 2008)

LukeA said:


> Sorry for bringing this thread from the dead, but I received this light today. I really like it. It's quite a performer for the price. It slightly outthrows my 7060 on high.


Glad to hear at least some of the build characteristics have improved (i.e. emitter soldering).

It's certainly not a bad "beater" light for playing around with, as it's built on the MRV body format (but without the premium heatsink, of course). Just as long as people realize it's not likely to be a "turn-key" solution right out of the packaging.  The MRV-size UCL lens is certainly a nice upgrade, if you want to give flashlightlens.com a try.


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## LukeA (May 22, 2008)

selfbuilt said:


> Glad to hear at least some of the build characteristics have improved (i.e. emitter soldering).
> 
> It's certainly not a bad "beater" light for playing around with, as it's built on the MRV body format (but without the premium heatsink, of course). Just as long as people realize it's not likely to be a "turn-key" solution right out of the packaging.  The MRV-size UCL lens is certainly a nice upgrade, if you want to give flashlightlens.com a try.



I ended up cutting down a spare mag lens because this light is definitely going to be dropped sometime and I don't want to have to worry about shattering.


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## coors (Jun 22, 2008)

Now that I have one of these I'd like to swap the driver in it for one of the DX SKU: 7882 drivers (I have 2x ordered). Has anyone figured out how to remove the pill/or driver from this light? 

coors


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## coors (Jun 26, 2008)

I'm posting images of how to get the driver/ring out of this light, in case anyone else may be interested in swapping drivers also. The threads between the battery tube and the "pill"/heatsink are heavily glued on my example, so I had to carefully apply heat to the juncture with a butane torch. Blowdryer heat was not enough.


























coors


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## selfbuilt (Jun 27, 2008)

Wow, that's one determined modder! 

Thanks for sharing. Have you decided what circuit you are going to replace it with?


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## LukeA (Jun 27, 2008)

An AMC7135 1400mA board might be nice.


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## coors (Jun 27, 2008)

After ordering the 2x DX SKU: 7882 drivers I started reading about people having problems with the new (then...April 2008), blue ones. If I remember correctly, one person ordered 12x of these and not a single 1x of them worked. So, I may end up with an AMC 7135 or a Flupic as a driver. I just want more than the 830ma that the stock driver was delivering to the led. If I can get the 30,000 lux experience for this cheap, then that will be great. I do not really want to spend the big money required for a Raidfire Spear or Dereelight DBS V2 DI R2...even if the latter's configuration were available.

coors


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## coors (Jun 30, 2008)

LukeA said:


> An AMC7135 1400mA board might be nice.


The DX page explicately states that this 1400ma circuit is not to be used with XR-E emitters. I think that there may be a good reason why the manufacturers are not driving these emitters harder than 1200ma in their products. The AMC7135 1050ma driver is a possibility for me... though I'm really hoping that I can get these DX variable output circuits to work, when they arrive. I'd like to push the emitter all the way to 1200ma to see what difference it makes over the 830ma stock driver.

coors


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## ergotelis (Aug 22, 2008)

Coors, did you managed to fullfil your mod? It is a nice idea, waiting for your results!


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## LukeA (Sep 9, 2008)

I just finished swapping the board in mine for a 2-mode 1050mA/150mA KD board. 

I got it apart without heat. I made two v-blocks out of softwood and clamped the LE section in them. On one block, the top of each half of the V gripped one of the lengthwise slots on that section. The other just pressed the light into the first block. Tightened sufficiently, a nice counterclockwise turn with an adjustable wrench will break the bond.

Previously I had tried a heatgun and boiling it with no success.


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## KRS1 (Sep 15, 2008)

Lukie

Can you give me the link for this driver from KD?

I've just ordered the V68 just for experiment to achieve ~ 30 000 lux .

I'm so tempting to give drive it at 1.4A but I'm little afraid it will cook the whole thing. Not sure how efficient the heat sink inside this light, maybe some one can tell me ?


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## LukeA (Sep 15, 2008)

KRS1 said:


> Lukie
> 
> Can you give me the link for this driver from KD?
> 
> ...



The heatsinking in the light is good enough that you could run it at 1400mA.

The Smartfire now comes with an orange peel reflector. Mine did. The earlier ones were SMO, but I don't know. You might have to buy an MRV reflector.

single 2-mode board

5pk 2-mode board

The AMC7135 boards are 1mm larger in diameter than the stock board. The stock board is 16mm in diameter, just about every other board you'll come across is 17mm, including the AMC boards. I mounted mine by filling the outer ring of vias on the board with solder and then tinning the bottom rim of the brass driver-retaining ring. Then I clamped the two pieces together and applied heat until I could see flux bubbling out from about a half-inch section of the joint and I noticed that there was less solder sitting on the ring that the vias go through. 

I have a few pictures.


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## KRS1 (Sep 16, 2008)

Thanks

I've heard DX has them in op version whereas KD have it in smo. Worst to worst ill just order smo from MRV.

Think i will use 1.4A from AMC7135. + UCL lense. Once i got this whole thing up and running i will post some result here


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## LukeA (Sep 17, 2008)

KRS1 said:


> Thanks
> 
> I've heard DX has them in op version whereas KD have it in smo. Worst to worst ill just order smo from MRV.
> 
> Think i will use 1.4A from AMC7135. + UCL lense. Once i got this whole thing up and running i will post some result here



I didn't know KD has them in SMO. Might have to get one and put one of the 2-mode boards in it. 

Off to check out the MRV SMO/MOP beamshots...

Oh, and do you want me to post the pics of how I got the board mounted?


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## KRS1 (Sep 18, 2008)

Yes If you dont mind.

if the engine is 16mm then 1.4A from AMC7135 *should'nt* be a problem fitting it in.:thumbsup:

Edit : spelling :naughty:


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## LukeA (Sep 18, 2008)

These two show the light and the blocks. I had the vise very tight to keep the light from spinning.











The larger AMC7135 board sits below the ring. I soldered the spring from the stock board to the new one first so I wouldn't forget it. Same goes for the long wires for the emitter.





The circles are around two visible solder fillets. No it's not a great picture and yes that is a face.





Solder is okay on the outside of the ring to some degree, as it helps to hold the ring tighter in its mating part.





I fluxed and tinned the edge of the brass ring and the vias on the board, then I clamped them together, board on top, with a tiny bar clamp. Then I clamped that assembly in the vise. I applied heat with the soldering iron to the brass ring until flux bubbled out. Then I gave it another second or two for good measure. (It didn't bond the three times I didn't hold the iron on longer)


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## KRS1 (Sep 24, 2008)

Hi Luke

Here's some update with my light as i received just an hour ago.

I took out the pill no problem at all. Didnt need to do all that heating, all i did was just unscrew the pill and it come right off. 

I put a new board from DX 7882 . This board rock big time with current adjustment. I added some silicon heat gel just on top of the pill to transfer the heat on the body.

I like the beam shot ( very tight which is good for thrower).

I was wrong about the reflector that kd provided op instead smo. Any way ill get smo and new lens. Once i get all pit and pieces ill post some foto.

This light has got a lot of rooms for improvement where the gap between the pill and the led where you could ad heat sink. Custom copper which fill this gap up. 

This whole thing only cost me about ~ $40 which i believe i can make it into super thrower  :wave:


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