Noctigon Meteor M43

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carl said:
I keep wishing the Lupines will come down in price so I occasionally check their mountainbike sales site - no chance on any sales, LOL! I almost purchased the Piko a while back but the dealer left ebay. German tech is nice but expensive!

I was also hoping the S6330 would return, but this M43 may fit me even better! For almost the same size light, there is almost 3 times the light output! No going back on the lower output, right?

When you get your M43, maybe you can give us a few quick comments on your comparison with the Lupine and ZL.
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From what I have experienced...there is no experience to be gathered hearing about others experiences without experiencing it yourself. While it helps to get a general picture of something through reviews and feedback, it is not the same as getting unbiased impersonal facts. That Is one reason I like Selfbuilt's reviews so much, he makes it clear which portions of his reviews are purely personal.

Are you planning on purchasing one? Is your location a barrier to your decision?
 
No external barriers, just me. As usual, most barriers are with the consumer themselves.

The parasitic drain issue was answered very favorably for the M43 - 21 microAmps- super low. Wow!

The weight issue was also answered favorably - yes the M43 is rather heavy for its size but for good reasons - generous use of copper throughout for good electrical conduction and heatsinking.

The battery carrier design - I preferred the built-in carrier like the Zebralight S6330 but I got a good answer from Giocomo and others to my satisfaction.

The requirement for IMR batteries is also an issue, since this requires not just battery purchases but also a new IMR charger. Not a deal breaker but this could add another $50-$60 to the total cost. I don't know if using IMRs is a hard requirement here but if you want maximum output, it seems the way to go.

The only other issue, which I will probably get scolded for here, is the 'wait for the V2 improved version' mentality - which I tend to agree with. Designs tend to get worked out over time, especially with input from the first set of buyers. For cheaper lights, getting the initial first design is fine with me, but as the light quality goes toward the high-end - and the M43 is definitely high-end, I tend to get pickier for some reason. Personal taste. Of course, this means more patience is required of the consumer.
 
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Hi Chuck - good find. My 3 year old i4 V2 box and manual says nothing about IMR capability. I am also not sure if it is a v1 or v2. I will need to look into this further.
 
Hi Chuck, the new 2014 version of the i4 says IMR on the box. I sure hope my old i4 is IMR compatible - will have to wait and see. If I do need to get another charger, the Nitecore D4 or the Xtar VP4 is probably the way to go.
 
Hi Chuck, the new 2014 version of the i4 says IMR on the box. I sure hope my old i4 is IMR compatible - will have to wait and see. If I do need to get another charger, the Nitecore D4 or the Xtar VP4 is probably the way to go.

As far as IMR batts, some studies seem to show that the capacity of IMRs when used above 3V is actually higher than the Panasonic 18650B so IMR is the way to go, not just for high discharge but even for capacity - above 3V. This finding, however, goes against many anecdotal reports that the Panasonic 18650B have high capacity based on long light output duration between charging.
 
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Looks like the V2 of the Nitecore i4 charger supports IMR per HK's review in 2012. I also have the i4 V2 of the charger to charge my 18650's, so I would assume it will charge the IMR versions fine.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-SysMax-NiteCore-Intellicharger-i4-V2-Charger

carl said:
Hi Chuck, the new 2014 version of the i4 says IMR on the box. I sure hope my old i4 is IMR compatible - will have to wait and see. If I do need to get another charger, the Nitecore D4 or the Xtar VP4 is probably the way to go.
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The review by HKJ for the 2012 version shows pictures of the box, which clearly do not mention IMR compatibility on the box. This is different and in-contrast to the newer 2014 i4 box which does mention IMR compatibility. This difference on the box should mean something - that the 2012 version is not IMR-compatible, unless Nitecore simply forgot to mention it on the 2012 i4 box and in their manual - and then remembered to mention it on their 2014 i4 charger box.

I wonder where HKJ got the compatibility chart he used in the review which shows the 2012 i4 version is IMR-compatible. That chart is not in the owners manual. Interesting...

This begs the question: what makes a 18650 lithium battery charger IMR compatible or not compatible? I assume it has something to do with the charge rate or cutoff voltage but not sure. Too technical for me, lol!
 
"This begs the question: what makes a 18650 lithium battery charger IMR compatible or not compatible? I assume it has something to do with the charge rate or cutoff voltage but not sure. Too technical for me, lol!"

Carl,

IMR was not a popular thing until very recently, and I think that is the reason for no mention in the past about compatability.

If the charger is safe for ICR (Li-ion) cells, then it is safe for IMR. - The cutoff voltage is the same in either case. - 4.2v.

Again: If your charger will safely charge ICR, then it will be good to go for IMR. - There are no special settings on any charger for IMR - They all use the same 4.2v Li-ion setting.

I think that some of the confusion may be with the other voltage range batteries - The IFR (LiFeP04). - They require a cut off of 3.6-3.7v, and the i4 is Not compatible with those, while the D4 is. - BUT you must switch to that range (LiFeP04) yourself... Otherwise the D4 will not know the difference and will over-charge IFRs.

Again: Safe for ICR - Then safe for IMR - Same voltage.... If your charger does not cut off at or around 4.2v, then it is not safe for either.

Thank you,
-Chuck
 
Size comparison. S6330vn and Meteor M43.

oHsRCCWl.jpg
GFzY5tIl.jpg
 
carl said:
The review by HKJ for the 2012 version shows pictures of the box, which clearly do not mention IMR compatibility on the box.
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In his review, HKJ tests the charger by charging an IMR 16340 showing that it can charge IMR. :)
 
Thanks for the comparison shot. Which version of the M43 did you get, and how would you compare it to the 6330 in terms of size/weight, and power? Which of the lights do you prefer, after having both, and which batteries did you get for the Meteor?


Rod911 said:
Size comparison. S6330vn and Meteor M43.

oHsRCCWl.jpg
GFzY5tIl.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I got the Nichia 219B version. The beam profile is truly, a wall of light. I thought the S6330vn was a wall of light, but this thing beats it handily in terms of light output. Through a simple ceiling bounce test, the Meteor is simply brighter. However, in terms of throw, the S6330vn still wins out. Also, when doing a white wall test, because of the S6330's throwier nature, you will see its hotspot at 10 meters compared to the Meteor.

I'm currently feeding it 18650BE cells. This isn't really the optimum cell to use because it's not truly a high drain cell. I have to wait whether my order of Samsung INR18650MH1 and see if they'll make a difference.

Regarding size, I prefer the Meteor that little bit due to my smaller hands. As for the weight, you wouldn't think something this small would be heavy but it is. When loaded with cells, it's heavier than the S6330vn, but I don't find it taxing when hold onto for long periods of time (>30 minutes). I currently have it in UI2 mode. This is very similar to Zebralight's UI and it took a good 5 minutes to figure out how to use it and memorise it.

Which one I prefer? It has to be the Meteor. Despite the S6330 being made by Vinh, it's one of the first ones he did and quality control wasn't the best back then (visible dust inside the lens). The quality of the Meteor and its versatility wins out.
 
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carl said:
Hi Chuck, the new 2014 version of the i4 says IMR on the box. I sure hope my old i4 is IMR compatible - will have to wait and see. If I do need to get another charger, the Nitecore D4 or the Xtar VP4 is probably the way to go.
Click to expand...

Any standard li-ion charger will work for IMR cells. It is LiFePO4 cells that need a special charger. There are hybrid IMR type cells out there with really good capacity like the Panasonic PF cells.
 
Wow, that is impressive that the Nichia version has more light, in your opinion, then the 6330vn. I am considering the XP-G2 S2 DD version, with a 70,000 cd rating, so should throw much further then the 6330 or the Nichia version of the Meteor. I am looking forward to this light, thanks again for the observations. :)

Rod911 said:
I got the Nichia 219B version. The beam profile is truly, a wall of light. I thought the S6330vn was a wall of light, but this thing beats it handily in terms of light output. Through a simple ceiling bounce test, the Meteor is simply brighter. However, in terms of throw, the S6330vn still wins out. Also, when doing a white wall test, because of the S6330's throwier nature, you will see its hotspot at 10 meters compared to the Meteor.

I'm currently feeding it 18650BE cells. This isn't really the optimum cell to use because it's not truly a high drain cell. I have to wait whether my order of Samsung INR18650MH1 and see if they'll make a difference.

Regarding size, I prefer the Meteor that little bit due to my smaller hands. As for the weight, you wouldn't think something this small would be heavy but it is. When loaded with cells, it's heavier than the S6330vn, but I don't find it taxing when hold onto for long periods of time (>30 minutes). I currently have it in UI2 mode. This is very similar to Zebralight's UI and it took a good 5 minutes to figure out how to use it and memorise it.

Which one I prefer? It has to be the Meteor. Despite the S6330 being made by Vinh, it's one of the first ones he did and quality control wasn't the best back then (visible dust inside the lens). The quality of the Meteor and its versatility wins out.
Click to expand...
 
How well does this thing handle thermal stress, considering there's 12 leds mounted on the same circuit board with minimal heat-sinking on the exterior?
 
twistedraven said:
How well does this thing handle thermal stress, considering there's 12 leds mounted on the same circuit board with minimal heat-sinking on the exterior?
Click to expand...

* All 12 LEDs are mounted on a gigantic direct copper noctigon star. Noctigons, and other direct copper stars, are the gold standard when it comes to to thermal performance on a star.
* The star is mounted directly on a full shelf platform (solid, not hollow), which itself is part of the head. There's a direct thermal path to the exterior of the light. With this design, thermal characteristics should be excellent.
* The M43 has a thermal sensor that reduces output if the light gets too hot.
* From reviews, the M43 seems to handle heat very well, maintaining near maximum output even after being on in turbo for minutes.
 
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