Lights. CREE XML XM-L T6 / U2 etc Thread

[manalog]

Good god.

Exactly my thoughts. I was once obsessed with Lumens until I bought a 3T6 XML for £38 from Lightmalls.com ,I found that I can never have it on Full Power as it ruins my night vision. even on the lowest setting i have to point it down quite a bit. i find that my Hope Vision 1 has better light output despite its low power.I think about 200Lumens compare to 3600Lumens. Just my 2 pence.

 

[fossyant]

Exactly my thoughts. I was once obsessed with Lumens until I bought a 3T6 XML for £38 from Lightmalls.com ,I found that I can never have it on Full Power as it ruins my night vision. even on the lowest setting i have to point it down quite a bit. i find that my Hope Vision 1 has better light output despite its low power.I think about 200Lumens compare to 3600Lumens. Just my 2 pence.

I've got one of these beasties on order - first one went missing. Plan to use it with a decent battery though. How insane is the 3xT6 ?

 

[mrmacmusic]

I will need to find a way to back this up with photographic evidence, but since my second light turned up yesterday and I've now had the chance to commute both ways with the 2 lights, I have to pass comment that – in my very humble opinion – the wide-angle adaptor makes such a difference to the usability of this light, it's unreal.

The adaptor lens says it turns 'your 10° spot into a 10°x30° flood', but what's noticeable now that I've used the light both with and without adaptor, is that the adaptor not only creates a larger 'bright' area, but there's quite a bit more light in the 'spill' area too. The standard light (i.e. without adaptor) is, as has been mentioned before, quite "spotlight" like – it throws light a long way, but the peripheral spill whilst smooth isn't really that bright in comparison.

I'm not suggesting everyone runs 2 of these lights, or rushes out to buy the adaptor lens, but I'm very happy. The adapted light is absolutely perfect for progressing at normal speeds (for me usually ~20mph, but only about 9.9mph today... 50mph+ headwinds are not fun), although for me it wasn't letting me see far enough ahead to be confident I wasn't going to miss any ninjas.... So whilst the standard light is too focused, as a secondary occasional 'high beam' light in conjunction with my original adapted light, it's absolutely spot on. Literally.

(Note to self: must take photos to show what I mean)

 

[fossyant]

Same as what I noticed. I put the wide angle on my Magicshine 808 which is less 'spotty' than the T6 clones, but it makes the spill much more useful - i.e. riding down a narrow trail, you get loads of light to the side which picks up the sides of the paths and beyond. You do lose some throw, but not that much. Side by side this morning, you could see the defined spot from the clone on the back of cars, the wide angle wasn't all that visible over the 'spot' The clone does throw much further than the wide angle.

Testing the twin set up tonight in pitch black, hopeful tailwind and a strava segment under attack.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Same as what I noticed...

Testing the twin set up tonight in pitch black, hopeful tailwind and a strava segment under attack.

That's wishful thinking... I fully expect the ~50mph gusting headwind from this morning to have done a complete 180° by the time I've got to head home this afternoon

 

[manalog]

I've got one of these beasties on order - first one went missing. Plan to use it with a decent battery though. How insane is the 3xT6 ?

3T6 XML is very bright compare to Hope vision 1 on minimum setting you won't even see the Hope but I find that the spread of light is a bit annoying it looks scattered, my personal opinion is it is better to have say 2 seperate t6 XMLs I have a Minisun XMLT6 and it is much better than the 3T6 and dont even think about putting the 3T6 on strobe! By the way, when the batt reach a certain low it just shut itself down.

 

[musa]

Mine has arrived just in time for tomorrow fnrttc

 

[jann71]

 

[musa]

Bloody hell that's bright. Battery pack charging but I'll await the home made remedy DIY one by fossy

 

[fossyant]

Used both lights tonight in hissing rain. Work very well one spot and one wide. Peds walking down the trail had no idea what was coming up behind. Had to cover the lights a couple of times approaching other bikes with tiny lights on.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Did you buy that light from the same link in the OP? It looks similar, but it's not the same pack as the two that I've received.

Both my lights have an orange-peel reflector which is neither here nor there really, but both the charger and UK plug adaptor are different – mine are both BS and CE marked and my adaptor is fused. Having read previous posts, I'd proceed with caution as it looks from the photo like your adaptor might not be fused....

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Did you buy that light from the same link in the OP? It looks similar, but it's not the same pack as the two that I've received.

Both my lights have an orange-peel reflector which is neither here nor there really, but both the charger and UK plug adaptor are different – mine are both BS and CE marked and my adaptor is fused. Having read previous posts, I'd proceed with caution as it looks from the photo like your adaptor might not be fused....

Just checked it, there is one on the left as you look at the plug pins.

 

[jann71]

Bought mine from a seller in Wales.

 

[fossyant]

Looks like the plug adapter is just different. Mine was black. That looks like a fused plug adapter. The non fused ones are tiny.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Looks like the plug adapter is just different. Mine was black. That looks like a fused plug adapter. The non fused ones are tiny.

Cool – was just concerned as I couldn't see any fuse on the adapter.