My new torch

[Nigel_O]

tm2636 said:

As these will be my first torches that use the 18650s, what batteries/charger do people here recommend?

Seeing as I spent a small fortune on the TM06S, I decided to stick with the brand and bought four Nitecore NL189 3400mAh batteries and a Nitecore i4 charger

http://www.nitecore.co.uk/Shop/Products/Batteries/...

http://www.nitecore.co.uk/Shop/Products/Chargers/1...

Not the cheapest, but having heard some nasty stories about cheap 18650s, I decided to play safe.

[tenohfive]

I really hope you didn't buy at those prices for 18650's?!

I paid less than the price of one cell for 4 genuine Samsung 30Q 18650's (the 30Q's are well regarded in the CPF/BLF circles) on a deal awhile back. That's just daylight robbery at that price.

[silverthorn2151]

My best 18650s are from Battery Boy.

[PJ S]

^
If that’s who I think it is on eBay, then yes, I would be inclined to use him.
He has a useful blog too, which is worth a decent bit of perusal.

[silverthorn2151]

That's the chap.

[untakenname]

Another vote here for Torchy's batteries, Panasonics 18650's are also pretty decent as they have a lower usable voltage range than others.

This afternoon as it was raining and I couldn't work on the car so insteadI made a work light out of some stuff I had lying around, light is a cheap 12v motorcycle 7 LED light and the 3s battery from a quadcoptor plus a simple switch through a piece of aluminium angle and a tripod mount

[Phil.]

tm2636 said:

Nigel_O said:

Just noticed that BangGood are running a 50% discount on the Nitecore TM06S - spectacular piece of kit for not much money - seems to be a limited time offer though - get in quick

Thanks for this. The TM06 has been on my wishlist for a while.

I happened to go onto BangGood just at the time that they were offering the NitecoreTM16 for about £67, so I though it would be rude not to! I think I got the 8th out of 10 on offer.

As these will be my first torches that use the 18650s, what batteries/charger do people here recommend?

The offer is back on until later today. Just bought one

[FiF]

Phil. said:

tm2636 said:

Nigel_O said:

Just noticed that BangGood are running a 50% discount on the Nitecore TM06S - spectacular piece of kit for not much money - seems to be a limited time offer though - get in quick

Thanks for this. The TM06 has been on my wishlist for a while.

I happened to go onto BangGood just at the time that they were offering the NitecoreTM16 for about £67, so I though it would be rude not to! I think I got the 8th out of 10 on offer.

As these will be my first torches that use the 18650s, what batteries/charger do people here recommend?

The offer is back on until later today. Just bought one

Mine arrived yesterday, looks good, treating it to some new batteries instead of cannibalizing two from here, one from there and so on. Hopefully batteries arriving soon, it certainly seems to pack some wallop in a small size.

[Phil.]

FiF said:

Mine arrived yesterday, looks good, treating it to some new batteries instead of cannibalizing two from here, one from there and so on. Hopefully batteries arriving soon, it certainly seems to pack some wallop in a small size.

Sounds good. I want it mainly for early evening walks along country roads on dark winter nights to let the occasional traffic know I am there in good time.

[FurballS2000]

I've taken the plunge on a TM06s as well, seems quite a bargain at the price and will be about 5x brighter than anything else I have

[FiF]

Phil. said:

Sounds good. I want it mainly for early evening walks along country roads on dark winter nights to let the occasional traffic know I am there in good time.

It's funny how they react. Couple of weeks back out in the forest area walking the dog. Had gone further than intended combined with a mistiming of when darkness fell meant walking in pitch black down a bridleway very occasionally used by odd bits of traffic to an outdoor education run centre. We were on a narrow bit that is just a car width between high verges when saw the loom of vehicle lights coming up the track. Briefly put my TK51 up on max, less than half the output of the TM06S, shone it onto the bushes and trees at the side of the track, vehicle immediately stopped before it came round the bend and reversed into a muddy passing place. Torches FTW.

[Phil.]

FiF said:

It's funny how they react. Couple of weeks back out in the forest area walking the dog. Had gone further than intended combined with a mistiming of when darkness fell meant walking in pitch black down a bridleway very occasionally used by odd bits of traffic to an outdoor education run centre. We were on a narrow bit that is just a car width between high verges when saw the loom of vehicle lights coming up the track. Briefly put my TK51 up on max, less than half the output of the TM06S, shone it onto the bushes and trees at the side of the track, vehicle immediately stopped before it came round the bend and reversed into a muddy passing place. Torches FTW.

I get similar responses. On most occasions they think it's another car even though it's a single beam. I find that strobe provides the best response and they slow from further away because they really don't understand what they are seeing. I'm always careful to avoid blinding the driver though.

[CoolHands]

I'm tempted by the tm06s even though of course I don't need one. But I need to then also buy 18650 batteries and charger, which is another 40 quid. So a hundred quid on something I have no need of...

Charger, £20: https://www.banggood.com/Nitecore-NEW-I4-Intellich...

4 x Batteries 3400mAH for £19: https://www.banggood.com/4PCS-NCR18650B-3_7V-3400m...

Are those batteries reasonable priced? They seem so & have good reviews, but I don't know anything about these type of batteries so just want to see if anyone here has an opinion

[FurballS2000]

I'm in the same boat, I have bought the torch but will wait until payday to get the charger and batteries, I also have no real need for the torch...

There is a nitecore charger on amazon at the moment, think it is the 'I4' for about £15.

[CoolHands]

Yeah just saw that. But it appears they get very hot. I think I will spend more and get opus bt-c3100 which have a fan inside to keep cool, and appear to be better made. I'd rather have better quality I think, that will last a few years.

Opus charger is out of stock I lots of places, although banggood have it but more expensive at £33; it looks like it can go as low as 25 from some sellers. I think I might just get the whole lot in one go though.

[FiF]

The new Nitecore i4 charger is about 14 quid on Amazon, though I've been very happy with the XTAR VC4, again from Amazon and elsewhere.

Like it for two reasons, it shows just how much power in mAh you've put into each individual cell, plus it charges from a USB lead, so with a suitable power output you aren't restricted to mains supply, e.g. use it in car, or from one of those jump start packs, two sources I've used.

[tenohfive]

Those batteries are good, and a reasonable price.

Charger wise I've got an VC4 as my 'main' charger. It's great for the reasons FiF mention. But VFM wise you can't beat the Liitokala chargers - I bought this one as I needed something to charge LiPo batteries (as well as Li-ion etc):
https://www.gearbest.com/chargers/pp_424662.html

2 cell, granted..but less than a fiver. I've got one for home, one for the car and one for work. You can't see how much charge it's put in like the VC4 but if you want to save a few quid the 4 cell version is £10.

[FiF]

Nice to know those batteries are good, they are the ones I have ordered as a bit of an experiment following reading the good reviews. Up to now have been using ThruNite 3400mAh 18650s which are quite a bit more expensive, just under nine each iirc, but have been very good.

[CoolHands]

tenohfive said:

Those batteries are good, and a reasonable price.

Charger wise I've got an VC4 as my 'main' charger. It's great for the reasons FiF mention. But VFM wise you can't beat the Liitokala chargers - I bought this one as I needed something to charge LiPo batteries (as well as Li-ion etc):
https://www.gearbest.com/chargers/pp_424662.html

2 cell, granted..but less than a fiver. I've got one for home, one for the car and one for work. You can't see how much charge it's put in like the VC4 but if you want to save a few quid the 4 cell version is £10.

Thanks I bought that, for under a fiver it will be a good starter for me to try with the TM06S, rather than nearly 35 for the opus one.

[tenohfive]

Well, my BLF Q8 is arrived and I'm trying to find somewhere to put it where I can simultaneously admire it and hide it from SWMBO. The soft green glow from the light switch (when it's turned off) seems really useful but likely to lead to discovery.

First impressions:

A 4 x 18650 (and 4 x emitter) torch shouldn't feel so compact and (comparatively) light.
Narsil drivers seem like a novelty thing - they're not, it's instantly very usable.
Lovely NW tint.
There's a warm spot in the beam but it really is a lovely broad flooder.
And it's incredibly bright.

I've seen it suggested that it could be hitting up to 400m throw; if it's doing that it's not through the reflector, it's by pure grunt and lumens OTF alone as it really is an area light. I'll try and get out soon and see what it's like in real world use rather than just pissing the neighbours off from the back garden though soon.