# UltraFire D99 a promising new 2x light?



## norcom (Feb 22, 2007)

I've been waiting for the Lupine Piko or the Gloworm x2 knockoffs:
UltraFire D99 2 x Cree XM-L T6 1600lm 5-Mode White Bicycle Headlamp - Black + Silver (4 x 18650) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

It's still quite a bit larger than the Piko but it's getting closer. Would be nice if a lower, non o-ring mount was available for the helmet though.


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

It looks like it cycles through all modes. Poor UI in my opinion. I do not want to cycle through multiple levels and a strobe, especially with no remote switch, to get from high back to medium or low.


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

Vancbiker said:


> It looks like it cycles through all modes.


Looks like two buttons on the back, but weird they aren't the same size. 

No battery is a deal breaker


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

znomit said:


> Looks like two buttons on the back, but weird they aren't the same size.
> 
> No battery is a deal breaker


Yeah, no battery, still...not a bad price for a duel XM-L emitter lamp head that looks very much like the Gemini Duo. Not sure what the two buttons are about. Maybe one is simple on/off.

Interesting that now you can buy 3 or 4 XM-L emitter lamps and now a duel at cut-rate prices. Sure the mode set-ups aren't fancy and the battery quality questionable at best but if this stuff was available when I first started riding at night I would of be on this real fast.


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## M6TTF (Jan 25, 2012)

buy cheap, buy twice. some things are worth the extra outlay IMO


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

That looks great indeed. I would get it to use with my 18650 battery if it had an OP reflector and/or flood lenses like the X2... Great price indeed for those who don't mind getting cheap lights and are looking for an upgrade from the 808 clone.


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

Looks interesting. Anyone taking the plunge?


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

In the list at the bottom it says what the buttons do



> . Green button: Mode switch and on / off button; Orange button: One-touch fast strobe mode button;


So it could be that you can skip the strobe mode during the normal use of the light. That would be cool. These clone manufactures need to get it through their heads that no one wants to go through a strobe mode in order to get back to the high mode.

Not having a battery is a plus in my book, the connector looks like a magicshine connector, so I would just get a battery from action led.


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## norcom (Feb 22, 2007)

I would guess the orange button is to turn the second LED on/off. The large button is probably used to cycle through the modes and the second is just to turn one LED off. 

If only it was a smaller. I'm still waiting for a Lupine Piko size knockoff.


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## mattthemuppet (Jul 16, 2004)

2 XM-L LEDs, a mount, cable and a host for $40 isn't bad at all. I'd junk the driver and put in something better, then you'd have a pretty decent light head for ~$70-80.


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## rpnbilly (Dec 21, 2011)

I wrote to Ultrafire from their website homepage, as I could not see it listed on the store page or the homepage. They told me it was not from Ultrafire, that they are not the manufacturer at all,
I wrote DX to ask about the batteries too VARIDER, and they told me only the new clone batteries work, like sku 153971 or sku 155514. People on CPF have stated that they have used the magicshine batteries with the new clone lights, but the plugs are not a tight connection, and also not waterproof.


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## leaftye (Dec 27, 2007)

Do the modes cycle through the off mode? If "off" is hidden, then I approve of this UI and the mode spacing. Well, the spacing between the last 3 modes is wonky, but a 15% low mode is useful. If selling without a battery lowers the price by $10 or more, then I'm all for it.


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## KenBbike (Apr 25, 2010)

Looks like there's a 3 lamp version now... Item 179088

UltraFire D88 3 x Cree XM-L T6 2000lm 5-Mode White Light Bicycle Lamp - Black + Silver

Moved the switch to the top. I think that is the one that glows with the battery indicator. Don't think I'd like that if it were on the bar mount - like you would really helmet mount this beast?

Will let you know about the D99 when it shows up in another month or so...


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

rpnbilly said:


> I wrote DX to ask about the batteries too VARIDER, and they told me only the new clone batteries work, like sku 153971 or sku 155514. People on CPF have stated that they have used the magicshine batteries with the new clone lights, but the plugs are not a tight connection, and also not waterproof.


Ah OK, good to know.


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

rpnbilly said:


> I wrote DX to ask about the batteries too VARIDER, and they told me only the new clone batteries work, like sku 153971 or sku 155514.


Hopefully that means that the 4x26650 batteries will work too
http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S020905
High-capacity 10000mAh 8.4V 4*26650 LED Bike Light Battery Pack - led bike light online

I wrote about my runtime test with my 4x26650 batterie and a 3x XM-L clone here:
http://forums.mtbr.com/9928237-post235.html

/Håkan
SWEDEN


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

HakanC said:


> Hopefully that means that the 4x26650 batteries will work too
> http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S020905
> High-capacity 10000mAh 8.4V 4*26650 LED Bike Light Battery Pack - led bike light online
> 
> ...


Hakan,
Does this battery's connector match the connector on the 3x light you have?


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

rpnbilly said:


> I wrote to Ultrafire from their website homepage, as I could not see it listed on the store page or the homepage. They told me it was not from Ultrafire, that they are not the manufacturer at all,
> I wrote DX to ask about the batteries too VARIDER, and they told me only the new clone batteries work, like sku 153971 or sku 155514. *People on CPF have stated that they have used the magicshine batteries with the new clone lights, but the plugs are not a tight connection, and also not waterproof*.


This is not to say that other batteries don't work. I have one of the Tri-Clone 3 x XM-L lamps and yes the plug on the light is slightly different than the MagicShine plugs. Nevertheless the MS batteries work fine with the lamp as do the Bikeray, Xeccon and DiNottte batteries ( with the DiNotte batteries making the worst connection ) All the others have a very good connection although might not be as water proof as the full proprietary set-up. I can't see that as a deal breaker.


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

Cat-man-do said:


> This is not to say that other batteries don't work. I have one of the Tri-Clone 3 x XM-L lamps and yes the plug on the light is slightly different than the MagicShine plugs. Nevertheless the MS batteries work fine with the lamp as do the Bikeray, Xeccon and DiNottte batteries ( with the DiNotte batteries making the worst connection ) All the others have a very good connection although might not be as water proof as the full proprietary set-up. I can't see that as a deal breaker.


Cat-man,
How hard is it to replace the connectors to something that is tight, waterproof and standard?
Is it just standard wire...or coax...or?
I just bought a 3x clone and a XML U2 and wonder if I could change out all the connectors to one style that works so I could easily swap batteries
tia


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

the mayor said:


> Hakan,
> Does this battery's connector match the connector on the 3x light you have?


I don't know about the KD-battery, I have the battery from LT box
High-capacity 10000mAh 8.4V 4*26650 LED Bike Light Battery Pack - led bike light online
and its connector works with both my Tri-Clone 3 x XM-L lamp and my MS lamps.

That the connector is not waterproof is no big deal, at least not for me,
the voltage is <8,4V and the impedance is low.
But the electronics, both in the light and in the battery, should of course be kept in a waterproof housing.

/Håkan
SWEDEN


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

the mayor said:


> Cat-man,
> How hard is it to replace the connectors to something that is tight, waterproof and standard?
> Is it just standard wire...or coax...or?
> I just bought a 3x clone and a XML U2 and wonder if I could change out all the connectors to one style that works so I could easily swap batteries
> tia


If you have some basic DIY skills and some decent tools it shouldn't be too hard. When you strip the outer wire there are two inner wires, black and red. Black is ground, red is the positive.

Personally I'm not too concerned how water proof the plugs are as long as they are reasonably tight and have good over lap. This is why I like using the MagicShine type connectors so no matter what battery ( or lamp ) I have everything works. I won't buy a battery ( or a lamp ) if it isn't compatible with the MS connectors. Too much of a PITA to have to switch out plugs.

Don't get me wrong though. I'm sure there are better connectors available but personally I'm not willing to switch out connectors just because I might see an occasional rain shower. If possible I try not to ride if it's going to rain anyway. The "Intellicast.com " website with it's "real time" radar is my best friend. So far I've not had a lamp fail because the plugs got wet ( and yes that has happened a time or two ).


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

Thanks.
I'm not really worried about waterproof...but, like you said...I want a good connection.
I think I'm going to order that battery pack the Hakan tried for the 3x light.
I really can't believe how cheap these are....in a good way


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

This looks familiar... http://www.szsanguan.com/indexX.asp?ID=53


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## leaftye (Dec 27, 2007)

bad andy said:


> This looks familiar... æ·±åœ³å¸‚ä¸‰å† ç§'æŠ€æœ‰é™�å&#8230;¬å�¸


It looks like it was originally a decent light. With the 6 cell battery, a 3 hour battery life is believable. It's too bad DX is selling the lesser version. The 15° beam should make it a good choice for helmet mounting. The mount that it comes with effectively makes it 3 times bigger though.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

leaftye said:


> It looks like it was originally a decent light. With the 6 cell battery, a 3 hour battery life is believable. It's too bad DX is selling the lesser version. The 15° beam should make it a good choice for helmet mounting. The mount that it comes with effectively makes it 3 times bigger though.


Yep, the version sold on the other website looks like it comes with a better battery. However I couldn't tell how to buy it from that website. There is no mention of price. More than likely this is the wholesaler who wants to sell in bulk. 

Looks like DX sold out of the Ultrafire version. The other websites are selling these for about $175 USD. Okay, the 6-cell battery makes it worth more but NOT THAT MUCH MORE. Better to wait till D/X gets it back in stock or someone else offering it for less.


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

I done some more digging. Yes, Sanguan is the manufacturer. There are a few examples of (non-U.S) retailers selling these: (UK apparently) The Lumenator - mtb batteries supplying portable power solutions to the UK (re-branded for them) & 2200 lumen light set

Bear in mind the DX knockoff may not be an exact replica of that Sanguan unit, as it states T6 bin, vs. U2 for the Sanguan. I am intrigued by this lighthead, but may wait until more of them/variants hit the market.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

bad andy said:


> I done some more digging. Yes, Sanguan is the manufacturer. There are a few examples of (non-U.S) retailers selling these: (UK apparently) The Lumenator - mtb batteries supplying portable power solutions to the UK (re-branded for them) & 2200 lumen light set
> 
> Bear in mind the DX knockoff may not be an exact replica of that Sanguan unit, as it states T6 bin, vs. U2 for the Sanguan. I am intrigued by this lighthead, but may wait until more of them/variants hit the market.


Nice find.

The Sanguan unit has a pretty good UI according to the review which is linked from your links:
Bear Bones Bikepacking: Sanguan SG-T2200 light review.

It looks slightly different than the DX unit, there is more heatsinking at the top. The right button only turns on the strobe mode and the left button cycles between the modes (without flash mode). Maybe the DX unit is also made by Sanguan.

Here's a seller in the UK for the Sanguan light.
Sanguan Mountain Bike Light SG T2200 2200 Lumens not Lumicycle or Exposure | eBay

Not cheap at all.


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## KenBbike (Apr 25, 2010)

KenBbike said:


> Looks like there's a 3 lamp version now... Item 179088
> 
> UltraFire D88 3 x Cree XM-L T6 2000lm 5-Mode White Light Bicycle Lamp - Black + Silver
> 
> ...


If the Sanguan is the manufacturer how do you explain the D88 version? Haven't done any digging on the net for that one...

Btw I opted to cancel the D99 order since DX sent me the dreaded "waiting for resupply" email. I know what that could mean.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Here's a good review of the Luminator including teardown pics:
Smudges Lumenator Seems a good un « Singletrack Forum

Another thread of reviews:
Anyone got a Lumenator? « Singletrack Forum

The Lumenator looks like a rebranded Sanguan, not the DX light.


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

varider said:


> The Lumenator looks like a rebranded Sanguan, not the DX light.


Agreed. The evidence looks like the DX is a knockoff, though it may perform well. We'll have to wait and see until they hit the streets.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

KenBbike said:


> *If the Sanguan is the manufacturer how do you explain the D88 version?* Haven't done any digging on the net for that one...
> 
> Btw I opted to cancel the D99 order since DX sent me the dreaded "waiting for resupply" email. I know what that could mean.


Exactly....The explanation is this: One company makes the same brand but markets them under different names. In essence they are the same light but with minor differences. If you know anything about Chinese manufacturing you know this is not unusual. This is a marketing ploy that is done to accommodate the many vendors who might want to sell the lamp.



KenBbike said:


> ...*.Btw I opted to cancel the D99 order since DX sent me the dreaded "waiting for resupply" email. I know what that could mean*.


That might not have been a good idea. :nono: You were first on the list when the new ones came in plus you had a price lock. In the mean time you could of ordered a better battery and had it waiting for when D/X got the light in. Yes, you might have had to wait a month and a half longer but doing it the way I outlined would have saved you about $80 and given you an extra battery to boot.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Here's a guy selling the Sanguan unit in the USA

SG-2200 | SpokeGrenade

By the way, the triple DX (D88) still appears to be in stock, but people are complaining about not receiving their D99.

UltraFire 3 x Cree T6 2000lm 5-Mode White Light Bicycle Lamp - Black + Silver (4 x 18650)


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

cool, a US seller. At that price however, I think my money would go to Gloworm.

I'll wait for round 2 (if there is one) of the D99, hopefully with a U2 emitter.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

varider said:


> Here's a guy selling *the Sanguan unit in the USA
> 
> SG-2200 | SpokeGrenade*
> 
> ...


If these were going for just over $100 USD they would be worth buying. Unfortunately spokegrenade is asking twice that price. If I was buying at that price I'd look at the Gemini Duo instead. Sad when the seller doesn't understand the dynamic of the market place and what the competition has to offer.

The D99's hopefully will be back once the Chinese New Year is over but _don't expect them to be back right away or at the original price._ ( ...although I hope I'm wrong about that. )


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Yeah, that spokegrenade price is out of control, especially when the wholesale price is as low as $65. 
Sanguan newest type cree xml t6 led head lamp - SG-T2200 - sanguan (China Manufacturer) - LED Lighting - Lighting Products - DIYTrade China

Cat, when is the Chinese New Year over?


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

varider said:


> Yeah, that spokegrenade price is out of control, especially when the wholesale price is as low as $65.
> Sanguan newest type cree xml t6 led head lamp - SG-T2200 - sanguan (China Manufacturer) - LED Lighting - Lighting Products - DIYTrade China
> 
> Cat, when is the Chinese New Year over?


My understanding is that this year it starts on Feb. 10th. The celebrations last about 15 days. Pretty much no business is conducted during that time.


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## gadgets&gear (Oct 26, 2012)

DX has a few different external bike mount battery packs....

4400mAh External Battery Pack with Pouch for SKU 29489/30864 (4*18650) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

anybody putting this together?

~j


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

gadgets&gear said:


> DX has a few different external bike mount battery packs....
> 
> 4400mAh External Battery Pack with Pouch for SKU 29489/30864 (4*18650) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme
> 
> ...


Kind'a off subject aren't we? There is a battery thread going or did you not look?


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

So has anyone who ordered the d99 actually received one yet? Looks like DX.com even pulled a thread on the product discussion page about them never being shipped/delivered.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Very shady. Both units have been listed since the first week of January and there isn't a single review. So I doubt that they shipped any of them out. It's a shame really, I was ready to buy the double.

I think the quad may be a better buy at this point, since we know that the strobe mode is hidden, and all four leds fire for every mode. The lighhead is only $35 or $40. Plus it appears to have overheat protection.


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## nick d (May 25, 2007)

bad andy said:


> So has anyone who ordered the d99 actually received one yet? Looks like DX.com even pulled a thread on the product discussion page about them never being shipped/delivered.


I received mine a couple weeks ago (from dx). i have yet to take it out on a trail, but it appears to have a nice beam and is much smaller than my ms. fit was ok with the geomangear batteries. the green button does control the flash modes as mentioned previously. it looks like if you changed out the o-ring mount with one from a ms it could mount even lower as the o-ring mount sticks up a bit high.

overall it is a nice small light.

ill give an update once it makes it out on a trail.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

nick d said:


> I received mine a couple weeks ago (from dx). i have yet to take it out on a trail, but it appears to have a nice beam and is much smaller than my ms. fit was ok with the geomangear batteries. the green button does control the flash modes as mentioned previously. it looks like if you changed out the o-ring mount with one from a ms it could mount even lower as the o-ring mount sticks up a bit high.
> 
> overall it is a nice small light.
> 
> ill give an update once it makes it out on a trail.


I'm confused about the modes on this light. Could you please go into more detail about it. Is the strobe mode part of the regular mode rotation, or is only activated by pressing the second button?

So does does the light go

Low1>Low2>Med>High>*Strobe*>Low1>Low2...

or does it go

Low1>Low2>Med>High>Low1>Low2


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## DXofficial (Mar 1, 2013)

Hi guys,

I work for DealExtreme and just found out today that we have a logistics problem on that light (d99) and unfortunately, it will not be restocked in the near future.

Really sorry about this as it was a popular light and we sent all our first batch of them out. If you had an order waiting for restock please cancel it and select another light.

~joseph


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

DXofficial said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I work for DealExtreme and just found out today that we have a logistics problem on that light (d99) and unfortunately, it will not be restocked in the near future.
> 
> ...


As excuses go; that is the lamest excuse I've ever heard. :smallviolin: , sorry but I'm not dancing to that song. I see these on the net being sold by other companies, either for bulk purchase or for a much higher price. Not only that but there is now a triple version of the D99 being sold by D/X that is almost exactly like the duel version but with three LED's instead of two. ( once again, for a little more money )

My guess is that D/X couldn't sell the D99 anymore because it was infringing on some vendor contact with the manufacturer ( and they were complaining big time...:nono: )


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## DXofficial (Mar 1, 2013)

*Hi guys*

Sorry guys, I am not privy to the details of this. I just wanted to make sure that no one was waiting for something that is not going to restock. I wasn't attempting to make an excuse just Trying to inform the folks who might be waiting for it. 



Cat-man-do said:


> As excuses go; that is the lamest excuse I've ever heard. :smallviolin: , sorry but I'm not dancing to that song. I see these on the net being sold by other companies, either for bulk purchase or for a much higher price. Not only that but there is now a triple version of the D99 being sold by D/X that is almost exactly like the duel version but with three LED's instead of two. ( once again, for a little more money )
> 
> My guess is that D/X couldn't sell the D99 anymore because it was infringing on some vendor contact with the manufacturer ( and they were complaining big time...:nono: )


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

DXofficial said:


> Sorry guys, I am not privy to the details of this. I just wanted to make sure that no one was waiting for something that is not going to restock. I wasn't attempting to make an excuse just Trying to inform the folks who might be waiting for it.


Understood. I assume then that the listing is going to be removed from the D/X website? If not, what would be the purpose of keeping it on the website if it's not going to return at a later date? D/X list many products that are quote, "out of stock". The presumption being if something is "out of stock" that it will "return to stock" at a later date. If the product is going to be "discontinued" it needs to be listed as such. As it stands right now people will continue to browse the D/X website and will hope the D99 returns to "in stock" status.

The only question that remains is how the people selling the lamp ( under a different brand name ) are getting the lamp to sell it.


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## nick d (May 25, 2007)

varider said:


> I'm confused about the modes on this light. Could you please go into more detail about it. Is the strobe mode part of the regular mode rotation, or is only activated by pressing the second button?
> 
> So does does the light go
> 
> ...


the button on the left controls the intensity and on off functions. the button on the right putts it into strobe mode and changes the strobe functions. its a shame that it wont be available cause its a nice light...


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

nick d said:


> the button on the left controls the intensity and on off functions. the button on the right putts it into strobe mode and changes the strobe functions. its a shame that it wont be available cause its a nice light...


Thanks. That looks to be an ideal setup.

They shouldn't have called this thing an Ultrafire, since it clearly wasn't made by them. Someone on the dx forums contacted them and confirmed this. Hopefully it will come back with different labeling.

I'm kicking myself for not buying it. I was just waiting for one positive review.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

It's back under a different name and a slightly cheaper price.

FANDYFiRE D99 Cree XM-L T6 2-LED 1200LM 5-Mode Neutral White Bike Light Headlight - Silver + Black - Worldwide Free Shipping - DX
(Thanks to prozoro on the dx forums for the heads up)

Let's hope it's more of flood light, since I just placed my order.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

varider said:


> It's back under a different name and a slightly cheaper price.
> 
> FANDYFiRE D99 Cree XM-L T6 2-LED 1200LM 5-Mode Neutral White Bike Light Headlight - Silver + Black - Worldwide Free Shipping - DX
> (Thanks to prozoro on the dx forums for the heads up)
> ...


Sorry folks but this is too good a deal to pass up. Looks like I'll be reviewing one of these as well. So much for all that discontinued BS. That's why I had to call D/X out on the issue. When something sells out it make's no sense to stop selling it. Capitalism 101: "Make it, sell it. If it sells out make more". :thumbsup:


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

I'll admit, I nabbed one too. Don't need it, all set with my current gear. I think I have a problem.  though I couldn't pass up the deal.


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## mb323323 (Aug 1, 2006)

Hey Cat or Bad

Can you show a photo of the light head in your hand so I can get an idea of size. Also, let us know how bright you think it is and if it's a spot, etc. Wouldn't mind a run time test as I was thinking if this is a spot then mounting this to the helmet w/ a 2 by 18650 w/ the battery mounted on the helmet as well. Tired of wires!

Thx

MB


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## rpnbilly (Dec 21, 2011)

I could not resist yesterday either, as soon as I saw it I actually began to worry that but the time I found the charger and 6600mAh battery to order, it would be sold out. Trout's review and beam shots show the awesome potential!


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## rpnbilly (Dec 21, 2011)

Check out post #28, there are two links to reviews. The first one "Smudge's Luminator seems a good un" has amazing beamshots, runtime tests, and is by a guy whom knows lights. I like the idea of wireless too!


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

I don't think we really know who makes this light. It might not be the light made by Sanguan, the Luminator, since those are sold as sets only. It looks almost the same though, except for differences in the top of the body (the heat sinking fins).


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

rpnbilly said:


> Check out post #28, there are two links to reviews. The first one "Smudge's Luminator seems a good un" has amazing beamshots, runtime tests, and is by a guy whom knows lights. *I like the idea of wireless too!*


Wireless?, I think not. These are not self-contained with battery.

It seems these have some throw according to the reports. That is what I'm hoping for. If it throws as far as a typical 808E I'll be pleased. I might be using mine for commuting if the throw is decent. I'd use one of my Gloworm X2's but I might need to remove the lamp and leave the bike outside. The Gloworms do require a little more effort to mount with all the wires. I'd like something that I can take on and off real easy. I'll miss the remote on the Gloworm but what the hey, it's a 45 minute commute. After I've used mine on a couple rides I'll give it the "shower test" to see how it holds up to water. We'll see.

At least it's nice that a handfull of people have already ordered one. That means we should get a nice spectrum of review. :thumbsup:


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## JakeS (Jan 20, 2008)

Cat-man-do said:


> Sorry folks but this is too good a deal to pass up. Looks like I'll be reviewing one of these as well. So much for all that discontinued BS. That's why I had to call D/X out on the issue. When something sells out it make's no sense to stop selling it. Capitalism 101: "Make it, sell it. If it sells out make more". :thumbsup:


Yup, I couldn't resist either. Now I'll be able to compare it to the Solarstorm X2.
Which ironically is also available at Fasttech with the Fandyfire name. Where do they come up with these names?

$46.54 FandyFire X2 Cree XM-L U2 4-Mode 2000-Lumen LED Bicycle Bike Light - black / 4*18650 at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping


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## DXofficial (Mar 1, 2013)

Checked with the product manager, says these FF D99 are available, and no branding issues. Looking forward to some real-world info on the performance.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

I just got an e-mail today saying that my order has shipped. Took a little longer than usual. Then again I did order of bunch of other smaller items as well. Anyway, once shipped it usually takes a couple weeks to get to U.S. ( east coast )


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## rpnbilly (Dec 21, 2011)

Me too. Was a bit worried but shipped yesterday with 6600mAh battery and a charger too. I'm pumped!


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

Mine's on it's way too. lighthead only.


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

rpnbilly said:


> with 6600mAh battery and a charger too.


From DX?
Can You link to both the battery and the charger, please?


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## rpnbilly (Dec 21, 2011)

*Battery and charger links*



HakanC said:


> From DX?
> Can You link to both the battery and the charger, please?


6600mAh Battery
8.4V 6600mAh Rechargeable 18650 Li-ion Battery Pack for Bicycle Lamp - Worldwide Free Shipping - DX

Charger
AC Charger for P7 / T6 Headlamp - Black (AC 100~240V / 2-Flat-Pin Plug) - Worldwide Free Shipping - DX


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

rpnbilly said:


> 6600mAh Battery
> 8.4V 6600mAh Rechargeable 18650 Li-ion Battery Pack for Bicycle Lamp - Worldwide Free Shipping - DX
> 
> Charger
> AC Charger for P7 / T6 Headlamp - Black (AC 100~240V / 2-Flat-Pin Plug) - Worldwide Free Shipping - DX


That battery looks interesting. When you get your lamp/battery it would be nice if you could do a run-time test to see how long it will run on high. It would take some time though, likely about 3.5 to 4 hr. Anyway, looks like it might make a great addition to the "Battery list" on the battery thread ( if it proves worthy )


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

rpnbilly: Thank you


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

JakeS said:


> Which ironically is also available at Fasttech with the Fandyfire name.


Fandyfire lights is now available at DX too
I Think the 2x XM-L and 3x XM-L looks interesting, 4 modes; 15% > 50% > 75% 100%
and flashing only by a long press
But without batteries and charger, and no info about the typ of Contact, is it 5.5 x 2.1mm or 5.5 x 2.5mm?
If I remember correctly; Magicshine uses a 5.5 x 2.5mm contact.

FandyFire D99 Cree XM-L T6 2-LED 1200LM 5-Mode Neutral White Bike Light Headlight - Silver + Black - Worldwide Free Shipping - DX
FANDYFiRE D88 3 x Cree XM-L T6 1500lm 5-Mode White Bicycle Light - Black + Silver (4 x 18650) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

Zoomable Fandyfire, but only with high and low modes.
Buy FandyFire Cree XM-L U2 1200lm 3-Mode White Zooming Bike Light Headlamp - Black (4 x 18650)

/Håkan
SWEDEN


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

@HakanC...

Glad to see that D/X brought the D88 back ( 3-parallel XM-L T6 ) These might be a better alternative than the typical Tri-clone lamps because I would think they would be better at handling the heat with the straight parallel design. Not to mention that the mode set-up is much better. The only problem with the D88 design might be how it might sit on the bars. Because it is longer in might hit the handlebar stem on some bikes. ( there are ways to get around that though ).


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*New FandyFire D99: It's Here*

Post man came knocking just before I had to get ready for work. Luckily I should have some time today to play around with this at work.

My first impression ( shining it around my home ) was that I was very impressed. Four usable steady modes as promised and a separate flash, I'm duly impressed. I might have over-reacted to the High mode because when I first saw it I thought it might be brighter than the Gloworm X2. After throwing up a quick 5M lux test I might be wrong about that but I'll do more testing when I get home.

Quickie observations, the beam tint on mine is slightly bluish ( which is more apparent in low and not so apparent on the upper modes ). Very characteristic of the T-6 cool tinted bin emitters. The D/X ad says these are suppose to be neutral white...no way, at least on mine. Not a deal breaker but personally I favor the tints that are more white.



> ................................Quick 5M Lux Test.................................................
> 
> New D99..............423
> 
> ...


It likely won't have the throw of an 808E or Tri-Clone but it should hold it's own. I'll let you know more when I get home early in the AM.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Mine shipped out a few days after yours, so I haven't received it yet. Maybe using paypal slows down the shipping process?

I'm surprised by these numbers though. The 808 is brightest of the bunch? Is that because the light is more concentrated in a tight spot? I had the impression that the tri was super-bright. That sucks about the tint, I prefer the neutral tint.

I would hope that with an extra led, this light would output more total lumens than the 808. Otherwise what's the point. So it it's slightly weaker in the dead center of the beam, put has a broader beam then that would be acceptable in my opinion. 

If I remember Jim's s charts correctly, the Magicshine 880 had both more light in the middle, and a broader beam than the 808. That's what I'm looking for from the D99, a cheap 880 clone.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

varider said:


> Mine shipped out a few days after yours, so I haven't received it yet. Maybe using paypal slows down the shipping process?
> 
> I'm surprised by these numbers though. The 808 is brightest of the bunch? Is that because the light is more concentrated in a tight spot? I had the impression that the tri was super-bright. That sucks about the tint, I prefer the neutral tint.
> 
> ...


Hopefully I can eliminate some misconceptions about the lux comparison. When doing the lux test I aim the brightest part of the beam pattern at the meter. Lux has nothing to do with total Lumen output as it is only measuring the output " at the brightest part of the beam pattern ". Optics and reflectors play a big part in how high a reading you get. The more narrow the beam the higher the reading.

The Magicshine 808E is basically a spot configured lamp. It uses a reflector and has a very good hot spot, not so much output to the sides however. Most of it's output is directed to the hotspot, that is why it reads so high. Both the Tri-Clone and the D99 have beam patterns that disperse the light more widely. Over all they are much brighter than the 808's. If I placed the meter off to the sides you would get a better idea of how much brighter they are vs. the 808E.

When I took the D99 out tonight I found out that it will make a very good bar lamp. I tested it behind a group of buildings (near my job ) that just so happens to be completely dark. ( The buildings are about 165 ft. long ) First test was with the LL or lowest mode if you will. Surprisingly even the LL mode has some reach. ( I like it when low modes have some throw ) L2 or level 2 ( if you will ) supplied more than enough light to see well in most situations. Levels 3 and 4 are of course even better and could light up most of the way to the end of the buildings. This is about what I expected.

The D99 is not a spot lamp, nor is it just a flood lamp. It has a very nice mix of flood and throw that I think makes it a very nice lamp for the bars. You could use it on the helmet but the distance throw does fade a bit beyond the 150 ft. mark. The D99 is using optics and not reflectors. Strange how that little fact got by me when I was ordering it. That said, it might be possible to replace the optics if you think you might want a little more intense throw. Personally I think it's fine as is.

So far the only thing I can complain about is the beam tint. That's because I'm spoiled by all the other lamps I own that use emitters that are more "bright white". ( no bluish tint ) Still, the cool tint T-6 XM-L's light things up very well which is what most people want anyway. When I go out this weekend I'll bring the D99 along to test along with the other two lamps I just got.


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## Stockli Boy (Feb 3, 2012)

Cat-man-do said:


> Hopefully I can eliminate some misconceptions about the lux comparison. When doing the lux test I aim the brightest part of the beam pattern at the meter. Lux has nothing to do with total Lumen output as it is only measuring the output " at the brightest part of the beam pattern ". Optics and reflectors play a big part in how high a reading you get. The more narrow the beam the higher the reading.


Cat has it exactly correct here. It's (somewhat) analogous to saying "I have a gallon of water, how deep is it?" If you pour your gallon into a horse trough, it's this deep; if you pour it into a bud vase, it's that deep. So, if you can measure the brightest part of the beam at a given distance in either lux (lm/meter^2) or footcandles (lm/ft^2) and know the distance, you can back into the Center Beam Candlepower value by using the Inverse Square Law.

What does this gobbeldygoo mean? Well, basically, all theatrical and architectural light fixtures publish these values in a variety of formats, and you can use them to calculate the amount of light a particular fixture produces. You can also use them to compare two fixtures to see which one performs better. If you really get into the nitty gritty, you can see the difference between beams (edge of beam is 50% of max, edge of field is 10% of max) and get a sense of what the distribution is. Perhaps you like a spot versus a narrow flood, for bar or helmet application, this data can let you know how the luminaire does its thing.

Sadly, the bike lighting companies do not do this, so we are stuck with theoretical lumen packages, undefined CBCP, and no beam or field angles.

However, it is possible, albeit a hassle, to compare any batch of fixtures. At a past job, I set up a 10'x10' grid on a fabric roll-drop (theatrical drape that can roll up or down and has a batten in the bottom to hold it in tension). My drop was marked in 1' squares, and I set a luminaire at a fixed distance. Based off of the meter readings at each intersection of grid points, I was able to create 3D graphs in Excel to compare CBCP, beam sizes and angles, field sizes and angles, and so on. in reality, this is an easy setup and simple math- I was a theatre major, so obviously it couldn't have been that tough. In essence, I created an extremely simplified goniophotometer (in which a fixture is mounted in a virtual sphere, and an arm with a light meter takes readings in a 360-degree path on specified axes, 0, 30, 45, etc).

I wish these manufacturers would publish data we could actually use- although several people here are putting in valiant efforts to photograph fixtures, the camera and they eye are very different systems and don't really provide a valid basis for comparison. If we had a simple chart to compare luminaires (the DOE has created this for manufacturers to use on light bulbs, it's sort of a lighting nutrition label), then our dedicated lighting guys like Cat could go ride and enjoy their lights rather than cobble together a comparison system. Kudos to the hard work he and others have done, I just wish they didn't have to do it. End of rant, I guess.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*D99 Trail testing*

I took the D99 out for a quick test spin on the trails while I was also testing a couple other lamps. ( Lamps taken; Gloworm X2, D/X Quad XM-L lamp, and the upgraded Xeccon X-12 with new XM-L2 emitter ) When I put the D99 on the bars the first thing I noticed is the bright green led staring back at me from the power button. I think this lamp has the brightest button led I've ever seen. :lol: Next time I use it I'll likely put some electrical tape across it so I don't see so much of the green light.

One of the nice things about these two emitter XM-L lamps is that they are small and light-weight. This means they don't take up much room or move much once you put them on the bars. When I turned the lamp on it comes on in the lowest of it's four steady modes. This LL mode is surprisingly useful. It is very much like the LL mode of the Gloworm X2's. The next mode ( I'll call L2 ) provides a very nice output. Once again like the Gloworm X2 the Level 2 on the D99 is a very nice mode for general all-around cruising. This is the level I use most on my X2.

Both level 3 and level 4 bring even more of course. Most of my comparisons were with the Gloworm X2 since both incorporate duel XM-L's. I was glad to see that when I took the D99 out on the trail that you really don't notice any blue tint. Maximum output with the D99 is very respectable. There is some fade to the center area of the beam but it still does very well and illuminates a nice wide swath of trail very similar to what the X2 does. The X2 with it's XM-L U2's is of course a little brighter but not by much. As I surmised earlier the D99 makes a nice little bar lamp. If you're looking for an upgrade from something like an 808 with flood lens the D99 would certainly make a nice upgrade without taking up a lot of space on the bars or taking too much money from your pocketbook.


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

Ordered one today. Always a day late I am.



edit: Shipping notice just in. Wooo


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

What is the connector size (2.1-2.5mm) on this latest DX iteration? If 2.1, how are you handling connector mismatch?


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

pigmode said:


> What is the connector size (2.1-2.5mm) on this latest DX iteration? If 2.1, how are you handling connector mismatch?


The connector is a little small but does work with the magic shine type batteries.this does of course mean that it will come apart really easy, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.so far I've not had any problems with it.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

I just got my light tonight. I played with it a little bit in the house, as it's raining outside. 

First impression are a bit mixed. 

I'm surprised how small the housing is. It a little bit wider than the Magicshine 808, but it's only half the height, so that makes it feel much smaller. The controls are two buttons that are also smaller than I thought they would be. The great thing about the buttons is that have a very positive click when pressed, there's no mistaking it. Overall the light feels very well made. 

The wire coming out of the back feels more flexible than that of the 808 and it's a little bit thinner. The battery connector is not quite the same as the Magicshine. The metal conductor part is the same diameter as the Magicshine, although it's a little bit shorter. The black plastic part of the connector is much thinner than that of the Magicshine. On the Magicshine, this black part of the connector fits inside a small tube on mating part of the connector (from the battery side). The end result is that the Magicshine connection is both somewhat water resistant and hard to separate. Since the D99 connector is too small, you will not get this extra benefit. It is still compatible with the Magicshine battery. It's a secure fit and does take a little fit of force to separate 

The light has four modes plus the strobe. The light goes from low to medium 1 to medium 2 to high and then back to low by pressing the green button. The strobe mode is not part of the regular rotation. It's only activated by pressing the smaller orange button. Pressing the button again, turns off the strobe and activates the steady light. It also remembers which light level was set. Turning the light off involves pressing the green button. The light turn off and the green button stays lit for several seconds and then blinks several times and turns off. I'm not sure if it's still drawing power at this time. With the Magicshine the indicator light is always lit, meaning as soon as you connect the battery you are losing power. 

The beam on this light is somewhat dissappointing when viewed indoors. The hot spot is actually a hot ring. Inside this ring is not a bright as the ring, although much brighter than outside of the ring. I'm not sure how big of a deal this is once I get it outside. Outside of the hot spot, which is roughly 808 size, there is a good amount of light. In fact much brighter than what you get with the 808. So the d99 has some flood capability. It also seems a bit brighter than the 808, but the light tint is much bluer that it's somewhat difficult to compare the two. I wasn't able to get an idea of which throws better because I'm stuck indoors. 

Sorry I don't have any beam shots for you guys. I don't have a great spot in which to take pictures that's easily accessible and super dark. I also don't have a DSLR.


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

Great write up! Looking forward to part 2. My issue is I have my hand in too many bike related cookie jars so I got this light instead of an X1/X2.


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

Tie a knot like this on the cables








to prevent the contacts coming loose.

/Håkan
SWEDEN


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

HakanC said:


> Tie a knot like this on the cables
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just to clear things up a bit; I just tried the D99 with every battery I have. Both the Bikeray and Xeccon batteries work fine with this lamp and hold well enough that I would not be worried about it coming loose. The funny thing is that the battery that had the poorest connection was the battery I got with the D/X Quad XM-L lamp.

I should note here that D/X sells batteries with a couple variations on the ( female ) plug. It also seems that the plastic on the male end of the lamp ( D99 ) is not built up enough. This is not really a big problem though as mine works fine with all the batteries. However if you want a tighter ( more waterproof ) fit easy to fix by just wrapping some electrical tape around the plastic on the male end to make it bigger. If this is too much a bother than Håkan's idea should work fine as well.

Since no one else mentioned it the strobe on the D99's are absolutely mental as far as the flash frequency goes. For bike use the flash should be more like 1 flash per sec. ( or 1 per 1.5 sec. ) That I could live with.


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

Cat-man-do said:


> Since no one else mentioned it the strobe on the D99's are absolutely mental as far as the flash frequency goes.


Absolutely true. I tested mine last night and just had to dance. It was like a rave in my garage.

I just did a basic garage test against my X2 and all said above is true. Tint is bluer but don't know how much difference that will make on the trail. Hot spot is fairly bright, though narrower than my X2 puts out (and I've got spot/spot optics in my X2) I like the size of this light, and it appears well-made. That's all I can really say for now.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Good idea HakanC


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Here's some pictures of the light compared to a Magicshine MJ-808E (with remote). There's also pictures of the two battery connectors.




















The D99 connector is the thinner of the two connectors.


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

bad andy said:


> Absolutely true. I tested mine last night and just had to dance. It was like a rave in my garage.
> 
> I just did a basic garage test against my X2 and all said above is true. Tint is bluer but don't know how much difference that will make on the trail. *Hot spot is fairly bright, though narrower than my X2 puts out (and I've got spot/spot optics in my X2)* I like the size of this light, and it appears well-made. That's all I can really say for now.


Thanks for that. I'm looking for a bar light for a friend and I was concerned with the smooth reflector. Now I know for sure it is too spotty.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

PedroDank said:


> Thanks for that. I'm looking for a bar light for a friend and I was concerned with the smooth reflector. Now I know for sure it is too spotty.


No Pedro, the over-all beam pattern is not spotty ( although it does have a brighter center spot like most lamps ). Shine any lamp on a wall and it looks spotty. The D99 is not using reflectors it is using optics.

I did take the front off mine tonight so I could take a look at the optic/emitter set-up. The emitters are mounted on a single ( custom? ) board. What didn't impress me was the internal O-ring around the emitter box. The O-ring sits too flush IMO. I can't see how it is going to prevent water from getting inside. I really do hope I'm wrong about that but I'll not be testing this lamp in the shower.


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

Hm, ok, Cat. But, either way, it should be less floody than others using OP reflector, right? 
Yeah, cheap Chinese lights and their waterproof capabilities are a concern. My 808 clone had two o-rings in the lenses and it did worked under small showers...but I was always concerned about that... Does this D99 also have 2 o-rings?


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

PedroDank said:


> Hm, ok, Cat. But, either way,* it should be less floody than others using OP reflector, right? *
> Yeah, cheap Chinese lights and their waterproof capabilities are a concern. My 808 clone had two o-rings in the lenses and it did worked under small showers...but I was always concerned about that... Does this D99 also have 2 o-rings?


No, I don't think so...reflectors are almost always give a more narrow beam pattern, even if they are OP. It compares well to other multi-emitter lamps and should satisfy most people that are looking for a wider beam pattern ( compared to single emitter lamps ).

There is one O-ring inside the front of the lamp and an O-ring for each optic where it rests against the front of the lamp. The inside one is the one that has me worried as it sits in a groove and does not sit up very high. I suppose if you wanted to seal it better you could use some silicon but then that would be a little messy and cause a problem if you wanted to re-open the front.


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

Oh well, it's a fair weather light I take it. That suits me for off road, but if I decide to take it on the road...

Still seems a good value till I can get a gloworm.


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## rpnbilly (Dec 21, 2011)

@ HakanC, I got my set today and am happy to report that the light-head, the charger, and the battery you asked about, are all a perfect fitting matches as far as connectors go. I was worried, but it was a roll of the dice that won, phew. Been charging that sucker for 6 hours now, and it's still going. Let's hope this battery is a good pick! I will report back later with full charge time, voltages, runtimes and try to do my first attempt at beamshots.


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## grandsalmon (Oct 24, 2005)

I got mine a few days ago. Noticed the head wire somewhat loose, only because the grommet-plug going in the housing was not set. I will seal the front and the plug too. I would suggest anybody running this in inclement weather to do this. Just waiting while I decide to screw another mounting system to it. The strobe is, as others noted, a "rave mode" pulsar certain to cause epileptic seizures. Too bad as it won't really be useful on the commute stylee -too crazy! Now I could put a gel on it, it'd be a brilliant tail light.


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

rpnbilly said:


> @ HakanC, I got my set today and am happy to report that the light-head, the charger, and the battery you asked about, are all a perfect fitting matches as far as connectors go. I was worried, but it was a roll of the dice that won, phew.


Thank you, that is good to know.



> I will report back later with full charge time, voltages, runtimes and try to do my first attempt at beamshots.


I'm looking forward to your report.

/Håkan
SWEDEN


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

After what I am able to find out DX now sell the D99 light in three(3!) different versions:
33.60 USD FandyFire D99
39.50 USD UltraFire D99
41.60 USD FANDYFIRE D99 - incl battery 4x18650 (but no charger?)

/Håkan
SWEDEN


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*FFire D99: Thermal shake down vs. Lux output / Runtime on 4-cell*

I'm doing a little run time test tonight using one of my 5200mAh ( 3 year old ) Bikeray 4-cell batteries. I just wanted to see what I could expect using a decent 4-cell with the D99. More info in a couple hours. I expect to get 2.5 hrs but we'll see.

The lamp just went to "Blue" after one hour. The lamp does get hot. More on that when the test is completed.


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## mrradlos (Sep 3, 2010)

Is the D99 light enough for the helmet?


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*FFire D99: Thermal test-lux output/ run time test, continued from last post.*



Cat-man-do said:


> I'm doing a little run time test tonight using one of my 5200mAh ( 3 year old ) Bikeray 4-cell batteries. I just wanted to see what I could expect using a decent 4-cell with the D99. More info in a couple hours. I expect to get 2.5 hrs but we'll see.
> 
> The lamp just went to "Blue" after one hour. The lamp does get hot. More on that when the test is completed.


Finished the test.* I got exactly 2hrs and 52 minutes on high with the Bikeray battery.* Very good for a 3 year old battery if I do say so. 
During the test some things of note;

The lamp ( on high L4 ) does get hot if not enough air is moving across the lamp. I did use a fan for the test but at the start had it set back a ways. After 15 minutes the lamp heated up to 126°F ( 52°C ). That is pretty hot, still the lamp did not do a thermal shut or power-down. At this point I moved the fan closer.

Loss of light output at the 15 minute mark was about 16.5% of the initial 422 lux. That is pretty high. Once I moved the fan closer the lamp temperature dropped down to ~ 122°F ( 50°C ). It took a while for the emitters to cool but eventually the lux output began to rise. Once stabilized, the light output remained around 374 lux. At that level the loss is only about 11.6%. That is much better and the lamp was obviously brighter.

The red led came on at the 2hr and 18 minute mark. Not soon after the lamp output began to fade a bit as the battery neared cut-off. At no point did the lamp power down to a lower level on it's own. The red led did not enter a "blinking mode" to indicate eminent shut down.

All things considered if you don't let the lamp get too hot you should still get decent output. When I used mine last I never noticed the lamp getting too hot. Matter of fact it barely got warm but then again I don't always run the higher modes. Keep her on L2 or L3 and you should be fine. Wish there had been a blinking mode. That last warning before shut-down is priceless. ( * Oh, almost forgot to mention, I paid for this lamp with my own money. )


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## rpnbilly (Dec 21, 2011)

I did a little run test with the 6600mAh battery from DX, seems good! No power upon arrival, would not light up the lamp, back light, nothing. Took 7hrs20min to charge (1 Amp charger). Did a test on the highest level (L4) against my judgement r/t heat. With a fan running on it, I turned it on at 1640hrs, it ran on high with a green (wow so bright) backlight until it turned blue at 1825hrs (1hrs-45min), stayed blue until 1855 (30min), then red. I turned it off at this point. So in total on highest mode, 2hrs15mins!!! Blue and red backlight working, heat with the fan wasn't an issue. When I took it outside on the multi use pathways at night, as long as I was moving constantly, this unit did not have heat issues at all. More testing to come, waiting on a new multimeter, photographer volunteer and and to finish my round of nightshifts. Love the light, the battery is good so far, seems like 6600mAh is close to reality. Lighthead did not budge much from where I put it also. My new favourite light setup! will do another test runtime for level 3 soon.


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

rpnbilly said:


> the battery is good so far, seems like 6600mAh is close to reality.


Thank you for the follow up.
It is good to know that a battery for less then 20 USD from DX is that good.
8.4V 6600mAh Rechargeable 18650 Li-ion Battery Pack for Bicycle Lamp - Worldwide Free Shipping - DX


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

rpnbilly said:


> I did a little run test with the 6600mAh battery from DX, seems good! No power upon arrival, would not light up the lamp, back light, nothing....... the battery is good so far, seems like 6600mAh is close to reality.....


About your D/X battery; The fact that the battery would not work upon arrival is not a good sign. Usually batteries are shipped/stored with a partial charge. That charge would definitely operate the lamp. This could mean you have a bad battery. A good six cell 6600mAh battery should run the D99 over 4 hours on it's highest output level.


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

Isn't the D99 current draw 2200mA on high? With a 6600mAh battery, that would give 3 hours of max runtime on high.

Skewing from the original topic...I haven't looked at batteries for a couple years. I'm amazed to see 3400mAh 18650 cells from Panasonic. A 4 cell 6800mAh pack sure would be tempting. Or, 6 cell 10200mAh. Wow!


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

baker said:


> Isn't the D99 current draw 2200mA on high? With a 6600mAh battery, that would give 3 hours of max runtime on high.
> 
> Skewing from the original topic...I haven't looked at batteries for a couple years. I'm amazed to see 3400mAh 18650 cells from Panasonic. A 4 cell 6800mAh pack sure would be tempting. Or, 6 cell 10200mAh. Wow!


I don't know what the current draw is on the emitters. All I know is that if I got almost 3hrs of run time out of my old 5200mAh 4-cell, I would expect to get at least 4hrs from a good 6600mah 6-cell battery.


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

I was going by the specs at the dx site.

UltraFire D99 2 x Cree T6 1600lm 5-Mode White Bicycle Headlamp - Black + Silver (4 x 18650)

It wouldn't surprise me that they might be driven less than stated.


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

Cat-man-do said:


> No, I don't think so...reflectors are almost always give a more narrow beam pattern, even if they are OP. It compares well to other multi-emitter lamps and should satisfy most people that are looking for a wider beam pattern ( compared to single emitter lamps ).


Hm ok, thanks cat! I guess I'm going to ask my friend to buy this one so I can also confirm your statement eheh My friend will be my guinea pig 

The reviews are looking fine and I'm leaning towards this D99 now... I hope he trusts me!


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

I have received and disassembled the light.
I am going to install it on my custom e-bike (200watt/hours 36v A123 battery, so plenty of light runtime).

First of all, the UI (mode switching, led indicators, etc) is **spectacular**. Common cheap chinese lights are one (maybe ten..) step behind.

Build quality and materials are also **very good**.

There is a temperature sensor glued to the case, and it steps down to 75% at 68C measured with IR thermometer). This makes the case stay close to 70C (20C ambient temperature).
Light intensity is modulated by low frequency pwm, but in normal usage scenarios this is not an issue.

This light comes really cheap for one single tragic flaw: thermal dissipation.
I cannot recommend this light to anyone that doesn't want to disassemble and try to fix it.
Thermal contact with the case is made by 0.5 millimeters (HALF A MILLIMETER) of contact area. Cree XMLs are really though and can withstand really high die temperatures, but not at this level.

When the case is at 60C, led dies are at 140C. Lumens produced decrease by 30+% and the leds are in immediate danger of being damaged.

This light cannot be operated at full power.
Now I am waiting for Cree XM-L2 80CRI neutral whites to be delivered from mouser, then I'll install them on the board and try to glue everything with arctic alumina, trying to make really thick lateral thermal paths to help heat transfer, that for sure won't be optimal but at least not this bad.

This is the worst thermally-engineered light I ever came across. Beware of that.

PS. sorry for SI units.


----------



## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*@ bozma88*;

Thanks for the review. Yes, there are thermal issues but I'm not sure that I would agree with your assessment that the lamp is not useable "as is".

If you only run the higher modes "when needed" and aren't living in the desert you shouldn't have too many problems as long as you maintain air flow on the lamp when in use. Eventually I might try to mod mine as well. Let us know how the up-grade to XM-L2's work out. If possible if you remove the emitters, sure would be nice to have a picture of the mounting area minus the current emitters.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

I've been using mine on high and haven't noticed any problems. The case does gets very warm, almost hot.


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

Long term reports will hopefully tell the story. Its coming on two weeks since mine shipped.


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

varider said:


> I've been using mine on high and haven't noticed any problems. The case does gets very warm, almost hot.


In my book that's a good thing.
If the case would have stayed 'cold' would have been worse, much worse.

/Håkan
SWEDEN


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Interesting thing about the F-Fire D99, the top is almost flat. Shouldn't be too hard to add a heat sink if someone felt they needed some additional cooling. One of the reasons I liked the look of the Solarstorm X2 was that it had more "fins" built into the lamp body. My bet is that it will dissipate heat better ( then the D99).


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

HakanC said:


> In my book that's a good thing.
> If the case would have stayed 'cold' would have been worse, much worse.
> 
> /Håkan
> SWEDEN


I agree with that, but the fact that it gets hot outside doesn't tell the whole story about what temperature the internal pcb reaches.

In this case, when the external container reaches 70C (scorching hot to bare hands), the internal MCPCB is at 120C, with leds at 140+C.

This is the highest operational limit of these leds, and they cannot be safely operated at that temperature for any amount of time.

The mcpcb is glued to the case with two small lateral drops of thermal glue. There is no direct contact bewteen mcpcb and case, all the heat is taken away by these two small drops of (low quality) glue. I am pretty sure that putting a lot of good quality thermal glue all around the perimeter of the mcpcb will lower mcpcb temperatures of at least 20 degrees. Scratching and removing internal anodization will improve thermal transfer further.

Keep in mind that Cree recommends **DIE** temperatures < 85C to safely operate the light for long amount of times. This means a mcpcb temperature of 70C or less.

Even operating the leds at 150C for small periods will damage them, because of all the thermal => mechanical stress induced on dies and bonding wires by huge temperature excursions.

I am still waiting for the delivery of the new xm-l2s, when they arrive I'll do a deep photographic documentation of installation and thermal dissipation pre-post fix. These leds have a lower voltage drop so thermal dissipation should be 5% less compared to currently installed xml-s.

Have a nice day


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

You're making some pretty big statements bozma88. Did you make your measurements with the light in front of a fan? How did you make your measurements? Most riders will not operate a high-powered light on high when they are not moving, precisely because they are afraid of the heat damaging the internals.


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

varider said:


> You're making some pretty big statements bozma88. Did you make your measurements with the light in front of a fan? How did you make your measurements? Most riders will not operate a high-powered light on high when they are not moving, precisely because they are afraid of the heat damaging the internals.


I made meaurements with an industrial grade thermocouple and an IR thermometer, without airflow.
This doesn't matter because the problem here is not the temperature of the external case but the huge thermal resistance between mcpcb and aluminum case, that translates in a big temp. differential between case and mcpcb.

In case of forced airflow the situation is not going to be better (this light steps down at a certain temperature so airflow is quite irrelevant). If the air is cool and strong enough to keep the case at 30C, leds wuold still be at 100C .

This light is sensational regarding build quality and UI, but I think that
this low price is due to this thermal flaw that renders it unreliable in the medium-long term.

Luckily I think that surrounding the pcb with thermal glue will improve thermal transfer a lot.

I'll provide some photos to make you realize how absurd the thermal management is.

Meanwhile here's a quick comparation on how the contact between pcb and case SHOULD be and how it IS (actually the path isn't even lateral because there is considerable gap between the edges and the case).


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

^ Pics will be appreciated.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Boz, When I took mine apart I only noticed two wires. I'm assuming this is a series configuration (?) ...Am I wrong about that?

Looking forward to what you do when you replace the emitters.


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## mrradlos (Sep 3, 2010)

bozma88 said:


> I'll provide some photos to make you realize how absurd the thermal management is.
> 
> View attachment 798919
> View attachment 798920


Can you take a photo of the inside of the housing with the pcb removed? Is there no "wall" in the housing (behind the LEDs) to glue the pcb onto?


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Can't you just put some thermal paste under the board and be done with it? After removing the old stuff, of course. I have some artic silver that I used for a PC-cpu-to-heatsink application. Can I use this, or do I need something different? 

Who in their right mind tests a high powered led light without some airflow. It makes all the difference in the world. Most light manufacturers even tell you not to use their lights on high when not moving. This goes all the way back to days when TurbuCat halogen lights were all the rage. 

I don't think it's right to trash the reputation of a light with testing doesn't replicate real-world use. 

This is a pretty nice light in my opinion. It has an near ideal user interface. It's small and compatible with industry standard battery connectors. It has a spot-flood combo beam that's very nice although not perfect. And it was a very good deal at $32.


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## PedroDank (Oct 27, 2012)

varider said:


> Can't you just put some thermal paste under the board and be done with it? After removing the old stuff, of course. I have some artic silver that I used for a PC-cpu-to-heatsink application. Can I use this, or do I need something different?


I was wondering the same thing.


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

varider said:


> Can't you just put some thermal paste under the board and be done with it? After removing the old stuff, of course. I have some artic silver that I used for a PC-cpu-to-heatsink application. Can I use this, or do I need something different?
> 
> Who in their right mind tests a high powered led light without some airflow. It makes all the difference in the world. Most light manufacturers even tell you not to use their lights on high when not moving. This goes all the way back to days when TurbuCat halogen lights were all the rage.
> 
> ...


You cannot put thermal paste under the board simply because there is no contact area under the board.

Operating the light with no airflow or operating it with airflow is the same thing, because this light has a thermal sensor that steps power down at 70C.

Even if the airflow keeps the light at 50C, leds would still be at really high temperatures because there is no contact area between leds and case.

This light is very well engineered in every aspect but thermal management.
For it to be perfect, we have to do something to increase thermal transfer.

please trust me, I am really passionate (and knowledgeable) about led lighting and seeing this thing is like an civil engineer that sees a bridge made with toothpicks 

Please note that I am here not to destructively complain about this light but to make costructive ideas arise from this issues.

Pics will arrive this very day, I am sorry for the delay.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

That's cool. 

From what I gather from your posts, there is some sort of gap behind the led board. Is that right?


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

well, actually there's _nothing _but a giant hole behind the led board


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

bozma88 said:


> well, actually there's _nothing _but a giant hole behind the led board


Holy hole-in-the-wall bozman!...

Well that does put new spin on the issue. Just what is the board made of and how much contact does it actually have with the metal part of the lamp? If you can supply a photo it might inspire some ideas on how to improve the thermal issues.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Okay, I decided to investigate a little further. I took the front off again and started poking around. I also removed the rear. From what I can tell the back of the board is metal. How much metal I can't tell. How much of that metal is contacting the lamp body I can't tell either. The edge of the electronics board is backed right behind the back of the MCPCB board so really not a lot of wiggle room if you catch my drift. 

I did poke around the front of the board to see if it would lift up but I really couldn't make it move. Whatever is used to hold it in place is doing a pretty good job.

Something else I noticed, I took a bright LED torch and shone it in the front towards the back while I looked from the back to the front. I could see the outline of the metal ( MCPCB ) around most of the board. This is not inspiring. Only in a couple small areas was the light not able to penetrate. I have a feeling Boz is correct, there is not a lot of contact area with the metal area of the lamp body ( and metal area of the MCPCB ). 

Personally, I can't see myself trying to remove the MCPCB unless I know I can replace it. I figure If the contact area is that small nothing you do is going to make that much difference ( unless you can re-engineer the front of the lamp ) . If you try to remove the board you might end up destroying it in the process. Now if I could get another board the same size and shape as the one already there ( only with better emitters ) it might be worth trying to remove the one already in place. As it stands, the board in place looks custom made with the emitters embedded into the board. Destroy the board and you might as well toss the lamp into the trash.

Nope, this is not looking like an easy mod. For me, not a big deal, I have better lights. Still the lamp works, has a good UI and provides a decent output and beam pattern. Output will drop WHEN the lamp gets hot. That I already knew. How long it will last if you use the lamp in it's max output mode for extended periods is anyone's guess.


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## mrradlos (Sep 3, 2010)

bozma88 said:


> well, actually there's _nothing _but a giant hole behind the led board
> Pics will arrive this very day, I am sorry for the delay.


Holy ... not easy to take a foto of the whole hole ...


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Ok, now I understand. 

Wow, that sucks! I just assumed there was a solid wall behind the led board. Oh well, not the greatest design. That's why it's so small, they left out the thermal conduction wall! I wonder how long it will take to fry itself. 

So that leaves the Solarstorm x2 and dx ultrafire D-50 as possible good and cheap dual-emitter lights.


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

Looking forward to the fix.


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

mrradlos said:


> Holy ... not easy to take a foto of the whole hole ...


Unfortunately my job has much priority and I found myself having no time at all until now. Sorry for the delay.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Okay, pretty much looks like what I expected. There looks like there's a small lip that goes around each of the emitter areas and that is the only contact area that you get for the emitter board. 

Boz, your board looks undamaged. can you explain what you did to remove it.


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## scar (Jun 2, 2005)

That is crazy. Just when you thought you had seen it all :eekster:



****


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Cat-man-do said:


> Okay, pretty much looks like what I expected. There looks like there's a small lip that goes around each of the emitter areas and that is the only contact area that you get for the emitter board.
> 
> Boz, your board looks undamaged. can you explain what you did to remove it.


The board was attached with two small lateral drops of thermal glue.
Puttting slight pressure from the back is enough to detach it.
It seems to be really high quality, or at least it is really thick (~1,5mm)

Leds have been unsoldered using a hot air soldering station and yes, they are in series (very good thing).

The electronics seem really good to me. Quality soldering, quality components and good UI. I'll provide some pics of the final result when the new leds get delivered.


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

bozma88 said:


> The electronics seem really good to me. Quality soldering, quality components and good UI. I'll provide some pics of the final result when the new leds get delivered.


Make sure that the inductor on the driver board is glued down. That was the case in the two Chinese lights I have worked on. Trail vibration of the inductor caused lead breakage to occur and the lights to fail.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

bozma88 said:


> The board was attached with two small lateral drops of thermal glue.
> Puttting slight pressure from the back is enough to detach it.
> It seems to be really high quality, or at least it is really thick (~1,5mm)
> 
> ...


About the leds; Are you going to try to just re-solder in the new LED's where the old ones were or are you going to be using LED's on a star or smaller board?. Wow, I'm impressed that you were able to remove the LED's from the board. You must have some nice electronic tools.


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

varider said:


> So that leaves the Solarstorm x2 and dx ultrafire D-50 as possible good and cheap dual-emitter lights.


D-50 is great, just posted details in the thread about it. No thermal problems with it at all.


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

pictures of neutral white xm-l2 installation and thermal fix are coming!
as a preview, I'll tell you that led's die temperatures dropped by 30+C (102C @ thermal protection kick in - 70C case), and the tint is a beautiful 4000K.


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Kir said:


> D-50 is great, just posted details in the thread about it. No thermal problems with it at all.


D99 is preferable in street use because of TIR lenses producing less side spill and thus less blinding for incoming traffic


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Pictures here ->> Fandyfire D99 XM-L2 swap


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

So what exactly is this, thermal glue?


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## DXofficial (Mar 1, 2013)

Hi guys, DealExtreme here...

If you were to choose between the D50 (sku#203434) or the D99 (sku#199471) to run a special offer,

Which would be preferable?

joseph ~DX


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

I would prefer the D50. Let us know if/when the special offer starts. Thank you very much.


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## HakanC (May 12, 2007)

varider said:


> I would prefer the D50. Let us know if/when the special offer starts. Thank you very much.


+1

/Håkan
SWEDEN


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Keep in mind that with 2$ of thermal glue the D99 becomes a great light with really high manufacturing quality and a great UI, with TIR optics (less side spill and glare for upcoming traffic) and above all with a THERMAL SENSOR that prevents leds burn out.

With the fix I made (and after the swap) I am really in love with the D99. D50 seems a really cheap knock-off of mj880, you can clearly see that mfg quality is inferior (look at the cheap screws and the - maybe - plastic bezel..).

Imho, with $2 of thermal glue and a bit of patience the D99 becomes a very good light with TIR optics 

Joseph, I vote for D99!


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

Still haven't got mine going on 5 weeks.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

*A quick review*

I've ridden with the D99 a bunch of times, mostly on the road, but some excursions onto pitch black dirt forest roads.

I don't really care for the optics on this light. As I mentioned before, this light creates a hot-ring and not a true hot spot which you will have with a Magicshine 808. This is both good and bad. The D99 spreads the light around in more of a flood type pattern. In fact there is even some light at extreme angles. This makes it good on pitch black forest roads, as you can really see everything that is going on at the sides of the road and in the center. It's just not super bright in the center. The hot ring, when viewed on a white wall, turns into a hot arc when projected on the road surface. The top of the ring (the far part) fades into the darkness. You may find the bright arc to be a distraction since objects will become suddenly brighter as they enter the bright zone. Still it's a pretty good light at this type of riding. On singletrack I want more light in a center hot spot, so this light is not optimal.

On the road, where there is some ambient light from streetlights and houses, the lack of a hot spot frustrated me. It's just not bright enough in the center to overpower the ambient light. The Magicshine 808E or the Magicshine 872 clone are much better at this. The D99 is probably makes you very visible to cars, as it really spreads light around. The super-fast strobe will really make you visible, but it will also be super annoying for motorists. They may try to shoot you. When you ride with the strobe light on, it makes everything look slow-motion. It's not really usable. It may be good for crossing intersections, but I haven't really tried it.

So this light is a mixed bag for me. Frustrating on the road, good on pitch black dirt forest roads, probably not the best at singletrack. The UI is good, the thermal management is bad. For some reason I lose track of which mode I'm in when I want to go to high mode I frequently click one to many times and end up back in low. The glow in the dark rings are nice, because it makes your bike easy to find in the dark if the light is off.

Personally I prefer light with a true hot spot. I have gone back to using a Magichine 872 clone on the bars, which I bought for around the same price from ebay. It's a bright super-flooder with a true hot spot. It has two switches for lowering and raising the modes. The modes don't go in a circle from high back to low. If you are in high and press the up button, the light doesn't go back to low. You have to press the down button three times. It's a different setup, but I prefer it for a 4-mode light.

From what I have gathered on the other threads, the D50 or the Fandyfire X2 may be a better match for me. I wish I could get these lights as lightheads only, as I have two excellent batteries and don't need to spend extra money on a complete light/battery/charger package.


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Thanks for your review.

I cannot agree with you about the hot spot because mine has a true hot spot in the center, very bright and even, with no "hot rings". But I've modded mine with two different leds that have slightly different emission patterns, so maybe that's the reason for different opinions.

I am using it on my custom e-bike, fully handmade, nearly 1hp and 45km/h - 28mp/h of speed. D99 is connected to my 36V 240Wh Lithium battery with a cheap DX DC-Dc step-down converter (16h of light runtime!).









































If you are interested, here's my e-bike image album: eBike


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## mrradlos (Sep 3, 2010)

DXofficial said:


> Hi guys, DealExtreme here...
> 
> If you were to choose between the D50 (sku#203434) or the D99 (sku#199471) to run a special offer,
> 
> ...


A D50 "lighthead only" option (no battery) for $30 would be very nice!


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## Ian_C (Sep 27, 2012)

varider said:


> From what I have gathered on the other threads, the D50 or the Fandyfire X2 may be a better match for me. I wish I could get these lights as lightheads only, as I have two excellent batteries and don't need to spend extra money on a complete light/battery/charger package.


If I'm not mistaken the D99 was $39 lighthead only. (In now apears to be down to $30.79)

With discount the SolorStorm/FandyFire was $44.21. Less than $5 for the battery & charger isn't really a hardship. My battery, at least, isn't crap. I've run it for 3.5 hrs (About 40 min on low and the rest on medium). Certainly not as good as the best batteries we can get, but a heck of a lot better than the worst fleabay ones we've seen.

At a less than $50 price point, isn't the "Darn, I can't get it as the light head only" argument kind of a moot point? It may not be green to get a "backup" battery you may never use, but at these prices, it isn't a deal breaker either.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Ian_C said:


> If I'm not mistaken the D99 was $39 lighthead only. (In now apears to be down to $30.79)
> 
> With discount the SolorStorm/FandyFire was $44.21. Less than $5 for the battery & charger isn't really a hardship. My battery, at least, isn't crap. I've run it for 3.5 hrs (About 40 min on low and the rest on medium). Certainly not as good as the best batteries we can get, but a heck of a lot better than the worst fleabay ones we've seen.
> 
> At a less than $50 price point, isn't the "Darn, I can't get it as the light head only" argument kind of a moot point? It may not be green to get a "backup" battery you may never use, but at these prices, it isn't a deal breaker either.


Well I think I paid around $33 from this link:
FandyFire D99 Cree XM-L T6 2-LED 1200LM 5-Mode Neutral White Bike Light Headlight - Silver + Black - Worldwide Free Shipping - DX
They seem to have this light with multiple sku's and different branding. It's a bit confusing really.

Yeah, you're right the extra money isn't a huge deal, but I'm feeling cheap lately. I was thinking more of the d50 which is around $60 for the package, which puts it past the why-not impulse-buy category. But why spend the extra money on an unknown product (to me) when I really have no idea if it will be better than what I already have. I'm also thinking in terms of buying multiple lightheads, that $10 or $15 difference will add up to be an additional light over time.

After reading the thread on the exploding battery packs, I'm not sure I even want one of these cheap(er) battery packs in my home.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

bozma88, 
you definitely have a superior light with the new leds you put in. Nice work on the conversion. I'm surprised you have a hot spot. That would make this light much better in my opinion.

Also, where are you getting thermal glue for $2.


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Please be really careful with cheap Lithium-Cobalt batteries, they are able to set your house on fire.

Lithium batteries carry a lot of energy and no one should buy the cheaper brands.

They may work harmlessly for 3 years and then set everything on fire.

You can be cheap on lights, but if you really want to handle battery packs carelessly you should go for LiFePo chemistry, intrinsically safer because they don't exhibit thermal runaway upon failure.


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

varider said:


> bozma88,
> you definitely have a superior light with the new leds you put in. Nice work on the conversion. I'm surprised you have a hot spot. That would make this light much better in my opinion.
> 
> Also, where are you getting thermal glue for $2.


Thank you very much.

Due to the nature of TIR lenses the hot spot is less prononuced compared to aluminum reflectors, but the side spill does not exhibit distracting tint variations (green anyone?).
The great thing about tir lenses is the ability to change the beam pattern by swapping lenses.
This maked D99 a preferable product over D50.

Asymmetric optics (60x15° or similar) may be the best option for riding. At the moment I am unable to source an asymmetric lens of the right diameter, but they surely exist.

Something like this:









Regarding thermal glue, Dealextreme sells cheap but useable thermal glue for a few bucks (fujik).
I used this, not the best in the world but enough for this task.

eBay


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

bozma88 said:


> Please be really careful with cheap Lithium-Cobalt batteries, they are able to set your house on fire.
> 
> Lithium batteries carry a lot of energy and no one should buy the cheaper brands.
> 
> ...


Cobalt = bad? Silly me, I was thinking a Li battery was a Li battery?


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

Since that thermal glue has less than 1 percent the thermal conductivity of aluminum do you think it is really helping all that much? Sure, it will be better than originally assembled but enough better to really keep the LEDs temperature close to the case temperature? 

I am not real knowledgeable about thermal design, but it still does not seem like an efficient thermal path to the housing.


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

bozma88 where did you get that mount for headlight? I want to buy it too


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Vancbiker said:


> Since that thermal glue has less than 1 percent the thermal conductivity of aluminum do you think it is really helping all that much? Sure, it will be better than originally assembled but enough better to really keep the LEDs temperature close to the case temperature?
> 
> I am not real knowledgeable about thermal design, but it still does not seem like an efficient thermal path to the housing.


For such a thin layer of glue, 1 or 100 is almost the same. The paste fills the air gaps created by irregularities between the two surfaces, thus helping thermal transfer a lot.
This glue is electrically non-conductive, which may or may not be a requirement in this case.
High conductivity Al-based glues may work better, but as long as temperatures stay in a safe range (I'd say under 100°C) everything is ok.
My fix works because leds die temperature decreased by 20-30°C.

Scraping the anodization in the area to be glued may help to increase thermal conductivity, but the improvements may not be worth the hassle.



speedneeder said:


> Cobalt = bad? Silly me, I was thinking a Li battery was a Li battery?


Lithium cobalt oxide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I operate my eBike with a self-built A123 LiFePO4 battery pack. Safest Li chemistry available, but expensive (30 cells + balancing electronics -> 500+USD).
It's to you to consider a safe chemistry that does not burn your house down expensive or not


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Action-LED-Lights ? Computer / Headlight Mount

I bougth the MT-201P, build quality is very good and the bar lenght is a perfect fit fot D99.


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## ironbrewer (Oct 17, 2012)

I use the MT 204 and really like it.


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

I wonder what chemistry battery came with my mj-808?


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Every battery pack sold with bike headlights is LiCo ;-)


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## speedneeder (Mar 26, 2013)

Good to know!


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

Dam, I spaced out and let the paypal dispute period slip by. Ordered a D99 on 28 April, and still haven't received it.


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## bozma88 (May 10, 2013)

Ask dealextreme for a refund or for another to be sent free. If you are kind and wait patiently for their reply there is some chance that you'll sort it out.

Happened to me twice, and I live in Italy, the country with the wrost customs service in the whole world. It usually takes 60 days for chinese packages to be delivered to my door.


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

Thanks, I've sent and they've started an inquiry. I can wait.


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## bobale (Sep 23, 2012)

Beamshots, anyone?


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*Consumer Alert: No charger with D/X D-99 offerings.*

It has just come to my attention ( from a post on another website ) that NONE of the D99's sold WITH BATTERY from D/X are including a charger ( :bluefrown: ). No mention of this is included in the ads. Very bad marketing unless of course this was a mistake somehow. I've notified the D/X rep so he can address the issue.

In retrospect, If you are buying ANY lamp from D/X that includes a battery read the ad very carefully to make sure if it includes a charger. ( look at all photos to confirm this as well ).


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

The good news is they have refunded my order, which has never arrived. Anyway I'm taking it the SolarStorm is the preferred of the two, so...


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## DXofficial (Mar 1, 2013)

Quick update guys,

we have updated the sku#206863 D99 to reference the charger needed (which is the sku:132155)

the other D99 don't come with battery packs included. Thanks Cat and others for pointing it out.

The Solarstorm kits are complete with charger.

DX


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## pigmode (Nov 15, 2009)

DXofficial said:


> Quick update guys,
> 
> we have updated the sku#206863 D99 to reference the charger needed (which is the sku:132155)
> 
> ...


*Ali offers refunds if item doesn't arrive in 20 days. You people made me wait 3 months. Screw your updates.*


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

D99 fixed?








Free shipping 1Set CREE XML2 T6 3B Bike Light 1600lm Waterproof Bicycle Light LED HeadLamp + 8.4v Battery Pack + Charger-in Bicycle Light from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

That's a nice looking light. I wonder if this has flood optics like the d99.


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

It has them, same plastic TIR-lenses. I'll probably buy it to test and review, neutral-white T6-3B XM-L2 leds are a rare thing for chinese lights.


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## sxotty (Nov 4, 2005)

So with the mounts from action LED you are still mounting with o-ring? I worry about vibration and light drooping. Is there a way to hard mount it to a clamp instead? That would be preferable IMO.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Kir said:


> D99 fixed?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


ohhhhh...very nice! Me Likey. 2000ma output....nice ...XM-L2's ...nice...Looks like the MCPCB is mounted to a full metal back....even better. This one's only three modes but...oh no, wait a minute....*low mode only 5%....mid-mode only 30%...DEAL KILLER!!*

No Cat Nip here I'm afraid. :bluefrown:


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

5%, 30% 100% mode spacing sounds quite good to me. The Human eye does a terrible job of discerning difference between lumens, 30% would look more like 65% brightness. With a mid mode of 50% the brightness wouldn't appear to be all that different between mid and high mode. I know from modding flashlights that the difference between 1A and 2A isn't really that discernable to the naked eye, although I'd rather have the option to go up to 5A, just because..


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## mb323323 (Aug 1, 2006)

You're really just buying the light head. Look at the battery pack. Looks like a 4 cell. They state 8800 mah. Ha, think not.


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

I agree, 5-30-100 is much better as 5-50-100. 
And as for battery pack...8800 is unfortunately possible since it probably uses 4.2v input voltage


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Kir said:


> I agree, 5-30-100 is much better as 5-50-100.
> And as for battery pack...8800 is unfortunately possible since it probably uses 4.2v input voltage


Yeah it might be 4.2 volts. The mode set-up suggest it is using a flashlight driver. The 30% mid mode is typical for flashlights. Since I use flashlights I know the mid-modes are quite usable but than again flashlights typically use reflectors which put most of the light where you need it and this lamp uses optics. Also if the battery is 4.2 volts the LED's might be in parallel which would cut the power down a lot. Lots of "if's" here.
If I were to buy one of these it wouldn't be before contacting the seller to try to get a little more information.


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

If it's a 4.2v battery then it would be like 1A to the emitters if comparing to other 8.4v bike lights which would be too low, I'd suggest it's an 8.4v 4400mAH battery pack as usual and someones just got their math wrong. This one looks great to me.


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

Ooh, I like this one! How'd I miss this thread? 
It's currently on sale ($57) but the sale ends in an hour. 
Hopefully someone will have it on sale again soon.


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## mb323323 (Aug 1, 2006)

I think wkJR is right on this one otherwise at 4.2v you'd be looking at maybe 250 lumens per LED?? Or there abouts.

MB


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

whokilledJR said:


> If it's a 4.2v battery then it would be like 1A to the emitters if comparing to other 8.4v bike lights which would be too low, I'd suggest it's an 8.4v 4400mAH battery pack as usual and someones just got their math wrong. This one looks great to me.


Believe me, since no one really knows you want to ask the seller BEFORE you buy. I like the look of these lights too but if you want something to work like you want you have to put those thoughts aside. Function is more important than looks.

My gut tells me these lamps might put out about 900-1000 lumen on high. That would put the mid-mode at around 300 lumen. On the other hand if the emitters are in series you will have much better output on high and the mid-mode might get as high as 400-450 lumen. That wouldn't be so bad but personally I'd rather have the mid-mode at least 500-600 lumen with low about 200. Judging from the comparison photos I think my first guess is the more likely. Hope I'm wrong about that. I would love to see a user beam shot of this lamp.


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

Fully agree Cat-man-do, I should make it clear I'm only happy to speculate as I'm off the market to buy one of these lights but am interested in the near future, but I'd probably contact the seller to clarify some details as well before buying.

I'm a little optimistic with this light because of the convoy brand, while still budget they are generally well built, of good value and quite popular in the flashlight community, in particular for modding as these are generally DIY hosts. I love the design of the integrated pill (led stars attached direct to the host) and the single dual star, and the fact that it comes with XM-L2 with the 3B tint makes it look like someones been listening.

Again I'm speculating but I doubt it's a 4.2v battery pack with driver wired in series, it would lose to much brightness and wouldn't make sense considering the good heatsink design. Also I doubt it would be a typical flashlight driver, as mentioned above Convoy are basically built hosts that are fitted with standard drivers and emitters after they've left the manufacturer, or so it would seem. So far I haven't come across a convoy product that comes with it's own driver. It would be difficult to find a standard flashlight driver that's built for 4 cells in series at 4.2v or even finding a flashlight driver wired 2s2p as they aren't very common, the former probably don't exist as it wouldn't make much sense. It would make a lot more sense that they are using a typical bike light driver for fitting and compatibility.

The optics has both it's pros and cons, without seeing a beam shot I like the idea of having floody optics as they would disperse light more evenly than a reflector and would be less of an issue for other drivers to look at, however you will lose lumens with them as optics aren't as efficient as reflectors, they are only something like 70%-80% efficient. However I do wonder if they are the standard sized TIR optics that are sold at some flashlight vendors:

Optical lens : Led Flashlight-International Outdoor Store

If they are it would add some real modding potential and versality as you can select a range of different kinds of flood and spot optics.

The dual shadow light battery pack and driver work differently, this is of no surprise as shadow are their own brand and on their newer models they have been making their own drivers.

Of course this is all just fun speculation, I could be wrong and would feel like a complete tit if I was wrong and someone bought one based on my information.


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## leuchte81 (Sep 9, 2008)

Hi guys,
anybody already recognized that one?

Latest 2xCree XML U2 LED Bicycle Light Rechargeable Bike headlight/lamp Front Light +Power Indicate 8.4v Battery Pack-in Bicycle Light from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com

Seems to be the same light but with 2 xml U2 and 8,4V... and much cheaper.

I don't post to often in this forum, but I was guessing this could be interesting...


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

Nice find! :thumbsup:
Seems like the same light, yeah.


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

leuchte81 said:


> Hi guys,
> anybody already recognized that one?
> 
> Latest 2xCree XML U2 LED Bicycle Light Rechargeable Bike headlight/lamp Front Light +Power Indicate 8.4v Battery Pack-in Bicycle Light from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com
> ...


One thing that concerns me is that the URL address is odd. When you hover your cursor over the link, the URL is for a Q5 250 lumen head lamp.
Wonder if there's a mix up, because that price seems pretty low, no?


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

fightnut said:


> One thing that concerns me is that the URL address is odd. When you hover your cursor over the link, the URL is for a Q5 250 lumen head lamp.
> Wonder if there's a mix up, because that price seems pretty low, no?


I see no problems with the link. The price is not unusually low. These are with XM-L U2's while the other was with warmer bin XM-L2's. A real shame they didn't decide to keep the 4 mode driver ( with two buttons ) that was used with the original D99's. I would buy one of these in a heart beat but I just don't know if I would like the output. Anyone out there plan on buying one of these? We really need a review with some user beam pics.

edit:...side thought: I wonder if these set-ups are compatible with the optics used on the Gloworm lamps? :ihih:


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## leuchte81 (Sep 9, 2008)

Hi all,
as this shop had no reviews I contacted the shop (to see if I get an answer) via ali and asked about the URL-address. That's what he answered:

Thank you for your info. There is something wrong with the Ali. It is the original 2x CREE XML U2 Bike light, not Q5(it is only used for flashlight). And the current draw is 3 A on high mode.There are U3 bike light which is also popular.Our web is below: http://www.fobledlight.com/EN/index.html

So the current draw with 3A would be higher than with the first version of SHENZEHN Great Wall Tech with 2A...

Cheers


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

Cat-man-do said:


> I see no problems with the link. The price is not unusually low.


When you hover your cursor over the link, the url says "Cree-Q5-LED-250-lm-18650-Head-light-Tapping-lamp-Miner-s-lamp-headlamp-Bike". You have to do this on a desk top computer with your mouse.

As far as the price, I just saw these somewhere else for like $89 (or thereabout), so I'd say $42.50 is pretty low.

So low in fact that I contacted them to make sure it wasn't for JUST the light head, and they replied that it is a complete light kit with battery and charger, and that it's just on promotion.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

fightnut said:


> Ooh, I like this one! How'd I miss this thread?
> It's currently on sale ($57) but the sale ends in an hour.
> Hopefully someone will have it on sale again soon.


It's back on sale! I just wish we had better beamshots of this light. I feel I got burned by the d99.


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

varider said:


> It's back on sale! I just wish we had better beamshots of this light. I feel I got burned by the d99.


Thanks for the update. I'm gonna bookmark it, but I gotta say, now I'm more interested in the XML-U2 version for only $42.50 that leuchte81 linked.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

fightnut said:


> Thanks for the update. I'm gonna bookmark it, but I gotta say, now I'm more interested in the XML-U2 version for only $42.50 that leuchte81 linked.


Yes, so am I. Not sure I believe that the driver is putting out 3A. If it is I would have to ask whither or not the LED's are in series or in parallel. If in series with 3A THAT would make for one little bright lamp. Once again though the other important question to ask is , " What is the power output to each of the three steady modes"? Would be nice if you could buy one without the battery.


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## leuchte81 (Sep 9, 2008)

Hi guys,
me again. I found the light head on gemini lights.

Gemini DUO LED Light 1400 Lumens | Gemini Lights

Looks nice, but a littler more expensive...

Someone already bougt something from Aliexpress? Unfortunately they don't accept paypal. Otherwise I already would have bought one most likely.

Cheers


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

leuchte81 said:


> Hi guys,
> me again. I found the light head on gemini lights.
> 
> Gemini DUO LED Light 1400 Lumens | Gemini Lights
> ...


Ha! How 'bout that. Dang if it doesn't look exactly like the Gemini Duo!

About the Paypal thing with Aliexpress; Yeah I noticed that the other day. I was going to buy something and then noticed that they didn't take Paypal. Because of that I decided not to purchase. If Paypal doesn't trust them I'm not going to trust them.

Not to worry, it shouldn't be too long before some of the other Chinese light websites begin to sell these.


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## leuchte81 (Sep 9, 2008)

Hi guys,
me again! Now you can get the light at fasttech.com and pay via paypal.

$51.18 YINDING 2*Cree XM-L U2 4-Mode 1800-Lumen White LED Bike Light / Headlamp - 1*battery pack (4*18650 / 4400mAh / 2S2P) / US plug at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

Unfortunately I just purchased it from aliexpress!!! Maybe I gonna cancel that order...


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## mike95 (Sep 11, 2011)

leuchte81 said:


> Hi guys,
> me again! Now you can get the light at fasttech.com and pay via paypal.
> 
> $51.18 YINDING 2*Cree XM-L U2 4-Mode 1800-Lumen White LED Bike Light / Headlamp - 1*battery pack (4*18650 / 4400mAh / 2S2P) / US plug at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping
> ...


cool, i was also put off by no paypal @ aliexpress.
now to decide between the shadow BL20, Yinding 2x cree xm-L U2 & the nitefire hero2 3x for a new barlight.


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## mike95 (Sep 11, 2011)

mmm
the version just listed on fasttech is XM-L U2

$51.18 YINDING 2*Cree XM-L U2 4-Mode 1800-Lumen White LED Bike Light / Headlamp - 1*battery pack (4*18650 / 4400mAh / 2S2P) / US plug at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

the version on aliexpress is listed as XML2 T6 3B

Free shipping 1Set CREE XML2 T6 3B Bike Light 1600lm Waterproof Bicycle Light LED HeadLamp + 8.4v Battery Pack + Charger-in Bicycle Light from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

Whats with the paypal obsession? Ali offers the same buyer protection without all the paypal crap with blocked accounts.
And fasttech one is kinda expensive - its cheaper on ali OR you could get custom version for $6 more with much better neutral-white xm-l2 leds.


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## mike95 (Sep 11, 2011)

Kir said:


> Whats with the paypal obsession? Ali offers the same buyer protection without all the paypal crap with blocked accounts.
> And fasttech one is kinda expensive - its cheaper on ali OR you could get custom version for $6 more with much better neutral-white xm-l2 leds.


prefer not to give out my credit card details. Thats why


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## -Archie- (Aug 25, 2013)

I'd also avoid any store that doesn't accept PayPal...


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

And why should *chinese* trading platform use USA paypal?
Personally I try to avoid paypal payments because its probably the worst company ever...but this is getting offtopic.


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## -Archie- (Aug 25, 2013)

Kir said:


> And why should *chinese* trading platform use USA paypal?


I'd put the question other way around: why Chinese trading platform oriented to the foreign customers, ask them to use USA payment systems like VISA or MasterCard, but refuse to accept customer-security layer commonly used essentially everywhere?


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

Because they provide their own security layer (your money is not released to seller until you've confirmed that you've received your order - which is even better than paypal).
AliExpress Buyer Protection Home
Ad unlike paypal they won't randomly lock your account because of "suspicious activity" and ask you to *fax* some random documents to them (happend to me twice already). Paypal is horrible and everybody knows that


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## -Archie- (Aug 25, 2013)

Being long-time happy PayPal user, I wish great success to AliExpress with its own security. But without me...


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Kir said:


> Because they provide their own security layer (your money is not released to seller until you've confirmed that you've received your order - which is even better than paypal).
> AliExpress Buyer Protection Home
> Ad unlike paypal they won't randomly lock your account because of "suspicious activity" and ask you to *fax* some random documents to them (happend to me twice already). Paypal is horrible and everybody knows that


:lol: ...Sorry, don't take this the wrong way. I just couldn't help from laughing because I'm assuming that maybe Paypal saw all the lamps you were buying and thought maybe something was wrong. You have to admit your "purchasing pattern" is somewhat unusual and probably quite different from most. Even the credit card companies will freeze a card if they see "unusual activity".

The only reason I prefer PP is because it's so easy. The added bonus is that I don't have to share the CC info with anyone but them. Buying is much easier because when you press the "use Paypal" button the link takes you directly to PP and all you have to do is use your password to confirm that you are who you say you are. I figure the less people that have my credit card info the better off I am. Personally, I've never had a problem with them. On chance that I suspect my PP info ( password ) has been compromised all I have to do is change the password. So far, I've only done that once.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

*New optics for the original d99*

I've been mulling over trying to switch out the optics on the original d99 in order to get a better beam shape. The original did not have have a true hot spot, as it created a hot ring with the inside of the ring being dimmer than the super narrow ring part.

I measured the optics in the d99 and found the diameter to be about 19.6mm and a height of 12.2 mm.

The 20mm carclo optics are the approximate the same diameter (might need to file it down). They are a little shorter at a height of 9.9 mm. The optics are held on by pressfit by an inside lip on the silver part against the led board and body. You can probably make up the difference in height by putting a small oring or washer in front of smaller carclo optics, or by sanding down the edge of the silver part on the d99.

I've been spending a lot of time on the carclo optics page looking at all the options. There are a ton of options for different optics. 
Carclo Optics - Opticselect (search for xml optics)
Pretty much the sky is the limit on what you can achieve. On the details page for each optic you can see a chart (and a picture) of what the beam with an xml emitter looks like. Each optics has it's own spread and the 50% beam strength angle is shown on the graph. I think you can consider this to be the width of the hot spot.

I projected some lamps I have onto a wall and measured the width of the hot spot. Then I measured the distance from the wall and used some trigonometry to figure out the approximate angle.

Magischine 808E has an approximate total sweep angle of 11 degrees
872 clone has total sweep angle of 22 degrees.

I really like the spread of the 872 clone, and have always thought the 808E was too narrow (for a bar light). Obviously the throw is not that great on the 872 clone.

The carclo optics have a huge range of beam spread that includes both of these lights. I was surprised at how big the range really is. I think the narrowest is the 10193 at 16 degrees all the way up to 46 degrees of the 10209. Some of the optics even have a region near the center in which the intensity is even.

There's also an elliptical optic 10197 which focuses all the light into a bar shaped hotspot. This could be very useful for a road bike light. 
Optics details

A lot of these options are for sale on Newark for around two or three dollars per optic. 
10197 - CARCLO OPTICS - LENS, REBEL | Newark

Here's a quick chart of the beam spread (paired with xm-l). This is the 50% peak intensity list on the chart)

10193 - 16 degree (total from left to right) (similar to 808E)
10194 - 18 degrees
10195 - 26 degrees
10196 - 38 degrees
10197 - Elliptical 
10208 - 32 degrees
10209 - 46 degrees

All these are available on newark.

So is worth getting new optics for this light? For the sake of experimentation, maybe. But I think this emitter aren't driven very hard, so the end result still won't be very bright. By the time you add shipping you are spending around $10 -$12 (at newark) for two optics. I priced three sets of optics for a total of $24. Like I said, it's probably not worth the extra cost when you can just buy a better lighthead (ssx2, 872 clone, triple xml, d50, quattro xml). I might be cool be mess around with it though, and a cheap way to determine which kind of beam shape you prefer.

Just to clear, I haven't actually bought any of the optics and tried it out. So I'm not a 100% sure it will work. You might be throwing your money away if you do buy these optics.

I put all this work into reading about the optics and I thought you all might find this useful.


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

I have built two different light designs using Carclo optics and was unhappy with both as the beam was too floody for my preference. That was using the tightest available for MCE and XPG emitters. Using them with XML emitters may give better results. If a flood light is your preference then you may like them too.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

What optics did you end up using?

The only reason I ended up on the carlco page was that I did a google search on tir optics and it was one first ones that came up.


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

I'm 90% certain these optics will be a perfect fit:
Optical lens : Led Flashlight-International Outdoor Store

Dimensions stated:
*Diameter: 21.2mm
*Height: 13mm

I'm pretty sure these dimensions include the outer white shell which is removable. I've got a couple of these lying around, if I can find them I can give you the exact dimensions.

Optics like these look very interesting:
2 PCS CREE XM-L LED Optic 30*60 Degrees [Optic 30*60 Degrees] - $2.65 : Led Flashlight-International Outdoor Store

They're the wide angle type that would flatten and widen the beam profile like an automobile, probably have a similar effect to the wide angle lens from actionledlights.


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

The Carclo for the MCE was their 20mm diameter series. I actually never used that on the bike it was so bad. I made a different housing to fit Ledil CMC square optic. It was better but still pretty wide. The XPG light used the Carclo 10mm square series. I used it for a year but made another XPG light using Ledil Regina reflectors to replace it. 

My current helmet light uses the 10 degree version of the optic JR first linked to. It's pretty good. For me it makes a better bar light than helmet light. If those fit your housing it would probably be a nice upgrade.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Those optics look pretty good! Much cheaper than the carclo. Thanks for the link.

Vancbiker do you prefer a super-tight hot spot over a flood type beam? I remember reading that before. I've heard that the regina refectors are very good based on casual reading of the diy forum.


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

Any chance Vancbiker you can send us the dimensions of the optic you mentioned? Mine appear to have gone missing....


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

Yes, I prefer a pretty tight beam on both helmet and bar. I find a wide beam casts shadows to the side of the trail that are eyecatching and distracting. Why light up someplace you are not going? The Regina reflector is the best 20mm reflector I have used. I have only used it on XPGs, not XMLs though. Best XML reflector I have seen so far is a ~40mm from kaidomain. 

The 10 degree optic measures 21.1mm diameter at the widest point. It is about .05mm out of round. Including the white holder, it is 12.75 tall. It needs to use the white holder to properly space the optic to the LED. It keeps the optic .75mm off the LED. At the large end, the white holder can be trimmed a bit if one needs to shorten the assembly. Height drops to 12.35mm after trimming.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

whokilledJR said:


> I'm 90% certain these optics will be a perfect fit:
> Optical lens : Led Flashlight-International Outdoor Store
> 
> Dimensions stated:
> ...


Me likey narrow optics too. I might just order me a set of these and then cross my fingers hoping they will work on the D99.

My D99 included a small white plastic washer to fit around each of the emitters. I think the purpose of these was to give the optic something to sit against. That might explain why there are weak spots in the beam pattern. Maybe they couldn't find an optic that would fit flush against the emitter dome. Not that there were major flaws in the beam pattern but it was noticeable to me when I first tried it out. I could deal with that but I didn't like the bluish tint of the emitters. Then again perhaps an optic that sits more flush would have removed some of the bluishness from the output.

Yeah, I could tear out the emitters and install new emitters and optics but for the money, time and trouble easier to just buy a new one with XM-L U2's or XM-L2's all set to go.


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## whokilledJR (Sep 24, 2012)

So probably not a perfect fit afterall...


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## fightnut (Jul 5, 2007)

I just ordered this one from FastTech today. I've never ordered from them, hopefully it won't take too long. I only wish they had it in purple to match my bike, lol. I went with red though.



leuchte81 said:


> Hi guys,
> me again! Now you can get the light at fasttech.com and pay via paypal.
> 
> $51.18 YINDING 2*Cree XM-L U2 4-Mode 1800-Lumen White LED Bike Light / Headlamp - 1*battery pack (4*18650 / 4400mAh / 2S2P) / US plug at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping
> ...


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## ljracer (Nov 6, 2009)

fightnut said:


> I just ordered this one from FastTech today. I've never ordered from them, hopefully it won't take too long. I only wish they had it in purple to match my bike, lol. I went with red though.


They seem pretty good. I took about 7 days to California for my order with a tracking number provided.

Please report back on this light. It looks very promising!


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

You guys that are getting the new light, could you please start a new thread once you get it. Call it a Gemini Duo clone or D99 replacement or something. I think the new light doesn't really have that much to do with the D99, other than a similar shape. It's just a suggestion.


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Fasttech is selling an upgraded version of the d99 with the new xm-l2 emitters. Considering the first d99 wasn't the best, it might not be worth a purchase. Then again maybe they fixed the poor heat sinking and the weird beam pattern

$43.45 FandyFire D99-L2 2*Cree XM-L2 T6 5-Mode 1800-Lumen White LED Bike Light - black / 1*battery pack / US plug at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping


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## Kir (May 30, 2013)

Fixing heat sinking will require a new case, I'm sure that its the same old light


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## varider (Nov 29, 2012)

Kir said:


> Fixing heat sinking will require a new case, I'm sure that its the same old light


Yes, I'm as skeptical as you. It's probably has the same problem that you described.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

varider said:


> Fasttech is selling an upgraded version of the d99 with the new xm-l2 emitters. Considering the first d99 wasn't the best, it might not be worth a purchase. Then again maybe they fixed the poor heat sinking and the weird beam pattern
> 
> $43.45 FandyFire D99-L2 2*Cree XM-L2 T6 5-Mode 1800-Lumen White LED Bike Light - black / 1*battery pack / US plug at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping


Yeah, with poor heat sinking the price is an issue BUT...the XM-L2 handles heat better and the beam tint will be better ( and brighter ) than the previous T-6 version. I really did like the 4-mode driver on the original D99's. The real question is optics; will the provided optics work well with the L2's. Wish these were available as "lamp head only".


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## Modig (Nov 6, 2005)

Cat-man-do said:


> Yeah, with poor heat sinking the price is an issue BUT...the XM-L2 handles heat better and the beam tint will be better ( and brighter ) than the previous T-6 version. I really did like the 4-mode driver on the original D99's. The real question is optics; will the provided optics work well with the L2's. Wish these were available as "lamp head only".


Has anyone got the new D99 with L2 emitters? I'm looking for something floody (preferably light head only) to replace my MJ872 that died on a rainy ride last week and this looks interesting.

/Johan


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## Flintrock (Sep 14, 2016)

deleted, I'll make it a new thread.


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