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Gemini Duo clones

167K views 736 replies 109 participants last post by  garrybunk 
#1 ·
Anyone have one of the Gemini Duo clones from Ali Express or Fasttech?

What's the practical difference (if any) between the XM-L U2 and XML2 T6 LED's?
 
#232 ·
I asked this seller about color bin: it's 1A.
As usual, the cheapest led available. Probably T6 or lower brightness bin too since nobody will verify that. Price chart from fasttech for example:
Colorfulness Blue Yellow Green Slope


I'm saying that you don't have to in order to get a very bright light. That's what the Solarstorm X2, Duo clone and MJ880 clone have brought to the table. Lots of light for less than $40 (light head only). Look at the picture bhocewar posted, these things put out a ton of light.
You're comparing only the brightness? Thats a wrong way imo.
You also need to get a good light's body (ss2x is not the best, duo clone is much smaller and harder to manufacture), good battery (there are NO good batteries in $50 chinese lights, plain and simple) and good UI (programmable brightness is a very nice thing to have).

At the end of the day all of these lights are just housings for two leds. If the cheap ones run the same amount of current through them as the expensive lights, they are going to put out roughly the same amount light (minus losses for optics).
Well...you can do this:
http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-diy-d...men-bike-light-high-low-beam-road-581232.html
Very very cheap, insane brightness. But would you call that a proper bicycle light?
 
#236 ·
I was a bit worried about the battery issue as fightnut mentioned, but I recived my light today with battery from fast tech which took 5 weeks, when I opened the box I couldn't believe how small the light head is! It just spins me out!

Now after reading through previous threads can this light be run 2p1s (2 18650 cells.) 18650 battery pack or is there a issue with the light drawing to many amps for 2 cells?
 
#245 ·
I ride a lot after work and sometimes get caught out in the dark. After reading this thread, I am really interested in this Gemini Duo clone. I am between this and the Jexree Owl. I would love to hear Kir's (or anyone's) take on that light and the differences. The Gemini clone sounds like a great backup due to its size. Forgive my newbness on the forums. If I'm in the wrong spot, please point me to a review on the Owl, which seems hard to find.
 
#252 ·
Are these things all the same and coming from the same place? Are they clones of clones of clones? They all say "Yindling" and are XML U2s. This says it doesn't come with the battery but is ~$7 less than the one on Fasttech or DX.
 
#264 ·
I had a weird problem with my Duo clone last night.

Indicator went from green to red, and within seconds, the light shut off.

I assumed battery was dead (although it had been fully charged, and we were only about 1hr 40m into the ride).

I swapped to a spare battery, light turned right on and I finished the ride.

Today I thought, "gee seems like a fresh battery should have lasted longer then it did", so I plugged it back into the stock battery, set it in front of a fan, turned it on high, and it ran for a little over an hour!!

So then I thought maybe it overheated last night and shut itself off. It was kind of warm (low 50's), and it did happen during a climb, where maybe it wasn't getting optimal air moving over it.
But if that were the case, I wouldn't think it would turn right back on when I swapped to another battery. Or would it?

What do you guys think?
 
#265 ·
You could have tried just unplugging and replugging the first battery into the light. Maybe when you unplugged the battery it reset the circuit. Or maybe it's the quality of the original battery? The voltage of the cells dropped because of the high current, causing the light to think it was almost dead? I don't know.

This sudden turn-off is not a good situation.
 
#266 ·
Maybe when you unplugged the battery it reset the circuit. Or maybe it's the quality of the original battery? The voltage of the cells dropped because of the high current, causing the light to think it was almost dead.

This sudden turn-off is not a good situation.
X2. I've noticed this happening with my Olympia's running off a 4 cell in high. But mine just drops down to lower setting. I would suggest get quality packs and see what it does. My gemini duos run fine on high with a 4 cell unless the overheat protection kicks in and drops down to a lower setting.
 
#267 ·
Yinding goes from green to red to blinking red.
It might be that the overheat protection kicked in and turned it off.
If the body was too hot to hold it in your hands for a few seconds, then it overheated.
As I mentioned before. Dont run it on high when not moving at least 10km/h. That goes for all lamps including branded.
 
#269 ·
I tested original Yinding battery and its capacity is around 3500mAh. Green indicator light goes red at around 6,2V. Charger charges battery pack to 8,22V and when charging completly empty batteries it overheats and alternating on/off (red/green). I drilled some holes to add some cooling and we will see if it gets better.
 
#275 ·
I tested original Yinding battery and its capacity is around 3500mAh. Green indicator light goes red at around 6,2V. Charger charges battery pack to 8,22V and when charging completly empty batteries it overheats and alternating on/off (red/green). I drilled some holes to add some cooling and we will see if it gets better.
Just throw that thing in the trash and buy one from action led.
 
#273 ·
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