Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

K/D 2 x XML, MJ880 Clone

53K views 310 replies 45 participants last post by  bhocewar 
#1 ·
K/D MS 880 clone. Not as fancy as the Solarstorm ( which they sell as well ) but likely do the same job as the other cheap two XM-L emitter lamps. At least these will likely handle heat better and have a decent mode set-up ( press to hold strobe ) Kaidomain looks to have a few two Xm-l lamps that ( while not fancy ) have a decent mode arrangement. Not that I'm stumping for K/D but I just had to tell folks about the MS clone.
 
#175 ·
It is not unusual type of head: such drivers are typically included in most "all-in-one" toolbox / bit sets...
The triangular head (that fits the new Neutral White KD880 clone) might be more common outside the USA. It was not included in any of the multi-tools I've purchased previously and haven't seen it at my local big box store recently either. But then, NYC is no longer world-renowned for hardware. Could anyone here please provide a link or other reference so I can at least narrow down my search? Afraid if I just use the end of my triangular file it will abraid the finish of the screwhead.

Also, if I find I don't have to (or can't) mod the innards with thermal slugs, what options exist to otherwise compensate for the shortfall with replacement optics?

Thanks!
 
#176 ·
The triangular head (that fits the new Neutral White KD880 clone) might be more common outside the USA. It was not included in any of the multi-tools I saw at my local big box store. But then, NYC is no longer world-renowned for hardware. Could anyone here please provide a link or other reference so I can at least narrow down my search? Afraid if I just use the end of my triangular file it will abraid the finish of the screwhead.
You're welcome:
triangular screwdriver | eBay

Please note, that tri-wing and trigram bits/drivers are sometimes called "triangular" too - but are completely different type.

One more:
Silverhill Tools ATKTR4 Triangle Head Screwdriver Setwith Carry Pouch - Hand Tool Sets - Amazon.com
 
#179 ·
Well like I said, my triangle file is very rough on the end, afraid it would damage the screw insets. Local hardware stores don't carry a full set of triangle drivers, they sometimes include a single one inside a set of other drivers and hex wrenches but there'd only be a one-in-five chance it would be the size I need. Amazon does offer the full set, am currently trying to fill my cart with enough other items to qualify for free shipping. Any recommendations for soldering kit and precision tips? ;) Gotta go check out the DIY forum!

Still don't know about replacing the reflectors with the optics mentioned here, guesss if I get the light head apart I'll simply have to measure. Doesn't even matter to me so much how wide or narrow an angle; I just don't care for the current set up, hot spot is too distinct. Wonder why the clones all have OP reflectors rather than the optics of the original, could it have saved the manufactures on material or labor? :confused:
 
#183 · (Edited)
Well as long as I had to wait for the optics from FastTech to arrive, ordered the complete set of triangular head drivers that -Archie- found for me on Amazon. Worked great, and a good thing too because I had to take that little sucker apart a good many times trying to figure out the easiest way to mod it without a workshop. Ultimately fashioned my own ~1mm thick plate to backup the emitter board using tinned sheet steel cut from the lid of a can of sweetened condensed milk and wrapped in aluminum tape, trimmed to size. Pressed into place, stuffed same NW XM-L2 3C emitter board with its two wires back inside. Dropped in the new 15º optics, retaining original flat glass lenses to both help fill gap and keep the narrower new units from falling through the front plate. Everything fits nice and snug, no rattling. Didn't break anything this time, finished it all without having to resolder the leads either. New setup seems to be working pretty well, shell heats up real fast - woohoo.

Beam is still very tight, but without all the horrible ringing/color separation the previous reflectors had been putting out (will post some shots once it's dark enough.) Modded lamp will live on the bars as my "Driving Light." When the elliptical lenses on order from LEDDNA come in, will insert those into some other lamp for use as a low beam.

Thanks guys for all the previous examples. Now let's just see how long this one lasts.

Automotive lighting Headlamp Amber Darkness Light
Earrings Fashion accessory Jewellery Metal Body jewelry
 
#201 ·
Well as long as I had to wait for the optics from FastTech to arrive, ordered the complete set of triangular head drivers that -Archie- found for me on Amazon. Worked great, and a good thing too because I had to take that little sucker apart a good many times trying to figure out the easiest way to mod it without a workshop.
Great! BTW, what size of screwdriver fits? Just curious to check whether I have correct triangular bit for that light, in case I'll ever encounter it in my practice...
 
#185 ·
Yeah Cat, the KD MJ-880 clone did come with OP reflectors, don't think they are the same or even similar to what MagicShine uses though, from what little I could glean from the pics on their site. KD's blur the distinction between spot and spill but somehow separate out the neutral white tint into alternating rings of sickly yellow and blue. Think that might have been what tigris99 was experiencing with his SS X3 too before he modded it with optics from LEDDNA, had said the NW XM-L2 emitters were putting out too much yellow before but that now they all look fine.

I've still got an unaltered NW KD here I can compare beams shots to once it's dark enough. Not sure how well my iPad can pick out the rings though, auto WB kinda unpredictable.

Incidentally, here's a slightly better shot of how the lenses from FT fit over the emitters, a lot different from the way TIR optics look.

Automotive lighting Headlamp Amber Light Space
 
#186 ·
FYI, Original Magicshine MJ-880 uses 15deg TIR optics of same dimensions as LED-DNA optics. They are easily exchangable. It has been 10 days since I've put one 25deg instead of stock one. The light was used for caving so bit wider beam was desired.

@andy, KD 880 is quite good regarding heating issues. I've used Noctigons and additional cilindrical inserts along with LED-DNA optics. Heat dissipation is so good I could raise the current for about 30% with no problems. With those mods it can easily compete with original MJ-880.
 
#187 ·
Yes ledoman, this clone certainly has great potential. Think KD might even still be selling the original model with the heftier internals, if they've left that XM-L T6 model unchanged (the package price is still higher than the XM-L2, maybe for a reason?) Anyway I was pleasantly surprised to find that even my cheapy insert plate mod, which I performed really just to compensate for the shorter optics, has actually improved thermal dissipation as well: the lamp shell becomes too hot to hold almost a full minute before my unaltered Silver model does.

iPad doesn't pick up exactly what the eye detects, but here are before and after shots of KD 880 clone with original reflectors top and modded with FastTech 15º lenses below.

Grey Monochrome Black-and-white Silver
Grey Monochrome Black-and-white Silver


For under $2.00 in material, am satisfied with the results. And now I've crammed in the extra back plate, will be a cinch in the future just to drop in any other lenses might strike my fancy. :p
 
#189 ·
tigris, at the time I placed my orders, couldn't find the exact same lenses any place else. Not a big deal, didn't mind waiting as biking season is not exactly in full swing yet.

Yeah if you read all the way back here on the KD MJ-880 clone, you'll see that they changed the internal design at some point. First model on offer was XM-L T6, it had either two separate emitter stars and a full divider wall or heavy pills, forget which. Current XM-L2 U2 version has huge circular cutouts and single emitter board, much like your SolarStorm X3. Dunno whether the XM-L T6 that KD still sells in a package is unaltered from that first one but I suspect it might because they're asking the original price, over eleven dollars more than the current XM-L2. Kaidomain might be willing to sell the lamp head alone, they are very accommodating that way. I'd want to verify first how it's made inside though, doubt KD would have the answer. Either way, a very nice lamp with a slick look and the dual control buttons are certainly a definite plus.
 
#190 ·
Well I ask cause what amazon offers always seems to be older versions and I don't mind buying the lights there, the cells when stripped from packs and ran through my bc6 balance charger and such seem to work pretty well afterwards. Saving me from buying good cells yet. But thnx for heads up on that. Kd 2 id the same way, big through holes and single plate too. I dont mind that as long as plate goes in from optics side and not back side like kd 2
 
#191 ·
Yeah tigris they're selling the OxyLED branded version of the whole package on Amazon for around $40. Says XM-L and the pics show it with that earlier Cree emitter. Still that's no guarantee you'd receive the original build KD used. Seems like a real crap shoot, especially as there are both XM-L T6 and XM-L U2 versions floating around. Not to mention, Amazon might be even be fulfilling current orders with the latest build, not like they always have so much as a clue. So, if neither Kaidomain nor anyone here can confirm that the better earlier model is available, I'd say best value would be to order either the solitary NW XM-L2 U2 lamp head or full package from KD. At least you'd be getting the emitters you want, and you're handy enough to improve the rest.

BTW, think the Silver model looks a lot more spiffy than the Black, pictures on KD don't do it justice.

Photography Still life photography Silver Audio accessory Steel
 
#192 ·
Raw does look pretty slick, part of my thing with getting kd lights on amazon, I still don't have my kd order from almost 4 weeks ago. Took them 3 weeks to get my order to the postal service. And they aren't like gearbest and offer an affordable expedited shipping. And now oxyled isn't the only kd 2x option, found 1 or 2 more.
 
#193 ·
Silver model seems to be anodized too, it's brighter and more sparkly than regular raw aluminum.

tigris, the other two KD style clones on Amazon are more expensive than the OxyLED and both probably ship from China anyway, delivery estimate is the same ~four to six weeks with each despite one saying USA.

My last delivery from Kaidomain took only a couple of weeks. Think a lot of delays with them just a matter of not all items being in stock at any moment. But you can email KD before placing an order to find out which sku's are available to ship right away, they're always very responsive. You might even be able to find out from them whether any of their MJ style lamps is still the original build, if you can provide enough info in simple language (easier said than done.)
 
#194 · (Edited)
Actually the 3 I have saved are all prime 2 day shipping eligible. Oxyled, securitying just added one in the last few days then the supernight one which seems to have the oldest version. Not easy to find took me browsing everything cree light under cycling, prime eligible, to find the other 2.





Btw Andy, what does ur driver look like, haven't found driver pics yet.

Edit: Nvm found pics.
 
#195 ·
Wow those sure are hard to find, tigris! But SecurityIng doesn't say which model it is save for only being 800 lumens (probably the shocking truth about them all, but just might indicate genuinely inferior circuitry here) and while from the limited specs provided the Supernight could be the same as the original KD, there is no way of knowing the truth until you get it. Also note that item is not shipped by Amazon so ineligeable for Prime or their superior exchange policy - delivery estimate still not bad even for Standard though. But as neither of these skus have garnered any reviews yet on Amazon I'd certainly hesitate before ordering, especially as they both come to more than the OxyLED, and all of them would still require around a $9 upgrade for neutral white emitters.
 
#196 ·
Hmm my account shows supernight with prime fullfilled by amazon, same with my securitying version. I always check that, but im gonna double check on website vs my app.

Securitying to me seems like later model and wasn't their a few days ago (my kd 2 is securitying and I searched all their lights a week ago), supernight has a few reviews dating back to release of kd 2x. Oxyled not much there either.

Gonna drag up links try to figure out why your seeing something different than me, maybe learn a detail I missed about amazon lol.

Update: Nope, fulfilled by amazon and covered by their return policy
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=106096011

Hmm which one to order.... Not oxy, its only 3 mode, securitying is more expensive but I know that brand... Other one has best chance of pills and good reviews....supernight it is.
 
#198 ·
So far what I've seen there were only two versions of MJ-880 clone. I don't know about Amazon (it doesn't deliver to my country), but I've got few from ebay and KD. Versions with XM-L leds were old design with pills and versions with XM-L2 were one plate led PCB. Both versions had same driver, but different connector (minor difference waterproof versus nonwaterproof). With both versions some sort of pills were needed to elevate leds into position where LED-DNA lenses have fit. Otherwise housings didn't have much difference and I think the consistency is much better than with most SS X2.

Based on that I think there is not much to be afraid. Of course I might be wrong. With Chinese you would never know. ;-)
 
#199 ·
Ah, found it!

http://www.amazon.com/SUPERNIGHT-TM...TF8&qid=1428149385&sr=1-8&keywords=supernight

Okay so this Supernight sku is fulfilled by Amazon. And a good thing too, it has not gotten the best reviews by those who actually attempted to use it for any length of time. Am sure though tigris you'd be able to take care of any little shortcomings beforehand. Like ledoman says, a great lamp body no matter which version. Gold one looks pretty hot too. Only wish some vendor offered it with NW XM-L2, not worth the price and effort to me to reflow new emitters. Will let you have all the fun, tigris. ;-)
 
#203 ·
So I guess the consensus is that of all the dual xm-l budget lights out right now, this one has the best body in terms of mass and heat dissipation and is best suited to driving at higher currents? Does the kd2 driver swap over? Sorry for not reading the while thread but it's just beginning to catch my eye as the limitations of the kd2 are being reached
 
#204 ·
Ugh! You guys are now tempting me to buy another light! I do like that this light has more mass, a little more style, and better fins.

So, does the KD2 driver fit this light? Wait, you'd have the issue of dual switches. You'd have to disable one or rework the driver.

-Garry
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top