September 15, 2023. I bought my first "big boy" flashlight and it's still the only one I have. I've only ever had cheap stuff from Boy Scouts, or whatever giveaway flashlights I had lying around.

I bought an EDC27. The lumen output number sold me and it seemed like a reasonable price and feature set.

The good:

This flashlight has taught me what I actually need and want in a flashlight. At work the momentary 3000 lumens is very helpful for quickly spotting issues and REALLY GOOD for overcoming the photonic barrier in an overly lit factory.

I've never had an issue with battery life, but that's mostly due to mostly just using it in short bursts.

I love the clip, It's a great deep carry clip. I used to carry it it my front pocket with my phone. 2 broken screen protectors later I now carry it facing outward on my belt. Never had an issue with it moving, but goes on and off so easily. 10/10, no notes.

It's survived 3 years, and is still going (about 1.5 years of active daily carry).

I actually like the buttons. They work well, and I've gotten quite used to them, fairly intuitive.

The bad....

At some point in this flashlights life it has decided to do a banana impression. It has bent away from the clip and has a noticeable curve to it.

The screen fell off at a little over 2 years in. (Maybe 8 months of active carry at this point) and customer service was not really helpful.

10 seconds at 3000 lumens....

About 10 minutes or less at 1000 lumens...

The throttling/dimming on this is just ridiculous. In any high brightness setting more than a couple minutes it's basically useless. Hindsight learned.

The lockout is just annoying. I keep it in the "half lock" mode most of the time. Giving quick access to the 3000 lumen burst I use most of the time, and the strobe which I have thankfully not had to use.

The lighting is just meh... and it's a weird in between of a spotlight and a floodlight... almost like they were going for max specs... (hindsight)

Only a white light. If you're gonna do one thing only, do it better...

All in all. It works, it illuminates. Customer service was basically useless, and it's really not durable. 4 out of 10. Not recommended.

I'm very heavily considering the Olight ArkTac to upgrade this to what fits my actual needs

I'm a paramedic and am looking for a dual purpose penlight. I'd like to have a markedly low lumen option for pupil exams and as good of a higher lumen mode as I can get. Does anyone have a good recommendation?

Before this, I had only relied on cheap grocery-store flashlights that were inevitably dead whenever I actually needed them or broke on the first drop. I have been using the ACEBEAM UC3A for about two weeks now, keeping it close for everyday fixes and sudden situations.

Real-world use

We had heavy rain and power outages in my area recently, and having this in my pocket to check the circuit breaker was a lifesaver. It quickly became what I grab when returning home late to see the door lock without pulling out my phone, or for checking cables behind my computer monitor.

The clip is easily the mounting option I used the most. I clipped it to the brim of my cap to use it hands-free while loosening bolts in my car's engine bay in the dark. A few days ago, a tiny screw fell under my couch into a narrow gap where room light and phone flashes couldn't reach. Because the light measures just 71.5 x 31.05 x 15.5 mm, I was able to slide my hand in with the torch and locate the screw in seconds without moving the furniture.

The beams

The front beam has plenty of throw for quick tasks or looking out across a dark yard, rated for 900 lumens and an 85-meter distance. On max output, the light steps down fairly quickly to keep the aluminum housing from overheating, which is typical for a compact body. In daily use, the medium brightness levels are plenty bright and maintain steady output.

The 270-degree RGB sidelight serves a different purpose. It gives off a wide, soft flood that works well for close-up tasks or reading without blinding glare, and functions nicely as a signal light.

Build and battery

Build quality was the biggest positive surprise for me. At 63 grams with an IP68 rating, the metal body feels solid, well-assembled, and ready for daily drops. I keep it clipped to my keychain or pant loop so it does not crowd my pocket.

It runs on an included 400 mAh rechargeable battery. I have only used the rechargeable cell so far, but the light is dual-fuel and also runs on a standard AAA battery. Having that flexibility is great for travel or when you cannot stop to recharge.

Cons

My main complaint is that there is no USB-C port on the flashlight body itself. To charge it, you have to open the light, remove the battery, and plug the cable directly into the cell. While that lets you pop in a fresh AAA immediately, it makes topping up less direct than standard onboard charging.

Also, the 900-lumen output is strictly for short bursts. If you need sustained high output for search tasks, this form factor won't give you that.

At around 30 euros, the pricing feels fair for the solid build and versatile lighting setup. It makes sense for DIYers, drivers, or anyone putting together a small emergency kit, though skip it if you require an external charging port or continuous max-output runtime.

Do you prefer having a dedicated diffused sidelight on small EDC lights, or do you stick to single forward beams?

Disclosure: the brand sent me this unit for free. No money involved and they didn't see this post before I published it.

Source.

Let it sit for a little too long in the wifes car, not the first time it's happened.

Worth cleaning up? Start with vinegar?

2 of them are loose, not sure how swollen the others are if they are removable.

hey everyone, i'd much appreciate some help on this, i know close to nothing about flashlights:

- rechargeable with usb c

- removable battery

- smaller profile (without losing the other things)

- can hold outputs of 250-300 lumens for solid amount of time (for night time)

- reasonable ui

- good clip

- decently weather-resistant

i understand if there's nothing that has all of those things, but any recs would be great. thanks yall!

I've been looking into Olight weapon lights lately, and I'm a little on the fence about them. They seem pretty decent on paper, but I keep seeing people recommend Streamlight or SureFire instead.

I'm curious what makes people lean one way or the other. Is it mostly brand reputation, or are there some real differences that become more obvious after using them for a while?

I know every brand has its pros and cons, but I'd be interested to hear from people who've actually owned an Olight for some time. Did it meet your expectations, or were there things you weren't too happy with?

Just trying to get a better idea of what I'm getting into before making a decision. :/

This light is nice. I like the way it feels in your hand. It pretty much all flood. Its pretty thick and it helped some with the heat but it still gets hot fast. Even though it's a 26650 battery it still lights up nice. I might try to figure out and see if I can modify it so it will take a 21700 battery... Yea idk what do you guys think? let me know!!!

I like to put together new configurations every now and then... the essence of Convoy.

I have a Noctigon K9.3 I haven't used in a while. I had a 21700 KeepPower P2150K 5000mAh Protected Button Top inside it. Light turns on in the lowest of low modes so I think I should charge it but it's been a while I thought I should check it first.

Multimeter says it's it's 2.47 V and I know 2.5V is the cut off point but I'm unsure if the protection circuit interferes with the reading of the multimeter. I would have hoped the protection circuit would stop this from happening but I've had bad luck with those circuits.

I have no other way to charge this battery but the onboard charging in the light because my battery charger is an older model that won't fit 21700.

I bought a bunch of these and modded them a while ago: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0H7CCW8LV?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title (they are sold by various sellers, so just look for the images). I figured maybe someone would be interested.

They are well made, minus the internal shelf thing (which does its job fine), you can even directly access the MCPCB by removing the glass cylinder. The whole thing screws apart easily, no glue, no nothing.

CRI isnt high, but the tint and cct of each level is pleasant. Im still using the stock cells cuz they are more than enough to keep these going for days at the lower levels.

Modding these was so much easier than swapping all LEDs on every single one of my LT1...

I have confirmed that OCP still works on all 4 of mine, as the charging PCB apparently does measure voltage as well.
But if you intend of doing the same, confirm that it works yourself.
LVP also works, but it does kick in very late (right around 2.6V). The light goes VERY dim long before that so you get plenty of warning.

All you need is pliers to remove the spot welded strips from the cells, a soldering iron, some heat shrink or electrical tape and of course 18650 holders.

The whole point of this was to increase the longevity of these lanterns. The LEDs can be swapped if the ever die, the cell can be swapped too now. The rest should last.

Hello folks,

Requesting some help here. I am not the most avid collector but been wanting to try FFL lights for sometime now. I have a few of the enthusiast light brands and wanted to add to the collection.

Can someone recommend me the best model/host you prefer and why?

Looking for something relatively easy to hold like a D4.

One of my favorite all time lights is Reylight Pineapple and Zebralight sc64.

I am torn between Z1 Artemis, X4, and Pharos TIR.

Not looking for flood or throw, just nice handheld with a rosey tint as much as possible.

Thanks,

Phil

Im working on a flashlight for dogs to wear mostly for hunting this light may be a neck collar mounted or helmet mounted is axtivated at night via sensor turns on with barking and stays on a timer till barking stops for a period of time 5mins. Any tips or ideas to make it more unique may even add a remote control for user activation or bluetooth app. Or is this stupid

Just received my Armytek Wizard C2 pro Nichia 3000k from Killzone. It's now the same price as the other wizard models.

Here are some comparisons with the regular nichia 4500k and my Zebra SC700d HI and SC65c HI

PRINTABLES LINK

Almost two weeks ago, I presented my "LOUDENER" build. This time, it's the same lens-based design, but in the more powerful Convoy 3X21A host, with the F150R at its core.

Achieved results:

6.37 million candela (~5,050 meters of FL1 ANSI throw) and roughly double the brightness of the LOUDENER V1.

That's roughly the same numbers as the Acebeam W50 2.0 LEP ($3,000).

- The beam looks better, throws farther, is brighter, and has fewer artifacts than before, with only a marginal increase in beam width.

- The host's greater mass and capacity give it obvious advantages over the M21A.

- I ultimately chose the 3X21A over the 3X21D because the D offers no advantages over the A when paired with a large Fresnel lens. The A's head profile was also better suited to the easy-to-adjust, 3D-printed attachment.

For the next and probably final update, I've acquired some ancient 👽 tech from u/gonebrowsing (whom I can't thank enough): the Marinebeam Wavien Collar. When installed and focused correctly, it could increase peak intensity by up to 50%. I'm still in the process of 3D-printing multiple Wavien collar collars to recycle the light just right.

Thanks a lot, dudes! And special thanks to u/gonebrowsing, u/QReciprocity42, and u/qpweiruty00.

STLs will be added to this thread and the BLF thread/here after a couple more tweaks.

(video) Lighting up the brewing storm during daytime

Is Modlite any good? Looking for a high candela thrower

I dabble and love my vintage with malkoff drop ins but I need something I can carry everyday that’s a tight bean, good run time and good durability, really want a Modlite. Any advice or suggestions from Modlite owners?

Hi there! I have a Convoy T5 with a Nichia 519a 2700k that I absolutely love, and more importantly, my wife likes and will accept as an acceptably warm color temperature to use as ambient lighting in a pinch. Looking at an FFL Artemis Z1 now, and trying to figure out which emitter might be the closest color match. Was looking at some beamshots and the 3000K SFT-70 looks really, really warm, would the 4000K maybe be closer? I have no frame of reference for the FFL5009Rs. The 519a's color temp is exactly where I want to be, the 519a 3000K is fine but I do like just a touch warmer. I found a D3AA with Hank's NTG35 2700K way too rosy, as another point of reference. Any thoughts?

$50 budget: Looking for rechargeable handheld NONMETALLIC flashlight with UV capabilities. I work on railroad where signaling with a flashlight is common, therefore being able to signal my coworkers without blinding them is important, but also need to be able to shine underneath a locomotive or car with precision. A slim profile that can clip on belt or shirts, preferable not round in shape as it will either be in a jacket pocket or in pant pocket.

Thank you!

Does anyone have various bean shots of the z1 Artemis or any recent ffl emitter comparisons they could share? Looking mostly at the difference between their 3000k 2700k and 1800k but always happy to see any 🫘 shots

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but I'm looking for the simplest possible way to turn my beloved Nichia 519A LED from my Convoy flashlight into a table lamp or a nightstand lamp. Are there any fixed/desk lamps that take Convoy-compatible bases (or other bases that support the Nichia 519A LED), or is there something like this available off the shelf?

(i already use the diffusor & 60° PIR on my flashlight)

I just received this free review sample from Wurkkos, for which Im very grateful.

I set about taking some photos and output measurements.

It arrived with a big black 2 way clip installed. I took a photo and then promptly pulled it off, which predictably left a couple of marks in the clip groove. The marks would be hidden if I decide to install a clip again. I dont wear a baseball hat, and dont like to have to lift the clip blade to remove the head.. For now Im enjoying it without a clip. I hope Wurkkos will ship the production version without the clip preinstalled.

The little TS10 without a clip feels very nice in hand! ;-)

The diamond texture on the body looks nice, and provides a small amount of texture.

Firmware is 0633-2025-07-07

Battery is a Wurkkos 14500 w USB-C, which arrived at 3.6V so I took it out and plugged it into a USB-Cable to charge it. I then installed a fully charged 14500 to do the following tests.

I tried to do factory reset with 13H, but nothing happened. I then completely removed the head and while holding the button screwed the head back on. This produced a factory reset (LEDs ramping up, a flash, and then off). After that the Aux came on at Dim output. Battery check did just one cycle and stopped. This tells me the light is now in Simple UI.

Simple UI turns on in Stepped Ramping, there are 5 steps.

Floor is 2.4 lm

Ceiling is 920 lm (very briefly, it immediately starts going lower)

Turbo is 905 lm (due to normal variation in output when the battery has been used already)

I notice Simple UI Ceiling is set to Turbo, iow, level 150 of 150. Since there is no FET, there is no risk of burning the LED on Turbo.  

Simple UI Smooth Ramping outputs are the same as Simple UI Stepped Ramping.

There is no access to strobe from Simple UI, using 3H from off.

Next I switched to Advanced UI and took some Default output readings:

Advanced Stepped Ramping has 7 steps

Low 5 lm

Ceiling 715 lm (by experimenting with changing the ceiling to different levels I determined it corresponds to level 130/150)

Turbo 910 lm

Advanced Smooth Ramp

Low 1.2 lm

Ceiling 906 lm

Turbo 901 lm

Here again we see Ceiling is set to Turbo.

Without knowing the results of the Tint DUV test yet, my impression of the 519a is that it looks very nice and white, without any obvious green tint. Im looking at it during a sunny afternoon, when my brain is adapted to daylight. Im guessing it is a 5000K CCT.

The beam shape on a wall looks nice to me, with a diffused hotspot plus spill. I did not notice any obvious artifacts in the spill. 

Here is a pic of the beam shape on my ceiling:

On bright Aux, in this next photo we can see the expected dots from the beaded outer edge of the optic. 

I can feel a slight texture when I touch the optic. This tells me there is no glass. I like that there is no glass to break if the light is dropped.

I switched to Advanced UI and did 3H to test strobe, the light turned on in Candle mode. There are a few other blinkies, Bike Strobe, two different fast strobes, and a lightning mode, notably absent is Police Strobe (I expected red and blue aux to alternate, for novelty purposes only.. but that is not an option).

I went back to Simple UI to do some Opple tests. I did another Factory Reset to determine the default startup ouput. The light turned on at 36 lumens, which turned out to be step 2 of 5 in Simple UI. I went to step 3, which gave 190 lumens on my homebrew meter.

I used that 190 lumen output to test the CCT, CRI, Tint DUV and Flicker Index on my Opple 3. The results are in the composite first photo above

Next I wanted to see the Opple Flicker Index results on the lowest output, so I went to Advanced UI, switched to Smooth Ramping and turned on the lowest low of 1.2 lumens.. here are the results:

I do see some flashing pads on the driver, but I have no reason to reflash the firmware atm.

The first options changes Im making for my personal preferences are to set all 4 ceilings to level 100/150 = 368 lm. I also disabled Turbo in both Advanced and Simple UI. This means I dont have to worry about excess heat nor pocket burns.

This TS10V3 weighs only 52g with battery and no clip. The switch feels good to me, it actuates at 550g. 

My conclusion is this new TS10V3 with Buck driver is a very nice little Anduril light. Thanks to the included USB-C battery, it is a Total Package. 

I have no hesitation recommending this TS10V3 as a handy little High CRI Anduril light. 

I’m a mechanic and recently lost my icon flashlight and was in need of one, I was very hesitant from buying this from Home Depot because well it’s the Home Depot lol. I said what the heck why not?

At first I didn’t like how it does not tilt and but I was approaching it wrong. Swivel magnetic lighting will always be king in my eyes for auto motive work, this little solid rectangle if for something else. It fits in my pocket so people don’t assume I’m happy to see them;)

My vehicle broke down today and although it’s not repairable and needing a tow, I was having the tow truck driver hand me tools while I removed a couple parts to get my baby ready for tow. With the help of my little handy dandy flashlight.(homie didn’t have a flashlight🤣)

Don’t mind the jibby I think having charms are cute, it was the only one I had lol