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Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap HID torches

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cy Offline dks

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Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap HID torches
on: February 16, 2012, 02:35:28 PM
Note: If you are in any way made unhappy with my review you are free to perform your own one. Complaining to me will not make you happier.

-----------------------
After waiting for a few months we finally got these Livarno torches back in LIDLs.
I got 2 of them to try.



The cost was €5.99 each; about $9.
The cost, compared to some other cheap Chinese made Cree led torches I have on order, is not negligible, but LIDLs always includes batteries (Panasonic!!) and even tie the strap on for you, so you do not have to stress over these things. If you do not like it you can get your money back easily. Note that proper LED lights are not a widely used product here, that you expect to find in a supermarket.


--
The torch has an 1Watt LED, producing 50Lm, 10000hrs of life, splashproof, unknown runtime, plastic reflector and lens.
They are imported for LIDL by a UK company, Milomex :  http://www.milomex.com/milomex/index.html  who imports items from Asia, so they are probably made in China.
Here is link to LIDL for more: http://www.lidl-service.com/static/11544359/66776_A_ES_PT_EN.pdf

It is operated by a, decent, rubber covered switch on the side and has one mode only, with no possibility for switching it on for a second with just a bit of light pressure on the switch, for the tactical folk here.
It can tailstand. It will also easily roll on its side, without stopping and fall of a table. So, you do not need a dog for tricks if you have this light.  :tu:

The specifications are shown below in various languages, for your pleasure.




--
The torch is made from heavy gauge aluminium and feels quite solid and heavy; it survived an 1m drop test  :whistle: on thin carpet with no problems and should be solid enough to hit someone with, if such action is deemed necessary.  ;)




--
The threads work well but are not extremely precision ground so there is some squeaking when screwing or unscrewing its parts.




--
Taking the, substantial, bottom cap off the 3 battery carrier comes out.
All contacts are plated, shown by the gold colour, though the plating material is unknown.

Looking through the opening you see the, unplated, contact for the switch/light module. The abovementioned module takes about 1/3 of the length of the torch and is of unknown design/make.




--
On the other end, after taking the lens/reflector module off, you see the single LED.
The only brand marking on the plate with the LED appears to be NH or HN….



Taking the torch apart even more seems possible, but was beyond what I wanted to do.
The LED module appears to be secured by a bezel that should turn with circlip pliers, for those interested.

The LED is centred but the reflector hole is not so the LED appears a bit off-centre with it on.


...and a comparison with the, more expensive, Jetbeam BA20



--
The beam without the reflector has a very uniform spread, with a white-bluish tint.

I also compared the beam profile and intensity, with the reflector on, with some of my other lights for verification purposes. This comparison was done indoors, on a sunny day with natural light at a distance of 10cm from the end of each torch, on a door. From the left we see: 9LED 3AAA cheap torch, Jetbeam  BA20 on the low setting, Livarno and Fenix E05 (borrowed…).



As seen, the beam, especially at the centre, is visibly brighter than both the Jetbeam and the Fenix. Considering these give out about 30Lm each, the 50 Lm claimed by Livarno looks realistic. The beam profile looks similar to the Jetbeam, with a hot spot in the middle and a weaker, round penumbra. The Jetbeam beam is smoother. The Livarno tint is similar to the cheap 9 LED torch and the Jetbeam has a similar tint to the Fenix.



The Jetbeam at high beam is, as expected, significantly brighter.



I will do some better, nighttime, testing in the near future when some more lights arrive.


--
Overall, worth a try and since LIDLs has probably sold thousands of them it should last well.
Pros:
Low priced complete package
Good beam
Solid and backed with a money-back guarantee

Cons:
Plastic lens and reflector
Not that cheap compared to some online deals
Not branded



enjoy!
« Last Edit: March 05, 2013, 12:15:44 PM by Mr. Whippy »
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dk Offline AHB

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #1 on: February 16, 2012, 05:26:28 PM
I think it'll get the proper attention in the flashlight section.. :tu:


cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #2 on: February 16, 2012, 05:48:13 PM
I think it'll get the proper attention in the flashlight section.. :tu:

I did post a link to it there too.

I see reviews here that are not for multitools; I assume the idea is to put all reviews in here, for all subforums

EDIT:
I just realised this has been moved...
If the review section is to be used specifically for multitools from now on then let it be.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2012, 05:50:45 PM by dks »
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dk Offline AHB

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #3 on: February 16, 2012, 06:01:18 PM
We'll just keep it in the review section then.. :)


cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #4 on: February 16, 2012, 06:05:49 PM
well, maybe it will be better in the Flashlight section  :think:














 :rofl:

No worries, if possible clarify whether the Mod/Admin team prefer that non multitool reviews are posted in their specific forums and we will follow  :tu:
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dk Offline AHB

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #5 on: February 16, 2012, 06:12:00 PM


No worries, if possible clarify whether the Mod/Admin team prefer that non multitool reviews are posted in their specific forums and we will follow  :tu:
It's not a big deal, so you'll get the last word since you wrote it..  ;) :D


cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #6 on: February 16, 2012, 06:17:03 PM
It's not a big deal, so you'll get the last word since you wrote it..  ;) :D
:cheers:
Ok, we live it here for a week, see how many views it gets and if I am not happy I will ask you to put it into the Flashlight forum and maybe later the General forum... or the candlepower forum maybe :P
 :D

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scotland Offline Gareth

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #7 on: February 16, 2012, 08:00:12 PM
While I'm not a huge fan of lights that use 3xAAA this does seem like a perfectly good light for the money.  Thanks for taking the time to do the review dks. :cheers:
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cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #8 on: February 16, 2012, 08:13:26 PM
While I'm not a huge fan of lights that use 3xAAA this does seem like a perfectly good light for the money.  Thanks for taking the time to do the review dks. :cheers:

YES !!!I got an actual reply !!!

 :gimme: :gimme: :gimme:


 :tu: Thanks Gareth, I am sure some people here could easily replace that battery carrier with a single battery like an 18650 lithium
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il Offline Threeme2189

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #9 on: February 17, 2012, 01:30:02 AM
It looks like a big step up from the cheap 9 led no-name lights. I have one of those and it works good enough.
Do you know what the run time is?

Good review :tu:
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cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #10 on: February 17, 2012, 09:47:58 AM
No, there were no details on runtime.
I assume it will be a few hours, based on the wattage of the battery, but since we have no idea on the efficiency of the LED system it is hard to make any accurate calculations.

Addition:
Last night I compared the ability of this light to light up a room, by bouncing its light off the ceiling, with the Jetbam on low power and with a multi LED cheapie (same battery capacity, fully charged)
The Livarno was noticably better at this, veryfying that it is indeed giving out more total light than the Jetbeam and a lot more than the multi LED one

 :tu:
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00 Offline Carlos

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #11 on: February 17, 2012, 05:22:43 PM
What I don't like on these kind of lamps is that they break the big 3xAAA advantage (for me): compactness.


cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #12 on: February 17, 2012, 05:57:30 PM
Yes Carlos, if you see the beam comparison picture the Cheap multi LED light and the Livarno both use exactly the same 3AAA battery carrier system, but the Livarno is thicker and nearly twice as long because it has a switch module, separate from the battery container (different section incorporating the LED and the electronics it needs too) and a reflector section, which the multi LED one does not have.
If you take the reflector/lens section off you end up with a pure smooth fan beam torch with little throw, and a much shorter one too.
« Last Edit: February 17, 2012, 06:48:08 PM by dks »
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cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #13 on: February 21, 2012, 05:18:06 PM
I got one more low cost light so until I post more about it I decided to add it here:

It is an Ultrafire (apparently...) possibly a variation of their C8 model, with  5 modes (3 intensities and 2 disco)

The ad claimed 1300Lm though I expect around 800, as that is what the manufacturer gives.
 http://www.ultrafire.net/showproducts.asp?id=156

You can see a beam comparison pictures, in which it is brighter than the Jetbeam BA20 (270Lm) and the LIDLs Livarno.




Came with a charger and two batteries. The charger is supposed to be inteligent and the batteries protected, though my tests show otherwise.
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cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #14 on: February 22, 2012, 07:36:42 PM
Current testing using my Blackspur DT-100

Lidl, .38A, not bad

C8:
High 2A
med 1.4A
Low 0.32A
with a fully charged. 4.28V battery, alas a cheap one...
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cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #15 on: March 10, 2012, 01:01:12 PM
Current testing using my Blackspur DT-100

Lidl, .38A, not bad

C8:
High 2A
med 1.4A
Low 0.32A
with a fully charged. 4.28V battery, alas a cheap one...

Just adding that with a different, charged to 4.3V battery I actually got 2.3A. I will do a better test when I get some new batteries.
Also, when my focalprice torches arrive  ::)  I will do some comparison shots of all of them.

I got brave and took the Ultrafire apart further so here are some pictures of the remaining pieces. (I put it back together too and it works!!)
The scratch on the pill was my fault.  :D
IMG_3435.JPG
* IMG_3435.JPG (Filesize: 139.83 KB)
IMG_3442.JPG
* IMG_3442.JPG (Filesize: 178.89 KB)
IMG_3445.JPG
* IMG_3445.JPG (Filesize: 175.33 KB)
IMG_3452.JPG
* IMG_3452.JPG (Filesize: 81.68 KB)
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00 Offline Carlos

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #16 on: March 10, 2012, 01:41:20 PM
Current testing using my Blackspur DT-100

Lidl, .38A, not bad

C8:
High 2A
med 1.4A
Low 0.32A
with a fully charged. 4.28V battery, alas a cheap one...

You lost me on this one.  ??? What is the DT100, a multimeter? And are you measuring current? Can you detail your test a bit?


gb Offline Neil

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #17 on: March 10, 2012, 02:15:46 PM
I missed your review when first posted , sorry.  I enjoyed your style :)

Its good to see a review of cheaper torches that we can pop out and pick up.  I was a bit worried when I saw that battery holder but it looks to be quite a sturdy torch with decent output.
I'm not taking any more mod orders at present, sorry.


cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #18 on: March 10, 2012, 03:30:47 PM
You lost me on this one.  ??? What is the DT100, a multimeter? And are you measuring current? Can you detail your test a bit?

Yes, it is a cheap but decent enough digital multimeter; bought in the UK over 10 years ago and surprisingly still being sold.

I basically take the bottom cap of the torch (with the switch in the case of the Ultrafire) leaving the battery in as it is and connect the lower part of the battery (-ve) with the body of the torch (the non painted/anodised thread area) through the multimeter thus creating a complete circuit. (Unfortunately I need two hands for that, so I have no pictures).
I then use the ammeter setting (10A max) and read the current passing through. With the Ultrafire every time I break the circuit (stop touching the body of the torch) it changes mode from higher to lower etc, so I can see the current passing through for each mode.

This is a, sort of, standard way to measure the current, used in the light forums. It is not perfect as you do not take into account any other resistances or how the control system of the light may react differently if the current goes through the switch etc. but it gives a good indication of how much current is allowed to go through at each mode.
With a fancier light you will see that as the battery “weakens” the current is altered to keep the luminance constant, though I do not expect anything like that in these cheap torches.


I missed your review when first posted , sorry.  I enjoyed your style :)

Its good to see a review of cheaper torches that we can pop out and pick up.  I was a bit worried when I saw that battery holder but it looks to be quite a sturdy torch with decent output.

I am used to being ignored... I posted some knife pictures a week ago and nobody has commented on them yet... :D

The torches work fine and are a lot brighter than what 99.9% of the people use.

I did order some really cheap Cree LEDE torches from focalprice over 2 months ago to compare but they have not arrived yet.

EDIT: added some really bad pictures from a shop from yesterday, to show what is available in DIY shops here.
IMG_7419.JPG
* IMG_7419.JPG (Filesize: 208.86 KB)
IMG0985A.jpg
* IMG0985A.jpg (Filesize: 84.73 KB)
IMG0988A.jpg
* IMG0988A.jpg (Filesize: 72.34 KB)
« Last Edit: March 10, 2012, 03:47:07 PM by dks »
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cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #19 on: March 13, 2012, 06:04:14 PM
The Romisen RC-K4.

Romisen is considered a decent torch maker.

http://www.szromisen.com/zh-en/product_show.asp?id=91



General quality and sealing seems OK, but the LED is below the reflector hole by a bit and is not centred well. Aluminium Body.

Single mode, 160Lm max,

Q3 Cree LED with its circuits protected by a plastic cover.



regulated, can not tailstand, waterproofed.

No coloured plating.



OP Aluminium reflector





Runs for, (on):
6 hours (2xCR123A)
4 hours (1x18650)
2.5 hours (3xAAA)
There are springs in the bottom cap and the inside of the tube so as to accomodate the longer batteries.
The beam appears brighter when using the 18650 instead of the 3 AAAs.



A size comparison:



and a beam comparison with the:
Romisen, Ultrafire, Jetbeam, Livarno and 9 LED cheapo.



With the jetbeam and Ultrafire on High



and on Low




Current wise, with the 3AAAs giving 3.85V it draws 0.66A.
With a 3.8V 18650 it draws 0.70A, about the same then.
However with a 4.09V 18650 it draws 0.92A, thus with a fully charged 18650 it should draw around 1A. (for comparison the ultrafire draws from over 2A to 1,3A)
I would estimate that you will get the full 160Lm with the 18650 but maybe a bit less with the 3AAAs.

Will do more when I get the rest of the light I ordered!
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cy Offline dks

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #20 on: April 23, 2012, 07:23:36 PM
These 3 arrived today, individually boxed and in bubble wrap.



Cost $3 for each.
Small Sun is a reasonably known brand and these torches with Cree LEDs seemed like a bargain and cheap enough so as not to care if they were rubbish.

Specifications from the site:

http://www.focalprice.com/

Brand -Small Sun
Model -ZY-5T1
Material -aluminium alloy
Type -LED flashlight
Emitter Type -CREE

Switch Location -front push button
Bulb Number -1 LED
Luminous Flux -100LM
Mode Arrangement -1 mode
Illumination Distance -10-50m
Working Time -13h (Max.)
Service Life -100,000h
Power Supply -1*AA battery (Not included)
Power -3W
Voltage -3.7V
Capacity -400mAh

My observations from all three examples:
NOTE: The pictures were taken in daylight, under cover and the beam pictures again in daylight, indoors.



Good quality aluminium body. Everything screws in and out nicely, rubber seal on battery cover, decent enough paint job.



Plastic lens and reflector with nicely centred LED.

The switches work well on all.



Can tailstand, especially without the lanyard.



The LED appears to be directly driven, with limited direct contact with the body of the torch for heat sinking. The only contact is through the spring used to secure it in the body.



Nice reasonably uniform beam.
All three examples, as shown below, produced identical beams, a sign of good consistency in their manufacture:



Feel decent and significantly better than what you would get for that money at a DIY shop.

Size:



and some comparisons:




Beam brightness comparisons with the Livarno, the Jetbeam(on low) and the Romisen




and with the Livarno and the Fenix E05



The overall output-brightness appears similar to the Fenix and the Jetbeam at low, though less than the Livarno, letting me to believe that:
the actual output is around 30 Lumens

10 Lumens per dollar.... :D




I could complain about the plastic reflector and lens but at the price I will be asking too much.

Having dropped the lens on tiles, I realise that plastic has its place too.. :whistle:

The fact that all three worked fine, looked identical  and had no visible defects is a very good sign for me.
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scotland Offline Gareth

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Re: Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap torches
Reply #21 on: April 24, 2012, 01:07:51 AM
unbelievable what you can get for $3 these days. :o
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cy Offline dks

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Re: Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap torches
Reply #22 on: April 24, 2012, 07:06:09 AM
unbelievable what you can get for $3 these days. :o

and people still complain that goods cost more nowadays..  :facepalm:

I tested it last night too.
The amount of light appears similar to the Fenix E05, however, as seen in the comparison pictures previously, you get a smaller hot spot but more spread, making this ideal for illuminating a room.
I compared it with a 2AA filament torch I had in a car and the amount of light produced by the Small sun was several times more and had better spread and reach... impressed.

The torch will light up a room or small area nicely and reasonably evenly.
Suitable for walks, going through the house, working in a computer or the car etc.
Not suitable for blinding people 1km away.. :D

Because of their size they will be good to leave, in their box, in the cars glove compartment until needed
.

I forgot to add that I like the switch on top, feels a lot more normal and natural in an emergency, to me.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2012, 07:53:45 AM by dks »
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cy Offline dks

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Re: Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap torches
Reply #23 on: April 24, 2012, 05:36:29 PM
Micro Lenser V9

This arrived today as part of a cheap package deal, with a LM Style ($14.95 +$4 for shipping from the States).



(batteries shown for size comparison only)

From the manufacturer:
LED                 1 x Nichia High End
 Length            51,5 mm
 Diameter         9,5 mm
 Weight            11 g
 Batteries         4 x AG3 1,5 V
 Lumens          15 lm
 Beam range    16 m


The batteries were included, which was nice.

My main complaint was the really weird place they stuck the “China” sticker; inside the reflector.



I managed to get it out using a SAK toothpick but it was a pain.

Luckily there was no lens.

Works with a push switch; stays on when it is pressed, switches off when released.



This makes it easy to stay switched on accidentally if you put it in your pocket and manage to squeeze it by sitting on it or touching something with your leg.

The beam is nice, though not well centred, because the LED is a bit offset.





The brightness is enough for a torch this small and looks like it will give the claimed 15 Lumens.

Quite small, but still fits ok in the hand; really designed for short term emergency use like finding your door lock.



The finish is fine.

For the price in this package I am happy, though I would not pay more than 3 Euro for it on its own.
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us Offline Heinz Doofenshmirtz

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Re: LIDL Livarno, LED torch
Reply #24 on: April 25, 2012, 12:34:56 AM
The Romisen RC-K4.

Romisen is considered a decent torch maker.
I totally agree.  I think they're the best inexpensive torch on the market right now.  I have a few of them and have been very happy with them.  None have ever given me problems, and while they certainly don't have the same features of a more expensive light, for what I use them for they're just right. 
The first Noble Truth: life is suffering.  Only by accepting that fact can we transcend it.


cy Offline dks

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Re: Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap torches
Reply #25 on: April 25, 2012, 07:04:05 AM
With the Romisen the workings, especially the way the threads work smoothly, the springs, internal and external finish etc. are a significant step above cheaper torches.

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um Offline Mr. Whippy

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Re: Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap torches
Reply #26 on: April 25, 2012, 11:58:36 AM
For some reason that Small Sun really catches my eye.  And at that price, hmm...

Does the switch seem durable?


cy Offline dks

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Re: Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap torches
Reply #27 on: April 25, 2012, 12:51:03 PM
For some reason that Small Sun really catches my eye.  And at that price, hmm...

Does the switch seem durable?

The first thing I thought when I opened its box and took it out was "This looks like a really good product; a lot better than what I expected".

The switch feels fine, it does not have any wobble or side to side movement as you may find in DIY shop torches. Good, positive feeling, looks quite basic but I have not disassembled it too much (see pictures posted previously).

I threw one in the glove compartment of the car and it is there, ready for when needed and taking very little space. Way brighter and smaller than my Energizer 2AA water resistant torch I used to have in the car tool box.

I have no idea how well the switch will last if I were to turn it on and off several times a day, but the maker is a reasonably well known cheap brand so I expect it to last OK.
The components seem similar to the ones used in the other CREE products of Small Sun which are noticeably more expensive (over $10.. :ahhh) (Check focalprice and Exduct)

There are some reviews in the site I bought it from, here:

http://www.focalprice.com/LF703B/Small_Sun_ZY5T1_CREE_1_Mode_100_Lumen_White_Light_LED_Flashlight_with_Wrist_Strap_Black.html

One person had a problem with the switch, though I have no idea how many were sold in total (1 problem out of 100 or 1 problem out of 100000?).  ???

To get the lower price ($3) I bought 3 and used a discount code I found on the internet.

Honestly, I wished I bought a couple more as they will make good presents. If they last I may still order a few more for that purpose and to just leave around for any emergency use.
Kelly: "Daddy, what makes men cheat on women?
Al : "Women!"

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us Offline Heinz Doofenshmirtz

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Re: Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap torches
Reply #28 on: April 26, 2012, 05:57:06 AM
Clickies aren't a big deal.  As long as there's some kind of removable retainer holding it in, you can always replace them, and they're cheap.  I'm not a fan of forward clickies, so I tend to swap them out for reverse clickies, and it's easy to do.
The first Noble Truth: life is suffering.  Only by accepting that fact can we transcend it.


cy Offline dks

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Re: Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap torches
Reply #29 on: April 26, 2012, 06:45:17 PM
I got a couple of bike light sets with a 0.5W 15Lm front light and a 0.2W rear, red, light
Front light on duration up to 25 hours and rear up to 60 hours
Nice deep reflector, all plastic.
I was surprised by the amount of electronics in them; possibly to enable charging batteries, as written in the manual.

Both are single mode only. (no flashing)

Some pictures:













Kelly: "Daddy, what makes men cheat on women?
Al : "Women!"

[ Knife threads ]  [ Country shopping guides ]  [ Battery-Charger-Light threads ]  [ Picture threads ]


 

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