Livarno, Romisen, C8, Small Sun cheap HID torches

[dks]

Blackwater Kite, 140Lm, rechargeable (several brands/finishes available)
Two mode twistie







Size comparison







Taken apart









Compared with the Tank007 E09

Both on high



and both on low



The light volume is similar, but the E09 has a better throw

The anodising is OK but not as goo as that of Fenix, Olight etc. No missing anodising.

Charging



It charges via a standard micro USB wire. There is a red LED indicating charging, which turns to green when it is charged.
The included battery gets charged to 4.2V before the charging stops. A good, safe, voltage.
Because of its size it does not fit in my chargers, but can be charged using suitable wires, if needed.

The battery capacity is low, as expected.

NOTE : to charge it for the first time you need to take off the bottom battery cover and remove a plastic insulator that is included, to protect the battery from turning on during transport

The charging USB socket seems good enough.

Is this a good replacement for an AAA light?
Definitely the brightness is similar.
Smaller.
It stayed cool enough.
PWM was barely noticeable (much better than the E09)
The Capacity is much lower and I doubt you can get 30 minutes on high. The voltage drooped significantly after little use (my testing period).

The question is whether it is easier to find AAA batteries or a micro USB charger. They are both common enough, but in a power cut the AAA option will win.

[N_N_R]

Thanks for the awesome and quick review !

on Monday I'm definitely going to our post office to check if something hasn't arrived but they failed to notify me. it's been over a month already.

[enki_ck]

Hm, so only the two modes, low and high?

I like the integrated charger option, one of the reasons I haven't yet pulled the trigger on similar lights. I have a Quantum D2 that uses these cells and have thought of buying a few of these to give away as gifts but the chargers I found were all too pricy for what they were.

[dks]

The charger seems to work OK. I would have been happier using  other chargers, but the cell is too small. I have to see if it fits in my low end liion chargers.

[enki_ck]

I know Ric from cnqualitygoods used to sell spacers for them to fit regular chargers. Can't remember what his new site is.

[dks]

I thought he run two sites. Really, with over 20 micro USBs around the house, the cars etc. I do not see me bothering with a charger 

[Gareth]

Thanks for the review mate.  I rather like the look of that. 

[N_N_R]

And since mine hasn't arrived yet, I'm so freakin tempted to buy an Olight S15 Baton or whatever the name exactly was

[dks]

Thanks for the review mate.  I rather like the look of that. 

You provided the link 

[dks]

ThruNite Ti CREE LED

I do not know if a titanium alloy torch can be considered budget, but I have left this thread all alone for too long.

I wondered into BLF, started looking at titanium lights, and ended up buying this, mainly for the impressive output, from such a small light.
The cost was around 30Euro, to my door.

This is the premium version of the ThruNite AAA lights, but, what I liked was than instead of just giving it a Titanium body, whilst keeping the rest the same as with the other models of the series that cost a lot less, they changed the LED to an XP-L Cree, which gives out 162Lm, from a regular battery, as opposed to the 120ish of most other lights, from LiIons.



It comes in a simple box, with a spear rubber gasket, a pocket clip and a key ring attachment.
Specifications, from the manufacturer:
Small but powerful one AAA flashlight, max output up to 162 lumen.
Four output modes: firefly, low, high and a hidden strobe.
LED: Cree XP-L V4 LED with a lifespan of 20+years of run time.
Battery: 1 AAA battery (Working voltage: 0.9-3V)
Dimension: 70mm(length)*14mm(head diameter)
Weight: 16 gram without battery.
OP Reflector give perfect flood.
Titanium alloy(TC4) body with polished finish.
Waterproof to IPX-8 standard.
Convenient twist switch for one hand operation.
Output and run time:
          - Firefly: 0.5 Lm(115h),
          - Low: 12 Lm(6.3h),
          - High: 162Lm(0.5h),
          - Strobe:162Lm(1 hour)

The mode memory is unusual. Basically, if you do not switch the light on in 10 seconds, it always starts on low
It looks nice, polished, though the weaker LUMINTOP looks nicer, at least in photographs.
The finish was fine but the threads needed a bit of cleaning – now it works very smoothly.





The comparison is done with the Tank007 E09, on LiIons.  The Thrunite is using an alkaline battery, as I expected the higher initial voltage to give it a brighter light.
They have similar size.



Even though the thrunite is not supposed to use LiIons, it has been tested with them, in other forums, and it works fine, getting very hot. The emitter is similar in output to an XML one, but smaller.

Both on high, the Thrunite is on the left.





By using it here and to illuminate various objects the thrunite produces the same intensity as the Tank007, but in a larger area- like using several Tank007s together to illuminate a larger area.
The thrunite has an OP reflector- the Tank007 has a polished, thrower style, one.



The beam is smooth and looks clean. It is supposed to be cool white.

Overall, it is an impressive light, both in quality and in output. It does dwarf the light of other AAA lights. 
It will be nice to see the same driver and LED in aluminium lights, for 10, 15 euro.

[dks]

Archon V10s


Lower cost range of proper dive lights. Very good construction and finish. It is advertised as red but it was more purply

Around 25 Euro.
From the manufacturer:


◆Bulb: CREE XM-L2 U2 (Max 860 lumens)

◆Output levels: high > low > SOS

◆Waterproof: 60 Meters underwater

Double O-rings, Battery level indication, nice squared threads, smooth operation, nice, hefty feel.

Only two modes, so no confusion (and SOS)

Easy to operate under water and produces a very nice uniform beam, good for seeing and videoing whilst diving

A definite improvement over the plastic (usually yellow) diving lights, for not much more - Save your money and buy this instead of the really cheap ones (hint- they will leak easily)

Will also make a prety decent regular light for use in the rain, mud, dusty environments

[dks]

Archon W1A

A prety decent and clever Diving light

Clips to the strap of your mask and stays there securely. Around 15 Euro

From the manufacturer

◆Bulb: CREE XP-E R3 LED (max 75 lumens)

◆One output level: high only
◆With diving mask clip

◆Waterproof: 100 Meters underwater

Very nice construction and finish.
Works very well, only one mode which simplifies things.

Because it is a twisty you have to be careful not to twist it too much when switching off as this will affect the water resistance.

I suggest that you just leave it on throughout the dive and only switch it off after a wash with fresh water.

It could also be useful when there is a lot of rain/mud/dust

Takes only regular AAA batteries - No Lithium Ion batteries.

[dks]

Thorfire BLF Q8

I like the BLF models and have bought a few of them in the past

This can be had for 37Euro including shipping.
Considering that it has 4 XPL emitters and a realistic 5000Lm output it can be considered as a low cost, good value light.

This arrived in a good but plain cardboard box which contained a spare button and some spare gaskets.
It has the Can format which makes it short and stout. The 4 18650 batteries are in parallel.

Because of this it can be run with any combination of 1 to 4 batteries but 4, button top, ones re needed for best performance.  I used 4 protected Panasonics, as I wanted 4 same button top batteries (it works with flat tops too, but you re not sure if  +ve poles re touching the conducting plate.

It uses a ramping system, where you start from low and as long as you keep the power button pressed it will slowly go to maximum (you can stop at any brightness) You can go from high to low the same way - plenty of reviews in BLF for this light.  This is the latest generation model, with better QA/QC.

It has a tripod mount and small green light stays on in the button when it is off, so that you can find it.

Comparison beam shots with the Trustfire TR-3T6  3XML emitter model (on 2 18650, but it can take 3 with the extension tube) and the BLF A6 single XPL model .  These are both very bright lights. 

[dks]

.

[Vladimir]

Nice one!
 

[dks]

It is.

It is very impressive when used in open spaces, like the countryside ,where it illuminates a large area reaching way ahead.

You can then see the actual power it has, compared to other powerful lights.

Ever since Enci disappeared and Gareth semi-disappeared this thread get very few replies 

[Vladimir]

Do you have some outside photos?

[dks]

not with the new lights - I did some throw tests a few years ago

I need to do some again

[dks]

Following a request, here are some beam comparison shots.  These are all powerful torches  and a comparison shot with the car headlights, on high beam is included, to put the torch beams into perspective.
I am including the claimed lumens, though some may be a bit exaggerated. The Trustfire was on 2 batteries, but it can also be run on 3, for a slight increase in brightness.

[dks]

.

[Vladimir]

Great photos dks! 
That BLF is one powerful flashlight...

[dks]

all the lights used are powerful but the Q8 is on a different level.
the car's headlights are pretty decent too - never felt that they were weak when driving, for comparison

the lights were at about 1.5m from the ground.

[dks]

Went for the cheapest C8
MECO C8
The emitter is supposedly a T6 but not a Cree one. Still bright enough.
18650

I took some comparison shots with the Romisen RC-T601
Meco on the left in the beam photograph

The Meco is less solid, slightly less bright but has more throw. For under  6 Euro it is worth it. Good threads, 5 modes, bad PWM.

[dks]

Utorch V8  XPL Available with  stepless dimming or separate modes (cheaper)

Compared with the BLF A6

Impressive matt finish, nice squared threads - It can easily carry a Fenix, Olight etc. sticker.

Appears  only slightly dimmer than the A6  Avery good buy, at half the money, under 8 Euro.
PWM is bad, the A6 one is way better.
OP reflector, slightly smaller pits than the A6.

Utorch on the left in the beam photograph

[dks]

I got a new Nitecore TIP SE to replace an older (2015) TIP

The original one still works fine but one rubber button was torn, so I put a rubber tyre patch on top of it. Still, since it is no longer weatherproof I decided to get a new one to replace it.

Issues with the old one? The torn button and the very poor resistance to friction of the anodisation. It used to be blue but the colour has gone. In comparison, an old, used LM squirt, carried on the same key-chain for even longer still looks pretty good. I have included a photograph with a Tank light, carried for way more years, for comparison.

Basically, the SE has twice as many LEDs and of a different brandthan  the old one, twice as many Lumens on Turbo and a USB C charging port instead of the USB Micro. The low, medium, high modes are about the same. So is the size and overall functions.

If you do not need the higher Turbo mofde then there is no reason to upgrade.


The original one cost me 18 USD and the new one 29, shipped to me.

The new one has a slightly wider beam, though they are both fine.

[GearedForwards]

I think a problem with the coating may be that it's a flatter profile light, so more of the surface is exposed to friction at any given time. The tank light example you gave along with it is entirely bare of ano at the points of contact, whereas the TIP still has a bit of a 'hue' to it. Looking forward to seeing how it holds up overall, it's an interesting light that's for sure!

[dks]

The LM squirt was on the same keychain and that also has flat sides. It has minimal damage to its coating.

[GearedForwards]

The LM squirt was on the same keychain and that also has flat sides. It has minimal damage to its coating.

That probably says something about the Leatherman ano rather than the Nitecore's...

I've never known ano to hold up to prolonged keychain use (over years) without substantial loss (usually 100%) at the points of contact.

It'd be a better metric if you could gauge how quickly it lost the ano, rather than the end state after years of key carry.

[Gareth]

The anodized finish on the TIP always struck me as being very thin as well.  Good light though and I still like my CRI.  As you say; I'm not certain I'm going to rush out and replace it with the new version just yet.  Cheers for the pics and thoughts mate. 

[dks]