Spec me an LED Torch

[timmothy]

Thanks for the info. Looks like I will have to buy a 40t. They are very expensive though but will hopefully last a few years.

I still amazed by how bright torches are now days. When I was younger I loved torches and would always appreciate being able to use a relative's the friends parents one when I went to their house. My friends dad had a mag lite that took 3 or 4 D batteries. It was massive and at the time seemed as bright as daylight. By today's standards it's probably dim. The beams of torches back then we're also very inconsistent and you had the issues of changing bulbs often. Torches really are one technology that has moved along so much in my lifetime.

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

Thanks for the info. Looks like I will have to buy a 40t. They are very expensive though but will hopefully last a few years.

I still amazed by how bright torches are now days. When I was younger I loved torches and would always appreciate being able to use a relative's the friends parents one when I went to their house. My friends dad had a mag lite that took 3 or 4 D batteries. It was massive and at the time seemed as bright as daylight. By today's standards it's probably dim. The beams of torches back then we're also very inconsistent and you had the issues of changing bulbs often. Torches really are one technology that has moved along so much in my lifetime.

I still have a 6 D Cell Maglight in my car, stashed under the carpet in the back seat area, its LED converted, and stays there as it basically lasts forever, and puts out a decent dependable amount of light with zero maintenance

 

[timmothy]

The 18650 will be holding it back, a cell with a higher discharge rate like the 40T will certainly give it a boost.

If you had to guess at a percentage of improvement what would you say it would be? In the region of 10% or even 20%

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

I just checked with an old 18650, and then with a new Samsung 21700 40t

Mrs reckons it's about 50% brighter with the 21700.

 

[timmothy]

I just checked with an old 18650, and then with a new Samsung 21700 40t

Mrs reckons it's about 50% brighter with the 21700.

Thanks for checking that out. Definitely seems worth it. Any idea where the cheapest place to buy from is? Nkon was recommended earlier but postage is expensive and they are out of stock. Next cheapest seems to be eBay at £15.10 for two

 

[Deluxe1]

The Molicel P42A 21700 from Nkon are rated up there with the 40T's, I bought 4 myself a few weeks back.

Even with delivery works out at £6.25 each which is a £2-3 cheaper per cell than you would pay over here.

 

[timmothy]

The Molicel P42A 21700 from Nkon are rated up there with the 40T's, I bought 4 myself a few weeks back.

Even with delivery works out at £6.25 each which is a £2-3 cheaper per cell than you would pay over here.

I was looking at those as well. Was wondering if it's worth waiting for the 40t to come back in stock as they are cheaper. The other option was the 30t that work out a lot cheaper.

 

[Deluxe1]

30T's are good but don't have the capacity of the 40T or Molicel.

 

[timmothy]

30T's are good but don't have the capacity of the 40T or Molicel.

Thanks deluxe. I'm trying to get my head around the numbers as all sites seem to be geared to using these batteries in vapes and not torches. What amp would a torch draw? I see there is a Samsung 50e that is 5000 mah but only 10amps. Would that be better for a torch?

 

[Deluxe1]

50e would be better than the 18650 you are using and giving you a longer runtime over the 40T but less overall performance in brightness.

http://budgetlightforum.com/forum/batteries/rechargeable

 

[darael]

These are the Samsung 40T batteries I bought on eBay last year, as recommended by @Deluxe1 here.

 

[timmothy]

The 40t came back into stock on nkon so I bought 4. Now I am thinking of moving away from 18650 based torches. What would be the best portable replacement to my blfa6? Do t want to spend more than £20 on it

 

[Deluxe1]

The EC01? Code BGLW15 brings the price down to £24.30 shipped.

https://www.banggood.com/Astrolux-E...rt_middle_products&ID=556978&cur_warehouse=CZ

Or the Convoy S12 for £21.88 shipped with code BGCONVOYSS

https://www.banggood.com/Convoy-S12...cts&ID=6272281&cur_warehouse=CN#jsReviewsWrap

 

[timmothy]

The EC01? Code BGLW15 brings the price down to £24.30 shipped.

https://www.banggood.com/Astrolux-E...rt_middle_products&ID=556978&cur_warehouse=CZ

Or the Convoy S12 for £21.88 shipped with code BGCONVOYSS

https://www.banggood.com/Convoy-S12...cts&ID=6272281&cur_warehouse=CN#jsReviewsWrap

Both of those look like great torches. I'm just thinking that they are still a lot bigger than the blf A6. There doesn't seem to be any side by side pictures so I can't fully tell the difference. I was thinking about the convoy 21a as it seems to be a similar size to the blf A6

 

[timmothy]

Just an update. Went for the s21a with 12 mode and 5000k colour temp. £14 delivered and reviews seem good. Also doesn't seem that much bigger than the blfa6

 

[darael]

@timmothy
I have the Astrolux EC01 and would have gone for one in your position. To me it's a fraction less powerful than the EC03, which I am still underwhelmed by.

 

[timmothy]

@timmothy
I have the Astrolux EC01 and would have gone for one in your position. To me it's a fraction less powerful than the EC03, which I am still underwhelmed by.

I am a little underwhelmed by the ec03 but I was hoping that would change with a proper cell. I really wanted the ec01 but I wanted something very transportable. The size compared to s21a just seemed a bit much. Length pretty much the same but weight of s21a is 75g to ec01 124g. Width of ec01 is 37mm and s21a is 26mm. When we were travelling I would take my blfa6 in my pocket when we went out for the night. Anything bigger would be a big hassle in shorts.

 

[darael]

I am a little underwhelmed by the ec03 but I was hoping that would change with a proper cell. I really wanted the ec01 but I wanted something very transportable. The size compared to s21a just seemed a bit much. Length pretty much the same but weight of s21a is 75g to ec01 124g. Width of ec01 is 37mm and s21a is 26mm. When we were travelling I would take my blfa6 in my pocket when we went out for the night. Anything bigger would be a big hassle in shorts.

I also had a BLF A6 and it was a nice torch for it's size, but sadly mine died. But I do think the EC01 is worth the small increase in size, especially when you see the power coming from it - 1600lm vs 3500lm, more than twice as powerful.

All the same, I'd be interested in how you compare the S21a with the EC03.

 

[Deluxe1]

Much prefer smaller EDC lights that pack a punch and you can easily carry them, my fav has to be my Zebralight SC600 MkIII 1300lm followed by the Noctigon KR4 Quad 4300lm and the Lumintop FW21 Triple 2800lm.

 

[Blackjack Davy]

Thanks for the info. Looks like I will have to buy a 40t. They are very expensive though but will hopefully last a few years.

I still amazed by how bright torches are now days. When I was younger I loved torches and would always appreciate being able to use a relative's the friends parents one when I went to their house. My friends dad had a mag lite that took 3 or 4 D batteries. It was massive and at the time seemed as bright as daylight. By today's standards it's probably dim. The beams of torches back then we're also very inconsistent and you had the issues of changing bulbs often. Torches really are one technology that has moved along so much in my lifetime.

I know what you mean I have a small Volt400XC sitting on my desk its not much bigger than a cigar but its so ridiculously bright it'll blind you if catch its light, it charges via USB and the batteries don't die and corrode all over the terminals making it useless after a few months. Have memories as a kid of riding a bike at night with a heavy battery powered light with a feeble filament bulb that was all but useless at giving more than a dim yellow glow that wouldn't light an ant on its way home.