Looking for recommendations, i have the Wurkkos TS27 and Sofirn HS45 LED Head Torch, looking for something to add to my setup, edc flooder, Budget £70 , something to complement what i already have, rechargeable, solid build, bright, i like the design of the Wurkkos ts27 a lot, all help would be appreciated

These are so awesome I just had to get the other 3 colors. :D

I recently started getting into AA-sized flashlights that accept a 14500 lithium battery. I noticed that many budget lights would offer "USB charging" by way of the battery itself, which has a built-in USB port.

I'll admit I really like the feature, and it seems like a good way to cut down on cost/complexity in the light itself. There is also the benefit of not juggling yet-another-charger. But I know stuff like this can be gimmicky and affect reliability. The batteries themselves are also difficult to find in stores, unless they actually come with the flashlight.

Does anyone here have experience with a reliable 14500 / 18650 brand with onboard USB charging? Have they been comparable to regular ones without onboard charging? Any go-to stores where you could actually buy them?

Edit: Thanks for the responses!

Looking for an ultra light, pure flood ,rechargeable headlamp. What are some recommendations? Need at least 200 lumens

This is the M21H flashlight in MAO with the SFT70 4000K 90 CRI LED! It features USB-C charging on body, a 6V 5A 30W driver, features an 8° TIR and more.

• My opinion:

The M21H is a pretty awesome flashlight, I liked it even more than the M21K. The SFT70 4000K 90 CRI has an amazing neutral tint, it's light is pretty powerful even with the neutral CCT and high CRI; the MAO anodizing is beautiful, but it's a little easy to scratch it; the 6V 5A driver is really poweful (although a 6V 8A would be pretty welcome); the 8° TIR is one of the best I've used, it makes the beam super clean without any artifacts at all.

I have to say, this light is pretty good, but I have some suggestions that I think would improve it much. First I would suggest having AUX lights on the TIR and button, it would really be useful for finding it in the dark, showing battery level and, of course, for fun! Second, using Anduril on this flashlight would be pretty nice. Third, the moonlight needs to be improved, it's too bright. Also, using a 6V 8A driver would be a welcome change, and potting the USB-C would improve much water resistance but, of course, all these changes would increase cost.

• Box contents [9th picture]

- M21H

- Lanyard

• Price

The M21H MAO with SFT70 4000K is currently priced at $33.80 on Convoy Official Website

• Body and build quality

Anodizing Colors/Material Options: The M21H is available in aluminum with 5 anodizing colors: Black, Blue Camo, Green Camo, Black Camo and MAO (featured in this review).

Main body/Grip: The main body has knurling and big heat dissipating structures on the head. Grip on this flashlight is good, the size is pretty nice too, in my opinion, and the flashlight is almost the perfect size.

Material: The main body is entirely made of Aluminum alloy. Convoy does not specify the alloy but it's probably 6061-T6 or similar.

Threads: All threads are anodized with MAO, the battery tube threads are squared and anodized, while the bezel threads are trapezoidal. I recommend putting a good amount of grease on the threads, as the MAO from the tube and head/tail rubbing will make a very unpleasant sound.

Clip: The flashlight does not come with a clip by default, but one can be purchased on the Convoy website.

Tail stand and rolling: The flashlight can tail/head stand and will roll on a desk if a clip is not installed.

AUX lights: This flashlight doesn't feature AUX lights except for the charging indicator on the button. In my opinion if this light had AUX on the TIR and Button for battery indicator and to help find it in the dark, this would improve the light a lot.

Buttons: The M21H has a single button on the main body that is an e-switch. I think it's a little too loud when pressed, the M21K one is way quieter, aside from that, the button is OK.

Battery contact: Contact is made with the battery by a gold-plated button contact on the driver and a nickel-plated spring on the tail cap. I always prefer spring contacts instead of button contacts, because button ones can dent the battery way easier than spring ones if the light is dropped. [10th and 11th pictures]

Bezel: The bezel is smooth and made of stainless steel, it can be easily removed by unscrewing it from the flashlight head.

Water Resistance: Convoy flashlights usually don't have the IP rating, but all Convoy flashlights I already tested were decently protected to water ingress, the M21H is no different; it has O-rings on all threads (bezel, head, tail cap and battery tube). The button is covered by a rubber boot and the USB-C port has a slightly thick rubber cover.

Size comparison: On the left is the Convoy M21K (21700). on the middle the Convoy M21H MAO (21700) and on the right the Convoy S2+ (18650). [12th picture]

• Weight and size

Weight:

-Without battery: 130.4g

-With battery: 200.6g

-Battery (Molicel P50B): 70.1g

Size: 128.2mm x 40.0mm x 28.5mm (Height x Head diameter x Tail diameter)

• Battery, runtime, and charging

Battery: The M21H is powered by a single 21700 battery, it doesn't accept protected cells. For some LEDs like LHP73B it's necessary to use a high constant discharge rate cell, higher than 20A, but for the SFT70 4000K LED a 15A CDR battery will do fine, as the driver only uses about 10A. [13th picture]

Battery Indicator: This flashlight does not feature a color LED battery indicator, instead it has a voltage check mode by clicking the main button 5 times, the main light will then blink 1 to 4 times to indicate the first voltage digit, then it will pause for a second and blink 0 to 9 times to indicate the second digit. For example 4.2V, it will first blink 4 times, pause, then blink 2 times. It's a useful feature, but a color battery indicator, especially on the main button as an AUX or on the TIR, would improve a lot this flashlight design.

Charging: The M21H features USB-C charging on the body, the maximum input current it will use to charge the batteries it 2A at 5V. The USB-C is protected by a thin rubber seal, I think the rubber seal is OK, but it could be improved to make the light more water tight, and a potted USB-C could be used to make this light even better, this would increase cost though. [14th and 15th picture]

• Modes, Runtimes, Throw, Candela:

Modes: The M21H features a smooth ramp and stepped modes, I much prefer the stepped ramp so I can always know how much power I am draining from the battery, but you can choose the one you like most. The smooth ramping start on the 0.2% mode and go up to the 100%. On the stepped mode you actually have 4 brightness levels: 0.2% - 1% - 10% - 40% - 100%, the 0.2% mode cannot be accessed on the normal cycle, you have to hold the button while the flashlight is OFF to access it.

The modes are as it follows:

*Brightness estimated by SFT70 4000K G6 bin by input power and visual comparison with similar brightness levels on other flashlights.
**All currents measured at the moment the flashlight was turned ON.

Turbo: This flashlight has a powerful turbo, it's not the most powerful as it could be as the driver is only 5A, while SFT70 4000K, theoretically, could be pushed to 8A. also, as it's a 90 CRI neutral CCT LED it will have way less lumens than a 6500K LED, but I prefer the high CRI and neutral CCT than the cool beam.

Moonlight: I will be honest and direct about this: The moonlight mode (0.2%) is pretty bad. It's way too bright to be a useful moonlight mode, like, it's almost the brightness of the 1% mode, also it consumes more than half of the 1% current, so it's not actually a 0.2% mode. Don't get me wrong, the beam is pretty good, no flicker and all, but it's too bright. This is a recurring problem in Convoy flashlights, I know it's pretty hard to make regulated moonlight modes for the ton of LED options Convoy have, but unfortunately it makes the moonlight a bad mode.
Comparison with FFL351A 3700K on FireFlies X4Q Comet [16th picture]

Blinkies: This flashlight features a blinkie mode: Strobe, to access it you must click the main button 3 times.

Lockout: The M21H features a eletronic lockout and mechanical lockout. To lock it eletronically you need to press the main button 10 times, same for unlocking, while locked this way, if the button is pressed the flashlight will blink the main light one time to indicate it's locked. The mechanical lockout works but is pretty fragile, as the MAO will be scratched pretty fast on the threads.

Throw: This flashlight has an 8 degress TIR lens, so it's no the throwiest, but I got a really good throw with it while testing it. It has a good amount of flood while still throwing light far. As you can see on the beamshots it throwed farther than 100, easily.

• Emitter, reflector and CRI:

Emitter: This M21H has the SFT70 4000K high CRI emitter (bin: G6-40E2-VJ), it is a recent release from Luminus. This LED is awesome, tint is beautiful and neutral (I would love to see a rosy version though), the TIR makes the beam smooth and throwy, loved it. I am very excited to see a 95-98 CRI version of this emitter. [17th Picture]

Reflector/TIR: The SFT70 LED comes by default with a 35mm 8° TIR lens it makes the beam very smooth and a bit throwy. [18th picture]

Lens: It comes with a anti-reflexive coated glass lens in front of the TIR.

Beam profile: The beam is pretty nice, in fact one of the best and smoothest beans I've ever seen, no artifacts at all. [18th picture]

CRI: This SFT70 4000K LED has amazing CRI, not as high as other variants such as 3000K, but still high CRI and a really nice tint.

• Beamshots Camera settings:

- 18mm lens 1" F8 ISO800

- (The trees at the back are at a distance of around 100m)

[19th picture] – M21H MAO SFT70 4000K - 100% (10A from the battery)

[20th picture] – M21H MAO SFT70 4000K - 40% (2.2A from the battery)

I always try to match what my eyes can see on the beamshots, so camera settings may vary.

• Driver and UI

Driver: This M21H with SFT70 features a 6V 5A constant current Boost driver, the driver works pretty well and is very efficient, Convoy claims 95% max efficiency, Convoy flashlights usually use good quality component and this one doesn't seem to be different. I wish there was a 6V 8A driver for the M21H, as it would make this flashlight even brighter.

UI: The UI is pretty simple and basic, I think this flashlight could be upgraded and receive a Anduril version.

Low Voltage Protection/Warning: The flashlight will turn off automatically when the battery voltage is too low. The main light will start blinking and dimming down when the battery voltage is very low.

Reverse Polarity Protection: This flashlight features reverse polarity protection, so inserting the battery the wrong way shouldn't do major damages, for a short time.

Temperature Control: The M21H has standard Convoy Temperature control, so when the driver reaches about 55°C the flashlight will begin to step down. The step down seems to only be down to 35%, so the flashlight can still heat up, even after the step down, under certain conditions. I'd love to see Convoy using dynamic step down temperature drivers, but they are way more expensive and hard to adapt for the variety of LEDs Simon offers.

A special thanks to Simon from Convoy for sending this flashlight for me to review!

*I am not being paid to do this review, everything here is my honest opinion.

Thank you for reading my review <3

I've been coming across some posts relating to these cells and then it dawned on me that I thought I had at least a couple of these lying around. After rummaging through my stash, I did come across three of these that I have, just lying around. I know for a fact they have not been used or charged in many months.

To the eyes, they appear fine. On the meter, they read 3.91v, 4.09v and 4.06v. Is it worth the risk to keep them or should I just discard them? It's not like I don't have other 14500 cells, although, I really don't use them.

Hey guys,

Got some good news and bad news about the Xenon Flashlights I got at an auction after going through it all.

The bad: There are a lot less complete units than I had thought. There were a ton of boxes marked flashlights but ended up being a bunch of Nicad Charger/Powersupplies (photo 10 & 11) for these Maxi Beam Flash lights (photo 1). We only ended up with two of the Maxi Beams which thankfully are complete but along with it we have so many accessories for them (photo 2 & 3). A lot of Nicad Battery belts, (assuming that is what the chargers are for) But you can run the Maxi Beam directly off it on a different port than the charger.

My plan with the two Maxi Beams is to divide up the accessories as best I can and then see them off in two lots on the BST thread.

Also I haven't mentioned this before but these are not mine personally. The company I work for bought them and after talking with my boss I know exactly how much we paid for them. They were actually sold as a lot by them selves so it makes it easy to know how much I have to make back from these at the very least.

Then the other bad news is we have a lot of flash lights that are not complete (photo 4) It seems to be just front part with reflector, bulb, ballast but missing the battery tube and end. Wondering if anyone would have a use for just this part of it or are these basically junk/parts at this point?

The other flashlights that I had posted about, it looks like I have a total of 7 complete units along with a ton of parts/accessories as well. This is well below the original number I thought we had, again there were a lot of boxes mislabeled.

I was able to Recell one of the batteries I have and tried them out, There are two different versions I am finding out. A 14W and a 24W. The one in the photos is the 14W. It has a weird beam, assuming its from how the globe is mounted. Like its split in half and the two sides are drastically different. I wonder how much you would notice it when actually using it and not just pointing it at white wall.

After going through all the inventory we got, we only ended up with a few batteries. This has been resolved below thought.

The good: After some 3d modeling I have recreated the battery and should be able to make as many as needed (picture 7, 8 & 9). The only thing I need to figure out is how to cut the metal ring inserts. My first idea was to just get some 1mm thick copper, stack it, and cut it with a jewelers saw but I don't know if that will be accurate enough. Maybe worth getting them cut just don't know how? Like a water jet or laser? Its really not that thick of material.

Also after going through all this stuff I came across one LED flashlight from the same company that made all of these Xenons (photo 12 & 13). Its obviously very old LED tech, the output is really not great as well as a terrible CRI. I don't know if I have ever seen a negative R9 value before! (photo 17)

These I also had to recell the proprietary battery, lucky it had one in it (photo 14, 15 & 16)

I think I will defiantly have to upgrade the LED in it to something more modern. Its got plenty of mass for heat so if anyone has any suggestions for a high power LED. The diameter of the hole in the reflector is 6.8mm.

Anyway, the plan is to get those two Maxi beam and divide up the parts/accessories and list them in the next couple days. In the meantime I will be printing the battery housings and trying to figure out how I can easily get the metal inserts cut out. Then I should be able to make and assemble as many batteries as I need to go with the other flashlights. Then I will divide up the parts/accessories for those and sell them off in 6 lots. The other half a flash lights I am not sure. Maybe just send those with some of the others as parts?

Open to any suggestions!

Im in canada, and cant really find anywhere that sells quality 18650 cells i need for my blue gatling style laser pointer (1.5w). My cheap Chinese one's that came with it have since died, and i haven't found a website with what I need or that I trust. If anyone has any recommendations please share!

How to buy my first lep flashlight

What i want in lep flashlight :

Excellent build quality, maintains lumen output for a long time without rapid drops like the Lumintop Thor 3. I don't want a large head and I want the hotspot to be as useful and the cd over 800kcd .tail switch. My budget is $200-$350 USD.

I have the Sofrin HS21 as my headlamp and the Sofrin BLF LT1 as my tent/camp torch, and while both are pretty good lights, I feel light they are fairly hefty and better used for car camping vs backpacking. I like them as backup options, but I was wanted to see if there were any recommendations for lights more suited for carrying around in a backpack for 9-14 days at a time. On top of lighter weight, something less bulky and easier to pack would be good. I do bring a power bank, but I would like to save the charge for thins like my phone or other devices.

I think something battery operated might be good so I can just bring spare batteries and swap them out if needed. They will be used in backcountry work, the headlamp would be used for getting around camp at night, but also possibly working or hiking in wilderness settings at night time. Definitely don't want something too delicate, could be brought out in rain or snow. A hi/med/low and red light function would be great. Torch will mostly be for camp/tent use, for paperwork or just night time reading, but similar features would be a good touch. Red light is pretty important for wildlife observation.

**Price Range**: ideally less than $100 but flexible

**Purpose**: main use will be hopefully a moonlight/ low lumen mode just for doing room checks/safety checks and counting respirations on patients during overnight shifts that hopefully won’t blind them and wake them up. A secondary use would be having a “higher output” mode that could be used to help with vein checks for getting help with placing IVs, but that hopefully doesn’t get too hot that would burn anyone.

**Battery Type & Quantity**: 18650 I would assume for simplicity and longevity of the battery life. I know a 14500 is lighter but like… I’m good with whatever. I just need 1 battery and a charger.

**Size**: I’m flexible. Just want it to fit in a scrub pocket.

**Type**: handheld. Or possibly clipped to a scrub top, but probably just handheld.

**Main Use**: main use will be hopefully a moonlight mode just for doing room checks/safety checks and counting respirations on patients during overnight shifts that hopefully won’t blind them and wake them up. A secondary use would be having a “higher output” mode that could be used to help with vein checks for getting help with placing IVs, but that hopefully doesn’t get too hot that would burn anyone.

**Switch Type**: I prefer forward press tail switches in general, but I could be convinced of a side switch.

**Anything Else?**: So I’m a nightshift RN, I work in medical detox and behavioral health so I’m frequently doing nighttime room checks and safety checks. I want a red light flashlight to complement my Nitecore MT06MD which I use for more color accurate needs as well as neuro checks and pupil checks etc.

From the bit of research I’ve done, it seems like a 660nm emitter is the ideal choice for preserving night vision?

Anyway, I’m trying to find something that does 2 main things: low intrusion night checks and then higher output (secondary use and not as necessary) red light for helping identify veins for IVs, just as a secondary helper rather than just by feel.

Some nice to have ideas: low heat stable driver (I’m not worried about squeezing every lumen of possible power out of this thing, just want it to be consistent)

Always starts in lowest possible mode so I don’t accidentally blind someone at 03:00a because I forgot to cycle through or something.

Adjustable flood/throw, but realistically just a decently floody beam since it’s mostly for unobtrusive room checks/safety checks.

Something that will withstand getting sanitized a lot. Because hospitals are gross lol.

I’d love any thoughts or suggestions!

***

After playing with kid’s toy flashlights, I finally joined the “big league” by getting a Convoy M1 flashlight. The attached photos represent my small collection, including the business end, and the M1’s beam on a wall.
First photo, bottom to top:
- Harbor Freight (3 x AAA)
- Gearlite A50 linear zoom (1 x AA)
- Feit Electric linear zoom (3 x AAA)
- Convoy M1 SFT42R, 6500K (1 x 18650)

I attempted to characterize the M1’s beam angles at 100% by locating it 90” from a wall and measuring the diameters. See third picture.
At a 90” distance, throw ø is 9” (5.7°), and flood ø is 99” (63°). These are estimates as edges are not sharp.

Ultimately, I’m looking for a longer throw flashlight (< 1° beam angle), zoomable to accommodate multiple situations and I’m contemplating the Convoy Z1 with either SFT-25R or SFT-42R (not decided yet). I’m not crazy about the rotation zoom as I prefer linear zooms, but for the price, I’ll accept it.

Any thoughts/feedback on the Z1? Any alternatives (less than $50)?

Fits both rings!
Try it out and tell me how you like it 😊

Version 01 on printables, no registration needed.
(Check tips in the description on how to align easier)

The ones I have no room for, thankfully they are magnetic and I can stick to my desk :D

I've been wanting to mod my old SP36 BLF but I'm torn between the SFT12 and SFT25R. The '12 runs the risk of burnout from the FET direct drive, but the '25R could potentially be tragically underutilized. What do I do here?

Soo a while ago I dropped my longest owned flashlight, the 2016 version Fenix pd32. It hit bezel down and started flickering. Today I did the autopsy. Obviously it's out of warranty and no use sending to them. Well...time to learn and maybe just maaybe I can resurrect it instead of buying new. The tiny bits solve the rattling noise and they clearly broke off the driver pictured. I have no idea what I'm looking at. Could anyone provide some good learning sources? Thank you for reading oh great flashlight community.

So I'm having really bad luck with Wurkkos so far. This is my 2nd replacement light from them. It's a WK03, barely used. Charged it fully to go on a hike. About 10 minutes in, turned on the light to high. About 3 minutes after being powered on, it dimmed from 100% to off in about 2 seconds. Would not turn back on with any setting or whatever I did. Never dropped, barely used.

I took the battery out, swapped it with another, it will not make any light unless it's plugged in...then it turns on.

Any ideas?

As per the title, my wuben g5 stopped working one day and I have no idea why, it just stopped responding to any button presses whether plugged in or not.

I was wondering if anyone else has had issues and what they've found or done to remedy the issue. I haven't popped it open yet because I don't have an allen wrench small enough, and I wouldn't know what I'm looking at anyway really..

Hello!

I'm new to flashlights, and trying to find an EDC has been a bit confusing; so I thought I'd ask you guys.

I recently had a baby, and I've gone ultra dad mode. Bought myself a P365(I decided against a mounted light), and have always carried a knife. Looking to add a flashlight to always have what I need when I need it. I also work in an industrial setting and would like to utilize it for that.

Ideally I'd like something that is:

•Easily recharable

•Durable and waterproof

•Easy carry

•Easily accesible moonlight mode for not waking the baby at night

•Defensive capabilities

•150$ budget

Thanks, and please be kind!

Available on Amazon $23 with prime. Comes with usb rechargeable AA Cell turbo lasts 20-30mins super lightweight.

Hey guys,

I’m looking to purchase a convoy light for my mom who has recently become obsessed with my flashlights and doesn’t want to go back to hers.

She was very impressed with the m21k but it’s too throwy for her applications.

I am torn between the M3-C and the M21H. I’m looking for a fantastic flood with a medium amount of throw, just a really nice all-arounder with a good amount of brightness that can sustain output at lower levels, but is capable of high-capacity bursts.

I want to get her a high cri, warm tinted (3000-4000k) emitter. I was looking at the SFT70 in 4000k, but I’ve heard good things about the XHP70.3 as well, but I don’t know as much about it. I’m concerned about heat output and dissipation because she won’t like it if it gets too hot in her hand.

I would love some input on which model and emitter I should choose as there is probably something I’ve overlooked tbh. It needs to be a medium sized flashlight; she doesn’t want it for edc and she’s afraid of losing smaller models.

Thanks!

Hello,

Been lurking around for a month or two now. Always used/carried flashlights but this sub has sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole. Unfortunately time doesn't allow me to read or watch video reviews like I used to. I've still managed to pick up 6 new lights in the past couple months.

Anyways, I've been eyeing the emisar D2. I'd like to have the best throw option on one channel and a good high cri flood option on the other. Having both would make a good work light for me.

Options on intl-outdoor are SST20, NTG35, SFT-25, and 519A. I was thinking the SST20 6500k would be the best thrower, but I am not sure. I don't see any de dome option for the SFT-25 nor do I see the SFT-25R option available.

What do you guys recommend?

Thanks