Got A New Flashlight...

Review:-
Cons:- Tailcap threads have no anodization, so no lockout by turning the tail cap
Included battery is only 1800 mAh
Pros:- Everything else! I can't find any other fault. 3 Normal modes with real memory. Hidden and difficult to accidentally reach blinky modes. Good beam, good color. 50mA/500mA/1000mA tailcap current. Square and lubed tailcap threads. Rear button press good quality. Flawless HA3 anodizing. Nice knurling. Charging cover is quite good. Built-in charger with red/green indicator. The cardbox box is good quality and has lanyard and spare o-rings in nice plastic bag.

I say overall quality is as good as a typical Convoy light, fair price for this would be about $25 shipped. I am still shocked that it has NOT gone unavailable yet.
With 1A current, lumen output must be around 400-500 lm, so not great, but definitely usable - comparable to a Convoy S2+ with 4-chips.

What is the beam pattern like? Flood? Throw? In-between?

What color is the output? Cool white? Neutral? Any green tint around the edges of the beam?
 
With 1A current, lumen output must be around 400-500 lm, so not great, but definitely usable - comparable to a Convoy S2+ with 4-chips.

What is the beam pattern like? Flood? Throw? In-between?

What color is the output? Cool white? Neutral? Any green tint around the edges of the beam?
Beam pattern is in between with the hybrid reflector; Osram chip has surprisingly good neutral tint rivaling expensive lights. I can not see any artifacts in the beam and if there is any green tint to edge, I can not see it. Even the glass must be high quality because even though there is no obvious anti-reflection coating tint to that glass, it behaves as if anti-reflective.
 
Beam pattern is in between with the hybrid reflector; Osram chip has surprisingly good neutral tint rivaling expensive lights. I can not see any artifacts in the beam and if there is any green tint to edge, I can not see it. Even the glass must be high quality because even though there is no obvious anti-reflection coating tint to that glass, it behaves as if anti-reflective.
Thanks. Does it tail stand?
 
I ordered 3, as 2, without prime, shipped, is nearly the same price as 3. One or 2 will be gifts.

My existing 18650 handheld light can be focused but has less than impressive output, and interface.

I've got a 14500 based light Sipik clones that were like 2 for 7$ slow boat, one failed, whose output and throw seems far superior, and use it much more, but mostly I use headlamps.

The Osram P8 chip says 310 lumens

https://www.topledlight.com/5w-osram-p8-white-high-power-led-dc-3v35v-350ma1500ma_p2401.html
 
Thanks. Does it tail stand?
It does tail stand but mind you there is a rubber switch boot there but at least on my sample, that clears the tail cap edge but barely just by few hairs! The most difficult task was threading the lanyard in the two holes!

It is single but moderate sized die LED, so should be comparable to current crop of similar LEDs Just realized that this light is made by Wuben. It looks like Wuben C3 is follow-on to this light with USB-C and P9 bulb but the rest of the design looks very similar. May be that is why this L21 is on clearance for such a dirt cheap price.

I gave up on 14500 and 10440 batteries years ago as their capacity is too tiny especially when driven high and decided to stay with Eneloop for AA/AAA lights and just go for 18650 or bigger cells.

My Wurkkos TS21 is on the slow boat from China and should arrive sometime this year :) until that time, I am going to keep myself amused with this one.
 
Last edited:
I ordered 3, as 2, without prime, shipped, is nearly the same price as 3. One or 2 will be gifts.

My existing 18650 handheld light can be focused but has less than impressive output, and interface.

I've got a 14500 based light Sipik clones that were like 2 for 7$ slow boat, one failed, whose output and throw seems far superior, and use it much more, but mostly I use headlamps.

The Osram P8 chip says 310 lumens

https://www.topledlight.com/5w-osram-p8-white-high-power-led-dc-3v35v-350ma1500ma_p2401.html
You are right; the light on high is more about real 400-500 lumens but I still consider it a good deal
 
Just realized a massive potential issue that I missed completely. I feel rather embarrassed for missing this.

I was thinking how it is possible for me to recharge the light when the tail switch is off? I does recharge and it stops right at 4.20V. If I remove the battery and tried to charge it, it knows as it blinks red/green furiously. Put the DMM on the tail cap, and even with humongous physical click, it never shows open circuit. BUT, I was able to measure the tail current (NOT with tail cap in the circuit) and change mode by putting the DMM in and out of circuit.

I am still not hundred percent sure how battery gets charged. How does the current reach to the negative battery terminal which has that tail cap mechanical switch? I have few ideas but nothing concrete.

I also realized why almost every built-in charger light has electronic soft switch right on the other side of the charger port instead of having a mechanical tail switch. How did PeetPen aka WuBen manage to do this?
 
There is bigger issue aka it might be overcharging the cell if left on the charger. I always removed it promptly when it turns green.

My initial concern of having potential parasite drain dwarfs if this light has this overcharging bug :-( I can NOT give these lights to anybody.
 
Because I took it out when it went green. I did not wait for hours after it went green.
OK, but what happens if you do wait?

Just because the original Wuben C3 with USB-C port had overcharging issues does not automatically mean that this PeetPen does as well.
 
OK, but what happens if you do wait?

Just because the original Wuben C3 with USB-C port had overcharging issues does not automatically mean that this PeetPen does as well.
Good news! Kept for an hour after green charge complete indicator and it stayed at 4.20V

The other three lights I ordered, one of the battery was completely drained. Now I have put that battery on the Nitecore D2 charger to charge it. Should I complain and ask for a new battery? It was under 2.5 but quickly ramped up to close to 3 and is charging now. How it got discharged in the first place is a mystery to me. I don't think they would have shipped fully drained. All other three light had ample charge as shipped. Also it does need button top battery. Flat top does not work.
 
Should I complain and ask for a new battery?
I toss these types of no-name li-ion cells straight into trash bin, so no, I wouldn't ask for a new one, but I guess if you're going to be gifting it, then maybe. Do you have an analyzing charger to test discharge capacity?
 
Good news on the 4.2v wall. Thanks.

My panasonic ncr18650bs have a carefully applied drop of solder to form a button top.

Functional, not ideal.

For.the $9.19 price, the provided cells are likely rewrapped laptop cells.

I just added an external 18650 holder to a small BT speaker whose charge port was gone. The internal 18650 battery claimed 2016 date and 1500mah. Measured 3.68v, but could not support full volume any longer at that voltage.

A ~ 2014 era 3.5v panasonic ncr 18650 b, still can.

I quit opening up my laptop batteries, as even the 18650 cells which held 4.2v for days , had so little usable capaciy left it was not worth swapping them in so often.
 
Back
Top Bottom