Review Acebeam W10 LEP Light

ACEBEAM W10
1X21700 – 1X18650 – 2xCR123




The Acebeam W10 was sent to me directly by Acebeam for the review.
For product description: http://www.acebeam.com/white-laser-w10







The Acebeam W10 is a torch devoted to shooting with a single switch in the tail (forward clicky). It has a single output of 250 lumens and its beam reaches a distance of 1000 meters.
The W10 is equipped with a white light LEP (Laser Excited Phosphor) emitter (the test version is 6500K) and is powered mainly by a rechargeable 21700 5100 mAh Li-ion battery (included in the sales package),but can also work with a battery 18650, with the included adapter, or with a pair of CR123 batteries. The Acebeam W10 has an integrated USB-C connector to recharge the internal battery and has IPX68 protection (protection against strong water jets). The Acebeam W10 is recommended for many applications including hunting, mountaineering, camping, first aid, construction and adventure.

Initial impressions are excellent. Usual quality of construction by Acebeam considering thicknesses and materials. Remarkable compactness considering the declared shot approaching the kilometer.








Main characteristics:

A white LEP emitter with a duration of 10,000 hours
Maximum power of 250 lumens
Powered by 1x21700 5100mAh rechargeable battery, 1x18650 or 2xCR123 battery
Battery 21700: 250 lumens; 3.3 hours
CR123 Battery: 250 lumens; 1 hour
Ultra-long range distance: 1000 meters
Peak beam intensity: 250000cd / 0.25 lux
Divergence angle: total angle 3.1 ° (10%)
Wavelength: 400nm
CRI index: CRI65 / CRI89
Color temperature: 6500K / 4000K
Weight: 128g (4.5oz) without battery
Waterproof: IPX68
USB-C charging port (offers a charging speed 3 times faster)
Convex lens
Body structure in aeronautical aluminum
Premium Type III Hard anodized Anti-abrasive finish
Tactical knurling for a firm grip
Removable locking ring made of stainless steel
A tactical tail switch for convenient operation
Intelligent highly efficient circuit design for high performance and long life
Colored filters are available in green and red
Ways of employment: widely used for public safety, prisons, airports, hunters and a variety of field lighting and signal use.

Dimensions:
149.5 mm (length) x 31.5 mm (head diameter) x 25.4 mm (tube diameter)

Accessories:
Battery IMR21700NP-510A
18650 adapter
USB charging cable type C
Red and green filter
Pocket Clip
Rubber cap
O-ring (2x)
User manual (Chinese and English)
Battery warning card
Warranty certificate











Manual:





The packaging:

The Acebeam W10 arrives inside a dark cardboard rigid box where on the four sides are listed the main features that distinguish the torch. The closure is book-like and is magnetic.




Inside we find the Acebeam W10 with inserted Clip and accessories:

Acebeam W10 with Clip inserted
USB-C cable
IMR 21700 Li-ion battery
Red and green filter
Adapter for 18650 battery
Rubber button cap
Replacement O-ring x 2
Manual, warranty and warnings










The battery supplied with the W10 is a 5100 mAh 21700 Li-ion battery. This battery is included in other Acebeam torches like the EC65 and T27. Together with the battery an adapter for 18650 batteries is given as an accessory. Given the longer length of the 21700 protectors used by the torch, only the 18650 button top can turn on the Acebeam W10.







The removable Clip supplied with the T27 is identical to that of the Acebeam T27, ie short, rigid and well anchored to the torch body.






With the Acebeam W10 two colored filters are provided, one red and the other green. These filters are well made and screwed and unscrewed without problems. They are useful and can be used primarily for military operations or for hunting and fishing.













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The Acebeam W10 grips well and has a fairly small size, even if it hardly fits into a trouser pocket or a jacket pocket. It consists of two parts: head with body and tail.











On the head of the Acebeam W10 we have in evidence the removable bezel in very aggressive satin steel and the convex lens with the white LEP (Laser Excited Phosphor) emitter inside which produces an emission of 250 lumens with a theoretical range of 1000m. This emitter together with the convex lens has the characteristic of not producing spills but of emitting only a concentrated beam of light.
The sample under test comes with a temperature of 6500K but in the sales package seems also available a 4000K version.














On the head we also have small cooling fins. The Acebeam W10 warms up a little, so there's no problem keeping it in your hands for a long time.






Under the cooling fins we have a unscrewing ring for access to the USB-C charging connector.
Note the water protection O-ring and the notification LED. The Acebeam W10 is IPX68 certified.








When we start charging the Acebeam W10 the red LED light will come on. When the charging is complete, the light turns green. The Acebeam W10 can also be used if it is charging. For a complete recharge it took, in my case, about 4 hours and 20 minutes..







The USB Type-C charging port allows faster charging up to 2A with devices with 5V output of current that allow it.






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On the body and on the tailcap of the Acebeam W10 we find a nice knurling, with a rhomboidal shape in the middle, which facilitates the grip. The anodization is thick and smooth and all the wires are well lubricated. Good lettering and thicknesses of the Acebeam W10.







The tactical switch in the queue needs a fair amount of pressure to be activated and allows momentary on.
It is not possible to place the Acebeam W10 standing (candle).







For the contacts at the two poles we have plating springs of moderate thickness and stiffness. The Acebeam W10 can be locked by unscrewing the tailcap by a quarter of a turn.








The threads, square in shape, have a good thickness and arrive well lubricated.






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The Acebeam W10 user interface (UI) is very simple as it only has a 250 lumens available level. By pressing the switch halfway there is the possibility of momentary on.






The Acebeam W10 near other torches:





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BEAM, RUNTIME AND BEAMSHOT:





The beam of the Acebeam W10 is particular as it is without side lighting (spill). The trial version has a color temperature of 6500K. As you can see the beam is not clean but has some artifacts and color changes that in reality in the field are not particularly noticeable. The beam is very concentrated and presents around the crown a yellowish color. The Acebeam W10 is not sure to illuminate closely but is suitable for lighting long distances.
The use of the supplied colored filters greatly reduces the "throw" of the beam, in particular the red filter.












The runtimes were performed in a closed environment made with an internal temperature of about 20 °C.

I would like to point out that the values expressed by the graphs must be taken, above all, as a reference because they are made with different environmental means and conditions from those used in the laboratory.


The measurements to evaluate the maximum value of the Lux / 1m were made at a distance of 7 and 12 meters and then converted. Surely for a beam of this type it would have been better to take the value at a greater distance.
The maximum value in cd found from my tests (169000 cd for 823 meters) moves away a little from the one declared by the house; almost surely by increasing the distance to 20 or more meters a more just and real estimate would be obtained.


The first test was made with the supplied battery (Acebeam 21700 5100 mAh) fully charged.



The second test with the same operating conditions but with the addition of a fan near the torch.
We see the two nearby curves.I was a bit surprised to see the big difference between them.



The last test was done using a 3000 mAh Samsung 30Q 18650 battery.






Beamshot:





















VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/PBBgXh0cIP4



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CONCLUSIONS:


The Acebeam W10 was a while that I followed intrigued and I must say that my expectations have been maintained.
Having a flashlight in your hands, of this size with such a shot, is really a joy for the eyes. The type of beam without lateral illumination (spill) and very concentrated is particularly specialized. The W10 is built well, the Acebeam quality is also seen in the details. The "hidden" recharging system and the possibility to mount the two red and green filters included in the package should also be appreciated.
Definitely an excellent purchase for lovers of the genre and for those who need a light with these particular and almost unique features.
Thank you for reading the review.

Looks like that bezel would work rather well as a beer bottle opener

That’s some really insufficient cooling…
But the built in charging is great.
I love it when there is USB charging that doesn’t require a proprietary battery.

I don’t know much at all about LEP technology so I have a question. Why such short run times when the output is only 250 Lumens? I could be wrong but isn’t it a laser exciting the phosphor of the emitter itself? If that is true, is the laser so inefficient that it draws more current than say a XP-L at 250 Lumens?

Still trying to get a good grasp on this whole LEP thing. Haven’t done a bunch of research on it yet.

How much cooling does it really need? It’s only 250 lumens. And lasers are supposed to be more efficient than comparable output LEDs. I expect it should generate less heat than a 250 lumen LED light.

And this light isn’t exactly small. At 149mm it’s quite long…. over 50% longer than an Emisar D4, which can easily sustain 250 lumens until the battery runs out.

Interesting. Do all of these recent offerings actually use the same LEP module ? I think they do. This one seems nicely done.

Making a couple of screw-in filters that actually work is quite a precise challenge.

Now, take it out on a real hunting trip, in mist and fog, and, dare I say raindrops on the front, and see how it performs.

Also needs a reliable remote tail switch (FET operated).

I’d love to evaluate and review one in practical use though, if anyone is offering. I do think this is the way forwards, for some specialised use.

Lamping still legal here, for several species.

There is no emitter, just phosphor.
The laser replaces the regular blue emitter.

A regular GaN laser has pretty low efficiency.
Then you have the losses of converting the blue laser light into white light at the phosphor.
Then you have the losses of the lens which collects less than half of the white light that is emitted.
Then you have the losses of the mirror in the middle of the lens as well as the glass transmission of the lens.

Overall it’s not even close to an LED efficiency.
This is why it can’t even last 3 hours at 250lumens with a huge 5000mAh battery.

Just starting to be discussed on lighting forums, but known, understood, in production elsewhere. Except it is much more complicated than just slapping in a FET driver, sourcing the latest greatest LED with the most perfect (according to taste) tint/efficiency compromise, and cell, flowing it onto a DTP MCPCB, modding it into the current fashionable budget light chassis, then declaring it good.

Oh no. Real engineering, knowledge of Applied Physics, and preparation to spend time, money and resources to learn and experiment, and buy expensive test equipment, and learn how to use it consistently, is required.

Just to assemble and set each one up precisely, calibrate, focus, is a lot of work.

That’s “only” 250 lumens, but precisely directed. Absolutely no spill, concentrated, tight. And the surface brightness is off the scale, done well. This has only just started in torch-world (but rapidly moving forward elsewhere, automotive particularly).

I think Endermann has a plan, well at least he has told us about how he is gathering key parts. Let’s hope he doesn’t burn out a retina or two, with a sub-millisecond mistake.

Quite certain that this technology is not suitable for an average BLF modder to even think of trying.

As for a small accident to an off-the-shelf LEP torch, just a knock, or a drop, that displaces the laser blocker, probably un-noticed, letting the laser light escape directly, (tens of Watts, not milli Watts such as you might be used to), I hope you don’t ever have to go there.

Experimenters can buy blocking goggles, everybody (and animals) else, who may be unwittingly exposed to these uncontrolled, unregulated, perhaps well constructed, aligned, filtered and shock-proofed things, has no choice. Fortunately the price of entry is still very high.

And really, the applications where this technology has unique utility at the moment are rather specialised, and the few suppliers who have avoided export controls can still name their own price.

Very interesting torch, nicely executed, I’d have a use for one, and looking forward to seeing how this technology develops. Just the start. so far.

3 versions for ACEBEAM W10: 6500K, 4000K, CR89+

Very interesting. 4000K and CRI 89+ of interest to hunters. 6500K, not so much.

It’s interesting that you have these options.

I’d like to review one here, if you are interested. My PM is working.

Thanks for the review, interesting product. I am new to laser flashlights and keen to learn more about them.