Great follow-up on the production version! Would you please perform the battery life analysis for Sanyo ENELOOPs?
Nice review, im guessing the runtime tests were done using a fan?
Tail cap readings seems similar to the Balder SE-1
Tail Cap readings
Ni-MH Trustfire 14500(4.14v)
High 2.23Amps 2.45Amps
Medium 0.78Amps 0.74Amps
Low 0.06Amps 0.02Amps
Yes. As you all should know this little baby gets real hot fast! I used a pan of water and a fan. The head was left out of water (for luxmetter dataloging pourposes), so I placed a fan to blow directly to it.
I’m working on it. I’ll update as soon as I have it done. Thanks!
Nice review !
Done!
Review updated with ENELOOP test chart:
Thanks for the update, UPz! Nicely done.
just found this nice review thread.
bump this old thread just to let other knows that the ” Mil-Spec Type III Hard Anodized finish” doesn’t stand up to expectation at all.
mine which is only carried in small pocket inside backpack/shoulder bag already shown fading/peel off anodize on the crown bezel.
carrying duration about 5 months…
Stopped carrying mine…
Too many times it was inadvertently activated with a slight nudge on something and a few minutes later I found a hot rocket in my pocket. (Not the good kind)
Then I left an alkaline in there for about three weeks, and it was long enough to slightly leak and damage the inside rear end of the outer housing. I’ve scraped and scraped and it’s still ultra finicky, I gave up on it.
Makes me sad because this was my favorite edc, but it’s not really even usable anymore.
IMO it's also one of the best form factor lights out there, but it just didn't deliver in reliability, and with a 14500 I think it could be dangerous.
If they increased the length by a few mm and had an actual clickie, as well as temperature stepdown... would be a perfect EDC.
Agreed
actually it is better to use LiFePO4. will be much cooler than Li-ion 14500…
myself only use Eneloop XX since the beginning to avoid the leaking.
the only reason I have this light is due the small size compare to other AA.
very shorty and visually looks aesthetic.
Personally I switched to a zebralight sc52... the form factor is not as nice, and obvious there is the price difference, but you can safely use any battery, and not worry about overheating.
The Balder HD-1 is a failure. I stopped using. Parasitic drain is unacceptable. Keep the battery in for 1 month and its nearly dead. Constantly flickers on a AA. The only great thing about it is that it is bright on a 14500. The piston switch sounds great in theory but practically it has too many problems.
maybe you mixed me up with somebody else.
I ain't martin or marvin the martian :p
this light still has rooms for improvement however i think the manufacture already forgets about this model. most retailers are out of stock.
I never experience such heavy parasitic drain with eneloop XX.
can you share more for the bold sentence?
Practical problems - the mode switching, and turning off was inconsistent on mine, and it had an annoying tendency to turn on.
loooooool :D
( martin is was the one working at Bäldä. maybe he got fired after his last unfortunate actions/activities on the BFL )
lucky me, none of those case happen on mine.
switching on and off is consistent 2s click n hold.
the spring itself is quite stiff, never occur other object collided with the switch button inside the bag until it is switched on.
think have read it somewhere in blf, about user getting banned after posting user actual details for winning their design competition.
if it was him, maybe he was indeed lost the job 