Review: ThruNite Saber 1A (updated T10)

If it's like other twisty flashlights with modes;

1. Twist it to turn on. It will turn on in high or low (most small lights start on high).

2. Quick twist off and back on will switch it into the next mode in the sequence. (For example if you start in high, it will most likely switch to medium, do it again, and you have low.)

3. Once you have a mode selected, and twist the light off for a longer time, it should come back to the the same mode it was in before you shut it off.

Depending on the driver, some lights will come back to the same preset mode even after you swap batteries, others will default to the original high or low mode.

I finally got around to working on this toad. It had not one, not two, but threeā€¦ yes, countā€™em three problems that kept it from working.

First one of the emitter wires was not properly soldered to the star. Blob of solder, but no continuity to the star. I originally tested the head by clipping a battery directly to the head and got no light so I assumed the driver was DOA.

Second the spring in the base was not making contact to the tube. No amount of futzing could get it to make contact. The dreaded WOAF (wad of aluminum foil) hack got that kludged aroundā€¦ crammed a big wad of foil under the spring.

Third was the driver was sitting slightly below the edge of the pill. It would not make contact to the tube when the head was screwed in. I ran a bead of solder around the outer driver ring to get it working.

Tossed it into the Sphere ā€™o Many Mysteries:
Moon: 0.15 lumens
Low: 12.8 lumens
High: 115 lumens (what a T10 should be. Saber should be 169 lumens)
CCT: 6400K

I think that Iā€™ll try a Nichia 219 in itā€¦

Got the Nichia 219 in it:

Moon: .05 lumens
Low: 9.5 lumens
High: 86 lumens
CCT: 4200K
CRI: oh my!

I just occurred to me that the ā€œSaber 1Aā€ is sold as ā€œSpiritā€ by Fasttech, for $22.00.

I wonder who really makes those things?

Mine, too (BLF ā€œspecialā€). I finally took some 400 grit sandpaper and roughed up the bottom of the tube. Seems to have helped.

[quote=texaspyro]

:open_mouth:

Look familiar?

I wish the spirit was an xpg2.

despite all of the ā€˜issuesā€™ with TN and the BLF 1A, I have to say that my copy (from fleabay, $25 bo) has been great! On 14500 it is a great little lightā€¦ keeps moonlight mode as wellā€¦

Hope those who are having issues get the details sortedā€¦

i assume that is easily fixed

I tried a couple of NiMH cells. They would not fit in the tube. Tube is 14.3mm ID. NoMem 2500 mAh cell is 14.3 mm, goes in half way. Imedion 2200 mAh is 14.28 mm, goes in about 3/4 way and then seems like air pressure is keeping it from going in the rest of the way. Iā€™m not going to force the issueā€¦

I got around to testing my Fasttech Spirit light ($20). It did 115/12/.06 lumensā€¦ actually more than advertised and more than the Thrunite Saber.

Then I put a Nichia ā€™219 in it. It gives the same output as the stock XPG R5 (and around 15% more than the modā€™ed Thrunite Saber).

Does the spirit support a 14500? and for how long on high

It should, it is identical to the Thrunite (down to tooling marks on the LED centering ring). Nowhere does either say that it supports lithium rechargeables, but people say they do.

Hadnā€™t seen the spirit until now, it looks indeed identical.
Here a link if someone else want to take a look http://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10003046/1227900

The spirit appears to come with a lithium battery. Does that mean the circuit officially supports lithium?

Appears with a primary lithium battery (Lithium NICE), only 1.8V (soon drops to 1.5-1.6V)

Itā€™s an alkaline batteryā€¦

Sorry, I think itā€™s much better than an alkaline

I checked it again, and it does say Lithium on it. Somewhere I did receive a Nice AA alkaline in a light. Looks the same.

Hi,
I just bought Saber 1A, but frankly Iā€™m not impressed with the performance.
I find 169 lumens on High is hardly believable because it looks so much dimmer compared to my old mini torch, Ultrafire single mode at 200 lumens (factory claim). It uses XPG Q5 & CR123A. I bought it for $9 on sale.
Itā€™s exactly like here:
http://dx.com/p/ultrafire-w610-cree-xp-g-q5-200lm-white-flashlight-black-1-x-16430-186192

Sure at 200 lm, the Ultrafire is supposed to be brighter, but the brightness difference between the 2 flashlight is too massive for 31 lm difference. The Ultrafire looks like almost twice brighter (at 200 lm) vs Saber 1A (169 lm).
When doing wall test from 9 meters away, the Ultrafire is still showing a bright hotspot with spill. The Saber fail to show any hotspot at this distance. Itā€™s just a reasonably bright spill.

Is Saber 1A lumens inflated too much ?
I know some people use 14500 in this torch. Does the drive actually support 14500 ? Will it blow the led or something ?