Review : Amutorch JM70 xp-l hi , single cell VFM thrower

A few words for Amutorch JM70 (xp-l hi) :

JM70 is a compact thrower , powered by 1*26650 . Combines small weight and size , but provides good runtimes and throw .

Overview/Specifications :



First Look :

Flashlight in it’s box , a simple brown box :

As you see it has Galuxia written on it , it’s the brand that makes the JM70 .

Package Contains :

  • Flashlight
  • Lanyard
  • User manual (in chinese)
  • Spare o-ring
  • Spare Lens
  • Spare rear switch
  • Extra rubber boot

A closer look :

You can see the flashlight , it has a pretty nice design for a small size thrower , using a single 26650 but a large reflector .

Here are it’s dimensions i measured :

Total length : 170mm

Tube diameter : 32mm
Head diameter : 72mm

Weight : 303gr

JM70 uses a dual switch system . Tailcap switch works as an on/off switch and changes modes through the e-switch .

On the head , we can see the e-switch . It has a nice rubber button :

On the head it has the manufacturer and the model , one on each side :

I guess you already saw that blue bezel it has , indeed it looks very nice :

Flashlight has a big SMO reflector , it’s diameter is around 61mm :

The LED is a Cree xp-l hi :

Led is on a big 32 mm DTP MaxToch mcpcb , on a solid shelf (pic coming soon) .

Lens are AR coated :

Head has some great cooling fins :

Tube has a square knurling , provides enough grip i think :

On the end , with the tail switch , lanyard can be attached too :

To load the battery , you have to uncrew the tube , it doesn’t have a tailcap :

Fits most batteries , even the longest protected cells . Here is with a Liitokala cell , and with the spring uncompressed :

Threads are anodized :

On the head side , the driver has a spring on the positive side , and a brass ring on the ground ring :

A comparison pic with the well-known UT-02 :

How it works (&modes) :

It has 5 normal modes , Low - Medium - High - Strobe and Turbo .

Flashlight uses the switch at the tailcap for on/off function , basically as a lock-out switch .

After you turn on the rear switch :

If you press the side switch once , it opens at the lowest mode if you just turned the rear switch on , or the last used mode if flashlight was on (coming from (*) ).
With another single press it cycles though the modes Low-Mid-High-Strobe

Double click turns the light on at Turbo .

By operating a longer press at the side switch , turns the flashlight off (*) .

Measurements :

Liitokala 5000mAh battery was used in all measurements

Lumens :

  • Low - 36 lm
  • Mid - 253 lm
  • High - 512 lm
  • Turbo - 1022 lumens

Intensity : 216kcd

My runtime test :

High mode :

Coming soon…

Turbo mode :

Beamshots :

At the end of the road is about 160m :

Mid :

High :

Turbo :

Beam is intense , giving the light some serious throw .

Extra beamshot at 80m :

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Conclusion :

A compact thrower , equipped with a nice & big SMO reflector . Anodization and it’s quality in general is great , output is close to the rated specs , and the only thing that maybe some people will need some time to get used to it is the UI .
An awesome mid sized thrower , with great runtimes and very good throw ! For me , and with that throw , it is a very good VFM (value for money) product .

Comment if you want me to check something on the flashlight , or tell your opinion . Thanks !

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Flashlight was provided by banggood for review purposes . Be sure to check the flashlight here : https://goo.gl/5VjELA
There is a discount available for it too @ 47.39$ , code: IJM70XP

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Warning ! Here are some words from the manufacturer :
JM70 is our new product in 2017, had gone through two improvements. Because friends buy at a different time, there may be some differences with different tailcaps, with different mcpcb boards, with different modes etc.
About the sign on the box, Galuxia is also the trademark of our company. it’s brand Galuxia that makes on the flashlight, so Galuxia been written on the box.

The current sale of JM70 light is the same as the store described, low-mid-high-brightest(quick double)cycle -strobe(quick three click).
If have any other questions, Please let the friends in the forum contact me.

Reserved for updates and a possible better deal :wink:

Nice!

Might just need more coffee or something, but whut’s “VFM”?

I’d guess Value For Money

Value for Money :slight_smile:

Looks like a decent host for another emitter.

Seriously? Wow, I never heard of that before.

I was thinking “variable-frequency modulation” (vs pwm), etc., but was coming up dry.

Sucks no regulation, but heck, it sure looks nice!

It sure is , but even stock gained my respect .

I want to check how i can remove the driver without damaging it , driver must be press fit .

i doubt that this light can throw over 1000m
still, a great value light

BTW, I wonder whether Amutorch’s fins in line with the light offer more surface area than the usual perpendicular ones?
Airflow is probably worse. Unless you mount your thrower on a bike. :wink:

Tom E has removed the driver without an issue. Maybe u can ask him but he did wrote some info

“Amutorch/Galuxia JM70 XPL HI

Driver diam is 28 mm. Nope, no glue accept a dab under the driver - probably to get the switch aligned to the button, but driver still came out easy. Yep, has a thin brass retaining ring on the driver. Very moddable.

The driver does not act like a buck or boost. Output decreases as the cell drops. My first test was with an LK cell at about 4.05V or so, and got 870 lumens, 188 kcd (2.55A tail). On a full LK cell @4.21V, got 950 lumens, 205 kcd (2.84A tail)

Then made a few mods:

20 AWG bypass wires on both springs
20 AWG LED wires (stock were ~26 AWG)
bypassed sense resistor with a jumper
sanded down centering piece a little
swapped stock XPL HI with a XPL HI V3 2B from MtnE, sanded MCPCB smooth, MX-4 thermal grease
Stock:

stock MCPCB is a good one: 32 mm DTP MaxToch, screwed down by 2 screws - excellent
Reflector I.D. is 61.5 mm - outstanding
Weight: 305g - fairly light for it’s size
nice solid shelf
the blue bezel is not SS unfortunately, it’s aluminum
the switch looks like a heavy duty one. There’s 2 slots next to the rubber switch boot to unscrew the tail - the removable tail/switch housing is plastic though
This got:

1240 lumens, 266 kcd (3.74A)
This is slightly better now than the specs posted. Really needs a FET driver though. Because the switch is driver mounted, I’d probably go with a piggyback driver mount.”

I want to check how i can remove the driver without damaging it , driver must be press fit .

Mine, after spring bypassed.
Turbo : 1300 LM 220,000cd
Hi 670LM 115,000cd

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Ref.
Nitecore P30 1000LM 85,000cd
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Haikelite SC01
1700LM 52,000cd
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Utorch UT02 CW
1000LM 90,000cd
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TN42 490,000cd

Mine has XHP35 HI V3 3C, jaxman x1S driver with added R100. Does 1650lm and 280.000cd
Side button no longer works

Do you have to cycle through STROBE to return to LOW ?!

If you leave the rear switch on , yes .
But if you turn it off from the rear switch , it will start at the lowest mode.

Just got mine, it does’nt act as yours at all…
3 modes, crappy spacing and no OFF mode frome the e-switch.
I’m disappointed

What are they thinking … :person_facepalming:

Mine was like yours too

I don’t have this light, but I do have an Amutorch AM30 (review) and it is a very solid light! Nice beam and output, very well built!

When reading some things above made me go to their page on AliExpress and check the specs on modes.
Not saying that what is happening with your lights is not “true”, it is strange indeed, as the “original” Amutorch JM70 has these modes:

This is the flashlight’s page: Page Not Found - Aliexpress.com

The AM30 also has 4 regular modes, starting on 200 lumens, double click for turbo, 3 clicks for strobe, 4 clicks to (un)lock. Despite it is not a tail + e-switch light, I’m finding very strange passing the 1-2-3 modes and them strobe!

Is it possible that you have a “damaged” driver or switch that reads the 1+1+1 clicks as “3 quick clicks” for strobe?

EDIT: I also find it very “strange” to receive these lights under “Galuxia” brand/name… I received the AM30 in a Amutorch branded (with sticker) box. Maybe this has to do with being BG the seller, but…something doesn’t seem to be completely right here :expressionless: