[Review] Nitecore VCL10 (all-in-one car charger, USB, QC 3.0, magnetic body, glass breaker, backup light, emergency signal)

Hello to everyone
Thanking them for the trust, today we will review the VCL10 which was kindly provided by Nitecore itself.

CLICK HERE to go to the official product page on the Nitecore website.

I want to clarify that my reviews are made at an amateur level, so without the aid of science fiction tools or tests in secret laboratories and cutting edge. Therefore, among the lines that follow, there will be my humble observations and even my humble opinions.



Official features:

- multifunctional USB QC vehicle charger
- Transformer Loss Compensation (TLC) enabling automatic adjustment of output voltage in accordance with the output current
- multi protection for overload, short-circuit, overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent and overheating etc.
- white beam and red warning light controllable with one button
- built-in photodetector enabling quickened flashes when detecting oncoming vehicles
- 90-degree tiltable head
- tungsten steel glass breaker tail design
- magnetic body
- 1 meter impact resistance
- certified by RoHS, CE, FCC and CEC



Where to buy it

The Nitecore VCL10 could be purchased from NitecoreStore.com



The packaging

The Nitecore VCL10 is sold inside a yellow cardboard box with a large transparent window that reveals the charger.
At the bottom there are the name of this car charger, a photo of it and the phrase "Multifunctional All-I-One Vehicle Gadget". Three images describe the functionality of the object.




On the back there is another photo of the charger along with the writing that highlights the compatibility with the standard Quick Charge 3.0. Further down there are the features and specifications of this charger. Then follow a QR-code that then sends back to the official page of the product on the Nitecore website, the FCC, RoHS, CEC and CE certifications and, finally, the company's data and their website.



The charger name is repeated on both sides together with the phrase "Vehicle Charger / Backup Light".



Once we have extracted everything from the package, we will find:
- the VCL10
- the warranty card
- the multilingual manual
P.S. No cables of any kind are included




Here is the manual pages. It is however possible to view (and download) the manual in its entirety from THIS address.




The charger

The VCL10 is Nitecore's first car charger. The black plastic body is neither too compact nor too large, has a magnet that allows the charger to be attached to metal surfaces and have a USB port compatible with Quick Charge 3.0. A small battery (which is automatically recharged when the charger is in the car's cigar-lighter) with a 240 mAh lithium ion that powers the LEDs on the charger is built inside of it.



The characteristics of the input and output of the charger are written on the body.



On the back there are the charger name and certifications.



As mentioned before, the VCL10 has 2 LEDs: one white (with a cold tint but with a neutral dominant) fixed, able to deliver as many as 25 lumens, and one red for emergency signals. Between the two there is a light sensor that, thanks to the magnet that will allow us to attach the charger to the chassis of the car, will react to the arrival of vehicles spots by increasing the flashing frequency of the red LED from 1 Hz (according to specifications) to 10 Hz (always according to the specifications).



The two LEDs are controlled by a switch (electronic, with a short stroke and an almost inaudible click) placed on top of the charger, next to the USB port.



The gem of the VCL10 lies in its head, in fact the part that houses the LEDs is able to tilt freely of 90°, allowing us to direct the beam where we need it most. Those that follow are the 0° position,



the 40° position



and this is the maximum extension.



Behind the LEDs there is a panel, held by 4 philips screws, which
there have a plastic tooth in its center.
At its bottom you can see the cables that power the LEDs.




The tooth has its own seat and, when you insert it, can listen a "clack". Inside the hole there is something that holds the rotating part locked.



Below there is another of the curious things about this charger, the tungsten tip that is able to break the windows of the car if needed.




How does it work

Regarding the lighting of the LEDs, the thing is simple.

Power On / Off

Holding down the switch will turn on the white LED (the first LED to be lit will always be him). Another prolonged pressure will turn off the whole thing.

Change levels

A single click (with LEDs on) on the switch will switch between white and red LEDs.

Red LED flashing

As mentioned before, the red LED may flash slowly (1 Hz) or fast (10 Hz). The flashing frequency change is automatic and due from the sensor between the two LEDs that can receive the light from an approaching light source.

For the rest, this VCL10 is a charger like any other. Just insert it into the cigar-lighter of your car and you have done it. Just connect a cable linked to a device and charge start automatically. Thanks to Quick Charge 3.0, Voltage and Amperage are automatically adjusted according to the need and, therefore, this charger is able to recharge any device within the range between 3.6 and 12 V with a maximum deliverable of 2.4A.

As soon as you insert it into the cigar-lighter, a blue indicator lights up




and a green indicator will light up
when we connect any device.



As mentioned before, the charger is able to power even quick-charge devices. Here is charging the Nitecore TM10K which, as shown in the picture, is using the Quick Charge.




Dimensions: weights and dimensions

The Nitecore VCL10 is 7.85 cm long, its head measures 2.41 x 2.30 cm and weighs 45 gr.

Next here is the dimensional comparison with a big BIC lighter and a 18650




and my Blitzwolf 4 USB port car charger.




Runtime, candles and beamshot

NB
The tests below were made (obviously) with the battery integrated in the charger. Everything was done in a home environment at 21 ° without forced ventilation. Since it was impossible for me to determine the lumens, I leave it to the other graphs.

The following values have been taken with the battery charged and are considered to be peak .

NB
The discharge curves are obviously indicative, the result could vary in positive or negative depending on the batteries used by the end user or the conditions of use that may vary from mine during my tests.



The following values have been taken with the battery charged and are considered to be peak .



All the following photos were taken with the white balance set to 5200K.

These photos were taken at a distance of 40 cm from the wall.






Beam width





Simulation of use of the battery charger to view the engine compartment





or to assist us in a possible tire change / chains mounting.





Here is a video to show you the charger in detail.




Personal considerations

With this VCL10, the Nitecore also begins to make car chargers but have gone out of the box by customizing it to make a real multi-purpose tool.

In a single and small car charger we find a tungsten windbreaker tip, a flashlight for emergencies, a red signaling LED that is very useful to signal our presence and any damaged vehicle (without forgetting the magnet and the rotating head) and, last but not least, a fast-charging USB port compatible with the QC 3.0 standard ... What more could you want?
Be clear, the flashlight is for emergency so it does not have a high shot but its 25 lumens are more than enough to see where we put our feet and its 240 mAh battery offers good autonomy.
Obviously its use in rainy conditions is not contemplated since, at least officially, no resistance to liquids is declared.
Talking of the white LED, I would have liked to see an extra level with more light output, maybe 50/70 lumens (even if at the expense of the runtime).
For the rest, I promote this product to have absolutely on board of your vehicle.


What do you think of this battery charger? Would you like to buy it?