Smallest AA/14500 light that can do 500 / 1000 lumens?

Pretty impressive that an AA can do 300lumens+ but it doesn’t have any kind of medium mode from 20-70 lumens? odd

Zebralight SC5, if you want AA.

Utorch UT01
Nitecore MT10A
I like them both.

Sofirn SP10B ostensibly throws 573lm with a 14500 (just looked).

I just use alkaleaks (yecch), LFPs, NiMHs, so that’s not something I’m personally familiar with. :smiley:

I’m fond of the UT01, but I also like the Sofirn SP10b, and I’m a little more confident in recommending it to others.

I like my Lumintop Tool AA. Has a low, med, hi. No memory but always starts on low. Decent run times on 14500, not sure about other chemistry.
I also like my Thrunite t10 V2. I run eneloops in that and get over 200 lumens. I’ve read it will run on 14500 but haven’t tried yet.

I too am looking for another AA/14500 and the Manker has caught my eye. T01 2 and E11 are interesting.

Lastly, I have been looking at the Streamlight 1L-AA but am not sure it will support 3.7v long term. Waiting for someone to test it as I like the 14500 now that I have been using them.

Lumintop is around 20$, small and bright with awesome accessories. Comes with second magnetic tail cap, turns into a twisty with magnetic cap on. Also has nice silicone defuser, lanyard and clip.

i like my utorch ut-01 a lot
i think it gets around 500 on a 14500
it is definitely SMALL and the UI is decent

wle

Not sure if it is the smallest, but:

  1. Olight S1A Baton makes 600 lumens on Turbo (with 14500 Li-Ion battery)!

2) Nitecore EA11 makes 900 Lumens (with 14500 Li-Ion battery)!

3) Manker E11, as the Utorch UT01 and the Lumintop EDC05 make about 800 lumens max.

4) Fitorch EC10 makes about 700 lumens (but the user interface… :person_facepalming: )

5) Boruit BC01 supposedly makes 800 lumens (but the user interface, again… :person_facepalming: )

Also, Mecarmy is producing an AA/14500 flashlight with max output between 500-1000 lumens. More info here: What material do you expect for AA/14500 flashlight

About the given suggestions, the Sofirn SP10A, SP10B and SF14, all make above 500 lumens on max output (when using Li-Ion cells) are are probably the most budget lights you will find with that specs (apart from the UT01 with discount coupon)!

I’ve also been searching for something alike, so I have interest on the discussion here! :+1:

EDIT 1: ROFIS TR15 makes 700 lumens!

EDIT 2:
Lumintop Duke - 600 lumens
Lumintop Prince Mini - 500 lumens

Did you measure lumen output with alkaleaks on SPB10?

I don’t have a lumenometer, but ostensibly it’s about half, so figure 250-300.

I don’t think there is any 14500 nor 16340, nor 18350 light that can maintain 500 lumens for more than a few seconds.
here is the Klarus runtime plot:

if you want to shift to a shorter option than 14500, consider a 16340 light such as the S Mini
if you want an 18350 light with a 1000 lumen turbo, consider the PT-16

And you then proceed to show a plot that clearly demonstrates over 500 lumens for what looks like about 3 minutes?

I have the Klarus M17 and the Utorch UT-01.
Both have their strengths, the Klarus is thinner and slightly longer, and has a cooler tint with a defined hot-spot giving decent throw and very useful spill.
The Utorch is nearly all flood, much better for close to room-size purposes, but no significant throw for outdoors.
I believe the Klarus is the better all-rounder, nice direct access to moonlight, turbo, and easy lockout with battery check as well.

The Klarus Mi7 accepts protected 14500 without any issues too. Its a steal for $20 with code.

Forgot to mention, the Klarus won’t accept flat-top 14500’s , I don’t remember if the Utorch does, but I now have Soshine 14500 button tops, working perfectly in both, and genuine 850mAh, non-protected. Available from Electronic Apartmetn Store . Best service I have received from an AliExpress store yet (but probably only because I haven’t bought direct from Convoy so far)

I have several Utorch Ut01s. With a 14500 they are supposed to do 800 lumens. It is a very bright little light but probably more in the 700 lumen range. They are programmable for output in each mode and it’s very easy to do. From the factory, they are not set on the highest setting for Turbo so don’t be disappointed with initial output. with a code, they can regularly be had for $10 shipped.

thanks for keeping me honest, you’re right, 3 minutes of constantly dropping brightness above 500 lumens, is a lot more than just a few seconds

but that does not make what I said inaccurate:
I don’t think there is any 14500 nor 16340, nor 18350 light that can maintain 500 lumens for more than a few seconds.

a note about the Mi7 spec:
Over-Discharge Protection automatically lowers output levels to protect rechargeable batteries

imo, that is not true protection, it is a step down in brightness but the Klarus will continue to drain the cell, it won’t actually stop draining at 2.7v, so it can over discharge if a light is forgotten in the ON position… Of course no self respecting flashaholic would fail to notice, but granny might… Moral of the story, Klarus is not for Granny :slight_smile:

My Klarus Mi7 has such bad parasitic drain that I can’t really use it unless I physically lock out the light. Klarus’s customer service hasn’t done anything about it so I won’t buy another.

Love my Nitecore MT10a and EA11, if you don’t mind the larger head. That being said, I EDC a UTorch UT01 with neutral tint. Just got a spare for around $10 on a coupon. I actually carry 2 UT01’s. One with a 14500, the other I run off alkalines from my junk drawer. They claim 400 lumens off an AA. The turbo is plenty bright for me. One caveat: Mine doesn’t accept protected cell 14500 unless I use the paperclip mod (I use copper wire, not a paperclip).

All things considered, I think it’s pretty hard to beat the UT01. Interface works for me, like the deep pocket clip, side button so shorter form factor, more than cheap enough, especially with a coupon. Length-wise, it’s just barely longer than my Lumintop tool AAA. I would like a tail magnet, but to be fair, not sure how often I’d use it.

As far as Lumen output goes Lumintop EDC05 is not in the same league as the UT01 and Manker E11. The difference in lumen output is slight but noticeable…. thread here:

Here is a Manker E11 runtime plot, you can see it cannot maintain 500 lumens for more than a second or two, on its declining brightness output
(pic is a link)

I have not researched why those lines are wavy, maybe PWM, or maybe thermal regulation, but either way, there is no flat regulated 500 lumen output, in fact, there is no flat regulated output at all.

as far as who copied who, Manker, Utorch, Lumintop, to me it makes no sense to claim any copied the other… imho, these cheap Chinese lights all source their parts from the same sources, they just make some changes to the knurling, pocket clip, and logo, and maybe to the driver too, but the basic parts stock all comes essentially out of the same factory… The branding is by different companies, yes, but the parts supply and original manufacturing, are pretty much generic and interchangeable.

That is why we see so many “clones”. They aren’t really clones, they are just different batch orders with different “branding”.

Sure, I was just using the manufacturer specs as I don’t have means to confirm or to measure it myself! All 3 are advertised as 800 lumens that in practice may not be reached, of course.
All the outputs provided are based on what the listed specs are! :wink: