sofirn aa lights (sf10/sf12/sf14/etc.)

I would look into that store before buying . Only 96.6% positive feedback. This ebay seller has been recommended :
http://stores.ebay.com/GenuineCells?\_dmd=1&\_nkw=14500

i have over 60 ikea ladda so far…not all them are for flashlights of course, i am using them among other things for sound recorder which is using 4xAA and all around house…they are one of the main reasons why i am avoiding lion batteries, too much hassle for my taste, do this, don’t do this, take care of this and that, nah…nimh rules :slight_smile:

I received a SP10a from the Sofirn Official Ali Store yesterday and can confirm that new lights seem to have the „new“ firmware with a single shortclick to moonlight mode. :slight_smile:

Thanks. I have 2 , purchased about a month apart . One has this and one doesn’t. One has a true firefly and one has a moonlight.

Of course, IF using a 14500, the FF lumen output on mine goes from 1 to 2 (as all mode levels increase).

Ya, as I am gifting to some family muggles AND I have the surplus NiMH chargers in the hand (and these Ladda’s cost about 1/4 of the better 14500s)… I have to agree on the NiMH as a standard load for gifting to some family. My mom-in-law already has her mission outlined for an Ikea run :wink:

But I will be using the 14500 for my personal AA lights because I like the idea of using one charger for all my lights— a lithium ion multi-sized charger- and call it good enough. So I did order the SoShine 14500 set this am (I’ll report back on them when I get and test them). I did snake my one UR14500P off eBay on an auction (for $2.50 shipped- poor guy didn’t make anything on that sell :cry: ).

it is interesting, but in this exact case there is not much difference between nimh and 145000 with sp10…brightness and beam are almost the same…

Yes I read that, great review thanks, however I only saw the length measurement - not the diameters, unless I missed that? :nerd_face:

Sorry, you’re right :person_facepalming: I just read the length part! :smiley:
Here it is: tail and head diameter = 19.8mm ; “base of the head” = 20.4mm :wink:

Hope this helps! And thanks for your words :wink:

Hum…now I don’t know what to expect from mine! I’ll tell something when mine arrives!
And… I guess lots of people here will be saying too :smiley: :money_mouth_face:

Nice compromise would be LFP cells. 3.2V, charges from a LK-100B, but you have to remember to always press Da Button when starting it up. Otherwise it’ll assume it’s a Li-ion cell and try charging it to 4.2V vs 3.6V. That would be a Bad Thing. But at least you’re playing with 3.2V pretty much flat over its whole discharge curve, vs 1.2V.

So dumb newbie question #146… is there a down side to the 14500 (besides cost) performance wise? I mean, yes I know a 14500 will be brighter (in this light) but run shorter. So just wondering about any other issues re. the 14500.

Myah… I saw those and I admit: I thought to myself (which ones are worth buying? - damn, this is going to take another 10 hours of research to find out!) :expressionless:

They seem to be pricey looking around too. Is there an “Ikea” version somewhere I might want to know about?

Links: (Tail switch models - flashlight only)

SF14: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sofirn-New-SP14-Mini-Portable-LED-Flashlight-AA-Cree-XP-G2-EDC-Pocket-Light-Torch-Portable/32829677829.html

SF10: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Powerful-LED-flashlight-EDC-pocket-torcia-lamp-with-Cree-R5-400lm-3-Modes-waterproof-LED-torch/2933049_32796820396.html?spm=2114.12010612.0.0.41db5da8DYgr1Z
SF10: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Sofirn-Mini-LED-Flashlight-AA-14500-Pocket-Light-Torch-Cree-XPG-R5-Keychain-flashlight-5-Modes/2933049_32813801364.html?spm=2114.12010615.0.0.34bca823BJBdsG

SF12: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/SF12-LED-Flashlight-Cree-XPG2-400LM-Powerful-Flashlight-LED-Waterproof-Mini-Penlight-with-Clip-3-modes/2933049_32800935007.html?spm=2114.12010615.0.0.4ae81ae9wnHGvR
SF12: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Sofirn-SF12-Mini-LED-Flashlight-AA-14500-Cree-XPG2-EDC-Pocket-light-Lamp-Portable-Penlight-Waterproof/2933049_32840132241.html?spm=2114.12010615.0.0.4ae81ae9wnHGvR

(not sure why there’s 2 different listings for SF10/SF12? with different prices!)

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Link to all Sofirn 14500/AA & AAA: EDC Flashlight - Shop Cheap EDC Flashlight from China EDC Flashlight Suppliers at Sofirn Official Store on Aliexpress.com

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Sofirn 14500 batteries 900mAh: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Sofirn-2-Pieces-set-14500-900mAh-Li-ion-Rechargeable-Battery-Batteries-Baterias-Bateria-For-LED-Flashlight/2933049_32840564123.html?spm=2114.12010615.0.0.34bca823BJBdsG

I got some Baseline cells from Amazon. Rated 600mAH, but seem to consistently rate just a shade under 500mAH (480-490) on my almighty Miboxer.

Seem to be pretty decent otherwise.

Also, keep in mind to compare energy, not current. So 500mAH at 3.2V is 1600mWH. The equivalent of a NiMH would be 1600mWH / 1.2V or around 1300mAH (vs 2000mAH for eneloops).

So NiMH has higher energy density (and so has longer runtime), but LFPs can be (sometimes lots) cheaper.

Thing is, NiMH cells always have to work harder, converting 1.2V to the 3.whatever the LED requires. So 1A to an LED means like 2.7A minimum from the cell. With LFPs, the voltages are almost equal, so a “mild boost” is all that’s needed. 1A to the LED means only 1.1A or so from the cell.

Cheaper lights with cheaper boost drivers drive the LED proportionally from the input voltage, so what’s decent with an alkie or NiMH will be on constant turbo with an LFP cell.

I like both, so… Just pick whatever you want, or better yet, just try some of each.

Second the Soshine 14500.
Bought 4 on that review. use in 3 different torches.
Triple the output of AA. with lot’s of life.
Wife had one in a cheapie AA . Left on desk for 20 mins face down NO scallops round rim.

Cooked her hand when she picked it up.
Soshine OUT. AA back in. For that one hey.
Apart from that. My single and a double are fine.

Yeah, that’s why muggles shouldn’t be let near Li cells.

NiMH (eneloops) are usually best. Don’t leak and ruin whole lights like alkaleaks, and don’t set fire to things like Li cells.

Ya, I’m going to have to educate my wife (muggle graduate school time) about the Li cells mo’ better for sure. Because if ANYTHING gets burned— it will be my (or her father’s) fault :cowboy_hat_face:

Ah… I see now why you suggest them! They are an efficiency match due to the matching voltage/current— makes sense!

Wellp, those “solar lights” you plant in the ground, used to take 1/more NiCd/NiMH cells, and a step-up converter. Now, lots of them just take a nice simple LFP cell and small resistor.

Ie, you’re running those dinky little LEDs at maybe 20mA, not 1A/2A/5A or more, so the Vf will be quite a bit lower.

I recently got another SF12 that I decided to buy, for some reason.

This unit is quite different than my last one. PWM is not as bad, as the driver is different, came with a reverse clicky instead of forward, and machining and anodizing is MUCH better than my first SF12

Anyone know how to remove their snap rings? The holes are super small and I don’t know if its clockwise or counter clockwise. Tried with tweezers but its not sturdy enough.