[Review] Wuben E05 - Impressive eSwitch 14500

Factory Specifications table has been updated. Which leads me to…

Ponderings & Pure Speculation: the spec and measured runtimes on 14500 seem to match up too well. My measurements were spot-on to the minute with the specs. How on earth could my High runtime test end just before 181 minutes (like 180.5 minutes), with a factory spec of 3 hours (180 minutes)… that’s too perfect! And battery voltage still being at 3.19V afterward? Likewise during the Turbo test… it cut out at 63 minutes, ending with the battery at 3.14V. Spec is 3+60, exactly my measured time. I’ve never seen a manufacturer time the cutoffs, so perhaps it is purely coincidental. Or is it?

I might need to re-run a couple of these tests with different batteries (such as the 900 mAh Soshine ones I have sitting around) and see if the times are consistent or if they change.

WooW, that is on spot :open_mouth: Nice measurements, yours and…Wuben’s :smiley:
BTW, what Soshine batteries do you have if I may ask?
The Sanyo 14500 (unprotectect flat top), Efest 14500 (unprotectect flat top) and Sofirn 14500 900mAh (unprotected button top) don’t work on my, due to the flat top (first 2) and due to length (sofirn) :zipper_mouth_face:

I hope you can make some pictures of the driver, when you’re modding it.

Nice review by the way :+1:

These are the ones I’ve got. Ugh, now that I see that price again (less than $8 for 4 batteries), I’m tempted to get more even though I don’t need them :person_facepalming:

They’re shorter than the included Wuben battery, but they work ok. If I hit the light hard with my hand it’ll flash due to losing contact, but I have to force it to happen.

Thanks. And I don’t think I’ll be able to get pics of the driver, unfortunately. The tube appears to be glued to the head. At least I can’t twist it with my hands, and I don’t have strap wrenches to try. Thankfully the stainless bezel isn’t glued and I can attack the emitter that way.

Nice looking light and I like the UI. I am really interested to get my hands on one to give it a try
I like 14500 lights for the form factor. Will it run on AA just in case you need a quick battery if the one in it dies?

Yup! Works just fine with AA. You just don’t get Turbo mode.

Cool. Thanks for the review and intro to what could be a nice edc light.

Emitter Swap: complete (see post #2)

Hum, much better tint now on the flashlight :wink: And improved lumens :smiley:
And thanks for pointing out the batteries! I’ll probably need to get one or 2 that are longer than mine, so that I have some spares. These Soshine may be some candidates :wink:

Hey Gchart, do you have any idea if a 16mm MCPCB from MTN is a drop in?

Im not too comfortable reflowing just yet.

It should fit fine. The only thing is I don’t remember if it’s a 1mm or 1.6mm thick MCPCB (I’m thinking 1mm, but I didn’t measure). Worse case if you use a 1.6mm and it was a 1mm is that you’d have a tiny gap between the stainless bezel and the head. You might be able to sand down the gasket a bit to add clearance. What LED are you thinking about swapping in?

Probably a warm XPL2 like you did.

Great review!! Thank you. :+1: Mine are supposed to be here Wednesday, I can’t wait. :wink:

The picture of your daughter is great, she’s a cutie & maybe a budding ‘flashoholic’ too. :wink:

Got one, the 3 hour run time on high is what sold me. Most 14500 flashlights chew through the battery very fast on anything other than a low setting.
The coupon code from Vipon puts this light at 19.97 with prime, couldn’t say no to that.

Got the Wuben TO46R last week and am blown away by the quality, fit and finish and performance.
The packaging is even better than a lot of other light in the same price range.

Thanks gchart for the great reveiw!
Later,

Keith

Thanks guys. This really is a great light. I took it deer hunting with me this weekend (with a bigger one for backup, and my TH20 for gutting in the dark) and it looked great out there in nature with the 4000K that I swapped in, and plenty bright.

Thanks for posting the information and the emitter swap photos. I was about to buy it but didn’t like the UI. I want simple click for on/off. Press and hold should be for changing mode, which is far more intuitive and has become the standard for BLF UIs.

This is always subjective, for me I want the modes to change fast and not have to wait.
The timing on hold for off is not as bad as it sounds, put it this way, if you press it to turn it off and just move your hand to your pocket it will be off before you secure it.
Unless you are trying to avoid sniper fire the delay is very reasonable.

My only wish would be for a shortcut to moonlight but they have made hold down from off to go to Turbo which is more important to me, so I guess it’s no big deal.
Can always shut off in moonlight and then it will be memorized.

One thing that really pleased me with this flashlight is it has almost a Foy bezel, but just has a small subtle crenulation so you know if the flashlight is on of you set it down on it’s head.
Tint looks like pure white with normal tint shift for the type of emitter.
Testing capacity on the battery as we speak.

Overall best buy of the year for me on a AA/14500 EDC by far.
Later,

Keith

Mind got here today. I charged the battery & fired it up…… I am amazed at this little light!!

Everything you guys wrote about them is true!! I could not be happier with this purchase…. This light nails it. :+1:

Thanks for the objective/atypical review.

Gamed runtime?
150-181 lumens on HI for so many m.a.hours ?
If more photons are needed, next level begins ~ 1000?