Infinitely Variable Brightness 1 x AA Headlamp 1050Lumens

I very much appreciate the video along with the commentary from both of you. If the output is impressive when the XPL-HD is tested outdoors and Al’s assessment is agreeable to most then these seem to be 2 of the 3 lights to beat in a fairly broad and admittedly undefined category of higher output/throw AA/14500/NiMH protected cell headlamps/EDC torches at $30 (whew).

is it easy to open up and swap emitter?

">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-M05lF2z4_s

I enjoyed your review, and subscribed to your channel. Thanks for the frank assessment about the XP-L HD tint.

I must say that the 4000K tint on the H40 with SST-20 LED is pretty good. It is warm and appealing but not quite as rosy as the Enogear SS AA/14500 IMO. However, the H40 does not have the same level of obvious PWM as the SS AA/14500. (My method of measuring PWM is rather primitive - I just wave the flashlight in front of my eyes. I noticed no PWM with the H40 using this method, but it is obvious with the SS AA/14500.) Edit. My PWM assessments were done using the lowest available flashlight modes.

The OP lens on the H40 offers a surprising amount of throw in Turbo mode. The beam has a tight spot with a large area of spill. In UltraLow and Low modes the beam with the H40 is more homogeneous without spill. So far I have only used a 14500 battery, but will eventually try a Ni-MH.

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Thanks so much for watching/ and subscribing…i didnt notice PWM, I do the same test as you do…i will test when i get home.

Thanks man…i want a good light like this…i will test it against the Thrunite TH20 when i get home…i got both CW and NW, both Tints arent good…

I’m hoping that it’s a winner too. If it’s easy to mod as has been apparently done with the TH20 (never have but should be able to with the help here) then the H40 might satisfy for quite a while. I’ve been blessed with (4) protected cell 14500 lights or headlamps that put out 500 lumens or better in various tints/CRIs (ZL SC52, UT01, TH20 and soon this H40 in SST40). Only the ZL was relatively expensive and all seem to reach out farther and perform far better than I would have ever expected not that long ago.
In other words, I’m pretty satisfied with where the smaller cell format has stalled…and that may be a good thing until protected 21700 lights (if ever) start to become more popular…and the problem starts up again. :person_facepalming:

Where can it be purchased?

Illumn has them in the US. Nkon has them in the EU. This reddit post has a teardown - emitter swaps look very easy. LH351D would make a lot of sense here, I think.

“LH351D would make a lot of sense here, I think.”

Why would this LED make a lot of sense?

Thank you

In the US, both version of the Acebeam HC40 can be purchased from Amazon for $29.80, with free shipping.

Zak, what is illumn? Can you provide a link? Thanks.

illumn

Thanks, zak.
I would be interested as well in why the LH351D might be as good or better a substitution here given the overall construction. Not educated enough to flesh out the reasoning myself.

Just popped both a protected 840mah and a std. Eneloop in to a SST-40 that just arrived.
Obviously small and very light, much more pocketable (no headband) than the TH20.
Very throwy with usable spill.
Low is high enough (unfortunately) to light a whole barn up and make out anything in the rafters.
Excellent color rendition to my eyes.
Bonus ‘turbo’ mode using eneloops (no idea how long it lasts or if i’m seeing things but 2 clicks past the high ramp seems to be brighter).
Turbo seems to last a long time (no idea how long) and gets just as hot as expected. Good hand warmer this time of year.

For $30 it’s probably as good a light or better than I’m blessed with currently yet that’s not saying much. :slight_smile:

I have no need for a AA headlamp but I keep checking in every time this thread is updated.

I currently don’t own any AA headlamps. There must be some rule I am breaking.

Anyone care to take a photo of it next to a H03 or some other known light.

I’m not tech savvy but it’s 3/4 the size/length of my ZL SC52 with a negligible bulge difference in the middle. I’ll probably start carrying it full time as it is just that smaller, lighter, a better LED (imo) and probably more versatile with the right clip or headband.
Tried it on some basketry that we have and it just does a good job of lighting things up ‘better’ to my eyes.
Pretty smitten with it so far probably because of the former, the throw, the turbo, the size and I suppose the price given what headlamps with these features usually demand.

Thank you . I have owned a SC52 so your info is helpful.

I am from Spain (Europe)

I will wait if it will be available on any chinese vendor such as banggood gearbest or ebay

Thanks

It’s an interesting LED to me yet I’m not very versed in the subject other than having owned various versions dating back to say the Cree Q5(?) and the first GBs on CPF. I’m sure that others will debate the warmness, color rendering and throw not to mention the tint yet this SST-40 (Edit: SST-20) seems to have made me a convert given what I’ve read and experienced to date.
Not sure what the tint/reel lottery and/or fakes will bring in the future yet I hope that yours there in Spain arrives as mine did yesterday.
And with old man eyes I even like the little square orange button… :wink:

…just to give you an idea of the hotspot and how throwy it is:
If you’re in pitch dark and the lowest mode, the hot spot 2 feet away or so is probably 6-7” in diameter on a wall using an Eneloop (YMMV).
Even though the bezel sits fairly fat to the tube it looks like there’s enough material for a simple diffuser to slip on fairly easily if it was of the correct size and flexible silicon type material (suggestions welcome).

it’s available at eu.nkon.nl for a reasonable price… sadly right now shipping is a bit too much, maybe i should order some batteries with it

Please don't say sst 40 if you're just trying to say acebeam H40 with the high cri sst 20 option

http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=60_130

sst40 will just confuse people who are already confused .

I think having a decent lightweight AA or cr123 headlamp has it's place ..when you have to wear one on your head .

Normally I just wear a headlamp loose around the neck for comfort …..and joy.