“REVIEW”: Acebeam TK16 (AL) – Triple Osram – 1 x CR123A / 16340 - 1300 Lumens [Pic Heavy] - ***BEAMSHOTS ADDED - POST #14***

IMPORTANT :exclamation:

I was using the the TK16 on Turbo when it started blinking warning for the low battery. The first blinks was at 3.49V . 3 blinks each 5 seconds.
I restarted using in turbo and it had the same behaviour and then it stepped down to LOW. This time the batter was at 3.42V.
The I restarted to use it in High only, and it kept blinking and stepped down after about 20 second. I didn’t measure the voltage at that time, just picked it and left it ON in Medium mode. After a while, it blinked and immediately stepped down.

This time I went to measure the voltage , hoping for 3.0V, but it was at 2.55V!!!

So, despite this is a rough test, the conclusions are:
a) the TK16 does warn about the low battery level at around 3.49V and not 3.1V as indicated on the manual
b) IT DOESN’T HAVE LOW VOLTAGE CUT-OFF! Or, if it has, it will be in a even lower voltage level (mostly for CR123a batteries)

So, keep an eye on your battery after it starts blinking! Using a small protected battery will probably work, but then you wont enjoy the full power of this light!!! :smiling_imp:

@ Scallywag
Here’s a slightly over-exposed photo with the Acebeam on the left and a Convoy S2+ with XP-G2 S4 3D with 10507 Carclo optics.
Even using the same type of optic, the domed and emitter produces a much larger beam!

Tomorrow I will be comparing the TK16 (middle) with some multi emitter flashlights. Here they are (Left to right):
Convoy S2+ Desert Tan - XP-G2 S4 3D - Carlco 10507
Convoy S2+ Black - XP-G2 S4 3C - Carclo 10508
Convoy S2+ Grayish Blue - XP-G2 S4 5A - 10511
FW3A - XP-L HI 3D - Carclo 10511
Emisar D4 - XP-G2 S4 3D - Carclo 10621
Wuben TO46R - XP-G3 [5000K High CRI] - Carclo 10507

MascaratumB, another quality review, thanks!

Short review of the review :wink: … It looks like you have a good setup there. No flashlight on a large, messy and cluttered table where the attention is diverted from the presented product. Lighting on and around the tested light is superb with few or no shadows that distract. I bet you have a nice collection of flood lights to choose from.

It seems you also have a whole range of heavy quality colored paper, foam or PP corrugated board in nice vivid colors! These backdrops ensure that you look with pleasure at the lights tested and you can purely concentrate on the details, well done!

I'd previously discounted the idea of using the white flat in optics, but it looks like it has its merits. Thanks for this review, and I look forward to your comparison beamshots.

Not exactly. If a lot of current is drawn from the cell, voltage lowers (voltage sag).

Thanks for your words Grigio! :blush:
And…despite it seems I have a great setup, I don’t! I use my kitchen/sitting room to take these pictures! I have 2 lamps that I use and that are the single lamps I have that help me on the review.
The coloured paper are actually individual plastic sheets that can be used to cut some food or to sit a dish if you don’t want to use a table towel! The tint comparison beamshots are made over my travelling suitcase in a small room…
So my conditions are good! Maybe due to that I have to “play with the light” and with the conditions themselves to do the best I can!

Thank you for your words :+1:

Yup, they do indeed! And if they create those “funny” artifacts (that other leds do not create because they are larger or domed) they also allow for a lot of throw. The video I linked above shows hows narrow the beam is and later I will try to show that as well :wink:

Hum, this means that the cell maybe have a lower “voltage” than what I actually measured? I am sorry, I may not have understood well what you meant :zipper_mouth_face:

Normally the lights I have with low battery warning have a consistency of warning at almost the same voltage they are supposed to, but this one showed this behaviour. Please explain what you mean :+1:

Heh! Seeing the kitchen table, the placemats and those 2 floor lamps, I’m even more amazed! Keep ’m coming, those candy-colored reviews! :slight_smile:

I have protected Olight 16340 and protected Klarus 16340 they both trip on Turbo on my Osram version.


COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 7 FLASHLIGHT BEAMS



TK16 BEAM


TK16 Turbo: POWER vs ECO


TK16 vs FW3A


TK16 vs The Others
1 – 16m (tree)

2 - 70m (closest tree) & 116 m (farthest tree)

3 – 75m (house)

4 – 45m (closest trees /vineyard) & 100 m (farthest vineyard)

5 – 16 m

Thank you, the comparisons are... Illuminating.

Thanks for your review. I didn’t even know there was an eco and power mode on my TK16 and of course didn’t know it defaulted to ECO mode. Setting it to power mode makes it a much funner light! Thanks for your UI instructions.

Thank you :wink: Hum, I guess this shows how a “pocket thrower” this version with Osram is, right? :wink:
On Turbo (Power) it can be seen illuminating at almost 300 m :open_mouth: Incredible for a triple light!!!
And I did the “vs FW3A” on purpose to show how different the beams look like !!

Ahah, it has, indeed, and they have different Turbo! In Power group mode, the Turbo is stronger (visibly!) and gets even HOTTER than in ECO mode! So beware of the temperature while using it!

I will be using mine on ECO as it will be enough for my daily use! But It is good to have POWER when you need it :smiling_imp:

I forgot to mention that the TK16 stands and can be a little “candle” when using a diffuser such as the one of the Wuben E05 :wink:

EDIT:

While the flashlight is electronically locked, if the head is unscrewed and the contact with the tube/battery is broken, the light will then be unlocked !

Here is the test of 16340 cell: Test/review of Vapcell INR16340 800mAh (White). The discharge chart:

So if you draw 10A from the fully charged cell and read voltage, you will see 3.6V.

I guess I understand what you mean now! I had never understand the graphics that way :zipper_mouth_face:
Still, this is a somehow weird thing! And even less pleasant is to have it draining the battery even lower than 2.8V :expressionless:
I will be careful from now on!

Thanks for the explanation!

I made a lanyard for my Acebeam TK16!
As it is a tailswitch light and the pocket clip is non reversible, I thought of this configuration would be the best to grab the light in a comfortable manner to use it with the tailswitch.
It allows to pick the light up from the pocket by the knot/bead in the tail.
It allows to wrap the fingers with the lanyard in different ways.
The orange thread glows under UV so I can find it in the dark with the RovyVon Aurora A8U without turning ON a “white light”!

There are probably other and better options but I came up with this!

I just tested the TK16 Osram version with these three cells. The new Vapcell 800mah is clearly the king of 16340.

Vapcell 800mah
Output: 1,184 lumens
Tested capacity: 781, 782, 791, 757 mah

Acebeam 550mah
Outpu: 1,190 lumens
Tested capacity: 617 mah

Efest 700mah Red wrapper
Output: 1,112 lumens
Tested capacity: 685 mah

Does anyone tested or calculated the real throw of the Osram LED?
I think it is not 338m.
I think it is more in the 250m.

Are you sure that clip is non reversible? … it looks reversible to me.

Changing the battery with the clip reversed would be awkward though since it would scrape against the head unless you used your fingers to lift it slightly.

I didn’t test or calculate the distance, but my eyes saw it reaching at least 200m, as shown in some photos above. More than that, I am not completely able to say concrete data :zipper_mouth_face:

Well, it can be reversible, but it will a) open the clip and force it more, and b) scratch the head.
While with the tip towards the tail it has a “groove” that allows that clip curve to pass without scratching, towards the head it with have friction with the fins! And it will scratch the anodizing.

I should have explained better this before.
If comparing the clip inversion in this light and in the Olight S1R Baton and the On The Road M3 Pro, in these last lights the clip (that has similar shape) will fit much better and without friction with the host!

[quote=MascaratumB]

I didn’t test or calculate the distance, but my eyes saw it reaching at least 200m, as shown in some photos above. More than that, I am not completely able to say concrete data.

Which one has more range: Acebeam TK16 XPG3 or Imalent LD10?