Astrolux EC06 - some pics & a beamshot

[d_t_a]

Some pics of the Astrolux EC06, side-by-side comparison with some other flashlights:

(from left to right:)

Haikelite HK04 - Sofirn Q8 Pro - Sofirn Q8 Pro - Astrolux EC06 - Convoy 3X21A - Convoy 4X18A

~~~~~~~

top row: 3X21A (SFT40) - EC06 - HK04

bottom row: 4X18A (SBT90.2) - Q8 Pro (OP) - Q8 Pro (SMO)

Astrolux EC06 LED

Astrolux EC06 battery board, appears to have spring bypass wires pre-installed

Astrolux EC06 driver board

(is this called a FET +3 design? the regulated brightness level (on first battery insert) appears to be around 400 lumens level so probably 7135x3 or around 1 Amp )

USB-C charging appears to charge at 5v (up to around 3A max), and the powerbank function is also likewise.

Protocol detection with a USB meter indicates it uses DCP/5v protocol (no QuickCharge2/3 or PD) although C-to-C cable is supported.

Astrolux EC06 beamshot test

(opposite building is around 150 meter or 400 feet away from the flashlight)

Astrolux EC06 (6x XHP50.2 cool-white, 16000 lumens) beamshot

Given the strong resemblance to the Sofirn Q8 Pro, my guess is that the EC06 is another Sofirn-manufactured flashlight (as is the EC01 and EC03).

It uses the same Anduril version as the newer batch of Q8 Pro (Anduril 2, firmware version 2021-06-06 model '611')

(this firmware seems to be a Sofirn specific firmware, since it's not listed in Toykeeper's Anduril repository.

Also, the triple-click from Off (when set to Advanced mode) has the sequence: Batt-check - Temp-check - Beacon - SOS

The button switch light also functions similar to the BLF LT1v2.0 (A2 board):

• blinking blue while charging / steady blue finish charging
• steady orange when in powerbank mode
• green light: (Anduril state: Off/Low/High/Blinking)

[icpart]

WOW thanks d_t_a for teardown and video with beamshots. I live in EU an will be need to wait about of month to receive my new EC06. d_t_a can you take shot of another battery side of driver and also picture of flashlight body under driver. Thanks in advance.

[vonroyale]

Awesome! Very pumped for mine to get here.

That’s definitely a pretty interesting looking board.

[mcflies]

So much for open-source. Also would not be FET+2+1?

[ganjubas07]

Can you tell me how it is compared to other flashlights? Is there much cold light from it? Is there any point in such a flashlight with such a cold light?

[Scallywag]

I’m assuming that’s an ATTiny85 on there. I’d be interested if someone like Tom E could get a hold of one and compare before/after with the stock FETs vs something like SIRA20DP

[mortuus]

@ganjubas07

Can you tell me how it is compared to other flashlights? Is there much cold light from it? Is there any point in such a flashlight with such a cold light?

this really a flood light, if u are in forest or some big open areas u dont care much for cool white really.

[d_t_a]

@mcflies

So much for open-source. Also would not be FET+2+1?

My guess is it’s a FET +3, but then I’m not really well-versed in electronics, so could be totally wrong… but

I use the “shine flashlight through small fan blades” method to see if there’s PWM…

from what I can tell, when in stepped ramping mode (default 7 brightness steps),
the 4th brightness step is exactly the same as the “on battery insert” (smooth ramping mode) regulated brightness level.

Level 1-3, 5-7 will have fast PWM as seen with the “light thru fan blades” method; but there is No PWM at all when on the 4th level (on battery insert = regulated).

I don’t have a light integrating device to measure lumens, but I do have a lux meter and use “ceiling bounce” in a small enclosed room for checking lux measurements (my “guesstimated” lumens). I “guesstimate” the 4th brightness level (in stepped ramping mode) to be somewhere around 400+ lumens.

What current will produce around 400+ lumens with 6pcs XHP50.2 LEDs?

The 7th step in default “stepped ramping” mode, my guesstimate is somewhere around 8000-9000+ lumens on first going to that level (not “ANSI 30-seconds” readout)

[icpart]

In real it is just as regular FET+1 driver. There is 3 channels in parallel which drive by 2 LEDs at same time at channel.

[Chinaheart]

Very Nice review D_T_A

[The_Flashaholic]

Shame it only takes button top 21700’s, hard to find tbh, and I was hoping ASTROLUX would stay away from the Anduril 2.

Like with the Haikelite HK90, banggood are recommending flat top 21700’s in the listing which won’t work.

I can only get Molicel raised tops which won’t get me anywhere near full power anyway. What a disappointment.

[Vodak-Yarout]

I’e receiv this light yesterday
I didn’t expect anything extraordinary, but I’m still disappointed with this Astrolux EC06.

Close the flat top battery cons, the heat stepdown is ridiculously exaggerating.
I’ve two Astrolux MF01S 4000k and 5000K version i’ve expect similar heat gestion but no, the stepdown control bring us to really low levels.
I don’t have material for mesure the drop but for me we close reach level under 1000 lumens very quickly from turbo, it’s ridiculous a so low level output with the tall of this light.
I’m in my backyard moderate wind –5 degres Celcius the difference between the two is quite impressive (EC06 ans MF01S)
I dont know if it’s issu from Anduril but the result is not very convincing.
Light is overheat after 2 minute and purpose nothing other a greenish tint typical low level output for XHP 50.2 cool white

Not turbo only, moderate output quickly takes us to the low level.
The light is pretty hot it’s not low control temperature, this light simply overheat with ridiculous output.

it’s pretty disappointing

MF01S for 80$ it’s a good deal
EC06 for 60$ it’s not good deal in the current state, for me

Does anyone else feel the same way or is it just me?

[d_t_a]

@The_Flashaholic

Shame it only takes button top 21700’s, hard to find tbh, and I was hoping ASTROLUX would stay away from the ghastly Anduril 2.

Like with the Haikelite HK90, banggood are recommending flat top 21700’s in the listing which won’t work.

I can only get Molicel raised tops which won’t get me anywhere near full power anyway. What a disappointment.

I’m just using flat-top 21700 batteries while testing the EC06 (I don’t have any unprotected button-top 21700 batteries at all at this time).
I do have 2 protected (raised-top) 21700 batteries, one from a Rofis flashlight, and another from a Wuben flashlight, but protected 21700 batteries will be too long (won’t fit) for the EC06.

I think Samsung 48G won’t work though, since the 48G has a more “recessed flat-top”.

I tested with Samsung 40T, Molicell P42A, Liitokala Lii-40A (Lishen), Tesla 21700, and they all appear to work on the EC06 (I can’t determine if there will be some brightness losses due to using flat-top 21700 batteries though, but they do work).

[The_Flashaholic]

I usually find 1 or 2 of the 3 flat top batteries make a connection when using them on a head like this but with a power drop.

Why does the switch back-light flash orange for a while after the light is turned off

[The_Flashaholic]

I like the default Simple UI on the EC06, it has full power and double tap from off for Turbo!! Ramping right up to Turbo.

Toykeeper or Tom have come up trumps at last with A2. It really is good now.

I’d still like Advanced mode to ramp to turbo and double click to Turbo from off, and maybe sack Simple mode off for a INSTANT-MUGGLE mode where 6 taps sets off the flashlight automatically raising output from the floor and you tap once at a suitable level to lock the ceiling so you can quickly lend it out.

[Tom_E]

It's all TK's doing for this, adding more options. My tracking says "arriving late" and turns out to be true .

Could easily DMM probe to determine if it's FET+3 or FET+1+2. Hoping just 2 channels because 3 channels eats up valuable code space, and you would have to drop some feature like SOS to get it to fit with the new Anduril 2.

[The_Flashaholic]

I get a bit of pressure escaping when I open the charging port cover, is this because I’m using 18650’s and the extra air volume is expanding more?

[texas_shooter]

Just got mine and put fresh Molicell P42A in it. Very bright and very hot within seconds. Low settings are only slightly yellow so I did well in the tint lottery.

[Tom_E]

Ohh - looked more carefully at the driver. It looks like a FET+ 3 with it wired so each pair of LED's gets a FET+1, but driven in parallel from the MCU. I think that's what they did. Interesting way of wiring it. Clearly each FET/7135 pair is output wired independently from each other. Makes you wonder, based on % tolerances of the FET's if each pair may be brighter/dimmer than another pair. I've never seen multiple FET's wired like this - usually they just wire them in parallel, with shared output.

Dunno, maybe there's a slight advantage this way.

d_t_a - you are right, pretty sure anyway - FET+3 but uniquely wired up

If you got a Convoy 3X21A, you should try the flat top adapter in this light, see if it fits - suspect it will. Mine fits the Haikelite HK90 well.

[Vodak-Yarout]

@The_Flashaholic

_

I check our EC06 video with this turbo runtime graph

And I’ve compare to our old MF01S with this turbo graph

on the first I presume that green line is 0
After check that I reread my previous post
This 2 light have too much power if you use turbo

But we can see at our graph MF01S have possibity to evacuat heat a middle outpout and a possibility to have just a decent outpout a high temp level use

At the first run graph EC06 it’s just a falls to near near near so close 0 output :person_facepalming:

I validate myself with my hand and eye tools this light a no capability to evacuat heat so at any power output it will fall below 1000 (1000 i’m very sweet….)
Not 1000, 300 >_<

I’m ok beam is nice, so long as the light is not hot