Review: UV light shootout, seven lights tested

I got the KD P60 and set up my light with extension tubes running 4 18500 cells. Then I got to studying and started taking some measurements. One 18650 gave .31A, where 4 18500’s gave .07A. So the single cell was actually running more power. I don’t need it to run 6 weeks on one charge, so single cell it is! :slight_smile: (yes, I know, 6 weeks was an exaggeration to prove a point) Very neat light, like it a lot. Thanks for the recommendation.

Single cell was drawing more power, but most likely not delivering to the LEDs due to driver efficiency issues.

It’s brighter on one cell than 4, or 3 or 2. Deceptive, as there’s not much visible light but it causes reactions in materials from further away. Materials like white objects, like urine, like diamonds…

On 4 brand new Kinoko 18500 high discharge cells it pulls .07A at the tail, just now. On one well rested and partially used Sanyo UR18650FJ lap pull it does .31A at the tail. In my lightbox, the 4 cells show up as .01 with no multiplier used. The single Sanyo shows .02. Much easier to see a stain in carpet for instance, with one cell from waist high, versus the 4 cells, where handholding at the waist barely shows the floor.

And it’s a single LED, not LED’s.

Interesting photo. I am usually use to seeing the LED’s as greenish in color. This is very different.

ri chevy, it was pointed out in this thread that the UV light causes the phosphor to fluoresce different colors dependant on their tint bins. So you get a different result if the tint is cool white vs warm white. Cool whites like 1A tint bins don’t actually do much and still have that yellow/green look but duller, warm tint’s like the one above go orange! The warmer the more orange, so it actually does help to identify which tint bins you have with the UV light.

Just this morning I was looking to put an XM-L2 U2 1A in gas for de-doming. I had an unmarked emitter on a Noctigon, and a marked 1A bare in a bag. What tint is the mounted one? Side by side they look identical. But I didn’t want a greenish cast to my light with the de-domed emitter, so I got the UV light out. The bare emitter glowed brighter, highlighter yellow, so I knew it was the one to go with! :slight_smile: The other is probably a 3C, had that dullish yellow/green look to it.

The light above is, I think, an XP-G2 R5 2B. My big MT-G2 lights also glow orange, and are supposed to be 5000K in temperature. :wink:

Cool. I did not realize that. Thank you for the explanation. I am still waiting for a triple UV drop in. :beer:

That’s where I’d go.

I had thought that the number of cells only increased the run time and that on one cell it needed to boost the voltage slightly and more two or more cells would buck, but then

I wonder if there has been a change in the driver?

The P60 approach seems promising, especially if it performs well on a single 18650. However, I’m still trying to find a review of the Nitecore CU6, because it sounds like it could potentially be a fairly nice UV light. The most detail I’ve found is that it pulls about 3W (~0.8A, or ~2.6X as much as the P60?) from the battery and produces about 1W of light at 365nm. I’ve found no actual reviews though, or personal tests to show how well it works compared to other lights.

The r/g/b and white modes would just be an extra bonus, making it useful for more than a single purpose.

Or maybe I should just get a P60 (perhaps a SF L2m?) and a drop-in. It’d cost a lot less than the CU6, and I’ve never had a P60. I wonder how the drop-in would perform with 1x16340.

Pleased you like it, I must have five or more P60 UV drop-ins that I wasn’t happy with, too much visible light.
The KD one - 3W 365UV 3-18V OP LED Lamp was the best I found.
Still running on 6x3v = 18v Nitecore primaries, if I put 2 in it’s reach diminishes but you can only try it and see. At $15.81 it’s not a cheap drop-in but it’s an alternative if you already have host and batteries.

about the same as a 1x3.7V Li-Ion I imagine. I’m at the point where I am going to get both the TK566 and the KD P60. If I procrastinate long enough, someone may get the CU6 and review it but it is still quite over budget for me.

The L2m will take an 18350, should fare better with larger capacity. (16340 has 550mAh, vs 18350’s 800mAh) And the L2m body is on sale at solarforceflashlight-sales.com for $3.99, buy a head and tailcap of your choice and you’re in business.

I found that with 4 cells, the reach was diminished compared to a single cell. Wonder why that is? I got the KD one and really like it, not a lot of visible light so it’s fairly misleading but it sure puts out the UV!

I don’t suppose the KD P60 has some sort or low voltage protection in the head does it?

I imagine it would be hard to tell when the light output starts to diminish with UV

this thread is so much what I needed just NOW!!
Thanks for the bump :wink:

At work, they tried to sell us UV-lamp for NDT test inspections.
It can be done without but AFAIK it helps:

900USD and that price was BEFORE the tax :slight_smile:

I wonder how this Labino light for $900 compares to the Nitecore CU6? As far as power and output goes. I am not familiar with the terms that are used in the descriptions.

The 3 watt 501B with 2 emitters does a good job on currency . . .

for a reasonable price.

LarryDFW

Or not. Didn’t realise that Manafont is not taking orders while they change management. Hopefully the price of the TK doesn’t go up. $31.40 is the best I’ve seen. Meanwhile, I picked up the KD P60 and a 501B.

Hi

I wonder if it is necessary to spend more than $50 to get an usable all-around UV flashlight. I am aiming at 365nm.

Are any of these any good?
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?LH_BIN=1&\_from=R40&\_sacat=0&\_nkw=ultraviolet+flashlight+AA+365nm&\_sop=16

There is 3W and 1W Tank007 and Mastiff A2. What kind of manufacturer is Mastiff? And should I try to get a 3W one, or would anyone here be happy with just a 1W one?

I also don’t understand what is the function of the AA extender in the Tank007 flashlight. It seems like it adds nothing to the price and they seem like all specced for two AA batteries.

Thanks for any information. I know AA batteries are weaker than lithium cells, but they are also more readily available and not as expensive.

Welcome to the Forum! :beer: :beer:

The lights in the link above seem to be a little overpriced to me. The AA extender will give you longer run times allowing you to use 2-AA’s instead of 1, thus doubling your run time. It also makes the host longer. The lights probably have low voltages drop ins (.8v to 4.2v) Using 1 or 2 AA’s will put you safely inside the voltage limits. (1.5 to 3v’s on fresh cells)

The smaller 1-AA Tank in the link is only a 1W output vs. the 3W output of the 2-AA light.

Tank makes some decent lights, and have been discussed on here several times.

Check with some of the vendors on here and see if they carry the same light. They offer excellent customer service and guidance.

The TK566 goes from 1w to 3w with the extender, or at least that’s what was explained to me when inquiring about it.
Also, Manafont had them for under $30 at one stage…