I won’t go into detail on the 501-B, they are too well known in general terms.
This one
is slightly different, offering an XP-G two-mode. I ordered two from Fasttech and as usual they came promptly and well packed. One was DOA - the driver was blown, and the burnt smell was evident as soon as I opened the package. I shed no tears; it is, after all, a $9.50 flashlight. The other was fine. I do not plan to ask for a replacement; I’ll just consider it an inexpensive host to tinker with. As luck would have it I have a couple of P-60 XM-L drop-ins coming from I-O that should be here any day.
The reflectors are very light OP, not nearly as heavily textured as some of the Manafont reflectors I have. The beam is smooth and free of rings. The hotspot is distinct, but blends smoothly into the spill. The hole is XP-G sized, and fits perfectly over the emitter.
The emitter is well centered and cemented to the pill with a grey material that releases at 350 F. (I put the dead pill on the top of the stove and kept monitoring it with a digital thermometer - at 350 it popped off with a tweezer point as slick as you please.) The driver was cleanly held in with three small bits or solder.
The hosts are better than average ‘knock-offs’. The threads are smoother than the usual counterfeit and came clean and lubed (!). The O-rings were in place, and seem to fit well and stay put. The exterior finish is shiny black HA-who-knows-what. Knurling is flat topped, and perfectly adequate. I don’t think they allow you to enter the flashlight business in China until you’ve built a 501-B knockoff - I know for sure I personally have at least 4 variations. This one is the least expensive I’ve bought, and 6 or 7 out of 10 in comparative quality.
The tail cap boasts a decent brass button instead of a raw spring. The switch is quite ‘squishy’ however, and offers less resistance than might be ideal. The switch covers are soft enough and low enough that they manage a wobbly tail stand - most I’ve seen wouldn’t tail stand at all. I suspect a bit of work on the switch button and a slightly lower profile cover, and they’ll be much improved. The switch has a fairly lengthy travel for on/off, but a remarkably short travel (and light touch) to switch modes.
The high/low driver is a bit unusual as well. On high it pulls 1.25 amps and .05 on low (roughly 4%). The color of the ‘live’ one is not far short of neutral - I’d say cooler than 3C, but warmer than 2B, judging by other known lights. I scavenged the emitter from the dead one and stuck it in a 2-AA tube with a one-mode 450 mA driver long enough to determine that it was quite pink. It wasn’t noticeable on its own, but was definitely pink compared to a known XP-G. That may have been due to the input, or damage from whatever blew the driver, or it might just be sample-to-sample variation in what are no doubt bargain basement components.
The bottom line is that here is a very inexpensive light for someone who wants to get their feet wet with 18650 / P60 lights, or for a handful of ‘toolbox’ lights to spread around in vehicles or shops. The one that works, works quite well. When they’re that cheap, I always order two!
I know that many hold the ubiquitous 501-B to be beneath contempt. Personally, I find them to be crude but effective, and certainly inexpensive, little lights. If one ever does crap out just keep it for parts and fire up another one. Out of a half dozen, this DOA sample is the first actual failure I’ve seen after a quite a bit of rough and downright negligent use of this Timex of the flashlight world…