Just received mine, it throws like crazy, has a minuscule hotspot, but a con is that it heats up like crazy. It has barely any heatsinking fans and it’s so small it burns your hand it it’s turned on for more than 5 minutes indoors. It’s just like a skyray king on high.
EDIT: I don’t really have a use for it, even though it’s small. My crelant 7g5v2 w/ collimator head has more than double the lux AND has about a third bigger hotspot. Oh well it’s only $15… maybe I’ll try to dedome this sucker
so you’re disappointed it doesn’t perform equally? Maybe I’m missing something here.
Aside from apt323’s green emitters, who else has successfully modded their A60??
What do you guys think about going XML? Would the XML throw well with this reflector? Or is that a mis-matched setup and better to stay XRE?
Really would LOVE to delete the strobe and add low as well. If anyone has any ideas on this please share.
thanks in advance
Not that easy to mod, infact not that easy to tighten up or dismantle, gonna have to find a tool that fits nice. It would make a decent template for other manufacturers to make a decent light from, single cell, massive head lights are cool 
just make it XML with 60k+, NW ,no PWM and hi-med-lo only. I don’t want much…. Oh and keep it at around $15 
Thanks for the input.
The light you describe sounds perfect! I would pay $25 for such a light.
Wouldn't it be very similar to the Uniquefire V3? At T-mart for $17.87. I think the A60 head is just slightly bigger. Ah, I see you also posted over at the "Held the Jacob A60 reflector over a xml tonight" thread too.
-Garry
Oh hey, that does look nice! Thanks for the heads up.
Crap… I see now the UF V3 is an XML U2 and 5 mode. Dang. If it was T6 and h/m/l I’d buy several.
I understand the preference for 3-mode of course, but why would you choose a T6 over a U2 (unless it was a T6 3C and you prefer NW tints)?
I dedomed mine. Its very easy because of the metal ring. Keep thr star down, use pliers and just pluck it off, 90% of the gel comes off too. I got 86k lux then tried to clean up the led. I broke a bond wire.
Btw the beam after dedoming is minuscule and is very ringy. Not useful at all.
Ans to lumatic, i dont need it because i have something better in brightness, hotspot size and throw. I just think compared to all my xml throwers the A60 has too thin a beam. But its fun to play around with if you dont have a better thrower.
Should have said T6 3C. I am a bit of a tint snob. I have cools but I prefer neutral.
I’m still thinking about picking up a UF V3.
You’re not alone
The Uniquefire UF=V3 is the buy of the year. You will not be sorry.
I just used it tonight for over 20 minutes and it behaved well, Heat control is excellent.
Thanks,
Keith
You seem quite fond of your collimated 7G5v2 Slewflash. Rightfully so. It is very nice. Arguably not very ‘budget’ though. I think Lumatics point was you’re comparing apples & oranges… or honda & porsches… the A60 is a fraction of the cost! It is unrealistic to consider such a mismatch an accurate comparison. They are in different leagues.
Muto - thanks for your input. I think you may have convinced me to pull the trigger.
As Gary said, this post really might be a better fit here so I thought I’d add it — https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/10930#comment-240523
I agree that I shouldn't be comparing the A60 to a light almost 9 times more expensive (it's definitely not worth $125 so don't get it), but due to my late STL-V2 I don't really have anything else to compare it to. I guess here are a few lux readings at 1 meter:
* STL-V2 - 48k @ 750 lumens
* STL-V2 dedomed - 86k @ 530 lumens
* A60 - 53k @ ??? lumens, didn't measure but it's around 300 going by eye
* A60 dedomed - 82k @ ??? lumens, estimated at 230 going by eye
* 7G5V2 - 47k @ 860 lumens
* 7G5V2w/coll. head - 128k (peak intensity)@ 650 lumens
* SRKing - 23k @ 2250 lumens
* P60 NW dropin from IO - 8k @ 750 lumens
* TF X6 - 46k @ 1300 lumens
* 85W ebay HID - 218k @ 4810 lumens
The lumens figure was a rough calculation going by ceiling bounce lux readings in my very white bathroom based on the assumption that my SR king is 2250 lumens. The lux figures were worked out at 10 meters, then calculated the 1 meter reading with a lux meter.
Fair enough dude. I figured you understood. Added more for future reference if anyone stumbles on this thread. Thanks for the lux figures.
If anything, I think this reinforces that the A60 is hard to beat for the price. Of course, there are better lights that cost more. That is no surprise to any of us… Doesn’t mean we will stop looking for steals.
My jake arrived today, usual crapwrap and a well battered box, however the light was intact, (amazingly), and a nice finish to it.
The bezel was less than finger tight, so I was highly amused to see a sticker on the box saying ” QC PASSED”
I’ll take it to work tonight and roadtest it.
Is everyone getting Jacob A60’s that don’t say Jacob on them? Mine simply has “CREE Q5” printed on it.
Mine says the same thing.
Yup. Mine says the same.
Mine also arrived in a beat-up box, as mentioned above. A couple small flaws in the finish on the head and tail, a couple flaws in the reflector, but doesn’t seem to affect the beam.
For the money I’m happy with it.
The reflective coating has started to bubble on the flat part of the reflector that surrounds the opening near the LED too. It’s quite unsightly, and disappointing.