【convoy】Golden S3 available now

[dmenezes]

@Mandrake50

But it is a specialized use case.

I’m not so sure, I think everyone that currently carries both a powerbank and a flashlight and want to carry less stuff would be in that use case.

@Mandrake50

(Such as, once you have charged your phone, you probably don’t have much light time left.)

That’s exactly one of the reasons why I think a flashlight with USB-C powerbank functionality is a better solution than a specialized, fixed-battery powerbank: the additional batteries I already carry for the light can serve for both lighting and emergency charging of other stuff. And this is my backup flashlight after all, my main flashlight is my TS10 with its own set of extra batteries.

[alumenum]

@dmenezes

That’s exactly one of the reasons why I think a flashlight with USB-C powerbank functionality is a better solution than a specialized, fixed-battery powerbank: the additional batteries I already carry for the light can serve for both lighting and emergency charging of other stuff.

Why not an Xtar PB2S then? - a powerbank without fixed batteries.

You can carry extra batteries in it and use it as a power bank, with much faster charging input and output than any flashlight power bank. You can charge your phone with the PB2S, leaving the flashlight free to be used. It’s very little extra weight over carrying spare batteries in a case.

Or the Nitecore LC10? It’s basically the weight of a charging cable, and also has a power bank function (and a little flashlight) and will charge the 14500s for your TS10 as well as 18650/21700s etc…

Your use case makes sense, and if it works for you that’s good. I’m not as opposed to integrated charging as I am poorly designed rubber flaps, really. I know there are scenarios where it makes sense or is just convenient. That’s fine.

Still, I personally don’t see why the charger/power bank needs to be on the flashlight itself. When they’re separated, you get a more robust, lighter weight flashlight and a much better charger/powerbank.

I hike a lot too, and while I’m not an extreme ultralight hiker (where I can see the potential benefit), to me a couple extra grams in my bag is much more manageable than carrying those extra grams in my pocket. And outside of an ultralight backpacking scenario, I don’t see why I should have to carry around a charger and powerbank in situations where I don’t need to, like most EDC use.

I dont think it needs to be a ubiquitous feature. I don’t think it’s functionality that everyone, always needs to carry on them, all the time, every time they carry a flashlight, yet, you can hardly find a brand that hasn’t moved to integrated charging in most of their new models. At the very least I don’t think integrating charging needs to be in every new light, but manufacturers seem to disagree.

Semi-side-note: I wish phones still had user swappable batteries. That would solve a lot of these issues. I remember being able to carry a spare battery with me for my samsung Note 2 and never having to worry about charging or powerbanks. The only reason I now need a powerbank is because I can’t just swap out a fresh battery into my phone.

[Jeffgoldblum]

@stephenk

The reality is that the majority of consumers want flashlights with internal charging, and it makes financial sense for manufacturers to follow their customers needs.

Without a doubt, but the majority of consumers arent convoy’s target market. On AliExpress it looks like the H1 outsells the H2 by more than 4:1. For convoy maybe no usb-c port is following their customers needs.

I’ve also noticed whenever I suggest an H1 to the average consumer the poor waterproof rating always comes up. That’s an important feature for headlamps, and the usb port isn’t helping. I don’t think it makes financial sense in this particular case. But obviously I don’t have all the info, I’m just speculating.

[dmenezes]

@alumenum

Why not an Xtar PB2S then? - a powerbank without fixed batteries.

Because it’s not a flashlight, and so can’t do double-duty as my backup flashlight

Seriously, I EDC’ed a Fenix ARE-D1 to use as a powerbank before the FC13, and it worked great – but the FC13 allows me to do the same plus also funcioning as a backup light.

@alumenum

Or the Nitecore LC10?

I seriously considered it and also a similar model from another manufacturer (OLight?) but heard their magnetic contacts are unreliable unless the charger is held absolutely still, which is hard to do while hiking

@alumenum

Still, I personally don’t see why the charger/power bank needs to be on the flashlight itself.

It doesn’t have to: my Fenix ARE-D1 gave me excellent service for the 6+months I used it for that. But being able to consolidate that function on a flashlight allows me to use it as a backup light too – and that can be really handy. The other day the wife and I returned later than we planned from a hike and had to make the final 2 miles or so in the dark (which we avoid as much as possible). I handed her my TS10 and got the FC13 out of my belt purse, twisted the tailcap to undo the mechanical lock I always have on it, and off we went – and to top it off, the FC13 having 3x the throw was really handy to pick our way farther out in the dark, while she used the much floodier TS10 for us to watch our step among sticks, holes etc.

I of course carry a 3rd light in my backpack and she does the same, but the FC13 being already right at hand in my belt pouch (as it has to be to work well in its powerbank role) made things much more faster and more convenient than to have to unstrap the backpack, find a place to lay it down, rummage through it to find the other light, get it back up and strapped, etc.

@alumenum

Semi-side-note: I wish phones still had user swappable batteries. That would solve a lot of these issues.

I’m right there with you, brother! I always had backup batteries for all my phones that had that feature. Unfortunately that’s not been feasible since at least 2015 for the specific phones I like to buy (LineageOS compatible, 3.5mm-plug- and sdcard-slot-equipped, etc).

[Simon_Mao]

It doesn’t matter. I’m willing to try new LED models if I have enough money.

[darosk]

What a good man Simon

[NeutralFan]

@elendur

What I don’t like when I add the magnet to the rubber button is that the switch is a bit too recessed. The metal switch in my S2+ with the magnet is much easier to click (and has a deep enough travel to not light up by itslef). I really like it.
Maybe there’s a way of raising the button under the tactile silicone? Maybe one or two layers of cotton fabric would add a bit of height while keeping the rubber dome flexible.

Whenever my newly installed lighted switch with a silicone button feels a little “squishy” and unresponsive, I slice off the tip of the old Omten switch and superglue it onto the new one. Makes a big improvement.

[14500]

Totally agree with you on this for personal use.

However USB-c is a must for a light to be giftable.
Convoys prices are right to be giftable, but USB-c is needed. Most people don’t want to mess with a charger.

I hope Simon can come up with a more reliably waterproof USB-c port.

[gearshift]

Thanks, will you add an option for the boost driver in the S2+ 519a soon? I didn’t see it.

Also is the metal retaining ring that holds the glass in place on the M21H just screwed in? I’m having a difficult time unscrewing it to swap the lens. It’s on there pretty tight and I can’t get a good grip on it. Are the four indentations just for show or do I need a tool?

[Mandrake50]

@stephenk

The reality is that the majority of consumers want flashlights with internal charging

I am always curious when I see statements similar to this. Not concerning flashlights in particular, but related to anything. What is the basis for the statement? Is it reported sales figures from all of the major manufacturers? Or is it simply anecdotal? Maybe based on your personal interaction with people. My take is that it is probably the latter.

Yes, I have seen many manufacturers producing more models with the “feature”. But I suspect it is more due to the charge controllers becoming cheap and plentiful. It costs them little to add the hardware and their marketing folks love that they can list it as a feature. This may or may not be related to demand at all.

Bottom line for me is that I initially thought it was a great idea. Even more so because it seems to be free. Of course it is not. Also, now that I have several lights with USB C power bank functionality, I just really don’t need more. So from a crazy Flashaholics viewpoint, I would prefer that the feature was the exception rather than the rule. If one needs it, buy a model that has it. But for my most used EDC type lights, keep offering the option to not have it.

I do understand that my opinion is probably of no great import to anyone but me. Much less the big manufacturers. But it is what I think. For my part, for tools that I depend on, making it more reliable and as simple as possible, is way more important than features that I don’t really need and will rarely use. The USB port and charging circuit are just additional points of failure… and BTW, make modding much more of a PIA!

[QReciprocity42]

@Mandrake50

The USB port and charging circuit are just additional points of failure… and BTW, make modding much more of a PIA!

This is exactly my take on the issue. Plus, built-in chargers, compared to a good dedicated charger, are prone to having a suboptimal charging algorithm that damages the cell in the long run.

Robustness and user-serviceability are IMO much more important than inessential fancy features, for a beater light. There is already plenty of market for fancy lights.

[Nachtfeuerzeug]

@dmenezes

The only thing I’m not sure yet is its powerbank funcionality (alas, the main reason I bought it): it appears to be unable to supply as much energy to my cellphone than my Fenix ARE-D1 using the exact same battery. Evidence is still anedoctal as I didn’t test it in truly controlled situations, but my impression so far is that it’s able to get about half the same energy to my cellphone that the ARE-D1.

It seems I can only get to 60% with a 50E in my TS21 and my phone’s battery has 5000 mAh. I would hope for at least 85%. The light does get pretty warm while charging. Thanks for a little light on my curious experience.

[stephenk]

@Mandrake50

@stephenk

The reality is that the majority of consumers want flashlights with internal charging

I am always curious when I see statements similar to this. Not concerning flashlights in particular, but related to anything. What is the basis for the statement? Is it reported sales figures from all of the major manufacturers? Or is it simply anecdotal? Maybe based on your personal interaction with people. My take is that it is probably the latter.

Yes, I have seen many manufacturers producing more models with the “feature”. But I suspect it is more due to the charge controllers becoming cheap and plentiful. It costs them little to add the hardware and their marketing folks love that they can list it as a feature. This may or may not be related to demand at all.

Bottom line for me is that I initially thought it was a great idea. Even more so because it seems to be free. Of course it is not. Also, now that I have several lights with USB C power bank functionality, I just really don’t need more. So from a crazy Flashaholics viewpoint, I would prefer that the feature was the exception rather than the rule. If one needs it, buy a model that has it. But for my most used EDC type lights, keep offering the option to not have it.

I do understand that my opinion is probably of no great import to anyone but me. Much less the big manufacturers. But it is what I think. For my part, for tools that I depend on, making it more reliable and as simple as possible, is way more important than features that I don’t really need and will rarely use. The USB port and charging circuit are just additional points of failure… and BTW, make modding much more of a PIA!

It’s a pretty easy statement to justify. Just look at consumer orientated flashlight designs from companies such as Nitecore, Olight, Fenix, etc. Almost all Li-ion models now have internal charging. I have also been involved with the product conception, and R&D of multiple lights, and one of the most asked for features from consumers is internal USB charging. It needs to be remembered that flashlight enthusiasts are the minority of flashlight users.

[crbnfbr]

Do you mean the buck driver? The boost driver is for 6V emitters or multiple 3V emitters in series.

I don’t personally have an M21H but it appears the stainless ring is screwed in like on my S12. External snap/retaining ring pliers work well.

[dmenezes]

@Nachtfeuerzeug

It seems I can only get to 60% with a 50E in my TS21 and my phone’s battery has 5000 mAh. I would hope for at least 85%. The light does get pretty warm while charging. Thanks for a little light on my curious experience.

Thank you for your report. 60% is kind of in line with what I’ve been anecdotally seeing. And I agree with you, at least 85% would be reasonable. I have not noticed my FC13 getting warm during powerbank duty – one more thing to watch for when I test it for real.

[gearshift]

Yes, I meant the buck driver. I thought it was an in-place upgrade to the 17mm linear driver? Wasn’t that originally supposed to have gone into the Ti S2+?

I don’t have a big enough ring pliers for it. I guess I’ll have to get creative.

[NeutralFan]

A needle nose pliers should work. I bought one from Harbor Freight years ago and filed the tips to fit into retaining ring holes and various other flashlight tightening parts.

[elendur]

Hi, about the new buck drivers: the spring on the 5A buck seems thin in the pictures, while the 8A buck seems to have a much thicker spring. I feel like I would prefer the thicker spring even in the 5A buck driver.

How good is the thin 5A spring??

[lfb]

I’m pretty sure that if a manufacturer spend any kind of money on something, it’s because consumers are prone to pay more or choose that product over another one. Besides of that, the charger controller is what costs the least amount of money. Milling, charging port, cable and other things should be more significant.

[Simon_Mao]

i think you mean the buck driver instead of boost driver.You can wrap the stainless steel head with a mouse pad and unscrew it.