Well done.
Thanks for taking the time to document this, these sorts of threads are invaluable resources!
Thanks for the teardown. It’s like taking a trip without leaving the farm.
Can’t say enough superlatives about this review… Great job, man!
Any idea, what the amp draw is on turbo?
Great review, all around! Interesting driver, and I was surprised to see that fat glass…wonder if that extra thickness is for “thermal insurance” against breakage from heat cycles?
One thing that bothers me (and it seems to be becoming more and more common, again) is the great disparity between claimed vs. measured. We’re talking in the neighborhood of 60% difference this time for throw and around 70% for ANSI lumens, assuming your measurements are relatively accurate. In the buyer’s favor on this one, thankfully. I know Astrolux/Mateminco lights don’t usually go through the same development testing as much (or at all) like many brands, but this is pretty bad here. I wonder how they got so far off.
Thanks All!
Yea, it's been bugging me too. I could make a good educated guess. My best performing single XHP50.2 3V light, a modded BTU PK26 (stock review here), measured 15.3 amps - 4730 lumens at turn on using the same T42 battery. So if you do the math of x 6, that's about 90 amps, 30 amps per cell. It sure seems like crazy #'s though.
Yes, that glass is exceptionally thick. I don't think it was for thermal considerations, really don't know.
My numbers on this light generally agree with two others that measured it, but they got lower #'s than me but used the lower performing Molicel P42A's. Not that the Molicel is not a good cell, it just doesn't perform well in the first minute or so, but during it's charged use, it does much better. The T42 is unfamiliar to me - first time I'm using them and the claim is they are slightly better than the original 40T. So my point here is the batteries used makes a big difference. So the 16K lumens they quoted may be accurate for the cells they used, and if they did not set the temperature calibration and raise the thermal limit, and they waited the proper 30 seconds before recording the numbers, then Anduri 2 could have already gone into thermal regulation, resulting in mower readings.
Thanks for the tear down!
Switch light amber: I would presume under full load. Battery voltage sag? Then what am I to throw in my nickel’s worth…?
Anyways, caught my attention with the GB. If this “low battery” issue is the only one, ticks all the boxes.
Really interesting, thanks.
"Tom E" makes it look so easy.
This afternoon I attempted to re-solder a detached wire and repair a "Fake LED Candle" for my wife after an "Alkaleak Corrosive Event". I gave up after melting the plastic battery compartment beyond repair, so I hesitate messing with (and messing up) any nice lights.
I do however appreciate the inspiration from Tom E's posts which encourage me to keep learning and trying.
What was the temp limit for that 30 sec measurement. At 50°C I get approx 12,000. I find that testing lumens with Anduril a bit misleading if set to its max allowable setting. I like to set it to something that’s able to be held and isn’t going to wear the cells (the word is escaping me)
I have a temp controlled room set to 22°C
Thanks for the review. They clearly borrowed the internal structure from the Q8 
(is it made by Sofirn?, the switch looks familiar too)
One thing I wonder, I read in another thread that this light can only sustain 700 lumen. But looking how it is built (4mm shelf, larger outer surface area than a Q8), I reckon that should be more around 3000 lumen. What are your thoughts on that?
I think it depends what the limit is set at. On my testing it settles at 730 lumens with 50°C limit at 22°C ambient temp. I find setting any higher is pointless if you can’t comfortably hold it. In my reviews I always like to test according to ANSI, not that a temp limit is mentioned though
Levels 5, 6, 7, and Turbo all settled to 730 lumens, even 40 minutes in and still no increase
A 50 degrees limit is quite moderate but I agree that you must be able to keep holding the light. I like 70 degrees as a limit but that already requires a handle, which is an option btw because the EC06 has a tripod hole.
That is true, but the whole thing heats up which where 70°C wouldn’t be so great for the cells all the time. If you don’t care about that then go for it
Interesting. I noticed there is flashing pins exactly under MCU.
The issue with these runtime tests is there's no standards, or everyone has there own standards.
Here's a good example of two reviews done on the Lumintop GT3 with different runtime tests done, very differing results:
https://1lumen.com/review/lumintop-gt3/
https://zeroair.org/2021/05/31/lumintop-blf-gt3-flashlight-review/
The GT3 is similar in form factor and output to the EC06. The 1lumen review notes: Doesn't maintain a high output, dipping below 1000 lumens, while the zeroair review makes notes of how well it sustains high output at 3500 lumens: Even at the third-highest output level, we’re seeing over 3500 lumens sustained. This is pretty incredible!
I did my own test on the EC06:
- set to mode #6 of 9 mode set, 1570 lumens, measured in the PVC tube, maukka calibrated, on a set of Lishen LR2170LA starting at 4.05V
- done at room temp of 21°C, light calibrated to 21°C, limit set to 55°C, no extra cooling, free-stand sitting at table level, ceiling bounce measured on a ExTech LT45
- over the course of 40 minutes, output dropped about 10%, cells dropped from 4.05V to 3.96V
- outer temp measured next to the switch (IR therm) climbed steadily up to 47.9°C (at 10 mins: 37°C, 20 mins: 42.4°C, 30 mins: 45.9°C)
- outer temp measured at the lower half of batt tube (IR therm) climbed to 45.7°C (at 10 mins: ---, 20 mins: 39.7°C, 30 mins: 45.7°C)
- Immediately after the test, I could pick up and hold the light, though it was somewhat uncomfortable.
So what does this mean?
- it can run and sustain 1570-1400 lumens for 40 minutes and, I assume, could be held for the duration (holding will draw more heat out, keeping it cooler)
- the heat distributes well to the battery tube, staying under 3°C difference from the switch area, gradually rising with the rising temp of the head
Again, no cooling, no air flow in a closed room. Test conducted with the light free-standing.
I would guess it can sustain maybe 2000-2500 if being held in your hand, since the hand pulls heat off the light and should keep the outer surface cooler. Actually it all depends on temperature - ambient and what's a tolerable surface temperature.
This is very, very strange. For example, Convoy M3 confidently operates at 1500Lm and heats up to about 45-50℃.
Hi Tom_e for GT3 there are different firmware versions. In 1lumen there is your Narsilm firmware and with review of zeroair is late batch of GT3 with Anduril. Anduril have better PID thermal control if I am right compared to Narsilm. I bought from a friend Q8 a few days ago and it was with original Narsilm version of firmware. I tested it for sustained output and thermal protection in Narsilm wil be trigged very soon. I replaced firmware now with Andruril 2 and tested Q8 again. There is big difference with Anduril and output of light compared to Narsilm.
The problem is that zeroair uses forced cooling in its tests. This is an additional variable that only complicates product evaluation. Introduces confusion.
The correct test is to minimize external factors affecting the result.