My thoughts on the Solar Storm SC01 (mini review)

[blfdemigod]

@WarHawk-AVG

If these ran $12 or less…would make great Christmas presents (that or SK68’s)

I see wallbuys has the SC01 in XM-L2 T6 tint for $11.86 shipped. Are these worth it now at this price, or better to get some more Convoy S2+ deal thats going for $12 instead?

I know I can at least get the Convoy, s2+ with a 3A driver for about $12.5 shipped, as I already ordered one. Which one do you think is the better deal, now that they are at even prices?

[WarHawk-AVG]

Me personally…the Convoy S2 (I have two of them) my EDC is a Convoy S5…but it’s nice to have a tiny AA handy

Get both

[Tom_E]

Very different lights - little AA side switch verses conventional 18650 tube light. All usual trade-offs of size/form factor vs. runtime. Actually reflector widths are close to same, so they may throw similarly given same LED and amps. Though I've initially been impressed with the SC01 and SC03, the "issues" on these lights is building from more and more feedbacks - I like the service and mod ability of an S2 vs. an SC01 for sure...

[Chicken_Drumstick]

@18sixfifty

Well I got one of the new Solar Storm SC01 dimming lights. I’m not going to do a full review just put out my thoughts.

I’m kinda under whelmed. It’s an OK light but not really something to write home about. Don’t get me wrong it has some nice features but it’s just kinda run of the mill.

Max lumens with good fully charged IMR e-fests 14500 is only about 400 lumens low is about 50. I really would have liked to have seen something more like 600 and 10. This has been my problem with all of these solar storm dimming drivers. They simply don’t have a good low and they should also be brighter. The finish is also just kinda blah. It feels cheap A 502b has a better finish, this is more like a 501b finish smooth, even the knurling is smooth.

The button is a little too firm and the dimming doesn’t always work like it should. Sometimes when you go up to high it blinks and then goes immediately to low. That I like. But it doesn’t do it all the time. Sometimes it goes to high and then goes down, but it won’t go down all the way at all, Just about half way down. In all reality a three mode driver with a low low and I nice medium and full high would have been better by far. (SEE EDIT)

The reflector is just average as well, it’s OK but not superb, it’s a budget reflector for sure. I would have preferred an orange peel reflector and for it to be more floody. There are not enough lumens here for it to really throw so it might as well have had more flood.

The lens is just a lens, average.

Thinks I like;

It’s really small.

It’s a reverse clip and works great on a ball cap.

I got a neutral tint and the tint is good.

No attack bezel is nice.

The centering ring does not get in the way of the reflector.

My conclusion?

I think it’s more like a $12 light to be honest. I wouldn’t buy one again unless the dimming was more usable. It’s a nice idea but kinda poorly done. More of a gimmick than truly functional. I’ll see if I can mod it, If so I’ll make another post about that sometime down the road.

EDIT: There is a hidden mode that I didn’t know about that is lower. That does make it a little nicer.

Thanks for the review.

Not sure I can agree on the price point though. I’d say it’s cheap for what it is.

Also the quality on mine (SC02 18650) is far above most of the cheap lights I’ve bought.

I also don’t understand how you can complain about the reflector. Surely you knew it was a SMO and not an OP before buying. Moaning that you want an OP is like buying a petrol car then moaning it’s not diesel.

[Chicken_Drumstick]

@Nbabu

Just received my 14500 batteries and popped them in. The light works just fine, quite some output for this size light.

But once I’ve set it on my own low mode, it looks like it wants to ramp up in very small irregular bursts. Is this the PWM I’m noticing? I’ve got several lights (c8, nitecore p12, 3t6, supfire M6 e.o.) and with those lights I don’t have this problem.

No PWM is a way of regulating/reducing output by quickly turning the light on and off.

If the light is shining at a static object you’ll not notice this at all, but under motion it can be seen.

The easiest way to see this is simply to wave your hand infront of the light.

On High or a current controlled light your hand will appear as it does in normal daylight. With PWM (usually on lower modes on budget lights) you’ll see a strobe like affect easily. The frequency of the PWM will affect the visual impact, so try it with several lights to see the difference.

Low frequency PWM can also be seen when moving the light about or at other moving objects. Different people can tolerate this at different levels. Rain or moving water can be quite evident and distracting.

[blfdemigod]

After thinking about it, I think I will pass on the SC01, I really detest the "royal blue" button (and blue's my favorite color!), such an eyesore for me. It would have been so easy to make it black or even GITD, or really a nice bright red!