New Here Looking For Advice On A Couple of >$25 purchases

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
1

Hey all-

Long story short, I need a few good flashlights for my car and apartment. I have no intention modding flashlights, but I would like to build up a collection of four or five good torches to cover most situations I would ever encounter.

I have done lots of research and am about to pull the trigger but just wanted to make sure everyone thought these were good choices. I know Convoy has a good name, but with the different bins, emitters, etc always coming out, I just want to make sure I am on the right track.

I was planning on ordering a Convoy M2 and Convoy C8 from Fasttech, specifically these two:

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1856708

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10002364/2649100

I’ve also considered the Ultrafire C8 or C12 from Lightmalls rather than the Convoy C8. Would anyone recommend this? I’ve read issues about quality control on the Ultrafire C12, and the only reason I see to go with the Ultrafire C8 over the Convoy would be to save a few dollars.

I know these two makes/models both have good reputations, but I just wanted to know if maybe I should get two models that a bit more dissimilar, or order from a different supplier and/or bin?

Like I said, these will sit in my car or nightstand most times, but I would still like good and versatile hardware for when I need it.

I have no real need for a bonafide thrower, but would like a “quasi-thrower” at some point just for fun. More important would be a good flood with with decent throw.

I think the M2 is probably best for my needs, but I need at least two flashlights right now, so I’d like to mix it up. Plus I keep reading “every person should have a C8 in their collection.”

I would like a model that uses 18650 batteries as I already have a stock of them.

I’d like the total purchase for the pair of flashlights to be under $50;

Am I on the right path or should I consider some other models?

2

I think of the car light as something for working on the car, which means not overly bright or throwy, or for sitting in a car overnight, which means a very long run time, perhaps for putting into a headband to work on the car, which means small and light, or to walk to somewhere when the car can’t be fixed, which really doesn’t require anything special, other than the ability to run for 3 or 4 hours.

In some climates such as the desert, eneloops might be better than 18650s, or if you spend a lot of time in remote travel, the AA/AAA batteries can be bought everywhere, or even gotten from people who stop to help.

Since you want 18650 lights, I would look for one of them to be less about high lumens, and more about run time, modes, floody, and without that fat head.

No matter what you get, join the upcoming group buy on the AstroLux A01 AAA , it is a great addition to all cars, even if it is on the key chain, it has the run time, and is tiny for teeth holding, and hopefully pretty cheap. AstroLux A01 AAA Nichia 219B Review - Winner winner, chicken dinner. An excellent, Neutral tint High CRI LED keychain light!

3

Brad, thanks for the reply. I should have been more clear about the car part. I actually need two for my car. One for emergencies, the other for work. I sell apartment buildings, so I a light with good throw would be useful for looking into crawl spaces, looking at roofs from the ground at night.

4

The M2 and C8 are good choices. I prefer the M1 to the M2 but there is not much difference. You can also add an S2 for more flood. Basically you would then have the the trifecta from flood to throw.
For the car i would recommend avoiding lithium, the heat will kill battery capacity very quickly, after a year or two it would have to be replaced even if you never used it. It may also raise the battery explosion risk. I would go for a 4AA eneloop flashlight for the car, lots of lumens, something with good modes and the batteries will take the abuse easily.

5

Why do you like the M1 over the M2? And what do you like as an emercency/car flashlight you described?

6

I like the style of the M1.
In the end all 3 lights are the same, they have the same type of aluminum in the body, the same circuitry, the same LED. The only difference is style, reflector size and model number. BTW i’m not sure if Fasttech’s lights are XM-L2 or they are still selling the old XM-L chips. I believe many BLFers buy from Simon who makes the Convoy lights.

Good 4AA lights are hard to find, its not a common form factor. I personally use a Coast Polysteel 600 in the car, but its a discontinued model with some design flaws. Some people like the EA4(x) lights, but i have not personally used one.

7

For the car an OLight S15 would be good, they are available cheap from China. Stick in Japanese NiMH with a spare cell in the glove box and you are sorted. The Nitecore MT10A is very good too, available with a discount via Freeme. Both are very efficient. I would not keep LiIon in a hot car.

8

Bort, does Simon have an online shop? Or should I contact him on here?

I’m not too keen on dropping $40+ on a flashlight right now, so I think I might just get some sk68 variation to keep in the car for emergencies.

9

Thrunite TN4A is one of the best flashlights in my collection (They have an XPL hi version for 52kcd now). ~$50 though.

10

I will have to leave that to BLFers who have bought from him, i do not know

Its not a bad choice, but in an emergency having the option for more lumens is a good idea, skip the C8 and go for the TN4A perhaps?

11

I have bought a few of those Olight S15r lights for friends, for their cars, and for a real estate selling friend, they are an excellent choice for the car.

If a person keeps Li-ion in the car, or any electronics, the flashlight, the extra batteries, the chargers, a camera, they can always keep them in a camera case, inside of a soft sided six pack cooler, and under the seat, but preferably in the trunk, I do that, and even keep all that inside of a small hard sided cooler.

I’m operating on the theory that the way that I carry my heat sensitive stuff, keeps it from reaching over a 140F. http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_112105.html

12

Simon has his shop on AliExpress.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/330416

I have bought too many Convoys there :slight_smile: All good.

I love my C8s, S2+ , L2 and looking forward to my 2 battery L2

Aliexpress does not do Paypal, but Simon does have a way around that if you place an order without paying, then add a message within the order. I’ve not done it that way but others have.

Best thing about ordering direct from Simon (AKA Convoy himself) is that you can have him configure your light(s) just as you want them.

HTH

13

Hey thanks for the help everyone. In terms of customization options, should I go for the U2-1A or the T6-4C or the T6-3B?

From my understanding, the T6-4C would be slightly (7%?) less efficient than the U2-1A, but would have a more neutral tint, and the T6-3B would have the same efficiency as the T6-4C but with a slightly cooler tint.

Does this mean that the U2-1A would expected to shine brighter than the T6-4C, or it just is more efficient with it’s use of the battery power to accomplish the same task (less runtime)?

My intuition is to go with the T6-3B for the M1, but get the U2-1A for the C8 to help in it’s “throwy-ness”

Or am I just totally misunderstanding how these two specs affect performance?

14

Also, are these models (S2/S8, M1/M2, C8) going to all three going offer a similar “experience” in terms of what I see out of the front end and the main difference is form factor? I know the C8 will have more throw than the S2, but is it substantially different?

In other words, if my goal is to have one flashlight that offers more throw and one flashlight that offers more flood, would getting the S2 and the C8 be a good route? Or should I get the C8 for throw and consider a different model not mentioned for more flood?

Where does the Eagle Eye X6 fall in this conversation? Pretty much the same as a C8, or is there something significantly different? Again, I am not interested in modding, only in what comes out the front end unmodded for the best price/quality ratio.

15

I like Convoy lights, but I mainly use/abuse them as hosts.
IMHO The X6 is a significant step up from the Convoy lights, especially in stock form.
Get Convoys if you plan to modify them. Get an X6 if not.

For around $17 the standard X6 is difficult to beat. Good machining, anodizing, better UI with off-time memory, better emitters, no PWM, a little more compact than a C8.

For around $22 the X6 HI model is worth while step up. Higher current driver, better throw than a stock C8.

Buy from EE directly. They ship with free tracking in a corrugated cardboard box, not a sometimes-padded envelope.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/X6-u2-portable-flashlight-iii-18650-hornier-flashlight/1735126_32211884353.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/BLF-Eagle-Eye-X6-se-CREE-XP-L-V21A-1200LM-4Modes-LED-Flashlight-18650/1735126_32446517329.html

16

Del, thanks for the reply. Would the HI3A be a good tint? Or what tint would you recommend?

I know the 3A would be cooler than the 5B and warmer than the 1A, but I wasn’t sure if this affected the lights throwing distance or anything else other than the way the colors are perceived.

Any recommendations for a light with good flood, for example for using around the house when power is out etc.

17

I have a HI 3A, I like it :).

For a cheap compact flooder, a S2+ is hard to beat. A ‘4*7135’ model (1.4 A driver) is more practical in that size host and has the added benefit of not having the driver soldered in, if you ever want to swap out or re-program the driver in the future. (The S2+ has a shorter reflector than the S2, giving more flood.) The colored ones are nice with the metal tail switch, but apparently the anodizing is less durable than the older grey or black models.

18

Thanks for all the help. Last question for now I think: is there any notable difference between the S2+ and S8? I kind of like the S8 aesthetics better. I don’t know why there are so many different “S” models from Convoy

19

Differences:

  • The S8 has fins. Supposedly for cooling the head, but not particularly important when driven at 1A. May be useful if you plan on modding the flashlight.
  • The S8 has a pocket clip.
  • The S8 is a little longer than the S2+.
  • The S8 has a rubber boot, making it more weather-resistant. The S2+ has a metal button, which some people (including me) much prefer.
  • The S2+ comes in a wider variety of power, tint, color, and tube options.

The Convoy S2+ is widely owned and well-regarded by this community. The Convoy S8, less so. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it is because the S2+ is discounted heavily at times, bringing in a rash of sales. Perhaps it’s because the S2+ is available with higher outputs and we tend to be a power hungry crowd.

I don’t own an S8, never even heard it mentioned on the discussion boards until now.

I do own three S2+ (two blues and one red). I like the colors. I love the smooth click of the metal tail button. The 4C tint is the favorite out of my collection of lights. And the beam pattern is perfect for use around the house (large center spot, feathering to a bright spill). It doesn’t throw far, but I’ve got other flashlights for that purpose. And I’ve got a couple of shorty tubes for using them with 18350s.

Good luck on your purchase!

P.S. I almost forgot. I also have a black Convoy S2+ that I just received in the mail this week. It contains a Nichia 365nm UV LED.

20

Thanks for the thorough reply. Such a helpful forum! :smiley:

I will get the Eagle Eye X6 XP-L HI for a light with more throw and a Convoy S2+ for something with more flood.

I’ll also get an SK68 and AstroLux A01 with some extra batteries to keep in my car as emergency lights and I think that should be a well-rounded collection to pretty much cover any possible lighting situations I might have face the foreseeable future.

But since I’ve read so many good good things about it and my curiosity is peaked and it’s so cheap, I might have go ahead and order the Lightmalls C8 or c12 just to have an extra beater around :stuck_out_tongue:

Where seller are people having the most luck ordering SK68’s from?