Olight advice

jkcqld · 2018-04-23T04:41:48.000Z

Cheers. I get the feeling I could save a few dollars here. Although, I don’t mind spending more if I have to to get durability & quality.

jkcqld · 2018-04-23T04:43:04.000Z

For reference, this is what each Olight would cost delivered, in US$.

X7R Maurader - $203
R50 Pro Seeker - $130
HSR Nova Headlamp - $83
M2R Warrior - $89
SR1 Baton - $59
I3E EOS - $10

jon_slider · 2018-04-23T05:49:23.000Z

my recommendations by battery type, with a bias to high CRI

Olight does not offer High CRI in an AAA light
I would skip the i3e and prefer the i3s, but they dont have High CRI

The Lumintop Tool is one of the only single AAA lights with a Nichia,
I consider it a Must Buy, IF you are going to maintain Eneloop batteries with a charger.
Can be worn as a headlamp on a baseball hat.

you could skip over the AAA lights otherwise and go to this:

16340,
S1 Mini High CRI, comes with a USB rechargeable battery. Can be worn as a headlamp on a baseball cap. No charger required. Has a low battery indicator on the switch. Very practical feature set.

18650 (now also available with a built in USB charging port)
dont know the Olight options
some people like Zebralight SC600 series for their big light… theres several models to research, there is a High CRI option.

jkcqld · 2018-04-23T06:51:01.000Z

Yes that Lumintop looks like a winner.

USB C or Micro USB is no issue as the phones use these. Prefer not to remove a battery to charge though, but onboard the light would be ok.

I do use AA & AAA Eneloops in stuff like a weather station & remotes etc.

tatasal · 2018-04-23T07:17:19.000Z

You might find some nice prices here at this ‘closing out’ store:

Closing Out sale ..HDS, Zebralight, Eagletac, Acebeam, Olight and Lumintop (SALE CLOSED) Off-topic Chatter

Edit: May 3, 2018: This Sale is Over. TO AVOID CONFUSION, I HAVE DELETED THE ORIGINAL LIST IN THE OP. THE UPDATED LIST (as stocks are sold) BY THE OWNER OF THESE ITEMS ARE IN POST # 4 NOTICE: April 25… the original thread maker has posted in post # 4 below. Thanks Saw this in the other site: Contact this gentleman for details: yj@justconquer.com Copy/pasted from the other site: Hi guys, I’m the owner of justconquer.com. Some of you may have heard of us before. Anyway, this is to announ…

Check out some of the rechargeable Eagletacs on sale…. it’s a very good, reliable brand, I’m a long time user. Haven’t seen any ET ever offered in a group buy.

Pulsar · 2018-04-23T09:52:22.000Z

One of the lights I would recommend getting would be the H2R Nova. That one will be hard to find a better one I think.
I dont have much else to go on for headlamps besides my Imalent HR20, which I also like a lot, but the H2R is superior in about every way.

skinny_tie · 2018-04-23T12:02:11.000Z

I’m sure you can find a better or better value alternative to any of the torches on your list, but for simplicity I think an all-Olight magnetic charging setup would be hard to beat.

I don’t own any of the models you have listed, but I have an S10R and an S30R. I love the Baton UI and the docks are great for both EDC and backup lights. I keep mine on my bedside table so they’re ready to grab on my way out in the morning or in in the middle of the night.

You mentioned a preference for neutral white and high CRI, and I think that’s an excellent idea. My S30R gets very little use these days simply because it’s cool white. If it wasn’t cool white the S10R would be my favourite torch.

If you get an R50, consider the LE kit for the dock.

It’s probably worth considering alternatives to the X7R and I3E - without the magnetic charging there’s not much tying you to Olight.

In the AAA class the Lumintop Tool Nichia is great. I also really like JETBeam JET-μ (AAA) and JET-1 MK (AA) for for their size and UI even though they’re cool white with a greenish tint. These are all fairly inexpensive so it doesn’t hurt to experiment a bit.

jon_slider · 2018-04-23T18:06:26.000Z

jkcqld:

Prefer not to remove a battery to charge though, but onboard the light would be ok.

there are pros and cons
If you charge outside the light, you can simply put a fully charged battery into the light and keep using it. Otherwise you have no light to use, while it acts as a charger.

Im not educated as to whether it is OK to leave an Olight sitting on its magnetic charger all the time. I worry a lot about LiIon safety, so I only charge when I am there to supervise the charging, and I do not leave on a charger unattended, and definitely not overnight.

The question is partly whether the charger goes to full zero, or keeps trickling. I have no personal experience with the Olights that use charging bases.

another consideration with the special rechargeable olights with the two exposed contacts on the base, is that the charger does not work on normal batteries. Im also fearful of the possibility of the two exposed contacts on the base of the light shorting out. There are videos showing people starting steel wool on fire.

features I prioritize when using LiIon are
I want the light to indicate when the battery needs recharging, so I dont have to open it to check
I want the light or otherwise the battery, to have a built in overdischarge shutoff (not just a low battery warning)

for me, High CRI is a Must Have. Neutral White is not good enough, for me. So none of the lights that people are suggesting that are not High CRI, qualify for my standards.

but then, if I needed to spot a bear with a strong torch, I probably would not care what color it is. So, as far as big lights with thousands of lumens, Im not really a good source of advice, since I dont use them.

I do respect your strategy of buying Olights with rechargeable batteries, IF it is OK to keep them on the charger for long periods unattended. More research needed. What I dont like is that several of your lights use different and unusual batteries, so there is no interchangeability. When the light runs out of power, it is disabled until its special battery is recharged, using the special charger.

Im sure whatever you buy, will be great for some applications, and for other applications its good to have choices.

when considering a light, I always search for reviews by maukka. He has very high standards, and if he likes a light, I take his opinion more seriously than most others. I also sometimes buy lights he does not like, for example the S1 Mini High CRI. It is true that it has green tint, but it has other things that make it worth having, for me.

enjoy the search for lights that meet your use goals

jkcqld · 2018-04-24T00:52:20.000Z

Pulsar:

One of the lights I would recommend getting would be the H2R Nova. That one will be hard to find a better one I think.
I dont have much else to go on for headlamps besides my Imalent HR20, which I also like a lot, but the H2R is superior in about every way.

It’s versatile that’s for sure, 2 in 1 light. The magnet on the headlamp strap is a winner.

jkcqld · 2018-04-24T00:59:50.000Z

skinny_tie:

I’m sure you can find a better or better value alternative to any of the torches on your list, but for simplicity I think an all-Olight magnetic charging setup would be hard to beat.

Just noticed the magnetic USB charger on the R50 Pro is a different size to the other lights. Still, the magnetic system is nice.

Pulsar · 2018-04-24T01:15:18.000Z

That magnetic headband is awesome.
I have been mostly using mine as my bedside light lately as I haven’t really needed headlamp since buying it. I really like the 1 lumen momentary when it’s in lockout. Button is big and easy to find, and 1 lumen is about perfect in middle of the night to look around the room.
I think of the magnetic charger as kind of a bonus, but not really one of the main reasons I bought it.

jkcqld · 2018-04-24T01:28:12.000Z

jon_slider:

jkcqld:

Prefer not to remove a battery to charge though, but onboard the light would be ok.

there are pros and cons
If you charge outside the light, you can simply put a fully charged battery into the light and keep using it. Otherwise you have no light to use, while it acts as a charger.

Im not educated as to whether it is OK to leave an Olight sitting on its magnetic charger all the time. I worry a lot about LiIon safety, so I only charge when I am there to supervise the charging, and I do not leave on a charger unattended, and definitely not overnight.

The question is partly whether the charger goes to full zero, or keeps trickling. I have no personal experience with the Olights that use charging bases.

another consideration with the special rechargeable olights with the two exposed contacts on the base, is that the charger does not work on normal batteries. Im also fearful of the possibility of the two exposed contacts on the base of the light shorting out. There are videos showing people starting steel wool on fire.

features I prioritize when using LiIon are
I want the light to indicate when the battery needs recharging, so I dont have to open it to check
I want the light or otherwise the battery, to have a built in overdischarge shutoff (not just a low battery warning)

for me, High CRI is a Must Have. Neutral White is not good enough, for me. So none of the lights that people are suggesting that are not High CRI, qualify for my standards.

but then, if I needed to spot a bear with a strong torch, I probably would not care what color it is. So, as far as big lights with thousands of lumens, Im not really a good source of advice, since I dont use them.

I do respect your strategy of buying Olights with rechargeable batteries, IF it is OK to keep them on the charger for long periods unattended. More research needed. What I dont like is that several of your lights use different and unusual batteries, so there is no interchangeability. When the light runs out of power, it is disabled until its special battery is recharged, using the special charger.

Im sure whatever you buy, will be great for some applications, and for other applications its good to have choices.

when considering a light, I always search for reviews by maukka. He has very high standards, and if he likes a light, I take his opinion more seriously than most others. I also sometimes buy lights he does not like, for example the S1 Mini High CRI. It is true that it has green tint, but it has other things that make it worth having, for me.

enjoy the search for lights that meet your use goals

Thanks, all good points there. I would have to treat the charging process as I do my phone. I’ve never liked leaving lithium batteries of any chemistry on trickle charge. Even the laptop gets disconnected once charged and I try to only charge lithium powered gear to about 90-95. The RV has a LiFe battery pack and only charge the cells to 3.45V, which is around 95-98, not worth the risk chasing the extra few percent, especially when they cost a bomb to replace.

Had a look at a review of the R50 Pro by maukka and noticed the charger trickles once full which is not good. I’m very much hands on and it’s easy to keep an eye on this stuff living out of an RV on the road but there will be times I forget so would have to be careful if I buy this light. Not a good look for Olight.

Buying a broad range of torches should cover me if a battery in one goes flat. e.g. the X7R would substitute for the R50 Pro, the H2R for the M2R and 2x S1Rs as contigency.

jon_slider · 2018-04-24T02:35:40.000Z

sounds like you have some clear ideas of what you need to do, and what works for you
I look forward to your success and feedback, across the range of lights you are considering

skinny_tie · 2018-04-24T10:56:58.000Z

jon_slider:

What I dont like is that several of your lights use different and unusual batteries, so there is no interchangeability. When the light runs out of power, it is disabled until its special battery is recharged, using the special charger.

Apart from the X7R all of the torches listed in the original post can run on standard cells so it is possible to swap and go, if you keep spare cells an external charger.

The M2R can charge standard 18650 cells, so you’re not restricted to Olight’s cells.

The S1R, H2R, and R50 Pro all need Olight’s special cells to use the magnetic charger. You’ll certainly pay a premium when you replace them, but how often will that be?

jon_slider:

enjoy the search for lights that meet your use goals

This. If you want simple reliable illumination the Olights are great, but I don’t think thats what many (most?) of us are here for. It’s much more fun to keep searching, experimenting, and modifying.

skinny_tie · 2018-04-24T11:08:36.000Z

jon_slider:

Im not educated as to whether it is OK to leave an Olight sitting on its magnetic charger all the time. I worry a lot about LiIon safety, so I only charge when I am there to supervise the charging, and I do not leave on a charger unattended, and definitely not overnight.

My S10R has been sitting on charge for most of the past 10 months, and my S30R for around six months - I’ll do a discharge test and see how the cells are holding up. Unfortunately I only have a Lii-500 so I can’t check the internal resistance.

jch10400 · 2018-04-24T13:43:15.000Z

I saw the AAA’s were touched on above. I own a Lumintop tool, the AAA Jetbeam, and the Olight I3E EOS. The I3E is hard to beat as a keyring light. It’s small (I don’t notice it on my keyring) and super simple - one mode twist on / twist off and around an hour’s worth of light per battery. Mine has been on my key ring for 2 or 3 years and it has never failed me. It’s been dropped on hard surfaces several times and most of the anodization has worn off. I’m a naturalist guide in the desert Southwest, so it’s routinely exposed to sand, dust, and over 100 degree weather. For those of you old enough to remember the Timex commercials, “it takes a licking and keeps on ticking”.

sbslider · 2018-04-24T19:29:22.000Z

User feedback here. I have been using a S1R everyday since I got it in early December 2017.
I think the magnetic charging is fantastic. I have a DVM which I can use to check the battery to see if it needs charging, but if in doubt you can just charge it. I really appreciate not having to remove the battery to charge it. I suspect that is not a big deal to most users on this forum, but I really like it.

600 lumens with a double click is great. The light can do 900 lumens, but it is not that much of a difference really. I will add if the light is cold and you want 600 lumens, you are likely out of luck, as the battery is pretty sensitive to cold temperature. That is, it won’t deliver full power long when it is below say 12C or so. If the light is in your pocket and warm, and you pull it out into the cold it is fine. It just needs to not be turned on when cold.

I prefer a higher CRI light, but for me the form factor, easy of use and charging, immediate access to moonlight mode, outweigh for me the lower CRI of the light. Also like that I have only stubled across the strobe once in real world use. It is very easy to avoid it. The timer is also kind of cool, but I don’t ever use it.

I have had the light fall off my bike twice while riding, once while I was traveling near 20mph, and the light has always just worked. Also, the anodize is still in great shape even with those falls and other drops, and carrying it in my pocket daily.

Did I mention I like the magnetic charging?

The light is pricy, I bought a handful of them during a black friday sale and then sold them all but one to more than cover the cost of the light I kept. A bit of work, but I got a free light out of it and a few extra $

If you decide you want the XR7 or R50, they are both 40% off at battery juction presently, and have been for some time.

rookiedaddy · 2018-04-25T01:49:54.000Z

My comments below is bias because I have a chance to review some of them...

Model	Comments
X7R Marauder	so far there are no similar in-light rechargeable model with such quality, however, make sure you are getting the latest revision. you may also want to consider other non-rechargeable models for such a big light from Olight itself or other good manufacturers.
R50 Pro	This is using a custom 26650, other 26650 battery may be too long in length to fit when you need replacement. Also make sure you have the latest revision if you are getting the R50 Pro LE Kit (the cradle charging kit). I humbly recommend you to look for alternative to this model.
H2R Nova	Good headlamp! Highly recommended especially the neutral white model! Remember to ask for new "safe" tailcap, or better, get both the "fire-starter" tailcap and the "safe" tailcap so you have a choice in case you need an "emergency fire-starter". A good alternative is XTAR H3R Magnemite (tho ironically, minus the rechargeable cable). If you are looking for proper headlamp (not right-angle light like H2R Nova), Fenix, NiteCore and Petzl can give you some awesome choices. Alternative in this category is the right=angle lights from ZebraLight and Armytek.
M2R Warrior	IMHO, M2T is a better light. Other alternative includes Olight S30RIII and S2R, although both inherit the fire-starting tailcap "feature". There are plenty of other lights in this category from other manufacturers.
S1R Turbo S	A good choice. Alternative is FourSevens Mini MKII. Recommend to stock up a few spare Olight 163C05 IMR batteries as this model will aged the cell real fast if you go nuclear mode...sorry... I mean Turbo S mode frequently.
I3E EOS	This is a very good choice! Keychain carry 2 units (1 black, 1 silver) myself after 2 Fenix E05 failed. Rechargeable NiMH like Eneloop AAA is good for EDC, although Primary Lithium AAA is best for this light.

Note that although Olight's rechargeable system is convenience if you buy into their whole rechargeable family, it is slow to recharge for 18650-size and current may be a little high for 16340-size batteries, not to mention the occasional "hiccup" with their cradle charger...

Looking at your fleet of flashlight models, since you are constantly on the move, imho, a light or two that uses common AA battery is highly recommended. If you would like to stick to Olight, the S1A is an under-appreciated model that could make it to your list. It supports LiIon (14500), NiMH, Alkaline (hightly not recommended) and Primary Lithium (highly recommended) battery making it very versatile when it comes to power source.

jkcqld · 2018-04-25T23:34:08.000Z

Cheers all, the feedback is greatly appreciated. Slowly learning ‘the knowledge’. It’s a crash course that’s for sure and must’ve watched a 100 youtube reviews. Still reading through posts on here to see what else floats to the surface. Amazing how the technology has advanced even over the last year or two.

Speed4goal · 2018-04-26T01:08:02.000Z

I don’t know if o lights charger will work with other batteries. But you could buy a 4 pack of batteries with a case and store it with the lights. And use a light to keep them charged up. When I first started this hobby. I had 2 lights both USB rechargeable. And K used them to charge my batteries until I got a charger. Which decent ones start at 5 dollars. And you’d always have a extra battery or two. Most sites for every 2 batteries you purchase come with a case