Hi BLF!
This is my review of the Amutorch AM30! It was bought on AliExpress, in Amutorch Flashlight Store through this link (non-affiliate).
A discount was provided, but that does not bias my review in any way! (BTW, Customs made me paid a lot for this foreign importation… :person_facepalming: )
I’ll present here - Part I - the general specs and beam shots. I hope to make a Part II with some measurements (approximate) of temperature and output.
So far, the only reference I saw of this light on BLF was in steel_1024 mod thread.
GENERAL SPECS
Body colour: black
Material: hardened aluminium alloy manufactured through CNC during the whole process; the surface is processed with hardened and wear-resistant 3rd level hard oxidation
Waterproofness: IPX8 water resistance, 2m under water
Impact resistance: 1m + scratch proof
Batteries used: 3x18650 Li-Ion Batteries, button top or convex top (protected, large or long batteries won’t fit)
Emitter: XHP70.2, 5000K (output power30W; output current 5A; output voltage 6V)
Reflector: Smooth/Glossy
Lens (Glass): AR Coated or Clear
Max output: 3600Lumens
Max distance range: 550m
Max Candela: 76800cd
Switch: side of the body; electronic, with luminous indicator (Green, Red and Orange)
Body parts: 2 = head and battery tube/tail
Lockout: electronic and physical
Rechargeable: in-built magnetic charger through magnetic cable (proprietary)
THE PACKAGE
The package included: 1 Flashlight+ 1 Clear Glass Lens + 1 Lanyard + 1 O-ring + 1 Magnetic recharging cable (proprietary)
The light arrived well packed in a bubble plastic bag inside a thick card box. There was a piece of foam in the bottom of the box that prevented the light from “shaking”.
Top of the box has an AMUTORCH sticker with logotype; the back has some general specs.
The box had some bruises, but as it was opened by Customs, I believe they damaged it… :rage:
THE LIGHT
It is really well built, a bit heavier than what I normally have, but this is a bigger light.
It feels good to carry on the hand, the diameter size is ideal (if larger, it would be awkward and not so comfortable).
The flashlight has 2 parts: head and battery tube or tail. The brand logotype / flashlight model is placed in base the tail.
The scratch proof is “real” as it seems very resistant to normal daily use.
The switch is comfortable, not recessed and not protruding, too, it responds effectively to the single clicks and multiple fast clicks. It is softer to touch than other lights I have, but this light has “less” or almost none knurling. Also, its grooves are very useful to position the fingers and to adapt it well to the hand.
The head is composed by: a bezel ring; a glass lens (AR Coated was pre-installed, and the seller includes a Clear lens); a sealing o-ring; a smooth/glossy aluminium reflector; the emitter (XHP70.2, 5000K, in a Maxtoch MCPCB, maybe 1.6 or 2mm thickness, and laying on a thick - non glue - thermal paste), the driver. On the outside, it has the switch and the in-built charger port.
Well, I don’t have good tools nor good hands and knowledge to dismantle the driver and put it back together and keep this light working. :person_facepalming:
I tried to move the driver with the pliers I have but I perceived I would damage it. Sorry for not being able (or for being scared :O) to dismantle the light to show what’s inside!
This is not a S2+ that I can screw/unscrew these components forever and still make it work in the end! 
The tail, is composed by the shaped “holes” to place the batteries, the springs (thick, can’t be sure of the material). Outside there is a lanyard hole, very convenient to carry a light with this size!
It has square threads, slightly lubbed on the arrival, and they fit well on the head, without getting scratched with the use. The “base” of the tail is probably glued and cannot be unscrewed (at least not easily and without damaging the springs…).
SIZE AND WEIGHT
Here are some measurements:
Weight (511gr with batteries)
Height and Diameter (15,32 cm)
REFLECTOR (Aluminium, SMO)
Any dust on it was provided by me It arrived quite clean, no dust, no fingerprints, nothing!
LENS
2 options: AR Coated and Clear; 68,9mm x 2mm
EMITTER
XHP70.2, 5000K, in a Maxtoch MCPCB, maybe 1.6 or 2mm thickness, thick wires, and laying on a thick - non glue - thermal paste.
Please note that in some pictures the LED is damaged in the corners. This was my fault when I first attempted to retrieve the reflector and place it back again. It slept from my hands and hit the LED :person_facepalming:
The output and beam are not affected due to this.
Around the LED there is a white round gasket (glued to the plate) where the reflector sits and gets fixed.
The LED is very well centred, what is translated in its output beam.
IN-BUILT CHARGING
It is done using the proprietary magnetic recharging cable. On one side, the cable has a USB tip, and on the other side, it has the proprietary magnetic tip.
As the cable and the flashlight charger are magnetic, it is only needed to put them in contact and charger will begin. Remember to check if batteries are placed correctly (“+” towards top).
When charging, the switch light is RED. When fully charged, the switch light is GREEN.
When charging, the flashlight can be turned ON and will work at the lowest level (200lm).
If the light is connected to the charging cable, without batteries and battery tube, if switched ON it will also work at the lowest level (200lm).
About charging time, manufacturer informs that the current is “set as 1A electric current to charge” and that charging 3500mAh batteries in it takes between “8-12 hours from charging with low pressure indication to fully charged” .
I checked on this: using 3 x 18650 Sanyo NCR18650GA 3350mAh - 10A, soldered button top , bought at NKON.nl, it took 12 hours to charge the cells from 2.94V to 4.20V. I confirmed these V values through Nitecore DigiD2 charger.
ACCESSORIES
What to say? Well, they have good quality! All of them!
The charging cable is needed, and doesn’t seem an easily breakable cable, so I guess that it will survive for a long time!
The lanyard seems made of paracord and is adequate to carry this light.
The clear lens is well made, the edges are well cut and it has no visible imperfections. The dimensions are similar to the AR Coated lens.
The O-ring …well, it’s an O-ring, only not of those “cheapo”. It is thick and also has no visible imperfections.
USER INTERFACE AND MODES
Single click to switch ON; when ON, long press to switch OFF (at any level)
4 Regular modes with memory (light turns ON in the last regular used mode)
2 Special modes
- Turbo of 3600 lm (2 fast clicks from ON or OFF; to leave Turbo make 1 single click)
- Strobe of 3600 lm (3 fast clicks from ON or OFF)
Lockout modes
- Electronic: 4 fast clicks to lock and then 4 fast clicks to unlock (on the last unlocking click, the light will turn ON in the last regular used mode);
- Physical: unscrew the “battery” tube a bit and it physically locks the flashlight; screw again and it will work
OUTPUT AND RUNTIME (manufacturer)
> 200 lm – 26h
> 500 lm - 11h
> 1000 lm – 5h20m
> 2000 lm – 3h
> 3600 lm – by temperature
PWM
EDIT: Amutorch AM30 does not have PWM. The lines on the photos, from what I’ve recently learned, are marks of the Constant Current driver.
In all regular levels; Turbo doesn’t have. Not noticeable nor at human eye nor in pictures. I just made this to show how it looks from the lowest mode to Turbo.
TEMPERATURE REGULATION/PROTECTION
“When the temperature of circuit board reaches 80ºC, it can reduce to moderate bright level automatically. If you continue to use it in higher level forcibly, it will reduce to moderate bright level again in one minute later to ensure the safety of use.”
—- I’ll try some measurements next week for temperature step down and for each level temperature (Host and LED) —-
SOME IMPORTANT NOTES
Battery Use: the 3 batteries must be pointed to the top, towards the driver/head of the light
Reverse Polarity Protection:
a) If all the batteries are turned upside down, towards tail, the flashlight won’t work.
b) if 1 or 2 batteries are upside down and 2 or 1 batteries are correctly placed towards top, the light will work. I can’t assure if this is safe or not, as I didn’t want to provoke damage to the light or the batteries.
LOW VOLTAGE WARNING AND PROTECTION
Manufacturer specs
a) battery levels above 3.4V – switch indicator light is GREEN when ON
b) battery levels between 3V - 3.4V – switch indicator light is ORANGE. Turbo can be still be used
c) battery levels between 2.8V - 3V - switch indicator light is RED, blinks twice a second. Turbo can’t be used
d) battery levels at 2.8V – light shuts OFF. It can be used once, few seconds, in the last output mode, then shuts OFF
My experience (tried once, only)
a) battery levels above 3.63V – switch indicator light is GREEN when ON
b) battery levels between 3V - 3.63V – switch indicator light is ORANGE. Turbo can be still be used if accessed directly without passing through the other modes. Unscrewing and screwing back the battery tube allowed – just a few times – to get the indicator GREEN again and to use Turbo after passing for another regular mode.
c) battery levels between 2.94V - 3V - switch indicator light is RED, blinks twice a second. Turbo can’t be used
d) battery levels at 2.94V – light shuts OFF. It can be used once, few seconds, in the last output mode, then shuts OFF. All battery levels were at 2.94V.
AM30 BEAMSHOTS
The LED produces a white and yellowish hotspot, then a yellowish corona, then +neutral white spill with “darker” board, and after the side spill there is a“blueish” shade that ends with an also bluesih line+ (at least when using the AR Coated lens). No greens here. Also, that blue line, doesn’t bother when looking at it.
Well, and now, let’s see what this light is capable of!
Close beams:
Distances were measured through Google Maps function!
+/- 5m
+/- 13m
+/- 19m
+/- 21m
+/- 44m
+/- 178m (house)
COMPARISON BEAMSHOTS
I picked some lights to make some distance beamshot comparison. Here are the “results”!
/- 5m &/- 52m (AM30 vs Zanflare F1)
+ /- 69m (Convoy S2+ Tan; Nitefox UT20; Zanflare F1; AMUTORCH AM30)
+/- 92m (AM30 vs Zanflare F1)
+ /- 92m (Convoy S2+ Tan; Nitefox UT20; Zanflare F1; AMUTORCH AM30)
TINT COMPARISON
I picked some lights to make some tint comparison at 20-30cm (no white balance, sorry)
AMUTROCH AM30 vs:
Convoy S2+ XML2 U2-1A
Convoy S2+ XML2 T6-4C
Zanflare F1 XPL V6 (CW)
Nitefox UT20 XML2 U2-1A
Sofirn SP32 XPL V6 (NW)
Amutorch S3 XPG3-S3 (Pebbled TIR)
Amutorch S3 XML2 T6-3B (TIR)
-Amutorch (Neal) -Nichia 219C (Pebbled TIR)
Manker E11 XPL (CW)
-Convoy S2+ Tan – XPL-HI U6-3A
FLASHLIGHT COMPARISON
Just for fun, with the family! The Amutorch AM30 is clearly the Big Brother!
GENERAL APPRECIATION
This is my first flashlight with: multiple 18650 batteries, XHP70.2, magnetic charging, big thrower! It is mostly an outdoor light for long journeys, and provides a good illumination even at the lower level. Using a lanyard is certainly a must with this light, to carry it more safely.
Well… I really like this flashlight ! Everything in it is well made, from the building and machining to the usability! Being bigger and heavier than my other lights doesn’t bother, even if it is not for EDC purposes. I use it at my small village, where everything is dark and will be darker as… the Winter is coming ! :smiling_imp:
It has a real good throw, but also produces an important amount of flood that is useful when using it as a search light.
I like the in-built charging feature, as no exterior charger is needed, and I like that it can work at lower level even when charging. With a powerbank and the cable…there can be light!!
IMPROVEMENTS?
There are no real “cons” I would point to this light! These are some things I think that could be improved, and that’s all:
- Having a User Manual is preferable than using the seller’s store to know the specs, the UI, the general functioning;
- There could be a hidden Moonlight mode or a hidden lower mode (Long press from OFF), just in case we don’t want/need to use 200 or more lumens when turning ON;
- Also…I would prefer this light without memory, always starting at the lowest level;
- Maybe there could be a protection for the magnetic charger, as dust can accumulate, and although it seems to be well sealed, an extra protection wouldn’t bother that much.
So far, I can’t measure the LED and body temperature, nor temperature vs output drop, nor the lumens it produces. I’ll try to make some tests on this next week! :nerd_face:
EDIT: attemps done in post #2 :sunglasses:
Please leave questions if you have them or considerations on this! Thanks for reading!
Best regards, BLFrs!! :+1:
EDIT: Amutorch AM30 does not have PWM. The lines on the photos, from what I’ve recently learned, are marks of the Constant Current driver.
