love the smell of spam pork in the morning :)
lol :bigsmile: I wouldn't said it better :bigsmile:
*FYI* here my own measurements:
iTP A3 EOS Titanium XP-G R5 (low-med-high mode sequence), i took 7 separate measurements with the FC50 high precision scale [and a kitchen scale]:
pocket clip: 1.317g [1g]
split ring: 0.208g [0g]
head only: 6.797g [7g]
body only, w/o split rings/pocket clip/battery: 7.664g [8g]
head+body, w/o split rings/pocket clip/battery: 14.461g [14g]
head+body+pocket clip, w/o split rings/battery:15.780g [16g]
head+body+split ring, w/o pocket clip/battery: 14.670g [15g]
head+body+split ring+pocket clip, w/o battery: 15.984g [16g]
feel free to do the maths on your own whether the above numbers add up correctly 
btw, the manual states a total weight of "22.5g", so the difference (22.5 - 15.984) has to be the weight of the clamp (keychain). i gave the clamp to a friend, so i am unable to measure its weight, sorry!
OMG!! What a work to take the measurements!
Thanks!
So 16 grams (complete) is very low weight. At this moment, IMO there is no flashlight better than the itp (talking about size, weight, quality, modes and performance)
true true!
one thing's for sure: with 10440's the iTP is the very brightest AAA flashlight i know of. Brighter than Tank E09 with 10440's. Much brighter. On the other hand, the Tank E09 has the better head for heat-sinking because it's made out of Aluminum and its mass unusually dimensioned:
Aluminum head Worm 5.400g (=5.400/13.100= ~41.22%)
versus
Titanium head A3 6.797g (=6.797/14.461= ~47.00%)
versus
Aluminum head E09 6.272g (=6.272/12.796= ~49.92%)
Whoever owns already the iTP A3 should be happy and not look further. For people with no AAA lights and looking for a best value, then the Tank E09 is really good choice. E09's form factor resembles more iTP A3 than Fenix LD01 or Fenix E05 imho.
Here some further pertinent info for fran's thread. My light is the iTP A3 EOS Titanium with Cree XP-G R5 (mode sequence Lo-Med-Hi). These are my own tailcap readings with fresh cells:
| iTP A3 EOS Titanium XP-G R5 | High | Med | Low |
| Alkaline abc | 0.903A | 0.339A | 0.042A |
| Alkaline xyz | |||
| Varta NiMH | 0.88A | 0.329A | 0.041A |
| Eneloop AAA | 0.906A | 0.308A | 0.040A |
| Grey UltraFire 10440, protected | 1.2A | 0.214A | 0.015A |
| Blue UltraFire 10440, unprotected | TBA | TBA | TBA |
I also measured actual runtimes, both on Protected 10440's and Eneloops:
Protected 10440's runtime tests:
As we know, the ITP A3 EOS (Cree XP-R5) head does run on 10440's flawlessly. Runtimes on 10440's depend heavily on the built quality of the particular individual cell. Of my grey Ultrafire 2pack cells, cell1 seems to deliver more capacity than cell2. Instead of measuring tailcap reading (amperage) i am measuring the runtime in real life tests. On high-mode i wrapped the torch tightly with snow (It finally snowed this winter in Germanyikes) which later on converted to ice. In either case the torch was really cold over the whole testrun time and it was safe to operate it continuously on High-mode with Protected 10440's. Let's recall that selfbuilt never tested the iTP A3 with 10440's on High-mode. So the following test results maybe a world-premiere on the inet, brought to you by kreisler the permabanned:
| HIGH | 10440, cell1 | 10440, cell2 |
| testrun1 | 5m45s | 3m27s |
| testrun2 | 5m30s | 3m17s |
| testrun3 | 14m21s | 9m27s |
Testruns 1&2: After the given time the protection of the cell trips and the light shuts off completely. Not even 6.0mins whaaahhtt??!! yepyep. At least with the brandnew cells i got from Dealextreme (Grey Protected Ultrafire 10440's from DX). Maybe the Grey Protected Trustfire 10440's from DX have a considerably longer runtime than that, but i highly doubt it. Please be reminded that this output (at least with a freshly charged 10440 and in the first few seconds, i.e. before it begins to dim) is brighter than the Quark X AA 8-mode 1x 14500 on its High-mode (i.e. brightness level 4outof5; fyi level 5outof5 is called Max-mode, 1/5 is called Moonlight-mode). And the above results teach us that, if you use the Blue Unprotected Ultrafire 10440's from DX, you should not run it longer than 6mins total on High-mode because after 6mins (or 3.5mins, see cell2!) you begin to overdischarge the cell and 
haha S)
Testrun3 was conducted after many other testruns on the same cells (the below testruns on MED-mode plus the testruns(!!) with the Tank E09) but this time i didnt freeze the entire torch with packed snow. Instead i immersed the tip/top part of the A3's Titanium head into cold water bezel down, and the rest of the head and the body were in plain environmental air at room temperature. Interestingly, the ~1cm water immersion acted very well as heat sink and the body, the LED/driver, and the cell were operating at "normal" temperatures (~25-35° Celsius, estimated) instead of ~0°C of the snow-ice-water mixture. This experiment (testrun1, testrun2) demonstrates the effect of diminishing effective cell capacity when the cell adopts freezingly low environmental temperature.
And let's measure the other modes too, tested at room temperature and with intermittent cooling by human hands:
| MED | 10440, cell1 | 10440, cell2 |
| testrun1 | 1h14m25s | 1h16m51s |
| testrun2 | 1h16m34s | 1h13m27s |
| testrun3 | 1h15m03s | 1h16m12s |
Not bad at all, huh. Cell2 doesnt seem that bad after all. On Med-mode at room temperature it performs even better than cell1 (see testrun1 and testrun3). Let's recall that selfbuilt had measured only 1h7min with the iTP A3 Q5.
And finally, for the first time on the inet, someone is measuring and publishing the iTP A3 XP-G R5 runtime data on 10440's on Low-Mode:
| LOW | 10440, cell1 | 10440, cell2 |
| testrun1 | 15h59m55s (2.774V) | 16h31m22s (2.769V) |
| testrun2 | 16h33m38s (2.685V) | 16h54m07s (2.653V) |
| testrun3 | N/A | N/A |
Here again the runtime depends heavily on the quality (capacity) of the charged cell. Taking the highest measured runtime as reference (record mark) then the iTP A3 runs for almost 17.0hrs on Low-mode with Protected 10440's until the protection circuit trips.
Eneloop runtime tests
High-mode:
| High-mode (iTP A3 w/ XP-G R5) |
testrun stopped | remaining offline voltage | recoverable to | capacity consumed |
| Eneloop cell#1 & testrun#1 | 59min | ~1.14V | 1.2379V | 706mAh |
| Eneloop cell#2 & testrun#2 | 60min | ~1.08V | 1.2205V | 743mAh |
| Eneloop cell#3 & testrun#3 | 62min | ~0.94V | 1.2149V | 737mAh |
| Eneloop cell#4 & testrun#4 | 63min | ~0.88V | 1.1982V | 773mAh |
From the above table we can determine the Eneloop runtime in High-mode as 63min (=1.0h). selfbuilt had clocked 59min, HKJ had estimated 1.0h, Manufacturer's specs are "55 Minutes". FYI i made my Eneloops come off the charger at 1.54V. Freshly charged Eneloops can have a voltage between 1.45 ~ 1.54V and a typical voltage would be 1.47V. So my measured runtimes reflect the absolute optimum, and in real life with an "Eneloop charged full with a dubious quality NiMH charger" your runtime will be lower than my record mark.
Med-mode:
| Med-mode (iTP A3 w/ XP-G R5) |
testrun stopped | remaining offline voltage | recoverable to | capacity consumed |
| Eneloop cell#1 & testrun#1 | 2h15min | ~1.17V | 1.2330V | 703mAh |
| Eneloop cell#2 & testrun#2 | 2h19min | ~1.11V | 1.2039V | 753mAh |
| Eneloop cell#3 & testrun#3 | 2h22min | ~1.01V | 1.1860V | 765mAh |
| Eneloop cell#4 & testrun#4 | 2h29min | ~0.83V | 1.1815V | 779mAh |
From the above table we can determine the Eneloop runtime in Med-mode as exactly 2h20min (=2.33h). selfbuilt had clocked 2h9min as did HKJ. Manufacturer's specs were "4 Hours", which is a total lie, shame on Olight!!
Low-mode:
| Low-mode (iTP A3 w/ XP-G R5) |
testrun stopped | remaining offline voltage | recoverable to | capacity consumed |
| Eneloop cell#1 & testrun#1 | 19h17min (dead) |
~0.82V | 1.1395V | 807mAh |
| Eneloop cell#2 & testrun#2 | 18h16min | ~0.85V | 1.1714V | 777mAh |
| Eneloop cell#3 & testrun#3 | 18h2min | ~1.09V | 1.1856V | 759mAh |
| Eneloop cell#4 & testrun#4 | 17h58min | ~1.111V | 1.1870V | 757mAh |
18h39min ~0.85V 1.1758V 786mAh (falls noticeably out of regulation)
On Low-mode HKJ estimated 10.4hrs, i had expected 20hrs, and manufacturer's specs were "50 Hours", which is a complete lie, shame on Olight! In my real life tests the absolute max runtime until the light drops 100% dead is 19h17mins. From the above table we can conclude that the average runtime on Low-mode down to 50% brightness is 18.0hrs.
Thanks kreisler!
These cells seems to be bad.
All my cells ( the unprotected ones ), after about 10 minutes they are 3,6 volt... And the protection cuts at about 2,75 volts, so something is bad in these cells...
i will do runtime tests on medium and low, so that i can compare my results with selfbuilt's measurements. Only cell2 is bad. I can tell more about voltages when i receive my multimeter. yes, the protection cuts at 2.75V under load. this equals an offline voltage of 3.6V because of the sag (drag).
The blue Ultrafire cells have a higher rated capacity.
I prefer running 6mins *with* protection to running 10mins *without* protection.
So how did you measure the 10mins? You got snow in Spain too? :D
EDIT: now i am thinking that the 6mins. resulted from using snow. the battery was running at 0°Celsius. low temperature influences battery performance i guess.
No and no.
I live in the Canary Islands, and here the weather is sunny and warm almost all the days of the year.
The runtimes were not made with the itp A3... where made with the trustfire F23, which draws about the same current than the itp A3 on high.
You can do the measurements with any flashlight which draw about 1.0 Amps (slightly more) on High
I forgot to mention.
The protected cells I have from DX, gave me more than 25 minutes on HIGH without the voltage cutoff of the protection.
I mean: Switch on on high, after 10 minutes the voltage with NO load is 3,6 volt... but the protection kicks 10 or 15 minutes later, when voltage decreases to 2,75
Permabanned? Again? LOL :bigsmile: Who banned you this time? Norm? :bigsmile: Looks like they don't like you :)
Where was I? Aahh, ok :bigsmile: Thanks for those tests. As fran said, I think those runtime tests are quite... strange :| Only 5 min on HI? Waiting other tests as well :P Keep it up.
I can do the test with my Imax. By this manner I can check both the current draw and the cell voltage on load, to see how low the voltage goes under a load of 1Amp
However, your cells seems to be bad
Even with 2 year old cells I get more than 5 minutes runtime to 3,6volt (no load voltage)
but you know that amperage isnt a constant, right?
current increases in a regulated torch when the voltage decreases. this "phenomenon" is the regulation for constant brightness, see the graphs by HKJ:
see the red lines in for example the Klarus example:
http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review%20Klarus%20Mi%20X6%20UK.html
You cannot simulate this discharge behavior with an IMAX B6 i guess. i will do tests on medium etc. and compare my results..
Yes, but...
Most flashlights which use AAA and 10440, are regulated with AAA and "direct drive" (or similar) with 10440.
So, with AAA, you can see that current increases as voltage decreases.
With 10440, not neccesary. I will measure the current draw in the A3 with a fresh charged 10440 cell and with another cell at 3,6 volt of resting voltage...
I "think" that when fully charged it will draw about 1A and then it will start to decrease the current draw (current will decrease as battery voltage decreases)
With the imax I can test the behaviour with a constant 1A discharge.
to whom it may concern, i’ve completed the Protected 10440’s runtime tests on High-mode and Med-mode for both Tank E09 and iTP A3. The data is important to myself so that i know which runtime performance to expect from my 2pack of cells in my torches. The info maybe relevant to the reader if he/she chooses to use Unprotected 10440’s (e.g. the popular Blue Ultrafire) to get an idea when it’s time to recharge the cells.
Offline voltage should not fall below 3.60V (volts).
Originally Posted by selfbuilt 
On my i3, Hi output seemed a little lower than my earlier ITP A3 sample - but still in the range of other lights with comparable circuits and XP-G R5 emitters (e.g. Illuminati). Performance on Med-mode was unchanged from the earlier version of this light.
Originally Posted by iTP A3 SS/Ti Operator's Manual
iTP A3 Specs:
- Output/Runtime:
- High: 96 lumens / 55 Minutes
- Medium: 22 lumens / 4 Hours
- Low: 1.8 lumens / 50 hours
- LED: Cree XP-G R5
Originally Posted by selfbuilt
Olight i3 Specs:
- Output/Runtime:
- High: 70 lumens / 0.7 hours
- Medium: 20 lumens / 1.5 hours
- Low: 2.5 lumens / 20 hours
- LED: Cree XP-G R5
For our records, here my thoughts how the (old) iTP A3 compares to the (new) Olight i3:
The difficulty with the manufacturer's specs arises from the missing info regarding the used cells. In selfbuilt's, HKJ's and my own tests, if we take Eneloop cells as point of reference then the red runtimes are way too optimistic (iTP A3 XP-G R5 runtime on Low is less than 19 hours!!!) while the green runtimes are a little too conservatively spec'ed. I dont own the Olight i3 so i cannot test the i3 XP-G runtime on Low. But since it's "2.5lm" (i.e. "0.7lm brighter" than the A3 XP-G R5), it is safe to assume that it will be much less than 19 hours. My guesstimate off the top of my head would be 14 hours instead of the spec'ed "20 hours".
Regarding the performance, the old iTP A3 beats the new Olight i3, which is surprising:
High: A3 is noticeably brighter, A3 runs a little longer
Medium: A3 is slightly brighter, A3 runs a little longer
Low: i3 is slightly brighter, A3 runs "much" longer
The A3 is smaller and lighter than the i3.
The A3 has the much better keyring attachment point (but the i3 can tailstand).
The A3 exists in "Stainless Steel" and also "Titanium Alloy" (=not 100% Titanium!!), and both "non-Aluminum" versions are still being sold on the market.
The A3 has an extensive track record which testifies to doubts about durability and longevity.
The A3 has official support for unprotected 10440's (the wording in the A3 manual is "Battery: 1 x AAA, 1 x Rechargeable NiMh AAA, or 1 x 10440" etc.); what does the i3 manual say exactly?
The A3 keyring attachment point didnt seem very sturdy .. but if you got the A3 EOS SS or the A3 EOS TI there is no reason to worry about it any longer.
Various internet resources, user reports and reviews confirm that the i3 is not as bright as the A3 and users dont need to be puzzled. Even the official lumens specs tell us about the brightness difference on High-mode.
On the other hand, the i3 really excels in 2 features:
The i3 can tailstand (The A3 can tailstand only on even flat 100% horizontal planes) -- but then again, there is no commercial 14mm diffuser available. I've checked already typical China-based etailers (KD, DD, DX, MF, HKE).
The i3 has a fantastic pocket clip -- but then again, it is not reversible. (the A3 has a lol pocket clip but at least it is indeed reversible, even though there is no explicit body groove like in the Maratac).
The i3 does not come in SS or Ti and therefore will look more banged up after a while riding on a keychain than the older versions (A3 SS, A3 Ti).
What could be criticized about the A3 is its tint. There is nothing wrong with the tint. With no comparison light at hand you would never think that the light looks greenish. The greenish tendency is way too subtle. However, if you compare different XP-G R5 lights and their white ceiling bounce, then lol yes the A3 is unfortunately somewhat greenish 
. Cree XP-G R5 CoolWhite can have a wide range of perceptible greenishness. The A3 has no readily perceptible greenishness .. at least that's the case with my sample.
i hope this was fast enough. hehe..
The Stainless steel itself is an alloy, Aircraft Aluminum and it's variants are alloys, Titanium is sold in alloys, usually TC4 and it's significantly stronger than pure Titanium, and even some than some common steels. However ITP didn't mentioned which Titanium Alloy is used for the A3.
Wish I could find the Olight/iTP A3 in "standard" configuration with no modes.
That was one of my favorite lights. Out of production now.
To whom it may concern:
when you order the "ITP A3" from Dinodirect, DD will actually ship the "Olight I3" (click on picture!), see:
The above picture is a recent one (2012-07-07), and it makes sense because i think that the ITP A3 is not being produced any longer. Afaik the ITP A3 is out-of-print. You can use this post's info to your advantage, experienced DD shoppers know what i am talking about (whatever that means) good luck!!
;)
Thanks for this kreisler!!
I maybe will order one for a gift