Review: Sofirn SC21 Pro w LH351D 5000K

LED Flashlights – General Info Other Battery Type Flashlights
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I received a Review Sample of the SC21 Pro Black w LH351d 5000K and 16340 battery.

The light can be purchased here:

and there is a 10% discount code: DQACEY3C

The box includes a nice pocket clip, USB C charging cable, a lanyard, and spare O rings.

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I took some measurements with my Opple:

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There are a few more photos in this album:

[Album] Sofirn SC21 Pro

The light arrived in Advanced stepped mode with the following defaults in Anduril 1.

Low mode of 3 lumens,
7 ramping steps, highest is 540 Lumens (note my lumen meter is homemade, your results may differ).
Double click from off gives ceiling of 540 lumens
Double click from ON at any level gives Turbo 860 Lumens
Triple clic from on changes from stepped mode to ramping mode
the lowest mode in ramping is 0.1 lumens, ramping up goes to 540 lumens, and a double click gives 860 lumens
Triple clic from off gives battery voltage

6 click from off goes to muggle mode
low 4 lumens, top of ramp 250 lumens, no turbo

I then did 6 click to return to Advanced mode and checked thermal calibration.

thermal config was reading 28, but my IR thermometer said 34C, so I recallibrated the thermal config to 34C, using these instructions. Anduril Thermal Calibration Config – Dave's Tech Reviews

I then tested thermal step down from Turbo, tailstanding the light. After 1 minute the light was still over 600 Lumens. imo the Thermal Management is Excellent. The light was not too hot to touch, and after turning off, a temp check gave 45C. From off, the light cooled down rapidly. The heat transfer out of the host seems excellent. If the light is handheld while in Turbo, the output is even more consistent.

Im very impressed at the sustainable output of this light. I also like the small size and form factor. There are LEDs under the button, that glow green, to locate the light. The button light arrived set to the low mode… 7H from off will advance the button light settings in a 4 step cycle. More details in the manual:
https://bazaar.launchpad.net/~toykeeper/flashlight-firmware/fsm/view/head:/ToyKeeper/spaghetti-monster/anduril/anduril-manual.txt

There is a magnet in the tail, it works very well including to hold the light sideways. There is a 2 way pocket clip that is nice and deep carry, and can also work as a Hatlamp. The package includes a USB C charging cable that plugs directly into a port on the head of the light. The button light glows red during charging and changes to Green when the battery is full. Charging works perfectly and the Voltage reported by triple click matches my DMM. Im very impressed with the battery voltage check feature, and the charging feature.

I also like that Anduril has built in LVP, so no need for protected cells. Im using the 800mAh cell provided in the Full Set purchase from Sofirn, that includes the light, plus a battery. It is a button top, and I always recommend buying the battery with the light. The price of the battery is very low, and it is very convenient to receive a light ready to use, with all accessories, including the USB C the charging cable. The battery arrives at about 3.6V, it is important to charge it fully for best results.

The SC21 Pro switch button requires about 2.5 pounds of pressure to turn on the light. For reference a FWAA switch triggers with less than 1 pound of pressure. imo the SC21 Pro switch seems very unlikely to be turned on unintentionally. I have to press the switch, deeply and very deliberately, or nothing happens. The SC21 Pro is sustainably 2x Brighter than a FWAA, and the same length.

I like that the SC21 Pro beam is symmetrical, with no rings or artifacts. It is also moddable to Nichia 219b and 519a, and still produces an excellent beam, even with a dedomed.519a. It is a pleasure to find a light whose reflector is compatible with multiple High CRI LED options.

This light is a complete turnkey solution for someone wanting to use a light with 16340 LiIon, without any need to buy a separate charger. I recommend it as a handy, small, High CRI light, that is very versatile. For example, it is a good light to keep in the car, for camping, tailgating, or just to change a tire. The magnet is convenient for use on metal car surfaces, and the included charge cable means the light can be charged in the car, no need to take the battery out, nor to take the light out of the car.

The deep carry pocket clip is very useful imo, it is easy to EDC such a small light, and the clip doubles as a handsfree hatlamp, which I really like. imo the light is also good on the nightstand, with its 0.1 lumen low, it is easy to find my way, walking through the house in the dark of night. Without being too bright, so I can get back to sleep easily.

Thumbs up on this little SC21 Pro… It has a winning combination of features, for many different applications. Makes a great gift, to myself, or others… :wink:

1 Thank
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Music to my ears :slight_smile: Sofirn’s current batch of LH351Ds is way too green. Still waiting for 519As to arrive, but good to read they make a fine combo. Other than that, very nice little light.

Been using one with the clip and a diffuser clipped to a roll down curtain. Light enough that it doesn’t slide down. Makes a good story telling light that way (e.g. light coming from above instead of sideways). Good tail standing too.

PS, today I think the green host is best :stuck_out_tongue:

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Btw. What is an opple?

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Isn’t that a type of car?

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Car is “Opel” I believe.
I “think” he meant “Apple” instead of Opple…. but be aware that is just a guess on my part. :wink:
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Nice review, thank you.

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Opple is the manufacturer of an inexpensive device to measure the color of a light, the Opple Light Master (III/Pro).

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There is a own thread about the Opple Lightmaster

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/67890

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[quote=Verodin]

I have never seen an LH351D whose tint was not above the BBL. I buy for the host and UI, knowing the LED can be changed.

For anyone interested in learning to swap LEDs, Im willing to help. Here is a pictorial of the process.

I also have a Green SC21 Pro, w 519a dedome for sale here.

LOL, thanks for the comic relief, and the kind words :wink:

this is an Apple (I use it to plot the DUV from the Opple):

this is an Opple (it tells CCT, CRI Ra and Tint DUV:
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and this is an Opal:

2 Thanks
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And this is an Opel:

2 Thanks
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thanks… LOL
that Opel has great R9 CRI… rotfl

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Swapped the 351D for a 4500K 519A i bought from Simon, and it’s a thing of beauty!
Still doubting to dedome it though

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congrats on your LED upgrade Yokiamy. So glad you are enjoying your 519a

if you decide to dedome, here is what you can expect
first, the hotspot will become much smaller, (some domed and dedomed beam pics here) and less perfectly round, but the Tint duv moves lower, and gives a bit of strawberry color to the beam, that I enjoy.

here is the difference in color, domed then dedomed, for my 519a lights:
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I EDC the dedomed 4500K (4th from left) from Simon

and here is a video showing a dedome process:

there is a layer of glass under the dome, sometimes bits of the dome remain adhered, but can be pushed off easily, without damaging the phosphor

Here is how dedoming affects Tint and CCT:

1 Thank
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Thank you, I stand corrected. :smiley: :beer:

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+1… It sure is. OPEL :+1: :beer:

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Thanks for the review. It was quite helpful and I have become interested in purchasing one. The information on button activation force was particularly helpful because I hardly find any information on it on reviews although there are huge variations in the button activation forces in lights.

One of the features I like in some of Anduril UI lights is the ability to check battery voltage while the light is off. For example, D4v2 or KR4 can be configured to show battery voltage when off by the colors of RGB AUX LEDs. In that regard, I wonder if the button LED in SC21 Pro be configured to reflect battery voltage. I see that it can display two colors, red and green. I think it would be nice if the button LED shows battery charge levels. Does the button LED change colors depending on battery voltage?

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That is not possible. Anduril works with either a single color LED or with RGB LEDs. In this case it’s only the green LED, while the red LED is connected directly to the charging controller.

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Thank you for the specific compliment, Im glad the button pressure info is helpful.

I check battery voltage by clicking 3 times from Off, in Advanced mode… The main LED then flashes out the voltage… repeatedly, until the button is pressed again. Very convenient, and suprisingly accurate (within 0.1V) compared to my DMM.

Thank you for that background info.

I find the built in charging works very well, and switches from Red to Green, when charging stops. I charge at my desk, so I can unplug the charge cord soon after charging finishes.

I suspect some people will want to charge unattended overnight. I do not recommend that. The battery is not the same kind as in our phones. I still only charge LiIon while Im present, never overnight while Im sleeping.

built in charger trivia:
The SC21 Pro can be turned on while plugged into the charge cable, even without a battery inside.

1 Thank
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Both need the same CC/CV charging system and rely on the charging controller to stop charging once finished. Even most cheap charging controllers will terminate correctly.

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I agree, but that is not why I dont charge while sleeping.

Out of an Abundance of Caution, I only charge LiIon when I am present. I charge from the USB port on my Desktop computer, while I am at my desk.

I want to be awake if a LiIon goes into thermal runaway, and starts “Venting with Fire” before charging terminates.

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Same here.

It’s the others that don’t fall in the ‘most’ category that I’m worried about :smiley: Although I’m not really too worried about Sofirn charging circuitry. There’s WAY worse out there.