[Review] Wuben E05 - Impressive eSwitch 14500

Gebe · 2018-11-24T21:21:01.000Z

Muto:

Got one, the 3 hour run time on high is what sold me. Most 14500 flashlights chew through the battery very fast on anything other than a low setting.
The coupon code from Vipon puts this light at 19.97 with prime, couldn’t say no to that.

Got the Wuben TO46R last week and am blown away by the quality, fit and finish and performance.
The packaging is even better than a lot of other light in the same price range.

Thanks gchart for the great reveiw!
Later,

Keith

Hi Keith,
What’s the coupon code? Thanks.

Muto · 2018-11-25T02:44:16.000Z

Hey Gebe,

Each code is one time use, you may be able to buy more than one in your order but only one amazon order will process. Try adding one a at time into the cart then go to checkout and add code.

Need to get code from this site;
https://www.vipon.com/product/5620536-WUBEN-E05-EDC-Flashlight-900-Lumens-Cree-XPL?ref=ss_5620536_18_title

You need to join the Vipon but all that they want is valid email, can be throw away yahoo,gmail, etc.
They have lots of good codes and it is all for Amazon, easy peasy.

HTH
Keith

Gebe · 2018-11-25T21:50:05.000Z

Thanks much Keith but the code isn’t working. What a wonky site that vipon is! It took forever to join and at first it wouldn’t let me navigate the site unless I downloaded their app. After much frustration, I finally got through to get the code.

Went to Amazon but the code is no longer any good.

MascaratumB · 2018-11-25T22:16:13.000Z

MascaratumB:

Yesterday I was tempted to put a Luxeon V on mine to improve the beam quality! It was late so I gave up, but that will be a next step on this It surely has less shift than the XPL2 on it and still puts a great amount of light out of it!

Ended up modding mine with the Luxeon V: “REVIEW”: Wuben E05 V1.0 – AA/14500 battery – XPL2 LED - 900 lumens [PIC HEAVY] [***MODDED WITH Luxeon V]*** - #20 by MascaratumB
Much better beam if compared with XPL2

gchart · 2018-11-25T22:22:11.000Z

Awesome, thanks for sharing. I’m ok with my current LED, but have been keeping an eye out for something else… LH351D, Luxeon V2 (waiting for reviews of that), etc.

Muto · 2018-11-26T15:17:16.000Z

Gebe:

Thanks much Keith but the code isn’t working. What a wonky site that vipon is! It took forever to join and at first it wouldn’t let me navigate the site unless I downloaded their app. After much frustration, I finally got through to get the code.

Went to Amazon but the code is no longer any good.

Looks like they reactivated it with price .01c different which should be good now.
I always used the site with desktop so have no idea of mobile app.

Anyway try again.
I may see if it will let me buy another with new code for gift for my brother.
Update; Just tried it and……NOPE, once you buy with vipon code with amazon you are locked out from doing another purchase even with different code on same item.
So stock up on original purchase or use another members account.

The other deal you may want to get on is this one;
https://www.vipon.com/product/5590944-AIDIER-Pocket-Keychain-Super-High-Bright-180-lumen?ref=ss_5590944_2_title

Great little light with big output, does have pwm on low but still excellent aaa flashlight for less than $5, now will only let you order 1 of these, oh well was good while it lasted.

Later,
Keith

Gebe · 2018-11-26T17:58:16.000Z

Tried it again Keith and this time it worked. Thanks much!

m_a_schuster · 2018-11-28T13:59:49.000Z

Just received one of these from Amazon using the coupon for $19.95.

That price, the positive review, and the bunch of unused 14500's sitting in the drawer, are what convinced me.

There is a lot to like here.

Some random observations tho:

To keep the provided USB-charging 14500 at nominal capacity, the overall length of the cell is increased considerably in order to fit the charging circuit. This works fine in the E05 as it is designed to accommodate the extra length, but not so for re-using in other lights you may have on hand. My ancient AW protected 14500 works just dandy in the E05.
I wish it had come with an OP reflector as the beam pattern is a little rough with the smooth one. Not being inclined to mod, I can live with this though.
The light came with the battery pre-installed and charged to mid capacity. To do this, they must have some confidence that parasitic drain will not deplete the battery before it reaches the customer. Wondering if it has been measured.
I am not a fan of the magnetic end cap ... or magnets in general for anything intended for EDC. Keep them away from your mag-stripe credit cards, work ID/access cards, and the like!

gchart · 2018-11-28T14:31:45.000Z

Good observations. I agree on the OP reflector - that would have been a better choice.

Regarding the magnetic end cap… bilakos10 showed in his review that the magnet could easily be removed:

Muto · 2018-11-28T14:42:47.000Z

gchart:

Good observations. I agree on the OP reflector - that would have been a better choice.

Regarding the magnetic end cap… bilakos10 showed in his review that the magnet could easily be removed:

Stipple the reflector like Old Lumens used to.

Gebe · 2018-11-28T15:06:38.000Z

m_a_schuster:

Just received one of these from Amazon using the coupon for $19.95.

That price, the positive review, and the bunch of unused 14500’s sitting in the drawer, are what convinced me.

There is a lot to like here.

Some random observations tho:

To keep the provided USB-charging 14500 at nominal capacity, the overall length of the cell is increased considerably in order to fit the charging circuit. This works fine in the E05 as it is designed to accommodate the extra length, but not so for re-using in other lights you may have on hand. My ancient AW protected 14500 works just dandy in the E05.

I wish it had come with an OP reflector as the beam pattern is a little rough with the smooth one. Not being inclined to mod, I can live with this though.

The light came with the battery pre-installed and charged to mid capacity. To do this, they must have some confidence that parasitic drain will not deplete the battery before it reaches the customer. Wondering if it has been measured.

I am not a fan of the magnetic end cap … or magnets in general for anything intended for EDC. Keep them away from your mag-stripe credit cards, work ID/access cards, and the like!

Thanks for your thoughts schuster. I’m awaiting the arrival of mine. Looks like a great deal for $20.00. I actually prefer the magnet as I find it increases the usefulness of smaller lights but to each their own.

Like you, I prefer OP reflectors in lights unless it’s a dedicated thrower. I’m thinking if the beam bothers me, an application of diffuser film will clean the beam up. I use it in a lot of my lights and it’ll turn a smooth reflector into a OP.

MascaratumB · 2018-11-28T15:16:17.000Z

m_a_schuster:

The light came with the battery pre-installed and charged to mid capacity. To do this, they must have some confidence that parasitic drain will not deplete the battery before it reaches the customer. Wondering if it has been measured.

I believe mine arrived with a piece of thick plastic on the negative pole, but I can’t remember 100%! Yours didn’t have it?

m_a_schuster · 2018-11-28T16:38:38.000Z

MascaratumB:

m_a_schuster:

The light came with the battery pre-installed and charged to mid capacity. To do this, they must have some confidence that parasitic drain will not deplete the battery before it reaches the customer. Wondering if it has been measured.

I believe mine arrived with a piece of thick plastic on the negative pole, but I can’t remember 100%! Yours didn’t have it?

Nope. There was no insulator on either end of the battery.

m_a_schuster · 2018-11-28T16:40:26.000Z

gchart:

Good observations. I agree on the OP reflector - that would have been a better choice.

Regarding the magnetic end cap… bilakos10 showed in his review that the magnet could easily be removed:

Thanks for pointing that out.
Guess I will have to look, as it is not clear to me whether the magnet acts as a spacer beneath the rear contact; i.e. if removing the magnet will change the effective length of the battery tube.

gchart · 2018-11-28T16:51:36.000Z

m_a_schuster:

… if removing the magnet will change the effective length of the battery tube

Thats a good question, but if it does change the length, I bet you could just shim it where the magnet was with some scrap plastic/paper/etc (maybe a couple layers cut from a junk-mail credit card or gift card?)

Gebe · 2018-12-01T20:24:17.000Z

Mine finally arrived. What an great little light for $20.00! The best 14500 light I’ve ever owned and I’ve owned a ton of them. The accessories you get with it makes it an even better bargain. The only minus I can come up with is the low capacity cell it came with but that’s easily corrected and it’s fine for now.

The tint on mine is fantastic! No need to change this emitter. I’m biased towards CW and this thing is great. Pure white corona with beautiful spill. No tint shift on this, just beautiful pure white with no hint of blue or green at all and no artifacts at all, at least in this example. I really won the tint lottery!

To say I’m happy with this is an understatement. Wonderful build quality as good as any light I’ve ever had. This would be a good buy at it’s $39.99 retail but at $20.00, it’s an incredible bargain!

P.S. Thanks again Keith for alerting me to the 50% off code.

Streamer · 2018-12-01T21:43:52.000Z

Gebe:

Mine finally arrived. What an great little light for $20.00! The best 14500 light I’ve ever owned and I’ve owned a ton of them. The accessories you get with it makes it an even better bargain. The only minus I can come up with is the low capacity cell it came with but that’s easily corrected and it’s fine for now.

The tint on mine is fantastic! No need to change this emitter. I’m biased towards CW and this thing is great. Pure white corona with beautiful spill. No tint shift on this, just beautiful pure white with no hint of blue or green at all and no artifacts at all, at least in this example. I really won the tint lottery!

To say I’m happy with this is an understatement. Wonderful build quality as good as any light I’ve ever had. This would be a good buy at it’s $39.99 retail but at $20.00, it’s an incredible bargain!

P.S. Thanks again Keith for alerting me to the 50% off code.

Good to hear ! Got one to be delivered in next hour. Enjoy !!

gchart · 2018-12-01T23:36:44.000Z

Glad you like it, Gebe. I agree that $40 actually seemed like a fair price. $20 is just a steal!

Macka17 · 2018-12-02T00:01:10.000Z

I’m running those Soshine yellow/white 14500. 900’s for a while now.
in several lights.
They give good run times and plenty of output power.
2 x Jetbeam and a Sofurn.
Compliments of Bangood early this yr.
Higher output than the Pana’s I have.

g_damian · 2019-04-15T10:18:05.000Z

would it be easy to swap a driver? if yes, what is the diameter?