“REVIEW”: Wuben E05 V1.0 – AA/14500 battery – XPL2 LED - 900 lumens [PIC HEAVY] [***MODDED WITH Luxeon V]***

nick779 · 2018-11-22T13:02:02.000Z

MascaratumB:

RSlothMan:

The light is available on Amazon for $19.97 from seller EDCTorch using coupon code L23HACLO. Ended up here to check out the review before ordering one, figured I would share.

Thanks, but I couldn’t find it! All the Wuben E05 I find are sold by Wuben directly, and twice the price you’ve mentioned! Maybe I should look better…

You have to add it to your cart and use the coupon code.

DBSS · 2018-11-22T21:51:41.000Z

MascaratumB:

Hum, I guess 25-30€ is a reasonable price for the quality you get here! I don’t see the Wuben lights giving much problems so what you get is reliable.
This is not Utorch UT01 or even Lumintop EDC05 that had some issues.
I can compare it to my Manker E11 (28 or 29 €) and I realize that the Wuben E05, even being thinner and longer, has the same good quality as Manker !
However, I do understand, that having similar lights in competition one can ask about the price to pay for this one. Still, I believe it has complete reliability, if compared with others.

And honestly, that shortchut to lowest mode would make it my EDC pronto !! I am on the same boat as you, direct access to ML is needed! That is why Olight lights have the “almost perfect” UIs. I do hope that Wuben manage to make UI changes from the TO50R production onwards, as that UI seems to be incredible

You are probably right and the light is good value at about the $45-50 mark. But if a group buy price or sale price were to hit $30-35, I would be exceptionally pleased and feel that it was a really good buy as opposed to just a good value for the money. Especially with no access to low. If there was direct access to low and turbo, I would probably happily pay the price knowing that it would be carried nearly every day.

Even if it had no mode memory and started on Low every time, then I’d be ok with it. But I use Low and Turbo the majority of the time. So I want those 2 modes easily available.
But a nice light and a good review. So thanks for putting it on my radar!

MascaratumB · 2018-11-22T22:00:02.000Z

DBSS:

MascaratumB:

Hum, I guess 25-30€ is a reasonable price for the quality you get here! I don’t see the Wuben lights giving much problems so what you get is reliable.
This is not Utorch UT01 or even Lumintop EDC05 that had some issues.
I can compare it to my Manker E11 (28 or 29 €) and I realize that the Wuben E05, even being thinner and longer, has the same good quality as Manker !
However, I do understand, that having similar lights in competition one can ask about the price to pay for this one. Still, I believe it has complete reliability, if compared with others.

And honestly, that shortchut to lowest mode would make it my EDC pronto !! I am on the same boat as you, direct access to ML is needed! That is why Olight lights have the “almost perfect” UIs. I do hope that Wuben manage to make UI changes from the TO50R production onwards, as that UI seems to be incredible

You are probably right and the light is good value at about the $45-50 mark. But if a group buy price or sale price were to hit $30-35, I would be exceptionally pleased and feel that it was a really good buy as opposed to just a good value for the money. Especially with no access to low. If there was direct access to low and turbo, I would probably happily pay the price knowing that it would be carried nearly every day.

Even if it had no mode memory and started on Low every time, then I’d be ok with it. But I use Low and Turbo the majority of the time. So I want those 2 modes easily available.
But a nice light and a good review. So thanks for putting it on my radar!

I completely got your point about value/quality and also the specs missing That specific direct access to Low could have been copied from Manker, but it wasn’t :zipper_mouth_face:
But it will still be a nice flashlight for EDC, as a spare one! (I’ll start putting mine on my backpack, the days are darker and 900 lumens with a large beam are handy when returning home at night

BTW, take a look at M4D M4X deals (and eventually freeme and Petemer), I guess I saw an offer for this, but I don’t know how much they were able to get Maybe it fits the budget!

Also, thanks for your words and if there is anything I can help with about the light, let me know :+1:

MascaratumB · 2018-11-25T22:02:56.000Z

Today I modded the Wuben E05 replacing the XPL2 LED by a Luxeon V (from Led4Power)!
Here are some photos, before (left) and after the mod (right)!

The beam quality has improved and has lot less shift (the Luxeon V it still has some, due to the SMO reflector)!
The general perception is that there is a smaller output if compared with the XPL2, but I believe the beam quality will compensate that!

DBSS · 2018-11-26T22:58:20.000Z

That swap looks nice! Wish I had the skills to do stuff like that.

moderator007 · 2018-11-27T06:22:35.000Z

I just tested my wuben E05 from amazon in my maukka lights calibrated Lumen Tube and got 900 lumens at turn on from the wuben 14500 and the same number from a efest 14500 out the front.
It does do 900 lumens out the front for at least for a second, I got 802 lumens at the 30 second mark. Nice to see a manufacture that list honest lumen numbers.
Very nice well built light in my opinion. Come up with a slightly better UI and you got a winner.

nick779 · 2018-11-27T12:38:46.000Z

Im still not a total fan of the beam and color, but as an EDC light in general, its REALLY growing on me.

If you dont whitewall hunt its perfectly usable.

MascaratumB · 2018-11-27T13:02:46.000Z

DBSS:

That swap looks nice! Wish I had the skills to do stuff like that.

Hey man, it surely is, as the beam is much nicer! About the skills, well, mine are few and scarce compared to so many people here!
I’ve just tried to practice the (un)soldering process in different lights and LEDs! For this mod, I used my “normal” soldering iron, flat tip tweezers (to focus the iron on the solder and protect the LED, and some solder fluid + wire + thermal paste! After taking the reflector and gasket out, all gets easier

Trust yourself and practice in “less” good lights or components and you’ll get the hand calibrated

moderator007:

I just tested my wuben E05 from amazon in my maukka lights calibrated Lumen Tube and got 900 lumens at turn on from the wuben 14500 and the same number from a efest 14500 out the front.
It does do 900 lumens out the front for at least for a second, I got 802 lumens at the 30 second mark. Nice to see a manufacture that list honest lumen numbers. :+1:
Very nice well built light in my opinion. Come up with a slightly better UI and you got a winner.

Wow, thanks for that data moderator007!! They surely are reliable and not only in this light! I remember the GB from the (wuben TO46R and TO10R) and maukka’s tests also shown that reliability in numbers (IIRC)!
And I do agree with you a better UI would make this light a brilliant EDC, namely direct access to Low Thanks for the data again!!!

nick779:

Im still not a total fan of the beam and color, but as an EDC light in general, its REALLY growing on me.

If you dont whitewall hunt its perfectly usable.

Yup, the white wall hunting is something we should not do with this light A NW XPL2 LED would make its beam better and less “shifted” and, as mentioned above, a different UI would also improve it! It is still a really well made light with good output and reliability!!

nick779 · 2018-11-27T13:39:23.000Z

MascaratumB:

Snip

Do you have any idea how thick the factory MCPCB is? Im wondering if MTNs would be a drop in.

MascaratumB · 2018-11-27T15:22:52.000Z

nick779:

MascaratumB:

Snip

Do you have any idea how thick the factory MCPCB is? Im wondering if MTNs would be a drop in.

Right now I can’t be sure, as I’m not at home! I can measure it later!
What I know is that it is slightly thinner than the MCPCB from Led4Power that I used with the LuxeonV.
The material is copper, but I am not sure about the exact thickness! I’ll tell you later

MascaratumB · 2018-11-28T01:22:58.000Z

nick779:

MascaratumB:

Snip

Do you have any idea how thick the factory MCPCB is? Im wondering if MTNs would be a drop in.

I’ve just compared the 2 MCPCBs (the stock and the one from Led4Power): the stock one is 0.9mm - 1mm and the one from Led4Power is 1.5mm! So, there is quite a diference on these!
What happens on mine is that there is a <1mm gap between the bezel and the head, while screwed in! Nothing grave! It you want an o-ring can be placed there to keep on assuring waterproofness

If you want, sanding or filing the bottom of the MCPCB will help adjusting / reducing / eliminating that gap!

264 · 2018-11-29T06:03:39.000Z

MascaratumB:

Today I modded the Wuben E05 replacing the XPL2 LED by a Luxeon V (from Led4Power)! Here are some photos, before (left) and after the mod (right)! !{width:49%}https://i.imgur.com/t28bBEk.jpg!:https://i.imgur.com/t28bBEk.jpg !{width:49%}https://i.imgur.com/QxWjRju.jpg!:https://i.imgur.com/QxWjRju.jpg !{width:49%}https://i.imgur.com/deN2TnC.gif!:https://i.imgur.com/deN2TnC.gif !{width:49%}https://i.imgur.com/MzAcrax.gif!:https://i.imgur.com/MzAcrax.gif !{width:49%}https://i.imgur.com/63dWWvU.gif!:https://i.imgur.com/63dWWvU.gif !{width:49%}https://i.imgur.com/LameqMX.gif!:https://i.imgur.com/LameqMX.gif The beam quality has improved and has lot less shift (the Luxeon V it still has some, due to the SMO reflector)! The general perception is that there is a smaller output if compared with the XPL2, but I believe the beam quality will compensate that!

Very nice mod. Great beam tint photos.

MascaratumB · 2018-11-29T13:05:35.000Z

264:

MascaratumB:

Today I modded the Wuben E05 replacing the XPL2 LED by a Luxeon V (from Led4Power)! Here are some photos, before (left) and after the mod (right)!

The beam quality has improved and has lot less shift (the Luxeon V it still has some, due to the SMO reflector)! The general perception is that there is a smaller output if compared with the XPL2, but I believe the beam quality will compensate that!

Very nice mod. Great beam tint photos.

Thank you mate I hope you like yours as well

MascaratumB · 2018-12-02T15:48:47.000Z

Some night beamshots using the Wuben E05 with Luxeon V:

And a beam and tint comparison from this Wuben E05 (right) with the On The Road M3 Pro (XPL-HD CW + Frosted Tir Optic) (left) :

House - 65-70 m

Please note that the LEDs produce quite different tints, but both provide a good distant illumintation. Obviously, the Luxeon V is not reaching the 900 Lumens that stock XPL2 produced, but it has a nice range, still!
The OTR, having a frosted lens, has a slighly diminished throw (if compared to the reflector) but it’s still very nice at distance!

LightObsession · 2018-12-30T06:09:15.000Z

Thanks for the review.

I also would prefer direct access to low, but may get one of these, anyway.

1stein · 2018-12-30T06:27:55.000Z

Really appreciate your review, many thanks. Can you please tell what are the led pad and driver diameters? I assume these might be 16mm and 17mm, but rather to be sure.

RobertB · 2018-12-30T07:09:14.000Z

I put a 4000k 90+ cri Nichia 219c and a mild diffuser in my E05. Much better. The Mt Electronics 16mm mcpcb’s drop right in like they were made for it.

toddcshoe · 2018-12-30T07:27:39.000Z

RobertB:

I put a 4000k 90+ cri Nichia 219c and a mild diffuser in my E05. Much better. The Mt Electronics 16mm mcpcb’s drop right in like they were made for it.

I did the same thing but at 5000K. Found I wasn’t using it at all because of the tint. 15 minutes later it’s one of my favorite lights.

LightObsession · 2018-12-30T13:50:10.000Z

I bought one on Amazon for 1/2 price using the coupon code listed in a post above.

We’ll see if I can tolerate not having direct access to low from off and not having a 5 or 10 lumen low for a 1AA size light. I’ve been used to the Utorch UT01.

I’m expecting to like the two-way pocket clip and magnetic tail.

This will be my first 14500 light. And I won’t have any extra betteries, but have several AA NiMh batteries and some Energizer lithium primaries.

What impresses me with this light is that the lower levels are the same on 14500 or AA and it actually has longer runtimes on 14500, rather than higher and shorter, as on most other duel fuel AA size lights that I’ve read about.

LightObsession · 2018-12-30T13:54:33.000Z

RobertB:

I put a 4000k 90+ cri Nichia 219c and a mild diffuser in my E05. Much better. The Mt Electronics 16mm mcpcb’s drop right in like they were made for it.

What’s the cost of these parts and how long did it take to receive them after ordered?

I’ve never nodded a light, but might consider it on this one, if cheap enough and easy enough.

Thanks.