Serious issue with the Wurkkos FC13 powerbank function, proposed solutions

True. I’m not a fan of powerbanks with non-replaceable batteries. OTOH, things like the Xtar PB2S exist.

… though if I can get a nice light and it also works as a charger and powerbank, that’s even better.

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My point exactly, thanks for posting your opinion (I love it when people obviously smarter than me actually agree with me :wink: )

OTOH, things like the Xtar PB2S exist.

Yeah, I considered the PB2S but at the time I saw reports it had issues (with actually being able to supply 2A IIRC). And it’s not quite as pocketable as the Fenix ARE-D1 which was important for me at the time as it was initially purchased to live in my belt pouch.

… though if I can get a nice light and it also works as a charger and powerbank, that’s even better.

Exactly! :partying_face: :partying_face: :partying_face: And I see no reason the FC13 shouldn’t – apart from this issue I reported in my OP and perhaps being a bit less efficient than the Fenix, it already works quite well as a powerbank.

I’ve been in the market for a flashlight model that serves as a secondary battery. I actually already EDC a PB2S as my powerbank (a bit thicker than some modern PB’s but I like being able to use my 21700’s) and so this light I’m looking for would serve actually as secondary battery that happens to work as a (hopefully) decent flashlight. Two is one, etc etc.

So I have been waiting for more longer-term reviews and reports like OP’s. Hopefully Wurkkos can provide some feedback.

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+1 to that. I just emailed their support too – if I get an answer via email instead of here, I will post it here too.

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Power banks are somewhat of an exception when it comes to non removable batteries. Mine is a 30k mah Anker. Had it for 5 years. Works like the day I bought it for $20 on Slickdeals.

It would be completely pointless for it to have removable batteries.

No to mention I often carry it in pocket while using my phone connected to USB. So in that case the removable battery type would either not be possible or be too dangerous.

I have a FC13, and I think it’s pretty decent.

Pro:

  • Very practical overall design, similar to ZL SC64 or Olight S2R
  • Single emitter in a reflector makes a nearly ideal beam shape for general-purpose use
  • Colorful button which feels good to use and serves useful functions
  • Reasonably small host with good ergonomics
  • Built in charging and reverse charging
  • Open-source firmware, attiny1616 MCU, and easy to reflash
  • Goes from ~0.05 lm to 2000+ lm
  • Low price for its class

Con:

  • No great emitter choices: XHP50.2 makes kind of an ugly green rainbowy too-floody beam, and SFT40 is only cool white. I went with SFT40 as the better of the two options.
  • Driver is a simple FET+1, so it burns off a lot of extra voltage as heat, max sustainable output is a bit low, and regulation isn’t very stable
  • 2-way clip

The onboard charging makes the driver inefficiency less important, since it’s convenient to add some juice when it gets low.

Overall, I think it’s one of the best options for someone who wants to get their first (or only) enthusiast light. It’s pretty decent, it’s relatively inexpensive, and it’s a complete package which includes everything the user needs.

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You’ve echoed a lot of my own thoughts. Over the last month or so, the choices it came down to were the FC13 and HD15R, the 18650 options. To me, having Anduril immediately gives the FC13 an advantage. I also really like the button (it’s the same on the FC13 as on my TS11).

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Got it! I will ask Wurkkos engineer to check the charging function again. And I’m not sure the feasibility of these two solutions. Wurkkos factory have to weigh the cost of updated first.

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Thanks for the response @Wurkkos_Terry! Re: feasibility/costs, what Wurkkos could do is to include with the FC13 (or sell as an accessory) an adapter like the one @roostre suggested in his post above, something like it that Wurkkos could source directly in China would most probably cost just pennies. I’m of course a candidate for testing it :slight_smile:

Huh, I was just thinking about this situation on my own, and wondering if they made one-way USB-C cables.

Anyway, I have a similar problem, my Dell dock has USB A and C charging ports, but they don’t work. I think devices recognise it as a computer. So I’m about to buy a data blocking dongle. I already have a USB A one. It interrupts the data transmission and tells the device “I’m a charger” (technically, it emulates the USB-PD protocol). USB-C ones are apparently harder to make, but I think such a device (it’s like only an additional USB plug) will work in your case.

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First time I hear about that, a dongle that blocks the data path but is smart enough to emulate the charging ‘protocol’ and so allow charging at the maximum possible current (up to 2.4A it seems) Thank you for this!

Some googling brought this up: Flying this weekend? This $6 USB condom will protect your data from suspicious outlets

LOL “USB condoms” :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Is that what you’re referring to?

Seriously, might be useful for other things besides stopping the “food fight” between my FC13 and my phone… specially when traveling and wishing to use publicly available charging ports… Perhaps I will buy a couple, found this “kit” on Amazon that looks like it comes complete with 2 units each so both me and the wife could be “condomized” :rofl:

Yes! That’s the exact brand I’m about to buy (not sure if we’re allowed to mention brands here). Because USB-C is more complicated, there aren’t many choices for USB-C, and I don’t know how well the cheap versions work, so I’m sticking to this brand. I already have their USB-A version. I think they invented this kind of device too.

It’s much easier to do on USB-A. In the early days of USB charging, companies came up with out of spec yet safe methods to tell devices that this is a charging port, like shorting the data pins.

Oh you can search for USB data blocker or USB charge only for other products.

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I don’t think it’s a problem as long as we’re just sharing personal experiences for no financial gain (eg, not using affiliate links and not being vendors ourselves). Tagging @sb56637 so he can set us straight if needed.

Thanks for mentioning this. I was kinda wary of it but with your testimony I think I will go ahead and order it in my next Amazon ‘batch’.

If/when you get yours, please let me know how well the USB-C-to-C version works, I’m really interested in hearing about your further impressions.

Sure, that’s not a problem. Just no spamming or shilling, but I’m sure that normal users will naturally do the right thing.

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I almost always get Kershaw knives, and I frequently talk about Kershaw knives, so maybe I’m a Kershaw shill? :stuck_out_tongue:
Seriously, though, I am open to other brands, but Kershaw is currently the only brand of knife that makes high quality assisted-openers for $50 or less. :grin:

My “high quality assisted-openers” are a Leatherman Micra on my keyring and a Supertool 200 in my backpack :slight_smile: Haven’t yet met anything that I can’t “open” with them :wink:

Seriously, had a look at these Kershas you’ve been shill^H^H^H^H^Hmentioning, the Launch 16 with its beautiful tanto-like point is tempting, the rest not so much.

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The Launch 16 is an automatic, not an assisted-opener.
I choose A/O because any A/O of any size is legal where I live, meanwhile automatics with a blade length of 2" or larger is illegal where I live, and I like larger knives. :+1:

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I have a few Wurkkos TS11 lights and have just received a Wurkkos FC13.

An Anker branded USB-C to female USB-A adapter barely fits into the FC13 with some force. An Apple branded USB-C to female USB-A adapter fit easily.

In my opinion, the opening on these lights for the USB-C cable connector is slightly too small.

The USB-C to male USB-A cable included with the light fits, but the connectors on many of my USB-C to USB-C cables are too thick to fit either light and some USB-C cable connectors that are thin enough to work with the TS11 are too wide to fit into the FC13.

NOTE: The TS11 will not function as a power bank like the FC13, so there is no reason to plug a USB-C to female USB-A adapter into the TS11, because this adapter only allows current to flow when the USB-C end is the power source. I only mentioned the TS11 because like the FC13 it has a similarly small connector opening and I am hoping that Wurkkos will eventually increase the size of this opening so future lights can accommodate a larger variety of USB-C cables.

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Doh! " This charging cable does not suitable for our IF23, SC32 and HS10 flashlights."

Sofirn/Wurkkos has three standard port openings.

Their smallest portal, like the in the FC13, TS25, IF23, etc., has issues with thickness.

Their medium portal, like the in the FC11, TS21, SC31, and so on, can have issues with width, in my experience.

Haven’t run into any issues with the largest portal, like in the LT1, LT1S, SP33, etc., but it can tight as well.

The Type-C standard specifies overmolds have a maximum thickness of 6.5mm and 12.35mm width, though it’s probably not adhered to universally. But at least it is a design target the engineer should have considered, especially since in applications like these, they need to be recessed.

By my measure, the small port is off by less than 0.5mm in thickness, which makes finding a suitable cable a bit of a crap shoot, if not a challenge. As noted above, the cables Sofirn/Wurkkos offer don’t fit their own lights with their smallest portals.

Haven’t heard back from @Wurkkos_Terry on this, but I’ve been using that same FC13 and USB-C-to-C cable, and for that same phone, and I noticed that the issue never happens as long as I started recharging the phone when it hits 10% or so – it only happens if I wait for the phone to discharge to 1 or 2%.

Not sure about what could be the root cause of that, but for now I consider the problem solved – just don’t wait until the phone’s battery is almost dead before starting to recharge it.

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