Hi all
I’m looking for some advice.
I’ve been looking around and think I’m going to buy the ThruNite TN4A HI this week (unless anyone can recommend a similar flashlight that’s better under £50), as it seems to have a good throw with enough flood.
I want to run it on disposable AA batteries but have no idea if I should use lithium or alkaline, or what make to use.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hey man,
Are you sure you don’t want to use rechargeable batteries? They perform better than primaries and are very cheap. Alkalines can leak as well if you’re unlucky. You can check out the review of the TN4A non HI version here:
It’s using the same driver as the HI version, so you get a good idea of the difference in performance between NiMH, Alkaline and Lithium (Look at runtime graph). If I were to buy a 4AA light, I would go with the Thrunite as well 
If I had to use primaries I would go with regular alkalines like Duracell; something well known instead of a dirt cheap brand. But my preference is definitely Eneloop rechargeable. Hope this helps.
Cheers.
I’ve got one of these in NW (not the HI version) and it is a solid torch, very nicely made. I use Eneloops in it, alongside an Xtar VC4 charger. To be honest though, there are more advanced torches out there which offer similar or better performance in smaller packages. For instance the BF S5 and S6, in my view, can give similar performance from 14500’s / 18650’s. I bought the TN4A before I had any sort of dealings with Lithium Ion cells and it has performed well, though it is now exclusively used as a moonlight nightlight for my baby daughter. The Eneloops last literally several months using it for 12-14 hours every single night.
However, I now have a bunch of torches which are far more pocketable. Most notably, nowadays I’m using Olight S series torches loads and loads. They are light, very pocketable and they give me the modes I need. True, they may not have the throw that the TN4A has but for my uses they are great.
Best of luck. Any questions, just shout.
SP
Thanks for the replies. I will eventually use rechargeable batteries (im on a budget atm, due to family birthdays), so opting for normal ones for the time being. Ive saved the Eneloops and the Xtar VC4 charger to my wish list :-).
I have a couple of small pocket flashlights already, nothing amazing though, this one will be in a bag mainly for when we are out and about and need to see quite far in front when walking the dogs etc. After this one i will be picking your brains for a nice pocket sized one though.
Cheers
Sounds like a good plan to me. Good luck!
This is my review I did in respect of the one I bought from Amazon (now shown as discontinued)
Before I bought this torch (and another couple of Thrunite torches - well, I did have a chunky voucher burning a hole in my pocket…….) I had only purchased cheap torches from China - the usual SK68 1 x AA clones and another couple of relatively cheap LED emitter-type torches. Nothing at all wrong with those torches, they are insanely cheap, quite well made, take a simple AA battery or two and offer a decent amount of light for all your average uses.
But I decided I wanted something a little different, so I bought the TN4A. I had considered purchasing a torch that needed 18650 batteries (for those who don’t know, these offer a LOT more power than AA batteries but in a nutshell they need to be treated with care, require a special charger and can be prone to causing problems including, in extreme cases, BOOM….
I also bought some of the latest Eneloop batteries because the rechargeable AA’s I had were a bit weak and crap really. The Eneloops are superb.
Coupled together, the TN4A and the Eneloops offer an excellent package which is, in my mind, very cost effective.
The torch itself is a chunky thing which is quite a handful, but usefully so. You can get a solid grip on it. Mine had an included lanyard which is of great quality. Even with the lanyard attached it can tail-stand should you wish and offers quite a wide “flood” of light. Mine is currently sitting on my bedside table, head down. The lens is recessed so there are no problems about scratching it. The build quality seems truly excellent, really sturdy with well-machined threads. The battery cage is snug but okay.
Turn it on with a long press means moonlight/firefly mode. This is excellent for me with a three month old nipper in the bedroom. Give the switch a double tap and it’s super-bright. Fantastic. There are low-medium-high modes as well as strobe and the Turbo mode. In reality, low and medium are enough for everyday use, high if you need something with more oomph and the Turbo mode is available should you need massive amounts of light. Strobe would be very effective as a self-defence measure, it’s easy enough to access - basically four quick presses of the switch, so about a second or so to incapacitate someone and help you get clear.
I’m looking forward to using it in the winter when walking the mutts in the dark - there’ll be no chance of losing them with this torch. It really is extremely powerful. A useful LED in the switch lights up blue to indicate healthy battery life, red to say it’s time to change them.
It comes with a rubber switch cover which I haven’t used. It would be useful to help find the switch in the dark (the switch doesn’t stand proud) but I’ve found that grabbing the lanyard and tracing down from the lanyard attachment point towards the head brings me into contact with the switch.
For those that may need it, there are other torches which use 18650 or other high-power cells which offer greater brightness but, in reality, this is easily bright enough for all my needs, has the modes that will be of use to me, is quite compact and uses universally available batteries.
This is a great choice for home, for outdoor pursuits or for work. Especially good for Emergency Services.
Just buy one, you won’t regret it.
Thank you, loved your review. I think im going to bite the bullet and make my order tonight, after ive finised reading up on the Nitecore EA41 . Why do more lights keep popping up to look at :person_facepalming:
I think i have narrowed it down to:
Nitecore EA41
ThruNite TN4A HI
and ThruNite TN15 (which i know is different battries but the price looks good).
Isn’t there a Crelant light like this as well?
And Thorfire
My eneloops came today
And now I can use it without fear of draining the cells. Love the little soda can light 
But read my last post in the linked thread, I can not be seen as objective with this Thorfire but in an attempt the TF seems a bit pricy.
Hopefully the ThruNite can hold out for a couple of hours on normal AAs like the Thorfire. I can’t find the Thorfire TK4A anywhere to buy in the UK when i did a search, however i came across the Thorfire S50 and S70 which I have added to my list for future purchase. I hadn’t even heard of Thorfire before.
I have a mint TN4A xm-l2 CW for sale. Used only a few hours max. Will add 4 new, unused eneloop forest tones 1900mah. Price is 50€, shipping included in EU.
Hi thanks for the offer but im using my left over Amazon gift cards on this purchase.
No do not buy the S50 AND S70
The S70 is so much more versatile and complete you’ll probably never use the S50 (also big but only 18650 cells no side switch with cell status, but it has a very nice design. Thorfire should have brought us the S50 and wait a few months with the S70 so we could have fallen in love with its beautiful design and excellent cooling. By giving them both at the same time it kind of got lost in the THORfire S70 thunder. (Ha see what I did there?) )
Haha dont worry i wouldnt buy them both. Im reading your review of the S70 atm :+1:
OK copy paste of a pm I send in response to the question trunite 4*AA or S70
Oh man those are completely different lights
The S70 is big and heavy and uses 2 li ion 18650 or 26650 cells in series. The cells need to match, used as one so they wear down the same and they should be used charged the same. Also some checks now and then are in order. (A discharge test to see if they still match and internal resistance for example (I swap my cells so after every charge the two cells switch from being on top to bottom and vice versa, but maybe that is just me being too careful))
Idk the TN4A but it uses 4 AA so any rechargeable will do and eneloops are very good with low self discharge.
So even in series they pack less of a punch and are safer, easier. Most people have a charger for those kind of cells
I would gift my Thorfire 4*AA light to anybody and know it is alright.
It produces an impressive amount of light.
I sit at our front porch and can see trees at 50m easy
There is a wild cat at 35 meter in the dry mill stream, a squirrel up in a 20m high tree that is about 20 meter away from here and I can see all details I want.
The S70 produces more light for sure but this little soda can light fits my pocket nicely where I use a belt/strap to carry the S70 over my shoulder kind of like a purse.
I would not recommend a series li ion light for starters.
I love the Warsun X65 or newer X50
It is a zoomie that is cheap and can he used with 3*AA alkaline or rechargeable cells OR a 18650/26650 li ion.
Zoom means nice and broad flood or narrow throw.
I’ll copy this message to the thread so people can comme lnt and surely they will
Thank you for the reply. I think im going to have to go for the ThruNite TN4A HI. As you have said the S70 is quite big and i think it could get quite annoying walking each time with it, espcially if im climbing through hedges Also with the TN4 taking AAs make it alot easier for me atm.
Thanks for the help everyone im going to order it now :+1: