This quick review is for Ultra Fire XML-U2 IPX7 flashlight purchased from tmart.com ( http://www.tmart.com/UltraFire-F15-10W-1400LM-200m-Range-Aviation-Aluminum-Alloy-Flashlight-Torch-Black_p186578.html).
I purchased the light because I needed a budget light for my vehicle and had a coupon code from T-mart, that is still active till Monday 4/7/14 ( 9826d64f69 )
The light cost me $12.99 - pretty good price for it, considering what you get for the money.
I had few Ultra Fire flashlights in the past and as much as I liked them, I had mixed feelings about them because of few small defects and the way the switches performed.
I was looking for just nice, mid-size general purpose flashlight with enough lumen output that I can throw in the car for some emergency use and so on, and this is why I decided to give this light a try. After I got the light, I found out that it is pretty popular model, hope it wasn’t reviewed already here…
The light came from Tmarts’s address in NJ (?) for 3 days. Plain package, nothing special, this is what you get for such inexpensive unit.
I was pleasantly surprised with something that was listed on the website but never paid attention to: it came with magazine for three AAA batteries.
I did realize that I can also use the light with 26650 size battery and went back online to order one of their 6000 mAh 3.2V batteries.
I did use this battery for most of my tests.
Disassembling the light, shows some nice machining and fit, the front thread of the head and the body thread of the tail-cap are also black oxidized.
There are 2 rubber O-rings int his light: one green at the glass and one at the head to body thread.
I was surprised to find out that there is a space for O-ring at the tail-cap to body thread, but not a O-ring installed, also I was pleasantly surprised to discover when using the light something that I believe isn’t noted on the website: the green O-ring at the glass/bezel connection is actually luminescent: it glows lightly when exposed to light or after the light was used.
Light operates via large button in the tail-cap, recessed in the tail-cap body, which helps to position solidly the light with the beam upward, it illuminates a room nicely during power outage or something like this.
There is a hole for a small lanyard, included in the package.
The light switch turns the light on upon releasing, it’s not “forward” switch, but since this is not a “tactical” light I would not care about it.
There are 5 modes of the light output that can be rotated via the tail button by depressing it half-way:
Lo, Med, High, Strobe, S - O -S
For timing how long the battery will last I used primarily the High mode.
Turning light on, projects wide peripheral beam with very defined center spot:
I did not like such pattern an opened the crown to see if I can do something about it. The solution was very simple: The pattern was created by a white spacer installed around the diode:
When removed, you can adjust the diode module by rotating it in the thread and bring it more towards the reflector, therefore widening the center spot and blending it with the peripheral area, effect that was exactly what I was looking for.
Diode is marked XML-U2 as you can see from the picture:
The head of the light have a nice aluminum crown/bezel that seats in it’s own thread and it is separated from the glass:
I found that the light gives me the closest to the light output listed in the website, with the 18650 type battery (I used Skilhunt 3400mAh battery), but when used the UltraFire 6000 mAh battery I get the longest run, even the brightness on max is slightly lower than when I use the 18650 battery.
I measured over 3 hours run time on Max with the 6000 mAh UltraFire battery with slow deterioration of the light output, at the end of the 3 hours it was still bright enough, I would estimate it to be around 300-400 lumen at the diode.
Throw of this light isn’t significant, it’ll fairly good illuminate an object with the size of a human on probably 100 yards, but this isn’t the strongest side of this light.
This is how this light stacks to my other, most used lights:
This is how the light pattern compares to the one of the 950lmn Lumintop TD16 (on the right):
I did not test it under water because I don’t intend to use it in such environment, it’s just a inexpensive light that I’ll use in my work vehicle when I need it and probably will fiddle with it in the future, when I learn how to replace diodes and mod my lights…
I like very much the fit and finish of it, it’s worth every dollar IMHO.
It makes very nice trunk light, I was dragging it with me in the car for about a month and the finish doesn’t have a scratch, the light function just fine and holds the charge even left for few weeks in the hot car.
Before purchasing this light I contacted somebody in Tmart that I exchanged emails before, with questions about the light, and when he found out that I’m interested of purchasing it he gave me a coupon code that I can use and with his permission I posted it in the beginning of this review.
I think this is nice touch of their side, they have been very nice with me in my email exchanges and answered most of the questions I asked, I’ll be happy to do business in the future with these people.
I apologize if my review isn’t very technical, I’m trying to give a prospective of someone that is using the light, not much of a researcher, so I hope it help and I hope I didn’t duplicate someone else’s work…
