When is a "SkyRay King" not a "SkyRay King"?

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
1

Hi,

A couple of months ago, I asked for advice on buying a “SkyRay King”: Need budget flashlight for camping, hiking at night?

I needed a great flashlight on a shoestring budget. After reading some, I ordered a “SkyRay King” from Deal Extreme (SKU 174986). It was advertised as a “SkyRay”. Although it doesn’t say “King” in the advert, it’s clearly printed “SkyRay King” on the head:

http://dx.com/p/skyray-new-m6-cree-3-x-cree-xm-l-t6-2500lm-3-mode-white-flashlight-black-4-x-18650-174986

After I ordered it, I learnt that the actual “SkyRay King” everybody raves about is a FandyFire (SKU 120679):

http://dx.com/p/fandyfire-uv-s5-xm-l-t6-3-mode-3000lm-3-led-white-flashlight-w-strap-yellow-4-x-18650-120679

Confusing! I read the technical specs on both torches. They were very different. I wrote three times to DX to ask for clarification. Was it a SkyRay King or not? Three times, they didn’t answer. They wrote, “Wait for the torch. You haven’t seen it yet.”

The torch arrived with some lightweight cheapy 18650 cells. I charged them on an Xtar. The flashlight was pretty bright, ran warm, but didn’t last long. After 30 minutes, it had dimmed significantly. By 40 minutes, it was dull. I switched it off.

I needed decent batteries, so I ordered some Torchy 2,400mAh cells. I charged them and tested the flashlight. It ran hot. Allowing it to cool in between stints, I got two fairly bright 30 minute sessions. Over the next 10 minutes the torch dimmed rapidly. Total runtime to unusable was about 70 minutes. Deal Extreme have just written to me, asking if I received the torch. Without test equipment, or a proper SkyRay King for comparison, I can’t tell if I’ve got the kind of torch I hoped for. I feel disappointed. It’s bright, but not like ‘daylight’ or anything.

Can anybody please advise me, were the Torchy 2,400mAh batteries okay for the test? Would I have seen a practical difference in performance if I’d ordered the FandyFire instead?

Thanks in advance,

Tib

2

If the light is bright at turn-on after a fresh charge, I suspect that your cells arent up to the task of supplying the necessary amperage to sustain the load for an edequate amount of time. Ive never heard of torchy cells.

3

Those cells are perfectly fine for this light, each one only has to deal with 1.5 amps or so each.

4

This is Torchy. He’s a battery enthusiast. Obsessive about them, in fact. More graphs and advice on buying batteries than you can shake a stick at. He’s very popular in the mountain biking forums:

http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/18650-batteries-chargers.html

He sells batteries on eBay under the name big_f_d_d. He sells SenyBor, Yezl and Panasonic cells, mainly. Discharge test graphs to accompany everything he sells. The ones I bought from him are these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=121063042570&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

I don’t quite understand what you mean about brightness after a full charge. Are decent 18650 batteries supposed to warm up slowly, then?

Thanks, Tib

5

Thank you, Scaru.

Do you think I’d have gotten a better flashlight if I’d bought the FandyFire from DX instead? The specs on the two flashlights look very different.

Regards, Tib

6

Chances are your batteries are simply not up to the task. I use sanyo’s in mine.

Fast tech has great prices for real sanyo’s. These will run it just fine.

http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001901/1143801-sanyo-ur18650fm-18650-37v-2600mah-rechargeable-lit

You can use the coupon code BLF for another 5% off. They ship fast as well.

Ps. I think I used to see you on ECF.

7

@18sixfifty What’s ECF? Jog my memory and I’ll tell you. CandlePowerForums?

Thanks!

Tib

8

The two links from DX I posted at the start of the thread.

I’ll understand more if I can grasp what the difference in performance should be between the two flashlights. That’s what I don’t understand.

Brand: SKYRAY
Model: New-M6
Material: Aluminum alloy
Emitter Brand: Cree
LED Type: XM-L
BIN: T6
Color: Cool white
Number of Emitters: 3
Voltage Input: 3.7~4.2V
Battery Configuration: 4 x 18650 (included)
Circuitry: 3200mA
Brightness: 1220lm
Runtime: 2 hours
Number of Modes: 3
Mode Arrangement: Hi > Lo > Fast strobe (press for 3 seconds)
Mode Memory: No
Switch Type: Reverse clicky
Switch Location: Mid
Lens: Tempered glass lens
Reflector: Aluminum smooth / SMO
Strap Included: Yes (30cm)
Clip Included: No
Beam Range: 300 meters
Other Accessory: 4 x 18650 batteries

Brand: FandyFire
Model: UV-S5
Emitter Brand: CREE
LED Type: XM-L
BIN: T6
Color: White
Number of Emitter: 3
Voltage Input: 2.7~4.2V (parallel circuit)
Battery Configuration: 4 x 18650 battery (not included)
Circuitry: Digital Regulated 5000mA Current Output
Brightness: 3000LM
Runtime: 80 minutes (manufacturer rated)
Number of Modes: 3
Mode Arrangement: High > Low > Fast Strobe
Mode Memory: No
Switch Type: Clicky
Switch Location: Barrel Side
Lens: Glass Lens
Reflector: Aluminum Smooth/SMO
Beam Range: 200m
Strap Included: Yes
Clip Included: No
Accessories/Spare parts: O-ring included
Others Features: Hard anodized finish; Waterproof 1m depth underwater; Keep the button pressed to access the Fast Strobe mode

Thanks. Tib

9

Scratch the ECF but as for the batteries they will fit. However, if Scaru says it’s not the batteries he is most likely correct.

10

My King is definately branded Sky Ray king and it is the real deal. I don’t what that first link is but I have never heard of a srk putting out 1200 lumens. Mine puts 2200 otf as tested in our lightbox. I have never ran it very long on high but would imagine a light with this small size and incredible out put would get very hot pretty fast.

11

@manxbuggy1 Thanks for getting back to me. It’s all very confusing. The SkyRay isn’t a King despite having SkyRay King emblazoned on the side. The FandyFire has loads of good reviews, and is THE real deal. The FandyFire is a SkyRay King. Except it’s not. It’s a FandyFire. :~

I get the impression you have a lot of flashlights to choose from in your collection!

12

I think I have about 35 lights and my brother (rdrfronty) probably has about 25 so yep we both have the addiction. Lol.