Which is the best budget 18650 flashlight: Wurkkos FC11C or Convoy S3?

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
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I just bought a Skilhunt M200 V4 for my 18650 flashlight. The M200 is great - my friend tried it and loved it; he wants one like mine too. He was shocked when I told him the price of the M200. He wants a compact 18650 flashlight that uses a high-CRI Nichia 519A LED, buck driver (like the M200) but is more budget-friendly.

In my country, for about one third of the price of my M200 V4 plus one Samsung 35E battery, you can buy either a Wurkkos FC11C with a Wurkkos battery or a Convoy S3 plus a Samsung 35E. He plans to get the Nichia 519A 4000K, and both of those lights are available with that LED.

So, what would you recommend for my friend: the FC11C or the Convoy S3? He already has a charger and doesn’t need USB-C charging. How do the finish, quality, water resist and max lumens of the FC11C compare to those of the Convoy S3?

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I would probably go for the FC11C in the new blue colour. And then I would buy the S3 and all of the other lights from Convoy, then some more Wurkkos and Sofirn, …

A main reason is the onboard-charging capability of the Wurkkos, for the Convoy, he needs an extra charger.

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The FC11C is more beginner friendly I think personally.

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Both are great lights.

Based on this I would recommend the FC11C.
It is similar in design (e-switch and side button).
I don’t own any skilhunt so I don’t know how the UI compares, but the FC11C has a good UI.

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What about the Convoy S21E ?
Similar design to the skilhunt, but 21700, so much higher capacity.
Also available with Anduril and the fantastic LHP531, or for high CRI I would go for the Nichia B35AM, the 519A’s brighter brother

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Thank you, the price of S21E is as cheap as the convoy S3 too. That is a great light too but maybe bigger and heavier than FC11C and S3.

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Guys please tell me, are convoy S3 and convoy S21E use buck driver?

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If you select a 3V emitter, then yes

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What about 6V or 2.5V?
And the A, is it important when i want to choose buck driver?

I read this in convoy S3
Driver output : all are constant current
2.5V 2.5A for KR CSLNM1.23 , SST-20-DR
3V 3A for 219 , SST20 , XPL HI
3V 5A for 519A , LH351D , SST40 , SFT40 ,LM2AW.DC , KW CSLNM1.TG , KP CSLNM1.F1 , KB CSLNM1.14 , KT CSLNM1.13 , KY CSLNM1.FY
6V 2A for B35AM , 719A
6V 4A for XHP50.3 HI

And this in convoy S21E
Driver output:
(default constant current driver) 3V 6A for SST40 , SFT40 , 519A , 3V XHP50.3 HI
6V 2.2A for B35AM , 719A
6V 3A for XHP50.3 HI

But i don’t know which version is buck driver?

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Easiest way to remember it for me at least is 3V and below, buck

Anything above that you are boosting it to 6V or 12V

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So buck and boost driver, which is more Effectiveness LED?

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You can choose buck, 12 groups linear or 4 modes linear driver, when choosing S3 with 519A. The driver in S21E must be this, so it’s linear.

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It’s about a 21700 Flashlight, so probably with a 5Ah battery (I would choose the EVE 50PL). That light will last much longer than any 18650 light, no matter if it’s buck or boost.
What is more efficient - also doesn’t matter too much, we are talking about a couple of minutes more or less runtime in most usecases, not hours.

I wouldn’t make the decision based on the question if it’s buck or boost - just avoid linear drivers.
Also, most high CRI LEDs aren’t the ones with the highest efficiency.
The LHP531 6500 and 5000K look absolutely beautiful, even though the low CRI. DUV is another thing that is important in lighting, and the LHP have very low DUV, which makes the light look way better than the low CRI would suggest, highlighting that high-quality light can still be achieved despite a low CRI.
I have plenty of LHP531 here, it’s my most favourite LED atm and I use it to modernize older lights or change lights where I don’t like the tint, like most SST40 6500K lights

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I only have one LHP531 light, and I’m not a modder, but that emitter is my favorite as well. :grin:

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I will second LHP531 emitters as a great way to modernize SST-40 lights, i have the 4000k one in my SC31 Pro and it is a fantastic CCT and tint.

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I would say there is not a best among those two. Both have their pros and cons and qre mostly equally good.

For a non enthusiast I would say FC11C, because it has an easier interface and it is more convenient. You have to take off the battery for charging the S3, you can simply plug the FC11C.
S3 has an easy interface BUT you may need to set up which group you want. Also, being a Convoy you probably have to choose your LED and some other things.
FC11C is more straightforward.

About the light. For sone reason I don’t love so much the FC11C light. I purchased FC11 and FC13, one for me and one for gifting. I ended keeping the FC13.
Not that the FC11 is bad, I liked the FC13 better.

My thoughts, hope it helps.

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Thank you guys so much. I told my friend he should buy the FC11C :smiley:

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How is the Convoy S3 better/different than the S2+?

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The S3 has an integrated shelf internally, where the driver and the led sit. On the contrary, the S2+ has a screwable brass pill for the same purpose. As a result, the S3 is 9 grams lighter and a little bit shorter than S2+ and maybe offers better heat dissipation. Externally, the knurling of S2+ is rhomboid, which helps the flashlight slip a little bit easier in and out from pocket, when paired with the screwable clip. The knurling of the S3 is rectangular. Both are great lights. If you 're planning on modding, maybe S2+ is a better choice, because you unscrew the pill and work a little bit easier.

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Let us know what he thinks if possible!
Hope he enjoys it.

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