While Sofirn’s 18350 battery isn’t a slouch, something like Vapcell M11v2 may give it extra runtime (haven’t tried it yet).
The simplest and quickest reasonable comparator would be timing it on High (~1.25A). I got some 37 min @~550 lm + 15 min reserve @~30 lm with the Sofirn 18350, 850mAh label.
Just some random 900mAh 18350 cell. It does shrink the size of the light substantially. But 900mAh vs 3400mAh is no comparison. The 18350 light remains a toy light to me.
I just received my green 519A version of Sofirn SP31V3 and this thing slaps. It has replaced the FC11C as my EDC. So many good design decisions. I might need a new post to talk about them. The beam has so much more punch, which I sorely miss for almost all of my 519A lights.
Did you swap the LEDs? I wonder how different the beam pattern is compared to the FC11C. Also, does one needs to click the tail switch first to operate the side switch, or are they independent?
Vapcell H16 might be a nice one to use. This one is almost half of 18650.
That said somehow i personally prefer 18650 tube. It just feels right in hand, while 18350 is too short. And i am fine with it being longer in a pocket…
No LED swap. It came with 5000k 519A in stock configuration. The beam is tighter with brighter, well defined hot spot and fainter but wider spill.
The tail switch is a mechanical forward clicky, which controls on/off state and side switch only changes modes. There is a short cut to moonlight by holding side switch while clicking the tail switch. The forward action makes it very easy to momentarily turn the light on by half holding without clicking all the way.
It’s a tactical UI, which is different to normal e-switch UI. It needs some getting used to but the operation is a faster and more snappy since mode change is a click and on/off also a click on a different button. Normal e-switch UI mode change means holding a button and wait for the mode to cycle through.
There is some voodoo magic which allows the USB-C port to charge the battery even when the tail switch is off, which is supposed to cut the circuit to the battery. I suspect some reverse connected diode or similar circuit in the tail switch to allow that to happen.
Ah… Thank you! I looked at specs, trying to figure out the difference in throwiness between the two flashlights, apart from the reflector vs. TIR optics.
It looks like FC11C is just a tad less throwy than SP31v3 Green with max intensities of some 6000 vs. 7000 cd and the beam ‘concentration factor’ of ~5 vs ~6 cd/lm.
Are you seeing a big difference between the two?
Also, having to operate both switches, isn’t it awkward? Never had a lamp like this, but I recon there are lights like some Acebeams with two switches: side to do everything and tail for Turbo at all costs. That sounds more convincing, but I don’t really know.
After putting on the original reflector for the FC11C, I did some crude test using my phone lux meter. At the same distance and medium mode, save for the different CCT of 4000k vs 5000k, FC11C measured 540 lux while SP31V3 measured 940 lux. That is a significant difference matching my outdoor test.
I might swap the FC11C emitter to a 5000k 519A and compare them more later.
The hotspot of SP31V3 is also bigger but has a defined border, basically a circle of light with fainter corona. In real world the beam gives a lot of ‘punch’ to illuminate objects further. As some reviewered said, it is a medium distance beam and for a single 519A it is very impressive.
The way I see it, the best course of action for you would be buying another FC11C, orange this time, with a black 18350 tube, in 5000K, and compare the two directly
