Nitecore Tube and V54 TubeVN (5mm, rechargeable) review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO+
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Hi Mr Floppy. Yes, the Nitecore I suspect is a 100mAh. I was referring to the other 2 batteries I layed in the picture are 300mAa from a min quad copter that are only slightly bigger.
I didn't see any writing on the battery when I took mine apart, but my USB amp/volt meter calculated 102mAh durring the charge after I drained it, and the size of the cell and the CC/CV (contant current/ contant voltage) charging that nitecore used would also apply to a LiPo cell. But the same kind of charging is also used for Li-ion with the same 4.2 max charge on most Li-Ion cells. Only difference being the chemistry and the Amperage produced from LiPo can be much more. It's arguable that Lipo is more volatile as most Lipo packs are not enclosed in a sealed metal case and is why Li-Ion cells apear to explode than just burn up and catch into flames like some LiPo packs have.
SelfBuild, as always a great review. You reviews make me want to purchase a decent oscilloscope. Probably the only tool missing from my collection.
I didn't see any writing on the battery when I took mine apart, but my USB amp/volt meter calculated 102mAh durring the charge after I drained it, and the size of the cell and the CC/CV (contant current/ contant voltage) charging that nitecore used would also apply to a LiPo cell. But the same kind of charging is also used for Li-ion with the same 4.2 max charge on most Li-Ion cells. Only difference being the chemistry and the Amperage produced from LiPo can be much more. It's arguable that Lipo is more volatile as most Lipo packs are not enclosed in a sealed metal case and is why Li-Ion cells apear to explode than just burn up and catch into flames like some LiPo packs have.
SelfBuild, as always a great review. You reviews make me want to purchase a decent oscilloscope. Probably the only tool missing from my collection.
Haha, I remember that scene. If only I could do Billy Bob's drawl, it would probably enhance my vids. :laughing:
Seriously though, I appreciate the compliment. I do try to provide both the detailed testing results, and the take-home message. Glad to hear you thought I succeeded here. It was a fun light to test.
On the issue of build quality, that remains a hard thing to know - for any light. There is no easy way to get good performance stats, although the totality of experience (as expressed on this forum, and elsewhere) is a good starting point. That is one of the reasons I like posting reviews here, as opposed to a personal blog site - it contributes to that overall knowledge base built from all users experience. Ultimately, the collective crowd-sourced experience is really the best indicator we can find.
BillSWPA
Enlightened
Nice review, as usual. I agree that a USB rechargeable light in this class is a good idea. Coin cells at expensive unless you buy them online in bulk. While most posters here likely know where to do so, your average keychain light user might not. Coin cells purchased at a brick and mortar store can cost more than some lights. Many of the coin cell key lights are not well designed for facilitating battery changes, and I have been unable to get about 5% to 10% of the ones I have changed to work when I got them back together. It is often easier to just toss the light with the dead battery and get a new light. A rechargeable option addresses these issues nicely.
those 300mAh batteries, have you tested them to get the real capacity? Many of the ones I get for quad copters are only 100mA, and a bit more if I take it down to 3V. (PM me a link if you have confirmed one
)
Thank you for the nice review! Great work! I bought a couple of the stock version for my wife and dad, but I may have to pick up a modded version for myself. We'll see. Since I always EDC two lights already though I might not get a keychain light.
PM'ed
those 300mAh batteries, have you tested them to get the real capacity? Many of the ones I get for quad copters are only 100mA, and a bit more if I take it down to 3V. (PM me a link if you have confirmed one
G. Scott H.
Enlightened
I currently have two Tubes (black and clear) on the way, as well as a micro charging cable. I hadn't read any reviews yet; this was an impulse buy. I ran across them at a certain site, and I thought they seemed like such a great idea that I couldn't help myself. Anyway, I decided to search here, and I came across this review. Interesting to see the diff's between the stock and Vinh versions. I'll be interested to see what people far more knowledgeable about such things than I come up with with respect to swapping batteries, as well as any other mods. Thanks much for the review, selfbuilt. As always, your reviews have proven invaluable resources for me.
Anyway, I decided to search here, and I came across this review. Interesting to see the diff's between the stock and Vinh versions. I'll be interested to see what people far more knowledgeable about such things than I come up with with respect to swapping batteries, as well as any other mods. Thanks much for the review, selfbuilt. As always, your reviews have proven invaluable resources for me. Hello Scott H,
I've already looked i to battery swaps, nitcore made the Tube with a tight fit. The only way this would be possible is to use a bigger case. But for average use I find the 100mAh battery is enough even on my boosted tube. The boosted takes the life time down by half but only when used on full power, since it has a variable power adjustment it still gets good life since I don't run it on high all the time.
As for other mods Vihn is now offering the Tube with a whiter LED. You can follow his thread:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/393875
I have a boosted and stock tube and will be getting the white LED tube soon. I'm planning on taking some pictures for the white stock and white boosted sometime in the next week that I'll post.
Scott
I've already looked i to battery swaps, nitcore made the Tube with a tight fit. The only way this would be possible is to use a bigger case. But for average use I find the 100mAh battery is enough even on my boosted tube. The boosted takes the life time down by half but only when used on full power, since it has a variable power adjustment it still gets good life since I don't run it on high all the time.
As for other mods Vihn is now offering the Tube with a whiter LED. You can follow his thread:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/393875
I have a boosted and stock tube and will be getting the white LED tube soon. I'm planning on taking some pictures for the white stock and white boosted sometime in the next week that I'll post.
I currently have two Tubes (black and clear) on the way, as well as a micro charging cable. I hadn't read any reviews yet; this was an impulse buy. I ran across them at a certain site, and I thought they seemed like such a great idea that I couldn't help myself.
Scott
Re: Nitecore Tube and V54 TubeVN (5mm, rechargeable) review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS,...
I posted this thread earlier today before I realized I have a problem with the warm LED on my TubeVN. All the warm LED shots have been redone now that the issue is resolved. Also to show the best natural look to the warm led option I have adjusted the white balance to 4000K using my ZB SC52W for the calibration shots. Previous pictures I had taken had the white balance set at incandescent. So to be thorough I've re-done the stock LED shots as well with the white balance at 4000K. So all these pictures are new. I also added some random shots.
Each shot explains what LED is in the tube, and if the tube is running stock power or if it's the TubeVN with boosted power. To keep in line with SelfBuilts review I did the shots using the same distance from the wall at 0.75m and with the same shutter speed he uses for his shots.
The only difference is I manually set the white balance to 4000K to show the difference in LED tints between the Stock LED and Vinh Warm LED option.
All beam shot were taken with the highest setting on the light.
0: Calibrating WB was with my SC52W L2 using low, medium 1, medium 2, high 1 and high 2 Li-ion @ 500lm
1: Stock Tube with the stock LED
2: TubeVN Boosted
3: Stock Tube with warmer LED
4: TubeVN Boosted with warmer LED
5: Side by Side with stock Tube and TubeVN both with warmer LED
6: Other Random Shots
The remaining shots are collages with direct comparison of LED combinations, boosted and non-boosted noted in the pictures.
Details:
Camera: Nikon D-90
Lens: Tokina wide angle 11-16 f/2.8
Text added with IOS app Phonto
Some editing was done with IOS app PS (Photo Shop) Touch for collages.
Pictures were resized with IOS app BatchResizer for faster upload and downloading.
Pictures were uploaded with IOS app PhotoBucket
All work done on an IPad Mini Retina
Enjoy..... Thank you,
Scott
Note about the reference shot:
I know the basement wall looks a little yellow, but believe it or not it's a pure white. It's nothing but the cylinder white moisture prevention sealing paint. All the other walls in my house are and off white. The reason it looks yellowish is because of the flood lights I have installed in the ceiling light receptacles. All the lights in my house are LED and most appear yellowish on the warmer side.
I posted this thread earlier today before I realized I have a problem with the warm LED on my TubeVN. All the warm LED shots have been redone now that the issue is resolved. Also to show the best natural look to the warm led option I have adjusted the white balance to 4000K using my ZB SC52W for the calibration shots. Previous pictures I had taken had the white balance set at incandescent. So to be thorough I've re-done the stock LED shots as well with the white balance at 4000K. So all these pictures are new. I also added some random shots.
Each shot explains what LED is in the tube, and if the tube is running stock power or if it's the TubeVN with boosted power. To keep in line with SelfBuilts review I did the shots using the same distance from the wall at 0.75m and with the same shutter speed he uses for his shots.
The only difference is I manually set the white balance to 4000K to show the difference in LED tints between the Stock LED and Vinh Warm LED option.
All beam shot were taken with the highest setting on the light.
0: Calibrating WB was with my SC52W L2 using low, medium 1, medium 2, high 1 and high 2 Li-ion @ 500lm
1: Stock Tube with the stock LED
2: TubeVN Boosted
3: Stock Tube with warmer LED
4: TubeVN Boosted with warmer LED
5: Side by Side with stock Tube and TubeVN both with warmer LED
6: Other Random Shots
The remaining shots are collages with direct comparison of LED combinations, boosted and non-boosted noted in the pictures.
Details:
Camera: Nikon D-90
Lens: Tokina wide angle 11-16 f/2.8
Text added with IOS app Phonto
Some editing was done with IOS app PS (Photo Shop) Touch for collages.
Pictures were resized with IOS app BatchResizer for faster upload and downloading.
Pictures were uploaded with IOS app PhotoBucket
All work done on an IPad Mini Retina
Enjoy..... Thank you,
Scott
Note about the reference shot:
I know the basement wall looks a little yellow, but believe it or not it's a pure white. It's nothing but the cylinder white moisture prevention sealing paint. All the other walls in my house are and off white. The reason it looks yellowish is because of the flood lights I have installed in the ceiling light receptacles. All the lights in my house are LED and most appear yellowish on the warmer side.
It can be time consuming, I got a new found respect for SelfBuilt reviews now knowing how much time can go into labeling and taking pictures, staging, cropping, and posting.
I have a lot of different YouTube channels and normally do video reviews of products, that can take time also editing videos.
But considering how many reviews SelfBuilt has done and now that I have experienced just a part of his reviews makes me appreciate what he does even more. Thanks for all the reviews SB.
I have a lot of different YouTube channels and normally do video reviews of products, that can take time also editing videos.
But considering how many reviews SelfBuilt has done and now that I have experienced just a part of his reviews makes me appreciate what he does even more. Thanks for all the reviews SB.
Re: Nitecore Tube and V54 TubeVN (5mm, rechargeable) review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS,...
Thanks for the extra pics Scott.
Thanks for the extra pics Scott.
Great Reviews, as usual! Thanks for all time spent on this and other reviews. I really like the Warm white tint but the lumen drop seems a little to steep for my taste. Runtime is also a factor for me so I am probably going for the stock one.
Referring to its look I think Nitecore should have named it "Cockroach" instead of "Tube"
Kind regards
Referring to its look I think Nitecore should have named it "Cockroach" instead of "Tube"
Kind regards
Nicely done (as usual) I've been measuring these lights as well, but in my samples the PWM is very different at 71.4Hz and didn't change frequency. I wonder if they have updated the driver or if they have used different drivers in different batches.
EDIT: DOH! Please ignore this. Mistakes made. Selfbuilt is right.
EDIT: DOH! Please ignore this. Mistakes made. Selfbuilt is right.
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