Xeno E03 (1xAA, 1x14500) - XP-G R5 Neutral White - Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS +

[shelm]

anyone have a pic of the switch disassembled? i still have yet to have problems with the clicky, but i'm curious how many parts are in the switch

check the included accessories, it has a spare switch (clicky) :ironic:
sent form my ipohn using Tapatalk

 

[dc38]

check the included accessories, it has a spare switch (clicky) :ironic:
sent form my ipohn using Tapatalk

I used a tail boot that I got with my Klarus ST20. The inside of it has slightly more room, so that the silicon is not directly touching/interacting with the clicky. Unfortunately, the boot cover is not GITD, but it does match the light somewhat, albeit a bit slimmer. The extra space in the boot basically keeps me from "flickering" the light whenever I slowly press it. (By the way, this was one of the reasons that I wanted to convert to a forward switch; with a forward, you don't have a change modes in operation feature, which pretty much gets rid of the flickering). Other things you could do is to try and clean up the insides of the clicky switch, but make sure you don't break it.

 

[ToyTank]

anyone have a pic of the switch disassembled? i still have yet to have problems with the clicky, but i'm curious how many parts are in the switch

I just took mine apart I should have taken a photo.

The plastic threaded retainer was a bit tough to get out. The holes are to small for the fork I normally use. I used 2 soldering picks in the little holes to thread it out.

There was just the retainer, a spring, and the switch itself. I soaked the switch (not whole tail-cap) In WD40 and clicked it a bunch of times it for now fixed my flickering issue.
EDC+ is sending me a new switch also which is absolutely top notch service:thumbsupI wanted to buy a replacement switch, he offered to send me one free and recommended the WD40)

I think the switch was definitively a weak link in this light. I'm sure it was a compromise to reach the low MSRP.

 

[shelm]

now that ive been an owner for half a year (and the popularity of this cpf thread lead me to buying it!!) here my thoughts. nobody asked for it but i am good.

- i dont mind the flickering issue when the light is ON because i solved the problem with the WD40 bath. tapping the switch in a decided manner helps too: no more flickering! slowly pressing the switch (for what reason please?) will cause flickering .. because *you* are causing then the flickering literally and mechanically. lol
- the fenix ld20 pocket clip has scratched the red anodization. i use the clip for bezel up carry (attached to pocket or to baseball cap; works beautifully)
- everything of the tail switch is apparently cheap: the black plastic retainer, the ridiculous weak spring, and the el cheapo clicky. i do like the black rubber boot and tailstand capability. and that all fenix ld20 21.5mm addon's (diffusers, ..) fit.
- i didnt like the creamy-yellowish tint of the XML T5 NW. but after 6 months i like it fwiw. all my other lights are pure white or coolwhite so having 1 light which is warm.. yah why not.
- i am missing mode memory.
- tactical momentary on isnt possible with this light because activation is used to progress in the mode sequence. one would need a twisty head to incorporate tactical momentary on.
- the light is waterproof. 10m. thanks to the 2-part system (tail + tube) and double o-rings.
- the brightness is not stabilized on High-mode. no matter with Eneloops or 14500. similar to iTP A3 which isnt stabilized on High-mode either. here's room for improvement.
- my 1xAAA lights with 10440 beat the Xeno E03 on Eneloops in brightness and also in lumen-minutes.

the biggest gripe i got .. and only after using the E03 for 6 months i am realizing this:
- on 14500 you dont get any serious runtimes. for serious illumination tasks (e.g. illuminating a chess board for the duration of a chess match) the E03 is a big fail. On Med-mode@14500 we get max. 60mins from the E03, whereas on Hi-mode@14500 i get 120mins from the Quark X. The Quark is a serious flashlight for serious tasks. Easily. I cant say this about the E03, sorry. In RL situations when i have to pick a compact light for a serious task (e.g. cleaning the house) i have stopped picking the E03. The runtimes (and lumen-minutes) are simply too disappointing. Eats 14500's like there is no tomorrow.

the E03 XML is a truely inefficient light. for EDC situations not a big deal, for serious lighting tasks a nogo. For the latter you'll long for a more efficient flashlight (Fenix LD20 or Quark; they are more expensive but.. )

 

[dc38]

+1, shelm. I still carry it around for just in case somebody's lost something indoors, a quick burst of light here and there tend to be sufficient for lighting a room. Unfortunately for me, the lights get plenty uncomfortably warm even on eneloops on high, so quick bursts here and there with that as well. My WW e03 is now a backup to my NW e03 is a backup to my jetbeam pc10 is a backup to my klarus ST20. Although it doesn't serve much of a purpose anymore except for quick interior lighting, the e03 is still a solidly built light

@tobrien, I'll PM you a link to my flickr so you can check out some pics of the tailcap disassembled.

 

[tickled]

the biggest gripe i got .. and only after using the E03 for 6 months i am realizing this: - on 14500 you dont get any serious runtimes. for serious illumination tasks (e.g. illuminating a chess board for the duration of a chess match) the E03 is a big fail. On Med-mode@14500 we get max. 60mins from the E03, whereas on Hi-mode@14500 i get 120mins from the Quark X. The Quark is a serious flashlight for serious tasks. Easily. I cant say this about the E03, sorry. In RL situations when i have to pick a compact light for a serious task (e.g. cleaning the house) i have stopped picking the E03. The runtimes (and lumen-minutes) are simply too disappointing. Eats 14500's like there is no tomorrow. the E03 XML is a truely inefficient light. for EDC situations not a big deal, for serious lighting tasks a nogo. For the latter you'll long for a more efficient flashlight (Fenix LD20 or Quark; they are more expensive but.. )

I am not an expert but even though 14500 cells have higher Wh vs Eneloops, I have a feeling that most people shoving them into AA lights like the E03 are not doing it to get longer runtime. I don't know if it's a matter of efficiency or not but it's obvious that the extra Wh in the 14500 is being converted into more lumens. Feel free to complain about runtimes of a 1xAA light when put against a 2xAA light though. As for lighting up a serious chess match, I don't see why you would need 300-400 lumens for that (or for anything inside the house for that matter).

 

[riccardo.dv]

now that ive been an owner for half a year (and the popularity of this cpf thread lead me to buying it!!) here my thoughts. nobody asked for it but i am good.

I totally agree with you except for the tint, that creamy nw is awesome for me no way to replace the elcheapo tail click? Also, where can I find a clip for this light in eu?



Tapatalk @Xperia Arc S

 

[zenbeam]

I recently bought a Xeno E03 and for the price... I think it is a great light for around the house or yard, but I would not rely on it for serious camping or canoeing outings, etc. I have no reason to say this other than from research and others' statements - and the fact that many other of my lights cost a fair amount more and strike me as being more reliable and tough in general.

But, I have to admit that I do like the "look" of this light (I got the deep sea blue or whatever) and the GITD O-ring at the bezel is neat as well as the GITD switch boot. It's very aesthetically appealing after acquiring so many black on black on black flashlights!

I also have to admit that I have been very curious to see one of these single AA lights that supposedly nearly quadruples its output when you put in a 14500 in action! I got to do this last night for the very first time after receiving my EagleTac 750mAh 14500's. Man! There was absolutely NO exaggeration in terms of what this light could do on a 14500 (output that is - no idea about runtime... lol).

Yeah, like tickled said, I wasn't looking for runtimes. I was just interested in flat out WOW factor from a rather inexpensive light. But really.... WOW!


Bottom line, I love this light. I know what it is and I understand what it isn't - I have other lights for that. :thumbsup:

 

[jasonck08]

the biggest gripe i got .. and only after using the E03 for 6 months i am realizing this:
- on 14500 you dont get any serious runtimes. for serious illumination tasks (e.g. illuminating a chess board for the duration of a chess match) the E03 is a big fail. On Med-mode@14500 we get max. 60mins from the E03, whereas on Hi-mode@14500 i get 120mins from the Quark X. The Quark is a serious flashlight for serious tasks. Easily. I cant say this about the E03, sorry. In RL situations when i have to pick a compact light for a serious task (e.g. cleaning the house) i have stopped picking the E03. The runtimes (and lumen-minutes) are simply too disappointing. Eats 14500's like there is no tomorrow.

the E03 XML is a truely inefficient light. for EDC situations not a big deal, for serious lighting tasks a nogo. For the latter you'll long for a more efficient flashlight (Fenix LD20 or Quark; they are more expensive but.. )

The E03 defiantly isn't perfect, and might not be suitable for every situation, but there are a few things to keep in mind. First off, the E03's driver was never designed for 14500 3.7v cells. The driver was designed for AA and Lifepo4 cells. Running it on high mode initially basically direct drives the light. If you want more runtime, simply use a AA or Lifepo4 cell. I believe people that run them off 14500's are doing this because of the sheer output from this light. There are very few (if any) 14500 lights that put out over 400 Lumens on high mode. It's a pocket rocket! Also the E03 low mode, on 14500 has fairly decent runtime of a couple hours or so. I'm not sure what to make of your last comment about it being inefficient. When using a 14500 cell and direct driving it, its going to be MORE efficient, because its essentially bypassing part of the driver, and a higher % of power is going to the LED.

I am not an expert but even though 14500 cells have higher Wh vs Eneloops, I have a feeling that most people shoving them into AA lights like the E03 are not doing it to get longer runtime. I don't know if it's a matter of efficiency or not but it's obvious that the extra Wh in the 14500 is being converted into more lumens.

Exactly.

 

[selfbuilt]

Just to clarify the above issue, there is no problem with the relative "efficiency" of the E03 on Li-ion. As you will see in my runtimes, it's runtime performance is generally comparable to the Thrunite 1C, when matched at equivalent output levels.

The real issue is the fact that the output is a lot higher on Li-ion, at all levels. Basically, the E03 Lo mode on Li-ion is almost as bright as the Hi mode on Eneloop! Or to compare to the Thrunite 1C, both on Li-ion: the E03's Lo mode matches the 1C's Med mode, the E03 Med mode is in-between the 1C's Hi and Turbo modes, and the E03's Hi mode exceeds the 1C's Turbo.

So the problem is that absolute runtime will suffer on Li-ion, because you no longer have the equivalent of the Lo/Med modes available to standard batteries. But the relative efficiency of the E03 hasn't changed.

In my view, the E03 isn't well suited to Li-ion use, unless you don't mind loosing the true Lo/Med modes. Of course, it would fit the bill if you are looking for a high-output pocket rocket.

 

[shelm]

good discussion, good points made. .. if people are aware of the real runtimes on Eneloops and on 14500's before they purchase it, then the buyer wont be disappointed. I wasnt disappointed. Just saying that we get higher "lumen-minutes" (suitable for chess matches) from leading torches such as Zebralight, Quark or Fenix. The concept of lumen-minutes can be used to measure efficiency. And in this regard the E03 XML is inefficient .. compared with these 3 brands at comparable output levels.

in this post i only wanted to add (NEWS!) : my light has started flickering again. *sigh* When did i last do the WD40 bath? sorry cant remember. when i do the WD40 bath, i'll update this post and note down the date for reference purposes. Didnt i even report about my first WD40 bath in this thread? Wasnt too long ago. 2 months max, my guesstimate.

looking forward to improved versions of the Xeno E03!

 

[dc38]

CFS, Chronic Flicker Syndrome Bathe it well lol...make sure you get it behind the ears again and every nook and cranny!

 

[selfbuilt]

Just saying that we get higher "lumen-minutes" (suitable for chess matches) from leading torches such as Zebralight, Quark or Fenix. The concept of lumen-minutes can be used to measure efficiency. And in this regard the E03 XML is inefficient .. compared with these 3 brands at comparable output levels.

Sorry, but that contradicts the data. Below are runtimes just for those lights, on 14500:

As you can see, the "lumen-minutes" efficiency is pretty much identical between the E03 XM-L and those lights, when run at comparable output levels, as you say.

I'm not trying to be pedantic, but that is what most people mean by relative efficiency - when directly comparing the lights at the same comparable outputs. In this case, the lights have the same runtime.

It is true that most of those other lights have lower output levels, and can therefore last a lot longer (at lower output). Running at lower output is a more efficient use of one's limited battery capacity - and that's true for any light. This is why I would like to see a lower Lo on E03, personally.

 

[MojaveMoon07]

in this post i only wanted to add (NEWS!) : my light has started flickering again. *sigh* When did i last do the WD40 bath? sorry cant remember. when i do the WD40 bath, i'll update this post and note down the date for reference purposes. Didnt i even report about my first WD40 bath in this thread? Wasnt too long ago. 2 months max, my guesstimate.

I had been looking forward to buying an E03. But this flickering issue and resolving it sounds like exasperating, grating, and tedious. Now I'm leaning toward not purchasing it.

Does the Xeno E15 [AAx2] have a better switch that is less prone to this issue ? I tried to search for information on this forum, and I could only find two reviews: (link #1) , (link #2). I didn't know about the E15 until I saw it mentioned in the ongoing E03 thread in the dealers section at the cpfmarketplace forum.

 

[shelm]

this flickering issue and resolving it sounds like exasperating, grating, and tedious.

it is if you dont have tweezers or WD40. but .. no other EDC light is 99.9% perfect. I am thinking that the Quark X (1x14500 food) comes close to "perfect" in terms of versatility and features. But my Quark sample is very greenish on Lo, Med, Hi, Moonlight, and Turbo (Max) and i only like it for shining it on green grass (because then the grass explodes in juicy green coloration to my optical perception).

there is always a notable downside to a light. on the upside, why the E03 continues to be popular: it's one of the few sub 30$ 1xAA lights with XML (For the Quark one needs to buy the 2xAA XML version!) plus color choice (red, blue, black), emitter choice (XPG, XML) and tint choice (CW, NW, WW). no other manufacturer is able to offer such a variety for the same model: E03.

 

[MojaveMoon07]

Thank you

About how long has each of these two "de-flickerings" taken you (time for tweezers to dissamble plus time for bathing with WD-40) ?

 

[jasonck08]

I had been looking forward to buying an E03. But this flickering issue and resolving it sounds like exasperating, grating, and tedious. Now I'm leaning toward not purchasing it.

Does the Xeno E15 [AAx2] have a better switch that is less prone to this issue ? I tried to search for information on this forum, and I could only find two reviews: (link #1) , (link #2). I didn't know about the E15 until I saw it mentioned in the ongoing E03 thread in the dealers section at the cpfmarketplace forum.

E15 uses the same switch. It still is kind of mind boggling to hear of some of the issues people are having with the switches. I have about 6 of these E03's for the past 1-2 years or so, and I've not had a problem with any of the switches, or any other component for that matter. Now granted these don't see a ton of use given my large light collection but still... Makes me wonder what the contributing factors are? Lots of clicks cause it to fail? High humidity environment, or dirt getting in the switch somehow? The spring wearing down and not allowing firm electrical contact inside the switch assembly? Not sure...

 

[tobrien]

E15 uses the same switch. It still is kind of mind boggling to hear of some of the issues people are having with the switches. I have about 6 of these E03's for the past 1-2 years or so, and I've not had a problem with any of the switches, or any other component for that matter. Now granted these don't see a ton of use given my large light collection but still... Makes me wonder what the contributing factors are? Lots of clicks cause it to fail? High humidity environment, or dirt getting in the switch somehow? The spring wearing down and not allowing firm electrical contact inside the switch assembly? Not sure...

same here, I've gifted quite a few E03s as well and might have kept some for me too (lol) and no issues on any of them.

 

[djans1397]

I just bought one in the blue, neutral flavor and love it! On 14500's it's a little beast with massivde output! However the low is still pretty bright on these. Not that it's a problem, just wished there was better spacing. On regular lithiums though the levels are lower and better spaced. I'll plan to carry mine with the 14500's though for the shear fun factor of massive lument OTF! Overall I'm impressed with this light given the low cost of it for all that it offers!

:thumbsup::thumbsup: two thumbs up for this one!

 

[nofearek9]

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/sh...-(CR14505)-3V-1500mAh-Lithium-AA-size-battery this i gues will be a good solution for plp who dont want to use 14500s