VB-16 HAIII

ernsanada

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Apr 29, 2004
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I just got the VB-16 HAIII from Waion.

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Rear Clickie with momentary on.

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3 Watt Luxeon TXOJ

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Double O-Rings.

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Top, VB-16 Old Version. Bottom, VB-16 HAIII

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Left, VB-16 HAIII Right, VB-16 Old Version @ 41"

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VB-16 HAIII @ 41"

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VB-16 Old Version @ 41"

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Comes with a holster.

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From Waion's Thread,

Here are the specifications:

- Lux III: TXOJ for the whitest tint
- Multiple brightness output controlled by two separte switches, ranged from
Max output: 4W (current regulation at 1.1amp at highest output leve), to
Min output: about 0.3W
- Battery type: CR123A * 2, 16340 * 2, 17670*1, 18650*1
- HAIII natural finish: ~50um thickness
- Mineral glass lens
- Metal reflector - SMO
- Tail clicky switch
- Memory function: everytime you turn it on, you will have your last output level setting
- A lanyard and holster

Important improvements over the old version (black):

- HAIII rather than type II finish
- Standard, instead of reverse tail clicky switch
- Higher output level up to 4W (available with CR123A *2 and 16340*2)
- Coated mineral glass lens is used for max transpancy and hence light output
- Metal reflector: a better quality design of smoothier beam pattern
- The head-reflector assembly is inchangeable with a new Turbo head (under development)
- ID of the battery tube is made 18.8mm: protected 18650 now fits well

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The improved reflector is an improvement over the old version.The old version had many rings in the beam.

The machining is excellent.

The HAIII has some horizontal lines in the finish. Also on the face of the head and face of the rear clickie.

A true rear clickie with momentary on. No click is heard when turned on or off. It reminds me of the Pentagon L2 rear clickie.

The emitter is easy to get to. Just unscrew the head.

Be careful when installing the head. The top o-ring makes starting to thread the head on slightly difficult.

Shipping took 13 days to Socal.
 

ernsanada

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I forgot to mention. The tint of the beam is nice and white.
 

Pumaman

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Thanks!

don't need it, but that hasn't stopped me before :p
 

AlexGT

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Jan 15, 2001
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Houston, Texas
Thanks for the review, what size is the reflector on the new version?, is it smaller than the old one? What diameter is the bezel and what diameter is the body? Lenght?

Thanks!
AlexGT
 

ernsanada

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The reflector measures 17.5mm.

The length of the VB-16 HAIII is 43mm or 5 5/8".

Left, VB-16 HAIII Right, VB-16 Old Version

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adirondackdestroyer

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Oct 31, 2005
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Great review. I was looking at this light. Can you explain how all the levels work? Is the light regulated at all levels? Oh and one more thing... how about some beamshots compared to some of your other lights!:rock:
 

ernsanada

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VB-16 HAIII @ 24"

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Left, VB-16 HAIII. Right, FT-01 @ 20"

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Left, VB-16 HAIII. Right, XTAR @ 20"

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Left, VB-16 HAIII. Right, Ma-Led 2AA @ 20"

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The VB-16 HAIII has one small ring aound the corona. You can also see 2 small horizontal lines coming from the center. It looks like the small wires that are connected to the emitter are visible in the beamshots.
 

jar3ds

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Sep 12, 2005
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USA
dang.... that looks like a nice light! Sort'a want one even though i don't NEED one :D
 

ernsanada

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Apr 29, 2004
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jar3ds said:
dang.... that looks like a nice light! Sort'a want one even though i don't NEED one :D

I always say that when the light first comes out.......but a couple of weeks later I go ahead and buy the light.
 

waion

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Oct 19, 2003
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Hong Kong
Thanks a lot for the above descriptive reviews and pictures, ernsanada.

Just to post an important notice from the mfyer:

The contact/ soldering part between the -ve of the LED and the black wire should not be contacting the metal base underneath it (the base where the LED is epoxied onto), shown on the left hand side in the fifth photo in post #1 by ernsanada.

Pls be careful when you use it in candle mode (remove the head). I may suggest adding a bit epxoy there as a insulator.

Thank you for doing this nice review.
 

havand

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Jun 7, 2006
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Pa, U.S.
Could someone post the A through the tailcap using either combination (18650 would be best). I've measured mine and it seems about .65A..Which seems a bit low to me. I measured it using 2xrcr123 cells and it only seemed to be pulling 0.7 something amps. ??? (On Max setting)


EDIT: Remeasured A values.

2xrcr123= 4.1V each for a total of 8.2 volts at 0.62A
1x18650 = 4.12V at 0.75A
 
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photon555

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Feb 9, 2004
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Frederick, MD
i don't have one of these lights, but i believe that's in the ballpark of what to expect. voltage times amperage equals power, which would be about 5 watts for the two rcr123's. the converter is using about a watt and the led gets 4. it looks like the max should be dimmer on the 18650 because only about 3 watts is going into the converter. i believe the more voltage the converter has to drop, the lower the efficiency. or i could be completely wrong, its happened before.
 

nerdgineer

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May 7, 2004
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Southern California
I just got mine. Nice finish and workmanship. The LED is very white and it's peak output is more than my 4aa Propoly Lux. The extra output is mostly in the form of a much brighter spill and a larger hotspot with brightness similar to the Propoly's smaller hotspot (eyeball estimate). I'll know better tonight.

With 2 fresh charged RCR123s, the output (not lux, total output) at setting 2 (of 32) measured a little less than my 0.5 W Nuwai TM-313 on a fresh alkaline. If we call the Nuwai a 5 lumen light, then level 2 is about 4 lumens and it gets brighter from there, so low is about right.

Interestingly, mine has a yet lower level. It does not turn completely off even at the lowest level 1 which puts out a very dim beam I measured at 2% the output of level 2 or about 0.1 lumens. This is dim but is clearly visible in a darkened hallway and should allow easy navigating with dark adapted eyes, so I'm glad I have it.

Does anyone else have a dim output at the lowest setting besides me?

BTW, photo 3 in the first post shows faint radial streaks in the HAIII at the front of the bezel. I don't know what those are but my sample is perfectly smooth there and shows no such marks.
 
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ernsanada

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Apr 29, 2004
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I just received the Turbo Head from Waion, shipping took 9 days.

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Small Head @ 27"

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Turbo Head @ 27"

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Small Head @ 48"

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Turbo Head @ 48"

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