AKOray K-106 - awesome AA/14500 3-mode bargain - MINI REVIEW!
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I only see the 5 and 6 mode ones.
http://www.popbuying.com/detail.pb/sku.AKOray_K106_Flashlight-27971
I think I am going to get one.
http://www.popbuying.com/detail.pb/sku.AKOray_K106_Flashlight-27971
I think I am going to get one.
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There is a lot of variance in quality between the 5 and 6 mode lights when comapared to the 3 mode. The 3 mode K 106 available a KD is a more "proven" light, but if I were buying any of the non programmable variaitions, I would buy the 5 mode as that one seems to have a better history of reliability than the 6 mode.
Cool I will grab the 5 mode from DX most likely. I kind of want the ITP A3 too, but it is quite a bit more for such a smaller light. I would also have to grab me some AAA rechargables. I guess you gotta pay for the quality, but 🙂 it just seems weird paying that much when I payed $25-30 for 2 POB HIDs shipped to my door. Now those were good for the moola! 😀
DeadButAlive
Newly Enlightened
I got an AK-16 from KD last month (took about 2 weeks to get it from them) and I run it primarily on 14500 Lion batteries. High mode is brighter with Lion than with NiMH or alkaline, but no problems with burning out. Its a great little light and the programmable interface is a model for other manufacturers to emulate. If they would put the UI in a tactical thower version with a neutral emitter
sithjedi333
Enlightened
I got my AK-16 in 2 weeks too and am using 14500. This light is awesome and I find myself using it more than my more expensive lights. Love the versatility, programmability and build quality. If I had a new flashaholic friend I would tell them to buy the AK-16, ITP A3 Upgrade, and Solarforce lego, and they'd be set.
RepProdigious
Enlightened
I also bought an AK-16 a couple of weeks ago, but i found myself not using it at all because AA size batteries are too fiddly to get in and the light is just too big for 16340..... So i ended up destroying it to make THE ULTIMATE AKORAY EVAH!!
Please meet my newest ghetto no-budget diy mod;
The Akoray edding 18650
:laughing:
Please meet my newest ghetto no-budget diy mod;
The Akoray edding 18650
:laughing:
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
I've been carrying an Akoray K-106 for about a week. Nice little multimode light, especially for the price, however mine just failed. It turns out that the battery contact plate in the light's head isn't quite wide enough to provide good mechanical support and was only held in place by a couple of blobs of solder spaced 180 degrees apart on the outer edge of the ring. One of the blobs broke loose and the contact plate was flapping around inside the head.
I've just added a number of solder blobs around the perimeter of the ring and it's working again, but it's overly sensitive to vibration and can switch modes simply by bumping it.
The next time I have to open it up I'll probably add a copper wire around the perimeter of the contact plate to provide better support for the solder connection. In the meantime I have to treat it gently.
I've just added a number of solder blobs around the perimeter of the ring and it's working again, but it's overly sensitive to vibration and can switch modes simply by bumping it.
The next time I have to open it up I'll probably add a copper wire around the perimeter of the contact plate to provide better support for the solder connection. In the meantime I have to treat it gently.
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
Thanks LobsterX, I will try that.
Tuikku
Enlightened
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2010
- Messages
- 363
One day I was changing a battery and noticed, that threads on mine are actually quite well made. If "ON", I could easily use it as a twisty. It took only far less than 1/6 of a turn to operate ON/OFF or toggle modes. Almost none threadplay whatsoever...
Tuikku
Enlightened
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2010
- Messages
- 363
From this thread I found out your tip on overheating.
I rarely use my lights more than 3 minutes. I tested my K-106 and yes, it cut the power after about 3 minutes.
I found some really old "zalman" thermalgrease leftovers, applied it and yes!
No more thermal issues!
Lamp body though got so hot at table after about 20min, that it was unpleasant to keep in hand. Huge difference.
Has anyone tested runtime with 14500 and eneloops?
I believe I got only about 20+minutes on 14500 and was on 3.6V when I stopped the test. Bad battery? Should it be more like 30min?
Eneloop seems to keep it up roughly an hour :candle:
RepProdigious
Enlightened
Indeed, thermal grease does wonders on these lights and its a very nice way to show that thermal grease actually does do its job quite well! In fact, if you actually intend to use any Akoray on high its a must-mod in my book and an easy one at that! Glad it helped you out!
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
Adding this to my list of things to do on this light. Thanks.
RepProdigious
Enlightened
So you haven't had any thermal issues with yours yet? I bet you haven't tried running it on Li-ions for sustained periods 😉
Just unscrew the pill and apply the thermal grease on the inside of the head half way in (with the glass and reflector still in place). Do not put the stuff on the pill itself because if you do put it on there you will smear the stuff all over the threads and it will get on the battery-tube making your hands dirty every time you change a battery...... And that thermal grease is quite nasty. 😉
If you get chance at some point, could you post pics of exactly where the thermal grease should be applied? And what kind of thermal grease can be used? Any advice is appreciated as I've done nothing to my k-106 and I would like to protect it better.
asfaltpiloot
Newly Enlightened
RepProdigious
Enlightened
Lucky lucky you! I had my cut-up AK16 that still needed to undergo the treatment...... So i took some pictures for you on the process!
Its no rocket science but i can give you a few tips on how to prevent a mess:
Needed:
-Akoray light
-Tissue or alike for cleaning
-Toothpicks
-Tools to get the LED-pill out and back in tightly (i use a fine screwdriver)
-Thermal grease, any CPU-grade stuff will do! Just go to your local computer specialist store and buy the smallest cheapest tube they have and dont get tempted to buy superduper-ultra-high-grade-80%REALsilver or whatever junk they use for it nowadays.... I used a tube that came free with a zalmann cooler (i installed the cooler with other grease)
Step one - Disassemble the head and get everything as clean as possible this includes the lens, rubber o-ring, reflector and especially the threads on both the outer shell and the LED pill. Get all the parts as good as you can because after the thermal grease you do not want to open the light ever again (it'll make a mess)!!
Step two - Partial re-assemble. Insert the o-ring back in place with some proper o-ring lube to keep things watertight en drop the lens and reflector back in. Double check there's no flint or other junk left in the head behind the lens. Set the led-pill aside.
Note the nice little paste-tube in the pic? Its plenty for two lights!!
The inside on the head, nice and clean!!
Step three - Get your thermal paste and drop a little blob in the head, make sure its all on the deepest half of the threads!!
And then use the toothpick to work in into the threads nice and easy.
Now, it doesn't really matter if your thermal grease makes it all the way round or not. When you screw the pill back in the beginning of the thread on the pill will take some of the excess grease and will push it around every pass. If there's too much excess it will end up next to the reflector so this is not a problem (just a waste of paste
)Here's a better view on how the grease ended up on my light:
The most important thing is that the thermal grease is only in the lower half of the threads!
Step four - Screw the pill back in! This will go a bit harder as soon as you hit the thermal paste because you have to work it all around so use tools you can put some force behind! Get it all the way back in there and you're all done!!!
RepProdigious
Enlightened
Crap.... double srry 😉
PhotonWrangler
Flashaholic
I haven't had any thermal issues with mine yet, but I've only run it for up to 30 seconds at a time. I'll probably apply a few dabs of that ceramic paste that's a little goopier than regular grease. I did the same thing for my Q-III and it worked out well.
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