Aurora WF-600 Q5 18650 - First impressions

[stevoman]

Arrived this morning, so I haven't had a chance to test it out properly (I also have no way to get numbers on its brightness).

First impressions:

Jiffy bag from DX was well marked, and arrived 9 days after order (in stock - HK to UK). The package was labelled as "gift", and despite the obvious business logos and stickers to indicate otherwise - it seems to have avoided the attention of customs and excise (I didn't request the "gift" labelling). Inside the bag was a thin card box (which had been squashed) containing the light (which appeared undamaged). No paperwork or documentation of any kind).

The body is machined well - everything fits together properly with no loose or rattling parts, and it feels solid. The threads were completely dry on arrival. (Ultrafire) protected 18650s fit fine. Weight is 202g (7.1oz) without cell. length is approx 170mm (6.7"), head diameter is 54mm (2.1"). There is no lanyard hole, or anywhere where a lanyard could obviously be attached. The expanded tailcap means that it should be pretty secure in the hand, and can be balanced on its tail. It has a (very) dark grey HA coating.

There is low quality blotchy printing on the main tube ("Aurora", and "CREE Q5"). I'm not sure if it can be easily removed, but the light would be better off without it.

The window is glass (52mm/2" diameter, ~2mm thick). Despite the spec claiming an aluminium reflector, it appears to be plastic (quite deep at 44mm / ~1.7") - both had fingerprints and marks on them on arrival, but are easily cleaned.

The switch is in the tail, and is a 2 mode reverse clicky. First click turns the light on full, second click switches to low, and third click switches off. There is an O ring sealing the bezel to the window, and another sealing the bezel to the head. There are 2 O rings sealing the tailcap to the body.

The reflector does lead to some beam artifacts, but can't imagine it would be a problem in real use.

Beam pattern is a tight hotspot (about 4 degrees) and a usable spill (about 50 degrees). Low mode looks to be about 50% of full (guess, by eye). Overall, it appears very bright (unsurprisingly compared to my mag 2D & Lenser V2 Focus), and should throw pretty well.

Not for objet d'art collectors perhaps, but it looks like quite a good user, I'll be able to tell more when it gets dark. I'll try to dig out my camera, but it's not so clever in the dark... Photos on DX are fairly representative.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8672

 

[CandleFranky]

The flashlight seems to be okay for its price. And you can't expect the quality of a Dereelight DBS thrower for only $40. I personally dislike the visually cheap and sometimes faulty appearence of Ultrafire & Co. flashlights. Better trust in quality. But I'm very interested in your beamshots. Thank you in advance. :thumbsup:

At least they successfully fooled the customs.

 

[stevoman]

I understand what you mean about the quality, but it actually seems pretty impressive for the cost. Plus, I intend to use this a fair bit, and it will get bashed up anyway, so I'm not too fussed about perfect finish.

I'm going to have some difficulty with the beamshots for several reasons...

1) I don't have a lot of reasonable things to compare it with - most of my other lights are not throwers, and nowhere near this bright.I think I have a couple of X million candlepower lead-acid halogen types knocking around somewhere, I could give them a go perhaps.

2) I can't find anywhere where there is enough room to properly test the throw. I just tried it out in the garden, and it doesn't look like the garden is big enough.

3) I can't find my camera. Doh

I'll see what I can get up here, but it may not be instant.

 

[CandleFranky]

I'll see what I can get up here, but it may not be instant.

No panic, I count on you! :thumbsup:

 

[stevoman]

I managed to track down my rubbish camera - and set about with my rubbish photography skills.

Here's a few photos of the light:

There's a slight difference in colour between the body and the bezel ring - which has been exaggerated by the camera flash. It's only really noticable if you're looking for it in practice.

Here's the iffy printing on the side - blotchy.

Here's the tail end, with the cap removed. The white bits are lint that I inadvertantly added. It didn't show up until the flash went off Two O rings here. You can also see more of the iffy printing.

Fairly deep looking reflector

Looking down the barrel, with the bezel, window & reflector removed. Also there was a piece of reflective plastic foil surrounding the emitter, which has been taken out.

 

[deathkenli]

Conclusion: it's made by the same factory that made those no-name Q2 version.

 

[stevoman]

Very probably, or maybe a factory that copied that one :thinking:

I tried this out last night, and I have to say it's very bright, and it throws a very long way (note the technical terms ). I wasn't able to find a location to test it properly, and I think I inadvertantly scared the neighbours...

This is my first foray into properly bright lights, so I don't have much to compare it to - the only thing I have that seems to compare with it in terms of throw is a big lead acid (1 million candlepower?) lamp with a 5 inch reflector. The Q5 seemed to be keeping up with that everywhere I've been able to test so far - which impressed me considering the size, weight and battery life difference.

I don't have any way of measuring the brightness in numerical terms, but if it helps, I measure 800mA at the tailcap.

 

[stevoman]

I went out to test it last night, down at a local park. Unfortunately my basic digicam wasn't up to the job of focusing on a bright light in the dark at distance, so I wsn't able to get any pics.

It was a cloudy, misty night, making the beam look like a lightsaber, and I still wasn't able to find an (unlit) area big enough to properly test the throw. Next time, perhaps Exmoor.

Even in the misty conditions, dark objects (3 bar split rail wooden fence) were discernable up to at least 180m, and lighter tones (some tree trunks) to considerably excess of 200m (about the maximum range I could check without light pollution becoming a major issue. I think in good conditions, the distances would be much higher). I'm not sure how it would compare to the big name throwers, but basically this throws enough for almost any practical use. I'd be interested if anyone has done such a comparison.

On the way home, I was left with a nagging feeling that my car headlights weren't working properly...

 

[Lobo]

On the way home, I was left with a nagging feeling that my car headlights weren't working properly...

I just received the multipower version of the Q2 lights, which I find amazingly bright on 2 CR123. The 18650 only version is supposed to be brighter, so I can only imagine how bright your Q5 is. These lights are amazing deals for the price.

 

[JimmyM]

I received my Aurora WF600 Q5 2-mode SKU#8672.
2 small nics in the finish that had been touched up with some black paint. No big deal. They're really tiny. If the finish were perfect I'd be very pleasantly surprised. Throws like crazy! Deep smooth reflector. Slightly ringy beam. Again, no big deal. However. NO 2 MODES!. Just On and Off. I've got a ticket in to DX regarding this.

 

[bspofford]

I received my Aurora WF600 Q5 2-mode SKU#8672.

2 small nics in the finish that had been touched up with some black paint. No big deal. They're really tiny. If the finish were perfect I'd be very pleasantly surprised. Throws like crazy! Deep smooth reflector. Slightly ringy beam. Again, no big deal. However. NO 2 MODES!. Just On and Off. I've got a ticket in to DX regarding this.

Is the reflector plastic or aluminum?

 

[MstrHnky]

any outdoor beamshots? i'd like to see what this light can do vs other big name throwers.

 

[JimmyM]

Is the reflector plastic or aluminum?

I haven't had the head off, but it has a plastic wavyness to it. I believe they mean "aluminum coated" reflector versus "fully aluminum" reflector.

 

[JimmyM]

any outdoor beamshots? i'd like to see what this light can do vs other big name throwers.

I don't have any "big name" throwers like the Tiablo A9 or MRV.
I've seen an A9 up close. That thing is just this side of a laser.

 

[Kuderna]

I *finally* received my Aurora last Friday. I can only get one mode out of it also.

Otherwise everything seems good. I'll look it over more closely later to see if I can find any other observations to post.


Luke

 

[jrdhmmr]

I received my Aurora WF600 Q5 2-mode SKU#8672.
2 small nics in the finish that had been touched up with some black paint. No big deal. They're really tiny. If the finish were perfect I'd be very pleasantly surprised. Throws like crazy! Deep smooth reflector. Slightly ringy beam. Again, no big deal. However. NO 2 MODES!. Just On and Off. I've got a ticket in to DX regarding this.

Thats interesting. I just received mine yesterday, rather quick too, less than 2 weeks after initial order (and it was even backordered until 3 days after I placed the order).

Mine also doesn't have the 2nd mode, but just on & off. I put in a ticket about it today. I'm hoping that they can just send me another tailcap and that will fix the problem.

The finish on mine appears to be perfect. I can't find anything wrong with it anywhere. The hot spot is just a hair off center, but most people won't notice it. It is a little ringy, agreed, but not bad. Seems to have good throw, but haven't done any good testing on it yet. (I wonder what mode its in, since the 2nd mode isn't there? If its on low mode, wow, I can't wait to see high , here's to wishful thinking)

Also, everyone keeps saying their reflector is plastic, but mine is aluminum, though on the extremely thin side. O-rings on lens, lens cap threads, and tailcap. Will stand on end, but the button protrudes slightly making it not sit down quite flat.

I'm hearing very good things on the battery life, but as of yet haven't had a chance to test that either. I think I'm going to get the 2600mah 18650's from BJ. Thought these 2400mah's I bought from DX are really nice. (I see they have 2500mah now too).

All in all, its doesn't actually come across as a "cheap" light to me. No, its not up to some of the high dollar standards, but it does appear to be a well made, durable piece of hardware. It was well worth the $.

Also, in spite of the 2 mode issue, my first experience with DX, is thus far quite good. Now lets see how the 2 mode issue is handled...

 

[jrdhmmr]

I got a quick response back from DX, they want me to return it to their US location and they will send me another one. After the following info, and its near perfect finish, I'm a little saddened, & reluctant to send it back...

However, since I couldn't send it back today (probably be a few days before I can make it to the post office) I thought I'd do a quick runtime test with one of my TrustFire 2400mAh 18650's.

I had used it a little bit, turning it off and on a few times, so it wasn't a 'fresh' battery, but no significant drainage. At 7:54am I turned it on. It is now 1:53pm, and it is still burning quite bright. Unfortunately, I do not have a voltage tester yet, nor a light meter.... doh!

So, after 6 hours running, I would say that is roughly equal to as my 3 Watt, 75 lumen, Target/Nuwai light, much, much brighter than my 1 Watt version, and less bright than the Romisen RC-F4, but with a much tighter hot spot, and roughly equal spill. It is still a very usable brightness.

I know the runtime on these things is supposed to be very good on the 18650 version, but this is ridiculous, leading me to believe, that it is in fact on "low" mode. However, it is still quite bright on a fully charged battery.

Here's a side beside shot of my RC-F4 with fresh batteries and the WF-600 after 6 hours of running.

Left is WF-600, right is RC-F4

edit: The top photo is @ 4:15pm (thats more than 8 hours on a single 18650 charge!!), and I'm going to be heading out of the house shortly, so I thought I'd just add that its still going strong. Only slightly dimmer than it was a couple of hours ago. Still much brighter than my 45 lumen, 1 Watt light, and very usable. I could run through the woods in the night with this amount of light easily. I think I'm in love. Now just have to send it back :mecry:and wait for my replacement [2 mode].

reedit: Added another side by side photo (bottom) at 6:15pm, another 2 hours, putting it at more than 10 hours.

And here is a shot I took in a very dim room (not total dark) to give an idea of how much useable light its putting out still. I'm about 15' from that bottle of Gorilla Glue (sorry about the bad camera, its just my phone).

 

[Isthereanybodyoutthere]

If this light does work with a resistor in the tailcap
Then you can unscrew the tailcap and use something to make contact between the negative pol of the batterie and the body of the light (the ring where the anodizing is removed
If this gives the same light as with the tailcap ,,then your switch is on high

 

[jrdhmmr]

If this light does work with a resistor in the tailcap
Then you can unscrew the tailcap and use something to make contact between the negative pol of the batterie and the body of the light (the ring where the anodizing is removed
If this gives the same light as with the tailcap ,,then your switch is on high

Well, in that case, its on high mode, as its the same level of brightness either way, however, I'm not sure that its there's a resistor in the tailcap. This could be driver controlled 2-mode, right?
That, or as this light is defective in some manner, the 'single' mode that is functioning, may not be equivalent to the torch's normal "high mode".

I only say this, because I can't see how this light would run this long on a single charged 18650. And its still going. I just turned it off a minute ago to test it as you mentioned.

Can anyone else confirm how long their WF-600 Q5 18650 has run for, total time?

 

[JimmyM]

I just pulled the switch out and tested it. 2 positions. Off = Infinite resistance. On = 0.08 Ohm (0.22 Ohms - 0.14 Ohms for leads).
That's about as "On" as "On" gets.

Also, the reflector IS PLASTIC with an aluminum/chrome coating.
No doubt. Plastic.

They wanted me to send mine back too. I told them to "never mind". I'll keep it as is.