Huntlight FT-02x question from a newbie

[BigBluefish]

The other day I ordered a Huntlight FT-02x Special Edition light which uses an SSC LED (whatever that is), along with some other goodies from Lighthound.

Does anyone have experience with this little light? It appealed to me because it takes C123s or AAs, has a 100 lumen 'rating' (which I assume I should take with a big grain of salt) and was small and simple. And the $29 price definitely had an effect.

Now, the price, I am hoping, is due to 1) It's not a 'name' brand (for all I know, it may be): 2) it's made in China (what isn't?) and 3) it doesn't use a CREE or one of the latest and brightes LEDs (or does, it - frankly, I haven't the foggiest idea. CREE=new and bright. Luxeon=not so new, and not as bright. That's about all I know. And I'm not even sure about that.)

For 30 bucks, if it turns out to be a hunk of junk, well, next time I'll be a little wiser and plunk down some green for a SureFire. But if it turns out be a nice light, I'm going to be a happy camper for $29. I looked around to see if there were any reviews of this light, but couldn't find anything about it.

 

[jsr]

Huntlights are quite good. The FT-02X-SE you got is a very nice light (I had the larger FT-01) with good HAIII anodizing. I recall an issue that some users had with the tailcap o-ring ripping, but that's replaceable and shouldn't wear as quickly if you keep it well lubricated. Otherwise, Huntlights are very well made lights with efficient drivers. Huntlights are difficult to get in the US now as their main US dealer seems to have gone away. Lighthound happens to still have some stock and they're clearing them out. I've been eyeing that FT-02X-SE also as the price is great.
I wouldn't doubt the 100 lumens rating as most (if not virtually all) SSC lights offer >100 lumens out the front. The SSC P4 LED (which is in the FT-02X-SE) IS one of the latest LEDs available. It uses the Cree EZ1000 die that's also used in the Cree XR-E LED. Before the Cree Q5 bin came out, SSC P4 lights were typically brighter than Cree P4 and often Q2 bin lights. Now, the Q5s are brighter, but with shorter runtimes (the Cree Q5 has higher VF while the SSC has lower). With all that said, don't worry, it's a very good light. The one thing that would make it ideal for me would be a low level, which a driver from dealextreme *may* be able to solve. I say *may* because the driver board is pretty small, so not many drivers fit.

 

[BigBluefish]

JSR, thanks for the information. That cleared up quite a few questions for me. The lack of a low setting was the only thing I wanted that the light appeared to lack. But for the price, I think I can live with that. And it gives me an excuse to get another light.

 

[BigBluefish]

Got my Huntlight today.

And the confusion began. The light was marked FT-02XJ. The packing slip said FT-02x-Special Edition SSC. The sticker on the box said FT-02X and said it used an SSC LED. But the printed end of the box, under the sticker, had FT-02XJ and the Type III (isn't that a Luxeon?) boxes checked off, not the SCC box. And the picture from Lighthound shows the flashlight body marked just FT-02X.

????

Ok, so maybe they just stuck the SSC P4 LED in the FT-02XJ bodies, which previously used a different LED. I guess this makes sense: just upgrade to the latest LED when it comes out, leave the rest of the light the same, right?

I dropped in a Surefire SF123a (this is a CR123a battery under the SureFire name, right - or shoudl I be using a battery marked CR123a, I thought the SureFires were compatible) pressed the tail clicky, and ... it wasn't really very bright. Nice white beam, no 'artifacts,' I guess is what you call them, but not all that bright. A little disappointed, I must have given the tail clicky a couple of clicks, and the light started blinking. Which had me a bit worried, until I realized it was doing an S-O-S mode (which seems useless to me, honestly). Hmmm. Turn it off. Turn it on. Not so bright. Turn it off again, turn it on. HEY! Now we're talking, it IS pretty bright! And it is white. Not blue. Not purple-ish. White.

It took me a couple of minutes before I got the bright idea to just check the Huntlight website, which disclosed the model is, apparently, FT-02XJ, which uses an SSC P4 U bin LED. The Huntlight folks say it has three modes, low, high, and SOS. Gee, I don't think Lighthound ever said it had 3 modes. I guess the guys who made it probably know best.

So, JSR, it DOES have a 'low' mode, which isn't very low, actually, but not as bright as the high mode. Maybe there would be more difference between low and high output with AAs? And it has the S-O-S mode, which seems to cycle between the high and the low settings. Hopefully, I won't ever have any use for that mode.

The only thing I noticed that gives me a little, very little concern, is that the o-rings are so tiny, they look and feel like they'll split if you breath on them too hard, and the threads are almost sharp. JSR mentioned this, and I think someone also mentioned this on a review of the earlier models, too. I'll get some lube (what should I use, silicone lube?) and try to find some spare o-rings.
So, for what it's worth, after five minutes my initial impression is this a pretty cool light for under $30. I'll take it outside tonight and try it in the 'real dark.'

 

[Gunner12]

Type III probably means Type III anodizing, or HA III. It is much more resistant to wear then Type II that most lights use.

I hope the light gets better.

 

[BigBluefish]

You know, that's a good point. The specs on Lighthound did say it was Type III anodizing.

I did take the light outside, and on the low setting, well, it's about as bright as I'd ever want for a carry around all the time light, I guess what is called 'EDC.' On the high setting, the brightness increases noticeably, and it does have a good deal of 'throw' clearly lighting a treeline a little over 25 meters away.

I'm actually very impressed by this light.

 

[jsr]

Wow, it has a low? Hmm, I think I'll be picking one up. Damn, and I told myself I'd stop buying lights for a while.

 

[Danbo]

I've got two on the way as we speak. Can't wait to get them.

For the price, this has got to be the bargain of the century.

 

[greenpea76]

Just got received mine from Lighthound today. The boxes they came in have a a bit of shelfwear like they've been sitting for awhile. Both the FT01 and the FT02 have decent brightness, but the FT02 extension tube that I got came with a dent and knick on the AA extension tube as if it had been dropped before. The dent at the end of the tube has some stress fractures on the anodizing.
Kinda bummed about that as I don't remember the items being scratch & dent deals. Oh well, I'll try to straighten it out with a dowel or something to reshape the tube. Just something to look out for when you guys receive your lights. Other than that, great lights.

 

[BigBluefish]

My FT-02X box looked like it had been on the shelf for awhile, too. But the AA tube was fine. I don't know about Lighthound's return policy, but the place seems to have a good reputation. If the damage bothers you, I'd contact them and ask about an exchange.

I was actually thinking about getting a second one, so I could have one using the cr123 tube, and one using the AA tube with NIMH or lithium AAs. Just for fun.

 

[greenpea76]

I think I will contact them for the issue. The box also says SSC but my light has a Luxeon in it. Looks like someone possibly played with it and accidentaly swapped it out. Hope they will remedy this.

 

[BigBluefish]

How can you, or I, tell a Luxeon LED from and SSC P4? (Wondering again if don't actually have a P4 in mine :thinking

At least, if I've got a Luxeon, I know I'll really be impressd by an SSC P4 or a Cree, because I think whatever I've got now is sure bright!

 

[Gunner12]

Well, look into the head.

If it looks like this LED, then it is a Seoul. If it looks like this one, then it is a Luxeon.

Look for the distinct "wires" connection to the diode.

 

[BigBluefish]

Looks like I have an SSC P4.

 

[ernsanada]

SSC's look like this.

3 Watt Luxeon look like this.

 

[BigBluefish]

I think I'm suffering from output anxiety.

I just received a Fenix L2P v2.0 and an L1P body tube. Together they make a great little ligh, with a nice low and a high that seems just about right for any every-day use.

But then I compared it to my Huntlight FT-02XJ and...the Huntlight doesn't seem to be any brighter than the L1/2P, whether I run it on 1 CR123a cell or two Energizer lithium AAs (the Fenix is on 1 lithium AA). What's up with this? The Fenix, as I understand it, puts out about 25-30 Lumens on the L1P body, while the Huntilight should be putting out about 100 on either the 1 x CR123a or 2 x AA. For the life of me, I can't tell any difference between them when they are both on 'high' (the Fenix is clearly lower on 'low.')

Now, I realize that eyes aren't light meters but I think I'd notice some significant difference between, say 27.5 lumens and 100. Looking at the beams on a wite wall, or bouncing them off the ceiling, there doesn't seem to be a bit of difference between them. Just to be sure, I compared the Huntlight to my 3C Mag w/Terralux 6EX drop in, and the modded Mag was considerably brighter.

I looked at the LED on the Huntlight, and it seems to have the two little gold-colored wires running into it which I understand are distinctive to the SSC P4. But the dang LED is so small and hard to see, maybe I'm wrong? But it seems then that it ought to be a whole lot brighter than the Fenix L1/2P if it's got the SSC P4. Could some of the FT-02XJs have been built with Luxeons?

So I'm still confused. I got both lights from Lighthound and am pleased with them and Lighthound's prompt shipping, but I don't know if the Huntlight is what I thought I was getting. (Fenix L1/2P is great, though.) Any advice? Am I just not noticing such a disparity in output, or is something amiss with my Huntlight? Has anyone gotten an FT-02XJ with a Luxeon in it? Should I contact Lighthound? I'm a newbie and I don't want to appear completely clueless, but I'm pretty puzzled.

 

[Gunner12]

If the wires are opposite of each other, then it is a Luxeon.

Look at the pictures ernsanda posted,

Also post a pic if you can.

 

[BigBluefish]

Hmm. Thanks, Gunner. It's hard to see the wires in ernsanada's pic of the Luxeon (thanks for you help, BTW), but your picks from the DX website make it a little clearer. Upon further inspection, my LED has two gold colored wires directly across the LED from each other, not two parallel wires entering the LED from one side.

Which means, gee, it looks like a Luxeon!

Did someone goof? I mean, besides me. The FT is a nice light, but I'd really wanted the SSC P4 and its higher output.

Do I grumble to the guys at Lighthound, or can I plop in an SSC P4 on my own, and move on. Somehow, I doubt that this would be a 'drop in' operation, but rather, major surgery. :sigh:

 

[ernsanada]

This is a 3 Watt Luxeon mounted on a Star.

SSC

 

[Gunner12]

Send Lighthound an email and they should sort things out.

It was probably a mix up, the lights look similar and the different versions might have been close together.

I'm glad I was able to help

Thanks ernsanada for the pictures.