Olight T15 Q5 1AA runtime... WOW!

[fire-stick]

Does olight use bulb lumens?

 

[kilgor]

I received the replacement for my T15 from BatteryJunction.com today. They shipped the replacement quickly and for that I thank them. Unfortunately this light doesn't even light up. I have tried multiple batteries.

I am done with Olight. Two bad lights in a row is enough and this one is going back for a refund.

I am now in the market for a 1AA EDC light. I'm probably going Fenix as they have a pretty good reputation. Any other suggestions?

 

[FlashCrazy]

But exact same run times at both levels? Is this not indicative of identical amperage draws??

I just received mine the other day and noticed the same thing. The two highest levels appear identical, and as a matter of fact, the second highest level actually draws .01 amp more than the high level. I'm away from home now, so I'll have to try it with a 14500 when I get back.

 

[jsr]

Does olight use bulb lumens?

Very likely. Virtually all the china/taiwan-based brands use emitter/bulb lumens. This is likely for a couple of reasons: 1) it's higher and thus sells more lights and 2) they don't have an integrating sphere to test the torch output. Fenix, Jetbeam, Lumapower, Dereelight, etc. all use emitter lumens, so Olight likely does also as their claims are close to the other brands on comparative lights.

Kilgor,

I don't know your budget, but I recently got a Nitecore Defender Infinity and love it! I sold my Fenix L1D for it and am glad I did. The DI is smaller (shorter and thinner) than the L1D, lighter (easier for pocket carry), grippier (L1D is a slippery sucker), and fully supports 14500s (L1D has no other modes other than HI on 14500s). I believe Olight's circuits also lose lower modes when using 14500s (just like Fenix). There's the Lumapower LM301 you can look at. It's a bit longer than most 1xAA lights (but shorter than the T15, which is a giant next to most other 1xAA lights), so if you didn't mind the T15 size, the LM301 size likely won't bother you. The LM301 is also only TypeII anodizing I believe. There's also the Jetbeam CLE v2, but I've heard some recent ones had artifacts in the beam, but it's a smaller 1xAA with a simple UI and HAIII. Jetbeam will be coming out with a new 1xAA light with a clip this month (Jan 08), I believe called the JetIII, looks really nice! HTH.

 

[kilgor]

Very likely. Virtually all the china/taiwan-based brands use emitter/bulb lumens. This is likely for a couple of reasons: 1) it's higher and thus sells more lights and 2) they don't have an integrating sphere to test the torch output. Fenix, Jetbeam, Lumapower, Dereelight, etc. all use emitter lumens, so Olight likely does also as their claims are close to the other brands on comparative lights.

Kilgor,

I don't know your budget, but I recently got a Nitecore Defender Infinity and love it! I sold my Fenix L1D for it and am glad I did. The DI is smaller (shorter and thinner) than the L1D, lighter (easier for pocket carry), grippier (L1D is a slippery sucker), and fully supports 14500s (L1D has no other modes other than HI on 14500s). I believe Olight's circuits also lose lower modes when using 14500s (just like Fenix). There's the Lumapower LM301 you can look at. It's a bit longer than most 1xAA lights (but shorter than the T15, which is a giant next to most other 1xAA lights), so if you didn't mind the T15 size, the LM301 size likely won't bother you. The LM301 is also only TypeII anodizing I believe. There's also the Jetbeam CLE v2, but I've heard some recent ones had artifacts in the beam, but it's a smaller 1xAA with a simple UI and HAIII. Jetbeam will be coming out with a new 1xAA light with a clip this month (Jan 08), I believe called the JetIII, looks really nice! HTH.

Hey, thanks for all of the suggestions. The Nitecore certainly has my attention. I like the low low level, good UI, and forward clicky. The $80 price tag is keeping me from ordering right now. I could buy it, but that's a little high. Maybe they will come down some.

If anyone wants to sell one let me know.

I will look into your other suggestions. Thanks again! :thumbsup:

 

[FlashCrazy]

I just received mine the other day and noticed the same thing. The two highest levels appear identical, and as a matter of fact, the second highest level actually draws .01 amp more than the high level. I'm away from home now, so I'll have to try it with a 14500 when I get back.

I'm back home and tried it with a 14500. All modes except low work fine. (switching into the lowest level results in no change in brightness).

I tried a AA again. Current draw on high was 1.49A, the second highest level measured 1.50A (with no change in brightness, obviously). The third level drops quite a bit, as does the fourth and fifth. BUT... the fifth (lowest) level is nowhere near the 8 lumens listed in the specs... it's much brighter. I'm guesstimating it's around 20 lumens.

Does anyone else's light behave like this? (Besides the one who returned theirs above)

 

[kilgor]

I received the replacement for my T15 from BatteryJunction.com today. They shipped the replacement quickly and for that I thank them. Unfortunately this light doesn't even light up. I have tried multiple batteries.

I am done with Olight. Two bad lights in a row is enough and this one is going back for a refund.

I am now in the market for a 1AA EDC light. I'm probably going Fenix as they have a pretty good reputation. Any other suggestions?

Matt at BatteryJunction.com is issuing a refund and agreed to waive the 15% restocking fee. They are a quality business and I will continue to do business with them in the future. :thumbsup:

As for Olights... :shakehead