Review request:Xtar Sirius series.

[Trevilux]

Hi
Small video comparison XTAR WK41 with Eneloop and 14500




(Someone please advise me if I should not upload my videos, thanks guys)

 

[Badbeams3]

Woke up at 4:45 and the red light is already on...only 5 hours later. Will continue till blinking if I am awake to catch it...

Edit: Switched batteries to see if I could tell if the light had dimmed. It had...when I switched back, the red light did not come back on. Leaves me wondering if the "Battery recognition circuit" they claim it has might have detected it at a standard 123 cell due to the now lower voltage. So I have discontinued the test to avoid possible damage to the battery. Will repeat the test later this evening. For the moment it looks like the 20 hours on 30 lumen with a 600ma battery claim is not correct, not even close. Only other possibility I can think of is that maybe I did not tighten/screw the light together tight enough and had a poor connection.

 

[Trevilux]

Hi BadBeams3
Fits ok rcr123a protected? What brands of batteries you tried it?

 

[mattheww50]

In many of the battery/lumens claims, there seems to be some wishful thinking. Here's why:

If you start with the assumption that at best the emitter is good for about 120 luments/watt OTF this will all start to make sense.
If the output is quoted at 30 lumens, then it is going to require about .25 watts (250 milliwatts) to power the LED. It is a given that the driver isn't 100% efficient, but we will ignore that for a moment.

The rub comes in when calculate the total energy required to achieve the specification. In this case .25 watts x 20 hours, or 5 watt hours.
What is the energy capacity of 600mAh 16340? about .6 x 3.7 or about 2.3 watt hours. In other words the capacity of the battery can only [provide the necessary power for 30 lumen output for a little less
than 10 hours. The 'energy balance' calculation provides an upper limit on what is attainable.

This isn't rocket science, it is pretty elementary electrical engineering.

One result of this sort of calculation is that when looking at claims of X lumens for Y hours, I almost always calculate what the energey requirement is x lumens for y hours, and compare it to the known energy capacity of the battery system. It is pretty common for the specification to exceed the battery capacity by a substantial margin.

 

[Badbeams3]

Hi BadBeams3
Fits ok rcr123a protected? What brands of batteries you tried it?

Hi, yes protected fits, at least the two 750ma Eagletac`s that I ordered, My original thoughts on the 20 hour run time claim at 30LM were...doubtful. Think that would be a record for this configuration. Also it did not add up...the 2 AA model claims 15 hours at 30 LM and that sounds realistic...the 1 AA model, the one you have, claims a 6 hour run time @ 30LM off a 14500. Also realistic. The 16340 run time claim of 20 hours @ 30LM...simply did not fit or make sense. Here are the claimed run times for the WK42 http://goinggear.com/catalog/product/gallery/id/7244/image/17736/

My run time tests on 30LM are showing what I would expect in this class of light...standard-ish (good) run time on 30LM...but no record breaking. I think someone at XTAR just made a honest mistake in their math calculations. Would be nice if they corrected their advertisement...it is very misleading. Makes them look bad, and there`s no reason for it...the correct 30LM run time is in reality good/normal for this class...

 

[Badbeams3]

Ok, so here is my quick summary of the WK42...from a non-reviewer...just a grumpy old flashaholic`s comments.

Don`t like:

1: Press and hold to turn off...just to problematic. Would have preferred press and hold to change modes and click to turn off.

2: Choice of threading...a bit difficult to screw together.

3: No way to override the last level used mode memory (such as in force it into low directly from off). This means if the light shuts down from a low battery while in high, you cannot restart by going to low in a pinch.

4: Misleading/incorrect 30LM run time claim.

5: Clip is not reversible



Could use improvement:

1: Low battery warning light comes on a little late for me...would prefer a bit more warning time.



What I like:

1: Low battery warning light. Despite it`s flaws it does serve as a warning. I think all LI-ion lights should have one.

2: My sample has a nice beam quality and tint

3: Nice build quality, overlooking the choice of threads.

4: Good run times...

5: Small size...fits comfortably in the pocket...has a nice look about it.

6: Price...nice bang for the buck



And personally, I also like that they choose to limit it`s tubo output rather than go all out like some lights...favors run time, is more predictable, and 300 lumen in a light this small is just fine for me. I have other larger lights for higher outputs.

My final thoughts: This light is not outstanding in any way...nothing remarkable/special about it. But it is a good all around solid performer and has a low price...and I like that. Think if I had it to do over again I would look at the AA WK41....similar performance....maybe a tad better, but with more versatility.

 

[NorthernStar]

Nice review! It looks like the WK42 is overall a nice flashlight for the money!

Btw,does the WK42 have any lockoutmode?

 

[Badbeams3]

Nice review! It looks like the WK42 is overall a nice flashlight for the money!

Btw,does the WK42 have any lockoutmode?

Thanks Northernstar! Next closest light, price wise, that is competitive in my mind is the Olight S10...also a very nice light...but no low battery warning...and a hit or miss lottery (more miss) regarding tint...a lot of greenies. The S10 is brighter I think...but with a shorter run time...has a magnetic tail cap thats nice...also a tiny light...runs about $10 more. I personally really like having a low batt warning light..a lot...so I tilt my hat slightly towards the WK42...

No electronic lockout that I know of. But a slight turn of the body disconnects the power and locks it out

 

[Badbeams3]

Ok, starting the 30LM run test again...1:30

Edit: test stopped at 1:45 after 15 minutes lol...had to take care of some business. Turned light back on at 5:30...

Edit 10:00..red light came on after a total of 4 hours 45 minutes

Edit: 10:55...red light began to blink...total 5 hours and 40 minutes ...end of test.

 

[Trevilux]

You get a low enough runtime 30 lumens oo:
In the WK41 I've only tested 150L and 60 L, with these results

This afternoon I'll try test to 30 lumens to compare with your wk42.

 

[Badbeams3]

You get a low enough runtime 30 lumens oo:
In the WK41 I've only tested 150L and 60 L, with these results

This afternoon I'll try test to 30 lumens to compare with your wk42.

You would have to run it on a 750ma 14500 to get a fair comparison. XTAR claims a WK41 run time of 6 hours on a 14500 at 30 LM as seen here: http://goinggear.com/catalog/product/gallery/id/7320/image/18019/

 

[Trevilux]

Now I'm doing the test with eneloop 2400.
Tomorrow, then, I'll do the test with the XTAR 14500 (750mA).


In the WK42, no cut when they stepped 2.75V?
The warning led works for rechargeable and non-rechargeable?

 

[Badbeams3]

Now I'm doing the test with eneloop 2400.
Tomorrow, then, I'll do the test with the XTAR 14500 (750mA).


In the WK42, no cut when they stepped 2.75V?
The warning led works for rechargeable and non-rechargeable?

The red warning light works with a rechargeable. Not sure about a non-rechargeable. When I ran the rechargeable down to where the red light blinked...and removed the battery...then put it back in...the red low power warning light did not come back on. That makes me *think* it recognized the depleted (now low in voltage) rechargeable as a non-rechargeable.

Then...when I bumped the power level up to turbo...the light went out and stopped working. I do not know if it was the light itself shutting down, or if it was the batteries protection circuit shutting it down. XTAR does claim the light itself will shut down at 2.7 volts. But that might only be when running a rechargeable. Little purpose for that on a regular non-rechargeable 123 battery.

In real world use I would be changing batteries when the red light comes on, as I it is my understanding that rechargeables have a better service life if not run down to low. I only ran it to the red light blinking point for testing purposes

 

[NorthernStar]

By judging from the product info regarding the WK41, i do think that the red warning light works with both a rechargeable and a nonrechargeable battery. It would be interesting to read a test result regarding this.

 

[Trevilux]

I've completed "Mid 30 Lumen" eneloop test, now I'm with Xtar 14500.

 

[Trevilux]

- Runtime Mid (30 L) with eneloop 2400 : Red Led Fix 5 h. 22 minutes, Red Led blinking 5 h.38 minutes
Runtime 50 % 5 H. 46 minutes.
Runtime 10 % 6 H 2 minutes.
Runtime official 8 hours.

-Good news. The Low Battery Red Led works with rechargeable and non-rechargeable (NiMH, alkaline, lithium primary and 14500).
Mode Mid (30 L) with Xtar 14500; The red Led fixed at 4 hours 31 minutes (messured voltaje 3.56V).
Stop the test after 5 hours. Red LED not blinking, the voltage is 3.49V, but I do not like to force unprotected.
I think it will near six hours runtime that Xtar says to "14500".

 

[Badbeams3]

- Runtime Mid (30 L) with eneloop 2400 : Red Led Fix 5 h. 22 minutes, Red Led blinking 5 h.38 minutes
Runtime 50 % 5 H. 46 minutes.
Runtime 10 % 6 H 2 minutes.
Runtime official 8 hours.

-Good news. The Low Battery Red Led works with rechargeable and non-rechargeable (NiMH, alkaline, lithium primary and 14500).
Mode Mid (30 L) with Xtar 14500; The red Led fixed at 4 hours 31 minutes (messured voltaje 3.56V).
Stop the test after 5 hours. Red LED not blinking, the voltage is 3.49V, but I do not like to force unprotected.
I think it will near six hours runtime that Xtar says to "14500".

Yea, I think their rating are pretty accurate other than that one 20 hour claim...

 

[Trevilux]

Xtar made ​​a mistake when writing data WK42.
They can not give 6 hours for WK41 and 20 Hours for WK42. They should correct the data.

 

[Badbeams3]

Bad news. The switch has begun to malfunction...some times does not change modes...and will not turn off. Have to unscrew the body to shut it down. I am having to return it.

 

[Trevilux]

So sorry, awful news. I will report if I have any problems with mine.
Will you ask a change or cash back?