Today got EZAA & K-106

Tremendo

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Well I couldn't wait any longer for my 2 Tactical AA Ti 4Sevens Quark XPG R5's that are on order, so I bought a couple more lights. Today I got in a Nitecore EZ-AA and an Akoray K-106. Here are my thoughts:

1) Nitecore EZ-AA: Very small. Looks great, did I mention it's small? Easy to get to low, High is a bit tricky. It seems to get to High in one spot, if you over tighten, it becomes like a medium. High is quite bright for such a small light. Well made, feels solid. My wife may take it as her EDC due to the smaller size for an AA and simple UI.
2) Akoray K-106: Bigger than I thought, but OMG is this thing bright! Beats my awesome Nitecore Defender Infinity for shear brightness on a 14500. QUite a bit smaller spot than my Nitecore DI, but brighter. Also spill seems a bit brighter used outside. Definitely prefers a 14500 to get to max output. Regular AA works pretty well, but the 14500 is insanely bright. However, it gets VERY hot very quickly, maybe 30 seconds to warm, 1 minute to hot, then very hot after that. I'm concerned that it might be too hot for its own good. I may do a 14500 time test in a glass of water. It's great to have a bright light that is so inexpensive that I don't need to worry about it with my sons, etc.
 

romteb

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

I may do a 14500 time test in a glass of water.

You might want to have your tea bag ready, shouldn't belong before it boils.:sick:

I love my akorays just like you do, incredible bargain.
 

Jay611j

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

I'm might get the Akoray K-106 as well, great deal indeed! Anybody know how it compares in brightness to the Eagletac T10LC2? I'm not impressed with the Eagtac, 295 lumens? :crackup:
 

romteb

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Well it depends on the current draw of the Akoray, it can be vary significantly between different lights of the same model, i'll have to test again but the maximum current draw on my akorays was 2.3A if remember correctly. (most of them were 1.9 and one at 1.6, some people reported similar but also much lower currents)

They are very small lights so when used at such currents it's not long before the rise in temperature adversely affects lumens output (and led life if used for extended period), so they only are useful on max for short burst, enough to amaze people or identify something far.
 

sparkysko

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Errr. 2.3 amps, holy crap.

I bought two K106's (16607), one two months ago and another I received today.

Both draw ~0.65 amps on high w/ 14500, and have flat regulation (not deviating more than 0.1% lux until the battery is almost dead).

At best they get 'perceptively warm' after about a minute of runtime. Most of the time it's hard to even tell if they are warm or not. Both on a stock one, and one I did an emitter swap on (So I know the heatsinking is proper).

Although I didn't notice any difference in heat after an emitter swap. I do want to caution that the stock emitter has 'bumps' at the corners of the star, and effectively is raised off the heatsink by these bumps. It's impossible for the emitter board to lay flush with the heatsink because of this. That said, there seems to be adequate thermal paste under it to fill this gap, but there will definitely be a gap under the emitter (Filled with thermal paste). Consider sanding these bumps off the bottom of the emitter to allow it to lay flush.

bumps.jpg
 
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Foxx510

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

My k106 was only drawing 700mA or so and doesn't get that hot. Seems like there are a few faulty ones about.
 

dandism

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Yea, I get .85 AMP on high. Those reporting more maybe have a deffective light... but so bright....:naughty:
 

romteb

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Someone on the Akoray thread emitted the hypothesis that older Akorays entered direct drive mode when on max while newer ones were regulated on max, that may be right because someone not aware of led lights technologies might just buy an Akoray and run it on max at 2A for extended periods and basically :poof: kill it.
 

sparkysko

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Regarding heatsinking. I looked at the cree data sheet, and did some cold start tests to gauge the junction temperature after warm up. Based on the flux numbers, at the 700mA draw from 14500's, the junction temp stays below 50C. I didn't notice any difference in the junction temperature flux variation between an led with and without the 'nubs' on the bottom of the star. YMMV with the higher current however.
 

Ian2381

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Really curious with the Akoray K-106 on 14500,
Will continuous usage will :poof: it?

I already ordered one and will definitely wanted to know before I receive it.:thinking:

Thanks.
 

Nickyan

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Hi

I have the very similar Trustfire F20. It gets mighty bright and mighty warm with a 14500. Got about 40 min on max with a 14500. Apart from the five mode click through UI I really like the light. The runtime on a NiMH is longer, but less bright obviously.

Got following approx. readings with a 14500 in the fairly inaccurate 10A range of the multimeter (High, Med, Low): 800 mA, 330 mA, 80 mA

Mine didn't go :poof: during the 40 min test, and I just had it on my desk, not in Water.

Greetings from Berlin
 

Tremendo

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

I don't know about LED heat damage to it, but we did a camping trip and my Akoray k106 has been used on Max a lot, and is still just as bright. I let my young son use it a lot, as I am EDC'ing my Ti Quark 1xAA with 14500. And the EZAA I sent to a business associate in California as a gift.
 

DigMe

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

I'm might get the Akoray K-106 as well, great deal indeed! Anybody know how it compares in brightness to the Eagletac T10LC2? I'm not impressed with the Eagtac, 295 lumens? :crackup:

It's not going to be as bright as the 2xCR123 T10LC2. According to MrGMan's sphere the T10C2 is 268 lumens so the T10LC2 is probably going to be at least that bright.

brad
 

sparkysko

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

If your regulation isn't broken on the akoray it'll be fine.

I left mine on my bed for runtime tests. It didn't get more than slightly warm. If your akoray gets HOT just sitting there, then I'd be concerned. I'd fear exploding lithium battery moreso than degraded emitter life.
 

Nickyan

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Does it get too hot to touch?

Thanks for the greetings and reply.:wave:

Hey, no, not too hot to touch, but maybe unpleasant. Hard to make a good call on this since perception varies. I can use it as a hand warmer in the upcoming winter :crackup:

I've taken it along to a night dive recently. Used it to assemble all the gear on high/med and get all into gear and hike to the entry point. I left it there on low to mark the exit, ran on low for over an hour. Then used it on high/med to change, disassemble gear, pack cars and have the decompression beer afterward. All this on an 2000 mAh NiMH. It took the sand, dirt, rinse in knee deep water and himidity w/o any problems. I was pretty impressed. Not to mention the non-flashaholics with their incan lights :party:

At the price I wouldn't worry too much bout the light. If it had less modes it would be perfect.
 

Ian2381

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

All this on an 2000 mAh NiMH. It took the sand, dirt, rinse in knee deep water and himidity w/o any problems. I was pretty impressed.
At the price I wouldn't worry too much bout the light. If it had less modes it would be perfect.

Did you tried it on 14500? I havent tried any light so far in 14500 for fear of any harm it might cause.
moz-screenshot-1.png
:poof:
moz-screenshot.png
 

timbo114

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Ran my Akoray K-106 w/14500 & orange traffic wand on beacon blink mode, for 120 minutes last night for Trick-Or Treat.
No heat - nice blink - standing on the sill, it lit up my window quite nicely:thumbsup:

I have the programmable K-106 and the 5 mode K-106 - love 'em both!
 

Nickyan

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

Did you tried it on 14500? I havent tried any light so far in 14500 for fear of any harm it might cause.

Yes I have, see post #11 ;) Did 3 run time tests and got about 40min on continuous high on all 3 runs with 14500. I have 2 of them, so in paralell I ran NiMH 2000 mAh and 2700 mAh and alkaline batteries to compare.

14500: brightest, but shortest runtime
2000 & 2700 good runtime > 1h with good light output
Alkaline: Slowly fading light, noticeably darker after 30min already

:twothumbs
 

Lermite

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Re: Today got EZAA & Akoray K-106

The runtime graph of my 3 modes K-106. I'll update it tomorrow with alkaline curves.

Akoray_K-106.png
 
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