Questions about the Jetbeam E3S and AA lights.. Li-Ion ok?

I'm currently searching for a sexy EDC and came across the Jetbeam E3S. Seems to have the looks and performance I was going for. It supposedly puts out 155 lumens (emitter?) on a regular 1.5v alkaline utilizing a XPG R4.

I'm also considering a Quark mini AA which will spit out 250+ lumens OTF direct drive on a 14500.

My question is, can the E3S run on a 14500? And if so, will it be regulated or direct drive spitting out huge OTF numbers?

Any other AA lights out there which can take a 14500 and put up huge numbers?

Thanks in advance!

*edit* Just read a review regarding the Jetbeam bk135a and it seems to be driven harder on a 14500. I figure the E3S should also be running a similar boost only circuit. So this light might be as bright as a quark mini aa on li-ion!

I didn't even know the BK135A takes the 14500, as it seems it is brighter, but surely not designed for li-ion. Be aware that the E3S is ss, thermal problems may occur faster than you think...

Does the MiNi AA run direct drive on a 14500? When I got mine, it was still officially allowed to use li-ion, I blew a whole cell through it, it got hot, hot, hot, but survived, probably because I gave it some good blood cooling.

Be aware that when the AA lights are designed for li-ion, they either don't bring much more output in that case or they were designed for 3,7Volt and simply run at lower performance on 1,5V (Quark AA, D10, RRT-0...). Those lights are a little bigger, to provide the necessary heatsink.

If the lights are not designed for more than 1,5V, they either fry immediately on a li-ion or crank out crazy amounts of Lumens at the risk of running too hot quite soon, like the MiNi AA.

Brightest sucker I've seen is the Peak El Capitan, that one really goes on turbo with a 14500, no idea about the heat though, but Peaks are tough! :devil:

Henk lu,

I understand the heat risks of overdriving LEDs, especially in small bodies where it can't be dissipated as fast.

But I'm wondering if the e3s has circuitry which can withstand 4.2-3.7 volts without going poof. Yes the mini aa's boost circuit goes into direct drive once input > vf of the led.

I was hoping for the same from this light.

from the specs that jetbeam put out, it does not seem recommended. they say 155 lumens on high, an R4 emitter with an 14500 is certainly capable of more lumens, and jetbeam usually over rates their lumens output. which is why i never tried my 14500 in the E3S.

Henk made a very good point about the heat. my E3S gets warm really fast, and thats using an energizer lithium. id imagine it getting hot really fast with a 14500.