Review: LED Lenser T5E 1AA zoom light (also: how not to make a tailcap)

I know I should know better but I can't resist a bargain:


I've had good luck with a couple of LED Lensers, so I thought this would be fun to try. At least the price is right.



Looks like it could be a fun light!



Some kind of LED:

This is where things go south. This is a tailcap? It's a staple that's bent around a plastic plug. The current is meant to pass thru the steel staple and connect with the body of the light:

What is harder, steel or aluminum? Steel, of course!



I was able to shave away this groove after trying to get the light to work for a few minutes. It doesn't work as intended. Since the metal staple doesn't make a good connection the light doesn't stay on.

What happened to spring loaded tailcaps??? The instructions that are included show a diagram of the light with a spring loaded tailcap. All of my other LED Lensers have spring loaded tailcaps.

This flashlight rates a zero in my toolkit.

DO NOT BUY THIS FLASHLIGHT.

FYI: It's not a staple in the tailcap. If it was, the tailcap switch wouldn't work... instead you'd get connection the moment you screwed in the tailcap. It may look like a staple, but it's actually just the contacts for the switch.

The inside of the tailcap on my LED Lenser P3 AFSP looks the same and works fine. A spring isn't needed in the tail because there's one in the head (at least on my P3AFSP).

I think a bigger problem with that T5E is the LED in the head. It looks like it might be a 5mm LED, and definitely doesn't appear to be CREE. Also, if it's built like my P3AFSP it is quite possible that this light has a plastic pill, which probably renders it almost useless for modding. 25 lumen output also seems extremely low by today's standards.

For that price i would buy 2. I like the design.
If you don't like it, give it to me

I had low expectations of this light for even for $9.99. This tailcap system DOES NOT WORK. The light goes on, but as soon as you move the tailcap any way, the light goes off.

I would give it to Bruno, but too expensive to ship to Australia.

Find out shopping. And I'll pay
Choose like the cheapest. Not parcel, but padded envelopes.

greenlight said:

I had low expectations of this light for even for $9.99. This tailcap system DOES NOT WORK. The light goes on, but as soon as you move the tailcap any way, the light goes off.

I would give it to Bruno, but too expensive to ship to Australia.

Click to expand...

Hm.. might be a manufacturing defect. The underside of my P3AFSP's switch looks identical, but on the outside it has a rubber switchboot. I've had no problems with the switch. Works perfectly.

Hm.. the switch in my P3AFSP appears to be the same. At least on the inside. I've had no problems. It works perfectly, though it does have a rubber switchboot.