Nitecore MT10A: advertised lumens?

SonRunner · Sep 24, 2015

I just got my brand new Nitecore MT10A, which does not put out the 920 lumens (from your standard Costco/Kirkland) AA battery. Should I return it? Looking at Nitecore's add ( http://flashlight.nitecore.com/product/mt10a ) they make to specification about battery quality. (Although there is some small print about "high quality AA battery (1.2 V, 2500 mAh)."

Uopn "YouTube" review, they state that it is only about 920 lumens with a lithium ion battery, and that the light is about half as bright with a standard AA battery
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv-JYo-So5Q).

Is there any way (i.e., settings) to get the 920 lumens with a "standard" (CostCo/Kirkland) AA battery.

insanefred · Sep 24, 2015

SonRunner said:
I just got my brand new Nitecore MT10A, which does not put out the 920 lumens (from your standard Costco/Kirkland) AA battery. Should I return it? Looking at Nitecore's add ( http://flashlight.nitecore.com/product/mt10a ) they make to specification about battery quality. (Although there is some small print about "high quality AA battery (1.2 V, 2500 mAh)."

Uopn "YouTube" review, they state that it is only about 920 lumens with a lithium ion battery, and that the light is about half as bright with a standard AA battery
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv-JYo-So5Q).

Is there any way (i.e., settings) to get the 920 lumens with a "standard" (CostCo/Kirkland) AA battery.

Alkileaks just cant crank out enough amps to give you 920 lumens, you must have a IMR. Instead of returning it, get some better cells and a good charger.

ChrisGarrett · Sep 24, 2015

SonRunner said:
I just got my brand new Nitecore MT10A, which does not put out the 920 lumens (from your standard Costco/Kirkland) AA battery. Should I return it? Looking at Nitecore's add ( http://flashlight.nitecore.com/product/mt10a ) they make to specification about battery quality. (Although there is some small print about "high quality AA battery (1.2 V, 2500 mAh)."

Uopn "YouTube" review, they state that it is only about 920 lumens with a lithium ion battery, and that the light is about half as bright with a standard AA battery
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv-JYo-So5Q).

Is there any way (i.e., settings) to get the 920 lumens with a "standard" (CostCo/Kirkland) AA battery.

No. Alkaline batteries aren't really good at high amperage, so to get 900+ lumens from a single alkaline AA would probably require 3A and with the lower voltage of the alkaline, I don't think you can get that.

I even doubt that a 14500 can do 920LM.

I'm seeing 170LM and 270LM on a alkaline AA here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/comments/3gde8o/at_920lm_i_think_the_new_nitecore_mt10a_is_the/

Chris

SonRunner · Sep 24, 2015

Thank you so very much for your very helpful posts.

insanefred said:
Alkileaks just cant crank out enough amps to give you 920 lumens, you must have a IMR. Instead of returning it, get some better cells and a good charger.

ChrisGarrett said:
No. Alkaline batteries aren't really good at high amperage, …
I even doubt that a 14500 can do 920LM.

I'm seeing 170LM and 270LM on a alkaline AA here:
Chris

Is it worth it to spend the additional $23 (Amazon) for "two IMR14500 Batteries, Nitecore UM20 Battery Charger"? I heard a YouTube poster state that the rechargeable are very well worth their money. Any estimates about how many standard AA's a IMR14500 would replace? I heard several hundred.

redtruck · Sep 24, 2015

If you look at the run times chart on the Nitecore page you listed it shows that on a 1xAA Turbo is only 170 lumen. The run time at that level seems a bit optimistic to me, but pretty long. Going with the 14500 will get you that higher lumen number, but only for limited runtimes.

hiuintahs · Sep 24, 2015

redtruck said:
If you look at the run times chart on the Nitecore page you listed it shows that on a 1xAA Turbo is only 170 lumen. The run time at that level seems a bit optimistic to me, but pretty long. Going with the 14500 will get you that higher lumen number, but only for limited runtimes.

Yes, Note my run time chart:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?408516-Nitecore-MT10A-Run-Time-Test
Turbo steps down after about 4 minutes. Turbo on an Eneloop was just over 200 lumens. I've never seen an output that high on an Eneloop AA battery. And then it held tight regulation at about 140 lumens until the battery died.

This is one of the most efficient single AA lights I have tested to date.

kj75 · Sep 24, 2015

So far I see, its mentioned on the webpage that AA will reach up to max. 170 lumens.

I have the EA11, that works fine with a Nitecore 14500-cell. IMR is not needed IMO, I can't barely notice difference in output.

aydiabdi · Sep 24, 2015

hiuintahs said:
This is one of the most efficient single AA lights I have tested to date.

Agree... I have one of this light since a month ago and im happy

Nitecore MT10A: advertised lumens?

SonRunner

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