Review Of Blitzwolf LT5

Budda

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Nov 30, 2009
Messages
590
Location
Italy
I received the lamp from Banggood.

The lantern comes in a cardboard box, with a micro usb cable, manual and lanyard.



The LT5


Inside the light there are papers that indicate the maker and don't make light pass (see this later in beamshot)




On the frontal side of the light there is a trandparent adesive with the specs. The outside plastic of the lantern is smooth and clear, the inside one looks frosted.



At the opposide side of the body, 2 "caps" in black platic, won't let the LT5 roll


on one side: Metal D-ring, gitd switch cover and lanyard hole.


on the other side the "cap" has some knurling that allow to untwist it to access USB and micro USB port.


This cap has an o-ring and is linked to the lantern with a flexible plastic wire, so you can't detach it from the lantern and lose it (been there, done that).


The lantern has 5 modes: white light low, white light hi, constant red light, flashing red light, sos red light.
When you press the switch the lantern will turn on at white light low. The lantern hasn't memory. The next press will switch to white ligh high, then constant red light and so on. after SOS red light, the lantern will turn off.
If you are in a specific mode and want to turn the light off? keep the switch pressed.
Each time you press the switch, the blue led at the base of the lantern will turn on and blink, telling you the battery level: 100% constant on,, 70-100% 4 blinks, 50-70% 3 blinks, 25-50% 2 blinks, <25% 1 blink) for 10 seconds.
The blue led has the same pattern during the charge of the light.

Let's turn it on! First white light,


and red light


The tint of the light is slightly warmer than a CW, but it's not a neutral. I can't see PWM with my eye or with the camera.


Beamshot
Corridor: white ligth high


red light


On a table: white light low, white light high, red light




same order, another angle





Compared to other led lantenrs that have a 360° output, the LT5 has a blind zone, due to the papers inside the lamp. This blind zone is in a precise spot, so when you use the D-ring to attach the light, the users won't get blinded.
I tried many times to use regulare led lanterns, and i had always trouble because I kept getting blinded (even at low output, you keep having a light oriented to your eyes). with the LT5 this doesn't happen.
But this means that if you want a lantern in order to illuminate at 360°, the LT5 is not for you.
The LT5 can be used horizontally, since it doesn't roll.
The intensity of the red light is higher than the white light low, and is the same for the constant and flashing modes.

I only tested the powebank function. the 2600mAh should give enough energy to charge a smartphone
I didn't have the chance to test the runtime of the lantern, but the data are promising: 60 hours at white light low, 8 at white light high, 15 hours for red constant light, 31 hours for flashing.
The chargiing time depends on the output current of the charger.

My thoughts:
the lantern is well made, the plastic parts don't bend, nothing exept the cap untwists, and that cap can't be lost because is attached to the lantern. The beam has a good geometry and is a pleasure to use. I'd prefer an additional white constent light, lower than the white light low, even at the price of removing the SOS red mode. Also, I'd prefere a more neutral white tint.

The 2600mAh battery should allow good runtime as a lantern, but it's a bit on the short side as a powerbank, given the good availability of 3200-3400mAh batteries.
Sizewise, the L5 is a good lantern, thinner than other competitors, but it's much bigger than an regular powerbank. Thus I consider the LT5 as a lantern with powerbank function, not a powerbank with lantern function.



EDIT 19th march:
I saw some pics with the light opened, so I decided to try myself. Just untwist the upper cap with like an animal, and it will untwist decompressing the o-ring



Then the insert will slide off



On one side, the leds, on the other the battery and the dissipating plate (the battery is glued on it).



inside the plastic tubes, the colored paper with the indication on one side, and on the other a frosted one. both can slide off.


The size: compared to other lights.



More test will follow.
Thanks for reading.
 
Last edited:

saypat

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
424
nice review, thanks for the video too. Looks like a great light, and nicely priced. Great light for the car.
 

jdboy

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Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
634
Location
east TN
Great review, think this will make a great little lantern to keep in my Jeep.
 

TCY

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 15, 2013
Messages
801
Great review and video. Seems like a decent budget emergency light to me.
 

Budda

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
Messages
590
Location
Italy
I saw some pics with the light opened, so I decided to try myself. Just untwist the upper cap with like an animal, and it will untwist decompressing the o-ring



Then the insert will slide off



On one side, the leds, on the other the battery and the dissipating plate (the battery is glued on it).



inside the plastic tubes, the colored paper with the indication on one side, and on the other a frosted one. both can slide off.


The size: compared to other lights.

 

KiwiMark

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
1,731
Location
Waikato, New Zealand
I have the LT4 as well as an LT5 on the way, I quite like the Blitzwolf brand as they seem to be pretty good quality for a Chinese brand.
The LT4 is similar but is octagonal rather than cylindrical with a magnetic backing that lets you stick it to a car hood or similar when working on your vehicle, it has a mini-USB charging socket but no powerbank function. There are 4 power output settings plus flashing, no red LED.

I bought the LT4 to use in the garage mainly - basement garage, very dark, turning on the light in the garage doesn't really help all that much. I often use a flashlight in the garage but I need an area flood light while working on the motorbike.
The LT4 seems really good so I ordered an LT5, as is the way with us flashaholics.
 

Tachead

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
3,872
Location
Northwestern Ontario, Canada
Thanks for the review:thumbsup:. It looks like a nice little lantern and it looks like it would be relatively easy to swap out the battery to a larger capacity one if desired or when it starts getting tired.
 
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