I posted a full review to reddit. I would convert it for CPF, but it doesn't look like Pandoc supports the format, and I don't feel like doing it manually. Instead, this is just the safety portion. I criticized the safety of the H2R on CPF before and would like to clarify. In short, the H2R is only a fire hazard, not a pipe bomb.
The H2R uses a charging system that connects a proprietary battery directly to contacts on the tailcap, to which a magnetic charger can be attached. This connection is live whenever a proprietary Olight battery is installed, creating a potential for short circuits across the external contacts. To make matters worse, there's a magnet in the tailcap that can attract conductive objects. I made several videos demonstrating just how much power can come out of the tailcap:
* Igniting steel wool
* Electrolyzing salt water
* Powering another flashlight
My biggest concern when the H2R came out was that the battery appeared to be unprotected, creating the potential for a dead short and a battery explosion that would make the H2R into a pipe bomb. I'm happy to report that there is effective protection against this scenario. The tailcap contains a positive thermal coefficient thermistor that limits current to around 400mA after a less than a second of short circuit. The battery itself also has a PTC thermistor between the positive contact and the extra negative charging contact. Finally, Olight claims there's over-current protection at 27A. The H2R is not a pipe bomb.
The H2R, and the rest of Olight's magnetic charging line is, however a fire hazard. Contact between the tailcap and many kinds of conductive object will produce sparks with the potential to ignite flammable gasses and vapors. Very flammable conductors, such as steel wool and some kinds of metal shavings and dust will ignite on contact, and the magnet in the tailcap will attract many such objects. The only ways to mitigate the risk are to use a third-party battery, cover the contacts or modify the tailcap to permanently disable charging.
The battery itself is also very easy to short, with contacts that are exposed and close together. Olight recommends against using this battery in a third-party charger, though I have done it without any sparks. Such a short will reduce current after a moment, but the initial current is enough to weld a staple to the contacts. The magnetic charger, however supplies only about 70mA when not connected to the light and would not ignite steel wool.
Shorting the battery with a staple
Perhaps I'm growing old and conservative, but I don't think flashlights and headlamps should ignite objects on contact. Ever. Several other companies have managed to design magnetic charging systems that aren't incendiary, and most of those don't require proprietary batteries. The output and efficiency of the H2R are world-class, so it's evident that Olight has competent engineers who could come up with a charging system that's both safe and convenient, but they've chosen a lazy solution instead. It's particularly egregious in that onboard charging is a feature that's especially attractive to beginners and casual users who don't know a lot about battery safety. Flashlight geeks who are aware of the risks are usually just as happy to buy lights without it.
I don't believe anybody should buy an H2R, but for those who already have one, or who want one anyway because it's the brightest 1x18650 right-angle light on the market, here are some options for mitigating the risk:
* Use a third-party battery. Most protected batteries will trip, but an unprotected button top is safe to use. There may be a little battery rattle, as it's designed for a long battery.
* Add an insulator to the extra contact on the included battery.
* Tape over the charging contacts on the outside of the tailcap.
* Remove the internal charging contacts from the tailcap (see modifications section).
I've been informed Olight has started distributing warning labels for the H2R telling users the tailcap can be a source of ignition and recommending against use around metal dust or explosive atmospheres. This is good advice. It would be better if they redesigned the tailcap to never supply current to the outside of the light; a diode would do the trick, even if it might slightly reduce the charging termination voltage and therefore battery capacity. Even better would be for future models to use a charging system that doesn't require a proprietary battery.
This H2R was provided by Illumn for review.
The H2R uses a charging system that connects a proprietary battery directly to contacts on the tailcap, to which a magnetic charger can be attached. This connection is live whenever a proprietary Olight battery is installed, creating a potential for short circuits across the external contacts. To make matters worse, there's a magnet in the tailcap that can attract conductive objects. I made several videos demonstrating just how much power can come out of the tailcap:
* Igniting steel wool
* Electrolyzing salt water
* Powering another flashlight
My biggest concern when the H2R came out was that the battery appeared to be unprotected, creating the potential for a dead short and a battery explosion that would make the H2R into a pipe bomb. I'm happy to report that there is effective protection against this scenario. The tailcap contains a positive thermal coefficient thermistor that limits current to around 400mA after a less than a second of short circuit. The battery itself also has a PTC thermistor between the positive contact and the extra negative charging contact. Finally, Olight claims there's over-current protection at 27A. The H2R is not a pipe bomb.
The H2R, and the rest of Olight's magnetic charging line is, however a fire hazard. Contact between the tailcap and many kinds of conductive object will produce sparks with the potential to ignite flammable gasses and vapors. Very flammable conductors, such as steel wool and some kinds of metal shavings and dust will ignite on contact, and the magnet in the tailcap will attract many such objects. The only ways to mitigate the risk are to use a third-party battery, cover the contacts or modify the tailcap to permanently disable charging.
The battery itself is also very easy to short, with contacts that are exposed and close together. Olight recommends against using this battery in a third-party charger, though I have done it without any sparks. Such a short will reduce current after a moment, but the initial current is enough to weld a staple to the contacts. The magnetic charger, however supplies only about 70mA when not connected to the light and would not ignite steel wool.
Shorting the battery with a staple
Perhaps I'm growing old and conservative, but I don't think flashlights and headlamps should ignite objects on contact. Ever. Several other companies have managed to design magnetic charging systems that aren't incendiary, and most of those don't require proprietary batteries. The output and efficiency of the H2R are world-class, so it's evident that Olight has competent engineers who could come up with a charging system that's both safe and convenient, but they've chosen a lazy solution instead. It's particularly egregious in that onboard charging is a feature that's especially attractive to beginners and casual users who don't know a lot about battery safety. Flashlight geeks who are aware of the risks are usually just as happy to buy lights without it.
I don't believe anybody should buy an H2R, but for those who already have one, or who want one anyway because it's the brightest 1x18650 right-angle light on the market, here are some options for mitigating the risk:
* Use a third-party battery. Most protected batteries will trip, but an unprotected button top is safe to use. There may be a little battery rattle, as it's designed for a long battery.
* Add an insulator to the extra contact on the included battery.
* Tape over the charging contacts on the outside of the tailcap.
* Remove the internal charging contacts from the tailcap (see modifications section).
I've been informed Olight has started distributing warning labels for the H2R telling users the tailcap can be a source of ignition and recommending against use around metal dust or explosive atmospheres. This is good advice. It would be better if they redesigned the tailcap to never supply current to the outside of the light; a diode would do the trick, even if it might slightly reduce the charging termination voltage and therefore battery capacity. Even better would be for future models to use a charging system that doesn't require a proprietary battery.
This H2R was provided by Illumn for review.