Review ACEBEAM K30-GT - 3X18650 - 1Km. Beam

ro.ma.

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
208
ACEBEAM K30 GT






For the technical and specific characteristics of the torch: http://www.acebeam.com/k30-gt
For purchase in Europe: https://eu.nkon.nl/zaklampen.html

The Acebeam K30 GT was purchased from the NKON store (https://eu.nkon.nl/zaklampen.html) which I thank for the excellent treatment received.



The Acebeam K30 GT is a flashlight of compact dimensions but with a high luminous power. K30 GT has a single switch placed on the side, develops a maximum power of 5500 lumens and its beam reaches a distance of 1024 meters for 262144cd.
The K30 GT is equipped with a LUMINUS SBT-90 GEN2 LED and offers 6 brightness levels plus the special Strobe mode.
The Acebeam K30 GT is powered by three Li-ion 18650 rechargeable batteries (the ARC18650H-310 3100 mAh batteries are recommended), not included in the sales package. It is equipped with an electronic lock as well as with a tripod socket and is recommended for any outside-door activity, in particular for long-range search, rescue and lighting.
The Acebeam K30 GT is certified IPX68 (2 meters submersible) with impact resistance at 1 meter.
Taken in your hands is a compact flashlight that holds well and is not heavy. Good construction, similar to the other torches in the same house.









Features and Specifications:

- Use a LUMINUS SBT-90-GEN2 LED with excellent performance or a RED LUMINUS SBT-90 LED (optional)
- Maximum power up to 5500 lumens with a beam distance of 1024 meters
- The ECO and POWER mode switch switches between everyday settings and searches and saves
- Powered by 3 rechargeable 18650 lithium-ion batteries (excluded), 3 ACEBEAM ARC18650H-310A lithium-ion batteries (recommended)
- One-hand, one button for quick and easy operation
- Aluminum handle that can be hooked for alternative transport option
- Design of high efficiency constant current circuits (non PWM)
- The intelligent thermoregulator is used to adjust the brightness and prevent overheating
- Battery level indicators for easy power monitoring
- The lockout mode prevents accidental activation
- The strobe setting can confuse an attacker or act as a warning sign
- Tempered ultra-clear mineral glass lens with anti-reflective coating
- Integrated precision digital optics technology offers extreme reflector performance
- Robust aerospace aluminum body with anodized military finish type III
- IPX68 waterproof (2 meters submersible)
- Impact resistance at 1 meter

- Weight: 336 g without batteries; 480.4 g with batteries
- Dimensions: 155.5 mm Length x 44.5 mm Pipe diameter x 57 mm Head diameter





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The Packaging:

The Acebeam K30 GT arrives inside an orange rigid cardboard box with magnetic closure. The main features are written on a removable dark blue cover while inside we find the K30 GT protected by a polyurethane foam and accessories.










Inside the box we find:

- Acebeam K30 GT
- Handle
- Lanyard
- 2 X spare O-rings
- Manual
- Warranty and Warnings

Unfortunately, there is no holster in the package that would have been very useful.




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In the package we find the handle to be inserted in the hole for the tripod. The handle is the one already seen with the most impressive Acebeam K75 reviewed by me a few months ago. The K30 GT is not particularly heavy and therefore the main use of this accessory is to avoid burning your hands given the high amount of heat produced, little dissipated by the cooling system, and the small size of the cooled part.




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The Acebeam K30 GT holds well and has small dimensions considering the total length of 155.5mm. It is made up of two parts: head and body with tail.
The head of the Acebeam K30 GT has cooling fins. In the lower part we find the metal switch and on the opposite side the tripod socket. There is also a notification LED.











The bezel
of the K30 GT is slightly crenulated and the parabola, with the LED LUMINUS SBT-90-GEN2 in the center, is smooth. The lens is in ultra-clear tempered glass with anti-reflective coating. The LED is well centered and its tint is CW but not particularly cold.











The power button is in metal, flat and generously sized. However, I found it a little difficult to find it in the dark or to press it with gloves, the help comes from the screw for standard tripod socket, but it would certainly have been more effective if it had been highlighted. The click is good, improved compared to the previous K75 and X65 mini that I have. Through this switch we can completely manage the UI of the Acebeam K30 GT. The torch has an electronic and manual lock (by slightly unscrewing the torch body).








The power indicator, next to the power button, shows the battery voltage. The low voltage warning reminds you when batteries need to be replaced. This indicator is always lit when the K30 GT is turned on.

GREEN: 9.6V battery voltage
Constant RED: battery voltage between 9.6V ~ 9V
Flashing RED: battery voltage 9V <8.46V
The K30 GT shuts down when battery voltage is less than 8.4V







On the opposite side of the side switch is the standard tripod socket. The screw that covers the hole for the tripod that allows the insertion of the lanyard supplied with the K30 GT is well made.










On the body and on the cap of the Acebeam K30 GT we find a nice knurling; rhombus-shaped on the body and small horizontal grooves on the tail cap. The inscriptions on the torch are well made and legible. The risks caused by the direct exposure of the light beam in the eyes and the danger of burning due to the high temperatures reached by the torch are highlighted.










By unscrewing the head, in the lower part, for contact with the battery holder basket there is a rigid plated spring. All circuit contact points are gold-plated to offer better conductivity and superior durability.








The removable battery holder basket is well constructed with rigid plated springs. You need to do some force to insert the three 18650 batteries. The ones used by me are the Acebeam ARC18650H-310 3100 mAh 68.5 mm long.













Acebeam K30 GT near other torches:





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User Interface (UI):






The user interface (UI) of the Acebeam K30 GT is simple and reflects that already seen on other torches from the same house. It is managed by a single switch located on the side. We have 6 levels plus the strobe available.
The K30 GT has two modes of use: ECO Mode and Power Mode. Between the two modes, only the light output changes in TURBO. I would have liked to see a real Low or Moon level of 1 lumen or less.
These are the light outputs using 3 AceBeam ARC18650H-310A batteries as power source


POWER mode:

Ultra low: 50 lumens - 42 hours
Low: 150 lumens - 24 hours and 45 minutes
Average 1: 400 lumens - 11 hours and 45 minutes
Medium 2: 1000 lumens - 5 hours
High: 2000 lumens - 1 hour and 30 minutes
Turbo: 5500 lumens - 1 hour and 15 minutes
Strobe: 3700 lumens - 2 hours and 15 minutes



ECO mode:

Ultra low: 50 lumens - 42 hours
Low: 150 lumens - 24 hours and 45 minutes
Average 1: 400 lumens - 11 hours and 45 minutes
Medium 2: 1000 lumens - 5 hours
High: 2000 lumens - 1 hour and 30 minutes
Turbo: 3700 lumens - 1 hour and 15 minutes
Strobe: 3700 lumens - 2 hours and 15 minutes



ON / OFF
ON: when the light is off, click on the switch to turn on the light and switch to the stored mode;
OFF: when the light is on, click the switch to turn off the light.

Long press
1. When the light is on, long press the switch to switch from Low-Mid1-Mid2-High, release the switch to select the mode.
2. When the light is off, long press the switch for 0.5 seconds to activate Ultra-Low mode.

Double click: when the light is on / off, double click on the switch to activate the Turbo and each double click to switch from Turbo to the stored mode.

Triple click: when the light is on / off, triple click on the switch to activate the Strobe.

Lock unlock
Lockout: when the light is off, long press the switch for 5 seconds, the light locks out after 3 flashes;
Unlock: when the light is locked, long press the switch for 5 seconds, the light is unlocked and becomes ultra-low after 2 times of flash.

Acebeam K30 GT has two modes: POWER mode and ECO mode. Exchange between POWER and ECO:
When the light is blocked, if the light beam changes from dark to bright and turns off after 10 continuous clicks, it means that the light will switch to POWER mode after being unlocked; otherwise, the light will switch to ECO mode.







Beam and Runtime:





The beam of the Acebeam K30 GT has a good white color not too cold, certainly below 6500K. It has a well-defined spot and a very bright wide spill, typical of the LUMINUS SBT-90 GEN2 LED.
The value in candles declared by the house (262.144cd) was reached in the tests made by me in the indoor environment. Unfortunately, the downside is that this amount of light developed by this LED on a flashlight of this size leads to a lot of heat to be disposed of in the High and Turbo levels which the Acebeam K30 GT can only partially do. In these two levels it is impossible to hold in hand, if not for a few minutes, the K30 GT without burning unless you wear gloves or use the handle provided.























The Runtime were made indoors at a temperature of around 20 ° C. The batteries used are those recommended by the house, three Acebeam 18650 protected by 3100 mAh (ARC18650H-310 °), fully charged.

I want to clarify that the values expressed by the graphs must be taken as a reference above all because they are made with means and environmental conditions different from those used in the laboratory.

The first test was done by putting the K30 GT in TURBO mode (5500 lm.) without forced ventilation.
The runtime obtained is roughly that declared by the house, lower than that obtained with the previous K30 which used the CREE XHP70.2 LED.

The graph also shows the curve obtained in the second test by placing a small fan near the torch. Unfortunately, as you can see from the graphs, the Acebeam K30 GT stops working, turning off suddenly.







The first 2 minutes in TURBO mode without ventilation:






The following graph shows the curve obtained in the third test done in the HIGH level (2000 lm.) Without ventilation, alongside the first test carried out with the K30 GT in TURBO (5500 lm).








VIDEO Unboxing.








Conclusions:



The Acebeam K30 GT as per tradition Acebeam is a torch built well, compact in size that holds well in the hand.
Unfortunately in my assessments it is lacking in some important aspects.
Starting from the sales package, a holster, present in the previous K30, is missing, where you can put the torch to be attached to the belt. Given the size of the flashlight, it is not easy for those who want to buy one that is fine.
The adoption of the LUMINUS SBT-90 GEN2 LED leads the GT version to have long-range lighting with a bright and well-exploitable spill, this however at the expense of too much heat produced and a barely sufficient runtime.
Speaking of the levels, they don't convince me, in particular the lowest available "Ultra-Low" level of 50 lumens which was considered too high for me.
I do not consider the lack of a USB charging socket on the flashlight since it can be a technical choice of the parent company.
Thanks for reading the review.


My YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI5j6yZ6oVR867k2KINs2qg?view_as=subscriber
 

badtziscool

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
1,722
Thanks for the review! I have the K30 GT also, and pretty much agree with you. The form factor is somewhat small to be able to handle the heat on turbo levels. It heats up extremely quickly, but I find high to be acceptable. However, I will forgive that shortcoming because for me its a practical size to carry with you on hikes or in a backpack. The K30 GT has become one of my favorite lights.

Now I'm curious to see what the K65 GT is like.
 
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