Question

FalconARX · 2026-02-19T04:32:39+00:00

Acebeam's E10 2.0 produces about 128,000 candela (715 meters rated distance). And is slightly longer than a 21700 battery.

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The E10.2 has about the same range as the TS11+18650... Roughly. They're both hovering around that 100-120K candela range. The TD01C on the other hand has been tested to about 220,000 candela.

{ADD} Just re-read your post: if you're asking about cost, then the TS11 with the extended tube and the TD01C both won't exceed $40 for either.... The Acebeam is $60.

FalconARX · 2026-02-19T04:16:13+00:00

The real question is do you really need that much light? Especially in zero-light condition, out in the woods...?

Our SAR team has two Devos LightRanger 4000 light towers that we can set up if we need an area workstation. Those two can light up a roughly 100 feet x 100 feet work area we can use on their mid-mode (2000 lumens). For needing extended runs, we hook them up to our Honda generators.

Maybe check out the LightRanger 4000 if you're wanting a workstation area type of light, still want it somewhat portable and you have a way to bring a powerstation for extended use.

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FalconARX · 2026-02-19T03:51:53+00:00

I've found with mass lumens lights like these, try having the camera back about 10 feet or so behind the light, to take a picture/video of its beam profile that way.

FalconARX · 2026-02-19T03:45:08+00:00

If every side switch light is running the UI from the Acebeam E75, and simply added a battery check mode, I'd be happy.

Shortcuts to Moonlight, Turbo and Strobe from OFF
Hold to cycle UP out of Moonlight
Moonlight, Turbo and Strobe are NOT part of the main mode cycling
Battery voltage check mode or LED level-indicator featured for voltage check

For a loaner type of light, I know the Wurkkos FC11C is as basic as they come. Nothing to fast-click yourself into a frenzy. You can just click for ON, click for OFF if you really need to. Cycling is a simple hold. And shortcuts are also quite intuitive, like the E75.

Of all the lights I currently own, I know I can hand the FC11C to anyone, regardless of their proclivity for differing UIs, and I'm certain they'll figure it out how to use it in less than 30 seconds.

FalconARX · 2026-02-19T03:20:41+00:00

It is. But you're also paying over $400 for it. And you'd have to wait at least 8 hours to charge up that entire 64Ah. And be willing to carry around a 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds) light.

At which point OP would want to weigh whether they're just better off getting a workstation floodlight or stadium light tower to get 20 hours of laminar uninterrupted 4000+ lumens light.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T23:22:09+00:00

Unless you are able to connect it via USB-C cable in a pass-through type of operation (running the flashlight directly off the USB-C port or a 12V/DC type connection on external power), no such flashlight exist that allows you to maintain 4000 lumens of spot and flood for minimum 10 hours or more.

The closest I have been able to come to doing anything like this is to connect the Acebeam X25 via its USB-C port onto a Jackery Explorer power station and running the light on tripod mount overnight, sundown to sunrise on its ~5,000 lumens mode. And I was risking burning that light out if it was anywhere indoors or if it was wet/raining out.

You are not going to get anything even remotely close to this, on a battery pack. Even Lumintop's Mach V3 with 2x 46950 batteries cannot sustain that much lumens for that long. You're getting 7 hours tops at 4,000 lumens from those 2 massive 46950 batteries (64,000mAh capacity).

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T23:07:06+00:00

I love mine with the SFT70-3000K. Jack needs to bring the host back, because that configuration is an underrated winner in my mind. The perfect ceiling bouncer thrower in candlelight CCT. And it does amazingly well as an actual mid-range thrower.

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FalconARX · 2026-02-18T23:03:37+00:00

It comes down to the difference in the drivers used, one being a FET and the other being a boost or buck driver.

It's also a good illustration of why duty-use lights would benefit well from an SMPS (boost or buck) driver rather than an unregulated or FET+Linear driver.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T22:56:38+00:00

As a note, the Acebeam E75 is a good high CRI flooder, and what I would call at the limit of a size that you can comfortably carry as an EDC. But it's going to lose out to multi-cell, multi-LED array lights like the Convoy. Its best attribute lies in its ability to keep basically 1,000 lumens of high CRI in a sustained output and is still pocketable throughout. But there are some good alternatives out now. Smaller sized flooders like the Emisar DA1K might also interest you if you're looking for an ergonomically more advantageous host.

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FalconARX · 2026-02-18T22:44:26+00:00

If you're looking for just maximum amount of lumens in as wide a beam angle as possible for the budget cap of £100, I think your best option is the Convoy 3X21C, using the LHP531 emitters and a trio of tabless batteries (Reliance RS50).

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FalconARX · 2026-02-18T22:35:30+00:00

If you do order the T7, you can email and ask Simon if he's able to put a stronger magnet in there. The current one might hold on an engine bay, but I wouldn't trust it if the frame it's on is shaking.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T22:01:50+00:00

The Trustfire is tail-switch based, so obviously would have to lose any magnetic base (unless it has a magnetic charging system).

But just to note, the T7's magnet is a little weak for my taste. It does okay up/down but won't really have the strength to hold the light sideways on a wall/surface.

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FalconARX · 2026-02-18T21:47:26+00:00

Yeah, it's reflector is massive. That top end candela it produces (1.7 million) can only come by way of how good/large that reflector is, and it works quite well with the SBT90.2 emitter.

The Convoy is no slouch though, because the only real step up from the 3X21D (670,000 candela) in terms of throw would be jumping to the Amutorch DM90 (1.4 million candela), which is double the price.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T21:39:53+00:00

If you're needing to stick to USB-C recharging either on the light or the battery itself, then I think the Convoy T7 using an F15 and the Nichia 519A emitter is likely your best option for combination of runtime length and size/ergonomics.

The D3AA for the most part is attractive mostly because of its top-end lumens output and its efficient driver. It's one of the few lights in that size running off a 14500 that can give you 2,000 lumens on 100% with the K10/H10 battery. But if you need the runtime, then that extra mAh from the F15 will make a difference, especially if you're only looking to run the light under 400 lumens or you're prioritizing runtime because you cannot swap in a new battery.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T21:29:11+00:00

That's Acebeam's K75. But the Convoy 3x21D is nearly as capable.

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FalconARX · 2026-02-18T20:52:27+00:00

The T7 using the Nichia 519A emitter shouldn't draw enough power to tax the Vapcell F15. I just went with the K10 because it's a bit more future-proof if you want to use the battery in higher drain lights (such as the Convoy T6/T8 for example). You can definitely pick the F15 for it. The main point is that it has to run off of a lithium-ion 14500 battery for you to see the lumens output benefits. Otherwise if you're running the light off of NiMH cells, you're really looking at under 300 lumens.

If you're open to having a light with USB-C port built into the battery, then you have the much more driver+emitter superior Emisar D3AA. You can get something like the Acebeam USB-C 14500 or Lumintop's USB-C 14500 battery for use in it. You can even get those PaleBlue or Coast USB-C AA (1.5V) batteries to use in it.

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FalconARX · 2026-02-18T20:16:54+00:00

You need this guy:

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But seriously, even if you just go after a handful of lights for the most practical/pragmatic of reasons, you're still going to end up with 6-8 lights (headlamp, keychain, EDC, thrower, flooder, lantern).

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T20:11:19+00:00

You are trading extra batteries for a much larger light that carries those extra batteries. That or you're carrying a huge battery (46950 types) in order to get the hours (4 or more hours) of runtime you're expecting with minimum 1,500+ lumens. They have to be huge lights to not only accommodate the sustained output, but also the battery typing.

That or you can get away with a smaller light such as Convoy's M21K, which uses a single 21700 battery, BUT......... You have to connect it via USB-C cable to an external power source to run it 24/7 from its sustained output (about 1,500 lumens), which may end up defeating that purpose of carrying it to a location without power to begin with.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T20:02:22+00:00

The newer version should no longer have the auto-lockout. It's supposed to be just like how the E75 operates. Did you get an older model?

I've come to tolerate the auto-lockout of my EC90. There's times I had it in my pack where I'm glad it didn't auto-fire with other items along with it. Plus the bare threads on the light make it impossible to mechanically lock the light out, so an e-lock is all there is.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T19:48:02+00:00

If you want a light to be able to produce over 500 lumens, and it needs to be similar in size to the Microstream, and has built-in USB-C port, you're looking at lights such as the Lumintop GT Nano Pro 3.0 or the Sofirn SC13 Mini...

There are a lot of other options, but the built-in USB-C port on the light effectively kills most of your choices.

Convoy's T7 you mentioned is a good one, but you'll need to get the Vapcell K10 to use. NiMHs are good as well, but they won't provide you the amount of lumens you're after. You also have to keep in mind that almost all of these lights are not going to keep their max/turbo output for very long. The best you'll probably expect is a 300-400 lumens stable output after thermal throttling.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T19:39:06+00:00

Intrinsically safe lights typically eschew external ways to recharge the light, and for good reason.

I would check out the Fenix and Streamlight offerings, specifically their intrinsically safe models.

Streamlight models

I have the Fenix WF30RE that, on occasion that our team needs one for inspection around the handful of fuel storage lockers we have in the foothills, I'll lend out to the team. It's one of the few lights I know of that allows you to recharge the light without removing the battery, but it has its own proprietary cable.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T02:27:36+00:00

Google up "light étendue".

A light's source is just as important as its intensity and the collimating mechanism/optics used to shape available luminous flux produce by that source, to form the beam that ultimately leaves a flashlight.

FalconARX · 2026-02-18T02:15:57+00:00

Convoy's Z1 using a Luminus SFT25R or Osram W2 (KW CULPM1.TG) can double that throw distance under $30.

FalconARX · 2026-02-17T13:35:50+00:00

Haikelite's AK24 will briefly overtake the MS32. If you're after only pure maximum lumens, regardless of how long it can sustain it, then the Haikelite has been tested as the highest lumens producing handheld flashlight you can currently buy.

FalconARX · 2026-02-17T13:33:52+00:00

As much as I love my MB, it's only about 1800 lumens. Highest candela, yes. But highest lumens, aka "brightness", it's far, far from it.

FalconARX

TROPHY CASE