Fenix L1 v2.5 (Non-Premium)

[IsaacHayes]

H.O.P. Phew! I wondered about that myself but didn't dare try it. Good news for "just in case".

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Is the Fenix fully regulated? Is it a solid, flat regulation? What about the advertised and real runtime??

Thx in advance.

 

[Haesslich]

Is the Fenix fully regulated? Is it a solid, flat regulation? What about the advertised and real runtime??

Thx in advance.

If you check the Reviews forum, you'll see the L1P is semi-regulated but has a fairly flat discharge on NiMH and lithium batteries, with a runtime of 4 hours (v2) or 3 hours (v2.5) at its brightest level before it drops quickly towards a moon mode that may last another half-hour before stopping.

 

[IsaacHayes]

I like that it's just about the same output as a SL Jr Lux with a better beam though, and smaller, and runtime that is equal or greater. My SL JR Lx only lasts ~2 hrs. If this light lasts that long or longer with 1/2 the batteries, then that's just incredible. I'm currently running an 1800mah duracell NiMH and will take it out once it's done. I've been turning it on and letting it go for long times and it's still going. Efficient luxeon Vf makes the runtime and brightness/size possible!

 

[justsomeguy]

justsomeguy wrote: "I bought the S1801, my wife confiscated it. She used it while she was on Galveston Island during the recenct hurricane. I was very worried, but she was alright."

I like(d) this story, thanks for sharing and well worth repeating (see #9

) - especially the new use of the term "confiscated"

This only goes to show that you and your wife both know good flashlights......

Did the single CR123 battery last throughout all her usage - or did she have to change batteries?
(I assume like the good husband, you gave her spares to carry?)
- if she had to change batteries, roughly how long did the CR123 seem to last in the S1801 ?

Vincent,

When she went to a business meeting at Galveston she took the S1801 with the original battery in it, in the bottom of her purse. It was some off brand called Goldston (or something like that). That battery failed suddenly after less than 1 hour. Luckily I had also given her a zip lock bag with a new Surefire battery. That one was used for over 1.5 hour.

She has ordered me to.....

1) order more of the good batteries

2) study... and buy survival gear to put in my Chevrolet Z71

Thank you, Steve

 

[UnknownVT]

justsomeguy wrote: "When she went to a business meeting at Galveston she took the S1801 with the original battery in it, in the bottom of her purse. It was some off brand called Goldston (or something like that). That battery failed suddenly after less than 1 hour. Luckily I had also given her a zip lock bag with a new Surefire battery. That one was used for over 1.5 hour."

Steve - Thank you very much for the response - as that was about the S1801 - if you don't mind - I've move the conversation/discussion over to the thread (linked) - S1801 1w Luxeon 1xCR123


Back on topic to the Fenix L1 - I've found this great thread over at Homemade and Modified lights -

How to open the head of Fenix L1P?

This isn't just to unscrew the head (easy for the non loctite/epoxied ones from 4sevens' GroupBuy)
but how to take the head apart to get at the LED emitter and circuit - there's also disassembly of the tail-switch -
all with good illustrative photos....
like I said it's a great thread.

 

[lexina]

On my L1P v2.5, I cannot do the momentary on after twisting the tailcap until the light turns off. there is no give in the threads.

try tapping on the rubber cover instead of the metal rim - mine works that way. also, you have to unscrew the tail cap to the point the light just goes off otherwise you may get a blinking effect instead when you press on the rubber cover.

 

[UnknownVT]

lexina wrote: "try tapping on the rubber cover instead of the metal rim - mine works that way. also, you have to unscrew the tail cap to the point the light just goes off otherwise you may get a blinking effect instead when you press on the rubber cover."

I like that - thank you

.

At first I was dubious - since the (reverse) clicky tail-switch is a momentary OFF - so pressure on the tail-switch should in theory turn the light to momentary OFF - defeating the momentary ON mode.

But it does work - and works well.

I think it may be because of the general stiffness of the clicky switch -
so pushing on the cap will still basically push the whole tail-cap in -
but with a much more even (centralized) pressure giving better contact.

However pressing the clicky cap harder will then turn the light off or blink the light.

On my one sample of the L1 (non-premium) clicking the light ON - then backing off the tail-cap I have up to about 1/4 turn where I can get a momentary ON mode by pushing on the tailcap rim or switch cover.
Another way I use occassionally is to kind of "pinch" the tail-cap with thumb and index finger - usually partly on the rim - this way it also ensures more even pressure to make better contact.

There should be a good amount of surface to make very good electrical contact - but it may still be worthwhile cleaning the bare aluminum body tube end - and the bare metal rim of the tail-switch inside the tail-cap, and make sure the tail-switch assembly is not loose in the tail-cap.

Thanks for the input :thanks: .

 

[paulr]

VT, thanks for the review and good thread. From the current draw measurements it looks like this light isn't very well regulated, which makes the discharge graphs a little bit surprising. Does anyone think they can somehow measure the battery voltage while the light is running? I'd be interested to know the cutout voltage.

I'd also be interested to know the current draw from lithium AA's, both Energizer (about 1.7v) and Battery Station (as high as 1.85v). If someone wants to measure that or to do a runtime plot, I can send you some Battery Station lithiums to measure with if you don't have any.

 

[UnknownVT]

paulr wrote: "Does anyone think they can somehow measure the battery voltage while the light is running? I'd be interested to know the cutout voltage."

Thanks Paul.

According to the Fenix spec/warranty sheet I got with the flashlight -

"The input voltage of Fenix L1 is 0.9V~1.5V"

you've probably seen them - but here are some runtime/intensity charts posted on CPF -

by jtice
Post #121 in GROUPB: Fenix L1 and L1P - **CLOSED** (4) (

1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page )

by this_is_nascar
Post #1 in My Quick Fenix v2.5 Review

Both NiMH rechargeable AA, and (obviously) 1.5V Energizer Lithium AA seem to do well in the Fenix L1 - which I think probably just has a booster circuit (sometimes refered to as "semi-regulated") as evidenced in the steadily declining intensity of the alkaline in the chart by jtice.

I've had a rechargeable NiMH in my Fenix L1 since I had it. It is a mere humble 1800mAh jWIN (off-brand) - can't tell you the actual usage time - but take it from me I am afterall a flashaholic and this is new light and I am EDC-ing it at home - its brightness remains about the same to my eyes (spot checked against a S1801 single lithium CR123A 1w Luxeon light) - and NiMH's do drop dramatically, so I should recognize when the NiMH is depleted (plus I don't want to damage the NiMH cell)......

 

[UnknownVT]

I had been running my Fenix L1 v2.5 (non-premium) on a 1800mAh off-brand jWIN rechargeable AA battery - basically since the day I got it (Sept/29).

The Fenix L1 on this NiMH seem to maintain its brightness level fairly well once it settled down from its initial brightness until early yesterday Oct/11 when I noticed it getting distinctly dimmer - and I confirmed this by checking it against a S1801 1watt Lux on CR123A - I again actually saw the Fenix going dim.

So I switched it off immediately to make sure I did not over-discharge the NiMH.

I had been taking some current draw readings -

Fenix L1 v2.5 - jWIN 1800mAh NiMH -
Start Sept/29 1.369V, 0.42A
~ late Oct/10 1.191V, 0.25A
end/dim 10/11 1.175V, 0.17A

(mid-level) I checked with another used but still had capacity jWIN 1800mAh NiMH
1.289V, 0.31-0.34A

(low) and with a couple of low NiMH that needed recharging -
RayOVac 1600mAh NiMH (low) -
1.103V, 0.15A
1.154V, 0.23A

RayOVac 1600mAh NiMH fully charged ~12hours previously
1.421V, 0.47A
1.394V, 0.50A

Fresh off the charger
jWIN 1800mAh NiMH
1.435V, 0.47A
1.432V, 0.48A

RayOVac 1600mAh NiMH
1.471V, 0.58A
1.459V, 0.55A

I can't really comment because I'm a bit confused -
some of those readings just do not look consistent -
perhaps the actual voltage under load/use may not be in-line/proportion with all those open circuit voltages?

Check with Plain Alkaline -
Energizer AA
1.445V, 0.50A

 

[paulr]

The alkaline voltage is certainly sagging under load and you're probably measuring it open circuit. It would be good if you had a way to measure it actually powering the light (alligator clips or something). As mentioned, if you PM me your address I'll send you a couple of Batterystation lithiums if you want to test them. I can't be responsible if the higher voltage blows something up though.

 

[UnknownVT]

UnknownVT wrote: "I can't really comment because I'm a bit confused -
some of those readings just do not look consistent -
perhaps the actual voltage under load/use may not be in-line/proportion with all those open circuit voltages?"

paulr responded: "alkaline voltage is certainly sagging under load and you're probably measuring it open circuit."

Yes, all voltages were measured open circuit -

However I perhaps now may feel a little less confused.....

I think some of the problem stems from my almost obsessive use of fresh(-ly charged) batteries.

But as most of us know within the first few minutes most non-current-regulated lights drop in brightness.

Allowing those NiMH AA batteries some hours to settle from their initial "boosted" charge - like at least 8 hours - I got these more "sensible" looking readings
(or just a few minutes' usage probably will have the same effect) -

RayOVac 1600mAh NiMH AA - fully charged ~20 hours previously -
1.393V, 0.48A
1.381V, 0.47A

RayOVac 1600mAh NiMH AA - fully charged ~8hours previously -
1.371V, 0.48A
1.377V, 0.49A

jWIN 1800mAh NiMH AA - fully charged ~8hours previously -
1.404V, 0.43A
same, but used for few minutes in Fenix L1 -
1.394V, 0.43A