Review: Manker E11 - AA/14500 XP-L

[Budda]

@Wendee:
I don't have anything to compare the MK34 with, so no comparison.
If someone is kind enough to found me or gift me a M43...
it is not possible that a cinese maker has already tested the other brands light, right?
if you think that my reviews are in favor of Manker, then you can stop reading them. No harm done.

@Redemption: the anodization seems fine on all my manker light. On all lights in general adding-removing the clip will result in potential damage to the anodization since it means putting metal against metal in tension. In order to decrease the potential damage you can add a thin piece of cloth between clip and light when installing it, and remove it pulling it when they are in position. I also spray some silicon oil between the parts to help increase the smoothness of the process.

 

[cyclesport]

FWIW after a couple of months of use my E11 developed an odd problem...it will turn on and cycle through all modes fine, but once turned off will not come back on again unless the end cap is unscrewed (even slightly), retightened, then operates fine again..just once..then must repeat the end cap unscrew/retighten action?

I initially thought it just had some particulate matter/ debris in the contact path, so I cleaned all batt. contact points, threads, stretched spring, etc. to no avail? Also tried 8 diff batteries of various chem's, Li-ion, NiMh, alky's, etc. Anyone else experienced this issue?

 

[Budda]

sorry, mine is fine.
Just yesterday I replaced the CW stock emitter with an XP-L U4 3000K 80 CRI.

 

[Aggressor]

Which 14500 battery would you recommend for Manker E11?
Will Sanyo UR14500P (800 mAh) work?

 

[Budda]

I don't know. I have only EFEST.

 

[Aggressor]

I don't know. I have only EFEST.

Protected or unprotected?
Is it important for this light?

 

[Budda]

only with unprotected IMR you will get max output.
with protected your max output will severely be limited, and, most importantly, I have heard protected batteries doesn't fit

 

[cyclesport]

Protected or unprotected?
Is it important for this light?

For those w/questions re: battery fit in the E11...

My example will operate w/most AA's, and 14500's (non-protected or protected) as long as the length doesn't exceed 51, 52mm (max) from nipple top to bottom. For example, I've found the Xtar 800mAh *protected 14500 Li-ion's to work just fine seemingly giving same output as IMR's. Maybe that's why mine stopped working lol!

Actually the dia. of most Li-ions are a bigger issue, since some are a tight squeeze and can require vigorous shaking to extract. No fittment issues of any kind w/Eneloops.

 

[TomElf]

I bought the E11 and have a Klarus Mi7 on the way to me. I found the graph very helpful. The Manker seems to have higher output regardless of cell type.

That said, my E11 remained in its stock configuration less than a week. I replaced the emitter with a 5A2 tint XPL HI on a copper Sinkpad, and driver swapped to a 17mm FET driver from Mountain Electronics with Moppydrv firmware.

On an Efest purple IMR cell: UI, lumens, throw and tint are all greatly improved. However, runtime at max power is extremely short due to heat.

I'm interested you were able to do a straight driver replacement. I can't find any reference to a full teardown or full mod of this light. Sometimes the switch mounting gets in the way, etc. I just got in a AWT 600 mAh 14500 and found it performed a bit better on a FET driver than my new EFEST 650 cell. I got 5.25A on the AWT while 5.0A on the EFEST. I'm gonna order a couple more of the AWT's. The driver looks glued - I've seen Manker use epoxy, like on the U21 to secure the driver down. With the U21, it's easy to break the bond from the top - it appears to be the softer type of thermal epoxy.
I'll go with my own Narsil firmware of course, 85 based driver with full smooth ramping. I have it running in my U21 - the driver died anyway, so now I got a dedomed XPL V6 0D and got more lumens, lot more throw than the stock setup .

 

[Witterings]

I just got mine a couple of days ago ... what a brilliant little light!!!

Might keep this one as is and look to get a 2nd and de-dome it.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Nice review, Budda. I may have to pick up an E11 one of these days. I had no idea it was as small as a Thrunite T10 twisty. Remarkable!

 

[akoposilester]

pull the trigger and ordered one. bought cw. as per one user the cw version is a little greenish.

 

[DisisMrC]

Thanks for the review, because of it, I just ordered the last one from Amazon in the CW. I've got a few of the EcoGear 14500 protected batteries. I really hope they fit into this unit, guess I'll find out in a few days.

 

[DisisMrC]

Got the light. EcoGear 800 protected and Fenix protected 14500 batteries do not fit. Just ordered the ThorFire 14500 this should work. Anyone get any other 14500 batteries to fit in this thing? I'm looking for quality. Any ideas or suggestions? Don't think the NiteCore NL147 will fit either. Please let me know what y'all were able to get in 14500 size that works.

 

[Bdm82]

Got the light. EcoGear 800 protected and Fenix protected 14500 batteries do not fit. Just ordered the ThorFire 14500 this should work. Anyone get any other 14500 batteries to fit in this thing? I'm looking for quality. Any ideas or suggestions? Don't think the NiteCore NL147 will fit either. Please let me know what y'all were able to get in 14500 size that works.

Unprotected Efest IMR 700mah lat top fits great.
Unprotected Nitecore NI14500D 650mah button top fits barely.
Protected Fenix ARB-L14-800 800 mah bton top does NOT fit.

I'd say you need to look at quality unprotected.

 

[DisisMrC]

Unprotected Efest IMR 700mah lat top fits great.
Unprotected Nitecore NI14500D 650mah button top fits barely.
Protected Fenix ARB-L14-800 800 mah bton top does NOT fit.

I'd say you need to look at quality unprotected.

Thank you. Just ordered some of the Sanyo UR14500. Spec wise they should fit, I'll confirm in the next few days when they arrive.

 

[Witterings]

Thank you. Just ordered some of the Sanyo UR14500. Spec wise they should fit, I'll confirm in the next few days when they arrive.

That's what I use in mine :thumbsup:

 

[DisisMrC]

That's what I use in mine :thumbsup:

Sure glad I'll finally be able to see the highest output possible soon. Thanks for the reassurance.

 

[DHart]

I bought the E11 and have a Klarus Mi7 on the way to me. I found the graph very helpful. The Manker seems to have higher output regardless of cell type.

That said, my E11 remained in its stock configuration less than a week. I replaced the emitter with a 5A2 tint XPL HI on a copper Sinkpad, and driver swapped to a 17mm FET driver from Mountain Electronics with Moppydrv firmware.

On an Efest purple IMR cell: UI, lumens, throw and tint are all greatly improved. However, runtime at max power is extremely short due to heat.

My wife has been wanting a single AA with a side switch and this came up on my radar. She may not mind, but I'm pretty sure I would not be happy with the stock cool white tint... and I have been itching to learn how to replace emitters.

Is this a good light for me to start with when it comes to learning to replace an emitter and driver?

 

[Witterings]

My wife has been wanting a single AA with a side switch and this came up on my radar. She may not mind, but I'm pretty sure I would not be happy with the stock cool white tint... and I have been itching to learn how to replace emitters.

Is this a good light for me to start with when it comes to learning to replace an emitter and driver?

Funny this should come up now ... I've literally just done my 1st ever upgrade and this was it ... I went to an XP-L HI to give it a bit more throw with a warmish tint and whilst it's very small to get to and solder / a bit fiddly and I had to dremel a 14mm board to get it to fit I found it easy as a 1st to do but I didn't change the driver.
https://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/0.html?orderId=500963899763761&productId=32684191479

You mention the tint though...the standard has 2 different tints available, one which is warmer than the other???