Tiablo ACE-G & A10-G Reviews: Massive detailed comparison thread!

[Justin Case]

PART II - A10-G Comparison Review


Specs (from the Manufacturer):

• CREE 7090 XR-E LED. WC R2 LED
• Step up and down constant current driver, with high efficiency dual mode DC-DC regulator (PWM / PFM) and circuit to protect Li-ion battery from over-discharging. Working voltage is 2.75V to 8.5V, under the circuit will flicker to remind users to replace battery.----------------

PART III - ACE-G Comparison Review

UPDATE 5/8/2009: This section has been updated with results of the newly-revised ACE-G circuit. This version of the circuit is currently on all shipping lights. My original results have been identified below as "Pre-Production" version.


Specs (from the Manufacturer):

• # CREE MC-E (M rank, WC) LED
• Step up and down constant current driver, with two high efficiency dual modes DC-DC regulator (PWM / PFM) and circuit to indicate the Li- ion battery from over-discharging. Working voltage is 2.7V to 18V, with a circuit flicker to remind users to replace battery.

Do both of these lights really use a boost-buck driver, or is this an assumption based on the manufacturer's claimed operating voltage range?

 

[selfbuilt]

[/LIST] Do both of these lights really use a boost-buck driver, or is this an assumption based on the manufacturer's claimed operating voltage range?

Dunno, the specs are simply quoted from the manufacturer. :shrug: I would have guessed boost-buck (based on the voltage ranges), but perhaps someone with the necessary expertise to dissect it can comment?

 

[HKJ]

Dunno, the specs are simply quoted from the manufacturer. :shrug: I would have guessed boost-buck (based on the voltage ranges), but perhaps someone with the necessary expertise to dissect it can comment?

A fast voltage/current/lux scan says buck only for the A10, it will first stabilize at about 4.8 volt. Note my A10 is first generation with the fat body.
The 2.7 volt specification is probably meant to be the lowest voltage where it is guaranteed to light up.

 

[joema]

Can someone compare the ACE G to something like an Ultrastinger or 7060 as far as thrown and spill? I'm not too learned on this end of the market. Still thinking the ACE for duty carry....almost sold but I need a better comparision...

I have an ACE-G, but unfortunately I don't not a 7060 or Ultrastinger.

In general the ACE-G has a good general-purpose beam. It's not a "pure flood" light as sometimes described. It's definitely not a super-thrower, but at common distances typical of a duty light, the beam pattern and width is very good.

The flood is very bright and there are no beam artifacts (rings, donuts, etc).

I love the super-simple design and UI of the ACE-G. No accidental strobe or SOS activation, size is relatively compact for that class of light. It runs OK on a single 18650, but with limited run time. In that config is very compact.

On 2x 18650s, run time is about 2 hr, although I haven't measured it myself.

I'll to do some beam shots against my other lights and post them.

 

[selfbuilt]

A fast voltage/current/lux scan says buck only for the A10, it will first stabilize at about 4.8 volt. Note my A10 is first generation with the fat body.
The 2.7 volt specification is probably meant to be the lowest voltage where it is guaranteed to light up.

Thanks HKJ - I figured you would be the best person to know, but didn't want to hassle you.

 

[houtex]

Can anyone comment on the long term durabilty of this light? I've had two other Tiablo lights ,A9's and both have developed problems in the not so long run. I'm interested in the ACE but I hesitate.

 

[HKJ]

Thanks HKJ - I figured you would be the best person to know, but didn't want to hassle you.

Its no hassle, it is easy (with the right equipment) to measure this stuff. The biggest problem is connecting the light to external power, some flashlights is very difficult to connect wires to.

 

[joema]

Here's a Fenix P3D CE on turbo vs the ACE-G with 2x 18650s, using fixed exposure and white balance at a distance of about 30 yards:

Fenix P3D CE:


Tiablo ACE-G:

 

[Justin Case]

A fast voltage/current/lux scan says buck only for the A10, it will first stabilize at about 4.8 volt. Note my A10 is first generation with the fat body.
The 2.7 volt specification is probably meant to be the lowest voltage where it is guaranteed to light up.

Unfortunately, that's what I had suspected. Manufacturers really need to get their advertising copy correct. It doesn't inspire any confidence when they don't even know what kind of driver their light uses. Should I then really put a lot of faith in a particular flux bin claim for their LED or a particular drive current claim for their driver, for example?

 

[rayman]

You recommended not to use 2x RCR123As in the A10-G. But what about 2x IMR16340 or 2x IMR18650 from AW with the battery extender. This should work as they are rated at a max of 8C?

rayman

 

[selfbuilt]

You recommended not to use 2x RCR123As in the A10-G. But what about 2x IMR16340 or 2x IMR18650 from AW with the battery extender. This should work as they are rated at a max of 8C?

Hmm, that should work fine for the single-stage switch. FYI, this review is almost a year old, and I didn't have any IMR cells on hand at the time to test.

Note though that my continuously-variable switch didn't seem to like 2xRCR, so not sure if that's changed at all. :shrug:

 

[rayman]

Oh, didn't noticed this .

If I buy the A10-G, I'll only use the single-mode switch. My idea (to increase the runtime) was to buy the battery extender and use 2x IMR18650.

rayman

 

[sluflyer06]

Runtime!

So after a bit of back and forth with vendors I was finally able to get a ACE-G, or at least most of one, it was missing the battery extension tube. So As I type I'm doing a runtime test wiht a single 18650.

AW Protected 2900mah= Started at 4.17v off a PILA IBC after a 30 minute rest.

So far...2hours and 4minutes runtime and the light is still going! I have a 120mm fan on the light as it gets very hot after a short while just sitting still.

EDIT: So seems about 2hours and 29 minutes the light finally dropped its output significantly to what I'd consider it no longer useful. I don't really understand this kind of runtime given the previous results, but I do have a P7 based 4x18650 Bike light to compare it to which is a "claimed" 900lumen and they appear to be about the same light level so I don't think the light is 'weak or out of spec'. Final voltage when I pulled it was 2.61v but thats on a $10 DMM, I have a Fluke 179 on the way I should have next week.

Anyways, it is what it is, I can't do a 2x18650 runtime test until 4sevens gets the tube to me on wednesday.

 

[applevalleyjoe]

Another nicely done and very thorough review. I wonder how the A50 would match up?

 

[sluflyer06]

Another nicely done and very thorough review. I wonder how the A50 would match up?

Last I read the A50 was a bust. It got thrown onto the Chinese market because it's missing the high mode and therefore came nowhere near 900 lumen. Otherwise I'd have bought that instead of an ACE-G.

If you'd like to take your chances the only vendor I've seen with any is kit-tronics.