Lumintop SD4A XM-L2 4AA Review

kosPap

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
2,909
Location
Naoussa Greece
submitted for inclusion to the reviews forum

The Lumintop SD4A is a 4xAA flashlight which comes with either a XM-L2 or a XP-L HI LED. Like many similar flashlights that batteries are inserted in a carrier.
But in contrast to the rest, the Lumintop will also use a single D sized alkaline battery, at reduced output that is.

web-IGP4470.jpg


If you wish to check the competition have a look at the Nitecore EA41, ThruNite TN4A, and the Sunwayman D40A. Latter is surprisingly similar in specs and output.

Main Technical Specs

Length - 112mm
Diameter - 41mm
Weight - 178g
HAIII Anodizing
Double-side AR coated glass
LED specific Reflector
Linear output Stabilization
Reverse Polarity Protection
"output adjustment according to body temperature to ensure stable and safe operation"
Low Battery Warning (flashing green LED under the switch)
Anodized threads for lock-out.

Performance Specs

SD4A XM-L2:
Turbo: 1000lumens - 1.9hours
High: 560lumens - 2hours
Mid: 350lumens - 4hours
Low: 37Lumens - 51hours
Moonlight: 1.5Lumens - 552hours
Beam Intensity: 20300cd
Throw: 285 meters

SD4A XP-L HI:
Turbo: 920lumens - 1.9hours
High: 510lumens - 2hours
Mid: 310lumens - 4hours
Low: 35Lumens - 51hours
Moonlight: 3Lumens - 552hours
Beam Intensity: 40000cd
Throw 400 meters

For more details, please visit the Lumintop SD4A site.
web-IGP4472.jpg


web-IGP4474.jpg


web-IGP4487.jpg


In Use

The SD4A is an evolvement/replacement of the SD10 flashlight, which could accept 65mm long batteries (32650 or even unprotected 18650 lithiums). The SD4A cannot.
One could try 32600s batteries but they are quite rare and expensive.
web-IGP4497.jpg


The SD10 Battery Carrier

web-IGP4495.jpg


web-IGP4503.jpg


During the tests I tried using 2xAA batteries on the common D-sized battery holder, the one with the trap door on the bottom. unfortunately the SD4A was a very unique 2-ring connection/electrical trace that would not make contact with the carrier.

web-IGP4509.jpg


The electrical connection on the bottom of the flashlight body.

Now, according to the specs the flashlight will step down from Turbo at the 3 minute mark, but will still let the user to reactivate it for 3 more minutes and on, and on.
I discovered that it does that by a simple timer and not by monitoring the body temperature. this is because the flashlight stepped-down when using the D-cell battery while it was only outputing 250 lumens.

Lastly, the flashlight has a good grip and is convenient when held. It is smaller than the multiple 18650 cylindrical flashlights and will allow a medium size hand to wrap around, and the thumb touch the fingers' tip.
the tow switches will rest under the middle of the thumb, not that convenient, but one cannot have it both ways.

User Interface

I found the SD4A's UI one of the more convenient ones, and that has to do with the use of two switches. one will switch the flashlight on or off, and the other will change modes.
Low - Medium - High - Turbo.
There is mode memory.
web-IGP4473.jpg


There are also 4 hidden modes which are activate in pairs and depend on the flashlight state to choose by holding down each switch. The easiest way to demonstrate that is by the following table.

SD4ALumens1.png


SD4A XM-L2 Performance

I used 4 IKEA Ladda 2450 batteries that I had readily available to make the measurements.
They follow the specs precisely, with the exception of the high mode that is stronger. i found it to be a good thing, cos you will find yourself asking for more if the flashlight stepped-down to half the output.

SD4ALumens2.png


I also took measurements with a D cell, but also with 1,2,3 AA rechargeable cells filling the rest of the carrier with dummy cells.

SD4ALumens3.png


Bold and LPW means that the flashlight entered the Low Power Warning.

Do notice the performance change between the one D and AA cells. I cannot tell why. But I can suppose that the flashlight uses two different current channels one for the carrier and one for the D-cell. Cos the carrier does make electrical contact without the flashlight body on.

Bellow is the runtime graph for Turbo stepping down to High.

SD4ARuntime.png


And this is the temperature graph for Turbo/High and continuous activation of Turbo. I chose to stop measuring when the flashlight got very hot (55o​ C) 'cos this is not a sacrificial dealer's sample.

SD4ATemperature.png


Final Thoughts

This is my first 4AA flashlight, so i cannot make no comparisons.
At only 41mm wide the reflector is barely adequate for the larger die LEDs (hey, I am coming from the XRE days!). The owner can settle with the more utilitarian XM-L2 beam, but he does have the choice of an HP-L HI, which no competing flashlight offers.

I would buy this flashlight again, I am satisfied. It is handy, efficient, easy, with useful mode spacing, and of good quality.
 

Keitho

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Messages
781
Location
CO, USA
Very nice review; I pulled the trigger and bought it after reading your thorough and well thought-out review. I needed a nice, regulated light to use up some D cells, and have on hand for AA use if necessary. Thanks!
 

sandro023

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
Messages
2
submitted for inclusion to the reviews forum

The Lumintop SD4A is a 4xAA flashlight which comes with either a XM-L2 or a XP-L HI LED. Like many similar flashlights that batteries are inserted in a carrier.
But in contrast to the rest, the Lumintop will also use a single D sized alkaline battery, at reduced output that is.

web-IGP4470.jpg


If you wish to check the competition have a look at the Nitecore EA41, ThruNite TN4A, and the Sunwayman D40A. Latter is surprisingly similar in specs and output.

Main Technical Specs

Length - 112mm
Diameter - 41mm
Weight - 178g
HAIII Anodizing
Double-side AR coated glass
LED specific Reflector
Linear output Stabilization
Reverse Polarity Protection
"output adjustment according to body temperature to ensure stable and safe operation"
Low Battery Warning (flashing green LED under the switch)
Anodized threads for lock-out.

Performance Specs

SD4A XM-L2:
Turbo: 1000lumens - 1.9hours
High: 560lumens - 2hours
Mid: 350lumens - 4hours
Low: 37Lumens - 51hours
Moonlight: 1.5Lumens - 552hours
Beam Intensity: 20300cd
Throw: 285 meters

SD4A XP-L HI:
Turbo: 920lumens - 1.9hours
High: 510lumens - 2hours
Mid: 310lumens - 4hours
Low: 35Lumens - 51hours
Moonlight: 3Lumens - 552hours
Beam Intensity: 40000cd
Throw 400 meters

For more details, please visit the Lumintop SD4A site.
web-IGP4472.jpg


web-IGP4474.jpg


web-IGP4487.jpg


In Use

The SD4A is an evolvement/replacement of the SD10 flashlight, which could accept 65mm long batteries (32650 or even unprotected 18650 lithiums). The SD4A cannot.
One could try 32600s batteries but they are quite rare and expensive.
web-IGP4497.jpg


The SD10 Battery Carrier

web-IGP4495.jpg


web-IGP4503.jpg


During the tests I tried using 2xAA batteries on the common D-sized battery holder, the one with the trap door on the bottom. unfortunately the SD4A was a very unique 2-ring connection/electrical trace that would not make contact with the carrier.

web-IGP4509.jpg


The electrical connection on the bottom of the flashlight body.

Now, according to the specs the flashlight will step down from Turbo at the 3 minute mark, but will still let the user to reactivate it for 3 more minutes and on, and on.
I discovered that it does that by a simple timer and not by monitoring the body temperature. this is because the flashlight stepped-down when using the D-cell battery while it was only outputing 250 lumens.

Lastly, the flashlight has a good grip and is convenient when held. It is smaller than the multiple 18650 cylindrical flashlights and will allow a medium size hand to wrap around, and the thumb touch the fingers' tip.
the tow switches will rest under the middle of the thumb, not that convenient, but one cannot have it both ways.

User Interface

I found the SD4A's UI one of the more convenient ones, and that has to do with the use of two switches. one will switch the flashlight on or off, and the other will change modes.
Low - Medium - High - Turbo.
There is mode memory.
web-IGP4473.jpg


There are also 4 hidden modes which are activate in pairs and depend on the flashlight state to choose by holding down each switch. The easiest way to demonstrate that is by the following table.

SD4ALumens1.png


SD4A XM-L2 Performance

I used 4 IKEA Ladda 2450 batteries that I had readily available to make the measurements.
They follow the specs precisely, with the exception of the high mode that is stronger. i found it to be a good thing, cos you will find yourself asking for more if the flashlight stepped-down to half the output.

SD4ALumens2.png


I also took measurements with a D cell, but also with 1,2,3 AA rechargeable cells filling the rest of the carrier with dummy cells.

SD4ALumens3.png


Bold and LPW means that the flashlight entered the Low Power Warning.

Do notice the performance change between the one D and AA cells. I cannot tell why. But I can suppose that the flashlight uses two different current channels one for the carrier and one for the D-cell. Cos the carrier does make electrical contact without the flashlight body on.

Bellow is the runtime graph for Turbo stepping down to High.

SD4ARuntime.png


And this is the temperature graph for Turbo/High and continuous activation of Turbo. I chose to stop measuring when the flashlight got very hot (55o​ C) 'cos this is not a sacrificial dealer's sample.

SD4ATemperature.png


Final Thoughts

This is my first 4AA flashlight, so i cannot make no comparisons.
At only 41mm wide the reflector is barely adequate for the larger die LEDs (hey, I am coming from the XRE days!). The owner can settle with the more utilitarian XM-L2 beam, but he does have the choice of an HP-L HI, which no competing flashlight offers.

I would buy this flashlight again, I am satisfied. It is handy, efficient, easy, with useful mode spacing, and of good quality.

very nice thanks,do you want to sell it?I would buy
Thanks
 
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