[Review] - Nitecore VCL10 - ALL-IN-ONE Multifunctional Vehicle Gadget

lock · Oct 17, 2018

With this review today we will see the Nitecore VCL10, a multifunctional car charger that thanks to the presence of a USB port QC allows you to quickly load smartphones, tablets and any other compatible USB device. But that's not all, because it is also equipped with a particular lighting system, a practical glass-breaker for emergency situations, a magnet and a photodetector sensor to detect the oncoming vehicles.
The VCL10 was sent to me by Nitecore specifically for the review. For more details, please visit the parent company's website here.

For purchase, it is available (pre-order) at this link

Main Features
• Multifunctional USB QC vehicle charger
• QC 2.0 & QC 3.0 supported
• White beam and red warning light controllable with one button
• Built-in photodetector enabling quickened flashes when
detecting oncoming vehicles
• Tungsten steel glass breaker tail design
• Built-in 240 mAh Li-ion battery for a max runtime of 20 hours
for the warning light
• Transformer Loss Compensation (TLC) enabling automatic
adjustment of output voltage in accordance with the output
current
• Multi protection for overload, short-circuit, overvoltage,
undervoltage, overcurrent and overheating etc.
• 90-degree tiltable head
• Magnetic body
• 1-meter impact resistance
• Made from durable PC material
• Certified by RoHS, CE, FCC and CEC
• Insured worldwide by Ping An Insurance

Specifications
• Input: DC 12V 2.5A (Max)
• Output: DC 5V 2.4A (Max)
• Quick Charge 3.0: DC 3.6V-12V 2.4A (Max)
• Quick Charge 2.0: DC 5V/9V/12V 2.4A (Max)
• Dimensions: 78.5mm×24.5mm×23mm (3.09" ×0.96" ×0.91")
• Weight: 44.5g (1.57oz)

Product description
The VCL10 arrives in a thin cardboard box with impressions on all its main features. Inside the package, in addition to the USB power supply we find a multilingual user manual and the warranty card.

The dimensions are really compact and the weight is about 45g. The body is made entirely of high quality fire-retardant plastic material that guarantees safety and a long life.

Emergency Light
The VCL10 has inside a lighting system for emergency situations consisting of two different LEDs, one white and one red, which respectively guarantee, thanks to the 240mAh internal battery, a runtime of 3 and 20 hours.

The head can be tilted up to 90 degrees according to your needs. There are no fixed positions so you have the freedom to position it as you see fit. When closed, the head fits into the body, making a slight click and remaining perfectly locked.
The semi-transparent lens is diffusion and shows the two LEDs and the photodetector sensor in a central position.

The body contains a powerful magnet that allows you to position the VCL10 vertically on metal surfaces such as the roof or the car door.

The power button is rubber, slightly protruding and quite wide. Very convenient to activate and to detect even in total darkness. When pressed, it emits a silent "click".

Having a flat side, on the side of the USB port, the VCL10 can also be used in tailstanding as a kind of table lamp

User Interface
The user interface is very simple. With the only button present it is possible to control both LEDs.
On: When the light is off, long press the Power Button to turn on the White Beam.
Switch: When the light is on, short press the Power Button to switch between the Red Warning Light and the White Beam.
Off: When the light is on, long press the Power Button to turn it off.

Oncoming Vehicle Detection
VCL10 is equipped with a photodetector, enabling quickened
flashes for the red warning light from 1Hz to 10Hz when
detecting ambient light variability.

Usage example: After pulling over the vehicle, the user can attach the magnetic body of the product to the vehicle or a warning sign and turn on the red warning light. It will quicken its flashes when detecting an oncoming vehicle.

Glass Breaker
VCL10 is designed with a glass breaker tail, enabling a means of escape in an emergency.

USB Charging
Insert VCL10 into a cigarette lighter receptacle, and the blue indicator located next to the USB port will be turned on. Connect an external device into the USB port to begin the charging process. When detecting a QC supported device (output voltage over 6V), the green indicator will be turned on.

Note: The built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery (3.7V 240mAh) will be automatically charged when connected to a power supply. The full charging time is approx. 3 hours.

All the input and output data are printed on the body of the VCL10 ...

... here is a detail of the USB port...

Some other shots ...

Beam, Tint, Runtime and Beamshots
The white LED color of the VCL10 is cool, tending to Neutral, very uniform. The beam is diffusion, total flood and without any type of spot. With its 25 lumens it allows to adequately illuminate, in total darkness, up to 2-3 meters away. I found the VCL10 very practical even using it at a distance of less than one meter

The Red light is slightly less powerful than the white one, this is also flood but with a slightly shorter beam than the one emitted by the white LED.

Following the white light runtime scheme:

A few shots in the darkness

Final Considerations
The VCL10 is an innovative and appetizing product with really interesting characteristics.
First of all, it is a top quality charger capable of charging devices compatible with QC 2.0 and 3.0. In fact, it regulates the output voltage and current according to the device that is connected.

The two LEDs present are perfect for emergency situations but not only. The white LED, for example, can be used as a source of lighting inside the car and, if necessary, carried around for any other type of requirement (change a wheel, check the motor oil or the radiator fluid, look for coins under the seats ... etc).
The red light, being flashing, can only be used for emergency signaling or as a locator.

Inside the VCL10 there is a 240mAh lithium battery that guarantees a very respectable runtime with both LEDs (3 hours for white light and 20 hours for red light).

The presence of a powerful magnet means that the VCL10 can be attached to all metal surfaces such as on the car plates.

I really like the fact that the head is inclinable at 90 degrees, I find it very convenient and effective.

The presence of a glassbreaker on the power contact is cherry on top. Innovative and intelligent system, really a great idea.

The materials are of quality and everything is taken care of in the smallest details

I would have preferred if there was the possibility to choose whether or not to blink red light and I would have liked to have, for white light, a firefly level (1 lumen or less) and a high level of at least 60-100 lumens.

To conclude, I can say that I was really satisfied with this new Nitecore product.
I'm sure you will appreciate it too! XD

adept1 · Oct 17, 2018

Thanks for the review. I saw the ads for this recently and it certainly looked intriguing. It's not so often that a truly innovative device like this comes along. I'm sure we all have flashlights in our cars already, but this offers features that our flashlights don't have.

I wonder how long the internal battery is good for though (I don't mean runtime, but rather it being plugged in all the time, and often in extreme temperatures).

markr6 · Oct 17, 2018

adept1 said:
I wonder how long the internal battery is good for though (I don't mean runtime, but rather it being plugged in all the time, and often in extreme temperatures).

That is EXACTLY what I was going to say. Basically a torture chamber for a rechargeable unit. Not something to rely on much, but should be enough in a pinch if you don't have another light with you (I know, that's crazy talk!)

[Review] - Nitecore VCL10 - ALL-IN-ONE Multifunctional Vehicle Gadget

lock

Newly Enlightened

adept1

Newly Enlightened

markr6

Flashaholic

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