# JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & more!



## selfbuilt

*JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & more!*

*Warning: even more pic heavy than usual. :sweat:*











It’s nice to see some attention brought back to the 4xAA polymer-style flashlight. The old lux I-based Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA Luxeon was a favourite of many old-timers here (well, those of use who joined before 2006 ). Of course, at a whopping 42 lumens and 3,500 lux @1m, the old single-stage ProPoly is a little out of date now.  Let’s see how this new Jetbeam PA40 model compares.

*Manufacturer Specifications:* 

LED: CREE XM-L (T6)
Maximum Turbo output of 468 lumens, for 2 hrs 30 mins (all runtimes based on 2500mAh batteries)
Hi output of 220 lumens, for 6 hrs
Med output of 50 lumens, for 27 hrs
Lo output of 2 lumens, for 150 hrs
Lux @ 1m: 7300
Beam distance: 170m 
Power indicator indicates remaining power
Memory function
Reflector: Aluminum reflector
Lens: Coated mineral glass
Finish: HA III Military grade hard anodized
Body material: Carbon fiber reinforced composite
Bezel material: Aero grade aluminum alloy
Battery: Four AA batteries
Dimensions: Head diameter 40mm, Tube diameter 40mm, Total length 183mm
Weight: 185g (without battery)
Waterproof: IPX-8 standard waterproof
Accessories: Lanyard, spare rubber tailcap switch cover, spare O-ring and quality holster
MSRP: ~$70














I like the packaging – distinctive clamshell presentation case. 

Inside, in cut-out foam, you will find the light, wrist lanyard, spare o-rings and boot cover, as well as a basic quality holster with closing flap (very similar to some recent Fenix lights, but open at the bottom in this case). Also included is a (refreshingly) detailed manual and warranty card.

This is also one of the rare times I’ve seen moisture-guarding silica gel packs included with a light. :thumbsup:









From left to right: Duracell AA alkaline, Jetbeam PA40, Fenix LD40, Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA Lux, Sunwayman M40A.

All dimensions with no batteries installed:

*JetBeam PA40*: Weight: 184.0g, Length: 183mm, Width: 40.8mm (bezel), 42.1mm (max width)
*Fenix LD40*: Weight: 185.5g, Length: 184mm, Width: 41.1 (bezel), 42.4mm (max width)
*Streamlight ProPoly Lux*: Weight: 121.0g, Length: 179mm, Width: 39.9 (bezel), 42.8mm (tailcap grip ring)
*Sunwayman M40A*: Weight: 247.0g , Length: 145mm, Width 57.0mm (bezel) 

Notice a lot of external build similarity between the PA40 and Fenix LD40?  I’ll have more to say about this at the end of this build section. Let’s focus on the PA40:


















I really like the feel of the composite body on the PA40 – I can believe the carbon fiber claim, as it feels tougher and more durable than typical composite/polymer/plastic bodies I’ve held. The head is aluminum, but the anodizing (type III = hard anodized) is a near perfect match to the color and sheen of the composite body – both are a well done matt-black finish. :thumbsup: Lettering (which is minimal) is subtle but clearly legible in light gray. 

Although the light doesn’t have knurling as such, there are a lot of grip elements on the handle. Grip is very good - certainly much improved from the old Streamlight ProPoly. 

Square-cut screw threads are anodized for head lock-out (although it takes a full one-and-a-half turns of the head). There are a good number of threads – you won’t accidentally open up this light, and the head still fits on firmly when locked out. Light cannot tailstand.

It looks like there is a substantial heatsink in the head. :thumbsup: This is important, as the cabon fiber/composite body will likely not contribute significantly to heat dissipation.

Rear tailcap boot cover connects with a forward clicky switch built-in to the battery carrier. There is also a small frosted window below the main panel on the back, through which you can see the red LED on the battery carrier (which flashes or glows red to warn of low battery power - see my UI section for a discussion).

Battery carriers are always the weakest part in any light that uses them. The all-plastic carrier here seems decent enough (I’ve seen better, but I’ve also seen much worse). Batteries fit securely within the carrier. There is no rattle with the light fully assembled. 

_Comparison to the Fenix LD40_

As mentioned above, there is a huge build similarity to the Fenix LD40 – _to the point where I’ve discovered that the head and battery tubes fit on each other’s bodies!_ oo: Here are some detailed pics to show you what I mean (PA40 on the left or top in each picture):






























Some have commented that the PA40 is a "version 2.0" of the LD40 body, which is a fair comment (although maybe more a version 1.2?). I like the fact that there are no longer external screws holding the back plate to the handle. But the major improvements are in the grip and carbon fiber body on the PA40 – it feels and looks like a more rugged light. Aside from those changes, most of the others are really more incremental improvements to the common design (keep in mind, the LD40 was released over six months ago). 

Still, the fact that the parts are interchangeable suggests to me that Fenix and Jetbeam have either sub-contracted out this aspect of manufacture to the same supplier, or the in-house designers have moved from one company to the other. :shrug:









The PA40 uses a fairly heavily textured reflector, with reasonably deep proportions for the size of the head. I would expect reasonable throw with a fairly smooth beam. XM-L emitter was well centered on my sample.

Here's a comparison to the LD40 (PA40 on the left, LD40 on the right).





Overall reflector dimensions look pretty comparable.

Which brings me to the white-wall beamshots.  All lights are on 4x Sanyo Eneloop NiMH, about ~0.75 meter from a white wall (with the camera ~1.25 meters back from the wall). Automatic white balance on the camera, to minimize tint differences, except for the Neutral LD40 (which was set to Daylight white balance for comparison). All beamshots taken immediately upon activation.





























































The PA40 clearly puts out a lot more light than the Fenix LD40, but isn’t as much of a thrower (as you would expect). Output seems similar to my MC-E-based Sunwayman M40A. There is something of a grenish tint-shift in the corona around my PA40's hotspot, but it's not noticeable except up-close (this not uncommon on XM-L lights, in my experience).

_UPDATE AUGUST 21, 2011: I have now done 100-yard outdoor beamshots, in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up reviews._






*User Interface*

The UI of the PA40 is familiar, but slightly different from most lights in this class.

Activating the light is simple enough - from Off, soft-press the forward clicky for momentary on, click for locked-on.

To change modes once On, you need to click the light off-on quickly to advance to the next mode. Interestingly, you can advance modes from Off by simply doing repeated soft-presses of the switch (clicks also work, but are not required). But from On, you need to do the actual click off-on. :shrug: 

Since flashing the light causes the mode to change, signalling isn’t possible. Mode sequence is different from most lights as well: Turbo – Hi – Med – Lo, in repeating sequence. Light has mode memory, and retains the last setting used for the next time you turn on.

According to Jetbeam once the batteries reach ~50% power for a given mode (when On), the red light warning indicator will flash three times in three seconds, repeating every ten seconds. When the batteries are nearing exhaustion, the indicator will flash continuously until the batteries are dead. I can confirm that the warning light does indeed come on ~50% into the regulated lifespan of fresh NiMH or alkaline on my sample (scroll down to my runtime graphs).

There is a really nice feature here – _I have found that the battery indicator activity is dependent on the output mode of the light_. oo: So, for example, on nearly empty batteries, you will get constant flashing on Turbo, three flashes every ten seconds on Hi, and no flashes on Med or Lo. This is actually a useful way to indicator how much relative runtime is left for a given mode :twothumbs

*No PWM/Strobe*

No sign of PWM at any level of the PA40, leading me to conclude it is current-controlled. :thumbsup:

No blinky, no stroby on the PA40. 

*Testing Method:* 

All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for any extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

I have recently devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lighbox values to Lumens thread for more info.

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*

*Effective November 2010, I have revised my summary tables to match with the current ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.sliderule.ca/FL1.htm for a description of the terms used in these tables.*






Output is reasonable for a XM-L equipped 4xAA polymer light – roughly comparable to my Sunwayman M40A (MC-E version), and certainly a lot higher than the XP-G-based LD40 (or the Lux I-based ProPoly :laughing. They seem to be driving the PA40 to a reasonable level. I don’t know how the new M40A XM-L version compares, but I imagine it is brighter on max.

Throw is reasonable, but not as far as the LD40 or M40A. This is expected for a XM-L emitter with a reflector this size, driven to these levels on the PA40.

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*



















On Turbo/Max, there is a nice gain in efficiency for the PA40 compared to the MC-E-based M40A – nearly twice the runtime for the same max output. A similar efficiency gain is expressed differently compared to the LD40 – on Turbo, runtime is generally similar, but with much greater output on the PA40. In fact, on Hi (one down from Turbo), the PA40 is about as bright as the LD40 on Turbo – but with two and half times the runtime. 

As advertised, the warning light came on ~50% into the regulated portion of the Turbo runs above (i.e. at just over 50 mins on Eneloop, and just over 20 mins on alkaline). Note that is with reasonably new cells - on older NiMH with a lot of cycles, the warning light may come on earlier.

*Potential Issues*

Light uses an all-plastic battery carrier. Still, it seems reasonable quality (i.e. toward the higher end of all-plastic carriers that I’ve seen).

Need to click Off-On to change modes (from On).

Takes a full one-and-a-half turn of the head to lock out the light.

Light can’t tailstand.

*Preliminary Observations*

The 4xAA market has been rather underserved until recently, with relatively few good quality options in this size. I’m happy to report that the PA40 is probably the best quality composite body I’ve seen yet. It is definitely a physical upgrade from the decent Fenix LD40 (with which it seems to share a common ancestry). The PA40 has excellent performance and good features all around, including an innovative battery life indicator. :thumbsup:

The composite body is interesting – I can believe the reinforced carbon fiber claim. It looks rugged, and the feel and grip are good. The unit is well balanced in the hand (with batteries loaded). Switch and interface are easy to handle/use, once you understand how it works (no momentary signaling, though). I would have no trouble recommending this light to non-flashaholics, although I can see how some might prefer the interface or throw of the original LD40 build. The PA40 presentation case is snazzy too.

Heatsinking is always a concern on polymer lights, but the PA40 seems to have a substantial mass in the head to help compensate. Max output at ~460 estimated lumens in my testing is consistent with manufacturer specs. While this may not be as high as some recent XM-L lights, it seems a prudent drive level for a 4xAA polymer body light. 

Spacing of output modes is good, with three standard output levels and an additional moonlight mode. Performance/efficiency at all levels seems excellent in my testing – Jetbeam is clearly using a good-quality constant-current circuit. :thumbsup: It’s also nice to see Jetbeam’s specs are not inflated for either output or runtime (note their runtime values based on 2500mAh batteries, I used 2000mAh Eneloops in my testing). 

I do have some quibbles - tailstanding would be nice, as would the ability to signal in momentary. The later would require a redesign with a secondary switch (i.e., something like the original LD40 interface). The battery indicator located in its place here is an acceptable trade-off to my mind, as it actually provides useful contextual information for the output mode you are in. 

The PA40 is a very good overall build for a XM-L-based, 4xAA composite-body light. Jetbeam has clearly built on the design of earlier models to deliver a well-thought out package, with a few innovations to boot. 

----

Jetbeam PA40 provided by Jetbeam for review.


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## yliu

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Great review! I've also received my PA40 recently and I love it, very bright floody light with great ergonomics!

Although I can't figure out how to switch the tailcap?


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## Haesslich

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Since there's another thread in the LED FLasjlights forum comparing the two... how would you describe the usable spill from the light at a distance, given it's more floody due to the OP reflector? Do the extra 200-ish lumens compensate for the lack of throw at medium-to-long distances?

Edit: I see you know of that thread.


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## Swedpat

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks *Selfbuilt* for the valuable review! 

I guess this PA40 is very close to the 4AA light I sought for. But the question is if one would hope and wait for a warm white option?

Regards, Patric


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



yliu said:


> Although I can't figure out how to switch the tailcap?


You mean change the boot switch cover? Hmmm, good question, it's not clear to me either. :thinking:



Haesslich said:


> Since there's another thread in the LED FLasjlights forum comparing the two... how would you describe the usable spill from the light at a distance, given it's more floody due to the OP reflector? Do the extra 200-ish lumens compensate for the lack of throw at medium-to-long distances?


It's hard to say - I like the "throwiness" of LD40, but the PA40 has a nicely balanced XM-L beam (which I wouldn't consider particularly throwy). Haven't had time to play with them much outdoors - I'll let you know once I do my outdoor beamshot comparisons at a distance.



Swedpat said:


> But the question is if one would hope and wait for a warm white option?


It's a good question - I seem to recall hearing some discussion around here that a neutral or warm option was coming. Don't have any details, so I've asked JetBeam to clarify. Will let you know what I hear back.


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## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks selfbuilt, cool review as usual! :twothumbs 

And very helpful choice-wise. Can't wait for the outdoor beamshots, and the email from my preferred distributor.

Cheers,

Tam


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## Quality

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks for the review selfbuilt. It is actually very difficult to find comprehensive information like this on the PA40 right now, so thank you.

I have been looking at this light ever since the specs were announced.

I'm getting this flashlight but I wonder if neutral is the way to go?

There's pretty much zero information on the neutral version of this light right now.


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## regulator

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Nice review Selfbuilt. I am really tempted by this light. The format and features are really nice. 4 AA power source is nice and convenient for a balance of power/runtime. And you can still slip this size light into your back pocket when needed.


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



regulator said:


> 4 AA power source is nice and convenient for a balance of power/runtime. And you can still slip this size light into your back pocket when needed.


I agree on the 4xAA power source, it is a convenient size (especially for non-flashaholics). Interesting thought about a back pocket - the relatively thin shape would help for that. But the length wouldn't work too well for front pockets (unless you were wearing cargo shots - even then, I prefer something shorter).


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## iocheretyanny

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I have heard that the battery LED starts blinking on Turbo after very quickly - within 10 minutes of running (start with full batteries)
Have you seen this issue?


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



iocheretyanny said:


> I have heard that the battery LED starts blinking on Turbo after very quickly - within 10 minutes of running (start with full batteries) Have you seen this issue?


No, but I haven't looked for it (the red LED isn't very bright or obtrusive,and faces away from me in my lightbox). I will check on another runtime. But it certainly possible that voltage sag could trigger it somewhat early (in which case turning off the light for a few secs might restore things). I'll let you know ...


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## Fatso

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Awesome review! I love my LD40 but now I want this PA40..


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## Colorblinded

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Very interesting light. Curious to hear if you can reproduce the low battery indicator issue that iocheretyanny mentioned. Your results for that particular issue would be based Eneloops, yes?


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## yliu

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



iocheretyanny said:


> I have heard that the battery LED starts blinking on Turbo after very quickly - within 10 minutes of running (start with full batteries)
> Have you seen this issue?


 
My PA40 does that as well with 4 Sanyo 2700mah batteries. It's not a big issue because it still runs for about 2 more hours after the red light starts blinking.


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



iocheretyanny said:


> I have heard that the battery LED starts blinking on Turbo after very quickly - within 10 minutes of running (start with full batteries) Have you seen this issue?





Colorblinded said:


> Very interesting light. Curious to hear if you can reproduce the low battery indicator issue that iocheretyanny mentioned. Your results for that particular issue would be based Eneloops, yes?


I've just re-done both eneloop and alkaline runs on Turbo:

On eneloop, I got just over 50 mins of runtime before the light started flashing. 
On alkaline, I got just over 20 mins of runtime before the light started flashing.

Seeing as how the regulated portion of this mode is a little over 100 mins on eneloop, and about 45 mins on alkaline, it sounds like Jetbeam nailed the "50%" mark pretty accurately for both battery sources!


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## owner

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



selfbuilt said:


> I've just re-done both eneloop and alkaline runs on Turbo:
> 
> On eneloop, I got just over 50 mins of runtime before the light started flashing.
> On alkaline, I got just over 20 mins of runtime before the light started flashing.
> 
> Seeing as how the regulated portion of this mode is a little over 100 mins on eneloop, and about 45 mins on alkaline, it sounds like Jetbeam nailed the "50%" mark pretty accurately for both battery sources!


Strange. After running in turbo mode for 10 minutes with 4 fully-charged Eneloop batteries, my PA40 started half-capacity flashing. Then after another 90 minutes, it started low-capacity flashing.


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



owner said:


> Strange. After running in turbo mode for 10 minutes with 4 fully-charged Eneloop batteries, my PA40 started half-capacity flashing. Then after another 90 minutes, it started low-capacity flashing.


Hmm, how old are your Eneloops, and how many cycles have they had? My tests above are on a recent Eneloop purchase - I'd estimate those cells have less than 10 full cycles on them so far. 

I just pulled out some of my "retired" tester eneloops from 2009 (well over >50 cycles), gave them a charge, and got only 20 mins until the warning light came on. I know the overall capacity of those cells is still fairly high (>1800 mAh, as tested on my Maha), so overall regulated runtime should be close to my fresh Eneloops. Just speculation, but it may be the warning light comes on earlier than expected with older and/or heavily used cells.

*UPDATE:* I suspect this effect of older cells is likely to be worse under high drain. In the test above, once my older eneloops started flashing at 20 mins, I popped them into ther Maha charger for 1-2 mins, and gave them an extra ~50mAh or so charge. Put them back in the PA40 on Turbo (to make sure I was over the threshold and the warning light was off), and then switched down to Hi mode. The light ran for almost 3 hours at this level before the flashing started again.

That's a pretty impressive result (i.e. 20mins on Turbo, 3 hours on Hi, before slow flashing began) - especially for cells that were triggered early on Turbo. According to my Maha, the cells only had about 100mAh capacity left at this point (Maha discharge mode).


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## Colorblinded

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

So perhaps the indicator is working as intended and the Jetbeam is telling people their batteries are a little more worn out than they thought?


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Colorblinded said:


> So perhaps the indicator is working as intended and the Jetbeam is telling people their batteries are a little more worn out than they thought?


Well, I doubt it is intentional on their part.  More likely, the sensor is simply getting confused under high load by some sort of voltage sag in heavily used cells, at an earlier than typical point. At least in my testing on my sample, it's not a problem at the lower outputs, or with newer cells. Of course, YMMV ...


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## Colorblinded

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



selfbuilt said:


> Well, I doubt it is intentional on their part.  More likely, the sensor is simply getting confused under high load by some sort of voltage sag in heavily used cells, at an earlier than typical point. At least in my testing on my sample, it's not a problem at the lower outputs, or with newer cells. Of course, YMMV ...


Basically that's what I was alluding to. Is there any way they could remedy that? It seems like it's inevitable that an older cell will experience more voltage sag and under high load conditions won't perform as well or last as long as a fresher set of batteries.


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## alk007

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

My tonight measure:
JetBeam PA40 Neutral + 4 x Eneloop (colour, about 50 cycles, freshly charged on Maha)

*0:35* - 50% warning (3 x flashing)
*1:49* - 10% warning (continuously flashing)
*2:05* - very low light (Eneloop voltage cca 0,92V)
*2:09* - very very low light (Eneloop voltage cca 0,9V)

---------------------------
Sorry for my English ...


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## owner

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Selfbuilt may be right. My Eneloop batteries have been in use for more than 2 years. Yesterday I tested my PA40 in turbo mode with some fully-charged Uniross Hybrio batteries which have been in use for about 4 years. The half-capacitiy warning kicked in immediately!
Maybe it is time for me to discharge and recharge (=refresh) my batteries with my charger though it is quite time-consuming.


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks for the extra info/data, owner and alk007.



Colorblinded said:


> Is there any way they could remedy that? It seems like it's inevitable that an older cell will experience more voltage sag and under high load conditions won't perform as well or last as long as a fresher set of batteries.


I imagine it's a hard thing to guard against, given the range of batteries out there (i.e. some will always do better than others). This is probably why you don't see the feature often. :shrug:

At least the 3 flashes every 10 secs is not very obtrusive. They wisely kept the LED not overly bright or noticeable. It just means it has limited value at the 50% mark flash indicator on older cells, on the highest output (if my presumption is correct). Seems to be more consistent at the lower output levels, and at the 10% and lower indicator marks.


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## nanotech17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



alk007 said:


> My tonight measure:
> JetBeam PA40 Neutral + 4 x Eneloop (colour, about 50 cycles, freshly charged on Maha)
> 
> *0:35* - 50% warning (3 x flashing)
> *1:49* - 10% warning (continuously flashing)
> *2:05* - very low light (Eneloop voltage cca 0,92V)
> *2:09* - very very low light (Eneloop voltage cca 0,9V)
> 
> ---------------------------
> Sorry for my English ...



they have it in NW already?(NW = Neutral White)


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## alk007

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Yes. But my Neutral is very close to Cool.


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## Colorblinded

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



selfbuilt said:


> I imagine it's a hard thing to guard against, given the range of batteries out there (i.e. some will always do better than others). This is probably why you don't see the feature often. :shrug:


 Probably. I don't know what the current draw is on max (I'm sure it could be measured) but I would expect the indicator to not be terribly reliable since I would expect it to be pushing the cells pretty hard. I agree with you that the indicator will probably be more reliable on lower output settings.


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



alk007 said:


> Yes. But my Neutral is very close to Cool.


That's interesting. The JetBeam sales rep that sent me the PA40 for review says she checked with her manager, and they plan to release the Neutral version next month (likely toward the end of the month). 

But I also see on CPFMP that one US dealer is reporting that 5000K Neutral versions should be available within a week or so (supposedly en route, but not arrived yet, as of yesterday's posts). I suppose its possible JetBeam may have released a limited run of these, and are planning on a more general release soon. Wait and see, I guess. :shrug:


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## alk007

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I thought that I got cool tint version, but i asked Flavio about that and he said, that my PA40 is Neutral. But tint is very similar to my other XM-L light with "normal" or cool tint (Fenix TK35, Lumintop TD15X, Skilhunt Defier X3) and much cooler than my neutral XM-L lights (Spark SL6-740NW, Spark ST6-460NW). Neutral or Cool, that is the question ...


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## alk007

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



alk007 said:


> My tonight measure:
> *JetBeam PA40* Neutral + *4 x Eneloop* (colour, about 50 cycles, freshly charged on Maha)
> 
> *0:35* - 50% warning (3 x flashing)
> *1:49* - 10% warning (continuously flashing)
> *2:05* - very low light (Eneloop voltage cca 0,92V)
> *2:09* - very very low light (Eneloop voltage cca 0,9V)
> 
> ---------------------------
> Sorry for my English ...



UPDATED with alkalines:

*JetBeam PA40* Neutral + 4 x *Energizer maximum* (use by 2017)

*0:10* - 50% warning (3 x flashing)
*0:52* - 10% warning (continuously flashing)
*cca 1:25* - very low light*
cca 1:50* - very very low light


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## spinkid

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Selfbuilt, Thanks for the great review!!! You really do a great job on these! I have 2 days till my wife lets me open mine..LOL You mentioned the form of the Strealight 4AA and that was one of my first Led lights way back when. You mentioned it was a favorite of those before 2006, so I had to look at my old post dated from 01/06/2003!! I played fetch all the time with my dog with that light in the winter and it lived.


----------



## brightnorm

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Selfbuilt,

Thanks for this excellent and useful review. Figures for the standard XM-L are 468L/6000K and 468L/4750K for the neutral. Can the neutral output really equal the standard? I thought neutrals and warms always put out fewer lumens due to their coatings.

Do you have any guestimates of run times on lithium primaries? Also, would you recommend charging Eneloops on the Eneloop 4-cell charger.

Brightnorm


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



spinkid said:


> I have 2 days till my wife lets me open mine..LOL You mentioned the form of the Strealight 4AA and that was one of my first Led lights way back when. You mentioned it was a favorite of those before 2006, so I had to look at my old post dated from 01/06/2003!!


Hope the PA40 works out as well for you. :wave: 



brightnorm said:


> Thanks for this excellent and useful review. Figures for the standard XM-L are 468L/6000K and 468L/4750K for the neutral. Can the neutral output really equal the standard? I thought neutrals and warms always put out fewer lumens due to their coatings.


It's possible - I've heard of XM-L T6 Neutrals (although they are rare - most are T5s). It's true that neutrals usually slightly lower output, but XM-L are available in U2 bin now for cool white. Warm whites are usually lower still, due to the extra phosphor.



> Do you have any guestimates of run times on lithium primaries? Also, would you recommend charging Eneloops on the Eneloop 4-cell charger.


Not sure on either - haven't tried L91, and don't have that charger. Both should work fine, though.


----------



## regulator

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Double post


----------



## regulator

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Do you have any guestimates of run times on lithium primaries? Also, would you recommend charging Eneloops on the Eneloop 4-cell charger.

Brightnorm[/QUOTE]

A "guestimate" would be that Energizer lithium cells should provide at least 50% more runtime than Eneloops based on them having 3000mah capacity. They also have higher voltage than Eneloops.

An Eneloop is 1.2 volts with 2000mah capacity. The Enegizer fresh is 1.7 volts and 3000mah capacity.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



> A "guestimate" would be that Energizer lithium cells should provide at least 50% more runtime than Eneloops based on them having 3000mah capacity. They also have higher voltage than Eneloops.


Yes, that's a good baseline comparison. In my 2xAA round-up, you can see the difference for well-regulated lights on max is typically 50-70% longer runtime on L92 over eneloops. 

However, I have also seen the occasional circuit that hasn't reacted well to primary lithiums (i.e. either lower max output, or lower relative efficiency). Hard to know without directly testing, but the 50%+ guestimate is reasonable, assuming no circuit quirks.


----------



## Swedpat

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



selfbuilt said:


> There is a really nice feature here – _I have found that the battery indicator activity is dependent on the output mode of the light_. oo: So, for example, on nearly empty batteries, you will get constant flashing on Turbo, three flashes every ten seconds on Hi, and no flashes on Med or Lo. This is actually a useful way to indicator how much relative runtime is left for a given mode :twothumbs


 
This seems to be a good function. But I wonder if using lower modes could cause a risk for overdischarging the cells? When I use multi-mode lights with NiMh cells I now and then test if the highest mode still is available to see if battery is still fresh. Is that to recommend even with PA40, or will battery indicator prevent overdisharging also when using lower modes?




alk007 said:


> My tonight measure:
> JetBeam PA40 Neutral + 4 x Eneloop (colour, about 50 cycles, freshly charged on Maha)
> 
> ---------------------------
> Sorry for my English ...


 
Nice to see that PA40 actually exists in neutral white! :thumbsup: But where to buy it?

Regards, Patric


----------



## Budda

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks for the review.

This is an interesting light:
high power
tight regulation, both alkaline and nimh cells 
no strobo or sos modes
useful battery level indicator
low cost

The only complain imho is the plastic.
Is durable? I think so. But i'm really concerned about the resilience of the threads in cold environments. Since this light should be perfect for being left in the car... Where I live, in winter it's possible to reach -20 Celsius. And I don't know how well will react the plastic from -20 to the high temperatures of a full working XML.


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



> Originally Posted by Swedpat
> Nice to see that PA40 actually exists in neutral white! :thumbsup: But where to buy it?


There is a thread on CPF Marketplace, do a search 



> Originally Posted by Budda
> I don't know how well will react the plastic from -20 to the high temperatures of a full working XML.


Plastic shouldn't be a problem, but your batteries. Plastic is more brittle in extreme cold, but you wouldn't be using your PA40 instead of a hammer anyway 

Cheers,

Tam


----------



## Swedpat

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



selfbuilt said:


> There is a thread on CPF Marketplace, do a search



Yes, I found it. But no neutral option mentioned there. I will mail them and ask about it. 

Thanks, Patric

Edited: now I see at the webpage. Neutral will be in stock aug 20.


----------



## Budda

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Yes, but in case of emergency... everything can happen. And I need a reliable construction.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Swedpat said:


> This seems to be a good function. But I wonder if using lower modes could cause a risk for overdischarging the cells? When I use multi-mode lights with NiMh cells I now and then test if the highest mode still is available to see if battery is still fresh. Is that to recommend even with PA40, or will battery indicator prevent overdisharging also when using lower modes?


That's a good a strategy for all lights that use NiMH.

In this case, I think the warning light gives an even better advance warning. Specifically, by the time the lowest mode shows even the 10% flash (i.e. 3 times in 10 secs), I would change the batteries - even if all four modes are present.

I just depleted a set of NiMH on my Maha charger's discharge function. Popped these in the light, and I got constant flashing on Turbo, slow flashing (10% warning) on Hi, Med and Lo. All four levels were present, but I noticed Turbo output started dropping immediately in my lightbox. After about 10 secs or on Turbo (which was down to ~75% max output), I noticed light began fast flashing on Hi as well Turbo (still slow flashing on Lo/Med). 

So, personally, I wouldn't wait any longer than this to change the cells.


----------



## Swedpat

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks for the information *selfbuilt*! I will wait for the neutral to be in stock.


----------



## Colorblinded

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Swedpat said:


> Thanks for the information *selfbuilt*! I will wait for the neutral to be in stock.


 It's a nice sounding light in neutral, I'm curious to check it out. Interesting that bugoutgear in the US has them in Neutral, I haven't seen it anywhere else and it doesn't even seem like Jetbeam has the Neutrals widely available yet.

Edit: looks like they ran out of stock actually.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Colorblinded said:


> it doesn't even seem like Jetbeam has the Neutrals widely available yet.


That would be consistent with what the JetBeam rep told me - Neutrals would only be coming next month. Guess we'll all have to wait a little longer. :shrug:


----------



## brightnorm

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Budda said:


> ...But i'm really concerned about the resilience of the threads in cold environments. Since this light should be perfect for being left in the car... Where I live, in winter it's possible to reach -20 Celsius. And I don't know how well will react the plastic from -20 to the high temperatures of a full working XML.


I can't answer the thread question, but wouldn't lithiums be better for cold weather use?

Brightnorm


----------



## brightnorm

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I'm sorry Jetbeam didn't use slightly less aggressive reflector texturing. They could probably have achieved better throw without seriously compromising width or smoothness.

Brightnorm


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Does anyone know what is the official CCT and lumen rating for PA40 Neutral White?

IIRC someone has mentioned the 5.000K value in previous posts. Cree claims their XM-L Neutral White to be somewhere between 3.700K and 5.000K.

Cheers,

Tam


----------



## Swedpat

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Colorblinded said:


> It's a nice sounding light in neutral, I'm curious to check it out. Interesting that bugoutgear in the US has them in Neutral, I haven't seen it anywhere else and it doesn't even seem like Jetbeam has the Neutrals widely available yet.
> 
> Edit: looks like they ran out of stock actually.


 
I saw that Batteryjunction also carry the neutral, and actually no information that it isn't in stock...


----------



## yliu

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Talking about color temp. I found mine cool white PA40 to be on the warm side of cool white, it has the warmest tint of all my cool white flashlights.

Slight greenish yellow tint.

Could that be because the XML is not driven really hard?

Oh, and the flood has a purple tint on high, I think it's because of the AR coating.


----------



## brightnorm

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*




selfbuilt said:


> ...I do have some quibbles - tailstanding would be nice....


 



selfbuilt said:


> ...the length wouldn't work too well for front pockets (unless you were wearing cargo shots - even then, I prefer something shorter).


 
I believe the length and non-tailstanding are related. Normally, a multi-level general purpose light like this one would be able to tailstand, a feature especially useful for camping and many other activities. I believe there are three reasons for the lack of this feature, both aesthetic and "psychological".The diagonal shape achieves an appealingly streamlined and slightly rakish appearance. The second reason is that it gives the impression of a shorter and less bulky light. If questioned on this Jetbeam might well respond that it makes the tail switch more accessible. In actual use it makes virtually no difference, as I proved to myself by temporarily squaring off the tail. 

The third reason is that it might be harder to see the warning light with a built-up "wall". To test this I Magic Marker'ed a red dot on a tiny piece from a "Post-It" note pasted over the warning light window, then replaced my temporary "wall". The red dot was clearly visible when I observed the light's tail.

This appears to be a case of function following form, to the detriment of function and the light's owner. That said, I own the light and enjoy using it. If I need it to tailstand temporarily I'll shim it with some cardboard or whatever is handy. Now I'm trying to figure out a decent-looking permanent fix, but I haven't come up with anything yet.

Any ideas?

Brightnorm


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

_UPDATE AUGUST 21, 2011: I have now done 100-yard outdoor beamshots, in the style of my earlier 100-yard round-up reviews._


----------



## imgadgetman

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I love my PA40 but could not find any info on lithium use on instructions or website. Since Irene knocked out my electric I found myself organizing my batteries in the dark. I found I had 150 Energizer lithiums. I emailed Jet-Beam about using lithiums and they replied this eve saying they should be ok to use. Has anyone tried them? Btw Selfbuilt, I love your reviews and read them over and over. Imgadgetman


----------



## brightnorm

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I use lithium primaries. No problems so far. 
It's a terrific light but I have a strong gripe re lack of tail-standing unless you jury-rig something. A long-burning multi-mode light like the PA40 is ideal for extended candle mode, but Jetbeam unfortunately has put form (sleek diagonal tail) over function.

Brightnorm


----------



## Kevin1322

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Does anyone know what the light output would be using regular Duracell or Energizer Alkaline batteries?


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Kevin1322 said:


> Does anyone know what the light output would be using regular Duracell or Energizer Alkaline batteries?


As you can see in my runtime graphs, regulated output is exactly the same between NiMH and alkalines. So it would be the same values as what I report in my summary table in the review.


----------



## uknewbie

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Budda said:


> The only complain imho is the plastic.
> Is durable? I think so. But i'm really concerned about the resilience of the threads in cold environments. Since this light should be perfect for being left in the car... Where I live, in winter it's possible to reach -20 Celsius. And I don't know how well will react the plastic from -20 to the high temperatures of a full working XML.




Done properly, this CFRP should be very strong, very resistant to chemicals and very resistant to cold weather.

Great weight to strength ratio and is being used in a lot of construction and high tech engineering projects.


----------



## Jep

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks for the review of this light. ive been lurking for a while on here trying to find a replacement to the focusable led lenser i lost recently (my 1st decent.. or so i thought..light) i think im like other new ppl that had no idea flashlights were such serious business. im sold on this jetbeam for around the house/camping trips and i am also afraid i have the light bug:sick2:


----------



## Burgess

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

to Jep --


Welcome to CandlePowerForums ! ! !


:welcome:
_


----------



## Danielsan

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

i received mine today, the plastic part look kind of patchy with some darker parts, is that normal? So it has a slightly used look but i guess thats the carbon pastic that they used. I never had such a big Flashlight, its feels really heavy and dosnt look that bright compared to the Thrunite Neutron 2C. I thought its gonna have a wow factor but i guess the Neutron 2C is a bright light already. the tint is much warmer then the Neutron 2C which is more blue, the jetbeam has a more yellow tint. Im still waiting for the ZL Q50, if this light will be much brighter then i will switch because the Jetbeam is also very long, dont know why it is so long. With this lenght you could load 6xAA into it and not 4, so its a bit wasted size here. The head feels really solid, they button make a rattle noise when you shake the light.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Danielsan said:


> i received mine today, the plastic part look kind of patchy with some darker parts, is that normal? So it has a slightly used look but i guess thats the carbon pastic that they used. I never had such a big Flashlight, its feels really heavy and dosnt look that bright compared to the Thrunite Neutron 2C. I thought its gonna have a wow factor but i guess the Neutron 2C is a bright light already.


Didn't notice any patchiness on my sample, so can't really advise as to what is normal. Can you post a pic by any chance?

As for the output, my original Neutron 2C put out ~360 estimated lumens at 3 mins (compared to ~460 at 3 mins on the PA40). That's less than a 30% increase in output, so it likely won't seem that much brighter. The 2C has a much more floody beam, which will also make it seem brighter at close-range (especially indoors). Outside at a medium+ distance is where the PA40 will look the brigtest.


----------



## Danielsan

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I saw the patchiness on other pictures here as well so i guess thats normal. Its a pitty that i cant get the glas completly clean, i always see dust on the glas but i have the problem with my other lights as well. On a wider reflector i see it even more then on my smaller lights.

With patchiness i mean the dark grey colour of the plastic isnt evenly colored, there are darker spots, looks a bit like camouflage in sunlight, maybe i looked a bit to fussy ?

[IMG=http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/6758/compimg0436.jpg][/IMG]


----------



## Sgt. LED

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Got one on the way. Went with the 5000K version. 
This light looks to be a high quality upgrade to the Fenix and with the 15% BOG discount and free shipping how could I say no.
I also realized I didn't have a 4XAA light.


----------



## Wiggle

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I've gone ahead and ordered one. For any Canadians interested, you can get them from Shiningbeam which is a great option cause he is near the border and charges very reasonable shipping price. Its not up on the website yet but he has them.

I'm really interested in the form factor and ample runtime provided by the 4AA configuration. The low battery indicator is also appealing and is something I'm surprised is not more popular with other lights.


----------



## Sway

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

*Lanyard Tail Stand*












Later
Kelly


----------



## Colorblinded

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I've been trying one of these out and it's certainly not a small light. Makes my M40A seem kinda compact, all things considered! I do like the prospects for a winter light because of the plastic handle but as others have mentioned elsewhere I am concerned about wear on the threads on the handle. The beam has a nice profile overall with a good flood and tighter spot than I expected. There's also a sizeable and bright corona. One thing I'm not such a fan of is the tint/color difference between the spill, corona and spot on my NW sample. I am not sure if it's normal or not but I intend to try to photograph it as best as possible to represent the color differences. I'm curious if anyone else has noticed the same thing. The spill is noticeably cooler in color than the spot or corona. No idea if any of it is green or not, my eyes aren't _that_ good with color. But I can tell the spill is quite a bit cooler.


----------



## Danielsan

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I think both are great lights, the Sunwayman and the PA40, i like the sunwayman cause it is so nice machined, i can feel from the pictures and videos that it must be just great to hold it in your hands, awesome battery carrier and mode dial. I like the PA40 because its so focused to be just a flashlight for tough use, no unnecessary stuff, a warm material that dont scratch, a batterie indicator and a great form factor combined with great runtimes, i can better hold it then round flashlights. Its not really a beauty like the sunwayman, more a working horse. It reminds me of a product for the industry where the look is not important, so both of them are great in a way.

whats the deal with those white rings on your PA40? Is this just for the looks or to protect the anodizing?


----------



## Colorblinded

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

The PA40 does have a sort of utilitarian sense about it, and I certainly don't intend to be nice to the one I've got. I do want to see if others see the same color behavior of the different parts of the beam on their neutral PA40s though. I guess I'll have to get on taking a photo of it tomorrow, too tired today!


Danielsan said:


> whats the deal with those white rings on your PA40? Is this just for the looks or to protect the anodizing?


 Looks like they might be GITD rings, which could certainly be handy.


----------



## Sway

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Danielsan said:


> whats the deal with those white rings on your PA40? Is this just for the looks or to protect the anodizing?



Glow in the dark O-rings, and they are handy


----------



## CoolLEDs

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Sway said:


> *Lanyard Tail Stand*
> 
> Later
> Kelly


 
Is the PA40 very stable when you tail stand it this way?

Does it take a lot of fiddling with the lanyard to get it tail stand like this?

I like the runtime and regulation of this light, but I really want a light that can tail stand.


----------



## Colorblinded

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



CoolLEDs said:


> Is the PA40 very stable when you tail stand it this way?
> 
> Does it take a lot of fiddling with the lanyard to get it tail stand like this?


 I just tried it with mine and it is surprisingly (even suspiciously) stable... almost like they designed that little bit on the lanyard that way on purpose - for THIS purpose! Interesting! It will fall over more easily than some other lights it seems but it actually tail stands fairly well with the lanyard.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks for sharing Sway - quite ingenious.


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

+1. Have to try it. One more reason to keep lanyard permanently attached.

Cheers,

Tam


----------



## TomnAl

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Dear Selfbuilt,
Can you please do a review on the SureFire LX2 LumaMax, please ! Thanks in advance !


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

PA40W changing modes: Turbo>Hi>Med>Lo






WB: Daylight
f1.8 1/40 ISO160
Distance approx. 2.5m

Cheers,

Tam


----------



## leon2245

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I can't tell from the pictures, but I wonder if the fenix also has an angled end so that you'd have to prop it up with a lanyard or something like sway did to make it tailstand (which I'd like to see him try _without_ using the voodoo). Just curious, because these two look physically identical in so many other respects, it would surprise me if j.b. decided to change that of all things. Oh well, the cutaway probably has other advantages, easier access to the switch or something.


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Yes, LD40 also has an identical angled end, there are tons of pics on CPF and the Marketplace.

Cheers


----------



## Quality

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Nice beamshots tam! Obviously I can't really tell from those pics, but if I had to guess, I'd say that the your neutral version is almost as bright as my cool white version.

I wonder if anyone will properly measure the lumens of the PA40w?


----------



## Skibane

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Had a chance to wring mine out for the first time this evening. It's my new favorite outdoor light!

THE GOOD:

1. The beam shape is almost perfect for night time hiking - provides a tremendous amount of side spill, but still throws far enough to illuminate just about anything of concern.

2. Feels like it could produce full brightness for the next 100 years (given a large enough set of batteries!) - Just loafs along at full power, with the head getting just barely warm.

3. As already mentioned in this thread, there are no strobes, Morse code beacons or other needless whizzies. This flashlight feels like a professional tool - designed to get the job done.

4. Very nice fit & finish - No mold parting lines or draw marks, none of the color variations previously mentioned, and a near-perfect color match between the head and body. The carbon fiber section almost feels like aluminum, especially when batteries are installed to give it some heft.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD:

1. As previously mentioned in this thread, the user interface requires the light to be completely switched off in order to change brightnesses. This is a trade-off of the forward clickie switch - The upside is that the light can be momentarily bumped on.

2. IMO, the "presentation case" is a needless expense. For the same money, I would have preferred that Jetbeam packaged the light in an ordinary cardboard box, perhaps throwing in a second battery carrier instead.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a SUPERB light. I hope it inspires a lot more manufacturer interest in the 4-AA battery format.


----------



## Wiggle

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I just got mine too. I got the cold version but the tint on it is quite nice actually. Pretty much pure white.

*Good:*
Very bright on turbo with good runtime (I got just over 2 hours on Duraloops)

High/Medium are a great balance between usable brightness and long runtime.

Polymer/carbon fiber body is stronger than I expected.

Heatsinking from head alone seems ample. Head never got uncomfortably warm when testing turbo mode.

Feels good in hand, seems well balanced with NiMH cells, (but may be a little front heavy with lithiums).

*Bad:*
Runtime on low seems like it should be even longer than quoted

Changing batteries in a carrier is a bigger deal than a normal tube light.

Would be nice to have another mode around 20 lumens to fill the gap between med and low.

*Notable:*
Bit bigger than I expected. The head is quite large and it dwarves my 2AA lights (Quark AA2 and Fenix L2D)

Beam is well balanced. Little more floody than throwey but still penetrates decently thanks to pure horsepower.

Personally I'd like to have a mode change button like the LD40 but ultimately the low battery indicator and general higher performance led me to this light rather than the LD40. I prefer forward clicky with separate mode change button but forward clickly mode switching is also not bad, it's how I run my Surefire C2 /w 3-mode drop in and it's fine once you get used to it.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

In response to a question in another thread, I have made a surprising discovery - the JetBeam PA40 head not only screws on to the Fenix LD40 battery handle, but seems to work with the carrier and takes on the Fenix user interface (i.e. four output modes, from Lo to Max, selected by the secondary switch). :thinking:

Of course, I can't guarantee it will be stable if you try to the run the light this way, and I have no idea of relative efficiency, etc. But the PA40 head does light up and respond to the Fenix LD40 carrier. :shrug:

Note that I haven't tried the LD40 head on the PA40 body (since no one seems to be asking for that, and don't know it I want to try my luck any further ). The LD40 pre-dates the PA40, and I could imagine more difficulty getting that combo to work safely.

*EDIT*: Here is a comparison of relative estimated lumen output levels of the PA40 head on its native carrier and LD40 body, respectively. Note these are initial activation only, not ANSI FL-1 estimates, so values are a bit higher.

*PA40 head on PA40 body/carrier*
Turbo: 500 lumens
Hi: 230 lumens
Med: 46 lumens
Lo: 2 lumens

*PA40 head on LD40 body/carrier*
Turbo: 410 lumens
Hi: 154 lumens
Med: 53 lumens
Lo 5 lumens

*LD40 head on LD40 body/carrier* - note LD40 is a XP-G Neutral emitter
Turbo: 305 lumens
Hi: 130 lumens
Med: 49 lumens
Lo 4 lumens

_Interestingly, the PA40 is taking on the relative characteristics and output level spacing of the carrier it is connected to_ (i.e., the Lo mode of the LD40 is not as low as the native PA40, and LD40 has a relatively lower Hi mode than the native PA40). 

The PA40 carrier also seems to be driven harder on Turbo, which is consistent with the use of the XM-L emitter on the PA40. This is another reason why I wouldn't want to try the LD40 head on the PA40 carrier.

As an aside, this would seem to suggest that the drivers for these lights are not located in the head (or at least, not solely). I'm wondering if there isn't a circuit located in the tail region of the carrier, maybe under the switch? After all, there has to be something located there to allow for the electronic mode switching of the LD40/battery indicator of the PA40. :thinking:


----------



## Haesslich

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



selfbuilt said:


> _Interestingly, the PA40 is taking on the relative characteristics and output level spacing of the carrier it is connected to_ (i.e., the Lo mode of the LD40 is not as low as the native PA40, and LD40 has a relatively lower Hi mode than the native PA40).
> 
> The PA40 carrier also seems to be driven harder on Turbo, which is consistent with the use of the XM-L emitter on the PA40. This is another reason why I wouldn't want to try the LD40 head on the PA40 carrier.
> 
> As an aside, this would seem to suggest that the drivers for these lights are not located in the head (or at least, not solely). I'm wondering if there isn't a circuit located in the tail region of the carrier, maybe under the switch? After all, there has to be something located there to allow for the electronic mode switching of the LD40/battery indicator of the PA40. :thinking:


 
Wow. That might be worth getting the PA40 head, if I can find one, just to try it out on my LD40. Also, that seems to confirm the theory that Fenix' design team or factory for the LD40 is doing Jetbeam's PA40, given that the physical dimensions AND the heads themselves are not only interchangeable, but apparently work with one another's battery carriers and whatever circuits are built into those.


----------



## andrewnewman

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

My neutral tint PA-40 arrived last night (thank you BatteryJunction). The fit and finish is flawless in my sample. The light is shaped so that it is very easy to grip but awkward to turn on and then shift to an under hand grip with only one hand. Doable but awkward. The manual seems to make no mention of the two tints this light is available in and only mentions one set of performance characteristics. The XM-L emitter in my sample is the more common T5 bin for neutral tint XM-L leds so it should to pretty easy to interpolate the lumen output but it would have been nice if Jetbeam formally acknowledged that this variant exists.

So the big new is that the tint itself is on the cool side of neutral and suits me perfectly. It is amazing outdoors and almost equally amazing indoors. Also the "reverse ramping" that others have noted in the mode selection I find to be desirable as well. The "bump in the night" sequence for me is to illuminate a light at the lowest possible setting to preserve my night vision and scan the area. I usually have the light temporarily on at this point so that if I see something I can blackout by simply taking my thumb off of the button. With the PA-40 I have the option of immediately pressing the button after release and covering the area with a wall of REALLY bright light.


----------



## andrewnewman

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Hey. While it is on my mind, has anyone figured out how to replace the rubber tailcap on the PA40? It comes with a spare but it is far from obvious (to me anyway) how to swap it.


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



andrewnewman said:


> (...) The XM-L emitter in my sample is the more common *T5 bin* for neutral tint XM-L leds (...)



Did you find that bin info in the operating instructions/specs booklet? The one that came with my PA40W says it's T6. Obviously they've now started shipping booklets that state the correct flux bin.


----------



## andrewnewman

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



tam17 said:


> Did you find that bin info in the operating instructions/specs booklet? The one that came with my PA40W says it's T6. Obviously they've now started shipping booklets that state the correct flux bin.


 
No the specs still don't acknowledge the neutral version of the PA40 product. I got the bin info from the batteryjunction website and tend to believe it only because T6 neutrals aren't easily available in large quantities. The only reference to the fact that I got a neutral light (other than the fact that it has an observable neutral tint  is the sticker on the front of the box that identifies it as PA40 W and the same designation on the warranty card.


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



> _*by andrewnewman*_ The only reference to the fact that I got a neutral light (other than the fact that it has an observable neutral tint  is the sticker on the front of the box that identifies it as PA40 W and the same designation on the warranty card.


Yep, the same here I like mine very much.

Cheers,

Tam


----------



## Quality

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Well I did a little math assuming the PA40w is an XM-L T5 and it should be just a little over 400 OTF on turbo.

Of course there are MANY variables that we cannot possibly take into account because we don't have the information, but this will have to do until someone properly measures the output of the PA40w.


----------



## minnstars

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thank you for the incredibly detailed review. I have been researching for sometime looking for the perfect geocaching flashlight. Based on your review I ordered a PA40 last Friday. Will report back when it arrives. :thanks:


----------



## Wiggle

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



selfbuilt said:


> Thanks for sharing Sway - quite ingenious.



Yes it actually works pretty well. I'd even say it's more stable than my tall skinny lights that are deisgned to tail stand (like the Fenix L2D). 

One thing too, some people have mentioned that mode changing with forward switch is awkward because the light must be switched off leaving you in darkness between modes. But remember, with forward switch the light remains on as there in tension in the switch so after you push the switch in, the light remains on until all tension is released from the switch, and it reactivates on the push in before the click. So the amount of time in the dark is almost imperceptible.


----------



## minnstars

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Mine arrived with a SMOOTH REFLECTOR!?  No orange peel texture on this PA40 ... Not sure if that's because it is from a old or new production run? The serial number is USE091900 051. 

I was looking for a geocaching flashlight that had a relatively floody beam and the OP reflector was one of the selling point that made me buy this light. Now I'm not sure what I got. The beam still has a wide hot spot and the spill is much brighter and more defused then other flashlight I own. But what do I know ... this is the first XM-L class LED flashlight I have purchased and the first one that cost more than $30? :shrug:


----------



## bbb74

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Could be an error, maybe. Where did you buy it from?


----------



## minnstars

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

*I bought the PA40 with Smooth Reflector from this ebay dealer. New retail packaging: *


http://www.ebay.com/itm/JETbeam-PA4...9754569?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item27be7f8c49


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

You are the first to report this version, very unusual. How does the beam look? Any beamshots?

Tam


----------



## Wiggle

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Even with SMO it should still be floody, the OP will really only smooth and transition from spot to flood a bit better. If you don't want it, I'd even consider trading heads with you.


----------



## minnstars

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Wiggle said:


> Even with SMO it should still be floody, the OP will really only smooth and transition from spot to flood a bit better. If you don't want it, I'd even consider trading heads with you.



Sorry but I'm a newbie ... what does SMO mean. I will try to post a beam shot.

I might consider trading heads ... just curious why you would be interested in the smooth reflector vs. the OP.


----------



## JacobJones

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

SMO means smooth, OP mean orange peel. Smooth generally throws further than orange peel


----------



## Quality

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Oooooh a throwier PA40? Sounds sweet! I'd love to be able to switch reflectors in my PA40 to suit my needs.

I think a PA40 with a SMO reflector would throw pretty damn well.


----------



## Swedpat

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Quality said:


> Oooooh a throwier PA40? Sounds sweet! I'd love to be able to switch reflectors in my PA40 to suit my needs.
> 
> I think a PA40 with a SMO reflector would throw pretty damn well.



Yes, sometimes more throw is good, PA40 isn't a thrower even if it throws a bit at the highest mode. 
But I want to say that the wide hotspot of the present model also is very nice! Brightly illiminates a large area which is very useful a short and medium distances. The only of my flashlights which is better for this purpose is Malkoff Wildcat.


----------



## minnstars

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Ok ... I attempted to do some beam shots. No clue how to do this correctly, but I did include shots of a couple other "cheap" flashlights I own to give a perspective. These were taken at 1/30 of a second and F4.5. The camera used ISO 100 and auto white balance which looks a little more green / yellow than in reality. The wall I used is not perfectly clean. All flashlights are using off the shelf Alkaline AA batteries and are at about 50% of life.

The PA40 with smooth reflector 468 Lumens on High:







Fenix E21 150 Lumens on high:





*
Dorcy 41-4750 180 Lumens on High:






The Dorsey has an ugly beam, but has a lot of throw for an $18 flashlight!*


----------



## Mikellen

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I remember reading that the Fenix LD40 has a "Parasitic Drain" on the battery while the flashlight is off. Since the Fenix LD40 and Jetbeam PA40 seem to be so similar does the Jetbeam PA40 have "Parasitic Drain"? Do they each have an electronic switch?

Thanks.


----------



## Haesslich

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Mikellen said:


> I remember reading that the Fenix LD40 has a "Parasitic Drain" on the battery while the flashlight is off. Since the Fenix LD40 and Jetbeam PA40 seem to be so similar does the Jetbeam PA40 have "Parasitic Drain"? Do they each have an electronic switch?
> 
> Thanks.



The LD40 has a forward clicky, and it was the TK40's electronic switch which caused parasitic drain IIRC. The LD40 I've had has been using the same set of batteries for the past year without issue.


----------



## Mikellen

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Haesslich said:


> The LD40 has a forward clicky, and it was the TK40's electronic switch which caused parasitic drain IIRC. The LD40 I've had has been using the same set of batteries for the past year without issue.



Oh, thanks for clearing that up. My mistake. So the PA40 does not have an electronic switch? It has a forward clickie so therefore it shouldn't have a "Parasitic Drain" issue? Is this correct?

Thanks.


----------



## Haesslich

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Mikellen said:


> Oh, thanks for clearing that up. My mistake. So the PA40 does not have an electronic switch? It has a forward clickie so therefore it shouldn't have a "Parasitic Drain" issue? Is this correct?
> 
> Thanks.



It has an electronic switch for mode-changing and a mechanical switch which controls power. The TK-40 only had an electrical switch. I find that the mechanical on/off switch cuts power completely, or at least enough so that there's almost no drain. 

The TK-40 is infamous for its drain as it always has to power the one electronic switch to remember what mode it's in, and to remember if it's supposed to be on or off. By default, it doesn't really turn Off when you hit the power switch - it just turns off the LED. Might also want to read the following. 

www.lygte-info.dk/info/standbyCurrent UK.html


----------



## Swedpat

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I have been playing with my PA40N a week now and I have to say I like it more and more. The tint difference between hotspot and spill isn't an issue at all in practical use. The beam profile is reminding of the beam of Malkoff M31/M61 dropins, and that's of course one of the main reason I like it. But also the nice design, decent hold with the carbon fiber body, and the useful brightness modes are important factors. I measured 3h50min stable output at 220lm mode with IKEA alkalines, which is very useful, even with cheap alkalines I will have such a high brightness for hours! The lowest mode of 2lm is comfortable for use with dark adapted eyes and when you don't want to lose all night vision.
I find this flashlight as a bargain for the price! :thumbsup:


----------



## Gene

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Even though I've been with CPF since it began, I have to admit I haven't bought a light in a couple of years. 

I happened upon selfbuilt's wonderful, (as always) review on the PA40 and I thought it looked like a great light. I liked that it was built with a Carbon Fiber reinforced body, HA3 aluminum head and it's runtime is substantial and general all-around usage is great not to mention it's simple accessed modes and handy 4XAA battery usage.

I started looking at the "Flashlights And Parts" board and sure enough, one, (neutral beam), and barely used with all accessories came up and I got a good deal on it.

This thing is bright and I LOVE it's bright corona and all-around beautiful beam quality.

It is also built like a tank! I'm really impressed with it's build quality. It's a large light for sure but it exudes quality. Good job JetBeam! Like others have said, it just feels solid, (it IS slightly heavy), but the quality feel of it is very pleasing and it feels like it will last a lifetime.

I say if you want a superior build quality light that's as rugged as they come, takes regular AA cells and is as bright as you will need, this IS the light for your car, truck or just all-around usage, it's one of the best choices out there.

My only complaints would be that I wish it had a side switch instead of a tail switch which would be so more intuitive than the tail switch. I understand that they might have been been worried about it accidentally being turned on putting into it's sheath or whatever but I would have loved a side switch with this light. I also must say that the "QUALITY SHEATH" isn't all that quality. 

All in all, this is a great light and like Swedpat said, this light for what you get, is a bargain!


----------



## wis

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

+1 on the PA40. Got mine in cool white from Bugoutgear a couple of weeks ago and it fits my needs nicely.

Things I like:

range of brightness: walking around at lowest and then really lighting up a broad swath of yard, trees, or road when looking for errant animals.
beam pattern: to my surprise, I like the floody pattern. More than enough throw on high.
runtime: keeps on going with Eneloops.
water resistance: need it in the Pacific Northwest - on land and in the kayaks.
AA cells: this is probably a mild neurosis about cell availability. No arguments here.
Things I don't like:

clicky sensitivity: it's a bit touchy for my taste. The first one I received was so sensitive that it acted like the memory function didn't work. For example, I ran it on low for a few minutes, then turned it off. When I turned it on, it was supposed to go back to low. Instead, it immediately cycled to high, as if I did a partial click. I don't think I'm all that much of a klutz, but this was not reasonable. The quickly mailed replacement light (with return shipper -thanks, BOG) works much better. While my preferrence would still be a more delay in the partial / full switch debounce, I can handle it now.
switch position: For this shape (4xAA, two rows of two), it seems more natural to have a switch on the side, or top.
holster: this one is the open style with an elastic band around the middle and the velcro strap over the top. I prefer an enclosed carrying tube, since it lives in my pocket.
Untested:

Plastic body toughness: I haven't dropped it yet. I'm curious if the "carbon fiber reinforcement" is more than marketing jive.
Neutral tint: gotta save up for this (or talk somebody into a cheap buy-out).
Summary:

I think someone else has described this as a working light. I agree - people will just use it forever and not worry about comparisons to the latest and greatest chrome reverse 1e6 lumen models.


----------



## Gene

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Welcome wis! I agree with all you said, though mine doesn't have a touchy switch. It's about right. I also totally agree that it should have the switch on the side.


----------



## mmace1

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Sway said:


> *Lanyard Tail Stand*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Later
> Kelly



Bit of a blast from the past...I had those skeletons for Halloween as a kid...sorry, that's all I had to add!


----------



## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

has anyone got anymore info about the output cool vs neutral? I am thinking about getting one of these and may go with neutral for the first time, but don't want to give up overall output?

also I can't find any beam-shots of the neutral.

Thanks guys.


----------



## dannstrait

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Breathing Borla said:


> has anyone got anymore info about the output cool vs neutral? I am thinking about getting one of these and may go with neutral for the first time, but don't want to give up overall output?
> 
> also I can't find any beam-shots of the neutral.
> 
> Thanks guys.



You can find some beam shots of the neutral in this very thread - see here. I don't have any direct comparison beamshot to the cool version however so it may be difficult to judge the tint and output loss. I believe somewhere on CPF someone measured output loss compared to the cool version and it was minimal. I'd use the search function to confirm.

I just received a PA40 Neutral/Warm myself and it came with a SMO reflector. IMHO, the tint is preferable to that of my Olight i1 (slightly green). I have one of the older Quark AA2 Neutrals (XP-E) and like that tint a lot (just so you know what I'm into :naughty: ). I like premium white tints as well, but figured the intended recipient (maglite user) would like the warmer tint.

I'm very impressed with the light overall. I plan to give this light as a Christmas gift...might just have to buy another one for myself!


----------



## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

thanks but I already bought 2 and got them last night. one is a x-mas gift. i really like this light. great output and tint is really nice. This is the first nuetral light I have had and I like it. I only had a few mismatched crappy regular AA's since my eneloops haven't got here yet but I wanted to try it out.

really like the simple UI and the battery indicator is a nice touch and should be on every light

great output and perfect spill/hotspot combo. I got a SMO


----------



## dannstrait

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

BB, I just realized you had already found the other great thread for this light. Sway did a bounce test that revealed little difference in output between his cool and neutral samples.

Similar to some other users, I have noticed the 50% battery indicator came on after less than 10 minutes on Turbo using new Duracell alkalines. I have yet to test any Eneloops or lithium primaries.

I was really surprised to find that the head is barely warm after 6-7 minutes on Turbo. Comparing it simultaneously with my Quark AA2 (XP-E) on Turbo, the PA40's head is downright chilly!


----------



## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



dannstrait said:


> BB, I just realized you had already found the other great thread for this light. Sway did a bounce test that revealed little difference in output between his cool and neutral samples.
> 
> Similar to some other users, I have noticed the 50% battery indicator came on after less than 10 minutes on Turbo using new Duracell alkalines. I have yet to test any Eneloops or lithium primaries.
> 
> I was really surprised to find that the head is barely warm after 6-7 minutes on Turbo. Comparing it simultaneously with my Quark AA2 (XP-E) on Turbo, the PA40's head is downright chilly!



yea, it's only my first 24 hours with the light but i really love the neutral tint. it's perfect for me. love the easy UI. I can't wait till i get my eneloops XX 2500's which may even be here tonight.

I took the light to work with me today to so I could mess around with it, HEHE


----------



## Gene

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Again, I couldn't be happier with this light! With it's output and it's build quality, it really is a bargain! Heck, even the quality hard case it comes in is worth the extra money! This is a bargain light even at WHATEVER price you pay for it!


----------



## dannstrait

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I find it a little weird that the head on my PA40W doesn't get warm even on Turbo. I know the "Hot" label is a bit superfluous on most lights, but I feel like it's especially true for this light. I'm not complaining, I was just under the impression that good heat-sinking would transfer heat to the head. Anyone else have a similar experience? Do you have to run it 60 minutes before it gets warm? I've only run it for about 15 minutes straight.


----------



## InquisitiveInquirer

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

ANyone have both SMO and OP and could provide confirmation if indeed the SMO does provide a noticeable (and worthwhile) difference from OP ? I'm looking to pick one up, but before i do, i'd like to know. Thanks!


----------



## GrnXnham

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



minnstars said:


> Mine arrived with a SMOOTH REFLECTOR!?  No orange peel texture on this PA40 ... Not sure if that's because it is from a old or new production run? The serial number is USE091900 051.



I just ordered one off of Amazon and it also has the smooth reflector. I was kind of disappointed because I prefer the OP but the beam looks okay.


----------



## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

it is kinda hard to get the batteries out of the holder. I have to use something to pry them out and fell like I am ruining the wrapper of the cells potentially.

I do enjoy the light especially with the new sanyo XX eneloops 2500mah, nice run times


----------



## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

it is kinda hard to get the batteries out of the holder. I have to use something to pry them out and fell like I am ruining the wrapper of the cells potentially.

I do enjoy the light especially with the new sanyo XX eneloops 2500mah, nice run times


----------



## bbrins

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



> it is kinda hard to get the batteries out of the holder. I have to use something to pry them out and fell like I am ruining the wrapper of the cells potentially.


Try holding the battery holder in one hand with the negative end of the batteries toward your palm, then grip the closest battery with the pad of the your thumb on the same hand and pull the battery against the spring, the other battery will then have no spring pressure on it and it will come out easily. Like this...


----------



## pblanch

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Just got my PA40W today. It has a smooth reflector. 

Feels so comfortable in the hand. Nice weight. Beam has distinct zones with the hot spot being a really nice size. The levels are fantastic. If I want a lower low I wouldn't reach for something so large anyway (large is probable not the word I am looking for)

I think this is a great light. The tint even beats the Xenos E03 that I have (my first try in the world of neutrals) I am really a convert now. Just so easy on the eyes. 

Have to admit dont like the low then going straight into the high but will need to give it time to get the UI in my head (spoilt by my ZL's I think) and having to fully click on the off to go to a higher level is a bit of pain. As I said I may just need to get used to the UI. 

I think the 4AA is a great format for emergency preparations. Great run times wit the XML is such a great selling point. Once the ZL 4AA comes out I think I need that one as well and depending on the clear winner to me I think one will be loaded with L91 lithium and will find a home in my car.

All in all I think if you own 4AA eneloops (currently residing in it) you cant really go wrong with this one. I can see me just sticking to the one output (either 200lm or 450lm) and not worrying about he other levels until I really need them and filling the lower levels with a smaller and more controlled UI. I think either my Z51 or my new preon 1 will fill that requirement nicely.


----------



## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I give it a whirl, thanks

now I will go drain out the sanyo XX so I have an excuse to take them out ad charge them in my new maha 801D


----------



## dannstrait

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

BB,

If you drain it on Turbo for a while, can you let me know if the head ever heats up? Mine stays very cool - looking for similar experiences.


----------



## MrLi

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I used my PA40 to drain my 4 extra eneloops on turbo mode. The head did get warm. I wouldn't call it too hot to touch, but it was noticeably warm, which felt really nice during the cold nights


----------



## InquisitiveInquirer

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



MrLi said:


> I used my PA40 to drain my 4 extra eneloops on turbo mode. The head did get warm. I wouldn't call it too hot to touch, but it was noticeably warm, which felt really nice during the cold nights



Beforehand, just want to apologize for the off topic comment, but when you drain the batteries, do you do it until the light goes out or until you notice it dimming? Is it bad if you use the eneloops until the light goes out completely? I'm waiting on my PA40 to come and just curious (i got smooth reflector version coming).


----------



## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



dannstrait said:


> BB,
> 
> If you drain it on Turbo for a while, can you let me know if the head ever heats up? Mine stays very cool - looking for similar experiences.



I'll try it soon and report back.


----------



## MrLi

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



InquisitiveInquirer said:


> Beforehand, just want to apologize for the off topic comment, but when you drain the batteries, do you do it until the light goes out or until you notice it dimming? Is it bad if you use the eneloops until the light goes out completely? I'm waiting on my PA40 to come and just curious (i got smooth reflector version coming).



I also apologize if it's off topic. For the PA40, I usually drain it until it dims quite a bit, I don't really time it, but I'd estimate around 2 hours for the light to get dim. Then I let the batteries rest like an hour or so before charging them up again. Not sure how bad it is to completely drain the eneloops though. I'll have to read up on the batteries section on that

I'm still impressed with the runtimes on the PA40, though I wish the mode sequence would be from low to high, instead of high to low. You'll love the light, I'm sure


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



InquisitiveInquirer said:


> Beforehand, just want to apologize for the off topic comment, but when you drain the batteries, do you do it until the light goes out or until you notice it dimming? Is it bad if you use the eneloops until the light goes out completely? I'm waiting on my PA40 to come and just curious (i got smooth reflector version coming).


It is off-topic, but it's an important off-topic - draining eneloops to the point where the light shuts off (or near to it) is bad on the batteries.

Basically, eneloops are a revised NiMH technology with lower self-discharge (LSD) rates. As I understand it, over-discharging eneloops damages their LSD characteristics. Please check in with the experts in the batteries subforum for more information. :wave:


----------



## El Caballo

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Just got my PA40W.

Likes:

I'm a huge fan of neutral white. Our eyes are far more sensitive to red and green than blue, so even if it's got a few less lumens, you'll see much better by it.
Nice balance of throw and spill. With the throw focused at a useful distance, the spill illuminates the ground near me at nearly the same brightness. It's not the beam pattern you'd want on a rifle, but in practical use it's excellent.
The composite body is a huge bonus during winter. I'm also sure it keeps the batteries warmer, which increases run time, and it's much more pleasant to hold.
The oblong body shape feels great in the hand.
It feels like a solid, high-quality piece of gear. No rattles, die is centered, etc.
Don't like:

I wish there were a bigger flare on the end of the body, so it wasn't in danger of sliding out of bicycle mounts.
I wish there were a way to lock it into one mode so I could use the momentary switch to flash/signal. As it is, the forward clicky is basically useless IMO.
WHY U NO TAILSTAND? Aesthetics over function...bleh.
Anything with 4 AAs in it will be a bit heavy.
Neutral:

Yes, the spill is cooler than the hotspot. The hotspot is a bit yellowish, and the spill is a bit bluish. This isn't noticeable in outdoor use, or if you're moving around indoors.
Mine has the SMO reflector.


----------



## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

the more I use this light the better I like it. great run-times with the sanyo XX eneloops. 

using this light more than any other in my collection right now, although it is the newest.

I still fire up the catapult and then say, oh yea, that's a thrower, LOL


----------



## luvbelly

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I was torn between the PA40 and the LD40. I went with the Jetbeam and am looking forward to trying it out. Hopefully it will be here by Friday. If it is, there will be some criminals squinting on Saturday night.


----------



## Lumenato

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I was wondering if this light has parasitic drain? Would one need to unscrew the head when the light is not in use to conserve battery life? Thanks for review selfbuilt.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Lumenato said:


> I was wondering if this light has parasitic drain? Would one need to unscrew the head when the light is not in use to conserve battery life? Thanks for review selfbuilt.


No, there is no parasitic drain. The PA40 uses a traditional clicky switch, it is just built-in to the carrier. The secondary switch doesn't work unless the physical main switch is activated.


----------



## Mikellen

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

So there is no momentary function at all? The light needs to be clicked on in order for the light to come on and the only way to change modes is by pressing the switch when the switch is in the off position... correct?


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Mikellen said:


> So there is no momentary function at all? The light needs to be clicked on in order for the light to come on and the only way to change modes is by pressing the switch when the switch is in the off position... correct?


No, the light has momentary - it is a forward clicky, so you just need to soft-press the switch for momentary. Click for locked-on actication.

Mode switching is a little unusual if the light is already clicked on. Here, you need to click off and press again (soft-press or click) to advance the mode. But if you have the light in momentary on, you just need to keep flashling the tailcap to advance modes.

So, the only thing you are misisng is the ability to signal by the tailcap (i.e. repeated soft-presses will advance the mode).


----------



## Mikellen

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



selfbuilt said:


> No, the light has momentary - it is a forward clicky, so you just need to soft-press the switch for momentary. Click for locked-on actication.
> 
> Mode switching is a little unusual if the light is already clicked on. Here, you need to click off and press again (soft-press or click) to advance the mode. But if you have the light in momentary on, you just need to keep flashling the tailcap to advance modes.
> 
> So, the only thing you are misisng is the ability to signal by the tailcap (i.e. repeated soft-presses will advance the mode).



Thanks for the explanation. So it has momentary and repeated soft presses will advance the modes. Since it also has mode memory is there a time period between soft presses, say for example 2-3 seconds, where the mode will not change? Or does the mode memory only work with complete on clicks?

Thanks.


----------



## yliu

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I've posted this a few months ago, but I still didn't find an answer on how do you change the rubber tail cap ? It came with an extra one, so I suppose it is replaceable.


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



> I've posted this a few months ago, but I still didn't find an answer on how do you change the rubber tail cap ? It came with an extra one, so I suppose it is replaceable.



Look here.

Cheers,

Tam


----------



## Mike89

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Just got this light. Like it, plenty bright. Only thing I would have liked better is if it cycled up instead of down.


----------



## thedeske

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Very interesting light. This has the output I hoped to see in the LD40 before reading the specs.
Something between the 1-2 cell lights and the Fenix TK40/41 series in AA factor. Turbo runtime
looks very good.


----------



## Ptery83

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Anyone ever figure out if there was a noticeable difference b/t SMO and OP reflectors for this light?


----------



## Swedpat

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Ptery83 said:


> Anyone ever figure out if there was a noticeable difference b/t SMO and OP reflectors for this light?



I like my PA40 with OP reflector. The smooth beam and wide hotspot is nice. Now and then I want better throw, however. Therefore I would also like to know the difference between the smooth and OP reflector.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Ptery83 said:


> Anyone ever figure out if there was a noticeable difference b/t SMO and OP reflectors for this light?


I haven't tested the two reflector types in this specific case, but in my experience, the difference generally is not great.

OP reflectors will slightly decrease throw and increase the corona around the hotspot. How much of an effect depends in part on the degree of texturing (i.e. LOP does less than MOP, etc.). But it can be quite variable due to the natural variation in how well focused any individual sample may be. For XP-Gs, I have actually seen cases where a bit of texturing has actually improved the centre-beam throw (due to the centre-hotspot void present on some tightly focused SMO XP-G-based lights).

End of the day, unless the texturing is heavy, you are unlikely to notice the difference unless you put two samples up side-by-side. Even then, slight variation in focusing can have an obsuring effect.


----------



## pblanch

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I thought I would let you know how it is after 6 months of use. 

Still brilliant. The only way to improve it would be for it to start in low and then be able to cycle up but each to their own. I still use it constantly at home but admit I use my SC600 when I travel (size matters) but it is limited when it comes to the 186500 format where as the AA is much better to get recharged/obtaining more batteries. Even the casing has held up very well with no scratches, very impressed with that.


----------



## cancow

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I just got a PA40 and it came with a mild orange peel reflictor. Some have been saying they have smooth reflectors but maybe they are not looking carefully enough. Or maybe the PA40 has changed?


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Mine was OP, as you can see in the review. Given the heads seem virtually identical to the Fenix model (which used a smooth reflector), I wouldn't be surprised if both reflector types were available out there.


----------



## sbbsga

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Yes, I have both OP and SMO PA40W. The PA40 I sold away was SMO too.


----------



## gerryccw

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Great review, I plan to get one for my BOB pack. with my solarpower solution, It's a very good match.


----------



## Korgath

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

That is a great review. Thanks


----------



## StevenLVNV

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Nice Review. This is my first post, been lurking a short while. I own two of the jetbeam PA40's. One thing I would like to comment on is the tint of the light. I thought I like neutral white leds until I bought a PA40W and it seems much more than neutral. To me the light is too warm and it loses way more output than the standard cool model. On a night just after a rain storm the yard was clean and the air crisp and clear i went out and used both lights side by side a cool and the neutral one and the cool one is significantly brighter to me. it seems it allows me to see details in the yard much better as well and I did not notice color rendition issues even if it was cool. In the house when looking around the cool also was much nicer to me. I notice on the neutral white model also the beam has a lot of warm tints to it but some blue still around the edges which I didn't like, the cool white beam was more consistent throughout the beam. 

Here is a tip I have come up with. The build on these lights is very good to me, very little to no battery rattle, good threads and plenty of them over all fantastic. I don't like having to have the light off to switch modes though. Anyways while at a friends house I noticed the whole light exudes quality but the very top of the plastic body near the switch all the way around isnt exactly smooth. there is evidence of the manufacturing process its sort of sharp on the edge and where the body is connected into two halves at the top also a bit rough. My friend had sandpaper and 1500 grit in particular, it seemed that 1500 grit is just rough enough to sand those imperfections and smooth enough to not leave any marks on the light itself. After going over the entire inside and outside of the top end near the switch the quality feels that much better, afterward just wipe it down with a damp cloth and it looks like new. So if you have a jetbeam PA40 feel around the top edge with your thumb and if it feels a little rough try this out, I know I like the light even more now.


----------



## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

just wanted to add I have had mine a while now and what a great light. i love the tint, so to each his own I guess, you can actually tell what color things are with it inside under lower light conditions ect. perfect light for my property inspections


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



StevenLVNV said:


> I thought I like neutral white leds until I bought a PA40W and it seems much more than neutral. To me the light is too warm and it loses way more output than the standard cool model. On a night just after a rain storm the yard was clean and the air crisp and clear i went out and used both lights side by side a cool and the neutral one and the cool one is significantly brighter to me. it seems it allows me to see details in the yard much better as well and I did not notice color rendition issues even if it was cool.


Good tip about the sandpaper. 

As for the tints and output, your observations seem quite accurate to me. The warmer tints are made by adding extra phosphor, which reduces the overall amount of light produced. Typically, a good neutral white is just one output bin down from the currently-available cool white bin (which is generally not a noticeable difference). But the warm tint bins are usually a good 3-4 output bins lower than the cool white, which is definitely noticeable. The end result is that the small increase in color rendition (of the warm tint) likely won't compensate for the overall reduction in output. Neutral is typically where the best trade-off of output and tint occurs.

And :welcome:


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Way back, someone posted the lumen measurement of neutral white (5.000K) PA40W. Difference in output between neutral and cool white PA40 was evident on paper, but still _not enough_ to be perceptible to naked human eye. AFAIK neutral white XM-L has higher CRI than the cool white (T6), so _in theory_ it should help render colours better. Despite what numbers are saying, not two human beings perceive flashlight output and tint the same way...

Cheers


----------



## tickled

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



sbbsga said:


> Yes, I have both OP and SMO PA40W. The PA40 I sold away was SMO too.


 Where did you buy the orange peel reflector neutral version? I have only ever seen the neutral version offered in smooth reflector variety at various resellers. I am considering this light if ZL doesn't get their 4AA light out soon.


----------



## sbbsga

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



tickled said:


> Where did you buy the orange peel reflector neutral version? I have only ever seen the neutral version offered in smooth reflector variety at various resellers. I am considering this light if ZL doesn't get their 4AA light out soon.



PM sent.


----------



## bebekhijau

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

can i use 10440 ?


----------



## kaichu dento

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



bebekhijau said:


> can i use 10440 ?


I'm not sure if you can or not, but I think the cell you're thinking of is the 14500, AA-equivalent size.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



bebekhijau said:


> can i use 10440 ?





kaichu dento said:


> I'm not sure if you can or not, but I think the cell you're thinking of is the 14500, AA-equivalent size.


I would find it _extremely_ unlikely that the PA40 could take Li-ions (14500 as the AA equivalent).

14500 are ~4.2V or higher fully charged, compared to ~1.3-1.4V for most standard AA (L91, alkaline, NiMH). The carrier is 2s2p orientation, so that would mean normal operation is <3V per channel. I suppose it is a possible a single 14500 with one spacer per channel (i.e., >4.2V fully charged) may work without blowing the circuit, but that is dubious (and I would not want to try). Certainly, 4x14500 (i.e. ~8.5V per channel) is bound fry the circuit.


----------



## PCC

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I found out something interesting about my PA40 today: the head is a dumb head. The circuit board is in the battery carrier. I was wondering why I was only getting the high mode when connecting a charged Surefire B90 battery to the contacts when it hit me: it's direct-drive when doing that. I took a direct-drive P60 drop-in I had made before and put it on the end of the battery carrier contacts and I was flipping through the modes like it was the stock head.


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



PCC said:


> I found out something interesting about my PA40 today: the head is a dumb head. The circuit board is in the battery carrier. I was wondering why I was only getting the high mode when connecting a charged Surefire B90 battery to the contacts when it hit me: it's direct-drive when doing that. I took a direct-drive P60 drop-in I had made before and put it on the end of the battery carrier contacts and I was flipping through the modes like it was the stock head.


Yes, I reached a similar conclusion back in post #80 when I discovered the PA40 head took on the output level spacings of the Fenix LD40 when paired with that carrier. This strongly suggests the control circuit is in the carrier for these two lights, and not the head.


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

PA40's awkward diagonal tail never suited my wide thumbs, so this is how my OP "W" looks now...







It never could tailstand properly, anywayz 

Cheers


----------



## sbbsga

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



tam17 said:


> PA40's awkward diagonal tail never suited my wide thumbs, so this is how my OP "W" looks now...



Wow, you ground the tail end. The finishing looks very nice. How long did it take?


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



sbbsga said:


> Wow, you ground the tail end. The finishing looks very nice. How long did it take?



About one hour. Rotary tool with sanding drums for rough work, small files and 4 grades of carbide paper for the rest.

Cheers


----------



## sbbsga

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



tam17 said:


> About one hour. Rotary tool with sanding drums for rough work, small files and 4 grades of carbide paper for the rest.
> 
> Cheers



Cool!


----------



## pblanch

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Looks good, but I don't think I will try it on mine. I would have thought it would make the button stick too far out. 

Have you had any issues with it coming on unexpectantly? I tend to store mine in my bag and with the lip it tend to protect the button quite well, have had no "hot pocket" accidents yet. Nothing worse when pulling out you flashlight and it being dead.


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

No problems so far, I'm carrying it in my backpack vertically (bezel down) so it's quite safe. I have a piece of tubular foam insulation that fits over the tail if I want to be 100% sure.

Cheers


----------



## dts71

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I looking for a winter flashlight i.e. plastic grip so it's comfortable to hold. The PA40 seems nice, but it's 2 years old now.
Unfortunately the later similar versions from Jetbeam and Fenix are in aluminium which is not what I want.
Are there any alternatives in plastic with ~500lm or more? Preferably 18650 as well.


----------



## Wiggle

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



dts71 said:


> I looking for a winter flashlight i.e. plastic grip so it's comfortable to hold. The PA40 seems nice, but it's 2 years old now.
> Unfortunately the later similar versions from Jetbeam and Fenix are in aluminium which is not what I want.
> Are there any alternatives in plastic with ~500lm or more? Preferably 18650 as well.



I wouldn't worry about the age, it's got an efficient circuit and a good bin XM-L. Not to mention there aren't many choices in this form factor. Its my ideal car light, easy to hold with or without gloves, won't freeze my hands and plenty of output and runtime.


----------



## PCC

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



dts71 said:


> Are there any alternatives in plastic with ~500lm or more? Preferably 18650 as well.


Solarforce P1.


----------



## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



dts71 said:


> I looking for a winter flashlight i.e. plastic grip so it's comfortable to hold. The PA40 seems nice, but it's 2 years old now.



PA40 still stands strong in its class. Great winter flashlight, esp. when packed with lithium primaries. There are also tint and reflector options.

OT: 18650s with plastic body are scarce. As per Solarforce P1, some users on other flashlight-related forums initially commented about its limited heatsinking properties and inability to use some common S-F components.

Cheers


----------



## pblanch

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



dts71 said:


> I looking for a winter flashlight i.e. plastic grip so it's comfortable to hold. The PA40 seems nice, but it's 2 years old now.
> .


Still, 6 hours with 200Lm. Is still holding its own. Also carbon fiber not plastic (CF is more durable) I have the neutral. Although I have other lights the one I keep going back to for when I am in Northern Australia during cyclone season (a lot) it is always the PA40 I bring with me. Nice and light (especially when the batteries are taken out and conforms to liion restriction for aircraft) and doesnt heat up as much as an all metal light in the Aussie outback. Packed it with eneloops so recharging is a breaze and in a pinch just find some AA's. The only thing I don't like is the battery holder. It has one, I would rather have no battery holder at all. I will wait for the ZL q50 (the pipe dream)

I bring a few torches with me when I travel. My SC600, a small single aaa titanium preon and my PA40(w). Couldn't ask for a better combo.


----------



## pblanch

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I should also say that it does get brighter but my 200lm is more than adequate for any job unless spotting aircraft.


----------



## dts71

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks for the input guys - guess I'll push the order button then


----------



## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



pblanch said:


> Still, 6 hours with 200Lm. Is still holding its own.


Yes, the PA40 remains a good efficiency choice - especially on Hi (although I get ~5 hours on eneloops at this level on my XM-L T6 sample).

If you check out my more recent Nitecore EA4 review, you'll see the Jetbeam PA40 remains quite competitive in terms of runtime at the various output levels. It just doesn't go quite as high, or throw quite as far - but that probably doesn't matter for most people's actual needs. The carbon fiber body is a real bonus in the cold.


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## Breathing Borla

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

yup. i use my pa40 all the time still. I have eneloop XX AAs and run time is great, even in the cold


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## Lurveleven

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I like the form factor of lights like this (I have a Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA Lux), they are good to hold, not to small and not to big, about the perfect size for outdoor use with and without gloves. However, the thing preventing me from getting this, is the tail switch. This light needs a glove friendly side switch instead. It feels like the choice of tail switches on these lights are just done to make them easier and cheaper to manufacture.


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## Swedpat

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I have as well PA40N and Fenix LD41. Apart from Fenix E40 but that's in another category, pure thrower. I am planning to get rid of several of my lights I don't really have use for, and in this case it will be LD41. 
PA40N is more comfortable to hold and has better tint. The handle of LD41 is slippy while PA40 has a good grip. It's a great 4AA light. I measured great runtime with alkalines at 220lm mode: LINK


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## sessnur

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



tickled said:


> Where did you buy the orange peel reflector neutral version? I have only ever seen the neutral version offered in smooth reflector variety at various resellers. I am considering this light if ZL doesn't get their 4AA light out soon.





sbbsga said:


> PM sent.




Hi, I would also like to know where can I get PA40 neutral but with OP reflector! Only SMO options are available, or I'm searching in wrong places.


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## tam17

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



Lurveleven said:


> However, the thing preventing me from getting this, is the tail switch. This light needs a glove friendly side switch instead. It feels like the choice of tail switches on these lights are just done to make them easier and cheaper to manufacture.



Widespread (and not always justified) use of tail switches is just a part of "tacti-cool" fad IMO, although I happen to really like my Solarforce L2.

If you have basic tool skills, you can remove the protective rim around the PA40's tail switch and make it more glove-friendly, just like I did:

Link

Cheers


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## sbbsga

*JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, ...*



sessnur said:


> Hi, I would also like to know where can I get PA40 neutral but with OP reflector! Only SMO options are available, or I'm searching in wrong places.



Were you the one who contacted me via YouTube? If yes, then you may want to email the sellers that were included in my reply. I received your reply's notification but I was unable to read your message because YouTube somehow deleted it. 

I hope you will find the OP version. 


Sent from mobile device.


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## sessnur

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, ...*



sbbsga said:


> Were you the one who contacted me via YouTube? If yes, then you may want to email the sellers that were included in my reply. I received your reply's notification but I was unable to read your message because YouTube somehow deleted it.
> 
> I hope you will find the OP version.



Yeah I contacted you over YouTube, didn't know how often you visit this site. Thanks for detailed answer by the way.
I resent you the message, but if you could do a video or take some pictures of comparison between PA40W OP and PA40W SMO, wall shots or some shots from outside. It would be great, so that I and others who are interested in OP/SMO gain/loss can see where we stand. From pictures of PA40 I would say that it has relatively concentrated beam, what I would rather not have. 
Is SMO really that tight? And OP that good? (in this case of course)

Thanks, I appreciate your help.


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## knakkers

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



tam17 said:


> PA40's awkward diagonal tail never suited my wide thumbs, so this is how my OP "W" looks now...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It never could tailstand properly, anywayz
> 
> Cheers



Hi all!

I decided to register to this great forum to highlight something to the uninitiated... 

Please, please wear the appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) when working with carbon fibre/graphite - I suggest gloves and respirator at the minimum and try to minimise the dust by keeping it "wet". It is nasty stuff once cured, and the health warnings for a lot of countries may not be up to date. On a side note - that is a nice rework tam17!


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## BobMc

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks for the great review of the PA 40,I ordered mine yesterday,and it should be here tomorrow.I am new here so hello all,I've learned a lot reading about batteries and charging systems here as well,thanks everyone


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



BobMc said:


> Thanks for the great review of the PA 40,I ordered mine yesterday,and it should be here tomorrow.I am new here so hello all,I've learned a lot reading about batteries and charging systems here as well,thanks everyone


Hope you enjoy the light, and :welcome:


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## pblanch

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

2 1/2 years since I got mine. Still going strong. Recently bought a JB SRA40. Compared to the PA40 feels like carrying a brick and now is banished to the car. The high is better than the PA40 but then drops down after 3 minutes. I can live with that as it is a great spotlight and as a car torch is fine. The PA40 is still being kept in my travel bag though. Still very happy with it after lugging the SRA40 around. Very surprised the 4AA hasn't that much completion although the recent 4AA love makes it hopeful that ZL will come out with the magical unicorn that is/was the Q50 (was almost in tears when the S3360 was scrapped - was waiting for a second/third gen product to come out). Maybe a good thing as I prefer the AA format.


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## afau led

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Hi guys. I'm new in this forum. I need help. I have a Jetbeam PA40. Can anyone here help me where to the get the rubber o-rings? And can be shipped international. The local distributor here is unable to assist me. Thanks in advance.


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



afau led said:


> Hi guys. I'm new in this forum. I need help. I have a Jetbeam PA40. Can anyone here help me where to the get the rubber o-rings? And can be shipped international. The local distributor here is unable to assist me. Thanks in advance.


Tracking down exact-size o-rings can be tricky, if the manufacturer doesn't provide a dedicated source. You can try local hardware stores (ones that specialize in plumbing in particular would be most helpful) - although I find many are often too thick.

There are online flashlight vendors who cell bulks flashlight o-rings (often of mixed sizes) - check out the inexpensive "deal sites" in particular. The point is that all o-rings have give in them, so exact size matching ahead of time will be difficult (i.e., depends on how one measures). I've never found a good solution aside from trial and error, unfortunately.

Good luck!


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## afau led

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



selfbuilt said:


> Tracking down exact-size o-rings can be tricky, if the manufacturer doesn't provide a dedicated source. You can try local hardware stores (ones that specialize in plumbing in particular would be most helpful) - although I find many are often too thick.
> 
> There are online flashlight vendors who cell bulks flashlight o-rings (often of mixed sizes) - check out the inexpensive "deal sites" in particular. The point is that all o-rings have give in them, so exact size matching ahead of time will be difficult (i.e., depends on how one measures). I've never found a good solution aside from trial and error, unfortunately.
> 
> Good luck!



Yup I agreed. Tracking down the exact size o-rings can be tricky.

Thanks selbuilt!:thumbsup:


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## revscott

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I just got the PA40, but had some questions. I want to make sure I didn't get a fake.

Mine came in a tan cardboard box with Jetbeam branding on it, not the clamshell case in this review. The box only contained the flashlight, a lanyard, and a spare rubber switch and oring. It came with a smooth reflector and the battery indicator looks slightly different (it sticks up higher and seems more transparent than the one in this video).

Seems like there are several versions, and I just want to make sure I know what I got.


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## Wiggle

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Mine came with the clamshell but that was a good while ago. I believe I had heard that some of them came with the smooth reflector so maybe not an issue. Can you post some pics?


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## revscott

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

I have never posted pics on this forum. I can't find the "photos & albums" link in the User Control Panel.

I'm curious if my PA40 is an older version/newer version or possibly a fake.


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



revscott said:


> I have never posted pics on this forum. I can't find the "photos & albums" link in the User Control Panel.
> I'm curious if my PA40 is an older version/newer version or possibly a fake.


Hard to say without pics. Not sure if there are usage restrictions, but there is an option for some of us to browse our local drives when clicking on the image icon in the reply panel button bar. Typically though, most images are hosted elsewhere (photobucket in my case), with a link provide through the image icon/tag.

Since this review is over 3.5 years old, it's quite likely things changed over time for this model. It is probably fine.


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## revscott

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*




[/IMG]
No clamshell box with holster. Just a simple cardboard box.



[/IMG]
The Batt Indicator looks different to me, but I'm not sure.



[/IMG]
Here is the smooth reflector.

I just want to make sure it's not a fake. This is my first purchase of a Jetbeam product, so I have no reference point for their products.


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## Taz80

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

It looks the same as mine so I'd say its the real thing.


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## revscott

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*

Thanks for the help guys. Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I didn't think this was worth starting a new one. I guess Jetbeam changed their packaging to cut down on costs. Maybe that's why I got a good deal.


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## selfbuilt

*Re: JetBeam PA40 (XM-L T6, 4xAA, Carbon Fiber body) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, & mo*



revscott said:


> Thanks for the help guys. Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I didn't think this was worth starting a new one. I guess Jetbeam changed their packaging to cut down on costs. Maybe that's why I got a good deal.


Yes, that looks real. Jetbeam certainly used that style of packaging on a number of lights for several years. It is probably just a later version of the model, with some updated features. Who knows, you may even have an updated output bin in there.


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