# Olight S10R (XM-L2, 1xRCR/CR123A) Rechargeable + Dock Review: BEAMSHOTS, RUNTIMES+



## selfbuilt (Dec 15, 2014)

Welcome to my Olight S10R review. :wave:

Olight has recently updated their popular Baton series of lights (S10/S15/S20) with a new rechargeable version (known by the "R" addition to the model name). These new "R" version lights are very similar to previous generation Baton lights, except they all come with an Olight-branded 3.7V Li-ion battery, and desktop USB-charging dock. oo:

Given the large number of comparisons required, I've decided to process these into three individual reviews for the S10R (for 1xCR123A/RCR), S15R (for 1x14500/AA/NiMH) and S20R (for 1x18650) separately. Note that the user interface and charging design are common to all three models, and will be repeated in each review.

Let's see how things shape up for the S10R, especially in comparison to the second edition S10-L2 (2013) that I reviewed previously. 

*Manufacturer Reported Specifications:* 
(note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results).


LED: CREE XM-L2 Cool White
1x 650mAh 3.7V RCR123A rechargeable lithium battery included
Output (ANSI)/Runtime: High: 400 Lumens/0.8 Hours, Medium: 85 Lumens/3.5 Hours, Low: 5 Lumens/56 Hours, Moonlight: 0.5 Lumens/168 Hours
Peak beam intensity: 2,700 cd
Max beam distance: 104 m
NEW Low-profile side switch featuring a battery power indicator, which glows red when battery runs low
NEW Includes patent-pending Micro-USB charging dock and a 650mAh RCR123A rechargeable battery
NEW Thermal management safety program provides overheating protection by dropping high output by 50% after 4.5 minutes of constant on.
NEW Glow-in-the-dark o-ring in bezel to help locate flashlight from accidentally dropping it
99% light transmittance rate through tempered glass, with two-sided anti-reflective coating
Multi-function side switch with four brightness levels, plus a strobe mode
Automatically return to your last brightness level with the built in memory function
Removable two-position pocket clip
Flat tailcap with strong magnet, giving you the ability to use the light as a hands-free worklight
Highly reliable 6061-T6 aluminum alloy structure with ant-scratch, Type-III hard anodizing with a stainless steel bezel to protect against drops
Reverse polarity protection to prevent improper battery installation
Can be powered by one non-rechargeable CR123A lithium battery as a last resort in an emergency.
Low standby current below 8uA
IPX-7 (waterproof up to 1m)
Impact resistant to 5 ft / 1.5m
Flashlight Body: 2.89 in/73.4mm x 0.91 in/23mm 
Charging Dock: 2.17 in/55.1mm x 1.97 in/50mm x 0.63 in/16mm
Weight: 43g/ 1.52 oz (body excluding batteries), 24g/ 0.85 oz (charging dock)
MSRP: ~$60














The packaging is similar to the 2013 edition S10, but includes the extra items described above. Inside the clear plastic container is the S10R (with Olight RCR battery installed), extra o-rings, split ring, good quality wrist lanyard, product insert, manual, charging dock base, micro-USB cable for dock, adhesive gel-pad for dock, gel-pad installation manual. As before, there is also an overview of specs on the bottom and back of the packaging.





From left to right: Olight RCR (650mAh), S10R, Olight 14500 (750mAh), S15R; Olight 18650 (2600mAh), S20R.













From left to right: Olight RCR, S10R, S10-2013; Skilhunt DS10; Nitecore EC1; Eagletac D25C; Armytek C1; Jetbeam RRT-01.

All dimensions directly measured, and given with no batteries installed:

*Olight S10R*: Weight: 43.1g (59.8g with Olight RCR), Length: 73.3mm, Width (bezel): 23.1mm
*Olight S10 (2013)*: Weight: 41.5g, Length: 70.8mm, Width (bezel): 23.2mm

*ArmyTek C1 XM-L*: Weight: 43.0g, Length: 80.2mm , With (bezel): 23.1mm
*Lumintop ED11*: Weight: 44.1g, Length: 83.7, Width (bezel): 21.8mm
*Foursevens QTLC*: Weight 36.4g, Length 84.1mm, Width (bezel) 22.1mm
*Skilhunt DS10*: Weight: 47.0g, Length: 76.1mm, Width (bezel): 24.0mm
*Sunwayman C10R*: Weight: 57.3g, Length: 76.2mm (no lanyard plug), 82.3mm (with plug), Width (bezel): 25.6mm, Width (head at widest part): 28.6mm
*Eagletac D25C Clicky*: Weight: 30g, Length: 76.0mm, Width (bezel): 20.0mm
*Jetbeam PC10*: Weight: 50.5g, Length: 93.6mm, Width (bezel): 22.6mm

Overall dimensions are similar to the S10-2013, except the S10R is slightly heavier and longer now (likely to accommodate the charging circuitry). 






















Physically, the new "R" editions of the Baton lights look generally similar to the 2013 editions of regular Baton family. These lights remain relatively petite for their respective classes. Lights come with black anodizing (matte finish) and bright white labels. Although still without typical knurling, the raised checkered patterns on the body help with grip. With the reversible pocket clip attached, I'd say grip is good. What has changed is the button and tailcap design, which I will get to in a moment.

The bi-directional pocket clip is comparable to the earlier models, no real change here. It seems to hold onto the light fairly securely. I personally like it, as you can clip it on you in either orientation (i.e., bezel-up or bezel-down carry), although it might be rough on clothing given how tightly it fits.

In the head, the original S10 had a flat contact with reverse-polarity detectors beside it. But the S10-2013 (and new S10R) both have a small spring (with oddly the reverse-polarity detectors still there).

The R-series tailcaps have been re-designed with a new charging dock feature – but otherwise functions as before. The S10R uses the same square-cut screw threads as before, still anodized for tail lock-out. Light can tailstand, and there is a split-ring/lanyard attachment hole on the side of the tail cap as before. And the tailcap still has a strong magnet, to allow the light to stand horizontally off any vertical metal surface. That said, I don't find the magnet quite as powerful as before. This means you may not be able to get the S10R to hold as stably off a small piece of metal (like a screw head on plastic plate cover, for example). It also does not seem to be removable now, as it is integral to how the charger functions.

What is new on the tailcap are the two exposed metal areas – an outside ring, and a recessed inner circular contact. These connect magnetically to the charging dock. I am happy to report that there is no open voltage at the tailcap, so there is no risk of accidentally shorting the RCR battery inside the light. Scroll down for discussions of the dock and charging process.

As with the earlier models, the S10R uses an electronic switch in the head for on/off and mode changing. The button design has updated though – the hard plastic switch is now slightly recessed behind a raised metal surround. This means that the risk of accidental activation is now greatly reduced. :thumbsup:

A second change is the addition of a low voltage warning sensor under the switch (visible through the clear pinhole opening in the middle). The earlier S10 models lack a low voltage sensor (previously present only on the S20). The red LED below the switch will light up and flash as the battery nears exhaustion.

The head of the light is relatively unchanged, with a flat stainless steel bezel ring as before. However, the standard red o-ring has been replaced with GITD blue one, and the S10R now uses the same smooth reflector as the S15 (was light orange peel on the S10/S20 2013). Note that early versions of the Batons had an excessive anti-glare coating on the lens that produced some green-tint shifting. This has been revised over time, and the current anti-glare coating doesn't produce any obvious issues.










The S10R uses the same XM-L2 Cool White emitter as the previous S10-2013. The emitter remains well centered on my samples. Please scroll down for beamshots.

_Olight Battery_














All the new R-version models come with an appropriately-sized Olight-branded battery (3.7V Li-ion). Rated capacity of the RCR (16340) included on the S10R is 650mAh, which is about typical for this class. Scroll down for actual testing results.

_Charging Dock_


































The new charging dock for the R-series lights has an interesting design. The desktop dock connects by a supplied micro-USB 2.0 cable for a standard USB port (no AC adapter supplied, but you can easily find an after-market one). Note that the charging docks are common for all three R-models, so all are limited to the standard 500mA max charge rate of USB 2.0. See a charging analysis later in this review.

The is an adhesive gel pad supplied with the dock, in case you want to semi-permanently mount the dock on your desk.

Charging contact is made through those two metal areas on the base of the light's tailcap. Thanks to the magnetic attraction, this firmly holds the light in place, and allows charging to commence. A similar magnetic mechanism is used on the Klarus lights, though without the flat desktop mount dock. 

A LED on the dock lights up constant red during charging (slowly flashing red when no light is present, or if an error is detected). The dock is supposed to terminate the charge and go green once the battery is fully charged (~4.2V). In practice however, this initial batch of lights has an issue in fully charging the cells. On my S10R, the dock charging terminates and the indicator starts flashing red once the RCR reaches a resting voltage of ~4.13V. On the S15R and S20R, the dock terminates and the indicator goes green – but the 14500/18650 batter is again only ~4.14V. I understand from Olight that they plan to fix this on subsequent batches, to allow charging up to the typical ~4.2V. 

Personally, this is not a big issue for me, as it is better to consistently under-charge Li-ion than over-charge (i.e., better for the health of your cells). And you can always take the cell out of the light and charge separately if you want. 

Note however that there seems to be an issue with the supplied RCR on my S10R – the battery will not charge beyond ~4.15V resting on any of my chargers. :thinking: The 14500 and 18650 batteries from the S15R/S20R both take an externally supplied full charge as expected.

The "Extended" USB port on the dock is a secondary output port. Basically, with the dock plugged into a power source, this provides a pass-through to charge other USB-based devices (e.g., cell phone, tablet, etc.), up to a reported 2A charging current. Of course, for that kind of charging, you are better off using an AC adapter for the input source, with good quality cables (i.e., I wouldn't want to to push a standard USB port too hard).

Scroll down for an overview of specifics of the charging process, along with other performance characteristics of the light.

*User Interface*

The R-series interface is unchanged from the 2013 models of the Baton series.

As before, a quick press and release (i.e., click) of the electronic switch turns the light on or off. 

Mode switching is controlled by holding down the electronic switch. The light will cycle between Lo – Med – Hi, in repeating sequence. As before, simply release the switch to select your desired mode. The light has mode memory – if you turn it off/on, the light returns to your previous level.

The R-series lights continue to features the ultra-low "Moonlight" level. You access this mode directly from off by a sustained (>1 sec) press-and-hold of the switch from off. This is a nice feature, as it means you can always turn the light on in the lowest possible mode if you want (i.e., no matter where you memorized it before). Mode cycling and memory works as before, once on.

You can physically lock out the light by a twist of the tailcap, as before. The "soft lock-out" is similarly unchanged - hold the switch down from off for >2 secs, the light shuts itself off (i.e., after one second of the Moonlight mode). You will not be able to use the light until you unlock it (by pressing-and-holding the switch for >2secs again). Note that this means that if you want Moonlight, you must release the switch before the lock-out takes effect (hold the switch between 1 and 2 secs). To unlock, simply press and hold the switch for more than 1 sec now.

There is still a "hidden" strobe mode, accessed by double-clicking the switch when on. Double-click again to return to constant on (or turn off and on).

Note that there is an undocumented "short cut" to jump to Hi from off: simply double-click the switch from off.

*Video*: 

For information on the new R-series lights, including the build, user interface and dock charging, please see my video overview of the recent models:



For all my videos, I recommend you have annotations turned on. I commonly update the commentary with additional information or clarifications before publicly releasing the video.

As an aside, if you want to get an instant notification for every new review that I post, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel. The vids go public at the same time as the reviews here on CPF.  

*PWM/Strobe*

As always, there is no sign of PWM at any output level – The R-series lights are current-controlled, just like their predecessors.  






The S10R strobe is a fairly typical fast "tactical" strobe, of 9.8Hz frequency (as before).

*Standby Drain*

As the switch is an electronic one, a standby current drain is always present when a battery is installed. 

I measured this standby drain as a miniscule 9.1uA on my S10R, on both RCR and CR123A (was 6.2uA on my S10-2013 sample, and 5.8uA on my S10-2011 sample). For the supplied 650mAh RCR, that would theoretically translate into over 8 years before a battery would be fully drained. Hardly a concern – although I do recommend you lock out the switch at the tailcap to prevent accidental activation.

*In-Light Charging*

Because the AC charger uses a USB connector to the charging cable, I was able to take direct measures of the charging parameters using my Xtar VI01 "USB Detector" (basically a specialized USB current/voltage meter). There are many of these on the market now, and this model was favorably reviewed by HKJ here.

For charging tests, I started with a discharged Olight RCR battery, measuring ~2.7-2.8V at rest (i.e., heavily depleted). For all these tests, I left the USB detector in place for all readings. Note that the voltage reading on this device refers to the input voltage (i.e., from the USB port).

Initial charging current and input voltage:










As you can see, charging started at 0.49A with a typical USB ~5V input voltage ("U" is meant to represent Volts on the top display above). This is fully consistent with the USB 2.0 specs. 

After 30 mins, the charging rate was unchanged






By 60 mins into the charge cycle, output had started to drop:






About ~10 mins or so later:






And by ~1hr 15 mins total time, charging had terminated (and the dock was flashing red):






While the CV phase was a gradual process that occurred over ~25 minutes, this is a bit more rapid than most CC/CV chargers I've seen. Note that the resting voltage of the RCR battery was only ~4.13V at this point (which Olight apparently plans to adjust for the more typical ~4.2V full charge on later batches). 

Also, keep in mind that charging pattern is different for each member of this family, due to the varying battery capacities. As an advance preview, the ramp down in current was longer on the S15R (i.e., took ~2hr 15min to charge to ~4.14V, with most of that time in the CV phase). Similarly, on the S20R, the current started to drop slowly after ~3 hours of CC charging, taking another ~4 hours in the CV phase before terminating. Again, all three lights from this initial batch terminated prematurely ~4.14V resting.

*Beamshots:*

For white-wall beamshots below, all lights are on Max output on an 3.7V Li-ion (RCR) battery. Lights are 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.





























































Beam pattern remains very similar to the previous generation S10, as you would expect (i.e., the Batons are all relatively "floody"). 

*Testing Method:* 

All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, as described on my flashlightreviews.ca website. 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 devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values (ROV) to estimated Lumens. See my How to convert Selfbuilt's Lightbox values to Lumens thread for more info. 

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*

My summary tables are reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. Please see http://www.flashlightreviews.ca/FL1.htm for a discussion, and a description of all the terms used in these tables. Effective July 2012, I have updated all my Peak Intensity/Beam Distance measures with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter (orange highlights).











There isn't much of an output difference between the new S10R and the previous generation S10 (2013). 

To better illustrate that, here is a detailed output comparison on 1xRCR.






As you can see, the specs haven't changed from the S10-2013. That said, there are some subtle difference between my S10R and S10-2013 samples – specially, the output on Lo on my S10R was twice that of the S10-2013 (and of the Olight specs). Max output on CR123A (before step-down) also seemed a bit lower on my S10R sample – but that may just be variation between individual samples. 

Practically, I would consider the output levels to match pretty well between the S10 and S10R.

*Output/Runtime Graphs:*

For comparison sake, I have included runtimes on both my standard AW "750mA" protected RCR and the supplied Olight RCR. Note that the Olight RCR battery would not charge past ~4.15V resting, on any charger.



















First comment is that the supplied Olight RCR has a slightly longer runtime than my AW RCR, suggesting this is a high capacity cell (especially since it was only charged to ~4.15V to start).

Second observation is that output/runtime performance on RCR is basically unchanged from the S10-2013 on all levels tested. As before, there is a gradual step-down from max on Hi, taking about 4 mins to level off at the lower Hi level. 

There seem to be a slight reduction in efficiency on CR123A on my S10R on Hi (compared to the S10-2013), but that again may just be natural variation between samples.

As before, on all batteries, overall efficiency is excellent at all output levels in the Baton series.

*Potential Issues*

All Baton lights use an electronic switch, and therefore require a small stand-by current when fully connected. However, the standby drain on S10R remains at a ridiculously low 9uA, which would theoretically translate into almost a decade before a RCR battery would be drained. 

Accidental activation is always a potential concern with electronic switches – however the likelihood of this has been greatly reduced thanks to the new switch design. You can also "soft" lock out the switch electronically, and can still physically lock out the light at the tailcap as well. 

The tailcap magnet is no longer removable (i.e., it is integral to how the charger functions), and it doesn't attract as heavily as before.

Supplied in-light charging feature on this initial batch of lights will only charge batteries to ~4.13-4.14V resting voltage (and give an error flash when terminating). I understand Olight is looking to correct this on subsequent batches.

*Preliminary Observations*

The R-version update to the Olight Baton series offers a new functionality: in-light 3.7V Li-ion charging (with supplied Olight battery).  Otherwise, general performance of the S10R remains largely unchanged from the most recent S10 (i.e., comparable beam patterns, output levels, runtimes, etc). 

That is not to say that nothing has changed though – there are a number of noticeable upgrades for 2014 on the R-series lights. One significant update from the previous S10 model (released in 2013) is a revised electronic switch. Physically, the switch is recessed slightly from before, with a built-up metal surround now. This means that accidental activation is far less likely - a significant improvement in my view.  Olight has also introduced the low voltage warning feature from the S20 (which has long been missing from the S10/S15 models). On all the new R-series models, there is a red LED below the switch that lights up to tell you when the battery is running low.

The build and overall feel of the lights are similar to the earlier models (i.e., decent bi-directional clip, keychain attachment point, magnetic tailcap, etc.). The R-series lights are a tiny bit longer than before (likely to accommodate charging circuitry), and I find the magnet has slightly less pull (but still more than enough). There is no open voltage at the tailcap, as the magnetic connection is required for initiating charging. Unlike before though, the magnet is no longer removable (i.e., it is integral to how the charger functions). 

The beam pattern of the actual light hasn't changed much. The reflector has switched from light orange peel (OP) texturing to smooth, consistent with the S15 line. And a new GITD blue o-ring has been added to all models. 

The charging dock is well designed, with a secondary output feature (i.e., you can charge your cell phone right from the dock). It even includes a gel pad to stick it to your desk. That said, a slightly longer input USB cable would have been nice (as well as an AC-adapter), but you can easily pick these up elsewhere. Note that the initial batch of R-series lights/docks will only charge batteries to ~4.14V resting, but I understand Olight is working on raising this to a more typical ~4.2V.

Performance of the supplied Olight-branded RCR is excellent, lasting longer than my standard AW RCR battery. 

Circuit function is similar to before, with an identical user interface and set of output levels. Again, over output/runtime efficiency is unchanged from before (and remains excellent). :thumbsup:

Basically, the S10R is an updated version of the S10-2013, with definite build improvements and a whole new functionality added. Unless you are trying to save a few bucks, there is no real advantage to getting the previous S10 – the S10R does everything and more. A strong series just got better. :wave:

----

S10R was supplied by GoingGear.com for review, on behalf of Olight.


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## Ryp (Dec 15, 2014)

Thanks for the review!


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## Capolini (Dec 15, 2014)

Thanks SB! * 

*Besides the charging option the S10/S10R are just about the same except for a little[very little] difference in output[RCR] and length!

I love the magnet on my S10,,,,,,,,Comes in handy in the kitchen[and other places]!

Upon further review I did miss a few upgrades! The switch design making it harder to accidentally activate and the low voltage that my S20 has and the other models!


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## selfbuilt (Dec 15, 2014)

Capolini said:


> Upon further review I did miss a few upgrades! The switch design making it harder to accidentally activate and the low voltage that my S20 has and the other models!


Yes, the switch update in particular is much appreciated. One of the challenges with the regular 2013 edition models was the ease with which accidental activation could occur (requiring tailcap or soft lockout). While it may not look like a huge difference in the pics, you can really feel it in practice. 

And the low voltage feature on all models is nice, assuming you are planning to use the appropriate Li-ion source in regular use (which I expect most would).


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## MBentz (Dec 15, 2014)

Lovely review as always selfbuilt. 

I have really enjoyed my S10-L2 in NW. I like charging my cells in a dedicated charger so I will not be "upgrading" to this new version. These will make great introductory lights, given the charger and cell is included.


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## torchflux (Dec 17, 2014)

Thank you for the review, much appreciated. Great to hear that it's an overall upgrade to previous variants.

Perhaps wait a bit on purchase, until all factory tweaks to the charging docks have been made?


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## selfbuilt (Dec 17, 2014)

MBentz said:


> LI have really enjoyed my S10-L2 in NW. I like charging my cells in a dedicated charger so I will not be "upgrading" to this new version. These will make great introductory lights, given the charger and cell is included.


Yes, I wouldn't expect existing owners would feel a strong need to buy the new R-models (unless they really want the desktop dock, or were having too many accidental activations with the switch).



torchflux said:


> Thank you for the review, much appreciated. Great to hear that it's an overall upgrade to previous variants.


Which reminds me, I think I've heard someone say that the regular series will also be getting the button switch update. Not sure of what timeframe though - so it's probably a good idea to ask a dealer before placing an order.


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## CrazyIvan2011 (Dec 17, 2014)

Have to admit, I have the S10-L2....and I really love it! I use a fenix red filter on it whilst I do low night / night photography etc...and it is such a superb ight! I want to buy the new 'R' version, but need to convince my self that it is of benefit!


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## andrew2 (Dec 18, 2014)

I will always read selfbuilt's review ,very detailed and professional,of course ,this olight product is good


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## HeyGuysWatchThis (Dec 18, 2014)

Great review, I think the new switch design puts me over the edge with choosing this light. Accidental activation was a concern I had with this model. One question I had was whether you tested it with IMR cells. Would the light be OK with them, especially the charging?


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## selfbuilt (Dec 18, 2014)

HeyGuysWatchThis said:


> One question I had was whether you tested it with IMR cells. Would the light be OK with them, especially the charging?


Sure, the charger uses a CC/CV method, with an appropriate termination level for any 3.7V Li-ion chemistry (protected or unprotected).

Not sure why you want to use IMR in this light though ... it's not driven anywhere near hard enough on Hi to require IMR, and the supplied Olight cell has good capacity.


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## HeyGuysWatchThis (Dec 18, 2014)

Eh, fair enough. I was just thinking of using them because I have them. Thanks for the clarification, though.


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## ort5 (Dec 21, 2014)

Thanks for the great reviews selfbuilt! I love the idea of the lights in this series, but I have one question. 

Can the lights be left on the charger base indefinitely? I understand that the charge terminates once the target voltage is reached, but I'm curious what it does with a charged light attached for weeks on end. 

Thanks!
Dave


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## selfbuilt (Dec 22, 2014)

ort5 said:


> Can the lights be left on the charger base indefinitely? I understand that the charge terminates once the target voltage is reached, but I'm curious what it does with a charged light attached for weeks on end.


You should be fine. My USB multimeter shows zero current, indicating a full termination. Even if there were to be some periodic micro-current pulse (below the ability of the USB multimeter to detect), this would no be enough cause any issue with the battery. Although as a matter of good practice, I always recommend removing devices from their charger when fully charged (if feasible).


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## curlysir (Dec 23, 2014)

My biggest complaint with the S10R is the clip. I don't like it, it is too tight to easily clip on jean pockets. It is not just the small dimple on the inside of the clip. on mine the gap between the clip is very narrow. Other then that I really like the light.


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## chrisbfu (Dec 25, 2014)

They took my favorite light and made it so much better. I love the charging system.


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## Mr. Nobody (Dec 25, 2014)

Question if I throw a 14500 lithium ion in the s15 baton will I get more output ?


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## tobrien (Dec 26, 2014)

thanks as usual SB! it's great to see that the Olight 16340 outperforms the AW 16340 (black)

it looks like the Olight 16340 is $3.95 at IS/Illumn, whereas the cheapest genuine AW 16340s I can find are $6.74 (at RTDVapor), so they're about $2.79 cheaper before shipping, nice!

did/has Olight commented on the cell not going above 4.15 when charged? I'm tempted to get a few.

lastly, it looks like the cell either uses a steel protection plate or has the protection up top on the positive end. Any idea which?


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## selfbuilt (Dec 26, 2014)

Mr. Nobody said:


> Question if I throw a 14500 lithium ion in the s15 baton will I get more output ?


I suggest you check out my S15 and S15R review for more info on how 14500 compares to standard AA in those lights. S15R on 14500 output is less than the S10R on RCR, however.



tobrien said:


> did/has Olight commented on the cell not going above 4.15 when charged? I'm tempted to get a few.lastly, it looks like the cell either uses a steel protection plate or has the protection up top on the positive end. Any idea which?


I haven't unwrapped the cell, so don't know how it is configured. Don't know what the issue was on my one sample, but I don't have others to test. Performance certainly seems quite good, regardless - sounds like a good bargain for the price.


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## tobrien (Dec 26, 2014)

selfbuilt said:


> I haven't unwrapped the cell, so don't know how it is configured. Don't know what the issue was on my one sample, but I don't have others to test. Performance certainly seems quite good, regardless - sounds like a good bargain for the price.



gotcha, thanks man! I wonder if anyone else had that problem, hmm. I misinterpreted your writing in the review as potentially having a few cells by Olight (16340) that wouldn't go above 4.15


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## logindetails (Jan 27, 2015)

The temptation with these chargeable lights is to pop them onto the charging unit when not in use so that they are always 100% ready to go when you need them. What effect does this have on the battery - is it a good idea to keep NiMh or lithium batteries continually topped up?


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## selfbuilt (Jan 27, 2015)

logindetails said:


> The temptation with these chargeable lights is to pop them onto the charging unit when not in use so that they are always 100% ready to go when you need them. What effect does this have on the battery - is it a good idea to keep NiMh or lithium batteries continually topped up?


It's fine for Li-ion. You can check with the experts in the batteries sub-forum here, but it doesn't hurt Li-ion to be frequently topped up. For long-term storage though, you are better keeping them at a lower charge level.


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## logindetails (Jan 28, 2015)

selfbuilt said:


> It's fine for Li-ion. You can check with the experts in the batteries sub-forum here, but it doesn't hurt Li-ion to be frequently topped up. For long-term storage though, you are better keeping them at a lower charge level.


Thanks, good to know Li-ion's will be ok, what about Ni-Mh if they were used in the S15R?


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## selfbuilt (Jan 28, 2015)

logindetails said:


> Thanks, good to know Li-ion's will be ok, what about Ni-Mh if they were used in the S15R?


If using NiMH on the S15R, do NOT place them on the charger (it is designed for Li-ion only). But in principle, it should be fine to keep you NiMH cells frequently topped up.


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## Pilot (Feb 16, 2015)

I may have missed it, but are both 2014/2015 editions of the S10 (S10 and S10R) have the switch, and other upgrades indicated over the 2013 model. I am going to pick one of these up for EDC to supplement my L10.


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## selfbuilt (Feb 16, 2015)

Pilot said:


> I may have missed it, but are both 2014/2015 editions of the S10 (S10 and S10R) have the switch, and other upgrades indicated over the 2013 model. I am going to pick one of these up for EDC to supplement my L10.


I believe that was the intent, but it may take time for all dealers to work through their inventory of older S10s.


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## jarcher12 (Feb 27, 2015)

selfbuilt said:


> It's fine for Li-ion. You can check with the experts in the batteries sub-forum here, but it doesn't hurt Li-ion to be frequently topped up. For long-term storage though, you are better keeping them at a lower charge level.


Thanks for great review. This was exactly the question I had too.


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## Beckler (Feb 28, 2015)

After using my S10R for a few weeks I can add some comments, both + and -.

+Bright/small. For the size, the brightest of this batt. type I could find in fact, that had a side switch. I'm using it as a keychain light; ok so far but definitely a little on the big side.
+Charging base, and includes everything you need.

-The side switch is hard to find by feel. Try it without looking and you'll find your fingers don't find it well. The hexagonal flats around the tube aren't needed and getting rid them would make locating it much easier. As would a surface feature on the button itself.
-With winter gloves on you can forget about both finding and using the switch. This consideration would be an advantage of the twist-head (or some other) design!
-I find Low (not moonlight) too low and not useable for walking for example, but Medium is too much.
-The low-batt. LED only came on in high mode and light shuts off very soon after. Not overly useful. Threshold should be raised a bit and once it's crossed, LED should be permanently on in all levels.
-More of a general comment but some of the user interface I don't agree with. Holding to change modes namely is really annoying IMO. OTOH having direct access to max and min levels is v. good.


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## WarRaven (Jun 29, 2015)

I just received two S10Rs, one had a dead cell out of box, but was recovered.
Both lights charge to a maximum of 4.14 volts as Selfbuilt found with his review light.

I'm awaiting a reply from Olight on the matter.


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## joxa80 (Sep 27, 2015)

today i tried to turn on my s10r and it lit up in low mode only,tried to change modes but it didnt, then tried to turn it off but it didnt either,then it started flickering and had a noise like coil wine,i unscrewed the tailcup to turn it off and i saw the screwed ring that holds the spring in the tailcup was a bit loose so i tighten it up by screwing it up with some pliers and now it doesnt work at all.i already send an email to olight but if someone here has some idea i am all ears.my battery shows 4.1v when i messure it so i believe its not there the fault.also when i place the flashlight to the dock the light in the dock still flashes red slow like when its idle with no flashlight on it.


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## WarRaven (Sep 28, 2015)

Hi Joxa88.
Sorry to hear you got troubles.

First I'd email Olight and tell them your issues.

With that said, issue is the center brass pin on tail cap. It gets pushed in from charger and does not always find it's way back into correct position leaving you with erratic operation.
Take a pen, and push it in and out a couple times while flashlight is all assembled, then retry turbo.
If no turbo, it's not seated yet.
Same issue S30R had.


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## joxa80 (Sep 28, 2015)

in mine is metal pin not brass,anyway i did what you said and even disassembled the tailcup and re assembled but nothing expept that now the docking station sees that the flashlight is on it, and that the battery is full


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## WarRaven (Sep 28, 2015)

Sorry, not thinking earlier, so if it (pin)was seated correctly, how is bare section where light battery tube seats against cap?
That should be cleaned and cap tightly screwed on periodically.


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## joxa80 (Sep 28, 2015)

by eye seems clean and wiped it with some paper also,dont know what else to do,maybee tomorow i will clean the spot with some contact cleaner sprey.


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## WarRaven (Sep 28, 2015)

Qtip should clean it well enough, little alcohol if you have it.
For either it, you or both☺

You checked battery/cell with a meter?
If it's still not lighting up, shoot Olight a email.


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## joxa80 (Sep 28, 2015)

haha just finished cleaning with a qtip and alcohol and then saw your post,but still nothing, battery shows to the 4.14v.i already send an email to olight from yesterday but still no answer,maybe i should send an other one.anyway thanks for your help.


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## WarRaven (Sep 28, 2015)

Swab both ends☺👍
Last thing, try a triple press, like going straight to strobe from off?
Just curious.


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## joxa80 (Sep 28, 2015)

just did that too but nothing,its so damn frustrating


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## WarRaven (Sep 28, 2015)

If it still comes on in low, tap base of flashlight on solid wood flatly as possible, glass end up.
Anything?


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## joxa80 (Sep 28, 2015)

did that too but sadly nothing,it doesnt come in low either today,last time came on low yesterday but wouldnt turn off so unscrewed the tailcup to shut it off and since then its commpletly dead.olight just send me a reply suggesting me to clean the tailcup with qtip and alcohol  but told them i already did.


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## WarRaven (Sep 28, 2015)

OK thanks for the dance anyhow, now Olight and you can go for a few twirls☺


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## joxa80 (Sep 28, 2015)

No i thank you for your time you spent to help me.


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## WarRaven (Sep 28, 2015)

Most welcome friend. 👍
Good luck on a speedy turn around.


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## ArmoredFiend (Oct 1, 2015)

Ordered mine after reading Selfbuilt's review...hopefully there's no issue with the pin or contact. Keeping fingers crossed...always needed a pocket rocket.. 

And oh, my first Olight as well.. :laughing:


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## joxa80 (Oct 1, 2015)

I got an rma and send it back.


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## WarRaven (Oct 1, 2015)

Right on Joxa80, good luck on another speedy turn around too friend.


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## joxa80 (Oct 1, 2015)

Thanks buddy


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## ArmoredFiend (Oct 4, 2015)

Hi selfbuilt,
Do u know what happen after the light is on in high mode? I read some say that it will step down to medium after 4.5mins. But mine turn off itself in high mode in less than 15 seconds.


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## ArmoredFiend (Oct 4, 2015)

My Olight RCR123 was at 3.4v while the AW black label is at 3.8v. Charging both batteries now..gonna try again on High mode once it's full. Will update again.


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## ArmoredFiend (Oct 5, 2015)

Fully charged the Olight RCR123 to around 4.17v...and tested with high mode...doing fine for >4mins without shutting off.

So i guess it's drained cell then.. Now i am super happy!


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## selfbuilt (Oct 5, 2015)

ArmoredFiend said:


> Fully charged the Olight RCR123 to around 4.17v...and tested with high mode...doing fine for >4mins without shutting off.
> So i guess it's drained cell then.. Now i am super happy!


Good. As you will see in the runtimes, there is no step-down on the S10R on Hi.


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## ArmoredFiend (Oct 7, 2015)

selfbuilt said:


> Good. As you will see in the runtimes, there is no step-down on the S10R on Hi.


yup. and they should send you more light...this is not the first light i purchased after reading your review.. Keep up the good work!!


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## clemence (Dec 13, 2015)

Hi SB,

Is it possible to use the lamp when it's being charged? That would be a nice night lamp in my room!

Thank you,
Clemence


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## selfbuilt (Dec 15, 2015)

clemence said:


> Is it possible to use the lamp when it's being charged? That would be a nice night lamp in my room!


Sorry, I'm away from my office right now, and don't have the light with me. Hopefully someone else can weigh in ... my recollection is that it won't turn on while being charged, but I'm not entirely sure (and will need to double-check later).


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## clemence (Dec 15, 2015)

No problem, take your time. =)


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## Wet (Dec 16, 2015)

clemence said:


> Hi SB,
> 
> Is it possible to use the lamp when it's being charged? That would be a nice night lamp in my room!
> 
> ...


Unfortunately it's not possible because the tailcap breaks the electric circuit from the battery to the light circuit board and the light shuts down whenever it's placed on its charging dock. I remember hearing that with S30R II it's possible though because it uses a special battery that doesn't require breaking the electric circuit when charging.


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## wolf_walker (Dec 17, 2015)

Still loving this light as edc, but I did break the darn pocket clip trying to reverse it in the dark yesterday.
I emailed olight CS, hopefully I can buy another cheap.


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## joxa80 (Jan 8, 2016)

i am so happy to have my flashlight back today fully working again.was a long time thanks to post office.


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