# 4Sevens Quark Mini AA & 123 Review: BEAMSHOTS, RUNTIMES, PICS, and more!



## selfbuilt (Apr 14, 2010)

_*Reviewer's Note: *The Quark MiNi lights were provided for review by 4Sevens.com. Please see their website for more info._

_*UPDATE May 27, 2010:* For a discussion of the possible tint options for the Mini line (i.e. Cool White, Neutral White, Warm White), please see my new Mini Tint Comparison Review._
_
*UPDATE May 28, 2010:* A separate review of the new Mini CR2 has just been posted._

*Warning: Even more pic heavy than usual. oo:*

*Manufacturer's specifications, condensed from their 4sevens.com:*

LED: CREE XP-G R5
Max Output: 123: 189 OTF lumens, AA: 90 OTF lumens
Material: Type-III Hard-anodized Aircraft-grade Aluminum
Lens: Optical-grade glass lens with anti-reflective coating on both sides
Water resistance: IPX-8
Battery: 123: 1xCR123A (3V max); AA: 1xAA (1.5V max)
Seven Output Modes:
Low: 123: 3 OTF lumens, 150 hours; AA: 2.7 OTF lumens, 60 hours
Medium: 123: 40 OTF lumens, 8 hours; AA: 25 OTF lumens, 8 hours
High: 123: 189 OTF lumens, 1.2 hours; AA: 90 OTF lumens, 1.3 hours
Special (hidden) modes:
Strobe: 123: 2.4 hours; AA: 4 hours
SOS: 123: 7.2 hours; AA: 12 hours
Beacon (Hi): 123: 12 hours; AA: 20 hours
Beacon (Lo): 123: 60 hours; AA: 100 hours
Dimensions:
Length: 123: 2.3 inches; AA: 3.0 inches
Diameter: 123: 0.80 inches; AA: 0.70 inches
Weight (w/o battery): 123: 0.62 ounces; 123 Ti: 0.9 ounces; AA: 0.67 ounces; AA Ti: 0.8 ounces
MSRP: $39 for aluminum versions, $69 for Ti versions
The Quark Mini line is a new group of 4Sevens lights that are designed to be as small as possible, with a simple and easy-to-use twisty interface (similar to the 4Sevens Preon series and the ITP A-series lights reviewed previously). This round-up review includes the regular aluminum and titanium versions of the Mini 123 and Mini AA.











Each light comes in an identical good-quality presentation case, similar to a medium-sized jewelery box (i.e. solid lid with hinge). Inside, you find the light well packaged inside white cut-out foam, along with a battery (Duracell AA or 4Sevens CR123A, as appropriate), good quality wrist strap/lanyard, and manual 

_To keep this simple, I will alternate between representative pics of the various samples below. Construction is generally equivalent between all the specimens, so my comments apply equally to each member of the Mini family. This will save me from having to take a gazillion photos ... :sweat:_
































From left to right: Surefire CR123A, 4Sevens MiNi 123, ITP A1, NaitHawk Dear 123, Nitecore EX10, 4Sevens Quark 123, Novatac 120P, 4Sevens MiNi Titanium 123.





From left to right: Duracell AA, 4Sevens MiNi AA, ITP A2, NiteCore D10, DST TLR Titanium, 4Sevens Quark AA, 4Sevens MiNi Titanium AA.

As you can see, the lights are indeed quite small for their respective classes. Basically, you don’t get much smaller than this! Like the popular 1xAAA series 4Sevens Preon and ITP/Maratac lights, the aluminum body construction seems thin (i.e. body walls), but is still serviceable. The titanium versions are of course more sturdy, due to the source material used.

The Minis have the advantage of generous knurling, which makes it easier to use the twist feature one-handed. :thumbsup:  Knurling is fairly aggressive – on both the aluminum and titanium versions. I didn’t notice any chips or damage in the finish on any of my samples. The finish of the titanium versions is somewhat shiny (i.e. high gloss polished).














In keeping with the minimalist build, the head has a simple contact board (which just happens to look an awful lot like the ITP A1/A2 ... ). 

Note that the threads were somewhat "gritty" on several of my samples. Although this didn't interfere with operation, I recommend you clean them thoroughly upon arrival (and maybe even apply a small amount of a good quality non-conducting lube). Note also that titanium lights typically suffer from some degree of "galling" in the screw threads (i.e. a sticky/binding sensation - this is normal).

The lights all use a removable spring for the negative contact, which should reduce the risk of accidentally crushing a cell. :thumbsup:










The lights can tailstand, and there is thoughtfully an attachment point for a lanyard. :thumbsup:


















The lights feature one of the latest edition Cree emitters - the XP-G (R5 output bin, no tint bin specified). Reflector is not overly deep, but heavily textured. 

And now for the requisite white wall hunting . To begin, here are the 1xCR123A lights on Max with on AW RCR, about 0.5 meters from a white wall:




























And now the 1xAA lights, on Sanyo eneloop, about 0.5 meters from a white wall:













As expected, beam pattern is fairly good for a general purpose light. Don’t expect massive throw from an XP-G. Tint was generally slightly on the yellow-green side of cool white (i.e. not a premium output bin). :shrug: For those of you not familiar with tint bins, please see my Colour tint comparison and the summary LED tint charts found here. 

As an aside, you will note the strong beam pattern similarity to the ITP A1/A2 lights. It’s a little more than that – if you check out my review of those lights, you will see *they share an almost identical build* with the Minis. Sure, the Minis have a different lanyard attachment and aggressive knurling, but the difference to the A1/A2 is very much similar to the Maratac compared to the ITP A3. In fact, the head/body tubes are interchangeable between the Minis and ITP A1/A2 … 

_*UPDATE:* Note that the standard Cool White Minis are shown above. For a discussion of the possible tint options for the Mini line (i.e. Cool White, Neutral White, Warm White), please see my new Mini Tint Comparison Review._

*User Interface*

The Minis use the same interface as the AAA 4Sevens Preons. In their standard operating mode, they are very similar to other budget lights (e.g. ITP/Maratac), and use a Lo > Med > Hi mode sequence. However, like the Preons, the Minis have a few additional tricks up their battery tubes …. 

Basic operation is controlled by twisting the head tight against the body to activate the light, loosen to turn off. Do a twist off-on in under 1 sec and the light advances to its next mode sequence. Wait more than two seconds before re-activating the light after turning off, and it returns to default Lo (i.e. no memory mode). 

There is no strobe or SOS mode to worry about in the regular interface. :kiss: But like the Preons, they are “hidden” away if you want them. Normally, twisty-mode cycle selection continues indefinitely - keep doing off-on twists to run through all the sequences in order again. But if you run through the complete sequence twice in under two seconds (i.e. On Lo > Med > Hi > Lo > Med > Hi), you will access the additional hidden modes. These present themselves in sequence as Strobe > SOS > Hi Beacon > Lo Beacon.






Like the Preons, strobe was measured at 10Hz. Beacon modes are 5 rapid flashes followed a single ~1.25 sec flash at 10 sec intervals, at either full power (Hi) or lower power (Lo).

Note that there is no memory for “special outputs” either – if you turn off the light for more than 2 seconds, you will be back at constant output Lo when next you re-illuminate. So no worries about getting stuck accidentally strobing yourself here. :thumbsup: Frankly, this is the sort of interface I like to see – “special modes” are well hidden, and not at all obtrusive.






Like all multi-mode lights in this class, the Minis use pulse-width-modulation (PWM) for their Lo/Med modes. However, the PWM frequency is high enough at ~2.42 kHz that you will not notice it regular use, unless you really go looking for it. This is the same frequency as the 4Sevens Preons. Interestingly, it also the same exact same freq to what I obtained for the new ITP A1/A2 lights … 

*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 the extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

Throw values are the square-root of lux measurements taken at 1 meter from the lens, using a light meter.

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*



















On standard primary batteries, the Minis strike a good balance between output and runtime (i.e. in keeping with their small size, they are not exactly maximally driven). It’s a different matter on 3.7V Li-ion – on both 1xRCR and 1x14500, the Minis are real barn burners.  Frankly, I don’t consider these levels very safe for extended run – the lights will heat up very quickly. 

As expected for XP-G emitters, throw is toward the low end for the relative overall output.

Lo mode is similar to other 3-stage lights.

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*

Let’s start with the Mini 123 runtimes: 

*Note:* _Effective January 2010, all CR123A runtimes are now performed solely on Titanium Innovations batteries sponsored by BatteryJunction.com. You can compare the generally excellent performance of these CR123A cells relative to the Duracell/Surefire cells used in all my earlier reviews here. I have marked all the new runtimes of lights with Titanium Innovations CR123As on the graphs with an "*". _














And now the Mini AA runtimes:




































Ok, there’s a lot of data up there. :sweat:

One immediate observation is that the circuit performance on all levels is virtually identical to the ITP A1/A2 lights. :thinking: When you take into account the R5 on the Minis vs the Q5 in the A1/A2, the runtimes could almost be superimpose-able. Coupled with identical PWM frequencies, it thus seems that it isn’t only a physical build similarity that they share – the basic operation circuit mode is identical. oo:

Output/runtime efficiency on the Medium output setting is ok, but typically not as high as more expensive lights (or the regular Quark series).

_*UPDATE:* For some comparison runtimes of the new Neutral and Warm White versions of the Mini AA and Mini 123, please see my new Mini Tint Comparison Review._

*Potential Issues*

Body wall construction is fairly thin, in keeping with a budget build. Although not at as great a risk of crushing as 1xAAA lights, I would still be careful with the aluminum Minis (i.e. try to not sit on them ). 

Max output on 1x3.7V Li-ion (i.e. 1xRCR or 1x14500) is way too high for such a small build light. I recommend you do not run these lights on max on this battery source – or limit yourself to short periods of time only.

*Preliminary Observations*

The KISS 1xAAA form-factor recently took the flashlight world by storm (e.g. ITP A3, 4Sevens Preon). As a result, it’s not surprising to see 1xCR123A and 1xAA offerings following along, using a similar design approach (e.g. ITP A1/A2, 4Sevens Mini series). 

Like the 4Sevens Preon series, the Minis similarly take the small size and KISS interface a step further, with additional features (i.e. hidden special feature modes) and choice of materials (i.e. aluminum or titanium). Although not reviewed here, I understand 4Sevens has since released a 1xCR2 lights under the Mini family. 

Build-wise (as simple twisty mechanisms go), there’s not much more I would ask from the Minis. Personally, I like the minimalist style, and am glad to see the tailstanding, tail spring, and aggressive knurling. IMO, this later point is one of the main advantages of the Minis over the Preons (i.e. one-handed operation is a lot easier) – even if they aren’t quite as stylish as the Preons.  

I also like the use of the XP-G emitter, with the high output R5 bin. IMO, the smooth hotspot is great for general purpose EDC use. Note that throw is typically lower on XP-G lights, so don’t expect major throw from these tiny offerings.

Like their 1xAAA brethren, choice of output levels are reasonable, with one exception - 1x3.7 Li-ion is WAY too bright on Hi.  I note that this battery source (i.e. 1xRCR or 1x14500) is not officially supported by 4sevens. Nevertheless, it is commonly used by many members here so, so my warning persists – I do not recommend you run these lights on Hi on 1xRCR/14500 for any length of time. Efficiency of the Medium mode is also slightly lower than typical for their respective classes of light.

One interesting observation – although the Preons were a significant design change from other simple twisty 1xAAA lights (e.g. ITP A3), their overall performance was in keeping with lights of this class (once you took the different output bins into account). An even greater similarly in performance can be seen here for the Minis (i.e. equivalent basic circuit performance to the ITP A1/A2, but with a much higher output bin). Build-wise, the difference between the Minis and the budget ITP A1/A2 is reminiscent of the Maractac/ITP A3 difference. Of particular note – the heads and bodies of the Minis are interchangeable with the ITP A1/A2.  

The Minis are certainly very nice offerings in this class of light. Although I don’t usually comment on price, they are also quite competitive (especially with the CPF discount ), considering all that you get in the package.


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## was.lost.but.now.found (Apr 14, 2010)

Another great review selfbuilt - thank you for your efforts.

It almost looks like the mini AA was born to run off lithium primary doesn't it?


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## derfyled (Apr 14, 2010)

Wow !
Again, another excellent review ! Good work !

2 questions:

On the picture, the Ti version seems slightly shorter than the AL one, is that the case ? 

Also, I don't see anywhere a mention about regulation, are these direct driven and dimmed by PWM ?

Again, :thumbsup:


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## selfbuilt (Apr 14, 2010)

derfyled said:


> On the picture, the Ti version seems slightly shorter than the AL one, is that the case ?


No, they are the same height. 



> Also, I don't see anywhere a mention about regulation, are these direct driven and dimmed by PWM ?


Well, judging the from the runtimes, the lights certainly seem to be direct-drive when run on max on 1x3.7V Li-ion sources. 

But the Max mode on primary cells (i.e. CR123A in Mini 123, Eneloop/L91 in Mini AA) are fully regulated and there is no sign of a PWM signal. PWM only shows up on Lo/Med.


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## Gryffin (Apr 14, 2010)

Regulation seems very good, but… I notice some gradual dimming on lithium ion cells. Could that be due to heat build-up, degrading the output?


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## Burgess (Apr 14, 2010)

Thank you once again, SelfBuilt, for another Excellent review.

:goodjob::kewlpics::thanks:
_


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## selfbuilt (Apr 15, 2010)

Gryffin said:


> Regulation seems very good, but… I notice some gradual dimming on lithium ion cells. Could that be due to heat build-up, degrading the output?


Nah, I suspect that's simply due to the direct-drive nature of the light on Max on Li-ion (i.e. it is relying on the internal resistance of the cells to provide quasi-regulated output). Its common enough on a number of multi-power lights, and is actually quite efficient.

The heat concern is more for long-term stability of the emitter and circuitry. Given the small heatsink, I worry that extended use at this level could slowly (or rapidly) damage the emitter, or simply cause the light to suddenly stop working.


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## selfbuilt (Apr 17, 2010)

So, anyone else have the ITP A1/A2 and a Mini AA/123 and would like to compare? 

Personally, I really like the knurling and tailstanding ability of these Quark Minis (much the same as I preferred those features on the Maratac version of the ITP A3). I'm curious to hear other users experiences ...


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## Zendude (Apr 18, 2010)

selfbuilt said:


> So, anyone else have the ITP A1/A2 and a Mini AA/123 and would like to compare?
> 
> Personally, I really like the knurling and tailstanding ability of these Quark Minis (much the same as I preferred those features on the Maratac version of the ITP A3). I'm curious to hear other users experiences ...



Great review as always selfbuilt! I've been waiting a long time for this one.:nana:

Yeah, this reminds me of the days of the GM "Famero" and all the other interchangeable subspecies vehicles they made in the 60's, 70's and beyond.:laughing:

I've been playing with my buddy's A2(that just sounds wrong) and the similarities can't be dismissed.

The XPG is impressive indeed! Love those runtimes! Alki and L91 performance is outstanding! Quite the battery vampire.


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## joshconsulting (Apr 18, 2010)

Awesome review, glad you finally got around to reviewing these lights. And yes, the output is insane with RCRs - I make sure I'm holding mine firmly and only use high for a few minutes, as it heats up fast. The only disadvantage is that 4sevens has every right to decline a warranty request if your using RCRs. Hopefully they'll still honor it as long as the problem obviously isn't related to the RCRs (i.e. cracked lens).


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## DragonFlame (Apr 20, 2010)

Are these compatible with the other Quark components? Meaning regular Quark bodies or tailcaps.


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## AnAppleSnail (Apr 20, 2010)

DragonFlame said:


> Are these compatible with the other Quark components? Meaning regular Quark bodies or tailcaps.




No. They're much too small (see: Diameter).

Stick a small rare-earth magnet under the cone of the spring, it's nice to stick these to computer cases. Thick, slightly under dime-size, and you're set.

Edit: Grammar.


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## BigusLightus (Apr 21, 2010)

I've been running AW's 3.2V LiFePo4 123 in my Mini and was concerned about over-driving on HIGH. I'm glad to hear that others have used 3.7V LiCo's without any problems other than heat. Heat I can manage. I just don't want to fry any electronics.

Great review. Thank you for all the information.


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## Purpleorchid (Apr 21, 2010)

Nice review! Speaking of diameter, there's a copy/paste error in the diameter spec. The AA diameter is a little off (3 inches).


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## selfbuilt (Apr 21, 2010)

BigusLightus said:


> I've been running AW's 3.2V LiFePo4 123 in my Mini and was concerned about over-driving on HIGH. I'm glad to hear that others have used 3.7V LiCo's without any problems other than heat. Heat I can manage. I just don't want to fry any electronics.


FYI, the ITP version of this light (made by the same source) explicitly allows 3.7V Li-ion RCR. But given how heavily driven it is on Hi, I suspect David chose to err on the side of caution and not officially support this on the Mini version.

Makes sense to me, since 4sevens would have to offer warranty service if they claimed support. End result is that you are free to use 'em if you want, but don't expect a warranty claim if something goes . Still, should be perfectly safe on Lo/Med, I would think.


Purpleorchid said:


> Nice review! Speaking of diameter, there's a copy/paste error in the diameter spec. The AA diameter is a little off (3 inches).


Fixed


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## JWP_EE (Apr 22, 2010)

Has anyone tried the MiNi AA with a NiZn cell? I was wondering if there is a noticeable difference in light output on high with the higher voltage.


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## Monocrom (Apr 25, 2010)

Another excellent review as always.

One small thing, the black Preon model's matte finish allows it to be twisted to the on position with one hand. But must admit, much easier to do that with the 1xCR123 Mini.


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## dr. quad (May 5, 2010)

GOOD job, nice review! i especially liked the runtime charts!


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## Mikellen (May 24, 2010)

was.lost.but.now.found said:


> Another great review selfbuilt - thank you for your efforts.
> 
> It almost looks like the mini AA was born to run off lithium primary doesn't it?



Yeah, on high it runs 3X as long as 4Sevens specifications. I wonder what the runtime would be on medium? 

I'm rather surprised that operating with an Nimh battery the runtime was only about 5 1/2 hours while 4Sevens specs state 8 hrs.


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## Machete God (May 25, 2010)

Thanks for the informative and thorough review, reading this makes me enjoy my MiNi AA even more.

Can't wait for the arrival of my 14500s!


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## eebowler (Jun 28, 2010)

Thanks for the review


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## caall99 (Oct 29, 2010)

Why is it that the Quark Mini AA has a longer run time and brighter output when run with the 14500 3.7V lipo while the Quark Mini 123 has a shorter runtime AND lower output while running on the RCR123 3.7V lipo??? Doesn't make any sense...


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## AlexLED (Jan 29, 2013)

Great review, as always, thank you very much ! 

Only detail I'm missing is reverse polarity protection (for AA), can anybody comment ? The foursevens homepage is not really clear in this neither.


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## selfbuilt (Jan 29, 2013)

AlexLED said:


> Only detail I'm missing is reverse polarity protection (for AA), can anybody comment ? The foursevens homepage is not really clear in this neither.


Hmmm, I don't recall any mention of it for this series (but then again, I do look at a lot of lights). 

Probably best to check with Foursevens directly. In the absence of a definite statement, I would recommend always assuming there is no circuit reverse-polarity protection in any given light. 

That have said, I have briefly reversed batteries a couple of times in my life, with no apparent ill effects except in one case of a cheapie discount light that blew its circuit. Of course, I don't recommend you try that on purpose (the few times I've done it, I've immediately realized my mistake the turned the light off to correct the error). Don't remember what lights it occured in, though.


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## jkid1911 (Feb 2, 2013)

I have the 4Sevens Quark Mini AA, and was wondering how it compared to the 123. Another awesome and comprehensive review. It's clear to me that you are the member to keep my eye on whenever I need new flashlight info and a review. Thanks again for another incredible review...!! :thumbsup:


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## LanthanumK (May 4, 2014)

Dragging up an older thread here, but...

I just did a runtime test for my brand-new Foursevens Quark Mini MA XP-G Gen 2 neutral tint with the included Chinese Duracell alkaline battery on low mode, testing the claim of 60 hours. I got 42 hours before it completely blinked out. I am rather disappointed that the runtime was overstated so much. The last 8 hours or so were in a sub-lumen moon mode of sorts. The battery measured 0.75V after shutoff.


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## 4sevens (May 4, 2014)

LanthanumK said:


> Dragging up an older thread here, but...
> 
> I just did a runtime test for my brand-new Foursevens Quark Mini MA XP-G Gen 2 neutral tint with the included Chinese Duracell alkaline battery on low mode, testing the claim of 60 hours. I got 42 hours before it completely blinked out. I am rather disappointed that the runtime was overstated so much. The last 8 hours or so were in a sub-lumen moon mode of sorts. The battery measured 0.75V after shutoff.



Have you tried it with another alkaline battery? It's been a couple years since the neutrals were made. If you used the included cell it could be not 100% Alkalines have a limited shelf life.


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## 5CardBLAZE (Jun 25, 2015)

.


Bought 3x High-CRI Q-mini AAs a few years back.
Didn't realise just _how warm_ their WW tint would be. No deal breaker; just inexperience on my part.

The runtimes _Verses_ percieved output levels dissapoints me when compared to runtimes from my L3 Illuminations L10 v1 but [_especially_] my Eagtac D25A Clicky {which is exceptional}.

The mini AAs' effect on the ground/grass is great when walking/exploring under overcast suburban night skys.
And their spill angle is _huge_.:candle:

But dispite trying really hard to love these tiny, tiny little 1x AA cell pocket-carry lights, the PWM is their deal breaker with me.:tsk:
If they were constant current controlled, one of `em truly would be my Every Day Carry to this very day, with the other two as perminant back-ups back at home.

With Respect To EDC, these models (later re-named Q mini-MA) have the longest SOS runtime I've seen in AA torches --- even 2xAA models.


Although not rated for 14500, they run pleasantly well with Keeppower 840mA 14500s, despite the extra, extra long length of these 14500s.
...True, it takes more beef to turn/_twist_ them on & change modes; but gives me more confidence that my Q-mini AA will not accidentally turn on unknowingly in my pocket.
And the threads have so many turns, that they could never ever unwind in my pocket as long as the O-Ring lives in there.:buddies:
Another pleasant thing when running 14500 instead of eneloop AA is that low (2.7) _AND_ mid (30) stay the same. That is, _average_-current goes down to match, because voltage went up. 
So they look the same [in lo & mid] no matter which chemistry is used. Runtime goes down however.
But high is full steam ahead --- Just like NiMh AA, no PWM just 100% output. And what an output But hold on tight `cause it gets hot fast.

So, the same moonlight [or just above a 1 lumen+] and the same _useful_ good-level medium for most every other task, and a blast of long distance illumination, for just-in-case.

[...] just my 2 lumens worth.


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