# NEW - A slimmer (better?) Sipik SK68?



## Rosoku Chikara (Nov 30, 2013)

Anyone else seen this new little AA (or 14500) flashlight on eBay?











Search for "_CREE LED Zoom Zoomable Focus 7W Q5 Mini Flashlight Torch 600 LM Waterproof." _It appears to be available in black, gold, and silver colored finishes. The overall description is very "Sipik-like" (ignoring their patently "false" claim of 600 Lumens, of course):

-Emitter Type: CREE Q5 LED
-Brightness: 600 Lumens
-Light Color: White 
-LED Quantity: 1
-Lighting Distance: About 100m
-LED bulb lifespan: 100,000 hours
-Battery Configuration: 14500 battery or AA battery (not include battery ) 
-Input Voltage: 1.2 ~ 4.2V
-Power: 7W
-Switch Type: Tail-cap 
-Lens: Convex Lens
-Reflector: Aluminum Smooth/SMO Reflector
-Dimensions(L x Head Dia. x Body Dia.): 100 x 20 x 20 mm
-Material: Aluminum Alloy 
-Color: Black
-Weight: 33g

(Based on the above dimensions, it appears to be about 2 mm longer, but it is also a full 6 mm thinner than the venerable SK68. To my eye, it has a considerably more refined and "elegant" look.)

I ordered one for $4.40 + $0.99 shipping, but when I put in my Japanese shipping address... the $0.99 shipping charge "went away" and I got the typical "Free Economy Shipping" from China. (Apparently, the $0.99 shipping charge is for something called an "ePacket" that is not necessary, or perhaps not even available, when shipping to Japan.)

The one I ordered should arrive within a few weeks, but in the meantime, I was curious to know whether anyone else on this forum has already seen and/or tested this flashlight, yet. It certainly looks interesting enough to me. (And, like the SK68, the price is certainly right!)


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Dec 1, 2013)

I thought about posting about this one the other day, saw them at bangood, US$4 (SKU093225). As you say, seems fairly similar to the SK68, the banggood ones list and show as being an XP-E.
Looks like they also have the gold option, for an additional $0.50.
Might accidentally buy one just for the hell of it, worst case scenario you have a spare XP-E, which almost costs that much by itself.


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## JacobJones (Dec 1, 2013)

I have one, bought it from wallbuys a couple of months ago for 2.99 USD (unfortunately price has now gone up to 3.94 USD). I'll do my best to describe it without rambling too much.

- Anodising is of decent quality, slightly glossy with no imperfections (comparable to ITP).
- Components are well machined allthough the tailcap threads are a bit loose
- 3 modes, Hi>Low>Strobe. Has annoying next mode memory. PWM is visible if I wave my hand vigorously in front of the light. PWM is audible if I hold it close to my ear.
- Emitter is a cree XP-E, don't know the bin. Mine is slightly blue but not unpleasantly so (for the price)
- Wallbuys claim 20 lumens, I estimate 100+ (about the same as sipik sk68 clones), low mode could be 20.
- Dimensions are l: 91-102mm W: 21mm.
- Weight with a Sanyo eneloop: 59 grams.
- Can tail and head stand although the switch and lense do protrude extremely slightly.
- Switch is very soft to press.
- Zoomie head is firm but slides smoothly, presumably is uses an O ring rather than a metal one like some of the sk68 clones.
- The pocket clip is really very good, because it's fitted on the threads between the tailcap and the body there is no risk of it coming off unintentionally. It is probably more flexible than some would like but this does make it easy to slide onto delicate clothing.

Mine has no markings, brands, logos.

The flood setting is wider than that of the sk68 clones, due to the longer focal length lense the focused beam is slightly narrower than that of the sk68 clones. Throw is about equal (no lux meter, no numbers) to that of my 3 sk68 clones despite the slightly smaller lense.

Now the exciting bit, there is a piece of matt black plastic on the pill surrounding the LED, this coupled with the XP-E and an excellent lense results in a cleaner beam than its sk68 clone competitors. The pill also has two dimples to allow for unscrewing with a tool.

I have tried to be as thorough as I can in my assessment, if anyone has any more queries I would be only too pleased to help. I shall also try and get some photographs for you all over the next few days (but no promises).


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Dec 2, 2013)

You had me at... all of the above! 
Looks like Wallbuys is another one to add to my list, I was going to say I hadn't heard of them before, then realised it was the place I recently got a $0.01 2xAAA torch from :thumbsup: Obviously the promo deal didn't make the impact on me that it was supposed to.

The banggood one seems to only be single mode, I'd like the three mode option this time, but unfortunately that's only available in the black, the gold is single-mode. Might check around, found some gold ones on ebay with multi-mode, will dig a bit deeper...


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## okeenu (Dec 2, 2013)

Im up to three now.. A silver and black that are single mode, and a gold multi mode..


Mine are from at least two different mfg. Also . parts dont interchange well between the gold and the other two..

As stated by others they seem to be a slimmer Sk68 clone, It does seem to be AT LEAST as bright as most of my sipiks.

The clip design makes it easier to remove, and cuts out the one little guy on the assy line that had to put all those tiny screws in.


I started not to mention this next part because I like these lights and hate to scare anyone off, but..
my silver one (no markings) just Quit after 20-30 min of use. I ck'ed the cap and battery by exchanging with the black one and traced it to the "pill"...

As ALL my sipk clones STILL work...I hope this is a fluke...
The seller is sendind me a replacement pill..so i have one to take apart and play with.. I'll post when I do...

There is nothing about this design that would make it prone to failure more than any other sipik or clone design..

If you like the Sipik 68 clones you will like these too...


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## Rosoku Chikara (Dec 17, 2013)

Well, I finally got my new Aleto (the new "slimmer" Sipik?). Actually, I ended up getting more than one! (Imagine that... )

Here is a photo of one of mine compared to a Sipik SK68 and an Eneloop cell:




As I said, I now have more than one, and here is one strange thing (the model numbers are different):




Here are the three colors as currently available from Banggood (the others came from two different eBay sellers). The Banggood models have no marking at all:




All of mine are single mode (High - on/off only), but that is what I personally prefer. All in all, I would say that these are excellent little flashlights. Until proven otherwise, I would say that they seem to be as good as the trusty old Sipik, and considerably better in some ways (smaller, sleeker, and less optical artifacts), _with the exception of_ *one* "minor" problem. (Minor, but it bothered me.) As *jkpq45* says in his post on another thread: 



jkpq45 said:


> ...Nice focus, too--even if the head's a bit wobbly...<snip>



The "head" or "zoom assembly" is a bit too "wobbly." But, not to fear, there is a quick and easy fix. As you can see in the following photos, I simply replaced the low quality tensioning ring with a good quality O-ring. That tightened things up immediately. Almost too tight now. Mine even require a little bit of Super Lube grease. But, I do not use the zoom function very much (generally keep mine on "flood"), so I greatly prefer the tight to loose. By selecting an O-ring of a bit softer material, you could probably strike a happy medium. Anyway, no wobble in mine anymore.





As you can see in the above photos, the stock wire tensioning ring is just too loose. Replacing it with the pictured "#9" O-ring (8.8mm ID and 1.9mm thickness) tightens it right up. You may have some difficulty getting the O-ring on. I found it was very helpful to screw the pill back into the body (without the zoom assembly) so that you have something larger to hold on to.


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## noboneshotdog (Dec 17, 2013)

I bought the Banggood one and it wasnt even good enough to give away. One of the junkiest lights I have ever purchased. Was Iin no way comparable to the basic but good quality of the Sipik. Dont by the Banggood its bangbad ajd took 2 months to arrive.


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## Rosoku Chikara (Dec 17, 2013)

noboneshotdog said:


> I bought the Banggood one and it wasnt even good enough to give away. One of the junkiest lights I have ever purchased. Was Iin no way comparable to the basic but good quality of the Sipik. Dont by the Banggood its bangbad ajd took 2 months to arrive.



Well, I hardly know what to say to this...

First of all, the five examples that I have are all physically the same (except for the silk-screening, or lack thereof), so I think you will get the same flashlight whether you order from Banggood or not. As for their over all quality, I do not agree that these flashlights are all that "junky." (In fact, I like mine a lot, and will probably start buying these instead of the old Sipiks.)

It is true that they are much slimmer, which results in thinner material. The "zoom assembly" in particular, appears to be made from some sort of extrusion, rather than being milled, so it is much more lightweight, thus giving the flashlight a less solid feel. (This is further exacerbated by the "wobbliness" mentioned in my post above.) However, that wobble is easy to fix, and in my opinion, they appear to be pretty good flashlights that are most likely capable of giving the same or very similar service as the trusty old Sipik. (Perhaps others that have tested these little flashlights can voice their opinions or experiences here.)

Some have already pointed out the improved optics of these flashlgihts, in comparison to the Sipik. Poor optics were always a major obstacle for some Sipik buyers. (The optics are certainly not perfect, but they are noticeably better in this new flashlight.)

I guess the "pocket clip" could be a problem for some people. The Sipik certainly has a more solid "clip" that is actually screwed on. I didn't think to mention the relatively "flimsy" pocket clip because such clips are not very important to me. I never carry a flashlight that way, and often remove the clips from my Sipiks. (The clips on these lights are very easy to remove, which is actually a small plus for me.)

I don't usually use a lanyard either, and I notice these lights do not have a lanyard attachment per se. It would be easy, however, to either attach one to the clip, or if you prefer, you could modify (cut) the clip such that it only served as a lanyard attachment. (If I really wanted a lanyard, I would probably consider drilling a small hole into the rim of the tailswitch "flange.")

The last "bad" thing that I can think of to mention is that due to the thinner material, this light could have some heat sinking issues when run on a 14500. I may have to test that soon. But, once again, 14500s are not a priority for me, and I believe that your hand makes a pretty good heat sink in most cases. (But, the light may overheat if you set it down for too long.)

Well, that's all I can think of for now. But, I wouldn't let *noboneshotdog* "scare you off" of these little flashlights. Remember, they *are* only $4.00 each (or less)! If they look interesting to you, give one a try.


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Dec 20, 2013)

My first one arrived the other day, a gold one from an ebay seller but most likely one of banggood's many ebay dropshippers. Henceforth refered to as "goldie" as we don't seem to have a code yet.
Only having one 14500, I compared it with my single Trustfire SK68 clone (also XP-E) with both running brand-new alkaline AAs (just as a comparison test)
- Flood is near-identical, "goldie" being ever so slightly larger
- focus is significantly tighter on goldie, die image is maybe 2/3 - 3/4 the size of the SK68 clone, and razor sharp. So theoretically should throw further.
- brightness is about the same, with possibly the SK68 winning out
- head seems fine on mine, not what I'd call wobbly, haven't taken it apart to see if it's an o-ring, seems about as smooth/stable as the o-ring'd SK68
- my SK68 has a much warmer tint, and seems to have better CRI; as such, it's a bit nicer for me to use. I've got two more of these coming, black 3-moders, so will see if their tints are any different/better

On a side note, I specifically ordered from this seller as they listed this gold one as being the three mode (high/low/strobe), whereas banggood etc only stock them as single mode. But teh one I received is only single mode; I'm attempting to get the seller to fix, but so far no luck, may have to open a paypal dispute to kick it up a notch.

Worst case I might swap out the pill from one of the black three-moders. If you are wondering, I'm trying to make each of my new torches obviously different, so trying to get a variety of colours etc


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Dec 20, 2013)

A few more things of note
- clip is good for attaching inside shorts pockets etc., the smoother body design won't catch like the SK68 can, and the clip is firm but soft enough to not have to struggle to get it over fabric. A downside of it's attachment though is that it's a bit of a pain when screwing/unscrewing the tailcap, especially as you have to apply a little pressure sideways to bend the clip enough to allow a straight-on threading
- unlike the SK68 where the emitter is pretty-much flush with the body when you remove the lens/bezel, this one is inset about 1cm down the zoom "tube"; as such, it's not suited to the old "pingpong ball diffuser" trick

After some to-and-fro'ing, the seller of "goldie" has said that they'll refund me $2. It'll suffice, though I still would have prefered to have gotten the specs I ordered :shakehead Guess I will try the pill swap when the next batch arrive; assuming _they_ are actually the three modes they were advertised as!
Might also be interesting to de-dome one, see how far the tint warms up and just how tight a throw it can achieve...


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## Rosoku Chikara (Dec 20, 2013)

RoGuE_StreaK said:


> ...Only having one 14500...<snip>



Did you try the 14500 at all? If so, do you believe that there will be any heat sinking issues with this light?


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## Rosoku Chikara (Dec 21, 2013)

I got out my 14500 cells today, and put one in two of these little lights. It was daylight, so I wasn't testing for brightness, only "heat sinking issues" (although I thought that they were "super bright" even in daylight). I noticed immediately that one of the lights seemed brighter than the other. And, after a few minutes it was noticeably warmer than the other, as well. So, I wondered if something might be different about the two 14500 cells (although, I did check their voltage before using them), so I swapped cells.

The brighter one remained brighter. Not a huge difference, but noticeably so. It also got hotter. I left both lights tail-standing on my desk for about 30 minutes. When I picked them up, the hotter one was pretty "warm." Not painfully hot, but starting to get a bit uncomfortable. The other one, I would call "normally warm." But, they both "cooled down" immediately in my hands. So, I think that these flashlights will work fine on 14500 cells, so long as you keep them in your hand (for the additional heat sinking that your hand provides). If you leave them laying around too long, they might get a little too hot.

No idea why one is brighter and hotter than the other. I guess, given the $4.00 price tag, you have to expect some random variation in quality. (I will try to do some better tests with these same two lights in the dark. I did't notice any difference in brightness with Eneloops when I tested them before, but I will be "looking for it" now.)


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## jorn (Dec 22, 2013)

Ill pass. Prob got a smaller diamerter lense than the sipik. means less throw..


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## RetroTechie (Dec 22, 2013)

Gold color multi-mode: I'm interested, where to buy? :thinking:


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## noboneshotdog (Dec 22, 2013)

Well, that's all I can think of for now. But, I wouldn't let *noboneshotdog* "scare you off" of these little flashlights. Remember, they *are* only $4.00 each (or less)! If they look interesting to you, give one a try.[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry, but I am just talking from experience. Out of the five I bought from Banggood 3 out of five of the plastic lenses pushed right out while toggling the zoom mechanism back and forth. I bought them as stocking stuffers for my 4 kids, but may just ditch that idea to avoid my kids being upset when they break. I agree $4 is cheap, mine were even less than that. Thats why I wont mind dropping my samples in the recycle bin. It sounds like you have had better luck, as I wish I had as well. I'm not discouraging people from buying these, just the ones from Banggood. I may give this light another try, just from another distributor. I do appreciate you bringing this light to our attention though because if there is a good sk68 alternative, I am definately interested. I specifically dissed Banggoods product, not ALL the alternatives mentioned above. Have a Merry Christmas everyone!


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## Rosoku Chikara (Dec 22, 2013)

noboneshotdog said:


> ...I specifically dissed Banggoods product, not ALL the alternatives mentioned above...<snip>



I hear you loud and clear. I have five of these things now, and as it happens, three are from Banggood. And, it just so happens that mine are all the same. (Nothing wrong with the ones from Banggood.) Don't know where they got theirs from, but some who purchased theirs in the past got different ("non-wobbly") versions, that probably use O-rings instead of metal rings. So, clearly, there is always a certain amount of randomness when buying such very low cost lights from China. All I can say is that all five of mine are "perfectly"(?) solid little lights. No parts falling off anywhere, and no evidence that they are likely to break any time soon. When did you make your purchase from Banggood?



noboneshotdog said:


> <snip>...Have a Merry Christmas everyone!



*And*, a Happy New Year!


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Dec 22, 2013)

RetroTechie said:


> Gold color multi-mode: I'm interested, where to buy? :thinking:


Apparently not from the seller I bought from, they advertised multi-mode but delivered single. May be the only option is to buy a black or silver multi-mode and swap out the pill. Awaiting the arrival of my two black ones to check that they do in fact actually have multi-modes...

RC, I haven't tested this on a 14500 yet, but that's one of the reasons I tend to prefer multi-mode, if it gets too hot (or appears to be) then you can dial it down rather than having to turn it off; I'd prefer less light than no light.


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## WarHawk-AVG (Dec 23, 2013)

Interesting, I ordered several of the Sipik SK68's from Amazon a while back...I reaaaaaly enjoy them and even running NiMH rechargeables or Alkaline AA's they do good, a slimmer less snaggy design like this is definitely a plus

Will be looking into getting some perhaps

Thanks!


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## noboneshotdog (Dec 23, 2013)

This is the one I got from Banggood that I had a problem with. Is it the same as you got from Banggood?

*Image tags removed see Rule #3 Do not Hot Link images. Please host on an image site, Imageshack or similar and repost – Thanks Norm*


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Dec 23, 2013)

Sonofa... my two black ones from Wallbuys just arrived, and again despite being specifically advertised as being three mode they are only one! 
Other than that they seem relatively well made, haven't given them a brightness/focus/tint comparison test yet (daytime). One thing I noticed is the clip doesn't get in the way of screwing/unscrewing; my gold one must have had a bit of pressure applied to it's side and bent the clip more. Didn't think of bending it to relieve , but that did show up a slight weak point, the cutouts on the clip create a much weaker point which bends a lot more easily, could get some metal fatigue there if done too much.

On a side note, I had a passing thought this morning and gave a brief test; these have boost circuits of some sort to run with an AA, so how far down can they go? Put in an old alkaline that had been powering one of my son's toys and had gone "dead", seemed to power up pretty well. Will have to do a nighttime test, and see just how much longer you can get out of a supposedly used up alkaline rather than chucking it.


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## Rosoku Chikara (Dec 23, 2013)

noboneshotdog said:


> ...This is the one I got from Banggood that I had a problem with. Is it the same as you got from Banggood?...



Yes, SKU: SKU093225 is what I bought. Price seems to have gone up a little though. I only paid $3.71 with free shipping. (+$0.50 for gold)


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## Rosoku Chikara (Dec 23, 2013)

RoGuE_StreaK said:


> Sonofa... my two black ones from Wallbuys just arrived, and again despite being specifically advertised as being three mode they are only one!
> ...<snip>



I know the feeling. Although, in my case, I usually want the single mode, and get multi-mode... Kind of like playing the lottery, I guess. 

But, if you send a nice polite message telling them that they sent you the wrong item, you may still get what you want. (Or, at the very least, they should offer you some discount.)

One the problems that these low cost Chinese sellers have is that *even they* don't know what the items really are that they are selling. They have to rely on what their suppliers tell them. (They don't open each one up to check.) And, at the prices these guys are no doubt paying, their suppliers aren't always paying much attention either, so it is quite possible that single and multi-mode lights are mixed up in the same lot.

But, if you let them know what the problem is, they should work it out with you. (At least, that has always been my experience.)

Let us know how it goes.


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## okeenu (Dec 29, 2013)

Rosoku Chikara said:


> But, if you let them know what the problem is, they should work it out with you. (At least, that has always been my experience.)
> 
> Let us know how it goes.



I mentioned in my earlier post that one of mine ... Quit.
I emailed them ,and after explaining exactly what the problem was. They agreed to send me a new "LED Part"..
Usually they will just send a new item.. but a "pill " was all I needed.
Today I got most of a Silver Light ..without the switch on the tail..
It works fine. I expect it to last as long as any now....

I gave away my gold multi mode as a Christmas present (as well as several "sipik"s), but the black one has been an excellent light .its small enough without the clip to be comfortable in a pants pocket..not as small as my Tank 007 E09..but I dont notice it.


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Dec 29, 2013)

So where are people ordering multi-mode from that are _actually_ multi-mode? I'm cheesed 'cause of the three I've ordered a grand total of zero have come as ordered. :scowl:
Wallbuys have given some runaround chinglish that basically amounts to "sorry, but it costs us money so we won't do anything, maybe next time you order we might give you something" :thumbsdow
Think it's time to bring in a paypal dispute.

PS. I pulled one apart and yes it does have an o-ring rather than the metal clip.


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## Rosoku Chikara (Dec 29, 2013)

RoGuE_StreaK said:


> So where are people ordering multi-mode from that are _actually_ multi-mode?...<snip>



Well, even with the "original" Sipik clones, it was often a kind of "hit-or-miss" thing, in my experience. (I am generally trying to get single mode, and sometimes get 3-mode instead.)

So far all of my "Aleto" flashlights have been single mode too. (And, I think that they were all advertised as such.)

Just for the fun of it, I have just ordered a multi-mode "Aleto" from DX (SKU: 251198). I will let you know what I get, once it arrives. (I expect it will take another 3-4 weeks, especially during this Holiday season.)



RoGuE_StreaK said:


> ...Wallbuys have given some runaround chinglish...



That's too bad. I don't happen to have any experience with Wallbuys. (Although, I think must have purchased from just about everybody else, at one point or another!) Language can be an issue. Politeness and persistence helps. Haven't they even offered you a few dollars store credit? (I have found in cases like this, where the product is functional, but "mis-described," offering a couple bucks off of each light seems like a common solution. And, in the case of a $4.00 light, a couple bucks off is fairly significant. Of course, store credit is only useful if you are willing to purchase something more from them.)


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## JacobJones (Jan 1, 2014)

Apparently I got lucky with wallbuys. I would go ahead and open the paypal case, if wallbuys value their customers they need to fix their descriptions and improve their customer service.


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## RogerO (Jan 7, 2014)

Just received one of these via ebay. Mine is grey, single mode, Aleto N7. Works fine, head not loose, but has about the same brightness as the "low" setting on my Sipik SK68. LED appears the same as the photo in post number 6. Edit: Just checked the voltage on the AA batteries and changed the one in the Aleto, now it is as bright as Sipik, I should have checked first.


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## nerrad (Jan 7, 2014)

Mine is not as bright as my Sipik clone. Pocket clip not good. Is wobbly when tail standing in the on position, but is still a good deal for how inexpensive these are.


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## nerrad (Jan 26, 2014)

Just tried mine with a AA battery. Doesn't work. Works with a 14500. What's my problem?


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## Rosoku Chikara (Jan 26, 2014)

nerrad said:


> Just tried mine with a AA battery. Doesn't work. Works with a 14500. What's my problem?



I read on another thread where someone had the same problem with an SK68. (Most likely caused by a defective driver board in the pill.)

Try asking the Seller for refund or replacement.


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## Rosoku Chikara (Jan 31, 2014)

Rosoku Chikara said:


> Just for the fun of it, I have just ordered a multi-mode "Aleto" from DX (SKU: 251198). I will let you know what I get, once it arrives. (I expect it will take another 3-4 weeks, especially during this Holiday season.)



Well, looks like "multi-mode" is indeed hard to purchase. I received a single mode despite very clear description of High/Low/Strobe. I will open a Ticket with DX. We will see what they have to say for themselves.


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## RetroTechie (Jan 31, 2014)

Hehe, just ordered a golden one, also from DX (sku# 245673). Which is also advertised as 3-mode and basically specced the same, apart from 0.8~3.7V and brand "RUSTU" :thinking: for the black one, vs. no-name and 1.2~1.5V for the gold color one. Which I don't care much about since running Li-ions in AA format isn't important _to me_.

Will let you know what mine turns out to be. If also single mode it might be another ticket for DX...  Ah well, with a bit of luck the driver electronics is easy to change. And who cares for 7 $ shipping included...


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## RetroTechie (Mar 7, 2014)

Finally got a pair of these today:
DX sku 245673 - the slimmer variant discussed in this thread (gold color).
DX sku 173529 - an original :thinking: Sipik SK68 (red color).

For both, the machining is poor but does the job. Lots of small pits on each body, which I think means rough/careless handling during production. Like a pile of flashlight bodies thrown in a bin, vs. caught on a soft surface & placed in trays. Anodization layer is on top of that, so you don't notice imperfections too much.
Switches feels cheapish, not a clue whether they will last. And a very, very cool white LED tint, which I've grown to hate by now. 
Both seem like manufacturer doesn't know what grease is... better apply some here & there before regular service. 
As for differences:

My (slim) gold color one *is indeed a 3 mode* one. Hi > Lo > Strobe, unfortunately with an annoying "next mode" memory. Low measures ~0.33A @ 1.26V (0.4W), High measures ~1.5A @ 1.26V (just under 2W). The red one is a single mode (on/off). Measuring ~1.6A @ 1.26V (2W). So both should do ~1h25min on Hi on a fresh 2000 mAh NiMH. If regulated, that is... A simple /Hi <-> Lo would have been perfect for both, but no cigar...

The original SK68 definitely has a more sturdy feel to it, seems a lot more likely to survive when run over by a car. But comes with a crenelated bezel which probably _only_ serves to poke holes in your pants pockets. So the newer/slimmer version is more pocketable in my opinion.

Optics seem slightly improved on the slimmer model. Which (to me) was kinda surprising since it uses a physically larger LED. Smaller LED, and thus more 'point light source' like on the SK68, _should_ have been easier to design the optics for.

Pocket clip is too strong on the SK68, too weak (and too far from the body) on the newer variant. Again: some inbetween would have been perfect for both.

My red SK68 came with a holster (no, not an "AA battery holder" :laughing: ), with a useless (not even working!) compass which fortunately was easy to remove - done.

Can't say I'm impressed by either one, other than that they've managed to build it for ~5 Euro or so. No chance either one will be an EDC for me. But a good choice in case you want to equip a large group of people with cheap lights. Or go somewhere where 'expendable' is key. Also like how easy they are to disassemble / modify / repair.

One question sticks though: given their many imperfections, are these light really _significantly_ different from all these other $5-10 lights out there, to regard these as "best of the cheap junk" ? I mean: _if_ they are, what sets them apart?


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## Rosoku Chikara (Mar 8, 2014)

RetroTechie said:


> ...are these light really _significantly_ different from all these other $5-10 lights out there..?



I think some of us who generally "support" (like?) these extremely low cost flashlights could help answer your question, if you can tell us specifically which "other $5-10 lights" you are referring to.

But, regardless, I guess the true attraction of these flashlights is their extreme low cost, coupled with "reasonable" functionality. 

No one claims they are well made. I would never carry one as my EDC either. But, I have one in the kitchen that I use to peek into my oven "window" when trying to see how well the bread is coming along. I wouldn't want to dedicate a more expensive light for that purpose, but if I don't leave it there at all times, I have to go get a flashlight every time I decide to take a peek.

I also routinely give them away to anyone in need of a flashlight. They can be used with alkalines with little concern about risk of leakage, because even if one leaked, you will not have lost much.

But, even as gifts, I do not consider them to be a "nice gift." If I am seriously trying to give someone a "real" flashlight, I generally give them a TANK007 E09 with a Lithium primary AAA cell. At around $13 from Fasttech (+ about $3.00 for the Lithium primary, here in Japan), it is a more expensive gift. But, it is also a flashlight that I would consider "good enough" for EDC. (And its small size helps encourage people to actually carry it every day, so that they will actually have it with them when they need it.)

My personal preferred EDC is a Sunwayman V11R with AA extender, but we are now beginning to get into some fairly serious money. (More money than I am generally willing to give away. And, more money than most people are willing to spend on a flashlight.)


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## Fireclaw18 (Mar 10, 2014)

*I just received a RUSTU XL-03 that looks just like the one in the original post*.

My initial impression was good. This thing is tiny. It’s slightly shorter (comparing both lights with bezels retracted) and MUCH thinner and lighter than an SK68. It’s even thinner and lighter than an SK58. The beam profile is also very similar to an SK68, with about the same width in flood mode and the same spot in spot mode. Opening it up I found the following:

Lens diameter: 15-16mm from the front. The lens is smaller than that on an SK68, so I’d expect spot mode to be slightly dimmer if the emitter and driver were the same.
Emitter: Cool white Cree XPE
Star: 14mm very thin aluminum. Zero thermal grease under the star.
Driver diameter: around 14-15 mm (same as a Sipik 68), but the body tube around the pill is narrower than the Sipik.
Pill type: Aluminum, with a solid platform under the LED. There are 2 holes in the edges of the pill for snap ring pliers (or a large paperclip)
Tailcap: standard cheapie switch held in place with press-fit plastic retaining ring.
Clip: removable. Held on with a ring around the tailcap behind the o-ring. Unlike most clips, this one cannot slip off as it goes all the way around the tailcap.
Switchboot: 12mm orange color
Tailstands: yes
Not bad for a small zoomie … similar performance to a Sipik 68 in a much more pocketable size. It feels like it’s half the size of the Sipik!

*Modding potential*:
Of course, I’d never stop with an unmodded cheapie zoomie… so I spent some time last night doing a quick mod to it. I performed the following mods:
1. removed the driver and replaced with a 2.8 amp 3-mode Nanjg 105c I had laying around. When I mod Sipik 58s and 68s, I’ll file down the edges of the driver and then glue it to the bottom of the pill with arctic alumina. I attach a bit of solder braid to the ground ring and drape it alongside the driver so it hits the threads. 
2. Since the body tube on the Rustu is narrower, more filing was needed. I almost completely filed off the ground ring around the edges of the driver, and then filed the corners of the 7135s near the edges of the driver. I did this until it would slide cleanly into the body and fit at the end of the pill just outside the original driver socket.
3. For negative connection I soldered small pieces of solder braid to the ground tabs of 3 of the 7135s near the edge of the board. When the board is pressed into pill, the edges of these braid pieces hit the inside of the pill making ground connection. I then glued it to the bottom of the pill with arctic alumina. After repeated assembly and disassembly the arctic alumina didn’t hold, but turned out not to be necessary since the pressure from the battery acts to press the driver into the pill and gives a good connection.
4. I replaced the cool white XPE with a 5000k neutral white XPG2. I used the stock aluminum star, but added AS5 thermal grease underneath. Some time when I have more time, I may try filing or sawing down a 16mm Noctigon or Sinkpad to fit, but I figure that will take awhile.
5. I bent a small strip of aluminum into a “C-ring” and fit it around the top of the pill threads. This ring keeps the pill from socketing fully into the body. It’s purpose is to increase the travel of the bezel and allow the emitter to sit closer to the lens in flood mode for a wider beam while not affecting spot mode.
6. I replaced the driver spring with 2 small copper disks.

*Result*: It’s now a 3-mode XPG2 light. Much brighter than stock, with similar throw and a wider flood. I’m running it on Kinoko IMR 14500s from Illumination Supply. Flood mode is at least 50% wider beam angle than a stock SK68.

Additional mods I might make to this light:
1. Cut down a small reflector from an old UKE lamp module. I’ve done this in the past with zoomies. It adds a large hotspot to the flood beam, making for a much more useful flood. It also adds an ugly donut around the spot in spot mode, but the donut is dim enough it’s really only a factor in white wall hunting and doesn’t affect real-world distance viewing.
2. Disassemble the tailcap and solder-braid the spring. Also change the orange switchboot for a black one.
3. Replace the 3-mode driver with a 4-mode one that has moonlight.
4. Replace the stock star with a direct copper star that has been filed or cut to 14mm. This may also make it necessary to readjust the focus on the lens as it would be much thicker than stock.


*I also received a second light from DX that looks very similar to the Rustu*:
This one is the same size with the same basic dimensions. The parts are interchangeable. However this one has the following differences:
Driver: 3-mode (100%-50%-strobe)
Emitter: Cree XPE, slightly more neutralish tint than the Rustu
Pill: seats a 16mm star, but it’s hollow. Also this pill has an oddity: look in the top of the light and there are no holes for snap ring pliers to unscrew the pill. I ended up drilling holes in the plastic disk and using those to unscrew the pill.
Bezel: same shape, but external styling is slightly different.
Body and clip: body is same shape, but clip slips into a slot in the side of the body rather than being a ring around the tailcap.
Tailstands: No


I concluded the Rustu is better due to its tailstanding and solid pill.


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks Fireclaw, I'm in the process of trying to mod my gold single-mode (ordered as 3-mode) with a replacement AA/li-ion 5-mode driver, not as extreme as yours just 500mA for AA or 800mA for li-ion, as I'm keeping the XP-E - at least for the moment. As you say, the stock driver is smaller than I thought, so I have to file down this 17mm driver to fit, by my measurements I need about 15.5mm. I inadvertently snapped the inductor at it's base while holding it to file, hopefully it still works.


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## Fireclaw18 (Mar 11, 2014)

Performed a few additional mods to my light:
1. Replaced paper thin stock aluminum star with Noctigon direct copper (filed down to 14mm diameter).
2. Adjusted the focus for a wider spill and tightly focused spot given that the much thicker Noctigon makes the LED sit higher up than the stock star. I adjusted it by: (a) replacing the lens o-ring with a thicker one, (b) filing off part of the bottom lip of the pill just below the o-ring. I left enough of it there to ensure the pill o-ring stays in position, (c) filing off part of the bottom of the sliding bezel so the light can retract further.
3. Cut the tailcap spring slightly. Previously I was getting problems with longer cells in the modded light as they were fully compressing the spring which prevented the clicky from functioning.

Still to do: Solder-braid the tailcap spring. the spring simply slots into place and can be pulled out, then screwed back in. I'm hoping it won't be too hard to solder-braid.


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## Fireclaw18 (Mar 27, 2014)

*I did some additional fine-tuning to my mod on this light*:
1. replaced emitter with de-domed XPG2 (I forget the exact tint I used... 2B or 3B).
2. filed down top of pill and bottom of bezel to allow lens to retract further. now it stops just 1 or 2 mm above the top of the LED.
3. filled in excess lens threads with arctic silver thermal adhesive to prevent the pill o-ring from falling into them when light is in max flood.
4. replaced pill o-ring with a thinner one for smoother sliding action.
5. Updated driver with a custom 3-mode 3 amp Nanjg 105c. Driver settings are: moonlight - 20% - 100% with 90-second rampdown.

*Result*:
1. SUPER-wide flood! Because the LED is so close to the back of the lens the flood mode is incredibly wide. At a distance of 16 cm from a wall I measured the diameter of the flood at 31-32 cm. This is over twice as wide as the 14-15 cm a stock Sipik 68 produces at the same distance. It's almost wide enough to make the flashlight into a mule. The flood mode is also much brighter than a Sipik 68's flood.
2. Extremely tight intense spot mode, due to the dedomed XPG2 emitter and 3-amp driver this light can throw. The spot is about the same size as a Sipik 68's spot, but much brighter.
3. Tint shift - due to the dedoming of the emitter, the tint shifted into a yellowish white neutral tint. It's not a great tint, but still looks much better than cool white ... especially outdoors.


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## hank (Mar 29, 2014)

I sure hope someone out there across the Pacific is reading these mods and thinking, hmmm, I could build a _great_ budget flashlight using what these people are doing.

Meanwhile I 'oogled a few words out of these threads and came up with several very fancy looking websites -- one of them ("voidhawk") appears to be selling Sipik clones for $39.98, special deal expiring in one hour 59 minutes. 

Sigh. Let's see, make a better product at a good price, or rip people off, which should I be doing? Hmmm ....


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Mar 29, 2014)

One of those sites seemed to be claiming they were only ripping people off so they could fund their "version 2" all-new self-designed torches...


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## RetroTechie (Mar 29, 2014)

@hank: What's on offer, represents what sellers are making money with. Yeah buying a $1 item for $100 doesn't make sense. But if just _one_ idiot does it, that makes it all worth it for a seller. Likewise a 0.5 % profit is nice if you can move millions of units.

What's more interesting, is a) what people are _actually_ buying, and b) where most of the profit goes. Of course _that_ info is harder to dig up...


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## Fireclaw18 (Mar 31, 2014)

I modded a second one of these super-slim lights this weekend.

The outside of the light had the same dimensions, with some minor cosmetic differences in styling. This one had horizontal lines instead of vertical ribs on the head. The body had 2 curved sections instead of 3. And it had a slip on clip instead of the ring clip. 

Internally, all the dimensions were different. It had a shorter focal length lens and a different pill. The pill accepted a 16mm star, but was hollow.
*
I performed the following mods*:
1. made an LED platform and heatsink out of 4 copper disks soldered together.
2. Glued the heatsink into the hollow pill with Arctic Silver thermal epoxy.
3. carved 2 notches in the sides of the pill to allow easy pill removal. Filed down top of the pill to allow lens to retract further.
4. Added a c-ring made of a strip of aluminum to the top of the pill threads. This prevents the pill from screwing down completely, allowing it to stay even closer to the lens. It also allows room for the driver.
5. Replaced stock 12mm 3-mode driver with a filed down 3 amp 17mm Nanjg 105c with custom modes.
6. Filed down section of the pill just above pill threads to allow bezel to extend to proper focus.
7. Replaced stock 16mm star and emitter with a 16mm Noctigon direct copper star with a dedomed XP-G2 emitter (chemically dedomed in Coleman fuel).
8. Replaced switch mechanism with one from a Sipik 68 with a solder-braided tailspring.

It works pretty well. Very much like the previous one. However due to the internal construction, flood is very slightly less wide. On the upside, this second one has more ridges and feels less slippery in the hand.

I'm not sure about the heatsinking. This one doesn't get as hot as fast as the other one. This one has more thermal mass to heat up (copper heatsink), but also has a less direct path for heat to get from the LED to the external body of the light.
*
I'm considering trying to mod the light to work with DrJones Lumodrv electronic switch driver*. This would be an ambitious mod as I'd need to somehow run a thin wire or trace from the 4-star up to the switch. This light is too thin to run a wire up the inside of the battery compartment like I did with the Sipik 58 I modded a couple years ago. However, I think it could be done on the outside of the body. I'm thinking of the following:

1. Replace existing modded driver with a Nanjg 105c with DrJones lumodrv (or reflow the ATiny 13a microprocessor from a lumodrv board onto the current board).
2. Attach a short piece of wire to the 4 star or correct pin on the ATiny and drill a small hole through the body of the light to the pill. When the pill is screwed in this hole should line up with the short piece of wire.
3. Fish into the hole with a tweezers to pull out the short piece of wire. Solder it or use conductive glue to attach it to a thin wire or trace running down a narrow trench filed into the outside of the body from the head to the tail.
4. The trace doesn't need to carry much current. Instead of using wire, I might try something thinner. Perhaps conductive foil tape or conductive paint. Once the trace is done, I'd fill the trench with thermal epoxy to protect the trace.
5. The trace would run to a contact at the back of the light.
6. For the tailcap, I'd replace the current switch mechanism with a Radio Shack momentary switch. The main spring would bypass the switch and connect directly to the body. The switch just needs to connect from the mainspring to an external contact ring glued to the outside of the tailcap. When the tailcap is screwed in, this contact ring would hit the contact at the end of the trench providing the needed electrical connection.

If this mod works, the light would get the following benefits:
1. quiet electronic switch instead of loud clicky.
2. Superior UI with shortcuts to moonlight, max and 25%. Also momentary mode, hidden strobe, and battery voltage indicator. Driver also has 2-way ramping. 

I really love the Lumodrv interface. It's like a Zebralight. In some ways better.

The hardest part of this mod would probably be getting the connection from the pill to the trace going to the tail. The next hardest part would be doing the trace without making the light look ugly. The tailcap mod would be time-consuming, but probably not hard.


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## Fireclaw18 (Apr 3, 2014)

*There's a gold 1x18650 version of this light available on Ebay*. I purchased one to take a look. It has:

1. Hollow pill. O-ring on the pill to give a smooth bezel slide.
2. XML T6 cool white emitter on thin aluminum star.
3. multi-mode 17mm driver (looked like 3 brightness levels plus 3 different strobe/flashy modes)
4. Lens is properly focused. About as wide as a Sipik 68 in flood, with a focused projection of the emitter in spot. The flood is much brighter than a Sipik 68, but the spot mode is relatively dim.... huge wide image of the XML emitter, but with far less throw than a Sipik 68. This is to be expected of any zoomie using an XML.
5. Tailcap switch has a loud click and looks like it uses a 14mm or 16mm switch boot.... larger than the 12mm of a Sipik 68 or the AA version of this light. Unclear if this switch is a one-piece uinit like the AA version or a multi-part unit consisting of a clicky, spring and plastic retaining ring like the Sipik 68.

This is the smallest 18650 zoomie currently available. I measured it at 24 mm wide x 108 mm long. It's much larger than the AA version, but still smaller than a Sipik 98. Overall, it's about the same size as a Convoy S6, but less solidly built.

I'm currently partway through modding it. 

Completed so far:
1. Built heat sink and LED platform of 4 copper disks soldered together, with notches for LED wires. Attached the heatsink to the hollow pill with Arctic Alumina.
2. Replaced star with 16mm Noctigon direct copper star 
3. Reflowed dedomed cool white XM-L2 onto new star.
4. Replaced driver with Nanjg 105c with Comfychair's FET mod from Mtn Electronics. soldered a small piece of solder braid along the edge for negative contat then press-fitted it into the pill.
5. Filed down bottom of sliding bezel so lens can retract further.
6. Temporarily stuck piece of solder braid into tailcap spring.
7. Added a c-ring around top of pill threads so that lens can retract closer to the LED. Might not be necessary, but can't tell till further filing is done.

Still to do:
1. File down top of pill to allow lens to retract closer to LED for more flood.
2. File down bottom of pill lip just below the o-ring to allow bezel to extend further for proper focus. Necessary because LED platform and thicker pill raise the LED higher than in the stock light.
3. Solder-braid the tailcap spring. Since I was unsuccessful in prying or pushing out the tailcap guts, I'll have to try drilling holes in what is hopefully just a retaining ring. With luck that should allow me to lever it out with needle nose pliers.

Preliminary assessment of the modded light when test run on Samsung 20r INR 18650 cell:
1. Very bright white light. Far brighter than the stock light, with a wider beam.
2. Even though it's a large emitter, throw is decent. Throw is slightly greater than my two modded AA-sized versions of this light, which both run a dedomed XPG2 at 3 amps.
3. With the FET driver, this light should pull around 6 amps on a fresh cell once all mods are complete. Heatsinking around the pill is lacking so I doubt I'd e able to run at this level for long once the light is complete.

Optional mods I'm considering:
1. Replace driver with DrJones lumodrv electronic switch driver with Comfychair FET mod.
2. File off a section of the heatsink fins and epoxy a micro momentary tact switch. I've ordered a bunch that are much thinner than what I have from Radio Shack.
3. Drill a hole through the side of the body under the telescoping portion of the bezel. Attach a small wire to the "4" star on the driver and extend it into this hole.
4. Drill and file a shallow trench from the drilled hole to the section of removed heatsink fins.
5. Install some kind of electrical contact in that trench. Possibly a layer of capton tape with a layer of aluminum tape on top, and then a layer of arctic silver epoxy to hold it all in. Goal is to make a flat electrical contact from the 4 wire to the micro-momentary switch.
6. For the other switch contact, drill a small hole or slot in the body right below the switch and connect the switch contact to it.
7. Make a cover for the new side switch: Probably the top of a rubber button boot with an aluminum frame around it. The frame could be either epoxied or screwed down.
8. Consider removing tailcap switch and shortening tailcap for a shorter light.

If I complete these extra mods successfully, I'd have a compact 18650 light with a sideswitch and 2-way ramping, shortcuts to moonlight, max and 25% and zoom. Output at max in flood mode would probably be around 1000 lumens. Flood should be over twice as wide as a Sipik 68, and it would also have over twice the throw.


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Apr 3, 2014)

Got a listing number or searchable name for that one fireclaw? I quite like my modded SK98 clone, might be interesting to check this one out.


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## Fireclaw18 (Apr 3, 2014)

RoGuE_StreaK said:


> Got a listing number or searchable name for that one fireclaw? I quite like my modded SK98 clone, might be interesting to check this one out.



*http://www.ebay.com/itm/1800-LM-Zoo...1059646?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item461772073e*


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## RoGuE_StreaK (Apr 3, 2014)

Thanks. Wow, they're up to 1800lm now! :twothumbs 
Lens could definitely be bigger to capture more output, seems small for the space, but could be an interesting mod housing for a mega-thrower head.
Definite de-domer at least.


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## Fireclaw18 (Apr 3, 2014)

Yeah the lens is small. I haven't measured it exactly, but it's larger than the 18mm lens in the AA version. My guess is 20 or 21 mm.

This is the smallest 18650 size zoomie that I could find. Not surprisingly, everything about it is designed for small size. It's definitely not going to break any records for throw when compared to other larger and wider zoomies.... but it IS much more pocketable than them.

A dedomed emitter definitely seems to be the best choice for this kind of light.


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## Fireclaw18 (Apr 9, 2014)

Here's a picture of my partially modded 18650 size version of the light (left) standing next to an unmodded Sipik 68 (right).

I stripped off the gold anodizing, filed down the tailcap and installed the new driver and electronic side switch.

Tonight I'll likely try removing the no-longer-needed tailcap switch and shortening the tailcap. Beyond that, all it needs is some cosmetic work. Adding knurling will have to wait until the proper tools arrive. I may also polish up the aluminum for a more blingy look.


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