I am a professional auto mechanic , and use this light every day for past four months. It is holding up very well and has fell several times from about five feet. I paid $19.95 using the coupon. I liked it so well I bought two more, and other techs bought them also. Will it last forever,? Depends how well a person treats their tools. I recommend this light because great value. Update: I no longer recommend it for professional use, there are some other options out there for about the same price. Switch seems to fall too easy on some of these. Maybe they are better now.
I too bought mine for $20 with coupon a couple of weeks ago. I own a small engine repair shop and use it every day. Been very happy with it so far and really like the features. The status indicator leds are handy, and I like the strong magnet in the base. The aluminum housing is better than plastic. The flashlight tip is handy for getting light into tight areas. Having the replaceable battery just like a typical flashlight is a big feature to me. Would like better battery life, but it’s no problem to swap in a higher ah battery for more chooch for your chach. Great bang for the buck so far!
I got mine for 19.95. I liked it so much I bought another one and then I bought one for my son and one for my grandson. My timing was perfect for once. I never see them for that price anymore.Now the lowest I see them for is 24.99.
I am an HVAC contractor and bought 20 of these lights at the $18.99 price when they first came out. For working on air conditioning and heating equipment they are GREAT! My employees use them and I do have many of the 3400 MAH batteries which make run time on high 4-5 hours. I do accidentally drop them and they hold up well. The only one I broke was when I was replacing brake pads on my motorcycle and left the light on my motorcycle frame and rolled back the bike and the light went in the spokes.....DO NOT DO THAT😢
I put one of this folding light on top of my push lawnmower as a "headlight". I was thinking it's a great idea, but 5 mins later, my mower shredded it..... . . .
Concerning the blue battery that came with the light. 18650s were originally not used as a form of battery that one would take out and replace. It usually was part of a chain of batteries in say a laptop or something and would come in "battery packs". In the flashlight community starting around the turn of the century people started boring Surefire 6Ps to take 18650s. The problem was that lith ion batteries are dangerous and one would have to make sure they did not drain too low or overcharge them. The solution to this came a few years later when companies started introducing 18650s with PCB boards on the end of the batteries. This is the same electronic circuitry that is normally used in the "battery packs" that protected the batteries from over discharge and over charging. It made the 18650 batteries about 1/8 in longer to accommodate the circuitry. Therefore, it is very likely that if the blue battery is longer it is because it contains the circuitry to protect it and if the light came with a battery that has the circuitry then it would suggest that the light itself does not contain that protective circuitry. You might consider switching to a battery with a PCB board just in case.
I have it, i use it hard, abuse it, use it in almost every situation on my car repairs and it holds superb. For the price it is one of the best flashlights.
As I understand it, the reason the cell is slightly longer is that they incorporate battery protection into the end of the cell. Standard 18650 cells don’t have that.
Yes thank you, I'm now much more aware of these Styles house I did not initially realize they were protected and unprotected versions. It also means that it indicates the built-in charger is not super great and if you use an unprotected cell you need to keep an eye on it and make sure the flashlight doesn't overheat while charging
Mine just gave off a static charge with a paperclip. My version of this light. Is a danger working next to gasoline. It discharged my light. Its only a year and a half old. My kids and wife use it daily. Thats money down the drain. ( Thats a Fact.)
@@CatusMaximus Is battery 'cell protection'' generic enough that another protected cell 18650 with increased mAh rating be swappped into the Braun? Still would have to watch over the onboard charger. I don't like to leave any device on charger after it reaches 100%.
I run a mower shop and I really like this light. No more corded work lights. Good light for the price. The longer 18650 batteries are longer becouse they have a protection circuit. Nice review. 18650 batts can be button top or flat top. Flat tops are usually for assembled packs and button top usually have a protection circuit .
I am considering getting one of these for automotive purposes. How is it holding up? Also, I get all of my 18650's at my local vape shop since 99% of all vape mods run on them.
I bought this a few months ago and it was working fine until the C-connector broke inside because it’s not charging. I plugged it inside and it’s not doing anything and when you move it it kind of lights up a little bit so I believe it got disconnected from the circuitboard. What can you tell us about that can you do a video about that?
thank you I saw your comment and I realized that I have an old laptop battery in my garage I went and I opened gently and I took 6 batteries out and it worked pretty good I let others know to save the money and safe for environment thank you and the credit is yours
Awesome review! I've been meaning to get one for months but I have about 100 lights so it could wait, I have there under the hood work light and that really nice head lamp id recommend that for sure and I have that new 5 dollar pocket bruan I use it all day paird with there free batteries ya cant beat it
Correction; they pocket light and head lamp are quantum but I'd highly highly recommend them! Especially the head lamp! Ever liked them I disliked them till I actually got that one
The Samsung cell I tried that had a flat top still was able to make contact in the flashlight work otherwise you would have to unscrew the head of the flashlight and put a drop of solder in the center of the contact inside the flashlight so it it would raise it up enough to touch any batteries that didn't work
I'm wondering if anyone that has had this exact light an has used clear heat shrink over the led light part ? I have some huge heat shrink that would probably fit over the light an keep it protected a bit but assuming it would cause it to overheat while using it for long periods of time.Thinking once the heat shrink gets dirty just trim off carefully an add other new piece.
Do you got a part number i can use to buy the same Samsung batteries you got because ebay have scam products sometimes. I would love to buy acouple batteries my old one dosnt work and i need a replacement.
I had this about 3 months was using it at night at work on a barge in about 16 ft of water I dropped it in water & I could see light was on under water about 3 hrs I never got it back but I bought another one
It's a really good light the only problem I've had with them is the charge plug where you plug it into the light always has some sort of defect and now that I've gone to three of them they're not wanting to exchange it anymore
I have been buying these for a couple years now it seems different batch runs can have different quality levels. one had loose hinge out f the box. some batteries don't last as long as others but overall I wait and get them on sale and would like to find a better battery so it lasts longer. The biggest draw back on LED battery operated lights is you don't get much waning if at all the battery is running low. it just starts shutting off. When that starts just recharge.
Thanks for the review, I bought the HF flashlight and want to upgrade to a Samsung battery. Maybe it's just me but there seems to different 18650 batteries offered by Samsung, do you have a link to the one you're using? I'm also going to upgrade to the Tenergy charger like the one you have, thanks for sharing.
You need to get a 18 650 that has built-in protection I learned from the other comments that the Samsung I have does not have built-in protection which does pose a potential fire hazard because there's only a simple charging circuit built into the flashlight
I've gone with Orbtronic protected batteries based on Panasonic cells. Excellent batteries. I ordered a 3100 mah that was going for $8 on sale. You could get a 3500 mah for around $12.50 if you really want a longer runtime. I prefer protected cells for peace of mind.
The stock battery seems to have a pcb which is why slightly larger than a regular 18650 without a pcb. So be cautious when running a cell without pcb in your light. Failure is imminent.
I have since learned doing this review yes it comes with a protected cell meaning that you have to be careful when using non-protected cells in this unit
a protected cell is nice but it is a redundancy since the internal flashlight charging circuit does over charge protection and over discharge. the main down fall I see is the outer wrap becoming damaged and shorting the sense wire going up to the positive terminal . more safety more better.
@@CatusMaximus Yes the flat top batteries were not intended to end up in public use they have flat larger surface for resistance welding into consumer battery packs with a BMS.. The positive insulator is as if not more important than the wrap, negative and positive just MM's apart so Very Dangerous if damaged or missing both are cheep and you just need a hair drier to shrink them..
I have this light. The battery life could be a little better. Aside from that I REALLY like it. Extremely handy gizmo to have and the price is great, especially with a coupon.
The cells has a BMS that’s why it’s larger than another one. DONT USE LITHIUM WITHOUT A BMS OR PCB it’s only cost you less than $1 to get one from China.
You are being too critical of it. I have 2 of them and love them. I keep one in the house and one in the shop. I also have 3 extra batteries as you mentioned but have never had to use a back up battery.
Blast from the past. Had to check out how your reviews hold up over time. I have to say quite well Catus Maximus, not bad for someone of the feline persuasion. I had the same concerns and issues with this product.
I’ve beat the snot out of mine for over a year and it’s...okay at best. I use a variety of 18650 cells in it, some protected and some not. Charging both kinds through the light yields no problems. Average battery life is decent but the light output noticeably dims after ten or so minutes. Maybe it’s some overheating protection for the LED, I don’t know. The first victim was the plastic covering over the magnet. That wore away quickly and now there’s a permanent layer of magnetized grit attached to the magnet. I make sure to only attach it to surfaces that are already rough otherwise it’s like magnetic sandpaper. Another victim was the thin rubber o-ring above the threads at the battery compartment. It’s pretty delicate and constantly replacing the battery made quick work of it. I think the light is designed to be recharged via the USB port and not have batteries swapped out often 🤷♀️ My number one complaint is the light’s insistence on the bottom cap being 100% tight when in use. If it’s even a tiny bit loosened, the light dims and flickers wildly, even with a full battery. The magnet is strong enough to jostle the cap loose when attaching it to a surface. The pivot and twist mechanism in the middle of the light is still stiff after a year of very heavy use so when I try to tilt or turn the head, the body unscrews from the base, turning the light off in the process. I’m constantly moving the light around when working on a vehicle and these drawbacks drive me bonkers. I’m saving my doubloons for an Astro Pneumatic stick light and a Milwaukee M12 underhood light.
Thank you for the detail comment about this light yeah I've noticed that it dims after few minutes from a fresh charges well it seems that there isn't a very good voltage regulator in it most flashlights won't dim until the battery is almost dead. The O-rings in the toys you have to keep them well lubed with Dielectric grease otherwise they just get bound up and shredded also the flashlights body is used as the negative terminal so if you Saint the threads a little bit it should help with that
Catus Maximus You’re welcome! I’m happy to offer real-world experiences with great RUclipsrs like you 😇 It’s probably not worth tinkering around inside the light to upgrade it. It was only twenty bux with a coupon 🤷♀️ You are definitely right about O-ring lubrication. It’s only after the O-ring went missing that grease started appearing in that groove since I’m constantly grabbing the light with greasy gloved hands 🤣 I wish I could find a replacement gasket. I’m going to try sanding the threads to get that negative terminal to stay put. Thanks for the suggestion!
Proud owner of one of these. Positive feature: A hood of a vehicle can fall directly of the lense and not break Negative feature: Must use only the micro-usb charger provided. The use of just any micro-usb charger WILL cause a fire.
I am a professional auto mechanic , and use this light every day for past four months. It is holding up very well and has fell several times from about five feet. I paid $19.95 using the coupon. I liked it so well I bought two more, and other techs bought them also. Will it last forever,? Depends how well a person treats their tools. I recommend this light because great value. Update: I no longer recommend it for professional use, there are some other options out there for about the same price. Switch seems to fall too easy on some of these. Maybe they are better now.
Yes it is a great value and I'm surprised to hear it has taken so many Falls
I too bought mine for $20 with coupon a couple of weeks ago. I own a small engine repair shop and use it every day. Been very happy with it so far and really like the features. The status indicator leds are handy, and I like the strong magnet in the base. The aluminum housing is better than plastic. The flashlight tip is handy for getting light into tight areas. Having the replaceable battery just like a typical flashlight is a big feature to me. Would like better battery life, but it’s no problem to swap in a higher ah battery for more chooch for your chach. Great bang for the buck so far!
I got mine for 19.95. I liked it so much I bought another one and then I bought one for my son and one for my grandson. My timing was perfect for once. I never see them for that price anymore.Now the lowest I see them for is 24.99.
I just made an order for one and a magnetic power supply as well
Link to the better battery?
I am an HVAC contractor and bought 20 of these lights at the $18.99 price when they first came out. For working on air conditioning and heating equipment they are GREAT! My employees use them and I do have many of the 3400 MAH batteries which make run time on high 4-5 hours. I do accidentally drop them and they hold up well. The only one I broke was when I was replacing brake pads on my motorcycle and left the light on my motorcycle frame and rolled back the bike and the light went in the spokes.....DO NOT DO THAT😢
I put one of this folding light on top of my push lawnmower as a "headlight". I was thinking it's a great idea, but 5 mins later, my mower shredded it.....
.
.
.
Love this haven't had this light for a couple weeks and have found myself using it multiple times!
Got it for $14 99 black Friday deal!
Concerning the blue battery that came with the light.
18650s were originally not used as a form of battery that one would take out and replace. It usually was part of a chain of batteries in say a laptop or something and would come in "battery packs". In the flashlight community starting around the turn of the century people started boring Surefire 6Ps to take 18650s. The problem was that lith ion batteries are dangerous and one would have to make sure they did not drain too low or overcharge them. The solution to this came a few years later when companies started introducing 18650s with PCB boards on the end of the batteries. This is the same electronic circuitry that is normally used in the "battery packs" that protected the batteries from over discharge and over charging. It made the 18650 batteries about 1/8 in longer to accommodate the circuitry.
Therefore, it is very likely that if the blue battery is longer it is because it contains the circuitry to protect it and if the light came with a battery that has the circuitry then it would suggest that the light itself does not contain that protective circuitry. You might consider switching to a battery with a PCB board just in case.
Great Review, especially details on the Battery. I bought one and it works great so far.
I have it, i use it hard, abuse it, use it in almost every situation on my car repairs and it holds superb. For the price it is one of the best flashlights.
Great review! Love my brain light. I bought 6 more for Christmas presents for around $18 with coupon.
That thing is awesome and has a bunch of good reviews!
Your review helped me to handle the light. Thank you.
As I understand it, the reason the cell is slightly longer is that they incorporate battery protection into the end of the cell. Standard 18650 cells don’t have that.
Yes thank you, I'm now much more aware of these Styles house I did not initially realize they were protected and unprotected versions.
It also means that it indicates the built-in charger is not super great and if you use an unprotected cell you need to keep an eye on it and make sure the flashlight doesn't overheat while charging
Also have USB charging versions
Mine just gave off a static charge with a paperclip. My version of this light. Is a danger working next to gasoline.
It discharged my light. Its only a year and a half old. My kids and wife use it daily.
Thats money down the drain. ( Thats a Fact.)
@@CatusMaximus Is battery 'cell protection'' generic enough that another protected cell 18650 with increased mAh rating be swappped into the Braun? Still would have to watch over the onboard charger. I don't like to leave any device on charger after it reaches 100%.
I love that I can replace the 18650 cell easily with one of my Samsung cells, I wish ALL tool batteries were like that since they all use 18650’s..
CNCed Billet aluminium?? It would be like 200 bucks for just the housing... That's cast aluminum, made in China.
I’m well on my way to watching every one of your videos. We seem to like the same tools and I appreciate all the reviews.
I think this light is great because it is rechargeable great thanks for the review
I run a mower shop and I really like this light. No more corded work lights. Good light for the price. The longer 18650 batteries are longer becouse they have a protection circuit. Nice review. 18650 batts can be button top or flat top. Flat tops are usually for assembled packs and button top usually have a protection circuit .
Thank you for clarifying that for me
Awesome light, I have two... replaced my plug in lights. They go on sale for $24.99 The USB charger is great.
I am considering getting one of these for automotive purposes. How is it holding up? Also, I get all of my 18650's at my local vape shop since 99% of all vape mods run on them.
I bought this a few months ago and it was working fine until the C-connector broke inside because it’s not charging. I plugged it inside and it’s not doing anything and when you move it it kind of lights up a little bit so I believe it got disconnected from the circuitboard. What can you tell us about that can you do a video about that?
You can use regular 18650 cells in it they work fine I have some that I salvaged from laptop packs that I use in mine.
Indeed you can that Samsung cell I have in the review is the spare that I use
thank you I saw your comment and I realized that I have an old laptop battery in my garage I went and I opened gently and I took 6 batteries out and it worked pretty good I let others know to save the money and safe for environment thank you and the credit is yours
Awesome review! I've been meaning to get one for months but I have about 100 lights so it could wait, I have there under the hood work light and that really nice head lamp id recommend that for sure and I have that new 5 dollar pocket bruan I use it all day paird with there free batteries ya cant beat it
That big under the hood work light is awesome tho I don't know what I was doing before I had it
Correction; they pocket light and head lamp are quantum but I'd highly highly recommend them! Especially the head lamp! Ever liked them I disliked them till I actually got that one
Yes the Harbor Freight flashlights really have improved a lot lately so how their work lights
What's the best way to get the shorter, replacement batteries to make a positive connection in this light.
The Samsung cell I tried that had a flat top still was able to make contact in the flashlight work otherwise you would have to unscrew the head of the flashlight and put a drop of solder in the center of the contact inside the flashlight so it it would raise it up enough to touch any batteries that didn't work
I'm wondering if anyone that has had this exact light an has used clear heat shrink over the led light part ? I have some huge heat shrink that would probably fit over the light an keep it protected a bit but assuming it would cause it to overheat while using it for long periods of time.Thinking once the heat shrink gets dirty just trim off carefully an add other new piece.
Do you got a part number i can use to buy the same Samsung batteries you got because ebay have scam products sometimes. I would love to buy acouple batteries my old one dosnt work and i need a replacement.
Up to about $40 now!! I just got one for about $20 at HF's "parking lot sale". Nice light, but I wouldn't want to pay over $30.
I had this about 3 months was using it at night at work on a barge in about 16 ft of water I dropped it in water & I could see light was on under water about 3 hrs I never got it back but I bought another one
Only 16 ft to water so close yet so far away
It's a really good light the only problem I've had with them is the charge plug where you plug it into the light always has some sort of defect and now that I've gone to three of them they're not wanting to exchange it anymore
It rotates so while charging the charge cable is out of the way
Interesting I didn't think of that thank you for mentioning it
Catus Maximus 👍🏻
You can also turn it so that you can use either your thumb or your index finger to turn it on depending on which way you want the light pointed.
Found some batteries on ebay and they claim to be 9900mah. Sounds like that would overload the light, no?
How high can I go
I have 2 of those lights and they are on point. Nice review. #PEACE ✌🏾
I have been buying these for a couple years now it seems different batch runs can have different quality levels. one had loose hinge out f the box. some batteries don't last as long as others but overall I wait and get them on sale and would like to find a better battery so it lasts longer. The biggest draw back on LED battery operated lights is you don't get much waning if at all the battery is running low. it just starts shutting off. When that starts just recharge.
I just got a new HF catalog and found out the Braun slim light has gone up in price to 34.99!
there's a coupon on the harbor freight coupon database for $20 but it's expired today.
Catch it on sale or use a coupon.
Thanks for the review, I bought the HF flashlight and want to upgrade to a Samsung battery. Maybe it's just me but there seems to different 18650 batteries offered by Samsung, do you have a link to the one you're using? I'm also going to upgrade to the Tenergy charger like the one you have, thanks for sharing.
You need to get a 18 650 that has built-in protection I learned from the other comments that the Samsung I have does not have built-in protection which does pose a potential fire hazard because there's only a simple charging circuit built into the flashlight
@@CatusMaximus Thanks for that info, greatly appreciated.
You could also stop by your local tobacco shop and get 18650 batteries that they use in those Vapes lol
I've gone with Orbtronic protected batteries based on Panasonic cells. Excellent batteries. I ordered a 3100 mah that was going for $8 on sale. You could get a 3500 mah for around $12.50 if you really want a longer runtime. I prefer protected cells for peace of mind.
The stock battery seems to have a pcb which is why slightly larger than a regular 18650 without a pcb. So be cautious when running a cell without pcb in your light. Failure is imminent.
I have since learned doing this review yes it comes with a protected cell meaning that you have to be careful when using non-protected cells in this unit
a protected cell is nice but it is a redundancy since the internal flashlight charging circuit does over charge protection and over discharge. the main down fall I see is the outer wrap becoming damaged and shorting the sense wire going up to the positive terminal . more safety more better.
@@CatusMaximus Yes the flat top batteries were not intended to end up in public use they have flat larger surface for resistance welding into consumer battery packs with a BMS.. The positive insulator is as if not more important than the wrap, negative and positive just MM's apart so Very Dangerous if damaged or missing both are cheep and you just need a hair drier to shrink them..
The magnet sticker helps protect surfaces from the light scratching things up.
It's a nice light, I just wish it was USB-C instead of Micro-USB (for charging). I got mine for around $20 when it was on sale around 2 years ago.
Have you seen the new ICON version?
This thing is a must have.
I have this light. The battery life could be a little better. Aside from that I REALLY like it. Extremely handy gizmo to have and the price is great, especially with a coupon.
Whats the color temperature
can somebody cut that 18700 battery wrap off so we can see its brand if any and the protection pcb on the negative terminal.
Do you run these until they die then recharge it or recharge it when the red light comes on?
The battery will last longer if you charge it when the red light comes on running lithium ions and tell their dead costs overall charge cycles
Can you charge it and have it on at the same time?
Yes
@@CatusMaximus oh cool so maybe I'll pick it up. Mostly would use it for fixing cars
Where do I get the coupon to get this for 20?
GOT IT‼️💯AWESOME ‼️😎👍🏽
I’m growing my weed plant with this does anyone think this light is good for that?
Hey have you all seen the OEM version of this flashlight it's non charging batteries at auto zone. And at 34.00 each
I will have to take a look
i love my 2.
The cells has a BMS that’s why it’s larger than another one. DONT USE LITHIUM WITHOUT A BMS OR PCB it’s only cost you less than $1 to get one from China.
i have 1 dropped it about 100 times no damage yet
Wow that is impressive
yeah they are tougher than they look
You are being too critical of it. I have 2 of them and love them. I keep one in the house and one in the shop. I also have 3 extra batteries as you mentioned but have never had to use a back up battery.
Blast from the past. Had to check out how your reviews hold up over time. I have to say quite well Catus Maximus, not bad for someone of the feline persuasion. I had the same concerns and issues with this product.
I called the batterystore they recommended Panasonic 3400 or samsung 3200 is best low amp
I’ve beat the snot out of mine for over a year and it’s...okay at best. I use a variety of 18650 cells in it, some protected and some not. Charging both kinds through the light yields no problems. Average battery life is decent but the light output noticeably dims after ten or so minutes. Maybe it’s some overheating protection for the LED, I don’t know.
The first victim was the plastic covering over the magnet. That wore away quickly and now there’s a permanent layer of magnetized grit attached to the magnet. I make sure to only attach it to surfaces that are already rough otherwise it’s like magnetic sandpaper.
Another victim was the thin rubber o-ring above the threads at the battery compartment. It’s pretty delicate and constantly replacing the battery made quick work of it. I think the light is designed to be recharged via the USB port and not have batteries swapped out often 🤷♀️
My number one complaint is the light’s insistence on the bottom cap being 100% tight when in use. If it’s even a tiny bit loosened, the light dims and flickers wildly, even with a full battery. The magnet is strong enough to jostle the cap loose when attaching it to a surface. The pivot and twist mechanism in the middle of the light is still stiff after a year of very heavy use so when I try to tilt or turn the head, the body unscrews from the base, turning the light off in the process. I’m constantly moving the light around when working on a vehicle and these drawbacks drive me bonkers.
I’m saving my doubloons for an Astro Pneumatic stick light and a Milwaukee M12 underhood light.
Thank you for the detail comment about this light yeah I've noticed that it dims after few minutes from a fresh charges well it seems that there isn't a very good voltage regulator in it most flashlights won't dim until the battery is almost dead.
The O-rings in the toys you have to keep them well lubed with Dielectric grease otherwise they just get bound up and shredded also the flashlights body is used as the negative terminal so if you Saint the threads a little bit it should help with that
Catus Maximus You’re welcome! I’m happy to offer real-world experiences with great RUclipsrs like you 😇
It’s probably not worth tinkering around inside the light to upgrade it. It was only twenty bux with a coupon 🤷♀️
You are definitely right about O-ring lubrication. It’s only after the O-ring went missing that grease started appearing in that groove since I’m constantly grabbing the light with greasy gloved hands 🤣
I wish I could find a replacement gasket.
I’m going to try sanding the threads to get that negative terminal to stay put. Thanks for the suggestion!
I threw mine at the wall because it kept turning off by itself
Did the wall really deserve it?
Tighten the bottom. It'll work
It'll do that when the battery gets low.
Get a streamlight switchblade 😄
Proud owner of one of these.
Positive feature: A hood of a vehicle can fall directly of the lense and not break
Negative feature: Must use only the micro-usb charger provided. The use of just any micro-usb charger WILL cause a fire.
Slap some olight 18650s in it.
8:00 They lied a bit!! All it says is 11 hours on the cover. Twisting the truth
It's called a button type comon to many lighting products do some research man!!
Gonna get one this Black Friday since they’ll be $17.99.