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I have tons of this cheapo headlamp. This is Asian version. In USA it maybe different.
I run these with Eneloop 3x AAA.
Still 3 hours is maximum running. I used these , 2 of them since 2018 and all the eneloop AAA simple got worn out and little life left. That meant I have charged/discharged them more than 500 times.
So I bought new eneloop and I have 9 pcs to work the whole 8-9 hours day.
The switch lifetime is not bad for something so cheap. Also very lightweight, but 350 lumens is not bright enough.
Good torch like Fenix, the switch mechanism is very very good 500,000 cycles is not a problem, even better than the oldie trusted Maglite torch which I used to love them in the 90s.
I work very slow, I take my own sweet time. I want very bright lights at approx 500ish lumens but not super focused hot spot, which is not good for wide angle illumination when working on a car at close distance,
under the car that is with my maximum 50cm height Quick Jack. So I needed a headlamp able to run at minimum 500 ish lumens and must be able to stay bright for 8 hours.
The only solution it must be 18650 Lit-Ion powered and must be removeable battery and not built-in one you can not remove and replace with fresh ones.
I started with this JetBeam SST40 N5, like 2+ years ago when I did the intake valves cleaning.
1 of honest 2,600Ma 18650 lit ion at medium brightness setting can last easy 6-7 hours.
After 2 years the headband lost its stretch. Also the headband does not have those friction rubber dots.
The switch assy failed. Not the switch itself failed, but they placed an intermediate plastic piece to add height to the switch and a rubber boot on top to make it waterproof.
Since I used it so often the intermediate plastic piece and the rubber boot went out of alignment. Probably worn out and then the switching action becomes intermittent.
I tear it open and the damn intermediate plastic piece flew somewhere I could not find....LOL.
Red dot is the mini PCB soldered micro switch.
I am missing the intermediate plastic piece, which without it the rubber push button boot can't reach the actual micro switch due to installation depth design.
So when I saw the new release of Nitecore HC65 UHE, with 90 CRI LED yeahhhh so awesome a 90 CRI LED is.... I must buy it.
Halogen is a 100 CRI and true color of everything will pop out.
Oldie LED like Jetbeam is at approx 65 CRI at best and the light color is the crappy 6,000 Kelvin or more, garbage bluish light I call it.
I like 4,000 Kelvin color temperature, it is whiter than warm but NOT too yellow 2,700 - 3,300 Kelvin for working on wire colors in a wire assy.
Such high color 6,000 Kelvin temperature and low CRI will make wire colors "contaminated".
Comparison.
Note : Jetbeam SST-40 with its reflector removed gives ultra wide angle light spread, super even, but cant go far.
Nitecore HC 65 UHE is new and reflectors still intact, hence the light spread can not be as wide as JetBeam and some hot spot is expected.
See the better color definition ( CRI ) from HC 65 UHE and the warmer Kelvin color temperature, I think maximum is 4,500 Kelvin.
You must see with your own eyes. My camera white balance is auto, so it can not show a better comparison.
Weight
.
The plastic bag keeping the parts of JetBeam is 1 gram. Both headlamp uses exact same Xtar 2,600 Ma 18650 battery, so the weight is equal..
I love lights because I used to do dive videos and light quality is so important as underwater is the worst of the worst color offender as red color spectrum is gone at 20-30 meters
I know photography/videography white balance decently well.
I cant say how long the NiteCore HC65 UHE light switch will last, but it has all the other qualities not found on torch 2-3 years ago if at this low cost.
I got it +- US$65 at Indonesian retail.
So if you want quality headlamp, very bright, last long battery life, 18650 proven common battery and is replaceable, 90CRI and has great rubber friction dots on its headband and
a reputable brand........ this one is good to consider.
You can find its review a lot in Utube, but all are for camping or hiking yada yada and not car repair oriented.
I don't care about its 2,000 lumens high power people like to based their purchase on. 1,000 lumens is more than enough as headlamp for working on a car.
I've got 2 18650 powered headlamps, plus a couple of flashlights from Fenix Lighting. Relatively cheap, excellent life, brighter than the sun. I'll get others, but I might upgrade to the 21700 battery system because... LUMENS! I use them daily as a handyman.
A similarly priced Petzl or Black Diamond headlamp can't hold a candle to the offerings from Fenix, and I've fairly stopped using disposable batteries.
Edit: Fenix sells the headband seperately. I've had to replace mine (on different lights) twice since 2018.
Last edited by rapidoxidation; 05-01-2024 at 09:27 AM.
Oh, and for the 18650 battery: Liion wholesale has everything you need. I've picked up a few 3500mah batteries and a charger from that site and have never run out of juice.
I am not in the US, so must buy locally.
I collect Fenix and others for the long throw high power ones with 4 x 18650 or more.
I stop buying long throw high power ones now, last one was Fenix RC40 https://www.fenixlighting.com/produc...nix-flashlight
Been using this to spot fisherman small buoys when I do yacht delivery between Singapore and Jakarta. Can't spot those small 1 liter buoys on radar.
05-01-2024, 04:40 AM
