The CWF Mini Arc flashlight encompasses a customized driver by CWF – the Quantum Chimera. It runs a single 14500 and has a mechanical clicky. Learn on for testing!
Official Specs and Options
Right here’s a hyperlink to the CWF Mini Arc flashlight product web page.
Variations
Three variations of the CWF Mini Arc flashlight are at present accessible. They’re all titanium and differ in finishes (Stonewashed, Tumbled, and Machined). At one time, brass was accessible, too. I believe there have even been some specialty metals. Present variations of the CWF Mini Arc flashlight ship with Nichia 519a, however beforehand, 219c was provided.
Worth
All variations of the CWF Mini Arc flashlight pictured on the official web site are listed at $500.
What’s Included
- CWF Mini Arc flashlight
- Vapcell H10 14500
- Programming card/guide
Package deal and Guide
This card can also be the guide. (The guide aspect will be seen additional above.)
Construct High quality and Disassembly
You might have seen my overview of the Tactile Flip Apollo flashlight. This CWF Mini Arc flashlight and the Apollo are very comparable. In actual fact, CWF makes the Apollo for Tactile Flip! That’s superb and nice, as a result of CWF construct high quality is excellent!
It does imply there’s a ton of overlap between the Mini Arc and Apollo. The primary distinction is the motive force – sure, the Apollo has a Quantum Chimera driver (similar to the Mini Arc does), however the Apollo has all programming choices stripped out, and affords simply three modes. The Mini Arc will get the total driver, programming choices and all.
The entire above mentioned, the CWF Mini Arc flashlight’s construct high quality is excellent.
It’s also possible to observe why this CWF Mini Arc flashlight makes use of the CWF Quantum Chimeara. It’s a one-sided driver that makes use of a button on the battery aspect. Most significantly, the emitter and driver elements are on the identical aspect. This implies there aren’t any wires to attach from the bottom of the emitter board to the motive force board. This makes the engine very quick! And in flip, the sunshine will be shorter than many 14500 lights, too.
The tailcap appears to be held in place by Loctite or comparable – it doesn’t appear detachable. Issues are higher that means, as a result of eradicating the tailcap may cause this pocket clip to scratch the sunshine’s physique.
The photographs of internals beneath are from the Tactile Flip Apollo, however I imagine the components are the identical (other than nevertheless they take away the programming from the Apollo driver.)
Listed here are the motive force elements. You’ll be able to see how quick the capsule (the copper bit) is, and the place the battery contact goes by means of the capsule. Additionally, observe the emitter/driver elements.
Right here’s a greater have a look at the battery contact on the motive force.
All in all, this setup makes for a really fairly sized 14500 flashlight.
Measurement and Comps
Diameter: 0.740″
Size: 3.6″
Weight: 1.45oz Titanium
Notably, these dimensions are the identical because the Tactile Flip Apollo!
If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll present it right here. If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll additionally present that right here too!
Right here’s the check gentle with the venerable Convoy S2+. The model beneath is a customized laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full submit on an engraved orange host proper right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to purchase your Convoy S2+ now!
Within the photograph above, chances are you’ll observe that the SRM (customary reference materials) flashlight for comparability has modified! I used a TorchLAB BOSS 35 for ages. Now what you’ll be able to see because the 18350 SRM is the Hanko Machine Works Trident. Whereas I’ve not reviewed or examined the Gunner Grip model seen right here, I’ve examined a Hanko Machine Works Trident Whole Tesseract in brass. I really like the Trident, and it’s a putting distinction subsequent to the cheap Convoy S2+, which additionally makes an awesome customary reference materials.
Retention and Carry
The CWF Mini Arc flashlight ships with a pocket clip put in. It’s a really safe two-screw clip. The clip can also be titanium!
Pressure on the clip is excellent, and with the graceful physique of the Mini Arc, it’s very easy to make use of..
The pocket clip has opening to connect a lanyard, however a lanyard just isn’t included. There aren’t any magnets or pouches, or anything included.
Energy and Runtime
The CWF Mini Arc flashlight runs on one lithium-ion battery. It does ship with a 14500, however I’m not certain which one. (Presumably this Vapcell H10 seen beneath, however I cannot recall!)
No matter cell you employ (flat high or button high), it goes into the sunshine with the optimistic finish towards the pinnacle.
Beneath are runtime assessments for 5 modes. The Mini Arc claims 520 lumens. I didn’t observe 520 lumens, and the stepdown from the preliminary output may be very dramatic. So that you’ll actually observe round 80-100 lumens, which does then creep again upward after the sunshine cools a bit. It’s a small titanium gentle, so there’s not a variety of warmth capability, however I’d nonetheless wish to see a greater length on Excessive.
The CWF Mini Arc flashlight cannot use any AA (1.5V) cells. No major, no NiMH.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degree 6 | 520 | – | 325 (0s) 54 (30s) |
2.66 |
| Degree 5 | 260 | – | 216 (0s) 200 (30s) |
0.89 |
| Degree 4 | 182 | – | 139 | 0.42 |
| Degree 3 | 78 | 56 | 0.13 | |
| Degree 2 | 26 | 15 | 0.02 | |
| Degree 1 | – | – | 0.5 | [low] |
Pulse Width Modulation
Each mode has PWM nevertheless it’s quick sufficient that you just’re unlikely to have an issue with it. Excessive is the right-most chart.
Right here you’ll be able to see a “baseline” – a chart with nearly no gentle hitting the sensor.
Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has a number of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so dangerous that I used a submit about it to clarify PWM! Listed here are a number of timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make evaluating this “worst” PWM gentle to the check gentle simpler. That submit additionally explains why I didn’t check the WF-602C on the traditional 50us scale.
Consumer Interface and Operation
Within the CWF Mini Arc flashlight is a reverse mechanical clicky change.
Being a reverse clicky means you’ll be able to nonetheless change modes whereas the sunshine is on, however you don’t have any momentary output choices (from off).
The button does protrude from across the tailcap space only a bit. The sunshine will tailstand, however you’ll be able to really feel the change cowl bulge.
Right here’s a consumer interface desk!
| State | Motion | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click on | Moonlight (or technically, the bottom mode you’ve got programmed, or reminiscence, you probably have that programmed.) |
| On | Click on | Off |
| On | Faucet | Mode advance (ascending) |
| On | Half press >10x | Configuration Mode (indicated by flashes) |
I confirmed within the desk the right way to attain the configuration mode. As soon as within the configuration mode, you could choose which factor you want to change. When you want to choose a special mode group, for instance, do the next:
- With the sunshine off, half-press >10x and observe when the sunshine stops responding
- When the sunshine stops responding, cease urgent, however proceed to carry the change in order that the sunshine is “on”, and the sunshine will start flashing
- The sunshine will flash “stable” then ramp down.
- When you want to program choices 2-3, you need to “cycle the change” through the ramp.
- When you want to program choice 1 (mode group), you need to wait through the first ramp. The sunshine will blink various occasions (the group quantity quantity), then step down and blink the following group quantity.)
- In order for you group 1, cycle the sunshine through the subsequent cycle. (So if you’re in programming for Choice 1, the sunshine will ramp down, blink, then blink as soon as (which signifies group 1), then blink once more. It’s this second ramp you click on to pick group 1!)
- Mild is programmed.
The identical normal course of is used for the opposite choices. Steps 5 and 6 within the checklist above differ barely for the opposite choices. These choices are as follows:
^Choice 2 = Reminiscence on/off, when the sunshine ramps down, it should blink thrice to point out you it’s within the third choice, and flash purple or inexperienced a number of occasions. Cycle the change whereas flashing purple if you need reminiscence off and inexperienced if you need reminiscence on.
^^Choice 3 = Strobe choice, when the sunshine ramps down, it should blink 4 occasions to point out it’s within the fourth choice and flash every colour a number of occasions, cycle change whereas flashing purple for off, inexperienced if you need customary strobe, and blue for bicycle mode. To entry these in regular use cycle change quickly thrice, and it’ll entry both strobe programmed when turned on.
Right here’s a listing of the mode teams. Mainly, nothing tough about them, so no level in a separate desk.
Programming and utilizing the CWF Mini Arc flashlight is mainly like utilizing the CWF Peanut. The Peanut has secondary LED choices, in order that’s one huge distinction. However programming will typically really feel the identical between the 2.
LED and Beam
The CWF Mini Arc flashlight makes use of a reflector and one Nichia 219c. It’s 4000K (however 5000K 519a is what’s accessible now).
The beam profile is nice and helpful.
LED Coloration Report (CRI and CCT)
As acknowledged, the Nichia 219c on this Mini Arc is acknowledged to be 4000K (5000K additionally accessible), and that’s about what it measures. CRI is excessive (yay!) and the Duv stays proper across the BBL (it gained’t appear excessively inexperienced or pink.) This can be a stable (possibly “protected”) emitter selection. Sure, 219c is a bit dated, and I’d quite see Nichia 519a, for instance. And that’s what’s accessible now – I’m not even certain you would order 219c. (I’ve had this gentle for some time, and it’s not simply contemporary out of the CWF store, so no fault to anybody for this utilizing the older emitter!
Do observe that emitter swaps on this gentle might be a reasonably superior method since all the pieces (emitter and driver elements) is all on one aspect of the board!
CCT (Correlated Coloration Temperature) refers back to the measurement of the colour look of sunshine, expressed in Kelvins (Ok), which signifies whether or not the sunshine is heat (yellowish) or cool (bluish). A decrease CCT (beneath 3000K) is taken into account heat gentle, whereas a better CCT (above 5000K) provides cooler, bluish gentle.
CRI (Coloration Rendering Index) is a measure of how precisely a lightweight supply renders colours compared to pure daylight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, increased CRI values point out that colours seem extra true to life and vibrant, much like how they’d look underneath the solar.
Beamshots
These beamshots all the time have the next settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and guide 5000K publicity. These photographs are taken at ground degree, and the beam hits the ceiling round 9 toes away.
Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b model) (affiliate hyperlink)
I preserve the check flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the appropriate. These photographs are taken round 18 inches from the door.
I examine all the pieces to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 as a result of it’s cheap and has one of the best tint!
Abstract and Conclusion
The CWF Mini Arc flashlight is a neat gentle. It’s not a high-output gentle, although. I’m undecided that’s the declare it makes, and in a good analysis of the sunshine, that must be thought of. Does it hit 520 lumens? No, however an even bigger concern is such a small gentle as this coping with the warmth produced by 520 lumens, and what life like expectations are. Realistically, this tiny gentle will warmth up an excessive amount of to keep up 520 for lengthy anyway. However stepping down to only over 10% of the declare appears egregious.
I admire the design similarities to the opposite Arcadian lights by CWF, and I really like matching units. So in case you are a fan of CWF lights just like the Peanut or Arcadian (and I’m a fan), then this gentle will slot proper into that household simply superb.
The Massive Desk
^ Measurement disclaimer: Testing flashlights is my interest. I exploit hobbyist-level tools for testing, together with some I made myself. Attempt to not get buried within the particulars of producer specs versus measurements recorded right here; A specific amount of distinction (say, 10 or 15%) is completely affordable.
What I like
- Construct high quality
- Pocket clip
- Contains cell
- 14500 is included
- Nice beam profile
- Programmability
- No mode reminiscence (should you program the sunshine that means)
What I don’t like
- Price
- Huge stepdowns on highest 3 modes.
- Can’t run 1.5V AA cells
Notes
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