The Ripshine EL1 flashlight provides a easy person interface, the flexibility to run an included 14500 cell or different AA, and a Cree XP-L HD emitter. Learn on!
Official Specs and Options
Right here’s a hyperlink to the Ripshine EL1 flashlight product web page.
Variations
The product web page exhibits solely black accessible, however the field displaying a inexperienced gentle makes me assume there are not less than two choices. Very probably, although, they’re similar internally.
Worth
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight sells for $23.99 and is on the market flashlightgo now!
What’s Included
- Ripshine EL1 flashlight
- Ripshine 950mAh 14500
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Handbook
Bundle and Handbook
Construct High quality and Disassembly
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight has acceptable construct high quality for a $24 gentle. That’s not good or unhealthy – it’s nice. Particularly relating to the construct and worth – this gentle makes use of a Cree XP-L HD emitter, which is a bit dated.
The top finish has solely a button for contact. The threads are anodized and clean.
Solely the top is detachable from the Ripshine EL1 flashlight, however contained in the cell tube (beneath), there’s a spring.
Measurement and Comps
Measurement 91 x 18.5MM
Weight 23g (solely flashlight)
Right here’s the sunshine in hand:
Right here’s the take a look at gentle with the venerable Convoy S2+. The model beneath is a customized laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full put up on an engraved orange host proper right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to purchase your Convoy S2+ now!
Additionally within the picture above, my Customary Reference Materials (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 gentle. 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 hanging distinction to the cheap Convoy S2+, one other nice SRM.
Retention and Carry
A friction-fit pocket clip is included with the Ripshine EL1 flashlight. It’s a one-way clip and has a number of areas had been a lanyard (not included) might be hooked up.
And that’s it for retention or carry of the Ripshine EL1 flashlight!
Energy and Runtime
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight runs a lithium-ion 14500 cell, and Ripshine consists of this customary 950mAh cell.
The cell goes into the sunshine within the typical orientation – constructive finish towards the top.
I examined runtime efficiency on Turbo and excessive. You may take a look at that knowledge beneath. It’s acceptable – each modes have a stepdown. After the stepdown, each keep roughly 250 lumens for effectively over an hour.
The temperature strains in these charts are included as normal context, not exact measurements. The values characterize the vary (min to max) throughout testing, however shouldn’t be taken as actual readings. Temperature sensors are hooked up nevertheless possible and never all the time on the bezel or hottest spot (assuming that may even be clearly outlined). Even with very best placement, too many variables have an effect on temperature to definitively state a particular max worth.
Charging
Whereas the Ripshine EL1 flashlight itself doesn’t have charging, the included cell does. This cell has a USB-C port on the constructive finish.
Charging proceeds at roughly 0.5C, which is on the sluggish aspect, however nonetheless acceptable (and nice for cell longevity). Each C to C and A to C work simply nice.
Whereas charging, a crimson LED on the cell is lit. When charging is full, the indicator turns inexperienced.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 1250-550 | 60s+1h45m | 1133 (0s) 916 (30s) |
3.86 |
| Excessive | 600 | 1h50m | 550 (0s) 239 (30s) |
1.14 |
| Medium | 260 | 2h5m | 238 | 0.41 |
| Low | 6 | 50h | 5.4 | [low] |
The sunshine can even run on a 1.5V cell (equivalent to AA or AA NiMH). No testing was carried out with that cell.
Pulse Width Modulation
The decrease modes have a little bit of squiggle, however this isn’t PWM, and I didn’t discover it throughout use. Turbo appears to not have any PWM or the rest.
Click on right here to see a “baseline” – a chart with virtually no gentle hitting the sensor.
Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has a few of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so unhealthy that I used a put up about it to clarify PWM! Listed below are a number of timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make evaluating this “worst” PWM gentle to the take a look at gentle simpler. That put up additionally explains why I didn’t take a look at the WF-602C on the typical 50us scale.
Consumer Interface and Operation
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight makes use of a single mechanical clicky on the tail for operation.
The change may be very proud (and prevents tailstanding) and has a pleasant motion.
Right here’s a person interface desk! The change is a ahead clicky!
| State | Motion | End result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click on | On (reminiscence) |
| Off | Faucet | Momentary on (use this to advance modes earlier than turning the sunshine on) |
| On | Click on | Off |
| On | Faucet | No change |
| Off | Faucet 5x | Momentary strobe |
| Off | Faucet 5x and click on | Strobe |
LED and Beam
The Ripshine EL1 flashlight makes use of a Cree XP-L HD emitter. There’s a small, clean reflector to go together with that, too. The beam profile is simply nice.
LED Colour Report (CRI and CCT)
I don’t see any declare about CCT or CRI being made by Ripshine, however this gentle is cool white and low CRI. Neither of these ought to come as a giant shock since this gentle makes use of a Cree XP-L HD.
CCT (Correlated Colour Temperature) refers back to the measurement of the colour look of sunshine, expressed in Kelvins (Okay), 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 (Colour Rendering Index) is a measure of how precisely a light-weight supply renders colours compared to pure daylight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, greater CRI values point out that colours seem extra true to life and vibrant, just like how they might look below the solar.
Beamshots
These beamshots all the time have the next settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and handbook 5000K publicity. These pictures are taken at ground stage, and the beam hits the ceiling round 9 ft away.
Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b model) (affiliate hyperlink)
I maintain the take a look at flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the best. These pictures are taken round 18 inches from the door.
I examine the whole lot to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 as a result of it’s cheap and has the very best tint!
Abstract and Conclusion
Whereas the Cree XP-L HD emitter isn’t my first selection, the beam profile of this gentle is sweet, and the associated fee is even higher. It’s in all probability attainable to carry out an emitter swap for this gentle. As soon as that’s achieved, you’ll have a quite simple gentle that may run AA and 14500 for a really cheap value!
The Massive Desk
^ Measurement disclaimer: Testing flashlights is my interest. I take advantage of hobbyist-level gear for testing, together with some I made myself. Strive 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 cheap.
What I like
- Low value
- Easy person interface
- Cheap construct high quality for the worth
- Strobe doesn’t get in the way in which
- Can run 14500 and AA
What I don’t like
- Dated emitter
- Cool white
- Low CRI
