Review: No Name BT90 flashlight from various sellers on Ali Express

[NT2C]

(Note: I will try to link to a few different listings for these on Ali Express but stores on Ali Express come and go about as frequently as my ex changes boyfriends)

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Generally selling (in anodized red) for ~$18-$19 without battery, ~$23-$24 with a chonky 5,000mAh 26650A, and ~$21-$22 with a 2,000mAh 18650A this bad boy is one of the best throwers you're going to find for under $25.  While I don't believe it's an LEP, it does claim to be one, and provides a great imitation of one, projecting a lightsabre-style beam as far as the eye can see in turbo mode.  I've bounced the beam from this off of low clouds!

Specs on this should probably be taken with an entire salt lick, given it's from China on Ali Express, but:

• 5,000 claimed lumens
• Type-C charging port
• claimed 500-1,000m beam
• Waterproof (no rating)
• NO POLARITY PROTECTION (put the battery in backward and you can possibly blow the chip)
• Nice lanyard if you have medium-small hands

I've seen this in Red and in black on Ali Express, but a Google search also turns up green, blue, silver, and orange/gold versions.

Sellers:

XIWANGFIRE
NEWBIRTH
Link to an Ali Express search for BT90

[Raptor]

I bought one of these. It came with a 22650 battery for $19 with shipping. It is indeed a thrower and pretty bright. (5000 lumens? who knows) The one I bought did not come with an 18650 sleeve but these are available and the 18650 is held in place without a sleeve by the battery so it is not an issue.

You can buy these all day long under $20. They are a decent purchase.

Thanks for the heads up on this NT2C!

[NT2C]

I've confirmed that these are indeed LEP lights (Laser Excited Phosphor) and I plan to see what candella they're putting out once I figure out what pile of crap in my office my light meter is under.

[majorhavoc]

I wasn't familiar with LEP.  So, is it a type of LED, or is it considered an evolutionary step up from an LED?  (I.E. regular incadescent<Xenon<LED<LEP?)

[NT2C]

I wasn't familiar with LEP.  So, is it a type of LED, or is it considered an evolutionary step up from an LED?  (I.E. regular incadescent<Xenon<LED<LEP?)

It's not an LED but it's in an LED format and uses an LED laser.  Consider it a hybrid.

Essentially (if I can be Anton here for a moment), you take a phosphor material that glows white and hit it with a laser beam then direct it through a TIR lens/reflector combo.  Ever shine a laser pointer on hi-viz clothing?  Same idea.

[Raptor]

I've confirmed that these are indeed LEP lights (Laser Excited Phosphor) and I plan to see what candella they're putting out once I figure out what pile of crap in my office my light meter is under.

It would be interesting to measure the output. That said I would not suggest you go to any trouble. The thing is pretty bright on high.  

I use more mundane criteria anyway. This is one that will light up a reflective traffic sign a 1/2 mile away. It is one of the few that I have that will do that. 

[majorhavoc]

Now, this is interesting.  Slickdeals.net currently has a deal post for a Wurkkos TD01C 2200lm rechargable thrower with 21700 battery for $36.75 with coupon code. Not quite a SD Frontpage deal yet, but definitely moving in that direction.

So, what says the UFOZS lighting tech/hive mind about this price/performance match up?  What are you getting for a $17 premium?  Definitely a higher water resistance rating.  What else?  Name brand quality? Perhaps truth in advertising in lumen output?  Or is it all hype and the BT90 AliExpress special is just an unbranded Wurkkos?

Serious questions, here.  And I ask them with some trepidation because I do NOT need another flashlight.  Nope, not another flashlight for me.  No siree.  Absolutely not.  I need another one like I needed that 19th knife I just added to my collection. 

I'm ah .... askin' for a friend.  Yeah, that's the ticket ... 

[NT2C]

Now, this is interesting.  Slickdeals.net currently has a deal post for a Wurkkos TD01C 2200lm rechargable thrower with 21700 battery for $36.75 with coupon code. Not quite a SD Frontpage deal yet, but definitely moving in that direction.

So, what says the UFOZS lighting tech/hive mind about this price/performance match up?  What are you getting for a $17 premium?  Definitely a higher water resistance rating.  What else?  Name brand quality? Perhaps truth in advertising in lumen output?  Or is it all hype and the BT90 AliExpress special is just an unbranded Wurkkos?

Serious questions, here.  And I ask them with some trepidation because I do NOT need another flashlight.  Nope, not another flashlight for me.  No siree.  Absolutely not.  I need another one like I needed that 19th knife I just added to my collection. 

I'm ah .... askin' for a friend.  Yeah, that's the ticket ... 

Effectively, there's not gonna be much difference other than intensity.  The Wurkkos will have hard anodizing but only come in black.  The BT90 comes in colors but scratches easy.  The Wurkkos has an actual IP rating (IPX8) but both have the same o-rings and seals.  The physical cases are almost the same (slightly (4mm) wider head on the BT90 and 2mm shorter) but the Wurkkos has a secondary tailswitch, the BT90 does not. Battery size/type is similar.  Where they differ is in candela and luminous flux but the Wurkkos achieves its beam pattern with a TIR lens style while the BT90 does it with a long, deep reflector and this is where it gets hard to explain differences to a non-hardcore flashlight nerd but the bottom line is they have almost the same beam pattern but the BT90 has a hot spot that is much more sharply outlined. TIR hotspots are a bit fuzzy around the edges.

It's hard to otherwise explain the difference in the light outputs of both.  Similar results, vastly different internals creating those results which have to be quantified and measured differently.

Given the price differences and free shipping on both, IMHO the BT90 is the best bang for your buck unless you really need hard anodizing, hate the color red, or need a tail switch.

Edit: or pull a sneaky lateral and get a Sofirn IF22A

[Raptor]

The key difference I see is that the BT90 had an extra hole in the body for usb charging. This will definitely make it less water resistant. That said that usb port is exactly why I bought this light. It allows me to charge it without any special equipment or than a usb charger and power. I have this basically everywhere.

The hot spot is very defined but there is enough spillage to provide near illumination. It is not like hot spot from led lights with the flood spot type focus.

Me personally? I would not pay an extra $17. You could almost get 2 bt90 with a battery for that extra $17.

That said YMMV.

As far as truth in advertising of flashlight claims unless it is name brand like Streamlight or Maglight I would call BS on all claims.

The same for rechargeable battery claims. I have seen many 18650 batteries claiming 9900 mah. This is possible not physically possible with today's technology.

If it is online and made in the prc assume the claims are false. That is not say don't buy it just keep your expectations in check.

[NT2C]

The key difference I see is that the BT90 had an extra hole in the body for usb charging. This will definitely make it less water resistant. That said that usb port is exactly why I bought this light. It allows me to charge it without any special equipment or than a usb charger and power. I have this basically everywhere.

Both lights have the same port and such ports are usually quite watertight.  The BT90 even says it's waterproof in the same ad panel that shows the port.

[majorhavoc]

I have two all metal rechargeable headlamps. One (an Energizer) has that kind of captive rubber hatch that covers the charging port.  It's hard to explain in words, but it always seems like that rubber hatch is either tricky to open with your finger nail, or strangely difficult to fully close.

The other headlamp, a Slonik, has a rotating metal cap on one end of the barrel-shaped body. It too is captive, but it's also o-ring sealed.  Twisting it allows you to slide it about a half inch to expose the charging port.

I like both headlamps performance-wise, but I much prefer the Slonick's o-ring sealed cap arrangement to the Energizer's rubber hatch. Until I had both, I didn't really appreciate the difference.  I suspect it's also why the Slonik has a higher water resistance rating than the Energizer.

[NT2C]

The silicone USB covers are officially known as, and I kid you not, "flappy doodles".

The covers, while they do add some protection, are mostly for dust protection.  The USB ports are internally sealed.

[majorhavoc]

flappy doodle
/flap-ee dood(e)l/

noun
a captive (retained) silicone or rubber cover,  designed to protect sensitive components from dust infiltration

verb
to perform a particular act between two consenting adults in the privacy of their bedroom

[NT2C]

Some crappy beamshots

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[majorhavoc]

"I don't care if it's just a made up movie franchise, honey!  I'm telling you that crazy neighbor of ours has a real light saber and he's swinging it around in his front yard!"

[Raptor]

Yes indeed it is a long throw  very bright beam.