NLIGHTD E1 Copper Nichia 219B Torch Review
NLIGHTD E1 Copper Nichia 219B⌗
- Specifications
- Introduction
- Torch in use
- Build quality
- LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam
- Size and comparison
- User interface
- Batteries and charging
- Performance
- Beamshots
- Conclusion
- Price
- Product page
Specifications⌗
| Brand/model | NLIGHTD E1 Copper |
|---|---|
| LED | Nichia 219B 4500K |
| Maximum lumens | ? lm |
| Maximum beam intensity | ? cd |
| Maximum throw | ? m |
| Battery | 1*AA Ni-MH, 1*14500 Li-ion |
| Onboard charging | No |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Modes | 4 |
| Blinkies | - |
| Reflector | OP |
| Waterproof | IP68 |
| Review date | December 2024 |
Introduction⌗
The NLIGHTD E1 Copper is a small AA-sized torch with a forward-clicky tail switch. The NLIGHTD E1 is available in black aluminium, white MAO aluminium, copper, polished titanium and stonewashed titanium. And there are multiple LEDs to choose from!
I recently reviewed the small NLIGHTD L2 LEP and the NLIGHTD E1 SFT25R.
The NLIGHTD E1 is the LED version of the NLIGHTD L2 but there have been a few improvements:
- It supports AA Ni-MH, AA Alkaline, 14500 3.7V Li-ion (flat or button top).
- The tail switch feels firmer.
- The tail section is slightly longer.
Darren Yeo mentioned a pretty cool idea in his video “The Ultimate Travel Flashlights: My Top 4 Picks!” while travelling around Europe. Instead of carrying two torches, he brought a Convoy S8 with a throw Osram emitter and a spare Convoy S2 head with a Nichia 519A emitter. This allowed him to easily switch from a torch that produces a throwy beam to a torch with a nice soft beam by swapping the heads.
You can get the E1 head only.
NLIGHTD is a brand by nealsgadgets.com.
Neal kindly provided this torch for review. I have not been paid for this review nor have I held back my opinions of this torch.
Packaging⌗
The NLIGHTD E1 comes in a box with the NLIGHTD logo on the top. There is foam to protect the torch and the accessories.
The following was included in the box:
- NLIGHTD E1.
- Pocket clip.
- Two spare o-rings.
- User manual.
- NLIGHTD 3.6V Li-ion 14500 920mAh cell (optional).
Torch in use⌗
The NLIGHTD E1 Copper fits well in my hand. It feels heavy.
The tail switch feels firm.
The button sticks out so the light cannot tail stand easily.
The deep carry pocket clip allows the light to fit discretely in my pocket. That said, it is a bit on the large size for an AA-sized light.
Build quality⌗
The body of this version of the NLIGHTD E1 is made of copper. It is shiny initially but it will quickly form a patina.
Knurling on the head provides some grip.
The threads came well lubricated and there is an o-ring at each end.
The two-way pocket clip fits securely around the tube and it is held in place by the tailcap.
The torch came with some protective film on the lens to remove.
Tritium vials, or glow sticks, can be added to the six slots around the tail.
Button top and flat top cells now fit! The E1 driver has a small positive terminal and the tail is slightly longer.
The torch appears to have physical reverse polarity protection. I put a flat top 14500 cell in backwards and I tried to turn the torch on. The torch did not turn on. The torch continued to work properly after I put the cell in the correct way.
The retaining ring in the tail can be unscrewed to access the switch.
LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam⌗
This NLIGHTD E1 came with a Nichia 219B 4500K emitter and an OP (orange-peel) reflector.
The glass lens appears to have an anti-reflective coating.
There are multiple emitter options available:
- Luminus SFT25R 6500K
- Nichia 519A 3500K High CRI
- Nichia 519A 4500K High CRI
- Nichia 219B 3000K High CRI
- Nichia 219B 3500K High CRI
- Nichia 219B 4500K High CRI
The bezel can be unscrewed to reveal a glass lens with an o-ring between it and the OP reflector.
The reflector is sitting on a circular gasket to keep it centered around the LED.
The Nichia emitters come with an OP reflector while the Luminus SFT25R emitter comes with a smooth reflector.
CCT, CRI, and duv⌗
I have taken Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) and Colour Rendering Index (CRI, RA of R1-R8) measurements with the torch positioned one metre away from an Opple Light Master Pro III (G3).
The CCT is around 4300K, the CRI is around 94 and the Delta u, v is slightly negative (rosy).
The beam produced has a narrow hot spot with a corona that blends into the spill due to the OP reflector. The beam shape is relatively small for a torch this size. The OP reflector is deep so that it may provide a bit more beam distance.
| Cell | Mode | CCT (K) | CRI (Ra) | x | y | Duv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14500 | Low | 4221 | 93.9 | 0.3699 | 0.3636 | -0.0031 |
| 14500 | Med | 4319 | 94.8 | 0.3660 | 0.3603 | -0.0034 |
| 14500 | High | 4336 | 94.4 | 0.3655 | 0.3600 | -0.0034 |
| 14500 | Turbo | 4316 | 95.2 | 0.3641 | 0.3497 | -0.0081 |
Calculate Duv from CIE 1931 xy coordinates
Dimensions and size comparison⌗
Dimensions⌗
I took the following measurements using a digital caliper.
| Measurement | Unit (mm) |
|---|---|
| Length | 103.27 |
| Head diameter | 23.07 |
| Tail diameter | 22.98 |
| Button diameter | 10.66 |
| Tritium slot | 1.5 * 1.6 * 7.5 |
| Battery length | 50.2 |
| Battery diameter | 14.1 |
I measured a button top NLIGHTD 3.6V Li-ion 14500 920mAh cell.
Weight⌗
I took the following measurements using a digital scale.
| Weight | Unit (g) |
|---|---|
| NLIGHTD E1 Copper | 201.46 |
| Battery | 19.70 |
| NLIGHTD E1 Copper with battery | 181.76 |
I measured a button top NLIGHTD 3.6V Li-ion 14500 920mAh cell.
Size comparison with its competition⌗
From left to right: NLIGHTD E1 Copper, Manker E05 II, Acebeam Pokelit AA, ReyLight Pineapple Mini, Wuben X2 Copper
From left to right: NLIGHTD E1 Copper, Manker E05 II, Acebeam Pokelit AA, ReyLight Pineapple Mini, Wuben X2 Copper
User interface⌗
The NLIGHTD E1 has a forward-clicky tail switch.
There are four modes in the main group: Low, Med, High and Turbo
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Half press | Momentary on (mode memory) |
| Off | Half press within 1 second | Cycle (Low, Med, High, Turbo) |
| Off | Click | On (mode memory) |
| On | Click | Off |
Mode memory⌗
There is mode memory.
The torch will use the last used mode when turning the torch back on.
Strobe⌗
There does not appear to be a Strobe mode.
Low voltage protection⌗
Low voltage protection works sometimes.
I recommend using a protected 14500 3.7V Li-ion cell. The NLIGHTD 14500 920mAh USB-C Rechargeable Li-ion cell can be selected when ordering the NLIGHTD E1 or it can be purchased separately.
I tested low voltage protection by connecting the driver of the torch to a bench power supply and then by lowering the voltage from 4.2V to 0V for a 14500 Li-ion cell, and from 1.5V to 0V for a Ni-MH cell.
| Cell | Mode | LVP? | Cut-off | Current |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14500 | Low | Yes | 2.73V | 14 mA |
| 14500 | Med | Yes | 2.73V | 14 mA |
| 14500 | High | No | 2.30V | 0.015 A |
| 14500 | Turbo | No | 2.30V | 0.015 A |
| Ni-MH | Low | Yes | 0.41V | 0 A |
| Ni-MH | Med | Yes | 0.42V | 0 A |
| Ni-MH | High | Yes | 0.41V | 0 A |
| Ni-MH | Turbo | Yes | 0.40V | 0 A |
Pulse Width Modulation⌗
I did not notice any visible PWM (flickering).
I measured the PWM of the light with a Zoyi ZT-703S oscilloscope.
14500 (Low, Med, High, Turbo)
What I like about the UI⌗
- Simple.
- Forward-clicky tail switch.
What could be improved⌗
- A Strobe mode would be nice.
Batteries and charging⌗
Battery⌗
The torch came with optional NLIGHTD 3.6V Li-ion 14500 920mAh cell. It arrived with a voltage fo 3.93V.
The NLIGHTD E1 can be ordered with or without a 14500 3.7V Li-ion cell.
The NLIGHTD 14500 920mAh USB-C Rechargeable Li-ion cell can also be purchased separately.
AA Alkaline, AA Ni-MH, 14500 3.7V Li-ion (flat or button top) work in the NLIGHTD E1.
I tried the following cells:
| Cell | Top | Compatible? | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLIGHTD 3.6V Li-ion 14500 920mAh | Button | Yes | |
| eneloop pro AA 1.2V Ni-MH 2450mAh | Button | Yes | |
| LADDA AA 1.2V Ni-MH 2450mAh | Button | Yes | |
| XTAR AA 1.5V Li-ion 2500mAh | Button | Yes | |
| Vapcell H10 14500 3.7V Li-ion 1000mAh | Button | Yes | |
| Vapcell H10 14500 3.7V Li-ion 1000mAh | Flat | Yes |
Charging⌗
There is no built-in charging.
Power supply: PinePower Desktop USB-C
USB Meter: ChargerLAB Power-Z KM003C
Room temperature: 18 C
I charged the optional NLIGHTD 3.6V Li-ion 14500 920mAh cell from 3.24V to 4.19V with the USB-C charger built into the cell.
It took about 2 hours 25 minutes to charge the cell at a rate of 5V/0.45A.
The charging status indicator is red while charging and it turns blue when charging is complete.
Performance⌗
There was a hiccup with the first batch where Nichia 219B emitters were installed instead of 519A. The user manual was created with the Luminus SFT25R and Nichia 519A emitters in mind.
The runtime, lumen output and beam distance for the Nichia 219B emitters is not stated in the user manual.
Specifications from the user manual:
| ANSI/NEMA FL1 | LED | Cell | Low | Med | High | Turbo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Output (lumens) | SFT25R | 14500 | 1 | 150 | 400 | 1,000 |
| Output (lumens) | SFT25R | AA | 1 | 30 | 200 | 350 |
| Output (lumens) | 519A | 14500 | 1 | 80 | 200 | 500 |
| Output (lumens) | 519A | AA | 1 | 16 | 120 | 200 |
| Beam Intensity (cd) | SFT25R | 14500 | 29,250 | |||
| Beam Distance (metres) | SFT25R | 14500 | 342 | |||
| Beam Intensity (cd) | 519A | 14500 | 4,230 | |||
| Beam Distance (metres) | 519A | 14500 | 130 |
I used an LADDA AA Ni-MH 1.2V 2450mAh cell and a button top NLIGHTD 3.6V Li-ion 14500 920mAh cell for the following tests.
Lumen measurements⌗
I used a UNI-T UT139C digital multimeter to measure the current for 14500 Low at turn on.
I used a bench power supply to measure the current at turn on for all other modes.
| Cell | Mode | Amps at start | Specs | Lumens @turn on | Lumens @30 sec | Lumens @10 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14500 | Low | 13 mA | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 14500 | Med | 0.234 A | 115 | 115 | 113 | |
| 14500 | High | 0.725 A | 292 | 289 | 197 | |
| 14500 | Turbo | 2.886 A | 726 | 673 | 199 | |
| Ni-MH | Low | 0.066 A | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Ni-MH | Med | 0.196 A | 22 | 22 | 22 | |
| Ni-MH | High | 1.527 A | 190 | 189 | 120 | |
| Ni-MH | Turbo | 3.426 A | 294 | 289 | 120 |
Standby drain⌗
There is no standby drain. This torch has a forward-clicky tailswitch.
Runtime graphs⌗
I used my own DIY lumen tube with a TSE1591 sensor and forked bmengineer’s project RuTiTe to record runtimes.
Note: Lumen measurements may be off by 10% with my DIY lumen tube.
The room temperature was approximately 18 C.
14500⌗
Ni-MH⌗
Runtime⌗
Here is a summary of the runtime results:
| Cell | Mode | User manual | Runtime | Turn off | Final voltage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14500 | Turbo | 1h 39min 19s | 3h 47min 52s | 2.99 | |
| 14500 | High | 1h 49min 17s | 3h 56min 39s | 2.72 | |
| 14500 | Med | 3h 36min 21s | 5h 46min 40s | 2.79 | |
| 14500 | Low | 10min+ | 10min+ | ||
| Ni-MH | Turbo | 1h 48min 2s | 2h 12min 59s | 0.83 | |
| Ni-MH | High | 1h 51min 9s | 2h 16min 4s | 0.83 | |
| Ni-MH | Med | 9h 4min 34s | 9h 4min 34s | 0.91 | |
| Ni-MH | Low | 10min+ | 10min+ |
“Runtime” is the time until the output reduces to 10% of the output at 30 seconds (as per the ANSI/PLATO FL1 2019 Standard).
“Turn off” is the time until my DIY lumen tube no longer detects more than one lumen.
“+” indicates that the light remained on after recording had stopped.
The runtimes are good.
The output is well regulated.
Throw⌗
I took lux measurements with a UNI-T UT383BT at 30 seconds. Low was measured at one metre. Med, High and Turbo were measured at five metres.
| Cell | Mode | Specs (cd) | Specs (m) | Candela measured (cd) | Distance (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14500 | Low | 8 | 5 | ||
| 14500 | Med | 1,075 | 65 | ||
| 14500 | High | 3,025 | 110 | ||
| 14500 | Turbo | 7,225 | 170 |
Beamshots⌗
I went to a local park and aimed the torch at a tree 70 metres away while using Turbo.
Beamshots were taken using a Sony RX100M2 using 3.2", f3.2, ISO 100, 5000K WB.
NLIGHTD E1 Copper Nichia 219B 14500 (Turbo)⌗
Manker E05 II (High)⌗
Acebeam Pokelit AA Ti (High)⌗
ReyLight Pineapple Mini (100%)⌗
Wuben X2 Copper (Turbo)⌗
Conclusion⌗
The NLIGHTD E1 Copper is either something that you will love or hate.
The shiny copper forms a patina quickly and it becomes brown within a few days of using the torch.
I really like the rosy beam.
The rosy Nichia 219B 4500K was installed by mistake. It was a happy little accident!
You have a choice of Nichia 219B, Nichia 519A and Luminus SFT25R.
If you want more lumens then check out the NLIGHTD E1 SFT25R.
If you want a longer beam distance then you could get the NLIGHTD L2 LEP.
If you like copper torches then I would highly recommend considering this NLIGHTD E1 Copper.
Pros:⌗
- Good build quality.
- Good lumen output.
- Good runtimes.
- The output is well regulated.
- There are a lot of LED options!
- It supports AA Ni-MH, AA Alkaline, 14500 3.7V Li-ion (flat or button top).
- Simple user interface.
- Two-way pocket clip is securely attached and it can be easily removed.
Cons:⌗
- Low voltage protection sometimes does not work (recommend using a protected 14500 3.7V Li-ion).
Price⌗
The copper NLIGHTD E1 is US$40.27 from nealsgadgets.com when using the early bird coupon code NLDDEAL (35% off).
That 35% off code also works on the NLIGHTD L2 LEP. You can find my full review of the NLIGHTD L2 here.
Product page⌗
Promo code: TimMcAU
Promo code: TIMMC
NLIGHTD E1 at nealsgadgets.com (affiliate link)
I may earn a commission if you use an affiliate link or a promo code. This will help fund future torch reviews and tutorials.