Skilhunt EC500 WW Torch Review

Skilhunt EC500 WW#
- Specifications
- Introduction
- Torch in use
- Build quality
- LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam
- Size and comparison
- User interface
- Batteries and charging
- Powerbank
- Performance
- Beamshots
- Conclusion
- Price
- Product page
Specifications#
Brand/model | Skilhunt EC500 WW |
---|---|
LED | Luminus SFT40 3000K 95 CRI |
Maximum lumens | 1,300 lm |
Maximum beam intensity | 122,000 cd |
Maximum throw | 698 m |
Battery | 1*21700 Li-ion (button top) |
Onboard charging | Yes (USB-C) |
Powerbank | Yes (USB-C) |
Material | Aluminium |
Modes | 7 |
Blinkies | 4 |
Reflector | Smooth |
Waterproof | IPX8 |
Review date | January 2025 |
Introduction#
The Skilhunt EC500 WW is a 21700-sized thrower with a Luminus SFT40 3000K 95 CRI emitter and built-in USB-C charging. It is also available with a NW (5000K) or a CW (6500K) emitter. And there is a choice of Carbon Black, Gun Metal Grey or Coyote Brown for the body colour.
I previously reviewed the Skilhunt H150 headlamp with a 3000K emitter and I have been EDC’ing that on and off for the past year. This Skilhunt EC500 WW may be a perfect companion as a spotlight with a 3000K emitter.
Skilhunt is also known as ESKTE. The SKT is short for for SKilhunT.
Skilhunt 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 EC500 comes in a black and yellow ESKTE branded box with an image of the torch on the front and details on the back.
Two yellow ESKTE branded boxes can be found inside the black box. One is for the torch and the other is for the accessories.
The following was included in the box:
- Skilhunt EC500 WW.
- Skilhunt BL-250 21700 3.6V Li-ion 5000mAh 15A Max CDR cell.
- Pocket clip.
- Two spare o-rings.
- Lanyard.
- USB-A to USB-C cable.
- User manual.
Torch in use#
The Skilhunt EC500 feels relatively lightweight and grippy in my hand.
The torch is controlled with an electronic side-switch.
The lanyard hole in the side of the tailcap allows the torch to tailstand while a lanyard is inserted.
The pocket clip comes in handy when hanging the torch off a bag or a pocket.
Build quality#
The Skilhunt EC500 WW is made of aluminium and it has a Coyote Brown anodised finish. It is also available on Carbon Black and Gun Metal Grey.
The tube and tailcap provide plenty of grip.
The USB-C charging port cover has a unique design. It is like a rubber band with a cover attached to it. I am keen to see if it is durable over time.
The torch came with a piece of protective film to remove from the lens.
The button looks cool. It gives a satisfying click and it has a battery status indicator behind it.
The threads came well lubricated and the tailcap turns smoothly. That said, the threads do become dirty over time and some care is needed to get the tailcap onto the threads properly to avoid cross-threading it. I have not cross-threaded it so far.
Springs at both ends allow button top and flat top cells to fit.
Reverse Polarity Protection#
There is reverse polarity protection (RPP) built into the flashlight but the first EC500 that I received was faulty.
I checked RPP by: inserting an unprotected 21700 backwards, screwing on the tailcap, and then by pressing the switch. DO NOT try this at home!
First EC500: Smoke started appearing between the reflector and the lens. I removed the cell and some smoke escaped from the tube. The torch continued to work but an inductor on the charging board was burnt.
I immediately contacted Skillhunt and I shared my findings and photos. The head of the torch is glued to the tube but it is relatively easy to apply some force and unscrew the tube to get access to the driver and the separate charging board.
A yellow wire was slightly crushed. There may have been a short somewhere.
Skilhunt kindly sent a replacement EC500 and a spare driver, charging board and a switch so that I can fix the first EC500.
Second EC500: RPP worked as expected. The driver and wires look ok.
LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam#
The Skilhunt EC500 is available in:
- Skilhunt EC500 WW (Luminus SFT40 3000K 95 CRI)
- Skilhunt EC500 NW (Luminus SFT40 5000K)
- Skilhunt EC500 CW (Luminus SFT40 6500K)
It has a smooth reflector with gasket surrounding the emitter.
I like the design of the bezel.
CCT, CRI, and duv#
I have taken Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) and Colour Rendering Index (CRI, RA of R1-R8) measurements for each mode with the torch positioned five metres away from an Opple Light Master Pro III (G3) except for L2. L2 was measured at one metre.
The CCT is around 3080K, the CRI is around 97 and the Delta u, v is slightly negative (rosy) on lower modes and closer to pure white on higher modes.
The beam produced has an intense warm white hot spot and a wide spill. It is like a traditional spotlight beam.
Mode | CCT (K) | CRI (Ra) | x | y | Duv |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
L2 | 2913 | 97.6 | 0.4377 | 0.3949 | -0.0038 |
L1 | 2832 | 96.8 | 0.4453 | 0.4002 | -0.0026 |
M2 | 2895 | 97.6 | 0.4422 | 0.4017 | -0.0016 |
M1 | 2931 | 97.5 | 0.4403 | 0.4022 | -0.0012 |
H1 | 3026 | 97.4 | 0.4351 | 0.4029 | 0.0002 |
T2 | 3021 | 97.2 | 0.4347 | 0.4015 | -0.0007 |
T1 | 3074 | 96.1 | 0.4305 | 0.3988 | -0.0012 |
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 | 138.77 |
Head diameter | 51.60 |
Tube diameter | 24.05 |
Tail diameter | 27.98 |
Battery length | 74.60 |
Battery diameter | 21.38 |
Weight#
I took the following measurements using a digital scale.
Weight | Unit (g) |
---|---|
Skilhunt EC500 WW | 135 |
Battery | 72 |
Skilhunt EC500 WW with battery | 207 |
Size comparison with its competition#
From left to right: Skilhunt EC500 WW, Mateminco MT-911, Sofirn C8L, Convoy L21B
From left to right: Skilhunt EC500 WW, Mateminco MT-911, Sofirn C8L, Convoy L21B
User interface#
The Skilhunt EC500 WW is controlled by an electronic side switch.
There are seven main modes split across three groups (Low, Main, Turbo):
- Low has: L1 and L2.
- Main has: M1, M2 and H1.
- Turbo has: T1 and T2.
There are four blinks: Strobe, Beacon (1 second), SOS and Beacon (2 seconds).
There are shortcuts to Low, Turbo and Strobe from off.
Group | State | Action | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Off | Click | Main (mode memory) | |
On | Click | Off | |
Main | On | Hold | Cycle (M2, M1, H1) |
Main | On | Two clicks and hold | Low (mode memory) |
Main | Off | Two clicks | Turbo (mode memory) |
Main | On | Three clicks | Strobe (mode memory) |
Off | Press and hold for 0.5 seconds | Low (mode memory) | |
Low | On | Hold | Cycle (L2, L1) |
Low | On | Two clicks and hold | Main (mode memory) |
Off | Two clicks | Turbo (mode memory) | |
Turbo | On | Hold | Cycle (T2, T1) |
Turbo | On | Two clicks | Main (mode memory) |
Turbo | On | Three clicks | Strobe (mode memory) |
Off | Three clicks | Strobe (mode memory) | |
Strobe | On | Two clicks | Cycle (Strobe, Beacon (1s), SOS, Beacon (2s)) |
Strobe | On | Three clicks | Previous group |
Off | Four clicks | Lock | |
Locked | Off | Click | Battery status indicator blinks red |
Locked | Off | Hold | Momentary L1 |
Locked | Off | Four clicks | Unlock and L1 |
Locked | Off | Two clicks | Location indicator on |
Locked | On | Two clicks | Location indicator off |
The location indicator is the red emitter in the button. It blinks like a beacon.
Strobe#
There are four blinky modes: S1, S2, S3 and S4.
- S1: Strobe with an alternating frequency.
- S2: Beacon (flash once every second).
- S3: SOS.
- S4: Beacon (flash once every two seconds).
The last used mode for Strobe is memorised when going back to Strobe via three clicks.
S1, S2, S3, S4
I measured Strobe, Beacon (1 second), SOS and Beacon (2 seconds) with a Zoyi ZT-703S oscilloscope using High Speed mode.
Battery status indicator#
The battery status indicator in the button will be displayed for 5 seconds when the torch has been turned on.
Colour | Battery status |
---|---|
Blue | 80% - 100% |
Blue blink | 50% - 80% |
Red | 20% - 50% |
Red blink | 0 - 20% |
Low voltage protection#
The torch has low voltage protection built-in. I tested the second EC500 using an unprotected 21700 cell by turning on T2 mode and it turned off around 2.96V.
Pulse Width Modulation#
I did not notice any visible PWM (flickering).
I measured the PWM of the light with a Zoyi ZT-703S oscilloscope.
L2, L1, M2, M1, H1, T2, T1
What I like about the UI#
- Shortcuts to Low, Turbo and Strobe from off.
What could be improved#
- There is a shortcut to the Low group from off but it would be even better if the torch had a shortcut to L2 from off so that the lowest mode is directly accessible from off.
Batteries and charging#
Battery#
The included Skilhunt BL-250 21700 3.6V Li-ion 5000mAh 15A Max CDR cell arrived with a voltage of 3.44V.
It came with a bit of plastic at the end to prevent accidental activation while in transit.
I tried the following cells:
Cell | Top | Compatible? |
---|---|---|
Skilhunt BL-250 21700 3.6V Li-ion 5000mAh | Button | Yes |
Armytek 21700 3.7V Li-ion 5000mAh | Flat | Yes |
Molicel P42A 21700 4200mAh | Flat | Yes |
Weltool UB21-50 21700 5000mAh USB-C | Button | Yes |
Charging#
The Skilhunt EC500 has built-in USB-C charging.
Power supply: PinePower Desktop USB-C
USB Meter: ChargerLAB Power-Z KM003C
Room temperature: 21 C
I charged the included cell from 2.94V to 4.186V inside the torch.
It took about 2 hours 27 minutes to fully charge the torch at a rate of 5V/2.5A.
The charging status indicator in button went red while charging and it went blue when charging was complete.
Powerbank#
The EC500 can be used as a powerbank via the USB-C port. It can supply 5V/2A.
Skilhunt has a warning on their website: “Please note, it is not suitable for devices that require lower charging currents, as it may damage the product.”
I used a ChargerLAB Power-Z KM003C and it detected these charging protocols:
DCP
SAM 2A
Apple 2.4A
Power supply compatibility#
I tried the following power supplies with the built-in USB-C charger:
Power supply | USB Type | Protocol | Does it charge? |
---|---|---|---|
Apple 61W Power Adapter | USB-C | PD | Yes |
Google Pixel Power Adapter | USB-C | PD | Yes |
PinePower Desktop | USB-C | PD | Yes |
PinePower Desktop | USB-A | QC | Yes |
PinePower Desktop | USB-A | Yes |
USB-C to USB-C charging works.
Performance#
Specifications from the user manual:
FL1 STANDARD | LED | T1 | T2 | H1 | M1 | M2 | L1 | L2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Output (lumens) | CW | 2,100 + 1,000 + 580 | 1,000 + 580 | 580 | 280 | 92 | 6 | 1 |
Output (lumens) | NW | 1,780 + 950 + 570 | 950 + 570 | 570 | 275 | 90 | 5.5 | 1 |
Output (lumens) | WW | 1,300 + 640 + 385 | 640 + 385 | 385 | 180 | 60 | 3.5 | 0.5 |
Runtime | 2 + 110 + 30min | 115 + 30min | 250min | 9.5h | 29.5h | 300h | ||
Beam Distance (metres) | CW | 902 | ||||||
Beam Distance (metres) | NW | 843 | ||||||
Beam Distance (metres) | WW | 698 | ||||||
Beam Intensity (cd) | CW | 203,600 | ||||||
Beam Intensity (cd) | NW | 178,000 | ||||||
Beam Intensity (cd) | WW | 122,000 |
I tested the light using the included button top Skilhunt 21700 BL-250 5000mAh 3.6V Li-ion cell.
Lumen measurements#
I used a bench power supply to measure the current at turn on.
Mode | Amps at start | Specs | Lumens @turn on | Lumens @30 sec | Lumens @10 min |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
L2 | 6 mA | 0.5 | |||
L1 | 15 mA | 3.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
M2 | 0.138 A | 90 | 80 | 79 | 79 |
M1 | 0.438 A | 180 | 234 | 230 | 230 |
H1 | 1.013 A | 385 | 461 | 459 | 453 |
T2 | 2.012 A | 640 + 385 | 773 | 763 | 735 |
T1 | 5+ A | 1,300 + 640 + 385 | 1,657 | 1,510 | 733 |
L2 was too low for my DIY lumen tube to detect.
My DIY lumen tube appears to be reading a bit high compared to other reviews of the Skilhunt EC500 WW (3000K) version of the torch.
Standby drain#
39.2 µA
Measurements were taken using a UNI-T UT139C digital multimeter.
Runtime graphs#
I used my own DIY lumen tube with a TSL2591 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 21 C.
Runtime#
Here is a summary of the runtime results:
Mode | User manual | Runtime | Turn off | Final Voltage |
---|---|---|---|---|
T1 | 2 + 110 + 30min | 2h 22min 20s | 2h 22min 20s | 2.94 |
T2 | 115 + 30min | 2h 26min 16s | 2h 26min 17s | 2.96 |
H1 | 4h 10min | 4h 21min 35s | 4h 21min 35s | 2.98 |
M1 | 9h 30min | 9h 54min 43s | 9h 54min 43s | 2.97 |
M2 | 29h 30min | 30h 59min 59s | 30h 59min 59s | 2.91 |
L1 | 300h | 10min+ | 10min+ | |
L2 | 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 slightly better than expected for most modes.
The output looks well regulated.
Throw#
I took lux measurements with a UNI-T UT383BT at 30 seconds. T1 was measured at five metres.
Mode | Specs (cd) | Specs (m) | Candela measured (cd) | Distance (m) |
---|---|---|---|---|
T1 | 122,000 | 698 | 129,975 | 721 |
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.
Skilhunt EC500 WW (T1)#

Mateminco FT01 (Turbo)#

Mateminco MT-911 (Turbo)#

Conclusion#
The Skilhunt EC500 WW in Coyote Brown produces a lovely warm throwy beam!
The beam distance is good. It could be even better if you get a CW 6500K version instead of this WW 3000K version.
The output is well regulated.
The user interface is almost identical to Skilhunt’s other torches. This helps provide a consistent experience. But it might be a bit daunting at first to remember how to use it.
The build quality is pretty good but there was an issue with the first sample that I received where a yellow wire was partially crushed and reverse polarity protection failed. The second sample worked properly.
Overall, the Skilhunt EC500 would make a good gift for hunters or someone wanting a decent spotlight.
Pros:#
- Warm colour temperature (3000K).
- High CRI.
- Good beam distance.
- Good runtimes.
- Output is well regulated.
- USB-C charging.
Cons:#
- Reverse polarity protection failed for the first EC500 that I tested. It worked on the replacement.
Price#
The Skilhunt EC500 WW Coyote Brown with a 21700 BL-250 battery is AU$144.47 from skilhunt.com