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The Advancedmart Chromed Brass 0.5W LED-050AAA is a
really cute little keychain/pocket light. It has a silver
finish, is knurled for grip, and has a clickie switch
on the side below the head. The LED is one of the newer
8mm 0.5 Watt LEDs and inside is a boost circuit to help
with maintaining brightness over time.
The body is made of chromed brass with a silver finish.
On the head is a ring of knurling. Machined in the body
is a wide band of knurling which is fairly aggressive
and provides a very good grip. Another ring of knurling
surrounds the tailcap for ease of removal when it comes
time for a battery change. The tailcap has a drilled
tab for the keychain attachment (included).
At the front of the light you will find a recessed
plastic lens with the 8mm 0.5 Watt LED inside a smooth
reflector. Despite the use of a smooth reflector, the
beam is quite nice. Inside the head of the light is
a DC-DC boost circuit to power the LED with the single
AAA cell in the body tube. The circuit also regulates
output to some degree, keeping the light from simply
dropping off as it normally would without the circuit.
Output is in the form of a bluish tinted beam which
has a distinct wide central spot surrounded by a distinct
corona. Only very slight imperfections in the beam were
found.
Beam at one meter at target center
Runtime Plot: A little short of 3 hours to 50%. At
this point output drops off almost completely as the
boost circuit can no longer draw current from the now
dead battery.
Runtime
completed with Duracell batteries. More information
on runtime plots is available HERE.
Switch: Side "reverse" clickie; the light
doesn't come on until after the switch is clicked. Very
smooth operation.
Seals: No O-ring, no apparent seals. Keep it dry if
at all possible.
Ergonomics: It's a good size for a keychain light,
but it has a little heft. The knurling provides good
grip and the clickie is easy to activate with the pad
of my thumb. No real issues here.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
Batteries: A single AAA cell powers the light. To change
the battery simply unscrew the tailcap and drop out
the old cell. Place a new one in positive first and
reattach the tailcap.
Accessories: A keychain attachment is included and
attached to the light. A cute little nylon belt sheath
is also included.
Important things to note
Improvements
What I Liked: Tough/impact resistant,
Good battery life, Good output, Easy battery change,
Lightweight
What I Didn't Like: Not much at
all.
Other Things I Noticed:
Conclusions: Very nice little keychain/pocket
light. Good runtime, output and beam. The switch is
very smooth and easy to use.
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