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The Advancedmart Chromed Brass 0.5W LED-050CR123 is a
really cute little keychain/pocket light. It has a
silver finish, a smooth body, and has a clickie switch
on the tailcap. The LED
is one of the newer 8mm 0.5 Watt LEDs and inside is
a boost circuit to drive the LED for many hours on a
single 123A lithium cell.
The body is made of chromed brass with a silver
finish. Near the head are 3 decorative rings machined
in the aluminum. There are two similar rings surrounding
the tailcap. In between the body has only a slight texture.
The tailcap has a drilled tab
for the keychain attachment (included) and has a domed
clickie in the center of the tailcap.
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
123A lithium cell in the body tube. The circuit also
regulates output, keeping the light from simply dropping
off as it normally would without the circuit.
Output is in the form of a bluish tinted beam. Only
very slight imperfections in the beam were found. It
is dimmer than the AA model of this light, but brighter
than the CR2 model. I should add that, per the supplier,
this light was actually designed to run on either a
rechargeable 123A or a normal 123A cell. The rechargeable
123A, when charged, has more voltage than a normal cell.
The result is that they made them a bit dim so they
didn't fry with the rechargeable cells. Unfortunately
I don't have any rechargeables of that size to test
with.
Beam at one meter at target center.
Runtime Plot: Very good runtime and nice regulation.
Runtime
completed with Tianqju batteries. More information on
runtime plots is available HERE.
The switch is domed so that it matches the contour
of the tailcap. It is a reverse clickie - the light
doesn't come on until after the switch is clicked. Some
people don't like this setup, but in a pocket/keychain
light it can be very beneficial. If the button is pressed
by accident the light doesn't come on unless it goes
all the way in and clicks. This helps prevent accidental
draining of the battery while packed or in the pocket.
Pressing the light's tailcap on a flat surface until
the switch is flush with the opening in which it sits
does not turn on the light. Activation can only happen
if the switch is pressed in beyond the end of the tailcap,
thereby reducing accidental activation even more.
The light has an O-ring seal on the tailcap, which was
well lubricated. You may want to throw a little
silicone grease on the ring once in a while to keep it in good
condition. As for water resistance, I'm not too sure
about the tailcap switch, but I'd say it's splashable
at a minimum.
Ergonomics: It's a bit big for a keychain light, but not
excessively so. Because it is made from chromed brass it
has some weight to it and a good solid feel. The lack
of real texturing on the sides of the body tube could
cause people with a case of "butterfingers" to drop the
light if a tight grip is not maintained.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
A single 123A lithium 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.
A keychain attachment is included and attached to the
light. A nice nylon belt sheath is also included.
What I Liked: Long battery life,
Easy battery change, good output, water resistant.
What I Didn't Like: Body is not
textured for grip.
Conclusions: Great little pocket/keychain
light with a long runtime and good regulation.
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