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The Fenix E0 is a new entry in the Fenix series of
lights. Instead of using a Luxeon LED, this little keychain
light uses a Nichia 5mm LED. It is powered with a simple,
easy to find AAA alkaline or rechargeable cell, and
is very small and lightweight. Like the rest of the
Fenix models, this one has a type III anodize hard coat
finish.
Body: The body of the Fenix E0 is machined aluminum
with type III hard anodize finish and is available in
black and sliver (reviewed). The outside of the body
has knurling machined into the surface of the head to
help with grip. The tailcap has two holes and a notch
cut into it. This allows a small split ring to be attached
to one of the holes and it can then folds over through
the groove, allowing the light to stand on end.
Bezel/Head: The head of the E0 includes a metal
reflector, a Nichia 5mm LED, and a regulator circuit,
all permanently installed. The LED is recessed, which
serves as some protection from impact and abrasion.
The LED is centered well in the reflector.
Output: Output is good, a bit more than half
that of an Arc AAA, which is often considered the "standard"
for AAA powered 5mm keychain lights. This lower level
of output produces plenty of light for close range personal
tasks, and provides for a very long runtime, but to
your eyes the difference in output between the two appears
fairly small. Using an alkaline cell, output is regulated
for about 8½ hours and then drops.
The white light produced by the LED is similar to a
high color temperature white and provides fairly good
color rendition. A bluish tint is visible in the beam.
Beam at one meter at target center
Runtime Plot: Runtime with an alkaline AAA cell
is shown below. This test had to be run twice. The first
test revealed only 2 hours of regulated output. I was
contacted by several individuals who suggested this
was a bit short compared to their tests and the fact
that some users noticed dirty contacts in their lights.
I cleaned the contacts and re-ran the test with the
result of over 8 hours regulated output. It's amazing
how much resistance can be produced by a little crud
on the contacts! output. After 12½ hours the
light dropped to about 50% starting output.
Runtime
completed with Rayovac brand batteries. More information
on runtime plots is available HERE.
Switch: The head of the light is the switch.
Tighten for on, loosen for off.
Seals / Water Resistance: The light is protected
from the environment by an O-ring and a sealed bezel.
Fenix advertises the light as "waterproof"
with no specific depth rating. I would call it "dunkable"
but not "diveable". I would recommend lubricating
the O-ring with a teflon based lubricant. This may be
found in many hardware stores (and Radio Shack) in a
precision applicator and is often labeled as "Super
Lube". I find it works extremely well.
If it gets wet inside, just disassemble as much a possible
without tools and let it dry before using again.
Ergonomics: Nothing special to report here,
except that it is very small and easy to carry in the
pocket or on a keychain.
Size compared to a common 2 AA aluminum light
Batteries: For batteries, this light is approved
by the manufacturer (per the packaging) for use with
AAA alkaline or rechargeable NiMH. All others are at
your own risk.
To change out the battery: unscrew the head, drop out
the old cell, place in new cell observing proper polarity.
Reattach the head and you're ready to go.
Accessories: Inside the package you will find
a spare O-ring and key ring.
What I Liked: Waterproof, Tough/impact
resistant, Good output, Easy battery change, Very good
battery life, Lightweight, Stands up
What I Didn't Like: None
Picky Little Things: Slight bluish
tint to beam, had to re-do the runtime test after the
first runtime was faulty due to dirty contacts - clean
the contacts before first use.
Conclusions: The Fenix E0 is a
great little keychain light. Using a simple and inexpensive
AAA alkaline, or rechargeable NiMH, you get very good
light output for a long time. Although not a powerhouse
like some of the other Fenix models, it does put out
plenty of light for close range personal-use tasks.
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