46950 Flashlights Tested (Lumintop Mach V2, GT4695)

[LuxWad]

Massive New Flashlight Battery!

Working for Matt Smith at Lumencraft, I’ve had the chance to test these interesting new lights from Lumintop - and their large new 46950 batteries.

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% Output - Total Runtime

%Output - First 10 Minutes

That little spike on the GT is due to reactivating Turbo because I wasn’t sure how it was set - on that light, turbo is 2C from off or on, while on the Mach Turbo is 2C > High > 2C > Turbo… which is annoying.

Lumens - Total Runtime

Lumens - First 10 Min

The lights are very well-built, and I love the form factor. Performance is solid as you can see, output is extremely high. The fan on the Mach V2 works very well and allows for incredible sustained output!

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The main reason we did this video was to test the batteries themselves. These are based around the 46mm cells introduced by Tesla for use in their EVs. I tested capacity using my CBA V:
1A Load - 30.216 Ah

5A Load - 28.935 Ah

10A Load - 27.362 Ah

I tested these several times, though had some issues in part due to dirty contacts - though I do wonder if the protection circuit on these cells had some effect, as they completely prevented me from testing with my Xtar chargers.

Results are definitely below advertised spec, however are still very impressive and easily beat 4X 21700s in the same form factor. Considering their massive capacity, these are a really exciting option for future flashlights!

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My opinions are more thorough in the video above; in short, these lights are very impressive, and moreso this cell makes me very excited about future lights in this form factor, which offers much improved energy density and high output capability.
My only realy issue with these in particular are the use of proprietary cells, which I am always unhappy to see. Hopefully if this format becomes popular, we will see totally standardized cells in use.

Below are (affiliate) links for these lights, and a couple other similarly-sized options also mentioned in the video:

GT4695: Lumintop GT4695 SFP55 LED 15000lm 800m Rechargeable Flood Thrower Searching Flashlight – Nealsgadgets

MachV2: LUMINTOP Mach V2 XHP50.3 26000lm Flood 46950 LED Flashlight – Nealsgadgets

GT110: Lumintop GT110 SBT90.2 7000lm 2720m Thrower Flashlight – Nealsgadgets

Mateminco MC001 (Same as Astrolux EC01X): MATEMINCO MT001 LUMINUS SBT90.2 6800LM 3065M 46950 Battery Thrower Flashlight – Nealsgadgets

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Thanks for watching/reading!

[zoulas]

Love the battery form factor.

[Mandrake50]

I love the capabilities. Not the cost nor availability … yet.
Also, they never can be a pocket/EDC form factor light.
But surely a 3 or 4 18650/21700 type replacement.
That said, once the cells get to where one can easily find them, the cost comes down, and I can find reasonable charging options (not limited to in light USB), I am sure I will get something using them. Unfortunately I am guessing that will take at least a couple of years.

[Sirstinky]

These batteries are pretty amazing. If there were more places selling them it would be awesome. I think skylumen has them for like $34, which is still a better deal than 4, 21700s.

[Mandrake50]

@Sirstinky

a better deal than 4, 21700

It is about $6 to $8 more than I usually pay… but really, more importantly, for me, it comes down the the part about me having many, many 21700s… and exactly zero 46xx cells. Much less any of the considerably more expensive purpose built proprietary cells.

[texas_shooter]

Time will tell, but as it stands now 46mm series are going to be in different lengths. 80, 95, 110 and 120mm are the most commonly written about. Engineers designing EV vehicles aren’t thinking about which cell would best fit a flashlight. They have spacing concerns on where to cram all those cells into neatly. The lower than spec current on these cells leads me to believe they’re factory seconds. Companies buying them by the millions are going to demand strict QC in contracts. Will get the B list for now. Do you have the 46110 cell for the GT110? I bought one from flashlightgo as a body/battery assembly to place on the Mach4695. Was able to recharge my cellphone for a month off it’s power port. I’d really like to know it’s true capacity.

[LuxWad]

I don’t have the GT110, I would like to give it a try. It will be interesting to see which cell length proves most popular… if they are all equally common then it might be nice to have different options for battery tube lengths, similar to the 18650/18350 interchangeable tubes.

[zoulas]

Would be nice to see an external charger for these.

[Jeffgoldblum]

That behaviour at the start of load testing is strange. That has to be the equipment right? Either way, Id like to figure out why its doing that. The initial voltage sag that these discharge graphs show are a very important indicator of performance.

Oh, I forgot to mention, these look like BAK cells to me, dont ya think? Idk how much they have in common with a Tesla 4680 on the inside.

[zoulas]

What is a BAK cell.

[raccoon]

BAK is a brand of cells.

[ToyKeeper]

These big new batteries seem like they’ll be great for big lights. The size pretty much guarantees they’ll remain pretty niche though, since they’re above the upper limit for what people are generally willing to carry around for daily use. Even 26650 is arguably too big to succeed in the EDC market… seems like 21700 is about as big as that category of light can get.

But for bigger lights, a giant cell would be pretty awesome. I think one 46950 makes a lot more sense than 4x18650 or 3x21700 in most lights of that size.

[zoulas]

They could have been more creative.

[zoulas]

I would like to know where you got this information.

“The size pretty much guarantees they’ll remain pretty niche though, since they’re above the upper limit for what people are generally willing to carry around for daily use. Even 26650 is arguably too big to succeed in the EDC market… seems like 21700 is about as big as that category of light can get.”

[ToyKeeper]

@zoulas

I would like to know where you got this information.

Just summarizing what people in the community have been saying for the past 6 years, ever since the D4S came out… and summarizing some general industry trends.

Several companies made 26650 lights, but they never really caught on for EDC use. They’re too big and heavy for a pocket clip, and people’s reviews and chatter mostly trended toward “great light, but slightly too large to keep on me”. It ended up being categorized instead as more of a really small soda can light, something to carry in a coat pocket or bag. Then the 21700 came out, offering the same amount of energy but in a thinner, slightly longer shape… and it rapidly became very popular for EDC purposes, where 26650 had previously failed.

Now there’s the 46950 cell, which can’t be used in anything smaller than a BLF Q8… because the cell by itself is almost as big and heavy as a Q8. At that size class, people definitely don’t use a clip or carry it in their jeans pocket… they tend to use a tripod instead, or a large coat pocket, or a bag. It’s not in the EDC size class, and it’s not even close. A 46950 light is almost like carrying around a brick.

… a very shiny brick.

Anyway, keychain lights are popular. AA-sized lights are popular. 1x18650 and 1x21700 lights are popular. People take those everywhere; just clip it on or slip it in a pocket and forget it’s there. But above that, it starts getting impractical to lug one around everywhere, and not many people do it. Those are more specialized.

[raccoon]

While I agree with what you say, I think the main reason 26650 lights haven’t taken off is because 26650 cells aren’t very efficient compared to 21700 cells.
If 26650 cells were more efficient than 21700 cells, which should be doable (in theory) because 26650 cells are bigger, then way more people would consider 26650 lights.

[Sk9]

How is the ramping on the GT?

[texas_shooter]

Soda can lights have been a very popular niche for years. This one series of batteries 46xx gives you soda can, lantern and one heck of a power bank.

[degarb]

I can see these useful for: robotic vacuums and cordless; lanterns, headlamps with external power packs; backup laptop and phone power supplies; trail cameras; my android timelapse camera boxes;

If ever lithium sulphur hit the market, it would be more exciting to me, since it would have more applications.

I see these cheap on alibaba. I would probably just buy 10 of them for $150 and find more uses, than mess around with $35 for one. I found I can never have enough batteries. I am always short of cells, no matter how many I buy, regardless of whether they are rechargeable or not.

[undefined]

These new batteries would be perfect to design a camping lantern around. 32000mah of power would last for many days of camping without the need to recharge.