My second (and last on-hand) Brinyte flashlight.  This one’s kind of interesting, since it features wireless charging and is a complete package light.  The wireless charging is a neat feature – when power is cut to the charge base, the light comes on automatically!  Read on for more thoughts about that, and testing!

Official Specs and Features

Here’s a link to the official product page.

Versions

Just one version

Price

This one goes for $120 currently.

Short Review

It’s a neat light, and it has impressive throw.  I’m less sure about the charge base though – there seems to be persistent relatively high current, and once the light is charged that can only go to making heat.  So it’s not a light that I’d say to leave on the charge base, but that removes one of it’s best features – that it comes on when power goes off.

Long Review

The Big Table

* Measurement disclaimer:  I am an amateur flashlight reviewer.  I don’t have $10,000 or even $1,000 worth of testing equipment.  I test output and such in PVC tubes!!  Please consider claims within 10% of what I measure to be perfectly reasonable (accurate, even).

What’s Included

• Brinyte WT01 Apollo Flashlight
• Brinyte 5000mAh 26650
• Charge base
• Charge cable (USB to micro-USB)
• Wall adapter to USB
• Cigarette adapter to USB
• Spare o-rings (2)
• 26650 to 18650 adapter
• Nylon pouch with hard belt loop
• Manual

Package and Manual

Build Quality and Disassembly

The finish of this light isn’t an inspiring one.  It has the look of a cheap flashlight.  That’s a couple of things – the anodizing, the font (wrong font and also misaligned).

And the green switch boot… it’s the one you see on cheap lights.  I like it, it’s very green, but…

The build quality isn’t really bad, though.  The light has a nice heft (as you’d expect, it’s not small), and as I said above, has a current emitter and also great throw.

On the cell tube, you’ll note that there’s an inner sleeve.  That’s because of the charging.

There’s a spring on both head and tail, which is a good feature.

The bezel unscrews easily, and all the guts are accessible.

Size and Comps

Officially, the WT01 is 156mm x 33mm x 45mm, and weighs 235g without the cell.

Not at all a small light, but the charging area likely adds a good bit of size, and the reflector is also deep.

Retention and Carry

The pouch will likely be the main carry option.  I think this pouch is the same one as used with the PT28, which is fine – the light fits – but the head and tail openings aren’t big enough and also don’t line up right.

Still it’s a very nice pouch, including a side holster for a spare 18650.

There’s no pocket clip or lanyard or anything else.  The base that connects for wireless charging isn’t magnetic (on the light) so the light doesn’t have any magnetic retention factor either.

Power and Runtime

The WT01 is powered by a single 26650 cell, and an appropriate one is included. It’s a 5000mAh flat (ish) top.

Also included is an adapter tube for using a single 18650 cell.  It’s just a tube.

Here are a couple of runtimes.  Turbo holds out respectably for around 14 minutes >1100 lumens.

High tracks voltage on its way down, and then shuts off with good LVP around 2.9V.

On a bench power test the light shuts off at 2.8V.

A neat trick this light offers is a wireless charge base.  It’s powered by micro-USB.  The light itself doesn’t have any charge ports – this base is the only way.

The base is very simple.  There is a bit of grippy on the bottom.

A charge cable is included for the base.  USB to micro-USB.

Also included is this wall wart, and also a car wart (not pictured).

Here’s a charge graph.  Charging is at around 1A but not all of that is “power to light.”  A bunch of it is just lost to the ether – around 0.2A is used just when the charge base is plugged in (with no light!).  The second test below was a bit confusing.  I pulled the light when the switch turned green, but as you can see it was in no way complete.  At this point there was around 1A going to the light, and the light was warm.  But this was 8 hours later…. and the other test was even longer.  Essentially if the light is on the charge base, it’s getting around 0.5A, even when charged.  This is too high for my taste, and that’s the reason I wouldn’t leave the light on the base all the time.  But that removes one of it’s best features – turning on immediately upon power shutting off.  This could be a great emergency light, with a rare feature, but the standby current is too high.

Modes and Currents

PWM

These modes (as on the light!) are highest to lowest.  PWM is seen on the lowest two modes.

For reference, here’s a baseline shot, with all the room lights off and almost nothing hitting the sensor.  And here’s the worst PWM light I have ever owned.  Also one of the very first lights I ordered directly from China!

User Interface and Operation

There’s a single switch on the WT01.  It’s an e-switch in the head, and has an indication feature.  The switch is big and easy to find without looking.

The manual is worded a bit funny… “The low mode will be on by default if the battery is inserted correctly.”  – That doesn’t mean anything except that when the head is screwed tight after a cell is installed correctly, the light will be on in low.  Same as when power is cut to the charge base – low will come on.  But in normal use, Low is not the case.

Here’s a UI table!

* Yes this means the only way to turn the light off is to click through all the modes.

LED and Beam

The emitter of choice for this light is a Luminus SST-40.  This one’s quite a thrower, too, with a very smooth, quite deep reflector.

These beamshots are always with the following settings:  f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure.  Again, this light mode order is highest to lowest.

Tint vs BLF-348 (Killzone 219b version)

Test light is on the left.

I compare everything to the Killzone 219b BLF-348, because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!

Conclusion

What I like

• Complete package
• Wireless charging does in fact work!
• Indicating switch
• Good LVP
• Very good throw

What I don’t like

• Overall build quality isn’t the highest level
• UI is too simple and not in a good way
• Standby power usage is too high for me to trust leaving this on the charge base

Notes

• This light was provided by Brinyte for review. I was not paid to write this review.
• This content originally appeared at zeroair.org.  Please visit there for the best experience!