Nice machining. Shame about the 'tronics. (Good base for a sci-fi prop.)

I had high hopes for this, since it looked very futuristic and functional. In reality it has a few design flaws that include the potential mistreatment of three high capacity lithium cells in parallel in a tough metal enclosure.
The LEDs seemed to be fitted with what initially appeared to be a rather neat bit of heatsinking which might not be quite as good as it seemed.
On a plus note, the case is the perfect base for a sci-fi prop with lots of nicely machined parts.
Here's a link to a similar light as a search start-point:-
www.ebay.com/i...
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
www.bigclive.co...
This also keeps the channel independent of KZbin's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.

[@thaddeuscosse9527]

I have to appreciate the fact you warned about the strobe and advised when it was done! 😁

[@l3p3]

Would be interesting to see if you could repopulate that housing with the good clivectronics™, maybe finding a way for actually using those led heatsinks properly. I mean, you called 'salvaging a box and a lense for your project' an 'upgraded disco light', now I see an even better opportunity for an upgrade. :-)

[@RallyX26]

I would fully support a series of videos where Clive rips the guts out of shitty eBay products and does them up all proper-like

[@l3p3]

@@RallyX26 yeees me too :D

[@ndm13]

Me three, especially since this is so close to being good.

[@Eremon1]

@L3P3 I came to the comment section to suggest the very same thing. Glad I'm not the only one that would like to see Clive upgrade garbage ebay chinesium into Scottish electronic goodness.

[@spacemanmat]

Yeah, I though an appropriately thick metal spacer instead of the spring should help disperse the heat to the body.

[@robinnesting3811]

Thank you, so much, for giving the strobing light warning! That was a very kind thing to do!

[@CBdesigns70]

It`s prob a rip off from a real good lamp that a factory has produced for somone else then has been discontinued and the factory just dumped cheap parts in it to get rid of overstock / produced parts. The housing looks as if a lot of R&D and money has been sunk into it but then they fell short and cheaped out on electronics ?? ..

[@acmefixer1]

@Chris Bruce Everything can be taken from open source CAD / CNC files online, submitted to a factory and an order for a dozen or a thousand parts comes shipped to you after a week or so. It's probably a collaborative effort of many hobbyists that started a project. I've seen this with other stuff from China.

[@SuperAWaC]

i am a machinist and i have no fucking clue how they would make the enclosure for that price and not take a massive loss on it, even in china. there had to have been something shady going on.

[@franglish9265]

Loading a 1500mw green YAG laser module into this would be a big upgrade! Especially if you could add a good heatsink to it.

[@MrScotttraynor]

i read that as 1500 Mega Watt laser.. oh Scifi laser! :

[@Elberto71]

Maybe a red green and blue laser diode in each of the three chambers

[@DrakkarCalethiel]

Instant Styropyro vibes. :D

[@lmorrison17]

I guarantee you that a bunch of guys from the budget light forum saw this vid and bought some of these today to mod. The driver looks like a common size around 20mm and easily replaced with a quality unit. The tubes that the led MCPB's reside in leave plenty of room for larger home made heat sinks. There are plenty of quality 3-4 led lights that run 3-4 cells in parallel for very reasonable price though. So the motivation for flashlight junkies would simply be for the fun of the protect in an interesting host. Kinda wish Clive had posted a purchase link.

[@Darkerfoxtech]

I would love to see him fix this.

[@Thematt11]

Hey Clive, The Range are currently selling a tremendously bright slimline work light in a nicely extruded and machined aluminium housing. The whole range of them is called the Nebo 'Big Larry' range. You know you'd love to tear down a Big Larry 2.

[@mahlapropyzm9180]

@1:20 you can always shim out the batteries with a 5p peice (or ocal equivalent)

[@JerryEricsson]

A few years ago, I ordered a flashlight that looks nearly like that one, except it has only one LED, it takes 3 18650 cells in a pack that looks exactly like that light, the handle is exactly the same, all except the front end. It has rested on my nightstand and been used for those late calls to the John and checking out those things that go bump in the night. It has served me well, I have yet to have to recharge the 3 cells I put in it when I purchased it a few ears ago.

[@marwinthedja5450]

Thumbs up for cutting the photos of the PCBs to the right shape!

[@creativejamieplays7185]

I love the big printed photos of the circuit 😂. Like a Frisbee

[@Furiends]

Despite the bad design the idea of having machined metal gadgets is really cool.

[@Petertronic]

"Set your cheap chinese flashlights to stun"! Good teardown. I've had a few cheapie torches/flashlights and the weak point is always corrosion on switches and contacts, and thin wires that break after a few twists. WD40 fixes the former issue quite effectively.

[@penfold7800]

WD40 Not a good idea. The slimy residue can leak inside and interfere where it's not wanted. I'd suggest proper terminal cleaner, but then you run the risk of melting cheap plastic. So just replace the dodgy switches for less corrodable ones

[@Wanton110]

Swap the LEDs for high power lasers :P

[@FedoraSpunk]

"prrrroper, heatsinking"

[@stevetobias4890]

It would be easy to fix the problems and make sure there is thermal conductivity on the LED's as well as putting in a small 18650 micro USB charger module into the handle or elsewhere and have yourself a great torch. Love your teardown videos, right down to the digital microscope printing of the small circuit boards. Great job!!!

[@berndeckenfels]

Wait did you glue the prints to cardboard and cut them round? That is production value!

[@BigCliveLive]

Printed on glossy photo paper. It's quite thick.

[@williamarmstrong7199]

Agreed, very professional touch.

[@EricBrettJones]

@@BigCliveLive What printer do you use please?

[@BigCliveLive]

@@EricBrettJones Epson ecotank.

[@sirflimflam]

Love the aesthetic and apparent build quality of the outer casing. I'd totally buy one if not for the worrisome bits.

[@johndododoe1411]

The MOSFET has a defined on-resistance, check the data sheet. Put strategically placed blobs of heatsink compound between the heat spreader and housing then rely on the infrequency of users pushing the assembly around.

[@S7EVE_P]

I think I'd add some protection, change the connection method from the pack and install 3 x usb sockets and use those similarly machined plug in usb powerbank flashlights you've shown on your channel before. The construction is nice.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Very cool retro flashlight if I can find some I would be making a few items out of the Shells I agree the electronics are very lacking the machining is very nice

[@monsternovideo2659]

this reminds me you need to invest in a cheap pair of spring clip pliers. they will definitely save your scissors.

[@budmartin3344]

I am very impressed with the quality of the prints of the PCB pictures, you must have very good lightning equipment to take great pictures like that without shadows. You should show us the setup and show us how you do them so well, may be you can do one video just for that.

[@whitehoose]

You don't need any extra components - its all done by the LED driver board you choose. - Ali Express has a limited range for us punters - but they manufacture a bigger off the shelf range for the home manufacturing market and will build to your spec if you order in bulk. You get the cree(?) chips ready mounted on either star or plain round heatsinks of varying sizes and colours to match a huge range of CnC cases (again if you cant see what you want they'll make custom designs if you order in bulk).usually easier to find than a bag of loose components which seem more versatile when not attached but do need heatsinking. The LED drivers start at either single cell 1.5 - 3.7v or 1, 2 &3 < Li-ion cell(s) generally with up to 5 functions which are specifically rated for a variety of cree and cob boards up to 10w or so, so you don''t need extra ballast resistors, some even come with charging and protection for Li-ion. Modular torch assembly with an infinite set of options - just pick (or draw) the configuration you want. Not dirt cheap - but not silly expensive either. A torch kit generally costs about £3-4 retail + case.

[@bauhnguefyische667]

This stuff is finally starting to make sense to me again. Thanks for the ladder style diagrams, they help!

[@bubba99009]

Seems like it would be great to gut and replace with your own electronics

[@conkerconk3]

clive have you ever thought of buying one of those mini jet engines (normally used on RC planes) and doing a tear down? they're really interesting tbh

[@geovani60624]

It's not really in the scope of this channel

[@higgsthebosun]

@@geovani60624 You wouldn't think 'Army ration packs' were in scope but ... Clive

[@pyromen321]

@@geovani60624 automatic urinal flush mechanisms and carbonated baileys are in the scope of this channel, so I’d say a baby jet engine would fit right in

[@LiLi-or2gm]

@6:12 That handle is going "oh no." 😮

[@zombieswitapple]

Ive seen this MOSFET arrangements on hobbiest flashlights where the battery, wires, and springs become the current limiter. Properly heatsinked can be overdriven for much more light output

[@Brennonicolini]

Mosfet driven lights are actually quite common in the flashlight world. I have a bunch of them. But they are much more complex circuits than that. They actually use one or more 7135 chips at low powers and then switch to the Mosfet for all out burn-your-eyes-out action! Called a 1+FET driver. Or even a 1+7+FET. Check out the Budget Light Forum for more info!

[@markpitt5248]

So they go to the trouble to make a well machined enclosure and then skimp on the electronics? Just a few cents more and bit of design on the PCB would make this a really cool light.

[@penfold7800]

It looks more like a proof of concept mockup from leftover parts that somehow went in to production as-is. It's a bit bewildering why they went to the trouble if de-soldering the resistors.

[@Iulian.I]

Being summer, have you thought about making a portable "air conditioner"? Maybe something based on ice or something like that.

[@reggiep75]

As I used to say to people about items like this 'Looks pretty, made shitty!' and also used it's non-identical twin 'Looks pretty, works shitty!'. This needs modded to make it good!

[@eDoc2020]

That's a great saying!

[@fontenbleau]

That rubber button is almost wide standard in all these metal flashlights 🔦, I used one 🖲on my bicycle 🚲 with mainboard to turn 3 stage front lamp💡😃

[@steve64464]

I use a "SKYRAY S110 CREE 10x" Myself . I just wish these torches had a over discharge protection this skyray itself just displays a red led when its low but these other torches will quite happily continue until over discharge, I don't think id trust a torch to charge its own cells least not with lithium's and they are trying to cut costs. Also i love the kinda retro style look to this torch you reviewed to bits.

[@lmorrison17]

Thanks for putting up purchase link. You said just don't buy it at all but where's the fun in that.

[@jeeper426]

you should definately put some quality parts in that housing and make a truely awesome light out of it clive, or at very least make something completely hilariously impractical and awesome just for fun and frivolity, love the videos and the knowledge and expertise put into them, as well as showing that you can take things that some would find to be just "old junk" and give it a new life as something pretty awesome while also looking at how truly terrible some products really are on the market these days

[@fmphotooffice5513]

That's a HUGE parts list to drive 3 tiny LEDs. For $1 you can buy a plastic lamp with 5 big "yellow" cool white LEDs to extract and have fun with.

[@CarltonDodd]

The loose battery holder may be for the protected cells you advise, since they're slightly longer.

[@PsiQ]

i get the feeling this housing would make a nice case for a not-flamethrower. pressure cartridge in back. electronic glow/arc lighting... 2 or threee nozzles. **Woomph!**

[@xofcenter5576]

If my AceBeam wasn’t so overpriced I’d send it in. Not only for the electronics but the first gen has a UV LED which they never really warned about at all and I know people were running around shining that thing everywhere because of the cool effect in a dark room.

[@amorphuc]

Cool. Thanks for the video. Good to know about some of the bits.

[@beware_the_moose]

you can get a special lens opening tool so that you dont have to use scissors. Actually also there's the ones for watch cases.

[@zherron42]

Hot tip, you can pop a wee magnet on the positive terminal of a flat top cell to make it fit into a battery tray made for button tops. Or, yeah, better to just toss it in the fuck it bucket.

[@Bergwacht]

you just can put the magnets from GIZEH long roling papers packaging to the + pole of the short batteries and they will fit perfect.

[@TheSpotify95]

I'd love to see the battery charger that came with this (for charging whilst the batteries are in the flashlight). There are some around that have a crazy 0.5V tolerance, and therefore overcharge the batteries.

[@johndododoe1411]

0.5V tolerance is the standard for powering digital chips that run directly on 5V ±10%, like some microcontrollers and the classic 74xx series. USB circuits are allowed to drop some voltage, but they don't have to.

[@TheSpotify95]

@@johndododoe1411 I wasn't talking about USB charging circuits that have a 0.5V tolerance. There are some cheapy chargers that have an output of 4.2V +/- 0.5V, which connect directly to the charging jack of a flashlight. And of course there is usually no battery protection circuitry inside the flashlight, so using such a charger would potentially make your Lithium Ion battery blow up. User DiodeGoneWild has already taken a look at a couple of aforementioned chargers...

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Such a beautiful machined Flashlight were did you find that @BigCliveDotCom

[@stanleydenning]

Whilst flopping around on the floor, I'm trying to pause the video. Glad I can go back and watch it all over again. This time I'll put cushions all around me.

[@GR46404]

When I was about 12, I made a flashlight with a battery, a tiny light bulb, a bent paperclip, and some tape. I gather things have changed since then.

[@penfold7800]

Kind of reminds me of a light sabre. Depending on how cheap this thing is to buy, it would make a good donor for a sci-fi prop

[@BigClive]

I've added a link to a similar unit on eBay in the description.

[@geovani60624]

Well the battery pack makes contact with the spring only almost at the end of the barrel, and if it's in the barrel it's straight meaning that the chance of it catching the spring sideways is almost 0

[@iamdarkyoshi]

Add a solder nub on the positive end of the battery to add a pip. Just be quick about it lol

[@keithcress1335]

Hi Clive! Hey I think this is what's happening: You mentioned the 'better batteries' were too short compared to the crappy 500mA originals. My guess is that those original batteries had the built-in button BMS that makes the batteries self-safe from overcharging. That's why they're longer as those type cells are always a bit longer to accommodate the BMS and why they didn't bother to include charge limiting on the controller board. Hack the original batteries to confirm.. or deny. LOL I enjoy your vids a lot.

[@Eremon1]

Clive, please consider making some videos where you upgrade some of the garbage products you have on the channel. I'd very much like to see your ingenuity in improving some of the bad designs on the electronics you've taken apart. Cheers.

[@jsnsk101]

i had a 3 mode torch as a kid, i think one was red one was green and one was normal. And a morse code button!

[@Phrozen2]

For the battery holder, try Protected 18650 Cells They're 4.6mm longer than the unprotected red cells you have.

[@AndrewGillard]

It's nowhere near that consistent :) I have protected and unprotected 18650 cells with a wide range of dimensions. Yes, the protected ones are, in general, somewhat longer, but it's not even close to being a specific extra length for all of them. For a start, the protection circuitry itself can vary in height, but you can also get unprotected cells as both "flat top" and not-flat-top, which would change the total length by a couple of mm. You can probably get protected cells in both flat and not-flat varieties, too; I'm not totally sure about that, though.

[@RANDALLOLOGY]

I just thought, from watching your videos from the past to now, I will bet you drove your parents nuts from taking everything in the house apart. LMAO 😹😹😹😹. Way way back in my day, I took more shit apart than I can remember. But I quickly learned how to put it together again because I got tired of getting my butt busted. Ha ha.

[@Capt.Marco-Hawk-L.L.A.P]

I have one of these but mine is made by Cshid World... The charger lead has a charging circuit built in the USB-A plug it makes it longer at 62mm length,,, mine also except any type of 18650's it also came with 18650 Cshid world cells at 2200mah

[@RicoElectrico]

11:59 "It looks so nicely designed. It's just crap. The electronics are just not up to scratch" So, Apple products, especially new MacBooks, as evidenced by Louis Rossmann?

[@SproutyPottedPlant]

Or an iPad Pro where the inside is good and the outside just bends.

[@Case_]

I've never heard Louis say an Apple product is "so nicely designed" ;)

[@gavc6442]

Would actually be a really interesting video to see you rebuild it to a standard that you would be happy with so we could learn from the contrasts between the two, a real shame to let it go to complete waste because as you rightly say, it is well engineered physically

[@urugulu1656]

in that schematic you do not strictly need a current limiting resistor provided the transistor does not completely turn on. just a matter of output logic levels on the mystery chip and threshold voltage of that fet . (or it really is shitty buggers)

[@williefleete]

I would put a red green blue LED in each of the tubes. make an RGB disco light out of it

[@creativejamieplays7185]

One thing I noticed, when the light was in strobe mode. The button ring was flashing. I didnt see anything however in the teardown that caused this. Was there a LED in there or does the front lights shine back into the handle?

[@ConstantlyDamaged]

Probably reflection. The whole handle seemed to "light up".

[@getyerspn]

Cool I appear to have an older version of this ...it's externally identical except no charging port and no tripod thread ...been using it for well over 4 years now it was the first multi led 'torch' I bought ..the leds in mine don't have that springy feel ..I just poked them :) ...bit worrying about the lack of current limiting and posible lack of heatsinking for the leds but if it does eventuality die it didn't cost much....also mine makes contact with the flat top cell just fine..I don't have any with ...ERM.. 'nipples' ..

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

I would like to buy one of these flash lights for a experiment do you by any chance have a ebay link for this light @BigCliveDotCom

[@twocvbloke]

A Sci-Fi prop? Hmm, maybe "A DustBuster, IIIIIIINNNN SPAAAAAAAAACE!!!!"... :P

[@gcewing]

I was thinking maybe a laser shaver, since the business end looks a bit like a rotary shaver head.

[@phorzer32]

Do you rebuilt this lamp, because of the nice housing? Maybee with an improved heatsaink?

[@lonnyhorowitzmd509]

I really enjoy watching your destruction videos!! Just for my own knowledge what type of printer do you use for your circuit board enlargements? None of my laser printers make such clear photos!!!

[@BigClive]

Epson ecotank.

[@Mister_Brown]

those pads on the board look to allow the fitting of a single sot23 mosfet instead of the so8? mosfet they fit on your example

[@Polite_Cat]

I thought all 18650's with the little pip on the end were protected cells? Maybe thats why they specifically sized the battery compartment the way they did, so its meant for protected cells only?

[@TheFlacker99]

Seems like it would make an awesome project enclosure. Put some proper circuitry in it and whammo, you got yourself a light!

[@gamerpaddy]

its made to fit button top cells, but protected dont fit, their heatshrink wrap is too thick. putting a solder blob on flat top cells also works.

[@dc99yt]

The slightly longer Elfland cells have built-in over charge/discharge protection

[@SiggyPony]

I think you need to do a controlled "test" to see what would happen if high current batteries were shorted inside the assembled case.... ;) (big boom? )

[@edg6779]

Had the same one for a year, solid construction but not actualy as bright as you'ed think for needing 3x 18650s

[@gregorythomas333]

I would like to get one...or a few...for the materials...can you list the eBay keywords used for this listing? I think I could adapt them a couple different ways...maybe one as a 3-laser "pointer" that has multi-angled glass lenses to refract the light-points different directions. The driver circuits would not be that difficult to replace...or a redesign of the LED board to tube interface should get rid of the heat sink problems. Might be a lot of fun coming up with different re-designs and driver circuits to get this well machined case working as good as it looks :)

[@anthonyvolkman2338]

I want one!!!

[@jjhack3r]

Looks like standard semi-fake 10 watt 1000 lumen leds. Probably a reasonably good value asside from the lack of heatsinking and current control...

[@DavidScheiber]

heres a video idea, putting it back together with better electronics (aka proper current limiting)

[@Bodragon]

(11:35) - That handle looks like it's die-cast Zamak (zinc alloy), rather than aluminium. >

[@williamarmstrong7199]

Replace the bulbs with multi coloured led's and the electronics so each press changes colour.

[@lonnyhorowitzmd509]

Thanks👍🏻😄

[@GreenJimll]

Thanks for the photosensitive epilepsy warning Clive... much appreciated.

[@gordonlawrence1448]

There are some LED modules that look remarkably similar to the 3 LED housings. I was wondering if they could be hacked in.

[@SkippyDa]

Where did you find this light, what's the term for fleabay / xpress

[@emporerzurg2125]

Probably "Wish" .. It, would arrive.. Or maybe "good its here "bang" oh it not!!

[@phonotical]

I would like a plastic handle, something my hand isnt likely to frostbite on to in the snow

[@McSynth]

Very little to beat a poke with some scissor tips...;-)

[@c1neal]

Badass light saber

[@aidydas_ghostbuster]

Clive , are you gonna re-build it with your set of electronics, or use the parts for another custom build just putting it out there rotating light canon

[@muffenme]

Just add the right ohm resistor to each led and use a external 18550 battery charger.

[@nitehawk86]

Elfland sounds like a unimaginatively named town in an RPG.

[@nitehawk86]

In fact, I think that is what the elf town in Final Fantasy 1 was called.

[@CustomCreations-co-uk]

Buy a cheap set of vernier/calipers, fully adjustable 2 prong unscrewer

[@Nono-hk3is]

The unused pads may have been intended for red LEDs for use as warning light.

[@3Dparallax]

I think the same (or very similar at least) PCB is in a bike light I own. The button flashes every 2 seconds into a translucent rubber bit. Maybe the other one is a different colour for low battery or something?

[@BalberithThePenguin]

Could you let us know the search you used to get this please Clive? These would be perfect for alien rangefinders/gun targetters

[@EldaLuna]

holy crap enough pieces for this poor thing lmao i don't think any of my name branded ones have these many parts if i was to take them apart.

[@TheAruruu]

i would genuinely love to see you optimize this the way you would want. You've done several "great for parts" or "great for props" videos, but I haven't seen you actually use one of those products for what you're saying it's great for after tearing it down. This one has a nice aesthetic and it seems to have the potential for a rather potent flash light, so why not make it into one? Edit: For the battery contact, maybe replace the single large spring with 3 spring tabs soldered (or otherwise affixed) to the bus bar? That way it still has positive connection, but you don't risk the spring canting over and shorting out?

[@yetanothersubscriber5070]

Any plans to stream this weekend? Thanks for the video, they always cheer me up.. :)

[@Sheepsville]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXenip-qg756jLM

[@JohnDlugosz]

I remember when flashlights didn't have circuit boards or any electronics.

[@phonotical]

missing component could be capacitor to change the rate of the strobe>?

[@mikefloyd6732]

can big clive do a workship and turn this nice fancy flashlight into something better...say with some of those battery packs out of some of those usb chargers and make or rebuild the circuit board to work better and maybe figure out how to turn the tubes into proper heat sinking....i think if anyone can do it bigclive can...it would be an intersting video to watch