coupLED HANDTORCH


coupLED Handtorch, retail $29.95 (www.amondotech.com...)
Manufactured by (Unknown, possibly Nuwai)
Last updated 07-12-05




The coupLED, model ALX-1713A, is an LED flashlight with a twist: there's a 1 watt Luxeon LED in the bezel (head) where you would expect to find one, and there are also three 5mm Nichia white LEDs in the tailcap where you would NOT expect to find them!!!

It comes in an almost all-aluminum body, clear anodized for protection, has a rubbery pushbutton on the barrel, and has three AAA cells in a carriage in its barrel to feed those LEDs with.


SIZE



To use the coupLED, install the included batteries first (see the "Feeding Time" section directly below), and then you can go to town.

Press the rubbery button on the barrel firmly until it clicks and then release it to turn the Luxeon LED in the front of the flashlight on.

Press and release the button the same way again to turn the Luxeon LED off and turn the three 5mm LEDs in the tailcap on.

Press and release the button the same way a third time to turn the flashlight off.

Just like it reads on the back of many shampee (or shampoo) bottles: "lather, rinse, repeat". In other words, pressing the button a fourth time turns the Luxeon LED back on.

There is no momentary or signalling mode available when the flashlight is off, however, you can blink the coupLED while it is on in either mode by partially depressing the button. If you don't mind the backward or reverse feeling of this, you can blink the flashlight this way if necessary.

The coupLED comes with a nylon pouch/belt holster. The flashlight fits this holster bezel-up; a flap with velcro on it folds over the top and attaches to the body of the holster so the coupLED doesn't just fall out. This holster fits belts up to 1.5" wide. I do not own or use pants that require a belt however, so I cannot test this accessory in the manner in which it was intended to be used.



To change the batteries when necessary, unscrew and remove the tailcap, dash it to the ground, and stomp on it with old or used bowling shoes...O WAIT!!! YOU'LL NEED THAT!!! So just set it aside instead.

Tip the transparent plastic battery carriage out of the barrel and into your hand. If necessary, remove and dispose of or recycle the used AAA cells if they are present in this carriage.

Insert three new AAA cells into the carriage, one in each compartment. Orient each cell so the flat-end (-) negative faces a spring for it in its compartment.

Once the carriage is full, insert it into the flashlight's barrel, aiming it so the spring on the end goes in first. Screw the tailcap back on, and be done with it.
Aren't you glad you didn't stomp on that tailcap now?

Due to the way the flashlight was constructed, I am not able to obtain a current usage reading for you.




Photographs of both the head (left or top) and tailcap (right or bottom) of this flashlight.

The coupLED appears at least fairly durable, and it is. When I performed that terrible smack test on it (ten whacks against the corner of a concrete stair: 5 smacks against the side of the bezel and 5 smacks against the side of the tailcap), only the expected damage was found. There is some minor gouging on the sides of the bezel and tailcap where it was struck. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected.

There is what I believe to be a clear anodized coating over all of the exposed aluminum; this should help keep the flashlight looking newer for longer, even if it goes up against coins, keys, or other flashlights.

The coupLED appears to be weather- and water-resistant at the very least. When I removed the tailcap, relieved the barrel of its battery carriage, and then performed that dreadful suction test, no leakage was detected. So if it fell into shallow water, just shake it off and keep going. And you need not be concerned about using it in rain or snow. And if the dog somehow got angry at it and decided to vent his anger by lifting his leg on it, just take the garden hose to it or douche it off under the faucet...good as new! Being water-resistant is fairly new for a suspected Nuwai product, and makes an already good product even better.

What I find particularly attractive about the coupLED flashlight is that it has two "business-ends" - one that has a Luxeon LED at the bottom of a half-smooth half-texturised reflector, and one that has three 5mm Nichia LEDs. So you can choose which flashlight you want to use (one high-intensity and one relatively low-intensity) and only have to carry a single flashlight.

The Luxeon LED has a pure white tint, and the Nichia LEDs have the typical bluish-white tint in the central hotspot with a whiter (less bluish) light in the penumbra and corona. This bluish tint is normal with Nichia white LEDs though, and is nothing whatsoever to be concerned about.



Beam photograph (Luxeon) at 12"
Measures 1,078,000mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.



Beam photograph (5mm LEDs) at 12"
Measures 60,800mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.



Beam photograph (Luxeon) at 15'



TEST NOTES:
Test unit of this flashlight and 17 other products were sent by A.L. of Amondotech and were received late in the morning of 07-11-05.

Product was made in China. A product's country of origin really does matter to some people, which is why I published it on this web page.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:



CONS:



    MANUFACTURER: Unknown - possibly Nuwai
    PRODUCT TYPE: Two-way handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: White 1W Luxeon LED, white 5mm LEDs
    No. OF LAMPS: 4 (1 Luxeon, 3 5mms)
    BEAM TYPE: Medium spot w/corona (Luxeon), wide spot (5mms)
    SWITCH TYPE: Rubberised pushbutton on barrel
    BEZEL: Metal; LEDs and reflector protected by plastic windows
    BATTERY: 3xAAA cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Yes
    SUBMERSIBLE: No, probably not
    ACCESSORIES: 3x Duracell AAA cells, nylon belt holster
    WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





coupLED Handtorch * www.amondotech.com...






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