Convoy released a big light! A 4-cell can (ish) style light capable of big output while retaining the ability to throw quite a bit. It’s an interesting light, and adds the feature of USB-C charging!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the official product page.
Versions
There are four emitter temperature options: 3000K, 4000K (seen here), 5000K (also seen here!), and 6500K.
Also worth noting is that this light is a reformulation of the Roche M170, from years (maybe 7?) ago. That light had a tripod mount and did not have charging, but as far as I can tell, the build is generally the same. Nothing at all wrong with that. (Also, the Roche light was a three emitter light, whereas this is a single.)
Price and Coupon
These are going for $75.99 on BangGood, who sent this light to me for review. That’s a tracking link!
Short Review
This is a fun light! USB-C charging is neat and works well (over 2A if available, from a USB port (not USB-C). The output is great and the temperature options are compelling. This price point ($76 on banggood) is a little above where I’d like to see it but not really because the light lacks in any quality aspects. What I’d call MSRP – aliexpress official Convoy store – price of $58 is much more compelling.
Long Review
The Big Table
| Convoy 4X18A | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XHP70.2 (5000K) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $75.99 |
| Cell: | 4×18650 |
| Turbo Runtime | High Runtime |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (A): | |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Chargetime | |
| Power off Charge Port with no Cell? | 2 Modes. With cells: all modes |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 4300 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 3971 (92.3% of claim)* |
| Candela per Lumen | 17.1 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 464 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 2630lux @ 5.189m = 70815cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 532.2 (114.7% of claim)* |
| All my Convoy reviews! | |
| Convoy 4X18A | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Cree XHP70.2 (4000K) ^ |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $75.99 |
| Cell: | 4×18650 |
| Turbo Runtime | High Runtime |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (A): | |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Chargetime | |
| Power off Charge Port with no Cell? | 2 Modes. With cells: all modes |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 4300 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 3538 (82.3% of claim)* |
| Candela per Lumen | ? |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 464 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 0lux @ 0m = 0cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 0.0 (0% of claim)* |
| All my Convoy reviews! | |
* 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).
^ This light broke after I performed the runtimes, but before I tested throw etc. So all the data isn’t available.
What’s Included
- Convoy 4X18A Flashlight
- Flat top cell adapter (seen below)
Package and Manual
There is no manual.
Build Quality and Disassembly
The build quality here is exactly in line with other Convoy lights, if not better. I’m very satisfied with built quality.
The knurling is perfect, and there’s plenty of it.
The tailcap is removable but it’s a dumb tailcap (no electronics) and inside it the cell holder is secured to the cell tube – nothing comes out when removing the tailcap.
(Sorry I’ll have to drop in an at-the-desk cell phone pic of that part here:)
The head has quite a bit of fins for cooling.
The tailcap also has two holes for lanyard attachment.
Included with the package is this interesting little cell cover. I believe this is intended for use with flat top cells, but it works with these button top 30Q cells, too. It does not seem necessary with button tops.
The threads on the head/body interface are unanodized, square cut, and sort of long. The light can be locked out by breaking the contact here – very tiny twist.
The cells all go in with the positive end facing out of the body (the normal direction). This means that the cells are in parallel.
The tail end has springs, and the head is just a thick brass ring.
The bezel is easily removable and the metal reflector falls right out.
Size and Comps
Officially:
Head diameter: 69mm
Battery tube diameter: 50mm
Flashlight length: 153mm
Product weight: 458g
The light seen below is the 4000K version.
It’s not really a can light, but feels like one in hand.
The emitter seen at right below is the 4000K version.
Retention and Carry
The lanyard attachment point is the only means for retaining the light. No pouch, and nothing else.
The lanyard attachment point is very nice, though.
Power and Runtime
This light needs high quality 18650 cells to operate. They’re in parallel though, so it’s conceivable that a high enough quality cell could run all modes of this light.
To be honest I was about to test this, opened the light, only to find out that one of those 30Q cells that you see above had vented. I don’t know if it’s the fault of the light, or the fault of the cell, so I’ll reserve judgement. There was nothing extraneous about how I was using the light to have caused it, though.
If you wish to use flat top cells, you should use the provided cap. This is a clever thing to include, and works well. It’s not needed with button tops, but still seems to fit in there ok (it was not in place when the above mentioned vent happened.)
Output doesn’t hit the claimed 4300 lumens, but that’s likely a rating for the 6500K emitter anyway. The output does hold steady for a few minutes though, which is respectable.
4000K light runtimes:
High is very steady for the duration. Steady ~1500 lumens is nothing to sneeze at!!
5000K light runtimes:
As you’d expect, the 5000K emitter has slightly higher output. It’s nice to see the setup tested in this way (two different Kelvins) and that the cooler temperature does in fact output more (and my setup tests it that way, too).
The 4X18A also has built in charging. It’s a USB-C port and it’s opposite the power button. I didn’t test this with PD charging – only USB to USB-C.
The charge port cover presses in and fits very securely.
4000K light chargetime:
5000K light chargetime:
Charging looks about the same over the two lights, as you’d expect.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens 4000K/5000K |
Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest | 100% | – | 3538/3971 | 8.01 |
| Middle | 40% | – | 1483/1693 | 2.21 |
| Middle | 10% | – | 454 | 0.56 |
| Lowest | 1% | – | 16 | 0.02 |
PWM
No PWM!
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 this light. It’s an e-switch (or so it feels; I’ve been wrong on Convoy lights before).
It looks like it might be an indicating switch, but it’s not. It’s big and plenty easy to find without looking, though.
Here’s a UI table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | On (Mode Memory) |
| On | Click | Off |
| On | Hold | Mode Advance (LMHT) |
| Off | Hold | Low |
| Any | Double Click | Turbo |
LED and Beam
4000K emitter shot:
5000K emitter shot:
Notice how much more egg-yolky the 4000K looks than the 5000K.
These beamshots are always with the following settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure.
4000K light beamshots:
5000K light beamshots:
Tint vs BLF-348 (Killzone 219b version)
4000K light (left):
5000K light (left):
I compare everything to the Killzone 219b BLF-348, because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Conclusion
What I like
- Nice output
- Very good throw for a can light
- Easy UI
- Good Convoy build quality
What I don’t like
- Something went awry with my first sample, but I can’t say for certain that it wasn’t just the cell being used. So…. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- UI is just a little too basic
Notes
- This light was provided by BangGood for review. I was not paid to write this review.
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org. Please visit there for the best experience!
- Shop my amazon.com store for the best lights!
- Whether or not I have a coupon for this light, I do have a bunch of coupons!! Have a look at my spreadsheet for BangGood and GearBest coupons. Please subscribe and get notifications when the sheet is edited!!
I’d rate the Sofirn Q8 Hight 5000 Lumen Flashlight ($80 with batteries) superior to this. And my favorite remains the Wowtac A5 with magnetic tailcap upgrade.