Review, Fenix cl25r lantern

[uparmor]

I got another lantern as a gift. I have to say this smaller lantern is very nice. Overall I like it better then its bigger cousin the cl30r that i got 2 months ago.

This new lantern has it all. Everything you would want. It has a .8l moonbeam. It has red. It is bright at 350l. Its small. It has a magnetic base. And last but not least it uses 18650 batteries. It uses micro usb to charge the battery. No need for a charger. You can also run the light on any mode while charging.

Its just a dang good light. I cant think of anything i do not like about it. Even the kelvin is plesent at a neutral white temp.

This smaller lighter version is light enough for hiking and camping. Its the perfect light for any shtf emergency.

OH did i mention it can go 880hrs on low? At 4hrs per night thats 220 nights. There are about 15 more features to like. Its really an amazing little light.

The specs....
Features

Utilizes white LEDs and red LEDs with 350-lumen maximum output
Output Modes:
Turbo 350 Lumens: 18650 battery: 2 hours 15 min.; CR123A batteries: 2 hours 5 min.
High 200 Lumens: 18650 battery: 5 hours; CR123A batteries: 4 hours 10 min.
Mid 50 Lumens: 18650 battery: 23 hours 45 min; CR123A batteries: 18 hours 50 min.
Low (Moonlight) 0.8 Lumens: 18650 battery: 600 hours**; CR123A batteries: 500 hours
Red 1.5 Lumens: 18650 battery: 44 hours; CR123A batteries: 42 hours
Flashing Red 1.5 Lumens
**When powered by a Fenix ARB-L2-3400mAh 18650 battery, the runtime will be 880 hours
Can light up at mid output, moonlight, or red light while being charged
Excellent cold-weather design with operating temperatures down to -35 degrees C or even -40 degrees C. (Non-rechargeable CR123A batteries are recommended for better low temperature performance)
Micro-USB rechargeable, charging indicator and low voltage warning function
82-feet (25 meter) beam diameter
Intelligent memory circuit; remembers the last mode used before turning off
Built-in protective circuit protects users from overcharging, over discharging, overheating, and improper battery installation
Moonlight mode satisfies users' demand for lower output with extended runtime
Built-in magnet and tripod socket for easy attachment
Luminous single button switch for easy and fast operation
Waterproof to IPX-6 standard

http://www.fenixoutfitters.com/fenix...e1486617602004


LOOK AT THE PICS AND MANY OTHER FEATURES......

[steelcore]

Thanks for sharing!

Although low on priority list, a lantern is definitely something I want for small group camping. On my own I can deal with just a flashlight, but it would still be nice to have long lasting illumination that I don't have to hold.

[vmonkey]

Nice review. I didn't realize how small it is.

[uparmor]

Originally Posted by vmonkey

Nice review. I didn't realize how small it is.

Its lights up my whole living room at night. We are totally offgrid so saving power in winter helps. I charge the batts during the day from solar.

[uparmor]

*Update*

After 1 week of use I can honestly say that of all my lights and lanterns this is my new favorite. It is bright as hell, has a low moonbeam mode and red mode. Also the tail magnet I use often. You can stick it on a fender and change a tire. You can stick it on the fridge door and light up the whole kitchen. When the battery goes low you only have one battery to charge instead of 3 or 4.

Pros so far:

Bright
Has a moonbeam low
Has red
Has magnet
Simple UI (2 clicks gives red, one more gives blinking red) one long click gives white light. One short tap gives light mode change.
Has memory of last used mode
Small
Light
Has usb charging
Uses powerful 18650 instead of AA


Cons:
No memory for red
No battery meter (blinks 3 long and 6 short for 3.6v etc)
No usb charge port for "other" devices

[lavey29]

Originally Posted by uparmor

Its lights up my whole living room at night. We are totally offgrid so saving power in winter helps. I charge the batts during the day from solar.

Great review on a cool lantern. I like it but little pricey. Just curious though - how can you be "totally offgrid" when you have internet connectivity? That is the main grid leash for all tracking purposes.

[uparmor]

Originally Posted by lavey29

Great review on a cool lantern. I like it but little pricey. Just curious though - how can you be "totally offgrid" when you have internet connectivity? That is the main grid leash for all tracking purposes.

Im not offgrid because i am worried about being spied on.

[lavey29]

So you are just partially offgrid to avoid paying high utility bills but are ok with having your every movement tracked or any online activity monitored. If I were to ever achieve being totally "offgrid" in addition to clean energy sources, cell phones, computers, internet, etc...would have to be removed.

Do like your Fenix lantern though.

[uparmor]

Originally Posted by lavey29

So you are just partially offgrid to avoid paying high utility bills but are ok with having your every movement tracked or any online activity monitored. If I were to ever achieve being totally "offgrid" in addition to clean energy sources, cell phones, computers, internet, etc...would have to be removed.

Do like your Fenix lantern though.

You might be better off asking how i protect myself vs what you are doing now. You know nothing of my skillset nor my setup.

Not sure why anyone would dump the internet, its a treasure trove of knowledge. I learn everything i need from it. The worlds biggest library and it updates every 24hrs.

[Cokebottle]

Originally Posted by lavey29

So you are just partially offgrid to avoid paying high utility bills but are ok with having your every movement tracked or any online activity monitored. If I were to ever achieve being totally "offgrid" in addition to clean energy sources, cell phones, computers, internet, etc...would have to be removed.

Do like your Fenix lantern though.

Maybe he lives on a boat, or full-time RV?

I'd love to retire and have a different zip code every day.

[lavey29]

Originally Posted by uparmor

You might be better off asking how i protect myself vs what you are doing now. You know nothing of my skillset nor my setup.

Not sure why anyone would dump the internet, its a treasure trove of knowledge. I learn everything i need from it. The worlds biggest library and it updates every 24hrs.

No I do not but when you made the statement that you were "totally offgrid" I just found it odd because you are not "totally offgrid" if you have an internet tether albeit does provide valuable info if needed. You are "partially offgrid" and I applaud you for being able to do that as that is more then I can do presently.

[lavey29]

Originally Posted by Cokebottle

Maybe he lives on a boat, or full-time RV?

I'd love to retire and have a different zip code every day.

Yes that would be nice

[luckylogger6]

Usually "Off Grid" just refers to the electric/utility grid.

As to the other statement about saving money by not paying high utility bills, I bet his price per KWh is high compared to what most utility charge. Mine is $0.18 per KWh. He just uses such a small about to power it is cheep compared to most peoples power bill.

Nice light by the way...

[lavey29]

Originally Posted by luckylogger6

Usually "Off Grid" just refers to the electric/utility grid.

As to the other statement about saving money by not paying high utility bills, I bet his price per KWh is high compared to what most utility charge. Mine is $0.18 per KWh. He just uses such a small about to power it is cheep compared to most peoples power bill.

Nice light by the way...

True that is one component but to be "totally offgrid" there are multiple other components involved such as municipal water supply, sewer, phone use, internet access, etc...would have to be pretty well isolated to achieve this level.

[tamalpias]

Originally Posted by lavey29

True that is one component but to be "totally offgrid" there are multiple other components involved such as municipal water supply, sewer, phone use, internet access, etc...would have to be pretty well isolated to achieve this level.

irregardless in a shtf scenario he is in a better position than we are.

i just don't know if 350 lumens is enough

[uparmor]

Originally Posted by tamalpias

irregardless in a shtf scenario he is in a better position than we are.

i just don't know if 350 lumens is enough

I would imagine its like oil lamps in the 1800,s. Your eyes just get used to lower light levels. On grid thinking is to make the house look like the surface of the sun.

[lavey29]

Originally Posted by tamalpias

irregardless in a shtf scenario he is in a better position than we are.

i just don't know if 350 lumens is enough

Oh I agree with that and he knows his lanterns well also as evidenced by his nice comprehensive review. I have 11kw of solar panels on my roof but it is still grid connected. I have no electric bill. Need to see if I can modify it somehow to power the house in the event of an outage. Guessing it would have to be bypassed to allow for the energy to be stored in a separate inverter/batteries source. I doubt this can be done without voiding warranty though.

[uparmor]

Originally Posted by lavey29

Oh I agree with that and he knows his lanterns well also as evidenced by his nice comprehensive review. I have 11kw of solar panels on my roof but it is still grid connected. I have no electric bill. Need to see if I can modify it somehow to power the house in the event of an outage. Guessing it would have to be bypassed to allow for the energy to be stored in a separate inverter/batteries source. I doubt this can be done without voiding warranty though.

Speak with a certified solar electrician. Thats a lot of power and you do not want to screw things up or burn your house down.

You will need two or three charge controllers and a bank or two of expensive batteries. If you get tons of sun every day you only need battery storage to last from sundown to sunup. If you limited your power usage to radios, small led lights and small tv,s you could get by with a small battery bank. Maybe four or or 6 6v golf cart batts from costco. You coul also divert just a couple of your panels to a single small mppt charge controller like the kid to charge that bank. Sort of a small system inside of a large system. If done like that you dont have 5 grand in batteries wasting away waiting for a grid down situ.

[tamalpias]

Originally Posted by uparmor

I would imagine its like oil lamps in the 1800,s. Your eyes just get used to lower light levels. On grid thinking is to make the house look like the surface of the sun.

hahaha in a shtf scenerio you would be right, but right now I am thinking about my camping use which i go on 4-5 trips a year. I have a Coleman North Star that puts out 1,280 lumens and i still wish it was brighter.

I bought the nitecore lipstick light like you recommended because it is a perfect inside the tent illumination lamp and is now on my keychain as an EDC light.

Originally Posted by lavey29

Oh I agree with that and he knows his lanterns well also as evidenced by his nice comprehensive review. I have 11kw of solar panels on my roof but it is still grid connected. I have no electric bill. Need to see if I can modify it somehow to power the house in the event of an outage. Guessing it would have to be bypassed to allow for the energy to be stored in a separate inverter/batteries source. I doubt this can be done without voiding warranty though.

Tesla makes those home battery banks that is suppose to be pretty reasonable in price. I am sure you can find chinese for a lot less. Supposedly you can have either a manual or electronic switch added to kick you off grid if the grid power is out and switch back onto grid power if it detects the grid having power.

[uparmor]

I have a northstar as well, it is bright. If I am working on something that requires that I see detail I use bright lights (1k lumen headlamps). If I am watching tv or surfing the web I leave the lights low, maybe 200 lumens. I have changed my idea of trying to light everything with one centrally located light to having 3 smaller less bright lights that light specific areas. The northstar is harsh to look at and destroys night vision for hours. Plus the NS stinks and adds tons of heat.

If you need more light camping get a led offroad light and hook it to the truck battery. A small one is 5k lumens.

Originally Posted by tamalpias

hahaha in a shtf scenerio you would be right, but right now I am thinking about my camping use which i go on 4-5 trips a year. I have a Coleman North Star that puts out 1,280 lumens and i still wish it was brighter.

I bought the nitecore lipstick light like you recommended because it is a perfect inside the tent illumination lamp and is now on my keychain as an EDC light.



Tesla makes those home battery banks that is suppose to be pretty reasonable in price. I am sure you can find chinese for a lot less. Supposedly you can have either a manual or electronic switch added to kick you off grid if the grid power is out and switch back onto grid power if it detects the grid having power.

[tamalpias]

Originally Posted by uparmor

I have a northstar as well, it is bright. If I am working on something that requires that I see detail I use bright lights (1k lumen headlamps). If I am watching tv or surfing the web I leave the lights low, maybe 200 lumens. I have changed my idea of trying to light everything with one centrally located light to having 3 smaller less bright lights that light specific areas. The northstar is harsh to look at and destroys night vision for hours. Plus the NS stinks and adds tons of heat.

If you need more light camping get a led offroad light and hook it to the truck battery. A small one is 5k lumens.

I have the HC60 headlamp, it is a very nice one and is smaller and lighter than their HC50 headlamp which i also own. The only drawback to it is the on/off switch is a tiny button in the front by the bulb location, i prefer it on the side like the HC50.

As far as light bars are concerned i want something portable and won't drain my battery if i leave it on to long by accident. I like the NS because i mount it on a pipe adapter to my 20 pound tank. It lasts the entire camping trip plus cooking off the same 20 pound bottle.

[Jeff213]

Originally Posted by lavey29

Oh I agree with that and he knows his lanterns well also as evidenced by his nice comprehensive review. I have 11kw of solar panels on my roof but it is still grid connected. I have no electric bill. Need to see if I can modify it somehow to power the house in the event of an outage. Guessing it would have to be bypassed to allow for the energy to be stored in a separate inverter/batteries source. I doubt this can be done without voiding warranty though.

Shouldn't be too hard for a qualified electrician to figure something out for you, coming from a qualified electrician. The transfer switch would be easy without voiding your warranty, batteries arent cheap though.

[Darklyte27]

I got one, great lil light but a bit expensive. I use it for camping. I also have a black diamond apollo thats about 200 lumens, https://www.rei.com/product/890326/b...apollo-lantern

paid about 40$ with a rei sale coupon.

[uparmor]

Originally Posted by Darklyte27

I got one, great lil light but a bit expensive. I use it for camping. I also have a black diamond apollo thats about 200 lumens, https://www.rei.com/product/890326/b...apollo-lantern

paid about 40$ with a rei sale coupon.

Ive seen a chinese clone on amazon for 11 dollars. Same specs same design. I am tempted to buy one.

https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/...amping-lantern

[tamalpias]

can the rated lumens be trusted? I wouldn't mind if it is truly 680 lumens.

[uparmor]

Originally Posted by tamalpias

can the rated lumens be trusted? I wouldn't mind if it is truly 680 lumens.

Thats led surface lumens not ansi, ansi is 350L. I live at 350 lumens which is more then enough in my offgrid house.

[Darklyte27]

Originally Posted by uparmor

Ive seen a chinese clone on amazon for 11 dollars. Same specs same design. I am tempted to buy one.

https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/...amping-lantern

lol wow! ya, ive had my share of chinese copies or lower qual lights online. some are soso and ok. 14$ i guess is worth a try.

[steelcore]

Finally got to test this out on a camp. Only setting I used was moonlight and red from inside my tent, which is 2 person sized. Hung it from the top tent hook. Did a nice job illuminating the rain fly for identifying my tent from a distance. Inside it provided enough light to sort through my pack and find items I wanted. You could maybe read a book with the moonlight or low setting.

[Cali74]

is this lantern like this one?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JUN6BGY...I1KZ3PRUUWO33D