Short Description:

These torches are another offering from Nuwai. Nuwai is a manufacturer in Taiwan who has been doing a very nice job of incorporating some of the latest technologies in flashlights. Their products are usually of very good quality, design, and machining and are often re-branded and distributed by an number of retailers and manufacturers under different names.

These particular torches are made of thick machined aluminum which has been anodized (Type II) for protection. Bold grooves and checkering on the body improve gripability. The tailcap is flat. Just behind the head is a click switch Which allows for 3 light level settings - high, medium and low - and a blink mode. Inside the bezel is either a Luxeon III or Luxeon V LED which is practically impervious to impact, and a smooth, deep, permanently focused reflector. Removing the tailcap reveals the battery compartment. The lights are powered by two 123A lithium 3 Volt batteries and contains a regulator circuit to help maintain constant brightness throughout the battery life.

Detailed Information:

The ALX-352L (Luxeon V) and ALX-032L (Luxeon III) are very nicely made lights. Side by side they look almost identical except for the logo on the side and the LED in the bezel. However, there are a couple of important differences.

The body is made of machined aluminum which has been "clear anodized" which retains the silver color of the aluminum. The anodize is Type II which is fairly durable and will protect the surface of the body from corrosion and minor abrasion. The body walls are very thick. "Built like a tank" comes to mind. The raised areas on the body have been checkered with shallow grooves which provides some improvement for grip. There are two deeper grooves near the tailcap which helps with retention. A flat panel is machined on one side for logo imprinting. This flat panel also aligns with the switch to aid in activation when grasping the light in the dark. The head of the light has 6 raised plateaus which help prevent the light from rolling away when placed on its side. The tailcap has what appears to be a pressure vent and a tiny hole in the center. This design allows the light to stand on its end.

The bezel contains a plastic lens and a silvered plastic reflector which is quite deep. This allows more of the light to be captured and thrown forward. This type of design is important when working with the rather large light source surface of the Luxeon Star. The LED is still on it's factory heatsink and is held in place by an aluminum retaining ring. The retaining ring is screwed into the body and clamps down on the Luxeon Star, keeping it in good contact with the aluminum platform below. This permits the transfer of heat that may develop in use, thereby protecting the Luxeon from thermal damage.

The switch is a simple click switch and it is located just behind the head of the light. The switch is covered by a textured rubber cover that provides a non-slip surface and water resistance. Pressing the switch in series activates the 3 light levels - high (100%), medium (50%) and low (25%). Pressing and holding the switch for about 3 seconds activates the blink mode.

Output is very different between the two lights. The Luxeon V light has very smooth output. A gorgeous spot and wide spillbeam. The Luxeon III has some slight anomalies in the central spot, produces a little bit warmer light (not a bad thing at all), and also has a wide spillbeam. The Luxeon III is not as bright as the Luxeon V as can be seen in the output table, below.

When the lower light levels are activated, another the major difference between the two lights is revealed. The Luxeon V model produces smooth continuous light regardless of the mode selected, possibly indicating a current regulated circuit. The Luxeon III flickers rapidly to simulate dimming. This indicates the use of a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) circuit that fools your eyes into thinking the light is dimmer by strobing the light faster than your eyes can normally detect. Move the light, or your eyes, rapidly and the illusion is shattered. The flicker becomes quite evident to my eyes. This can be very annoying to some people, especially at slower flicker rates. Some people, it seems, are not bothered by it at all.

I also noticed that the switches react differently on both lights. The Luxeon V light allows for very rapid pressing of the switch. This permits you to quickly skip over the brighter levels and go right to a lower level of light. The Luxeon III light requires slow, deliberate presses for the circuit to properly detect the input.

Runtime Plot: ALX-352L (5W): Pretty good output maintenance, then it just goes out. Not a good thing if the torch is on the other side of a dark room...

Runtime completed with BatteryStation batteries. More information on runtime plots is available HERE.

Runtime Plot: ALX-032L (3W): Pretty good regulation followed by a nice steady decline. You still have light, even though it dims, after the regulation stops.

Runtime completed with Panasonic batteries. More information on runtime plots is available HERE.

The torch is sealed at both ends by O-rings which have been well lubricated at the factory. The bezel lens also appears to have an O-ring seal. The switch, as mentioned before, is also covered by a rubber seal. This light is not intended for submersion, but should be able to withstand a good soaking without liquid penetrating the body. If water does get in, simply open it up and allow it to dry.

Ergonomically, the torches fit well in the hand. Balance is toward the rear of the light body. The knurling is not rough at all and does not abrade the skin. No sharp edges were found. The switch is easy to locate due to the presence of the large flat panel machined into the side of the body. They are fairly heavy due to their thick construction.

For batteries they take two 123A lithium 3 Volt cells. These are very expensive in retail stores and are best purchased on-line from various e-tailers. An independent source has completed runtimes on the various (non-blink) modes for the Luxeon V model and has found that the runtimes are about 1 hour, 2 hours and 4 hours, respectively. It was also discovered that when the light drops out of regulation, it turns off. Sorry, no low level output at the very end for finding new batteries - you're in the dark.

Batteries are not included. In fact, the lights do not come in a package, just wrapped in bubblewrap. However, there is a very sturdy nylon and plastic sheath that comes with the light. The belt loop and top strap are held with snaps and the entire sheath has a thick plastic liner which allows it to keep its shape and also allows for easy insertion and removal of the light.

What I Liked: Water resistant, Tough/impact resistant, Decent battery life, Regulated, Bright, Easy battery change, Lightweight, Stands up

What I Didn't Like: The Luxeon III uses PWM regulation and the flicker is very evident. The Luxeon III also has a switch that requires deliberate, slow presses to function correctly. Last, the beam of the Luxeon III wasn't quite as nice as I would have liked.

Other Things I Noticed: Heavy, but built like a tank.

PILA BATTERIES: Someone asked if you can use Pila 168S rechargeable cells in these lights. The good news is, they fit! The bad news is, they don't make contact with the positive tab inside the lights, so they don't work unless you make some adjustments. First off, you can reach inside the light with a dental pick and bend out the positive contact flap if you don't mind the possibility of damaging the light. Second, (better solution) you can get a small disc rare-earth magnet from Radio Shack and attach attach it to the positive end of the Pila battery to create a positive teat. A reader tried this and it worked fine for them. It is Radio Shack part # 64-1895 (1/8" magnet) and costs about $3 US.

PILA BATTERIES UPDATE: I went out and purchased the Radio Shack magnets and they do allow the Pila batteries to work in these lights! The package includes 2 magnets and costs 1.89. Each magnet is about the size of the positive contact on a AA cell. Just place one on the positive end of the Pila 168S and use as normal. Output is reduced by about 22% compared to 123A lithium cells..

Conclusions: A good pair of Luxeon torches overall. Well machined, well designed, and good output. Comfortable in the hand and easy to use. No need to every worry about having to change the bulb since the Luxeons will last a very, very long time and cannot blow like a normal bulb.

UPDATE: As a result of the runtime plots, the ratings have changed.

UPDATE: A reader comments that the 352 they purchased has a hair-trigger switch and turns on in the holster - please be wary.

UPDATE: I have received at least 2 other complaints about the switch. I am downgrading the rating as a result. Any flashlight is no good if every time you reach for it the batteries are dead.

Quick Facts Table: