Nuwai Q-100

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Nuwai Q-100 is attractive single CR123 battery based Luxeon Rebel LED flashlight. Nuwai Q-100 is the next incarnation of very popular Nuwai QIII LED Flashlight. Reflector used in Nuwai Q-100 is made of solid Aluminium and has faceted Medium Orange Peel (MOP) finish for a smooth beam output. Electronics inside Nuwai Q-100 are simple step up based drive circuit. Nuwai Q-100 is a single brightness level flashlight. Body of Nuwai Q-100 is built of aircraft grade Aluminium alloy with black anodized type III hard coat coating. HAIII ensures less wear and tear. In comparison the original Nuwai QIII had HA type II coating. Q-100 comes with pre installed steel pocket clip. The operating switch located on tail cap and has black color rubber boot. The rubber boot is recessed so light can stand on tail. Earlier version Nuwai QIII had slightly protruding tail cap switch rubber boot. There are O-Ring seals at various places for waterproofing. One of the remarkable things of Nuwai Q-100 is the use of ultra clear polycarbonate lens. The fabrication trait of Nuwai Q-100 gives a feeling of strong built body with thick body walls. Nuwai Q-100 is packaged in very eye-catching black colored card board box.
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Light Features:

• Luxeon Rebel 100
• Faceted medium orange peel reflector
• Simple step up drive circuit
• Strong built
• Can stand on tail (Candle Mode)

Light Operation: Simple click switch. For Switching ON / OFF use tail cap switch. Click once to switch on, click again to switch off.

Here is the table showing total output levels for standard CR123 battery and AW RCR123 battery.

Nuwai Q-100
CR123	AW RCR123
840	1210

General Info
ID	41
Light Model	Q-100
Manufacturer	Nuwai
Review Page & Image	Q-100
Country	Taiwan
Review Date	2008-05-09
Review Update	2008-05-10
Light Vitals
Length	88 mm
Width / Bezel Diameter	27 mm
Width / Tube Diameter	21 mm
Height (if applicable)	mm
Weight (without battery)	59 gm
Light Source
LED Format	Power LED
Number of LEDs	1
LED Name	Luxeon Rebel
LED Power	3  Watts
Light Management
Lens Material	Polycarbonate
Lens Coating (if any)	Ultra Clear
Lens Transperency (typical)	85
Lumen Management	Reflector
Material	Aluminium Metal LOP
Beam Type	Mostly Throw with good side spill
Power Management
Converter Type	Step Up
Properties	Semi Regulated
Features	Simple
Batteries Supported, Output & Runtime
Battery Size     Chemistry     Nominal Voltage     # Used     Total Output     Runtime to 75%     Runtime to 50%     Runtime to 25%	CR123 CR123 LiMnO2   Li-Ion   3 3.7 1 1 840 1210 0 0 0 0 0 0
Switch Options
Switch Type     Switch Properties	Click Reverse Click
Body Material Options
Material     Properties     Color	Aluminium Type III Hard Anodized Black
Light Rating
Looks	80
Build Quality	75
Runtime	50
Output	60
Features	20
Usability	75
Bang for buck	65
Overall Rating	60.714

Packaging: Nuwai Q-100 comes pleasingly packaged card board box. On bottom right portion of the box, there is shining mirror like, reflective, silver metallic imprint describing light model number.






Inside the main card board box, there is molded foam container comfortably holding Nuwai Q-100 flashlight and carry holster. Also included (not shown) is a single page manual having light specifications, instructions to replace battery and warnings.


Size Comparison: Pictured below From L to R:New Nuwai Q-100 and elder brother Nuwai QIII. As you may have already noticed, Nuwai Q-100 tad smaller in height and there is distinct change in head portion. Overall the new Nuwai Q-100 maintains the look and feel of highly popular QIII. Note that the QIII is over 4 years old and it has suffered dents and exposed anodizing. It's gone through a lot of rough use over the years. The type II anodized has hold well, though there is some erosion at the edges. Comparatively, the type III hard anodized coating of Nuwai Q-100 promises to hold well in rough usage.


Picture here is showing other side of both Nuwai Q-100 and QIII.


Another size comparison From L to R: Standard CR123, Nuwai Q-100 and AW CR123 Battery. Nuwai Q-100 is about 2.5 times in length of CR123 battery.


Bezel Comparison: On the left is Nuwai Q-100 where as on right is the Nuwai QIII. One of the major difference in between Q-100 and QIII is lens. Q-100 has ultra clear polycarbonate lens where as the QIII had a acrylic lens. Another change is in number of curved crenellations. There are 5 crenellations on QIII bezel where as 3 on Nuwai Q-100. The reflector appears similar to the original QIII with modifications to accept Luxeon Rebel R100 LED. Beam profile for both the lights is very similar, very smooth transition from hotspot to side spill. On a side note, you might be wondering what's so with the QIII bezel. It's the scratches on the lens. To fix that, there are a lot of aftermarket QIII accessories available to replace the acrylic lens with AR Coated Glass lens.


Bezel, Reflector & LED of Nuwai Q-100: Let's have a closer look at the bezel of Nuwai Q-100. Luxeon Rebel 100 LED is aligned almost at center. As already mentioned, reflector in Nuwai Q-100 built from solid Aluminium and has faceted Medium Orange Peel (MOP) finish. Implementing faceted orange peel reflector addresses two major issues in light beam pattern management. Firstly, it makes the beam pattern smooth, there is a very elegant transition from hotspot to side spill. There are no rings in the beam that are usually associated with smooth reflectors. Secondly, it takes care of slight misalignment of LED and ensures good and evenly centered beam coming out of the bezel.




Closeup of LED & reflector in Nuwai Q-100. You may notice slight misalignment of LED. The fact is that in this picture the actual size of LED die is 1mm square and picture shows LED greatly magnified. On a 1280 pixel width 15 inch monitor, die size can be measured as 20mm, that's about 20x magnification. On screen, the LED appears to be off by 5 mm i.e. the actual LED alignment is off only by 0.5 mm. Moreover the faceted reflector takes care of this minor issue.


Body: Nuwai Q-100 is built from aircraft grade Aluminium Body is sandblasted to give a matt finish and has black type III hard coat anodizing. The built quality of Nuwai Q-100 is good. The body is designed in such a way that light will not roll off. Body walls of Nuwai Q-100 are relatively of good thickness indicating robust construction.


Battery tube has rectangular machined knurling like grooves that provide excellent grip.




Tail cap houses the operating switch. Overall the construction of Nuwai Q-100 is fairly strong. The rubber boot on tail cap switch does not protrude thus allowing tail stand capability.




On the other side of body, you can see the pocket clip attached with the body. Clip has means of attaching lanyard.




Here is a 180 view of Nuwai Q-100 standing with bezel down position.


Components: Nuwai Q-100 actually consists of three main components, head, battery tube and tail cap but the head and battery tube are glued with loctite together. Head houses LED, reflector and electronics. Battery tube can accommodate single CR123 battery. CR123 battery does not rattle and yet enough space is there for free battery movement. Tail cap has switch with black rubber boot.


Side view of Nuwai Q-100 Components


Head & Battery Tube: Here is a more detailed look at head of Nuwai Q-100.




Nuwai Q-100 battery tube is exquisitely machined with a band of rectangular crenellations forming a 'knurling' like appearance. Threads on battery tube of Nuwai Q-100 anodized and are well lubricated. There is a O-Ring seal sitting behind the threads.


Inside the battery tube of Nuwai Q-100 you will notice that the positive contact is surrounded by a protective disk with a plus mark over it. This disk prevents contact to the positive terminal if the battery is inserted wrongly and protects the circuit from burning out. In short, its Nuwai's implementation of reverse circuit protection.


Tail cap: The outer side tail cap of Nuwai Q-100 is anodized. Tail cap houses operating switch.


Here is a 360 view of Nuwai tail cap. Negative contact spring on Nuwai Q-100 inside appears to be nickel plated steel. Bare Aluminium retaining ring screws inside tail cap holding the switch assembly.

Here is the beam shot Matrix shows Nuwai Q-100 with Single CR123 battery. All beam shots are taken at f/8 aperture with varying shutter speed.

	Nuwai Q-100
1/1000
1/500
1/250
1/100
1/50
1/25
1/10
1/5

Here are a few extreme closeup shots. Workmanship of Nuwai Q-100 is flawless.

Bezel of Nuwai Q-100


Nuwai Q-100 head.


Nuwai Q-100 battery tube.


Nuwai Q-100 tail cap.


Super Extreme Closeup Nuwai Q-100 Bezel.


Super Extreme Closeup Nuwai Q-100 head.


Super Extreme Closeup Nuwai Q-100 battery tube.


Super Extreme Closeup Nuwai Q-100 battery tube.


Super Extreme Closeup Nuwai Q-100 tail cap.


Super Extreme Closeup Nuwai Q-100 tail cap.