Manker E02 III AAA 10440 Torch Review
Manker E02 III#
- Specifications
- Introduction
- Torch in use
- Build quality
- LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam
- Size and comparison
- User interface
- Batteries and charging
- Performance
- Beamshots
- Thermal Images
- Conclusion
- Price
- Product page
Specifications#
| Brand/model | Manker E02 III |
|---|---|
| LED | Nichia 519A 4000K R9080 |
| Maximum lumens | 400 lm |
| Maximum beam intensity | 954 cd |
| Maximum throw | 62 m |
| Battery | 1*10440 Li-ion, 1*AAA Ni-MH, 1* AAA Alkaline |
| Onboard charging | No (10440 has USB-C) |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Modes | 7 |
| Blinkies | Strobe |
| Reflector | TIR |
| Waterproof | IP68 |
| Review date | November 2025 |
Introduction#
The Manker E02 III is a AAA-sized right-angle torch with multiple sub-lumen moonlight modes.
It comes with a 10440 3.7V Li-ion cell with USB-C charging. It also supports AAA 1.2V Ni-MH and AAA 1.5V Alkaline batteries.
I previously bought the Manker E02 II while on the hunt for a sub-lumen torch.
Manker E02 II Mo1 vs Manker E02 III Mo1#
Version II is much dimmer than version III on Moonlight 1 (Mo1). That said, Mo1 and Mo2 on version III are both sub-lumen.
The Manker E02 II has some ridiculously low moonlight modes (perhaps impractical).
Manker E02 II Mo3 vs Manker E02 III Mo1#
Mo3 on II is roughly the equivalent of Mo1 on III.
Manker kindly provided this torch for review. I have not been paid for this review nor have I held back my opinions of this torch.
Packaging#
The Manker E02 III comes in orange and black box with a window to display the torch.
The following is included in the box:
- Manker E02 III.
- Manker 10440 Li-ion 3.7V Li-ion 300mAh cell with built-in USB-C charging.
- USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
- Pocket clip.
- Spare o-ring.
- User manual.
User Manual#
Torch in use#
The Manker E02 III is tiny!
It can be clipped onto the loop of a backpack with the pocket clip. The pocket clip has a very tight fit.
The torch can tailstand.
There is a strong magnet in the tailcap to use the torch as a work light.
You could use this torch as a headlamp with an optional headband.
Build quality#
The Manker E02 III has a matte black anodised finish. It is also available in other colours.
There is plenty of grip and it feels nice to hold.
The button gives a satisfying click.
The threads turn smoothly. The threads and the inside of the tube are anodised.
There is a small notch near the positive terminal on the driver to provide Reverse Polarity Protection. This prevents some flat top cells from working.
LED, bezel, lens, reflector and beam#
This Manker E02 III has a Nichia 519A 4000K R9080 emitter behind a TIR optic and a bezel. The torch is also available with a 6500K emitter.
The bezels on version III of the E02 have notches for snap ring pliers to unscrew. This is a nice upgrade over the E02 II where it has press fit bezels.
CCT, CRI, and duv#
I have taken Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) and Colour Rendering Index (CRI, RA of R1-R8) measurements with the torch positioned half a metre away from an Opple Light Master Pro III (G3).
The CCT is around 3850K, the CRI is around 97 and the Delta u, v is close to zero (pure white).
The torch produces floody beam with wide focused hot spot. There are some minor artefacts around the edges when looking at a white wall.
| Cell | Mode | CCT (K) | CRI (Ra) | x | y | Duv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10440 | Low | 3801 | 97.5 | 0.3897 | 0.3812 | -0.0005 |
| 10440 | Medium | 3828 | 97.4 | 0.3885 | 0.3809 | -0.0003 |
| 10440 | High | 3882 | 97.1 | 0.3860 | 0.3795 | -0.0003 |
| 10440 | Turbo | 3907 | 96.8 | 0.3844 | 0.3773 | -0.0009 |
Calculate Duv from CIE 1931 xy coordinates
Dimensions and size comparison#
Dimensions#
I took the following measurements using a digital caliper.
| Measurement | Unit (mm) |
|---|---|
| Length | 72.16 |
| Head width | 15.20 |
| Head depth | 16.68 |
| Tail diameter | 15.31 |
Weight#
I took the following measurements using a digital scale.
| Weight | Unit (g) |
|---|---|
| Torch | 26.8 |
| Battery | 8.4 |
| Torch with battery | 35.2 |
Size comparison with its competition#
From left to right: Manker E02 III, Manker E02 II
II has a lanyard hole in the tailcap while III does not.
User interface#
The Manker E02 III has an electronic switch at the head.
There are three General modes (Low, Medium and High).
There is a Turbo mode.
There are three Moonlight modes (Mo1, Mo2, Mo3).
And there are three Special modes (Strobe, SOS and Beacon).
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Press and hold for 1.5 seconds | Moonlight |
| Moonlight | Press and hold | Cycle (Mo1, Mo2, Mo3) |
| Off | Click | General (Mode Memory) |
| On | Click | Off |
| Any | Two clicks | Turbo |
| Turbo | Press and hold | General (Mode Memory) |
| Any | Three clicks | Special (Strobe) |
| Special | Press and hold | Cycle (Strobe, SOS, Beacon) |
| Special | Three clicks | General (Mode Memory) |
| Off | Press and hold for 5 seconds | Lock |
| Locked | Click | Nothing |
| Locked | Press and hold for 5 seconds | Unlock |
Mode memory#
There is mode memory.
The torch will memorise the last used General mode (Low, Medium, High) and the last used moonlight mode (Mo1, Mo2, Mo3).
Turbo, Strobe, SOS and Beacon are not memorised.
Strobe#
Strobe has a constant frequency.
Strobe, SOS, Beacon
I measured Strobe, SOS and Beacon with a Zoyi ZT-701 oscilloscope.
Low voltage protection#
There is low voltage protection.
I tested low voltage protection by: connecting the driver of the torch to a bench power supply, turning the torch on in Medium mode, and lowering the voltage from 4.2V to 2.77V for a 10440 3.7V Li-ion cell and from 1.2V to 0.73V for a 1.2V Ni-MH battery.
The light output dropped significantly after a few minutes and then the light turned off after 12 minutes at these low voltages.
The light turns off at around 2.77V for a Li-ion cell and around 0.73V for Ni-MH battery.
Battery Status Indicator#
If you select a General mode but the output drops to a Moonlight mode then that is the torch indicating that the battery needs to be charged or replaced.
Pulse Width Modulation#
I did not notice any visible PWM (flickering).
I measured the PWM of the light with a Zoyi ZT-701 oscilloscope.
Low, Medium, High, Turbo
What I like about the UI#
- Multiple Moonlight modes (two sub 1 lumen).
- Direct access to Moonlight from off.
- Direct access to Turbo from off.
- Direct access to Strobe from off.
What could be improved#
- Battery status indicator in the button.
- A hidden engineering mode like on the Manker MC13 II SE would be nice to have so that the brightness of each mode can be adjusted.
Batteries and charging#
Battery#
A protected button top Manker 10440 3.7V Li-ion 300mAh cell with USB-C charging was included inside the torch. The cell arrived with a voltage of 4.10V.
The cell was isolated with a piece of plastic to prevent accidentally turning the torch on.
I tried the following cells:
| Cell | Top | Compatible? | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manker 10440 Li-ion 3.7V Li-ion 300mAh USB-C | Button | Yes | |
| ReyLight 10440 3.7V Li-ion 350mAh | Flat | No | RPP |
| Vapcell 10440 3.7V Li-ion 320mAh | Flat | No | RPP |
| Vapcell 10440 3.7V Li-ion 320mAh | Button | Yes | |
| eneloop pro AAA Ni-MH 900mAh 1.2V | Button | Yes |
It looks like a little notch on the driver near the positive terminal is providing Reverse Polarity Protection and preventing flat top cells from working.
Charging#
The Manker E02 III does not have built-in charging. It comes with a 10440 Li-ion 3.7V Li-ion 300mAh cell with USB-C charging.
Power supply: PinePower Desktop USB-C
USB Meter: ChargerLAB Power-Z KM003C
Room temperature: 15 C
It took 1 hour 27 minutes to charge the 10440 cell from 3.10V to 4.16V at a rate of 5V/0.24A.
The charging status indicator in the 10440 cell is red while charging and it becomes green when charging is complete.
Power supply compatibility#
I tried the following power supplies with the included 10440 cell:
| Power supply | USB Type | Protocol | Does it charge? |
|---|---|---|---|
| PinePower Desktop | USB-C | PD | Yes |
| PinePower Desktop | USB-A | QC | Yes |
| PinePower Desktop | USB-A | Yes |
USB-C to USB-C charging works.
Performance#
Specifications from the user manual:
Nichia 519A
| FL1 Standard / Mode | Cell | Mo 1 | Mo 2 | Mo 3 | Low | Medium | High | Turbo | Strobe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Output (lumens) | 10440 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 20 | 60 + 4 | 210 + 145 + 4 | 400 + 145 + 4 | 400 |
| Runtime | 10440 | 277h 25min | 104h 30min | 53h 25min | 6h 6min | 1h 27min + 1h 37min | 2min + 26min + 2h 30min | 1min + 24min + 2h 45min | |
| Beam Intensity (cd) | 10440 | 954 | |||||||
| Beam Distance (metres) | 10440 | 62 | |||||||
| Output (lumens) | Ni-MH | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 6 | 20 + 1.5 | 60 + 45 + 1.5 | 130 + 45 + 1.5 | 130 |
| Runtime | Ni-MH | 170h 49min | 73h 11min | 36h 32min | 8h 48min | 2h 12min + 54min | 3min + 50min + 1h 28min | 1min + 54min + 1h 48min | |
| Beam Intensity (cd) | Ni-MH | 369 | |||||||
| Beam Distance (metres) | Ni-MH | 38 | |||||||
| Output (lumens) | Alkaline | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 6 | 20 + 1.5 | 60 + 45 + 1.5 | 130 + 45 + 1.5 | 130 |
| Runtime | Alkaline | 388h 55min | 152h 34min | 74h 12min | 20h 54min | 3h 11min + 20h 24min | 3min + 59min + 44h | 1min + 57min + 44h 17min | |
| Beam Intensity (cd) | Alkaline | 369 | |||||||
| Beam Distance (metres) | Alkaline | 38 |
I tested the light using the included 10440 cell and an eneloop pro AAA Ni-MH 900mAh 1.2V cell.
Lumen measurements#
I used a bench power supply to measure the current at turn on for most modes.
I also used a UNI-T UT139C to measure the current for Moonlight modes.
| Cell | Mode | Amps at start | Specs | Lumens @turn on | Lumens @30 sec | Lumens @10 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10440 | Mo 1 | 1.89 mA | 0.1 | |||
| 10440 | Mo 2 | 3.72 mA | 0.8 | |||
| 10440 | Mo 3 | 7.32 mA | 1.5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 10440 | Low | 0.06 A | 20 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| 10440 | Medium | 0.18 A | 60 + 4 | 92 | 93 | 88 |
| 10440 | High | 0.71 A | 210 + 145 + 4 | 308 | 296 | 215 |
| 10440 | Turbo | 1.63 A | 400 + 145 + 4 | 575 | 514 | 219 |
| Ni-MH | Low | 0.12 A | 6 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
| Ni-MH | Medium | 0.29 A | 20 + 1.5 | 33 | 33 | 32 |
| Ni-MH | High | 0.75 A | 60 + 45 + 1.5 | 92 | 90 | 68 |
| Ni-MH | Turbo | 1.88 A | 130 + 45 + 1.5 | 190 | 185 | 71 |
Moonlight 1 (Mo 1) and Moonlight 2 (Mo 2) were too low for my DIY lumen tube to detect.
Note: Lumen measurements may be off by 10% with my DIY lumen tube.
I would take these measurements with a grain of salt. Usually torches with a TIR optic read slightly lower on my DIY lumen tube but it looks like the E02 III is reading much higher than expected.
Standby drain#
16 µA
Runtime graphs#
I used my own DIY lumen tube with a TSL2591 sensor and forked bmengineer’s project RuTiTe to record runtimes.
The room temperature was approximately 15 C.
10440#
Ni-MH#
Runtime#
Here is a summary of the runtime results:
| Cell | Mode | User manual | Runtime | Turn off | Final voltage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10440 | Turbo | 1min + 24min + 2h 45min | 2h 31min 58s | 2h 31min 58s | 3.08 |
| 10440 | High | 2min + 26min + 2h 30min | 26min 3s | 1h 32min 28s | 2.94 |
| 10440 | Medium | 1h 27min + 1h 37min | 1h 15min 59s | 2h 0min 0s | 3.10 |
| 10440 | Low | 6h 6min | 4h 20min 29s | 4h 20min 29s | 3.15 |
| 10440 | Mo 3 | 53h 25min | 10min+ | 10min+ | |
| 10440 | Mo 2 | 104h 30min | 10min+ | 10min+ | |
| 10440 | Mo 1 | 277h 25min | 10min+ | 10min+ | |
| Ni-MH | Turbo | 1min + 54min + 1h 48min | 1h 33min 44s | 3h 22min 26s | 1.16 |
| Ni-MH | High | 3min + 50min + 1h 28min | 1h 28min 59s | 2h 4min 30s | 1.05 |
| Ni-MH | Medium | 2h 12min + 54min | 3h 30min 33s | 3h 30min 33s | 1.17 |
| Ni-MH | Low | 8h 48min | 8h 3min 30s | 8h 3min 30s | 1.17 |
“Runtime” is the time until the output reduces to 10% of the output at 30 seconds (as per the ANSI/PLATO FL1 2019 Standard).
“Turn off” is the time until my DIY lumen tube no longer detects more than one lumen.
“+” indicates that the light remained on after recording had stopped.
The user manual has a lot of details about the lumen output and the duration of each stage within a runtime.
The runtime results for the sample that I received are quite different from the estimated runtime results by Manker when using the included 10440 cell.
The runtime results with a Ni-MH battery slightly better than what Manker estimated for most modes. Manker used a 950mAh Ni-MH cell while I used a 900mA Ni-MH cell.
Estimates aside, the output is well regulated.
Throw#
I took lux measurements with a UNI-T UT383BT at 30 seconds. Each mode was measured at one metre.
| Cell | Mode | Specs (cd) | Specs (m) | Candela measured (cd) | Distance (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10440 | Low | 73 | 17 | ||
| 10440 | Medium | 247 | 31 | ||
| 10440 | High | 774 | 55 | ||
| 10440 | Turbo | 954 | 62 | 1,369 | 74 |
Beamshots#
I went to a local park and aimed the torch at a tree 70 metres away while using Turbo.
Beamshots were taken using a Sony RX100M2 using 3.2", f3.2, ISO 100, 5000K WB.
Manker E02 III (Turbo)#
Vastlite i7 (Turbo)#
ReyLight Pineapple Mini Green (100%)#
ReyLight Pineapple Mini Orange (100%)#
Lumintop PK27 (High 2xAAA)#
Thermal Images#
I used a Thermal Master P3 to take thermal images of the torch while using Turbo. Get 10% off the Thermal Master P3 with code Mcmahon10
Room temperature: 17 C
| Time (mm:ss) | Max Temperature |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | 20.8 C |
| 00:30 | 28.6 C |
| 01:00 | 34.6 C |
| 01:30 | 34.4 C |
| 02:00 | 34.3 C |
| 02:30 | 34.6 C |
| 03:00 | 34.9 C |
| 03:30 | 35.3 C |
| 04:00 | 35.8 C |
| 04:30 | 35.9 C |
| 05:00 | 36.3 C |
| 05:30 | 36.6 C |
Turbo stepped down within the first 2 minutes and the temperature gradually rose to 36.6 C by 5 minutes and 30 seconds.
Conclusion#
The Manker E02 III looks and feels like an upgrade over the Manker E02 II.
The build quality has improved and Manker has used bezels with notches for snap ring pliers to unscrew this time instead of press fit bezels.
A high CRI Nichia 519A seems pretty standard these days among enthusiast lights but it is appreciated. The Delta u, v is close to zero. It produces a nice and floody 4000K beam.
There is no hole in the tailcap for a lanyard or a keyring on version III of the E02. It now feels smoother to hold.
The output is well regulated but the runtime results with a 10440 cell were quite different compared to the user manual. While I appreciate the amount of information in the user manual, it might be easier to understand what to expect by including a few runtime graphs. The table with lumens and the durations could then be kept simple.
If you are on the hunt for a sub-lumen torch, then this might be the one for you! There are two sub-lumen modes: Mo1 and Mo2.
If neutral white and high CRI are not your thing, then there is a cool white 6500K version available.
Pros:#
- Excellent build quality.
- Good lumen output.
- Good beam distance.
- Output is well regulated.
- High CRI.
- Multiple Moonlight modes.
- Multiple battery chemistries are supported (3.7V Li-ion, 1.2V Ni-MH, 1.5V Alkaline).
- Low voltage protection built into the torch.
- Magnet in the tailcap.
- Pocket clip.
Cons:#
- Runtimes with a 10440 cell were shorter than stated in the user manual.
- Flat top cells may not work due to reverse polarity protection.
- Artefacts around the edge of the beam.
- No lanyard hole.
Price#
The Manker E02 III is US$25.95 from mankerlight.com.
Manker recently opened a store on amazon.com!
Product page#
15% off with promo code: TIM15
Manker E02 III at mankerlight.com (affiliate link)
Manker E02 III at amazon.com (affiliate link)
I may earn a commission if you use an affiliate link or a promo code. This will help fund future torch reviews and tutorials.