A vintage Streamlight question for you folks...

[jd950]

Many, many years ago I had a Streamlight Sl 20. 1979-80 time period. It is long gone. I recall being impressed with how powerful it was compared to my Kel-lite. Purely for academic interest, I have been trying to figure out what the "output" of that Streamlight was or was claimed to be. I am pretty sure someone here can tell me.

Thanks in advance

 

[ABTOMAT]

The Streamlight SL-20X was advertised as 30,000CP or 200 lumens before it was discontinued. I believe it used the same bulb and batteries as the earlier SL-20. Rechargeable halogen lights like this and the Magcharger were a game changer. Couple that with Mag making a fancier D-cell light and that's why there was a huge market contraction by the mid '80s. All the old names were either gone or bought out.

 

[bykfixer]

The halogen bulb was a good thing but it melted reflectors so Kel-Lite prior to the SL20 did not use halogen bulbs. Companies like LA Screw sold upgade kits with metal reflectors so that halogen bulbs could be used.

Strangely enough in the dawn of flashlight tech, stone age if you will they used the metal reflectors that were later used in those upgrade kits. Plastic reflectors had not been invented yet. So 50 years later the so-called new marvel (the metal reflector) was actually using old technology that was updated from a rather dull nickel plate coating to a more shiney chrome appearance. Add the halogen bulb to the mix and SHAZAM!! electric sunshine.

I do not know the numbers the SL20 produced but it was probably beyond double what was previously available from the plastic reflector PR base bulb lights before that. Lumens themselves may not have been all that much brighter per sae but the brightness of a whiter beam with even better throw would have certainly been noticeable.

The shape of the glass globe also plays a small role. That icecicle like tip acts as an optic to aid in throw as well.