Black Diamond Storm - review => Waterproof 100 lumens

[gcbryan]

I have a question for those of you are have the skills and are planning on replacing the SMT flood emitters. How hard would it be to make this light start on low instead of high. Someone either in this thread or elsewhere mentioned that it was probably just a matter of switching two resistors. Is that difficult on this particular circuit board and is it that straight forward? Is anyone planning on trying that as well?

I ask just in case I run into someone locally who has those skills I'd like to know what is involved and if it's even practical.

I'd rather have mode and lightling level memory but just having it start on low instead of high would be almost as good (to me).

 

[Chongker]

Completely forgot to update here. Basically the mod is complete. Went with 2 4300K, Q2 flux bin, 80CRI min MX6's for flood, and a 5000K, R3 flux bin XPG for the spot emitter. Could have gone for higher flux bins for more light and more efficiency, but I'm a warm/neutral guy :thumbsup: Lovely tint out of the flood LEDs, though wish I went warmer with the XPG.

Mixed feelings with the beam shape though, flood is essentially the same, but the spot is more floody now (as expected). Problem is there are still artifacts in the beam, and the optics are fixed in place so no chance of changing them. Decided to go with a diffuser for the spot beam to make a complete flood/throwy flood headlamp. If I want distance, I'd use a handheld anyway.

Pictures to follow, all taken with auto WB, so you won't see the tint differences, but the exposure is fixed (ISO400, F2.0, 1/30) so it should give an idea of beamshape and relative outputs.

And after much text:

Mod complete

Spot max

Spot min

Spot diffused max

Spot diffused min

Flood max

Flood min

I wanted to include a pic of the finished internals, but am too embarrassed for that. Used the worst soldering iron I had ever handled, which did the job, but made a huge mess of my soldering so it's real ugly inside now.

But anyway, hope it was worth it for anyone reading this, just a small emitter swap to something I prefer.

 

[gcbryan]

Thanks for the update! So do you think the flood emitter current draw is now more efficient than what was in there? Do you have either more output at the same draw or the same output at a reduced draw?

Secondly, other than the emitter tint (for the spot beam) do you think the spot output is any different using the XP-G and diffusing it than using the stock emitter and diffusing that?

Thanks.

 

[Chongker]

gcbryan,

I did not touch the driver at all, and to answer your earlier question, I am not sure modifying the driver to start on low will be quite so simple as changing a single resistor, as the light doesn't only have high low modes, it can ramp up and down between those levels, which probably involves a more complicated circuit involving a PWM or current based dimmer switch. I could be wrong though, I'm not too good with circuit design.

The typical Vf for the MX6's I put in is about 3.3V for cool white bins, probably higher for mine (3.5V maybe?). This is higher than the Vf that szemhazai measured for a stock Storm, so with all other parameters except the LEd being the same, I would expect the current draw to be lower with my current setup. The gains in brightness is barely noticeable, I estimate I'm getting about 30 lumens OTF based on relative output from a Novatac. 5 lumen gain doesn't sounds like much, but the tint and colour rendition is significantly better IMO, and I should theoretically be getting better run times. I would check the Vled and Iled and probably should have tried, but I don't have the right equipment to do that accurately and I've already sealed the thing back up

For the spot, I'm guesstimating 145 lumens based on my ceiling bounce readings, which suggests a 45% brightness increase. Allowing for increased current draw due to a lower Vf contributing to part of that increase, I think it might be safe to say BD is using a Q4 bin in the Storm? But again, take these speculations with a grain of salt.


EDIT: Ohh and the beam pattern for the spot diffused pretty much looks the same, just brighter =)

 

[gcbryan]

Thanks for the feedback Chongker.

I figured replacing one resistor was too easy for that fix (not easy for me however!).

I'm OK with the brightness on the diffused spot and with the tint on the flood although more efficiency would be nice for run times.

Thanks again.

 

[gcbryan]

To Chongker or anyone else who has this headlamp.

I took the diffuser tape off temporarily just to check out the optics again. Why do you think BD chose this optic configuration? It's got to be the oddest/ugliest beam shape of any light I've seen.

The optic itself, in my unit anyway, doesn't even result in a symetrical (round) shape. It's kind of lopsided. Then there is the six sided plastic cover that makes for a lower level of illumination in an odd shape. I can't imagine the engineering department at BD looking at this beam shape and saying "Yeah, let's go with it"!

The tape diffuser works and makes the beam look good although it slightly reduces the throw (only slightly because the beam was so distorted in the first place) but tape isn't all that permanent. The unit is waterproof but the tape isn't!

I'd like to take it apart and put the tape on the inside but from others posts it seems that getting the optic off wouldn't be easy.

The beam shots that others have posted do look better than mine but I suppose that's just a photo issue or maybe my emitter is slightly misaligned. For anyone using a diffuser are you just using tape?

 

[Szemhazai]

gcbryan, it looks that BD may have some quality controll issue - some headlamps have emiiters soldered not in the center of the mcpcb that cause very odd beam shape.

 

[gcbryan]

gcbryan, it looks that BD may have some quality controll issue - some headlamps have emiiters soldered not in the center of the mcpcb that cause very odd beam shape.

Thanks. I think that may be an issue with my unit in addition to the odd shape caused by the plastic cover.

I'm trying to learn a bit more about how current regulation works as well. Perhaps you can help. I know that the regulation on the Storm is from 100% - 75% of battery capacity. Is this regulation only when the headlamp is on high or is the output regulated on a medium setting as well?

In other words when set on medium will the output be more stable than if it weren't regulated?

 

[AMD64Blondie]

Just received my Black Diamond Storm from REI. (Mine's orange..) I quite like it,even with the stock alkaline batteries in it. (Bright,floody,and quite-impressive reach.) I might go for a walk tonight,to test out my newly-arrived orange wonder.

Can't wait.

 

[Ent]

Hi

Well Storm arrived and figured out the instructions. A very useful light with good flood ability and nice beam plus you can avoid the annoying strobe function. Not so sure on the red light feature but for some that would have its use. The lock feature is excellent from an electronic point of view but would prefer a sliding switch as crammed into my pack lights have a habit of self switching. Love that it least you know when in lock mode and battery indicator useful though I assume this works best with alkilines rather than NiMH of lithiums. Any comment from our electronic experts?

The variable dimming is excellent but why do manufacturers based in the USA insist on bright then dim rather than the reverse. In the bush the brief bright flash until to cycled to the lower levels takes out your night vision. Is there any trick to reverse the order like on the Pretzll MYO? Please someone say yes. Please

Great light for bushwalking and even better if you could reverse the brightness order. It has replaced the Princeton0tec Quad or EOS or Corona that I normally carry. Would prefer it to have been two AA's as they would match GPS and BD Apollo group lantern batteries but such is life.

Anyway top job Mr BD and hope it is as good long term as your elliptical walking poles have been to me. Look forward to Princten-Tec's response. Also why does Petzel not go of an IP7 or better rating. We are talking lights designed for outdoor activities and it does rain a lot in Tassie:devil:

Cheers

 

[Szemhazai]

I was thinking about replacing the flood leds by selected cree leds, so I get MX3 bin Q5 and for the main led Cree XP-E bin R3.
And to be honest the effects are disappointing

On the paper instead 25 lumens i should get 100+ on flood mode and maybe a few more on main led.

It's hard to see any difference, on my own eyes there was no difference too.

For XP-E there is almost no difference too, only in color tint and i messed up centering.

So if you are going to replace XP-E by good XP=G it's OK, but other changes are not worth it. :thumbsdow

 

[gcbryan]

Good to know. Why do you think that is? Is it possible that the flood LED's aren't being driven as hard as we think they are?

I don't know if I'm reading the figures correctly but in your original post where you take the current measurements doesn't it show that the flood emitter on high is drawing more current than the spot emitter on high? As in 4 times less efficient? If this is the case why even use the flood mode?

Are you sure this is correct? I just used my light enough to get the battery indicator to change from green to orange in spot mode. However when I switch to flood mode it still shows green.

Wouldn't this also indicate that the flood mode is drawing less and not more than the spot beam?

If so that would explain why you didn't get 100 lumens when you replaced the flood emitter right?

The numbers are confusing however since the instruction sheet for the Storm when giving run times also shows that the spot emitter runs far longer than the flood emitters. It just seems odd using these for flood if they use 4 times for power than simply using a diffuser for flood.

 

[AMD64Blondie]

First battery change on my new Black Diamond Storm after 8 days.I replaced the preinstalled alkaline AAAs with Energizer lithium AAAs.Feels quite a bit lighter.

 

[gcbryan]

I just did the same thing tonight (replaced batteries with lithium) and the weigh change is noticeable. At first I wasn't sure about the 4 AAA concept. I thought they should take that extra battery out due to weight issues.

However weight is only an issue outside of certain limits. With the lithium batteries in there I think I'm glad that they stuck in that extra battery. The weight is fine and when you buy AAA's they typically come in a 4 pack anyway...might as well stick in in the headlamp!

It is somewhat hard to get that 4th battery out of the battery compartment. There is a ribbon that you pull on to help pull it out. It's still a tight fit. I just wonder how long that ribbon will last.

The more I use this headlamp the more I like it. The spot to flood toggle with every on and off is the main thing that bothered me (and still does to a degree) but I've just learned to expect it and I double click to quickly get to the right mode.

I also expect it to come on in high and I now automatically hit the ramp button down to low and start from there.

Sometimes the way it works actually works out...that's kind of like saying a broken clock is right twice a day but nevertheless...

There is some logic to the toggling. If you are in spot mode and want to change modes then turn the light off and back on and it will be in the other mode. You only have two choices...spot or flood so it does make some sense. If you are turning the light off just because you want it off however then this way doesn't make sense. When you turn it back on you want it in the same mode.

You also shouldn't have to turn a light off to change modes in the first place. You should be able to have it in spot and then press a button to switch to flood.

Still, there is some logic to the way it is and (more importantly) I know how it does work and can adjust the way I use it accordingly.

 

[ringzero]

I don't know if I'm reading the figures correctly but in your original post where you take the current measurements doesn't it show that the flood emitter on high is drawing more current than the spot emitter on high? As in 4 times less efficient? If this is the case why even use the flood mode?

Are you sure this is correct? I just used my light enough to get the battery indicator to change from green to orange in spot mode. However when I switch to flood mode it still shows green.

Wouldn't this also indicate that the flood mode is drawing less and not more than the spot beam?

You're right - something seems off about his analysis of the flood emitters.

I'm wondering exactly what his chart is showing for VL and IL for the flood emitters. After all, there are two flood emitters.

Is the IL he shows wbat he measured for a single emitter? Or, did he measure IL for one flood emitter, then double it to get a total effective IL for both flood emitters?

I'm also wondering if he actually measured IL, or perhaps looked it up from a data sheet to match his measured VL.

If you could just slap a voltmeter across one of your flood emitters running at max, that'd give us VL.

Then, from the data sheet for that particular emitter, you could look up the approximate current for the LED at that measured value of VL. Sheet should also give the output of that flood emitter in Lumens for that value of VL and IL.

That'd give you a fairly accurate value for flood emitter lumens output.

Then you could derate that value by 20 percent (to account for losses through the optic) to get the lumen output for a single flood emitter.

Finally, double that value to get the total flood output.

(I'm suggesting 20 percent derating, rather than the more commonly used 10 or 15 percent, because of the heavy diffusion pattern on the optic over the flood emitters.)

.

 

[ringzero]

Duplicate post - sorry about that.

.

 

[Szemhazai]

Yes I know that something went wrong during flood leds measurement - probably I short-circuit the power supply for flood led's and didn't double-check those values later .

The flood emitters should get about 70mA... In next week I should get another storm and check that once more.

 

[SportyBen]

First of all a big thanks to Szemhazai for this great review und his beamshot camparison site. it helped me a lot.
I own a Zebralight Z501w, which i very much like for working and reading, but i find much to floody for running.
After a lot of reading i believe the BD Storm is the best compromise for what i want for running, even though i would prefere a smoother change from flood to throw - i will try the tape on the lense for that. And i hope, it wount be to heavy for running.
I just placed a bit on a Storm on ebay, which will probably take a few weeks to get to germany. Just a short question: will there be any problems running NiMH in it?

 

[airb]

Just a short question: will there be any problems running NiMH in it?[/QUOTE]


The BD Spot i ve tested showed a big gap between the two housing parts when fed with eneloops, but with the storm this problem is history

 

[gcbryan]

First of all a big thanks to Szemhazai for this great review und his beamshot camparison site. it helped me a lot.
I own a Zebralight Z501w, which i very much like for working and reading, but i find much to floody for running.
After a lot of reading i believe the BD Storm is the best compromise for what i want for running, even though i would prefere a smoother change from flood to throw - i will try the tape on the lense for that. And i hope, it wount be to heavy for running.
I just placed a bit on a Storm on ebay, which will probably take a few weeks to get to germany. Just a short question: will there be any problems running NiMH in it?

No problem with NiMH. That's how I generally use it as well. If you want to reduce the weight to a noticeable degree use lithium primaries.