Fenix HL30 pre-production Review

[subwoofer]

Thanks Subwoofer. So I guess every electronic switch has parasitic drain. Wonder what features/advantages my LD22 lacks as opposed to this HL30 because it has no electronic switch (I assume). If a switch has no click would you say that is a reliable indication that it is electronic?

"subscribe to thread" seems to be automatically selected under "go advanced" but even so got no email telling me you replied. Seems like it never has. My error, somehow?

Even electronic switches tend to have a soft click, and some very high quality make/break switches have almost none, so a switch not having a click is not a real indication, though it may point you in the right direction.

The LD22 has two switches, a make/break tail-cap switch and an electronic switch on the side to change mode when on. The LD22 is not a headlight so fills a different requirement. The HL30 is one of my regular users, it is a great light with excellent beam.

 

[larcal]

Subwoofer, :wave: (or anyone of course) can you reveal how you keep current on these threads, i.e, do you get emails with new posts? I must be neglecting something but can't see what, as I have checked the subscription box under advanced.

I just mentioned the ld22 cause you said their were certain advantages to having an electronic switch but I couldn't see what they were since The ld seems to do everything the Hl30 does xcept mount to center of head and give a good flood beam. I might try one of these anyway since you recomend it but money getting tight and I need something I can get 3 or 4 of so can have one at different crucial focal points around homestead. Getting so I live with one of these on my head several hours a day. This looks appealing in that you don't need a diffuser like hl21 and less is more. But am disappointed. If you need several strewn around then any individual one may not be used for awhile so doesn't seem too cool to have it draining. Make it slightly bigger and put a cutt off switch in it! Like that it uses 2 AA and has a good beam. Negative reports on hinges (which are of course the heaviest used part of a head beam) but maybe that's been fixed since you've had no problems. Your positive experience so far aside, what's your feeling or intuition on the hinges, seem durable?

 

[subwoofer]

Subwoofer, :wave: (or anyone of course) can you reveal how you keep current on these threads, i.e, do you get emails with new posts? I must be neglecting something but can't see what, as I have checked the subscription box under advanced.

I just mentioned the ld22 cause you said their were certain advantages to having an electronic switch but I couldn't see what they were since The ld seems to do everything the Hl30 does xcept mount to center of head and give a good flood beam. I might try one of these anyway since you recomend it but money getting tight and I need something I can get 3 or 4 of so can have one at different crucial focal points around homestead. Getting so I live with one of these on my head several hours a day. This looks appealing in that you don't need a diffuser like hl21 and less is more. But am disappointed. If you need several strewn around then any individual one may not be used for awhile so doesn't seem too cool to have it draining. Make it slightly bigger and put a cutt off switch in it! Like that it uses 2 AA and has a good beam. Negative reports on hinges (which are of course the heaviest used part of a head beam) but maybe that's been fixed since you've had no problems. Your positive experience so far aside, what's your feeling or intuition on the hinges, seem durable?

My default thread subscription setting is for instant notification by email and The first page I visit is my subscribed threads page. That is how I stay in touch.

The ld seems to do everything the Hl30 does xcept mount to center of head and give a good flood beam.

That is exactly the point of a headlamp, it mounts on your head. The good flood beam is then what you need for general use. So the LD does not do everything the HL30 does. It also does not have the red light.

There are lights for different purposes, headlamps give you hands free operation and dedicated headlamps (as opposed to a flashlight in a headband) give you the best directional control and ergonomics.

If I were you I would have one or two headlamps and a small keychain light to get you to where you keep the headlamp. If you need it more than that, then just carry the headlamp with you. I don't know your particular set-up, but each of the critical points may need a different type of light. For the garage, a headlamp, in the hall a flashlight, in the car a headlamp (try changing a wheel with a flashlight between your teeth), by the backdoor a powerful flashlight to check your property and garden and by the bed something with a moonlight mode. Fit the light to the task.

 

[rojos]

*****

 

[larcal]

Boy, I apparently really screwed up my question, Subwoofer. I was not trying to equate the ld22 to this, and obviously they are two lights with different attributes for different purposes. I was responding to your basic communication in #58 that the parasitic drain was not all bad, that it was a trade off situation that allowed certain mysterious features or attributes not attainable otherwise. Specifically, you said that PD had the "advantage of allowing for various switching features and controlling high currents" and said they had to move to electronic switches to permit these high currents and switching features (whatever they are, do you know?). My question was merely seeking illumination by giving an example of a non pd light, the LD22, but their are many, which handles equally high currents. And looking at the many differences between them (like red lights, more flood, head mount etc), it is hard to see any which have anything to do with electronic switches, i.e, you could make the HL30 without pd and lose nothing, it appears to my perhaps unilluminated brain, so why is it not all bad?

 

[rojos]

*****

 

[subwoofer]

Boy, I apparently really screwed up my question, Subwoofer. I was not trying to equate the ld22 to this, and obviously they are two lights with different attributes for different purposes. I was responding to your basic communication in #58 that the parasitic drain was not all bad, that it was a trade off situation that allowed certain mysterious features or attributes not attainable otherwise.

In post #58 I was attempting to give you a brief overview of the reasons why electronic switches are used, and did suggest that you do some further research yourself on CPF. I'm afraid I don't have the time to list all the different interfaces and features electronic switches allow for.

Specifically, you said that PD had the "advantage of allowing for various switching features and controlling high currents" and said they had to move to electronic switches to permit these high currents and switching features (whatever they are, do you know?).

Fenix make a PD range of lights. This is the model designation, so beware of referring to LD and PD in a Fenix review thread when you mean parasitic drain. I'm not aware of a recognised abbreviation for parasitic drain, so it is best to write it in full.

As I was giving an overview of the reasons electronic switches are used, the reference to high current switching was not relating to the HL30 or LD22 as there are low power lights. Switching features vary from magnetic control rings to motion sensing, and the various UIs (user interfaces) are too numerous to list.

My question was merely seeking illumination by giving an example of a non pd light, the LD22, but their are many, which handles equally high currents. And looking at the many differences between them (like red lights, more flood, head mount etc), it is hard to see any which have anything to do with electronic switches, i.e, you could make the HL30 without pd and lose nothing, it appears to my perhaps unilluminated brain, so why is it not all bad?

True, the HL30 could have a third master power switch, but this would add bulk, weight and another point of failure. One of the reasons for highlighting and quantifying parasitic drain to to give the reader the ability to judge how they would use the light.

I use it with rechargeable cells and always have a spare set to hand. It also gets regular use, so the parasitic drain is relatively negligible. If this were put into an emergency pack, it would be stored without the batteries in it, and this is because we know it has parasitic drain.

Another reason for quantifying it is that there are some lights where the parasitic drain is so low, the batteries own self discharge is greater than the parasitic drain (the Streamlight Sidewinder is one example of this), so this light can have batteries left in it long term.

Knowledge is empowering.

 

[larcal]

Hey rojos, what happened to your fine answer? Read it yesterday but no time to reply and hope you repost. Anyway, Bravo! you know your lights! :twothumbs Much appreciated clarity. Since it seems that the direct access red light is the single plus of the hl30 that requires an electronic switch to provide and I don't need that feature and for my purposes hate parasitic drain I am going to pass on this lamp. Hopefully Fenix will percieve that they are limiting their sales to a rather small section of the market and come out with a hybrid soon. If anyone knows of any other front mount powerful 2aa flood beam please pipeup. Know they are scarce but haven't totally looked everywhere yet.

 

[rojos]

Hey rojos, what happened to your fine answer?

I belatedly realized that I had butted into a two person argument.

My posts didn't contribute anything new and just cluttered up your dialogue.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Hey rojos, what happened to your fine answer? Read it yesterday but no time to reply and hope you repost. Anyway, Bravo! you know your lights! :twothumbs Much appreciated clarity. Since it seems that the direct access red light is the single plus of the hl30 that requires an electronic switch to provide and I don't need that feature and for my purposes hate parasitic drain I am going to pass on this lamp. Hopefully Fenix will percieve that they are limiting their sales to a rather small section of the market and come out with a hybrid soon. If anyone knows of any other front mount powerful 2aa flood beam please pipeup. Know they are scarce but haven't totally looked everywhere yet.

For now the Fenix light is the only contender in its class, the parasitic drain is annoying but if using rechargeable batteries it is not a deal breaker for regular use but for standby rare use having to either remove the batteries or stick a shim in the holder to break the circuit is a minus. I think I will wait till they come out with an upgraded version of this headlamp with perhaps a better battery door and negligible vampiric drain that affords a 5 year non use with at least 50% power left in them in it all.

 

[larcal]

I'm afraid I don't have the time to list all the different interfaces and features electronic switches allow for.

I just can't communicate. Yes, that would be a burdensome request but I wasn't asking that. I was asking which particular "interfaces and features" in this one light require an electronic switch, i.e, could not be equally satisfied by a mechanical switch. As I said before, is there a true trade off and if so what is it.

As I was giving an overview of the reasons electronic switches are used, the reference to high current switching was not relating to the HL30 or LD22 as there are low power lights. Switching features vary from magnetic control rings to motion sensing, and the various UIs (user interfaces) are too numerous to list.

This is a repeat of above, an uncalled for complication and distraction. My response the same.

True, the HL30 could have a third master power switch, but this would add bulk, weight and another point of failure.

Yes, this is what Rojas called a hybrid, and ASSUMING there were real world advantages to an electronic switch in this particular light, many people, including myself would think the very slight extra weight or bulk of an additional cut off was worth it. While this subject of hybrids is interesting, relevent and a worthy avenue to consider, my point was not really that I wished for an additional switch but that why could they not make the same light with the same features with just a mechanical switch? Rojas got into that effectively but I only remember part of what he said and for some reason his post was erased. Did he commit some kind of group faux pas?

Anyway, am aware I'm belaboring this. Not really asking this all again. Misunderstanding makes me frustrated. True it is that, as you remind us, "knowledge is empowering", yet simple awareness is many magnitudes greater and much more impressive. Sometimes simple threads turn a little strange. Thanks and see ya around, maybe.

 

[larcal]

Rojas--Just read your post #69. Arguement? "two person"? You're way off brother. Another universe. Your answer was the first time there was a dialogue, since you got the point and addressed it directly. There is something unseen here going on. I want to reread it and it will help others. Put it back in.

 

[larcal]

That's helpful and interesting, and you say it well, Lynx arc. It's about work, not backpacking. Infrequency and constancy, insufferably wed. And we are a hopelessly lost and forgetful people.

Hey, Lynx, I'm so envious! When I grow up can I be a flashaholic? please, please, preeety pleeeeese

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Yes, you say it well, Lynx arc. If you just own one light and use it everyday in a narrow space then drain may not be too important. Or at the other extreme of long term storage it is not overly incovenient to remove batteries perhaps, except that when I have a light stored in my car I want it ready to go. And yes, rechargeables (eneloops) of course. But if you have a wide variety of tasks to do in different areas in a necessarily unstructured manner changing day to day as many people do the only efficient thing is to own several, especially but not exclusively because a headlamp does not carry easy in a pocket.

If Fenix or another company either doesn't improve on this or makes something better engineered I think most are opting for 1AA or 18650 headlamps instead from companies such as Zebralight.

Hey, Lynx, I'm so envious! When I grow up can I be a flashaholic? please, please, preeety pleeeeese

Just stick around posting a few times a day for about 5-6 years and you may have 5000 posts to get the title

 

[rojos]

...for some reason his post was erased. Did he commit some kind of group faux pas?

I deleted the content of my posts. I did it myself without being prompted by anyone else. As previously stated, I did it because I was just repeating stuff that subwoofer had already said and I felt like I had butted in needlessly. I apologize for any problems caused by my deleting my posts.

Rojas--Just read your post #69. Arguement? "two person"? You're way off brother. Another universe.

To "argue" as I used it means "to discuss or consider the merits of". I did not mean to say that there was a dispute or disagreement between you and subwoofer.

I said "two person" because you and subwoofer addressed your posts directly to each other. I didn't mean to suggest that third parties should not jump in. It is merely that I did not wish to, and I realized it too late.

Your answer was the first time there was a dialogue, since you got the point and addressed it directly. There is something unseen here going on. I want to reread it and it will help others. Put it back in.

I deleted two of my posts.

The first one just pointed out that the LD22, like the HL30, used an electronic switch for mode selection. This was already pointed out by subwoofer in post #61. My post did not add anything new other than to apply the word "hybrid" to the mechanical/electronic switch setup on the LD22.

The second post said that the switch setup on the HL30 allowed for direct access to the red LED from Off and that, in general, electronic switches offered more UI options than mechanical switches. subwoofer already pointed this out in several posts earlier in the thread. My post did not add anything new.

Again, my sincerest apologies for deleting the content of my posts. I was just trying to clean up some clutter, it was not content of value, and I did not mean to confuse anyone.

 

[Eneloops]

Thanks for the great review. I replaced my old Tikka XPX with this HL-30, and I've loving it even more than I thought I would.

My only question is how can I figure out the runtime for the 5mm Nichia red LED on eneloops? The manual and their site as well as this review lists the runtimes for all four modes, but not for the 5mm Nichia Red LED alone.

Or, about how many lumens does the Nichia Red LED throw? Is it comparable to the 4 lumens of the "low" setting, or more like the 45 lumens of the "med" setting? Thanks in advance, if anyone can help.

(I tried searching for an answer but found nothing)

 

[florinache]

You can either use a stopwatch to see the real time with freshly recharged eneloops, or you can measure the charge and divide the ~1900mah capacity of the batteries to that number.

 

[bedazzLED]

Hi Bedazzled--wondering if you have been able to run enough "boot camp" yet to have a firmer opinion about your reservations. I know, probably not in just 3 months, but I'm particularly concerned about the hinge issue.

Just posting an update after a few months with this headlamp. I have used it consistently over this time and my main concern were the hinges. I have deliberately been changing the angle more than I should to give it a real working.

The verdict?

So far, it has not suffered the same problems as the LED Lenser H7. In fact, there seems to be no problems so far with the hinge and is still going strong.
I still take an extra headlamp with me if I'm using it outside just in case, but so far, I'm starting to like this headlamp for general use.

So I'm a little more positive about this headlamp now.

 

[subwoofer]

Thanks for the great review. I replaced my old Tikka XPX with this HL-30, and I've loving it even more than I thought I would.

My only question is how can I figure out the runtime for the 5mm Nichia red LED on eneloops? The manual and their site as well as this review lists the runtimes for all four modes, but not for the 5mm Nichia Red LED alone.

Or, about how many lumens does the Nichia Red LED throw? Is it comparable to the 4 lumens of the "low" setting, or more like the 45 lumens of the "med" setting? Thanks in advance, if anyone can help.

(I tried searching for an answer but found nothing)

I've actually got the production version on my review bench right now, so when I post the new review, all will be revealed. Since this pre-production sample, Fenix have also improved the parasitic drain. (ie reduced it)

 

[Eneloops]

I've actually got the production version on my review bench right now, so when I post the new review, all will be revealed. Since this pre-production sample, Fenix have also improved the parasitic drain. (ie reduced it)

Thank you, Subwoofer. I appreciate your help. Looking forward to it.