>> Photos Posted << Lumapower Mentor: Detailed Review

[lumapower]

Hi Gunga,

Thank you very much, a great job you done.

BTW, our test on Medium-out runtime with 2xC-size NiMH (4500mAh)
last for 11 hours.

With 2xC (Alkaline) at Medium-out,it last for 6 hours.

Best regards,

Ricky - Lumapower CS

 

[gunga]

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback!

Burgess, yep, that's me in the background waving.

:wave:

I'll try to get you current readings but might not get to it till next week.

The light is fully o-ring sealed, so I suspeect like most lights, IPX8 or so.

...

EDIT: I have been informed that there is an o-ring on the lens retainer. I'll check again when I get home tonight. That being the case, all junctions are o-ring sealed.

 

[Burgess]

to Ricky - Lumapower CS --


Thank you for those Run-Time numbers on Medium.


:thumbsup:

_

 

[cheetokhan]

I got mine today.
Adding to gunga's excellent review-
With two AccuEvolution C cells, mine draws 33mA on low, 220mA on medium, and 1.22A on high.
With one AccuEvolution C cell, mine draws 73mA on low, 215mA on medium, and 2.20mA on high.
Notice the current nearly doubles with the single cell. You still get very nearly the same amount of light on high with one cell as with 2. That's not how I thought the light was going to work, but I like it. I can't really see any difference in the output of the light between one cell and two. That's good news for those of you who like the looks of this light in it's stubby configuration; you get the same light at the cost of runtime.
I'll get out my light meter later and measure the actual light output with each cell configuration.

I have tested my AccuEvolution C cells with a CBA II and they run right at 4.6Ah. So, a rough approximation of runtime using 2 cells would be 139 hours on low, 21 hours on medium, and 3.7 hours on high. Using one cell would get about 63 hours on low, 21.3 hours on medium, and about 2.1 hours on high.

My light does produce a very low level, high pitch regulator inductor whine on low and medium, but is silent on high.

This light is extremely mod friendly:thumbsup: It's very easy to take apart. The pill has a large shoulder that screws down against a big fat chunk of aluminum so heatsinking should be outstanding. This light is just begging for an MC-E emitter

Gunga's description of the beam was dead on. It has a really tight hotspot with a huge, but fairly weak spill beam. Very much like an LED maglite.
Just the opposite of how this very same reflector looks in the D-Mini EX, MC-E light. In that light, the beam has a wide (although very bright) hotspot and a huge, very bright, perfect spill beam.
Did I mention that this light is just begging for an MC-E emitter

 

[DUQ]

Hey Gunga; will you be bringing this light to Ottawa?

 

[gunga]

If you guys want to see it, I'll bring it!

:wave:

Cheetokahn, I find the spill on the D-mini EX to be very wide and a bit dim for my tastes. I'll check it out some time again with stock configuration.

I currently have a standard D-mini head on my Ex (with diffusion film) and it's a wicked bright, wall of light, flood. Love it. I'll have to get a neutral tint MC-E in there sometime.

Please note, from observation, the reflector on the Mentor and D-mini Ex seem to be the same. So if you like the MC-E beam on the D-mini Ex, it would look the same on an MC-E in a Mentor.

I haven't taken a look at the pill yet so don't know how easy a mod would be. You'd have to ask Ricky if that is feasable.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

Thanks for the review.
Answered some of my questions. Sounds like the PWM is not >1Khz if you can "shake" it and detect the blinking.
I like the sounds of the UI and the forward clickie. :twothumbs Oh so many lights, so little money...:mecry:

 

[gunga]

I beg to differ. I think the Avenger is rated at 1.2 KHz and and I can detect the pwm if I shake it really quickly.

BTW, updating the review. 4 half presses locks in the Smart UI. I just tended to hold the 4th press, which doesn't work. 4 quick half presses locks and un-locks the Smart UI as stated in the Lumapower instructions.

 

[bigchelis]

Gunga,

How is the throw on this Lumapower mentor. I like this one for a trunk/camping light. It makes a perfect candidate for all my NiMH C cells and Alkalines. At 200 lumens for 4 plus hours

 

[MattK]

Gunga will surely chime in on this shortly but the Mentor is definitely a serious thrower.

 

[gunga]

Sorry for not responding earlier. Yes the Mentor is a nice thrower with a small intense spot. I have not had a chance to compare it with my other throwers yet so can't give a great comparison...

 

[gunga]

Hey there. Here' s a little update.

I took a night walk in the forest trail around the local golf course with a few lights.

The Mentor compares well in throw when compared to an Olight M20. Technically the M20 is rated at around 250 lumens and the Mentor around 200+. The Olight has a tight beam with a bright spot and smaller, bright spill.

The mentor has a much wider but somewhat dimmer spill. It's spot is not quite as intense as the M20, but it's much narrower. It makes for nice longer range spotting, but I find it a bit narrow for my tastes. The wide spill is actually quite nice when walking in the woods.

Also, as for tint/emitter choice, my Olight is modded with a Q4 5B LED and the Mentor is Q3 5A, so the tints are comparable (nice).

 

[Swedpat]

I have not seen this thread before and find these lights attractive because the C-format is in my opinion the best for the holding comfortability. Also using 6Ah NiMh cells is attractive choice for me. Is there any information available concerning the regulation of them?

Regards, Patric

 

[gunga]

Can any mod move this to thre views? I tried PMing but have had no response.

BTW, I think the Lumapower thread in the Marketplace has runtimes etc...

 

[Swedpat]

Yesterday I placed an order at Battery junction, and among other items I ordered a Lumapower Mentor in neutral white. According to the runtime chart the regulation is excellent.

Regards, Patric

 

[madmook]

Anyone have white wall beamshots for 1C and 2C configurations?

 

[Swedpat]

Two days ago I received Lumapower Mentor neutral white from Battery Junction, and want to share my personal impression about it.

I can agree in many points with Gunga. It's a solid and reliable light with a good spacing between the brightness modes. The size makes it too big to be a EDC-light. Except from at winter when it without problem can be carried in a winter jacket.

The tailstanding is stabile because of the quite wide sized tube. But this size isn't really comfortable to use with the end clicky (I don't know if it's the correct word for it) and would as Gunga mentioned be most comfortable with a side clicky, like a Maglite.

The maximum total output of Mentor neutral white is claimed to 150lumens. It very well corresponds to Fenix TK20 with the same claimed output, the total output is very similar. Mentor has much wider beam size than TK20, but the hotspot is quite equal. There are some slight rings and artifacts, but these are much less noticable than the beam of TK20. Not strange because TK20 has a smooth reflector.

Because of the wider beam diameter the spill intensity is lower than the Fenix, because the light amount is spread out over larger area.
But this is when using the standard reflector.

I added Teleforce kit to the order. This is a deeper reflector which is smooth. Using this reflector you will have another beam profile. While the standard textured reflector provides a wider beam than Fenix TK20, the deep smooth reflector provides a narrower beam. The result is that the hotspot becomes much narrower and more intense than with the standard, also the spill is much brighter.

Using the Teleforce kit the Mentor easily out-throws Fenix TK20, as well as lights as Fenix TK11 and Itp-C6. It becomes a true thrower; with 150 lumens it throws better than these lights with 200+ lumens.
I did some attempts of measurements with the lightmeter to get some understanding of the difference between Mentor, TK20 and Itp C6.
My estimation is that the hotspot lux value with neutral white and Teleforce kit is around 14000lux. Using the cool white versions with 200+lm it should to be around 20000lux. This should make Mentor to the best throwing flashlight using two 1,2V cells, I guess.
The smooth reflector makes the beam much more ringy, and actually it reminds me of the beam of Tiablo A9 with smooth reflector.

I cannot say definitively which reflector I prefer, it depends of the situation and the purpose. Each beam profile has it's advantage.

The possibility to choose between one and two cells is good. The even lower low mode with one cell is good at night when I don't want to be dazzled with dark adapted eyes.

With the order I included eight Titanium 6Ah NiMh cells, who I intend to use with the 2-cell option. When I want to use one cell I will use alkaline. That can be good for travelling when I don't want to bring with me a charger.

Finally I want to say that I really like the Mentor. I am glad this light has no annoying strobe, and it has fulfilled my desire of a modern C-cell flashlight.

Regards, Patric

 

[gunga]

Thanks for your impression Patric!

I have a Teleforce kit coming to me, I'll update my review with impressions when I get it. I find the stock reflector to be pretty good, though I would prefer a larger hotspot or narrower/brighter spill (depending on use).

The teleforce should make this a fun thrower!

 

[Swedpat]

Hi gunga,

I am looking forward to see if your experience correspond to mine!

By the way; thanks for your great review, which strongly contributed to my purchase of the Mentor!

Regards, Patric

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Question that I MUST ask...

I saw PWM mentioned. Neither my Connexion or Incendio have noticeable flicker.

Does this have it? My test is flick my finger back and forth quickly. If I see lotsa fingers PWM is bad.

So does it?

Edit: Both my lights have a whine in Low or Med but I have to get it right up to my ear to hear it.

Another edit: I dug out the manuals on ConneXion and IncenDio and both are ok with Li-Ion! I didn't know that and am HAPPY to learn it!