PALight Survivor Light

About 2 months ago? Several of us were fortunate enough to recieve PALights to try out. I wrote some comments on the light durring my weeks with Linux and misplaced the file when I went (Ick! ) back to windows. Tonight I dug up the file, so I give you my PALight review...

Photos can come later...I let my friend borrow the light. I'll add any comments he has too.

</font><ul type="square">[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Maybe it's just my light, but when I push the "button" without supporting the top half of the case, it feels like it's going to fall apart on me.</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The instructions state that peeling the rubber off the top part of the light (The part with the PCB) will void the warranty. I read this right after I tried do take the battery out and, as a result, accidentally took that top part off...guess I technically voided my warranty</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The signal cone is nice. I wouldn't mind a white one though--I know you can get a white one but there is not an option on the PALight site to substitute the red for white when ordering...maybe if you asked nicely though</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Here's the problem with strobe mode: The light doesn't truly strobe, it switches between dim and bright. When you enter strobe mode the LED dims, so you think you've turned the light off—until it flashes in your eye 2 seconds later. I would suggest that when the LED is off in strobe mode, it's completely off…as opposed to dim.</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The beam is nice but I'm going to have to agree with Darrell--it's too tight.</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Always on mode rocks! This light is high up on the "Take to camp" light list</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">First thing my mom said when she saw it was "That's a cute little light." She wants this light...</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Although the beam is focused like the Brinkman rebel, there aren't 2 lines in the beam from the "wires" on the LED (Part of the die?) like there are on the Rebel--nice!</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The casing on the lower half is a little "large" around the battery. This should allow for larger batteries to get in, which is nice, but it bugs me! Does it bug anyone else?</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I've had the metal strap off several times and every time I go to put it on, without fail, I get the PALight logo up-side-down...on the side with the button, just up side down. Anyone else have this problem? This is a tiny tiny tiny problem considering most people only take that off when they change the battery...</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The light is full of nice little details. The diamond pattern grip is nice, the little "PALights" on the metal strip (That I put on up-side-down) the "Press to Open" (Also on the strip) the fold out lanyard loop...and I just noticed that it says PALights Pat App on the bottom of the light.</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The beam is a lot like that of a Dorcy Cool Blue or Turtlelite I only in a much smaller package. Put a krypton bulb in your Dorcy, use it's 6V PR-LED bulb in something with a textured reflector and carry the PAL for those times when you want a LED in a tight tight spot.</font>[/list]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">

Too bad you didn't get the one with the 5MM LED. I think you & Darell would like the beam just fine. I like mine best without the lens at all. And the white cone is great. I'm sute they would sub the white for the red, but now that they have the cone price down to a dollar, I'ld suggest getting both. TX

The Selector model has a 5 mm LED. You can order Survivors from the source with them also. Slightly larger beam but not as apparently bright.

I replaced the strap with the magnet strap. Now the logo is gone so orientation is irrelevant

My original one (black with gold band) is over two years old and into just it's second battery. Back then they did not glue the top on so I did not void the warranty when I took a peek under the hood

The strobe on mine goes off (as much as a PALlight ever goes off) between flashes.

My light came apart the first time I tried to disconnect the battery. I have a small led (3mm?).

Reversing the lens makes the beam wider but causes rings in the pattern.

The strobe on mine goes off (as much as a PALlight ever goes off) between flashes

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">That's what I meant. It would be better, I feel, if it went all the way off in strobe mode. As if the battery was disconnected every few seconds.

Couple of questions:

Is the 5mm LED any brighter than the flat one?

Do they both use the same lens to focus or is the 5mm focused like a standard Nichia 5mm?

Thanks,
Ratso

Originally posted by txwest:
Too bad you didn't get the one with the 5MM LED. I think you & Darell would like the beam just fine. I like mine best without the lens at all.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I'm afriad to post here since I STILL haven't modified mine as promised. But it is finally sitting out on my work bench. (Lots of new EV charger installation projects have kept me from doing much flashlight stuff lately). But here I am, boldly posting anyway.

So my question here is the same I've asked before: Do you worry about having the big open hole once the lens is removed? I don't want ANY lense, but that is the only thing that seals the hole between the elements and the electronics. This is NOT the same thing as the exposed LED in an Arc. Pour some water in the lens hole of the Survival, and then power water on the exposed LED of the Arc. Tell me which one works the next day... If I remove the lens, I'll have to pot the electronics. Not a big deal, but it will make reversing or modifying my mod a bit more of a challenge.

Darell,
I wondered why I hadn't heard anything on your mod. I'm waiting with bated breath...(I heard that somewhere & don't have a clue what it means). As for the waterproof problem, I consider it an "around the house inside" light without the lens. As long as I keep it away from the bathtub & the duck, I'm pretty safe. If I go outside, I would put the lens in. The beam on my 5mm LED is much larger than the 3mm (?), flat LED. On the flat one, if you put a piece of WrightRite inside the lens & turn it around, it's not bad. Even with the lens on, I wouldn't consider this light waterproof. If I were to go out on the lake, I'ld take a PT or UK (probably the Light Cannon) as apposed to the PAL. Same with going out in the rain. My PALight is pretty much my bedside light. TX

Ratso,
To me the 5mm is quite a bit brighter, with the lens out of both. The 5mm has a large ring of light with a decent centerspot. The flat led has the same large ring of light (this is a product of the reflector, so they are both about the same), but no centerspot at all. Just even light all the way accross, but not as bright. You can't compare them with the lens in (yes they use the same lens)because the output is so much different. The flat LED at 6' has a 10-12" centerspot. The 5mm is about 3'. If you reverse the lens of the flat LED, they are about the same size, but the 5mm is noticeably brighter (maybe 25-30%??). So I guess you can compare the two. If you want a brighter, smaller spot, go with the standard "long throw" light. If you want a larger center spot & brighter light (with or without the lens), go with the 5mm "wide beam". TX
edit:
I noticed later last night the reflector had come out of the 3mm light (the one with no centerspot). Put it back in & tried it again without the lens. Now there is a centerspot, but not one you'ld want to look at. That one deffinately needs the lens in it, one direction or the other.

txwest

Bated...

Glad you spelled it right, it means (roughly) short excited breathing in anticipation of something pleasureable (??).

Baited means, well, ever had a chum salad on a hot day??

LOL...Thanks pappa3. Maybe "baited" would have been better. After all, I was talking about one of darell's mods. :>) TX

Doh! I resemble that!

I just have about six more plug conversions to make for my charger, then I'll get to this thing. Before Christmas, I promise.

Thanks for the "bate" definishion whisky. I had no idea, and actually thougt it was "baited" all this time.