Osram/Sylvania Golden Dragon Lantern...

I've been looking around at lanterns (smallish ones) that run off AAs or 18650 cells, and coming up empty-handed for 18650, found a couple good ones that run off AAs, most notably the Osram/Sylvania Golden Dragon

http://store.sylvania.com/show_item.cfm?i=72035

and the River Rock. Many reviews have pushed me towards the Osram Golden Dragon. However, there are some questions lingering.

The info I pulled up in the last two hours seems to indicate that the Golden Dragon driven at 350ma outputs around 30 or 40 lumens. Now, the thread I found that info on (see here https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/80258&page=4 ) is from 2005. Correct me if I am wrong, but with SSC P4s putting out 240 lumens at the lamp at one amp, wouldn't that be around 84 lumens at 350ma?

This brings me to my question. I know lanterns aren't supposed to blind you, but it seems like the Golden Dragon LED is out-dated. So-

1) Is there a lantern out there today that uses a SSC P4, OR a newer, more efficient LED that is brighter with same runtime or better than the Osram/Sylvania Golden Dragon, and runs around $35 U.S.,

-Or,

2) has anyone had any success updating the Golden Dragon lantern to something newer?

LEDAdd1ct

......... zapped

LEDAdd1ct said:

2) has anyone had any success updating the Golden Dragon lantern to something newer?

LEDAdd1ct

Click to expand...

I update my with Cree.
Love it.

DX sells some Cree and SSCs lantern that look like OEM River Rock lanterns.. however, I ordered 1 for a friend and I don't like the quality of the hardware and the beam either. The battery compartment cover is shoddy and I have a hard time closing it when using Sanyo 2500 NiMhs.

I updated my Osram n RR with Crees... loving them too!!

LEDcandle said:

DX sells some Cree and SSCs lantern that look like OEM River Rock lanterns.. however, I ordered 1 for a friend and I don't like the quality of the hardware and the beam either. The battery compartment cover is shoddy and I have a hard time closing it when using Sanyo 2500 NiMhs.

I updated my Osram n RR with Crees... loving them too!!

Click to expand...

You can used Scoth tape to make the beam better.

glockboy said:

You can used Scoth tape to make the beam better.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's a good fix. I did it on my RR already as the LED dome is not frosted like the Osram.

For the money, the DX lanterns are probably bang-for-buck.

Thank's for the info, guys! I will not purchase anything from DX, so I am looking to buy an Osram Golden Dragon from the Sylvania store, and *sigh, there goes my wallet*, follow the CPF mantra and "Buy Both"; that is, I may have to pick up the River Rock as well!

I am really glad to see that they can be updated.

1) Is this a hard update to do, or is it essentially "swap the LED?"

2) Is there any battery runtime penalty, or does it indeed draw the same amount of current?

3) Is heatsinking an issue with a SSC P4 installed?



LEDAdd1ct

Menards has the Sylvania (Osram) latern on sale for 4.99! This latern was $36 at some places when introduced. Great price.

regulator, thank you very much for the info! Unfortunately, I don't have any of this particular chain near me (I checked, and they seem to be a mid-West outlet). They also don't appear to ship.

I have two questions:

1) Can anyone confirm that this is indeed the same as the Osram/Sylvania model, with a single LED and not multiple 5mm LEDs?

2) Pending the answer to question one, is there anyone out there who would pick up a couple of these and send them to me? I would of course pay for shipping.

LEDAdd1ct

I am on the phone right now, and they are indeed Sylvania!



They are calling back with a shipping quote in a little bit, but I fear their preferred method of shipment may be too costly.

regulator said:

Menards has the Sylvania (Osram) latern on sale for 4.99! This latern was $36 at some places when introduced. Great price.

Click to expand...

regulator, I would like to express a tremendously huge "thank you!" I just ordered three of them from a Menards in Illinois, and the shipping was insanely cheap. I truly cannot believe how cheap it was.

I look forward to getting these, and perhaps trying to mod them (with help from the household's expert solderer!)

Is it a simple, straight swap to SSC P4?

LEDAdd1ct

Yes, it's a straight swap. A little fiddly trying to get the dome back on properly as you put it back together but still a very simple modification

KrisP said:

Yes, it's a straight swap. A little fiddly trying to get the dome back on properly as you put it back together but still a very simple modification

Click to expand...

Nice! Where is a good place (inexpensive)/trusted source to get the SSC P4 emitters from?

LEDAdd1ct said:

Nice! Where is a good place (inexpensive)/trusted source to get the SSC P4 emitters from?

Click to expand...

An excellent source is CPF member PhotonFanatic.

I just picked one of these up from Menards at the $4.99 price and will be going back for a couple more. I was hesitant to get it not being entirely familiar with it. The Osram Gloden Dragon was in the back of my mind but I didn't think I'd be picking it up for five bucks. Got home and was pretty happy, called Sylvania to confirm, headed here to double check.

Now I have the above stars from PF and they have a great tint. I assume I need to remove the emitter from the star to do the upgrade.

Could anyone provide a few more details on the mod? I hate to ruin one even at $5.

I vaguely remember...
- Take the battery cover off.
- Take the battery holder out.
- Undo the 3 small screws up near the battery springs. The light comes apart.
- Desolder the original star, resolder your new star.
- Reassemble.

-okay, so does that mean if one wanted to attempt this, one would need a diode on a star, and not just the bare emitter?

Ledadd1ct: PM sent. Please reply.

Magichunter, PM returned.

KrisP said:

I vaguely remember...
- Take the battery cover off.
- Take the battery holder out.
- Undo the 3 small screws up near the battery springs. The light comes apart.
- Desolder the original star, resolder your new star.
- Reassemble.

Click to expand...

Seems simple enough, even a cave man could do it. That is if he had a screwdriver and soldering iron, and an outlet. I might be able to handle this.

Thank-you KrisP!

LEDAdd1ct said:

-okay, so does that mean if one wanted to attempt this, one would need a diode on a star, and not just the bare emitter?

Click to expand...

You could remove the original LED from the star and solder just an emitter, but I found swapping stars much more simple.