Standing wave of Sapphire 25's , GS and now High CRI

[fyrstormer]

Darn. That moth was so cool. You always have amazing little creatures in your pics Don. Baby skinks, cool moths, frog fish, turtles, women in bikinis.... Hawaii: is there anything it doesn't have?

Yes. Sufficient land mass for us to all move there.

[managermr]

I have been considering purchasing a McGizmo light for some time.

I most likely will order a Sapphire 25 GS soon and then start saving for a Haiku!

[Drywolf]

Hi Don,
My light arrived today. Thank you!!

Just wondering if anyone has fooled around with QTC and this light? Specifically, if there is a better way to mount it than just putting a piece between the positive battery terminal and the head.

Thanks,
Frank


.

[archimedes]

Hi Don,
My light arrived today. Thank you!!

Just wondering if anyone has fooled around with QTC and this light? Specifically, if there is a better way to mount it than just putting a piece between the positive battery terminal and the head.

Thanks,
Frank


.

I've used a QTC in mine (Sapphire 25) - works fine, but seemed more convenient to me to drop it in the base (below the negative terminal).

[nbp]

Probably will last longer down there too as you only get compressive forces and not shear forces (is that the right term?). Smush instead of smush and twist, I guess.

Is Peak selling replacement QTC pills for their lights separately at this point? If you can get one, can they just be dropped down in a light like the Sapphire or are the bodies specially machined to accept them?

[Drywolf]

Kinda wierd. The light would not work with the QTC at the bottom, the head would not screw down far enough. But after playing with the light for a couple of hours the QTC fits fine at the negetive end and it does work much better too.



NBP,
I bought my QTC from smarkum, 16 little squares for next to nothing.

[archimedes]

Kinda wierd. The light would not work with the QTC at the bottom, the head would not screw down far enough. But after playing with the light for a couple of hours the QTC fits fine at the negetive end and it does work much better too.



NBP,
I bought my QTC from smarkum, 16 little squares for next to nothing.

Yes, they do tend to compress a bit over time - not much, but the tolerances in the Sapphire are tight.

I think Nick is referring to the "pill" that holds the QTC, not the QTC itself, and I do not think that Peak sell them separately (for now, anyway).

[fyrstormer]

The Sapphire 25mA has a constant-current driver. I suspect you'll drive it crazy by inserting a resistor in the path of its power supply.

[McGizmo]

Hi Don,
My light arrived today. Thank you!!

Just wondering if anyone has fooled around with QTC and this light? Specifically, if there is a better way to mount it than just putting a piece between the positive battery terminal and the head.

Thanks,
Frank


.

Don't put it at the front end as it could conceivably make contact with the LED leads or even ground for some shorting out or other problems. It will work in the bottom of the battery pak but I think you will find the O-ring doesn't get covered completely when you have the light "off". You could remove the silver ring anode contact from the PCB which would give you some more "Z" room and allow the head to tighten down further.

[Drywolf]

I know this does not make sense, but it would not work on the negetive side. I think it had to do with the light and not the QTC compressing. Maybe there was something down there that worked it way out? Anyway after playing with it the QTC fits at the botom nicely and works great.


This little light just feels great in my fingers. Another great light Don!!

[fyrstormer]

The positive terminal on the battery (and the silver bead on the back of the driver board) focus the pressure on the very center of the QTC material, so the same amount of twisting force equals greater pressure on the center of the QTC material. That makes it easy to compress one part of the QTC material enough to make it conduct electricity. When you put the QTC material at the negative terminal on the battery, there is no such mechanism to amplify your twisting force.

Contact with the LED leads could be problematic, but it can also be easily fixed by coating the back of the driver board with clear nail polish.

I re-iterate my earlier point: the driver in the Sapphire 25 is designed to self-adjust for the battery's power output so it can send 25mA to the LED at all times. When you introduce a resistor into the input side of the circuit, you accomplish little more than making the driver's job harder. It would be better to add QTC material to an old, non-regulated Sapphire -- or a Ti Arc AAA.

[managermr]

Just ordered a Sapphire GS.

My first McGizmo, but not my last!

Can't wait to hear from you Don.

[pjandyho]

Anyone here has a Preon ReVO to compare the lowest mode to the Sapphire GS? Would be nice to see a beam shot of it.

[managermr]

Just got an email from Don stating my Sapphire GS has been mailed!

Now I have to be patient for it to arrive.

Don, thanks for the fast mailing.

[mattp]

Anyone here has a Preon ReVO to compare the lowest mode to the Sapphire GS? Would be nice to see a beam shot of it.

I have these 2 lights, I'll try and get a comparison shot tonight.

[pjandyho]

I have these 2 lights, I'll try and get a comparison shot tonight.

Thanks! Most appreciated! I just need a comparison of the lowest output of the ReVO. No need for medium and high. I just want to know what kind of output the Sapphire GS has and the beam profile compared to ReVO.

[mattp]

Sapphire GS:


4Sevens Preon Revo SS (S2 led) on LOW:


Both with fresh Eneloops.

For completeness sake,
4Sevens Preon Revo SS (S2 led) on MEDIUM:


4Sevens Preon Revo SS (S2 led) on HIGH:


In a dark environment the Sapphire is brighter than you'd expect! I find the beam and tint perfect to read by as well.
The photos were taken from ~2m from the wall (I was standing at the end of a bed and shining them at the wall, which is a grey colour and fairly accurately represented by the Sapphire photo).
I hope this helps, I've replaced the Revo on my keychain with the Sapphire GS, for what it's worth.
Cheers, Matt.

[pjandyho]

Thanks mattp for taking the trouble to do this. The beam looks good and smooth. I think this is the perfect low light that I would need. I can't imagine how long it would take me to deplete an Energizer lithium L92 battery in there.

[jiuong]

Thanks mattp for taking the trouble to do this. The beam looks good and smooth. I think this is the perfect low light that I would need. I can't imagine how long it would take me to deplete an Energizer lithium L92 battery in there.

Hey bro,

I thought your 4th would be a makai!

[pjandyho]

Hey bro,

I thought your 4th would be a makai!

Maybe, maybe not. I am not sure. Anyway, Don is out of the 2 X 123 McClicky Paks so it won't be so soon for me to get a Makai.

[managermr]

Got my Sapphire GS today! Thanks Don for the very fast mailing. Great light!

Now I need to save for a Haiku.

[Vernon]

What's the UI on the Sapphire? And is there just one output option?

Many thanks.

[McGizmo]

What's the UI on the Sapphire? And is there just one output option?

Many thanks.

Twist on and twist off. On constant current level of output (~25 mA) when the light is on.

[Vernon]

Between your timely responses via email and here, I'm confident you are backing up quality products with the same kind of customer service. Thanks for your diligent help, Don.

[ibeQuint]

Email sent for a Sapphire GS, thanks!

[red_hackle]

Email sent for a Sapphire GS, thanks!

Ditto!

[Maxbelg]

I now have two Sapphires!

The one is a 25 GS and it's a great general usage AAA flashlight. I'd love to know its real runtime on an Energizer Lithium battery as I haven't found this info anywhere.

The second Sapphire is a high cri mule which Don still had and was willing to part with (thanks Don!): Now this Sapphire is something else!! It has amazing CRI and to my eyes it is quite a bit better especially on blue colors than my Peak Eiger XPG high cri and equal to my High CRI Nichia 219 from Illumination Supply which I put in a HDS. It is slightly dimmer than the 25 GS but it is quite adequate for general use. I consider myself very lucky to have obtained this light.

I own quite a few AAA flashlights by now but so far the Sapphires are my favorites!

[BenChiew]

What is a Sapphire Mule?
Is it a Sapphire without the optics?

[Maxbelg]

What is a Sapphire Mule?
Is it a Sapphire without the optics?

Here are links to the Sapphire Mule which was never a standard wave and was a VERY limited run:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...ith-Hi-CRI-LED
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...Mules-**SOLD**

[BenChiew]

Thanks for that Maxbelg. I would say you are a lucky guy to get that. Really neat piece of tool.