Re: *Edit - received!* Still waiting on my El Captain
Hi BentHeadTX,
I love the beam profile from the narrow optic. I don't think I would classify it as a narrow beam at all. It is very similar to the beam profile from my Qaurk AA Mini with reflector. It is very smooth with a great hotspot. I like that it is even thinner and shorter than the Pacific. Very solid feeling too.
I have a Fluke 77 meter. I use the 10A setting and check current flow in series through the meter. Reading are stable and consistant.
El Captain:
Energizer Lithium 1.75 V, 950mA
Enegizer Alkaline 1.55V, 900mA
Generick Alkaline 1.51V, 380mA (not completely fresh)
NiCad 1.42V, 500mA
Eneloop 1.28V, 240mA (fresh - also compared with another Eneloop)
Pacific HP:
Energizer Lithium 1.75 V, 200mA
Enegizer Alkaline 1.55V, 210mA
Generick Alkaline 1.51V, 230mA
NiCad 1.42V, 230mA
Eneloop 1.28V, 240mA
It appears that the ElCaptain current draw is INCREASING with higher voltage. You would expect it to be opposite. The Pacific displays a common trend with a regulator - as voltage increases the current demand decreases to maintain constant power.
The Captain is definately brighter on lithium Energizer and I would agree with the amount of lumens for this current draw - it is bright. But while dimmer on an Eneloop it is still impressively bright (almost as bright as high on my Quark Mini AA) and does not seem to be using so much power at only around 240mA. I am impressed if this correlates to runtime at this brightness.
I want to do a runtime test comparing it to another light and using the same cells to get a real world feel for what is goint on. I wonder if somehow the Captain circuit is doing something odd when the meter is introduced into the circuit? I hope the circuit is not defective. It is SO white that I would hate to have to send it back - never mind having to wait. There is just something special about a pure white XPG beaming through a great optic.