TCPilot
Newly Enlightened
Well,
I received my Opalec "NewBeam" mod for my AA Maglite today. Here are my early subjective impressions:
When my Inova X5 arrives (Friday 4/19?) I'll compare the NewBeam to it.
My final opinion is that this wasn't a waste of money; I like the longevity of LED's and the runtime that I'll get from the NewBeam, roughly double that of the original Maglite bulb. I also like that the NewBeam has the low-batteru LED indicator. At $27.00 it's a nice way to complement the Inova X5, and not throw away the maglite.
When my Inova arrives, perhaps I'll submit this light to Craig so he can introduce it to the Punishment Zone
and give us a more objective & complete test.
Has anyone else here tried this mod?
Cheers,
/TCP
PS: Although not noted on their website, Bay Area flashaholics might like to know that Opalec is located in Walnut Creek, CA.
I received my Opalec "NewBeam" mod for my AA Maglite today. Here are my early subjective impressions:
<LI>What it Is: The NewBeam is a drop-in 3-LED (white) array meant to replace the bulb/reflector of the original AA Maglite. It also includes a much smaller 4th RED LED that will light when the battery life nears its end.
<LI>Fit, Feel, Finish: The kit comes in a plastic bag with a foldover tag that is also the instructions. The LED/circuitry and spacer come packed in a small film-canister-like container, very classy. The LED & Converter are epoxy-covered and securely attached to the plastic base/adapter. Another nice touch was including a new lens for the maglite in the event your old one is scratched or crazed (which mine was). "A" grade for thinking of that!
<LI>Ease of install: Took me less than 5 min, in poor lighting, on an older maglite, the kind the mod isn't supposed to work with...and it works fine (I may get a new one anyway in the interest of strength)!
<LI>And now...the light: In a darkened office, approx. 15'x20', it lit the opposite wall(s) easily. I could definitely find my way around without difficulty. The beam is un-focusable, but is very nearly perfectly round, with no evident hotspots. The 'flood' portion of the beam is very consistent too, surprising since there's now no reflector in the light. Also, the color is much warmer (surprisingly so) than, say, my ARC AAA.
<LI>Flashlight Comparisons: The mod, while obviously brighter (50%?) than the original maglite, was only roughly 30% (again, subjective) brigher than my ARC AAA! That little ARC gives this mod a run for its money. Both lit the room well enough for any basic need, and the only apparent advantage of the NewBeam was the larger center spot...about the size of my Surefire E1e (which came today, yipee!). I realize that comparing an incandescent to an LED is apples/oranges, but the E1e is significantly brighter--easily double, and enough to completely drown out the NewBeam.
When my Inova X5 arrives (Friday 4/19?) I'll compare the NewBeam to it.
My final opinion is that this wasn't a waste of money; I like the longevity of LED's and the runtime that I'll get from the NewBeam, roughly double that of the original Maglite bulb. I also like that the NewBeam has the low-batteru LED indicator. At $27.00 it's a nice way to complement the Inova X5, and not throw away the maglite.
When my Inova arrives, perhaps I'll submit this light to Craig so he can introduce it to the Punishment Zone
Has anyone else here tried this mod?
Cheers,
/TCP
PS: Although not noted on their website, Bay Area flashaholics might like to know that Opalec is located in Walnut Creek, CA.
