Barbarin
Flashlight Enthusiast
Let's say a good percentage of the headlamps you can buy from China cheaply made, and not good at all.
If you just want them to do some home repair maybe they are more than OK, but I won't recomend them for uses in which your life can depend on it.
During decades mining headlamps have been "oudated" when it comes to the nowadays technologies. They were using Lead- Acid and incans, due probably to the strict regulations they must face, that makes really complicated and costly any moddification that must be tested and approved, so I guess that was the reason they were sticked to old technologies.
But some years ago I started to see some changes, specially on chinese companies. They started to use Li-ION and LEDs. Its own mining market is very big, and it is not surprising that they would develope their own technology for this. Anyway, as I was very busy with Barbolight company I did not had enough time to take a look a them.
Some weeks ago I looked back to this, and I started to have some conversations with some serious chinese engineers. I learned about their regulations for mining headlamps, which are in some terms more strict than ATEX/European ones. Finally, I managed to put my hands in some of their lamps.
Impressions:
Well, they are very well made. Extremely solid, and not heavy at all. Quality plastics, and a little bit bulky on the head diameter. The cable is from 6 to 8 mm diameter, have glands and strain relief parts. They are certified for IP66, but according to my own experience they are IP68 - 1 m at least. Due to its regulations they must be completely sealed, and just be able to be opened by qualified technicians.
Beam: As it should be on any headlamp they do have a very wide sidespill, near 100º. The hot-spot is ver narrow and bright. Maybe too much for me. The reflector is smooth, and I would choose an OP for a headlamp, but the overall result is quite good. The auxiliary light (6 LEDs has too many artifacts due to the not centered leds and the smooth reflector)
Usage: One switch on headlamp and KISS (Keep It Simple...): Two output levels coming from two different sources using the same reflector. You can choose high (primary /main source) or low (secondary/auxiliary). When battery gets too low you just can choose the low level.
LEDs and modes: Main source is a high power LED, being driven at 350 mA (they told me they use CREE based chips, so I guess they are on the 100 lm area output). Secondary source are 6 x PLCC 3520 LEDs in parallel. Arround 10-15 lm.
Runtime: Main light is 17 hours, secondary 48 hours (after 17 hours of main light).
Batteries: Sealed LI-ION, 6 Amps 3,7 V.
Weight: 480 gr.
Charging system: The light has two external points, made from stainless steel and conveniently separated.
Cons: The head angle is fixed.
Headlight and battery case.
Main source.
Secondary source.
They are for sure very good lights. As a caver I would have killed for one of those just some years ago. Now, I think they are a perfect host for modded lights... but as they are I'm sure they are way better than the average light you can find on a caver. From my experience 100 lm used with a good reflector are more than enough to beat the best carbide lamp.
If you just want them to do some home repair maybe they are more than OK, but I won't recomend them for uses in which your life can depend on it.
During decades mining headlamps have been "oudated" when it comes to the nowadays technologies. They were using Lead- Acid and incans, due probably to the strict regulations they must face, that makes really complicated and costly any moddification that must be tested and approved, so I guess that was the reason they were sticked to old technologies.
But some years ago I started to see some changes, specially on chinese companies. They started to use Li-ION and LEDs. Its own mining market is very big, and it is not surprising that they would develope their own technology for this. Anyway, as I was very busy with Barbolight company I did not had enough time to take a look a them.
Some weeks ago I looked back to this, and I started to have some conversations with some serious chinese engineers. I learned about their regulations for mining headlamps, which are in some terms more strict than ATEX/European ones. Finally, I managed to put my hands in some of their lamps.
Impressions:
Well, they are very well made. Extremely solid, and not heavy at all. Quality plastics, and a little bit bulky on the head diameter. The cable is from 6 to 8 mm diameter, have glands and strain relief parts. They are certified for IP66, but according to my own experience they are IP68 - 1 m at least. Due to its regulations they must be completely sealed, and just be able to be opened by qualified technicians.
Beam: As it should be on any headlamp they do have a very wide sidespill, near 100º. The hot-spot is ver narrow and bright. Maybe too much for me. The reflector is smooth, and I would choose an OP for a headlamp, but the overall result is quite good. The auxiliary light (6 LEDs has too many artifacts due to the not centered leds and the smooth reflector)
Usage: One switch on headlamp and KISS (Keep It Simple...): Two output levels coming from two different sources using the same reflector. You can choose high (primary /main source) or low (secondary/auxiliary). When battery gets too low you just can choose the low level.
LEDs and modes: Main source is a high power LED, being driven at 350 mA (they told me they use CREE based chips, so I guess they are on the 100 lm area output). Secondary source are 6 x PLCC 3520 LEDs in parallel. Arround 10-15 lm.
Runtime: Main light is 17 hours, secondary 48 hours (after 17 hours of main light).
Batteries: Sealed LI-ION, 6 Amps 3,7 V.
Weight: 480 gr.
Charging system: The light has two external points, made from stainless steel and conveniently separated.
Cons: The head angle is fixed.
Headlight and battery case.
Main source.
Secondary source.
They are for sure very good lights. As a caver I would have killed for one of those just some years ago. Now, I think they are a perfect host for modded lights... but as they are I'm sure they are way better than the average light you can find on a caver. From my experience 100 lm used with a good reflector are more than enough to beat the best carbide lamp.
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