Fenix p1d-ce MAX mode = HOT?

[thesmacker11]

I just stood up my p1d-ce and set it to the high mode (130 lumens) and it got very hot after 5 minutes, as in I couldn't even touch it for even a second. Is that normal?

 

[THE_dAY]

just put a new battery in mine so i tried it.

left in on high standing on tail for 5 minutes and in the end it was warm, nothing i would faintly consider hot.

edit: room temp is kinda on the cold side. so i left in on high again, this time 1.5 ft away from an electric heater and afterwards it was hot but still comfortable enough to hold.

i hope that helps.

 

[farscape105]

Same thing for me, I have room on cold side and after 5 minutes, it was hot but ok to hold onto.

 

[I'M DK]

What type and voltage battery you guys using?

DK

 

[farscape105]

I am using 3.7 volt battery station rechargeables.

 

[THE_dAY]

i'm using streamlight primaries

 

[Long John]

I wouldn't do that.:tsk:

I measured a current draw of 1.4 A on high with primaries and RCR 3.0V cells.
That's a lot. Using the light in high mode, it needs the cooling of the hand, so tailstand isn't a good idea for the lifetime of the light.
It's a tiny light so there is not much material to transfer the heat.
No problems at low (70mA) and med (460mA).

Best regards

____
Tom

 

[kooter]

Just tried it, laying on its side as it wont tailstand any more. It was only pleasantly warm. Running on panasonic 123s.

 

[Mike abcd]

There are some great IR temperature photos of the P1D CE in this thread.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=147147

His hit 61 deg C (~140 F) in 17 minutes laying on its side.

That's pretty hot to hold by most folks standards. IME, holding something at 140 deg F with decent thermal conductivity is very uncomfortable.

Mike

 

[jclarksnakes]

I left mine on high tail standing with a 3.0 volt lithium ion rechargeable cell. Room temperature was 70 degrees F. After five minutes the light got warm. Using my Raytek temp gun I got 114 degrees at the hottest point on the side of the head and 111 degrees on the battery case. I took the battery out and it was 105 degrees. The light toggles nicely between the different levels with this cell.
JC

 

[JasonC]

Just received my P1D-CE today and yes it does get warm after a couple of minutes but no more than my SF L4. It should be a good thing that it gets hot to touch really because it means there will be less heat at the source and thus making run more efficiently and last longer.

 

[MikeSalt]

Warm, but not hot. Hmmm, I wonder what could be going on here then???

 

[jclarksnakes]

Warm, but not hot. Hmmm, I wonder what could be going on here then???

I was wondering the same thing. Why do some people report them getting very hot and some of us report that they only get warm. First thought is that it might have something to do with different battery voltage. I tried a five minute run again with it tail standing but this time with a regular 3.7 volt rechargeable cell. The cell had a voltage reading of 4.2 volts before I put it in and started the test. Room temperature was 69 degrees. After five minutes the light was actually not quite as warm as it had been last night with the 3.0 volt rechargeable cell. The head got up to 112 degrees. As has been previously mentioned by many on this forum the light does not toggle between the medium and high and low using the 3.7 volt rechargeable cells. It comes on at the high level and stays on high until you toggle three more times to the strobe mode where it does strobe like it does with primary cells and the 3.0 volt rechargeable. I still wonder what could be going on here?
JC

 

[farscape105]

I think I read in some other threads that it doesn't get as hot when using 4.2 rechargeables compared to using regular 123's.

 

[Led_Blind]

Well, mine gets to hot to touch after 5 or so mins. I use standard Li-ons and put it on medium but the light does not get a chance to drop its output to regulated medium.

I think the heat means the heatsinking is working fine.

 

[JasonC]

Don't forget it's also how sensitive your skin is. In general some people find things hot to touch when others do not. My better half can drink hot tea but I find it too hot and have to leave it for a few mins.
I haven't taken a temperature from my light, maybe I'll have a go later.
I must say I'm impressed with this little light though, it is definately brighter than my L4 (which I am alos impressed with!) but yet half the size! it has better throw than the L4 but is still quite floody.

 

[wakibaki]

As the battery goes flat the battery current goes up in a regulated system. This is to compensate when the battery voltage begins to fall. This goes on until the battery can no longer supply the current either. As the battery current goes up the heat evolved goes up.

It's difficult to know if your torch is misbehaving without testing under more controlled conditions.

w

 

[timcodes]

What you measured is the draw to the circuit not nescessarily to the cree. However, I do not know what the draw to the cree is. With the higher voltage there is less draw to the circuit. I noticed with the difference. rcr123 3.6 versus rcr123 3.0

 

[timcodes]

med/max mod will work on rcr123 3.6v.

Also, 4.2V initial volt will drop, and the medium/max mode will work. However, you won't notice much unless if you have sensitive eye or a lightbox. Eventually after on medium 10-15 minutes it dropped the voltage and I noticed the difference. There are 62.5% difference according to my lightbox.

 

[farscape105]

When holding P1D CE on high, how long can you run it without doing any damage to it? Does it max out on temp after say 10 minutes or so and then stay same temp thru rest of runtime of full battery? In other words, is it safe to run on high thru a whole battery charge when in your hand?

On medium, after setting on table for about 15 minutes it is just slightly warm. So I assume for medium/low, you could use in candle mode basically indefinetly.