Finally got my Reactor working nicely!!!!

ledfanfromjuno

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 18, 2002
Messages
211
Location
california
I have no special skills like you guys. I just read all your stuff and make do with what I have in my house.

So, I hate my two reactors. Therefore I don't care if they burn out.

I hacksawed a piece of aluminum tubing that is uncoated and that is the same outer diameter as the reactor tubing. I made the new piece long enough to hold two more AA batteries and long enough to hack out eight tabs of aluminum at the bottom. I bent the tabs outward and shoved in the tailpiece with the spring in it from the reactor. I then bent the eight tabs all around the tailpiece sealing it in the tube. I then heavily ducktaped the entire outside so its solid and has no sharp edges. I have no ability to put threads on with tap and die in my house. So I have to hold the two pieces of theflashlight in my hand and push them together with my grip when I want it to go on or off.

With 4 AA lithiums both of my two reactors glow bright blue but not any brighter than they do at lower voltage with white light. So lithiums are out of the question since this means the phosphor is going to go up in smoke according to your other posts with pictures on candle forums.

One of my reactors is brighter than the other one. The brighter reactor reaches its peak brightness with a brillian white when I place 3 fresh duracells and one nearly depleted alkaline freebie battery from ledcorp into the new housing.
The darker reactor will not reach peak brightness unless all 4 batteries are fresh duracells.

When I run my reactors in this fashion they are the brightest flashlights I own. They outshine my excursion pro with fresh batteries. They also outshine my ledcorp pro3 luxeon bulb in my 4 dcell maglite which was rated by ledmuseum to be 85000 mcd at narrow hotspot which is the same score the arc ls got at ledmuseum 85000 mcd on 2 lithium AA. Not only does my reactor now outshine my luxeon lecorp maglite close up but my reactor also outcasts my luxeon maglite even when the maglite is focused.

My reactor puts out a huge floodlight that illuminates everything for a good distance in the vacant lot behind my mom's condo.

However, I don't run it for very long at a time since the batteries start to warm up a little after a few minutes. Also, the polycarbonate head of the reactor I'm sure has no heatsinking which is why the heat is running back downto the batteries.

Also, I'm very dissapointed that I can't do a better job myself and put threads on a better screw in extension battery holder that is water resistant and easy to hold.

No matter, this is now the brightest flashlight I own.

Instead of this crappy reactor fix, I with I would have spent the money on a lambda illuminator or elctrolumens electroblaster or a trilight (I want to stay away from 5 watt luxeons since your discussions state that they are only guarranteed by lumineds for 1000 hours operation) hence helios mega6 arcls5watt etc are all nonos for me.

But at least my reactors that were only gathering dust before are now super floodlights until they burn out their magic smoke.
grin.gif
 
Yes, LGI too. And I just orderred an ARC hybrid LS second. I swore I'd stop buying flashlights because they're making me dirt poor but when I saw the $49 price of the hybrid ls I had to get it. I'm going to teflon tape the bezel threads and place a minimaglite AA tail spring in the Arc AA holder I orderred so I don't crush my expensive rechargeable batteries' nipples and so my new ARC LS doesn't suffer flex failure. I would've gotten the Lambda illuminator but its sold out. Also, the electoblaster isn't available or reviewed yet in its new form. And yes there are lots of other nice things too like the LGI, trilight etc that meet my specific needs. I know there are many other led flashlights out there too that are good in their own way like the eternalight xray, ledcorp pro 3, ptimpact, infinity ultra, innova tactical, etc. etc. But you know what.

It's not that I don't like them. I already have them. My desk is piled over with flashlights. My computer desk looks like Craig's room on ledmuseum or Dan's website. I am coverred in flashlights. I tend not to mention what I already have. It's not because I don't like them but it takes to long to mention them all.
 
I have a white Arc LS second and a Cyan First, both LS1 rev1. I also bought 2 Reactors and was pleased with both of them. I gave one to a friend, who is also pleased with it.

Please try to remember that CMG's design philosophy is for runtime over brightness. They design things for backpacking, Search and Rescue, and other segments that need longer runtime.
 

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