rlhess
Enlightened
Well, I was trying to make up my mind as to which
LED headlamp to give the kids for Christmas.
They're each getting an ARC AAA LE...but for a
headlamp, I was torn between the PT Aurora and
the Streamlight Septor.
The thing that kept me from just buying two more
Auroras was the annoying flickering on low power.
The boys want it for reading in bed--which is
what I use it for as well.
As a description, the PT Aurora has 3 white LEDs
and the Septor has (no surprise) 7. The Aurora
uses a current regulator to run all three LEDs at
all intensities. The Septor switches the number
of LEDs on at a time.
Both run off 3 AAA cells.
The Aurora has the annoying flicker at the lowest
setting. It is partially visible at some levels
of discharge in the medium setting. I find the
flicker annoying for reading.
The Septor is annoying for reading with rings and
such from the built-in reflector, but losing it
doesn't lose too much center beam intensity and
makes the beam smoother.
The Septor also has an annoying ratchet that
helps maintain elevation angle (both sag if their
screws are loose). Fortunately, it can be non-
destructively removed.
The Septor comes with a top strap. The Aurora
doesn't have one. The Aurora is about half the
size of the Septor.
The Aurora weighs about 3 ozs and the Septor
about 4.5 with batteries.
I've had the Aurora turn on once by itself in my
shoulder bag. I THINK the Septor's switch may be
less prone to turn on. IF the Septor turns on,
the first step is low. In the Aurora, the first
step is high.
So here are some numbers
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">
Brightness with fresh batteries
The Septor numbers are with/without the reflector
-----------------------------
Level PT Aurora SL Septor
Hi 60cd 85/80cd (7 LEDs)
Med 30cd 44/36cd (3 LEDs)
Low 16cd 28/26cd (1 LED)
-
Brightness levels with well-used batteries
and no reflector for the Septor. These were two
bars on the RS digital battery tester and open
circuit 1.14V and provide 13cd in an Arc AAA LE
(a fresh cell is 19-20cd)
-
Level PT Aurora SL Septor
Hi 16cd 16cd (7 LEDs)
Med 13cd 10cd (3 LEDs)
Low 10cd 6cd (1 LED)
-
Current consumption (fresh cells)
Level PT Aurora SL Septor
Hi 195mA 170mA (7 LEDs)
Med 85mA 105mA (3 LEDs)
Low 36mA 48mA (1 LED)
-
Estimated Life (using Energizer data, somewhat
massaged and the above used cell as approx end of
life criteria--utilizing 1000mAh as a baseline as
the current falls as the battery voltage falls)
-
Level PT Aurora SL Septor
Hi 5h 6h (7 LEDs)
Med 12h 10h (3 LEDs)
Low 28h 21h (1 LED)</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The Aurora has a slow and a fast flash mode for
marking a camp (for example) or as a hazard
warning (although I prefer a Xenon amber strobe
for that).
I hope you all find this of some
interest.
I would be open to another suggestion of an LED
headlamp that would be good for my boys. It needs
dimming, however. I might look at an AA one. Must
be a one-piece unit for robustness.
Cheers,
Richard
LED headlamp to give the kids for Christmas.
They're each getting an ARC AAA LE...but for a
headlamp, I was torn between the PT Aurora and
the Streamlight Septor.
The thing that kept me from just buying two more
Auroras was the annoying flickering on low power.
The boys want it for reading in bed--which is
what I use it for as well.
As a description, the PT Aurora has 3 white LEDs
and the Septor has (no surprise) 7. The Aurora
uses a current regulator to run all three LEDs at
all intensities. The Septor switches the number
of LEDs on at a time.
Both run off 3 AAA cells.
The Aurora has the annoying flicker at the lowest
setting. It is partially visible at some levels
of discharge in the medium setting. I find the
flicker annoying for reading.
The Septor is annoying for reading with rings and
such from the built-in reflector, but losing it
doesn't lose too much center beam intensity and
makes the beam smoother.
The Septor also has an annoying ratchet that
helps maintain elevation angle (both sag if their
screws are loose). Fortunately, it can be non-
destructively removed.
The Septor comes with a top strap. The Aurora
doesn't have one. The Aurora is about half the
size of the Septor.
The Aurora weighs about 3 ozs and the Septor
about 4.5 with batteries.
I've had the Aurora turn on once by itself in my
shoulder bag. I THINK the Septor's switch may be
less prone to turn on. IF the Septor turns on,
the first step is low. In the Aurora, the first
step is high.
So here are some numbers
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">
Brightness with fresh batteries
The Septor numbers are with/without the reflector
-----------------------------
Level PT Aurora SL Septor
Hi 60cd 85/80cd (7 LEDs)
Med 30cd 44/36cd (3 LEDs)
Low 16cd 28/26cd (1 LED)
-
Brightness levels with well-used batteries
and no reflector for the Septor. These were two
bars on the RS digital battery tester and open
circuit 1.14V and provide 13cd in an Arc AAA LE
(a fresh cell is 19-20cd)
-
Level PT Aurora SL Septor
Hi 16cd 16cd (7 LEDs)
Med 13cd 10cd (3 LEDs)
Low 10cd 6cd (1 LED)
-
Current consumption (fresh cells)
Level PT Aurora SL Septor
Hi 195mA 170mA (7 LEDs)
Med 85mA 105mA (3 LEDs)
Low 36mA 48mA (1 LED)
-
Estimated Life (using Energizer data, somewhat
massaged and the above used cell as approx end of
life criteria--utilizing 1000mAh as a baseline as
the current falls as the battery voltage falls)
-
Level PT Aurora SL Septor
Hi 5h 6h (7 LEDs)
Med 12h 10h (3 LEDs)
Low 28h 21h (1 LED)</pre><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The Aurora has a slow and a fast flash mode for
marking a camp (for example) or as a hazard
warning (although I prefer a Xenon amber strobe
for that).
I hope you all find this of some
interest.
I would be open to another suggestion of an LED
headlamp that would be good for my boys. It needs
dimming, however. I might look at an AA one. Must
be a one-piece unit for robustness.
Cheers,
Richard