I wrote up a post over in the headlamps section that I've been meaning to write for awhile now and thought it deserved an expansion and discussion of its own.
Basically it helps explain why non-regulated can be a good thing or why the new ICON lights are designed like they are, and some things just aren't explainable.
Definition:
Muggle = Non-aholic or normal (unenlightend) person
In the "real" world most flashlights are only used a few minutes at a time and alkaline batteries recover voltage between uses so regulation simply isn't important for this role. I know there are some good graphs of intermittent use out there if anybody can find them and wants to post them.
My first subject is how muggles use lights over extended periods and what I've noticed. As a caver I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of dark time with muggles using headlamps. Often 6-10hrs at a time underground while caving. I was also un-enlightened when I started caving so have similar experiences of mine own.
Here is what I have noticed:
1) 98% of cavers don't use rechargeables, I've tried to convince them but everybody uses alkaline, they may have tried in the past but they had bad experiences or too lazy/forgetful to recharge, so never again. (There misguided experience is that rechargeable = less bright, short runtimes, high self discharge) The few cavers who use rechargables have forgotten to recharge them before they came. :sigh:
2) Unregulated lights like Petzl dim slowly enough that you simply don't notice the dimming while caving. You're eyes adjust faster than the lights dim.
3) Non-flasholics won't change batteries till the last dying glimmer of the bulb or emitter. My guess would be about 1/20th of the peak brightness.
4) They won't even change batteries between trips either, so they may start the second day trip at 25% of the peak brightness. (actually it starts at near 100% as there is some battery recovery over night, but brightness drops off quickly). And yet they DON'T notice. In fact they brag about how great there Petzl is and that they have done 3 cave trips on one set of batteries.
5) They never clean their stuff either, or remove the batteries between trips or check to see if their lights work before they leave from home. Just a small amount of moisture in the battery case with the batteries given a month to stew will cause the contacts to corrode and I've seen plenty of leaky batteries as well. They always seem to find this out right as we enter the cave. Not even at the car where their spares are. Most every trip I've ever been on somebody has started the trip with one of there backup light.
6) There is good chance their backup light doesn't work either for the above reasons.
7) Muggles don't learn from experience. So you will see the same people do the same dumb thing over and over. (This seems universal in life) This is also why I am no longer a muggle.
Basically it helps explain why non-regulated can be a good thing or why the new ICON lights are designed like they are, and some things just aren't explainable.
Definition:
Muggle = Non-aholic or normal (unenlightend) person
In the "real" world most flashlights are only used a few minutes at a time and alkaline batteries recover voltage between uses so regulation simply isn't important for this role. I know there are some good graphs of intermittent use out there if anybody can find them and wants to post them.
My first subject is how muggles use lights over extended periods and what I've noticed. As a caver I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of dark time with muggles using headlamps. Often 6-10hrs at a time underground while caving. I was also un-enlightened when I started caving so have similar experiences of mine own.
Here is what I have noticed:
1) 98% of cavers don't use rechargeables, I've tried to convince them but everybody uses alkaline, they may have tried in the past but they had bad experiences or too lazy/forgetful to recharge, so never again. (There misguided experience is that rechargeable = less bright, short runtimes, high self discharge) The few cavers who use rechargables have forgotten to recharge them before they came. :sigh:
2) Unregulated lights like Petzl dim slowly enough that you simply don't notice the dimming while caving. You're eyes adjust faster than the lights dim.
3) Non-flasholics won't change batteries till the last dying glimmer of the bulb or emitter. My guess would be about 1/20th of the peak brightness.
4) They won't even change batteries between trips either, so they may start the second day trip at 25% of the peak brightness. (actually it starts at near 100% as there is some battery recovery over night, but brightness drops off quickly). And yet they DON'T notice. In fact they brag about how great there Petzl is and that they have done 3 cave trips on one set of batteries.
5) They never clean their stuff either, or remove the batteries between trips or check to see if their lights work before they leave from home. Just a small amount of moisture in the battery case with the batteries given a month to stew will cause the contacts to corrode and I've seen plenty of leaky batteries as well. They always seem to find this out right as we enter the cave. Not even at the car where their spares are. Most every trip I've ever been on somebody has started the trip with one of there backup light.
6) There is good chance their backup light doesn't work either for the above reasons.
7) Muggles don't learn from experience. So you will see the same people do the same dumb thing over and over. (This seems universal in life) This is also why I am no longer a muggle.
